#laura has a gorgeous singing voice

[a-mellowtea]

Holy hell, they made a song out of the “making my way” joke...

#the legend of vox machina #lovm #critical role #laura bailey #neal acree #i'm dying #when i tell you i cackled #but it's also very very pretty? #laura has a gorgeous singing voice

[droughtofapathy]

The Gilded Age's Broadway Divas: Aurora Fane (Kelli O'Hara)

Beloved by all, Aurora Fane enjoys a powerful position in Mrs. Astor's New York. Having suitably recovered from impending financial ruin last season, this season, Aurora has done some ill-fated matchmaking, worn some fantastic hats, and provided beautiful window dressing to scenes where she just sits there and looks pretty.

One of Broadway's (few) leading sopranos, Kelli O'Hara is a dying breed. As trends shift towards a more pop/rock sound, and classical musical theatre becomes a thing of the past, Kelli nevertheless finds her niche. A seven-time Tony nominee, Kelli has won Best Leading Actress in a Musical for the 2015 revival of The King and I. You'll recall another Gilded Age Diva who won for that same role some years prior. A proshot of the NT Live production can be found online. It is a gorgeous shoot, even if I take issue with that show as a whole.

She has also been nominated for Kiss Me, Kate (2019), The Bridges of Madison County (2014), and The Light in the Piazza (2005). Ironically, though Aurora Fane supports The Academy, Kelli is a classically trained opera singer who has appeared on the Met Opera stage three times, and will play Laura Brown in an encore run of The Hours this spring. (See my breakdown post over costumes here.)

However, prior to her opera appearance, Kelli will be starring in the new Broadway musical Days of Wine and Roses for a limited 16-week run, opening on January 28th. Kelli has been nominated for every role she has played since 2005, and this will almost certainly be no different. Booked and busy.

#1: "Shall We Dance?" The King and I (2015)

Kelli's voice is otherworldly angelic. That much we already know very well. The King and I opened in 2015 at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre at Lincoln Center, the third musical Kelli has starred in at that venue. The Beaumont is, of course, right next to The Met Opera, and the only Broadway theater outside the theatre district in Midtown.

As Anna Leonowens, Kelli travels to Siam to teach the children and wives of the king how to speak English. Orientalism aside, the show is a classic Rodgers and Hammerstein, and the score is divine in Kelli's mouth. Fun fact: Kelli's replacement was Marin Mazzie in one of her last onstage roles. Marin was the Passion co-star and dear friend to Donna Murphy, our Mrs. Astor.

This video is from the 2015 Tony performance and showcases the incredible quick change Kelli makes between singing "Getting to Know You" and "Shall We Dance?" aided by a team of unbelievable dressers. It is a marvel to witness. As is Ruthie Ann Miles, Kelli's co-star who recently performed in the Encores! production of Light in the Piazza.

#2: "What More Do I Need?" Take Me to the World: A Sondheim 90th Birthday Celebration (2020)

In 2020, despite a global pandemic, the theatre community still found a way to honor Stephen Sondheim's milestone 90th birthday with an online concert. Kelli performed a song from Saturday Night, Sondheim's first professional musical that was slated for Broadway in 1955, but was scrapped. It only got its New York premiere in 2000. This particular number is a cabaret favorite, and Kelli is an absolute delight with just a camera and digital accompaniment.

Fun fact: it wasn't until this particular performance that I truly started to appreciate the wonder that is Kelli O'Hara. I had previously seen her in concert just that March, and loved her, of course, but I have a complex relationships with sopranos. I now recognize that I love mature sopranos, but it's the ingenues I can't listen to without wincing.

#3: "They Don't Let You In the Opera" (2016)

Lest we think Kelli is limited in her range and style, this song was written especially for her to showcase her vast talent and comedic timing. Kelli, an Oklahoma farmgirl, isn't the sort of person you'd expect to be both classically trained and country literate.

Kelli, who has been typecast as refined and often repressed characters who go through harrowing emotional experiences, much like Aurora Fane, is more than capable of bringing a rollicking comedy to the mix.

This number is a favorite in Kelli's concert repertoire. There isn't much more to say, except that you need to witness its hilarity for yourself.

#4: “Heaven? Somebody else’s heaven?” The Hours (2023)

Speaking of opera, here is an excerpt from a scene in Act II where Laura Brown has fled to a hotel room to contemplate some very serious courses of action. Kelli, alongside soprano Renee Fleming and mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato, makes up a trio of phenomenal women in Kevin Putts' adaptation of the book and movie.

The Met Opera theatre seats nearly 4,000 people across six levels. The performers do not use body mics or amplification of any kind, but rather rely on intense vocal training to be heard across the theater. For this reason, alongside the vastly different vocal techniques and styles, musical theatre actors rarely cross over into opera, and vice versa. Notable exceptions include Renee Fleming, Kelli's Light in the Piazza co-star Victoria Clark, and Mary Beth Peil, who made her musical theatre debut in The King and I as yet another Miss Anna, hers in 1985.

#5: "So in Love," Kiss Me, Kate (2019)

Starring in yet another Golden Age musical revival, Kelli brings a different take on Lilli Vanessi, a glamorous movie star in a turbulent relationship. Kelli's vocal talent, of course, speaks for itself. For Kelli, this role was a tribute to her dear friend, the late Marin Mazzie, who had passed away some months before the show opened. Marin, who replaced Kelli in The King and I, had played this same role in the 1999 Broadway revival to great acclaim. In her first entrance of the show, Kelli wore a costume that featured the very same hat Marin wore in her show.

Though this video is beloved, my personal favorite rendition can be heard below. It was taken at a concert Kelli put on at the 92Y in New York last February. In it, Kelli sings for and to Marin, and the entire theatre wept.

Bonus: "Back to Before," Ragtime Reunion Concert (2023)

The role of Mother was originally workshopped by Donna Murphy in Toronto in the early 90s, but she left to do King and I, which worked out well for her. In came dear friend Marin Mazzie, who originated the role on Broadway, and established a precedent no other has been able to top. Also in that cast? Audra McDonald as Sarah, for which she won a Tony, of course.

In 2023, after years of pandemic-related delays, they staged a one-night reunion concert of this special show. And who better to take on Marin's iconic role than Kelli O'Hara? Listen to her "Back to Before" here, and then do yourself a favor and run, don't walk, to listen to Marin's.

#the gilded age #aurora fane #kelli o'hara #met opera #sondheim #ragtime #marin mazzie #kiss me kate #the hours #the king and i

[cellard0ors]

"So, what now?" Travis asks and Laura looks around, "The caravan shouldn't be too far from here. I don't know for certain that's where she died, but it seems like the most logical place. Unfortunately, since Silas's cage is nearby, that makes it all his territory. We won't have long to search before he might..."

She seems reluctant to continue and Travis can understand why. He doesn't have werewolf blood with him - normally he would, but he hadn't had a chance to apply it before he caught her down by the lake.

They're both armed and Travis knows guns can scare werewolves off, if not kill them (silver bullets needed for that), but Silas is no doubt a whole different breed altogether, what with being a werewolf born.

Laura must know that he's thinking all of this as she looks at him, her face set, "Like I told you - he usually avoids me, acts like I'm not there unless I push. For you-!"

"I'm a red flag in front of a bull." Travis nods knowingly, "No protection."

"I won't let anything happen to you." Laura swears with vicious intensity, "I won't."

Travis speaks to her with just as much, "Just don't do anything crazy."

She smirks, "Not my style."

He can't help but smirk back and he withdraws his weapon, double checking it. Laura does the same with her shotgun and, after her nod, the two slowly begin to make their way forward - deeper into the lair of the beast.

Travis keeps an ear out for any suspicious sounds, which gets him to thinking, "Could you sing to him?"

Laura looks over at him over one of her shoulders and he clarifies, "Silas - can you sing to him?"

She shakes her head, "Mer song doesn't work on him when he's in this form. I used it a lot when we were traveling together and he was in his human form. I'd use it to comfort him, soothe him - help him feel loved "

Travis looks wistful, "Wish I got songs like those. Instead of, you know..."

Laura looks stricken, "I didn't want to sing to you, I didn't want to take your memories, I just didn't know what else to-!"

"I'm not blaming you." He reassures her, "I'm just saying I'd like to hear you sing something sometime...I bet you sound like an angel."

There's an eye roll at the compliment and he doesn't blame her for it - as far as compliments go, it's rather cheesy, but he truly means it. He has no doubt her voice is gorgeous while singing.

It makes him wish he could play an instrument to accompany her.

...well, an instrument better than the harmonica.

These lighthearted thoughts help as they approach the burnt out husk of Silas's cage. At first there's no sign of anything that could remotely connect to Eliza, but then Laura's flashlight pins off a collection of thorns and creeper vines that have woven themselves thickly around something that reflects back at them.

Something metal.

They edge closer and Travis eases some of the brush away to reveal a thick, rusted bit of rebar. Within that is the smell of old ash and something else, something decaying.

Travis pulls the growth farther apart, cursing under his breath as some of the thorns catch him but as Laura shines the light in deeper, they see it.

Bone.

It looks... unnatural. Picked clean and vibrant and just as Travis mutters 'Holy shit' his back explodes in pain, Silas howling with triumph as he rakes his claws across it.

Flesh and uniform give easily and Travis's hold on the brush is lost as he falls to one side, Silas climbing over top of him and trying to take a bite.

Laura screams Travis's name even as she throws herself at Silas, trying to wrench him off. While not strong enough to completely pull her brother off, her intervention prevents Silas from taking a chunk out of Travis.

Travis, for his part, tries to wrestle the beast off of him, both squirming away from his weight as well as the sound of his snapping jaws.

Eventually he manages to work himself free, turning over on to his back, which blazes with agony. He tries to point his gun at Silas, tries to get off a shot, but the werewolf smacks the weapon from him.

Laura, still wrapped around Silas, tugs hard, trying to use all of her weight to make him topple backwards, but she doesn't have much of an effect.

As such, Silas is pretty much wearing her as a backpack as he continues to try and get Travis, swiping out at him again and again.

Travis scooches backwards in the dirt, leaves slipping under his heels. He can't quite get the leverage to rise up and pull away to a safe distance, not with the way Silas is looming over him.

Seeming to recognize that desperate measures are in order, Laura does exactly what Travis told her not to do.

She does something crazy.

Laura puts her hands over Silas's face and, with as much force as possible, sinks her middle fingers into his eyes.

Now Silas does rear back, releasing a high pitched, pained screech at her actions. Her actions that, apparently, clue him into the danger she truly is.

Laura pushed.

Silas responds.

His claws now go to his back where she is, they dig deep into her and she screams, releasing her hold on him. The moment she does, she falls to the ground and he turns, attacking her with unparalleled ruthlessness.

It's as if now, truly seeing her as opposed to simply shunning her, he has a lot of aggression to release. True, he doesn't bite - seeming to somehow sense how the clear water in her veins would hurt him - but that makes him no less ferocious.

Laura's rolled over and open to a full frontal attack, which Silas seems to relish. She does her best to block with her hands, her arms, her legs - but they offer little protection.

Silas is tearing away at her - clothing, skin, and blood flying as Travis finally gets to his feet and roars, "LEAVE HER ALONE!"

He spots Laura's shotgun to one side and quickly grabs it. Without any compunction, without a single pause, he presses the barrel of the gun directly against the back of Silas's skull.

He pulls the trigger.

While the shotgun doesn't have silver bullets, it still packs a hell of a punch, especially at such close range. Silas can't help but react to the full hit, the spread managing to at least pierce his head, albeit not destroy it outright.

Releasing a whining wail of pain, Silas clutches at his damaged head and finally releases Laura, running off into the forest to no doubt and try to recover.

Laura, however, looks far from that ability.

Blood is pouring out of her, her body ravaged. What skin is visible is deathly pale and she coughs, blood staining her teeth, dribbling out of her mouth as she wheezes in pain.

"Oh, no. Oh, no, no, no..." Travis crouches over her, shaking hands reaching out as if to touch her, but afraid to, afraid of making it worse and she chokes out, "'S...kay...guh-ge-get...buh-bone..."

"No."Travis says firmly, a thought coming to him. His clinical, official police officer mode kicking in as he assess her injuries and comes to the conclusion he can pick her up.

He does so as gently as he possibly can, although she still cries out, the pain tremendous. He shushes her, apologizing and telling her he knows it hurts, but he has to do this - he has to.

Laura tries to shake her head, but can't seem to manage the movement even as she once more pleads, "Too...lah-late, g-get...buh-!"

"No." Travis fiercely cuts off her attempts to speak as he cradles her close to his chest, his heart, "We're getting you to the lake."

"Wuh-won't wo-ork..." Laura manages, but Travis is already moving, even as she squeaks, "Bu...your... family..."

The last comes out small, a miniscule breath - almost as if it's the last thing she'll ever-!

NO.

He's carrying her and moving as swiftly as he can in the direction of the lake.

It's too far! It's too far! I won't make it! One half of Travis's mind wails in shrill horror, while the other half insists: You have to! You have to! You have to!

He wishes he was three decades younger, he wishes he was more fit, he wishes - more than anything - that this wasn't happening. But his wishes are meaningless, so he simply focuses on moving forward, moving fast, on: keep going, keep going, keep going!

The bones and Eliza and Silas are the furthest things from his mind.

All there is, is Laura. All that matters is saving her. And before he knows it, he's at the lake's edge. He does his level best calmly and carefully lower her into the water.

He carries her out far.

Freezing cold water encases his feet, his legs, his waist - he walks out - the lake bottom sucking at his shoes, the slick surface making it difficult for him to charge forward.

But he does.

Trails of coppery crimson begin to stream and swirl behind them as her blood meets the water. They're lost in a cloud of it once he's chest-deep and can go no further.

Travis lowers her into the drink and watches as the water completely engulfs her. She's floating, but only just - her blue eyes glassy and staring out at nothing.

She hasn't spoken in awhile. Her pale pink mouth just slightly agape. He can't tell if she's even breathing - he's not hearing anything, feeling anything. She's not warm - she's cold. But he's cold too.

Travis moves her about in the waters, a slow circular motion, like a macabre dance. He can't tell if scales have formed under her clothes. He removes them clinically, eyes glossy with tears as he sniffles, as he bares her to the waters.

It's easier to see the deep wounds now - the bone deep gashes, bloodless now. Jagged rips and tears in her porcelain flesh. Unhealed.

"C'mon, Laura... c'mon, sweetheart..." He croons, running his fingers through her soaking wet hair, "Come on...come back to me..."

Laura doesn't respond.

"Please..." His deep voice quivers, breaks, "Laura, please...I can't get you back just to lose you again...I can't."

He presses her lips to her forehead, "I love you, Laura...please come back to me...just one more time. Please. Come back."

Travis waits for an answer.

He'll wait his whole life if he has to.

#hackearney #my writing #the quarry #travis x laura #fin

[moon-ursidae]

ALRIGHT YA’LL KNOW THE DRILL HERE

there will be spoilers for all of the last of us part 1 and all of the last of us part 2 under the cut!!

i’ll be sharing my notes and thoughts as i play each session!!

again SPOILERS ARE UNDER THE CUT SO IF YOU DO NOT WANT SPOILERS DO NOT SELECT READ MORE

PLAY SESSION 1 (i am horrified)

i just want to start by saying that i already know a decent amount about this game. i never thought that i, myself, would be playing these games, so i watched playthroughs when they first came out. since then, spoilers have been plastered all over the internet. so. yknow. i’m aware of what i’m getting myself into. ANYWAY to the session log!

total play time: 6 and a half hours

HERE WE GO YA’LL

i haven’t opened the game yet AHH

i know the music is gonna ruin me

my heart is beating so fast

i’m configuring settings and i hear water oh god

FUCK IT’S THE BOAT

AHHHH

OKAY THIS IS REALLY HAPPENING

I HIT START AHHHHH

C H I L L S down my body just seeing the neck of the fucking guitar

i’m already tearing up from joel telling the story to tommy

THAT’S PEDRO PASCAL

THAT IS PEDRO PASCAL BITCH

IN THE CAR WHEN HE LOOKS TO THE SIDE BC ELLIE STARTED STIRRING AWAKE??

THAT IS JUST AN OLDER PEDRO BRO

ANYWAY sorry i just understand very much why they offered him this role

STOP THE CUT TO THE LAST CUTSCENE WHEN THE FIRST GAME ENDS I’M CRYING

AND THE MUSIC

FUCK YOU

this looks fucking amazing.

the fucking music. GUSTAVO. GENIUS BRO.

this is fucking gorgeous. i am taking my fuckin T I M E

STARRING ASHLEY JOHNSON TROY BAKER AND LAURA BAILEY I KNOW THAT’S RIGHT

WOOOO

THAT SHOT?? HIM WALKIN INTO TOWN?? JESUS F U C K

ARE WE ALREADY AT THE FUTURE DAYS CUTSCENE????

omg omg she’s listening to the song she sings in the trailer i think A H H

and the bandages on her arm where her scar is 🥺

the way that joel tucks his shirt in now omg such a dad

THE SAVAGE STARLIGHT POSTER🥹

THE STANCE™️

THE WAY THAT MY DAD DOES THIS SAME FUCKING THING WHERE HE’LL GO TO TELL ME A JOKE HE HEARD AND FORGOT IT

I’M GONNA C R Y LATER

HIS AWKWARD LIL STEPS TO THE DOOR TO GET THE GUITAR STOP

“you wanna hear sumn” JOEL PLEASE I’M GONNA SOB

troy has such a nice voice! and also to voice act while singing simultaneously?? crazy

THEY ARE SO-

UUGGGHHHHHH🥺🥺🥺

it’s always in the prologue that they showcase Joel being a dad and i’m like damn this is how me and my dad are and they’re like “would be a shame if something bad happened” and i SOB

“you kissed dina?” TEA

THE WAY SHE’S LIKE 😶

okay i already very much like jesse he seems like such a nice guy!

again i know what happens just let me have this goddamnit

ELLIE HAS A PS3 THAT’S WHAT’S UP BRO WHAT GAMES YOU GOT??

JAK AND DAXTER SLAY

UNCHARTED 1 & 2 SLAY

this taylor guitar is gorgeous bro AH

the pictures on her corkboard above the bed🥺

i wish we got to see and know more about cat she looks like a cool ass character

is that the toy she stole for sam?? i thought she left that at his grave? so it may be a new one to remember him by? i dunno

DINNER BREAK BEFORE I CONTINUE

okayyyy to the outside… where it’s snowing…. and ellie is wearing this outfit…

and joel and tommy are out scouting…

FUCK

i love how slowly through the environment it tells you how jackson survives. through community. it’s gorgeous worldbuilding.

FIRST CARD HELL YEA

IS THAT BUCKLEY??? AHHHH

AND GUSTAVO!!!!!!! OH MY GOD!!!!!!!

HE’S PLAYING A VERSION OF THE LAST OF US THEME AHHHHHHH

I HEAR MARISHA RAY AND MATT MERCER?? AHHHHHHH CRITICAL ROLE CAST COME THROOUUUGGGHHHH

it’s also really wonderful to see kids being kids during this. especially for their age. they’re too young to deal with the bullshit that comes along with an apocalypse world

PEOPLE ARE SHIT TALKING ELLIE BRO THEY LITERALLY STARTING HUSHING EACH OTHER AS I APPROACHED LMAOOOOO

there are so many people at the bar at fucking 6:30am ya’ll

“i don’t wanna hear what that bigot has to say” as you fucking should ellie

also maria is so pretty!!!!

and dina is patroling w ellie?

sooooo many great signs here 🥲

“bigot sandwiches” SHE’S SO FUNNY

CARD #2 BRO YEEEAAAA

“we’re fine” BC THEY HAD THE TALK ON THE PORCH AND 😭😭😭😭😭😭

DIIIINNNNAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!

“i’m not even playing!” THERE SHE IS FERAL ELLIE

“i hate this kid so much” okay and i love ellie

“you wanna fuck em up?” THEY’RE SO MADE FOR EACH OTHER YOU’RE JOKING

THE SNOWBALL FIGHT WAS SO FUCKING CUTE AHHHHH

DINA IS SO GOOD W KIDS 🥹

THE SPARKLES IN THE SNOW?? GODDAMN

DO I HEAR KHARY PAYTON AT THESE STABLES??

they even included the detail of farriers dude there is someone cleaning this horse’s hoof

AND YURI LOWENTHAL WOOOOOO

shimmer acquired ✅

I DON’T WANNA LEAVE JACKSON DUDE

and the music seems so ominous like HSKAHSKAHSOS

FUCK IT’S THE CABIN

I SAW MEL

I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IS HAPPENING

THIS EARLY?????

PLAYING AS HER?? THIS EARLY???

THE FABRIC ANIMATION ON HER SLEEPING BAG??? INSANE

listen i have nothing but raging and wholesome love for laura bailey but this one is gonna be difficult

her performance is phenomenal don’t get me wrong. this is just gonna be hard

THIS EARLY??

also they all start exiting a garage

joel rode the horse out of the garage

ellie lives in a remodeled garage/shed

and abby walks out of the garage w owen

idk if that’s a connection at all but just something i noticed i guess

owen also gives me weird vibes idk

this feels wrong being on the stick as abby

yooooooo that’s a really cool camera trick to convey her perception of heights and her fear

the snow and scenery look fucking gorgeous oh my god

FUCK of course he wanted to show her JACKSON

FUCKIN HELL

AND OF COURSE HE SAW JOEL AND TOMMY GO ON PATROL

MOTHERFUCKERRRRRRR

“assuming he’s in there, how do we get to him?”

I KNOW WHO THE FUCK THEY’RE TALKING ABOUT AND I’M SICK TO MY FUCKING STOMACH

AND NOW I HAVE TO LEAD HER TO JOEL???

F U C K DUDE I’M KAVSKABSKSH

i genuinely am so fucking anxious dude

like my hands are sweating and my stomach is turning over and i’m gonna vom bro

this is ALOT of dead folks oh my god

DODGE?? fuck yea

OH MY GOD THE WAY SHE STOMPED ITS HEAD AHHHH

this game is definitely more brutal damn

GOD THE INFECTED ARE SO MUCH SCARIER

“where’s the patrol?” NO WHERE. LONG GONE. SOOOOOOOOO GONE.

ellie and dina are so cute together

THE BONG💀

honestly eugene sounded pretty fuckin awesome i would wanna go out like him too

GOD I LOVE SNOWY ENVIRONMENTS

“i was thinking of inviting joel over for a movie” i- wh- 😭😭😭😭😭

cheesy 80s action movies??? MY KIND OF GUY BRO!

ALSO PLEASE NAUGHTY DOG STOP GIVING HIM MORE HUMANITYYYY AND GRAVITAS IT HUURTS

“you wanna meet up after?” “uhh.. okay. i’ll play guitar for you.” ELLIEEEEEEEEEE I SEE YOU

ANUTHA CARD BABYYYYY

i was wondering when we would see infected

dina worried about ellie dying bc of infection and ellie’s like “deal.” 😶

oh shit this storm is picking up HELLA

EUGENE WAS A FIREFLY

i wish so badly for them to go more into joel and tommy’s time after outbreak day jfc

ANUTHA CARD

ANUTHA PS3

damn i wish we had a ps3 in the library

i love the new weapons upgrade system

like you physically see the gun change and add shit onto it

so dope

DAMN! eugene had WEED bro

but this also means….

it’s super close now..

“smash bradi’s cooch” BRO NOT THE PLAY ON NAUGHTY DOG GAME TITLES

omg plz the way she breaks the joint jar

THERE WAS SOMETHING ELSE I MEANT TO LOOK AT BEFORE THIS CUTSCENE GODDAMNIT

their chemistry is CRAZZYYYYY dude i feel like i’m intruding on their time

THE WAY ELLIE LOOKS AT HEEERRRRRRR

THE WAY THEY LOOK AT EACH OTHERRRRRRRR

THE WAY SHE FLICKS THE JOINT AND GRABS HER FACE WAS SMOOOOOOTH AS FUCK

oh no. ohhhhh no. i am now abby. oh fuck.

fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck

A HORDE???? THIS IS HORRIFYING OH MY GOD

THE FENCE IS GONNA CRUSH MEEEEEEEEE

i have to pause. it’s joel. i-

FUUUUUCK

FUCK. HER REACTION WHEN TOMMY TELLS HER ITS JOEL. FUCK.

LAURA BAILEY IS SO GOOD

AND THE WAY HER VOICE GETS SHAKY?

LAUUURRRRAAAAAAAAAA

TELLING THEM WHERE HER FRIENDS ARE AND THAT’S GONNA LEAD THEM TO THE CABIN AND FUUUUUUUUUUUCK MAN.

GOOODDD LAURA’S ACTING. JESUS.

AND THEN CUT TO ELLIE AND DINA AHHH

WAIT I THOUGHT SHE TOLD DINA SHE WAS IMMUNE LATER???? IS SHE GOING TO RN??

SHE IS. OH MY GOD.

i’m lowkey glad she doesn’t believe it

“tommy and joel didn’t show up”

NOT PREPARED

FUCK FUCK FUCK THEY’RE INSIDE THE HOUSE NOW

i literally feel sick to my stomach i’m so worried for him and tommy and ellie bro

tommy’s being so nice to them offering them supplies and everything too GOOOOODDDDDD

FUUUUUCK THE WAY THEY ALL LOOK UP AT HIM WHEN HE INTRODUCES HIMSELF AS JOEL

FUUUUUCK THE SHOTGUN

when i tell you that i am so close to losing my dinner i am not joking

THE EMOTION IN HIS EYES WHEN HE LOOKED AT ELLIE

HE LOOKED SO TIRED BUT SO SCARED FOR ELLIE

i am pausing. jesus fucking christ. (stopped for a good while here bc obvious reasons)

it hurts me knowing that ellie didn’t even have the strength to even stand up when dina found her and joel and tommy.

tommy coming to check on her😭

she looks about as bad as i do rn

my poor sweet ellie🥺

tommy’s so awkward bc he’s probably like “does joel want me to treat her like a daughter? do i carry on what he started? do i try to forge this relationship with her?” and struggling to tell ellie that they may not be able to afford going to seattle if it means that ALL of jackson would be vulnerable. bc he doesn’t like it either. he wants to go for abby too.

FUCK man.

THE HUG.

F U C K

THE HEADSTONE STOP

the lil chair and wind chimes outside🥹

all the flowers out front??????

he really had an impact on jackson🥺

her hand shaking at the door FUCK

HE HAD A COWBOY HAAATTTT😭😭😭😭

HIS OWL MUG 😭

IS THIS PAGE OF HER JOURNAL WET WITH TEARS?? AND/ OR TEAR STAINED???

THE MUSEUM PAMPHLET A H H

her drawing of him oh my god i’m C R Y I N G

you can tell he loved her so much. there’s pieces of her all over the house.

HE NEVER FINISHED HIS CARPENTRY PROJECT

THE MIRROR IN THE UPSTAIRS BATHROOM IS OFF THE WALL AND COVERED. JOEEELLLL.😭😭😭😭😭

it looks broken as well. maybe i’m reading too much into it. maybe not

THE PICTURE OF HIM AND SARAH IN A WHITE FUCKING FRAME I’M GONNA LOSE MY MIND

AND A PICTURE OF HIM AND ELLIE NEXT TO IT

no one look at me. no one talk to me. no one perceive me. oh my fucking god.

his jacket and how ellie just stays there. oh my god.

THE WATCH.

THE MUSIC.

I’M FUCKING DONE DUDE.

is that his fucking shirt from the night he lost sarah. i fuckin-

NAUGHTY DOOOOGGGGGGGG

the idiots guide to space book and readers on the bedside table😭😭 SO HE COULD TALK TO ELLIE ABOUT SPAAAACE

bless maria’s heart dude. i love her

SEATTLE DAY 1

omg she’s telling dina the story about the hunter that tried to drown joel in the hotel

alright i’m stopping here before going forward bc i’m fucking exhausted emotionally and physically haha

jesus fucking christ is how i would summarize that first session. jesus fucking christ.

#the last of us #the last of us spoilers #the last of us part 2 #the last of us part 2 spoilers #the last of us part ii #the last of us part ii spoilers #tlou #tlou spoilers #tlou part 2 #tlou part 2 spoilers #tlou part ii #tlou part ii spoilers #mads plays the last of us!🌿 #mads plays the last of us part ii!🍃

[bardicbramley]

Bramley's Book Of The Week - Master Thread

I've been adding to a thread over on my twitter (bardicbramley) every week-ish with a new Children's or YA book that I have read recently and would recommend! With everything happening on twitter, I'm going to make a master list of all my recommendation so far here, and then continue adding them to a tag on this blog as well, just in case!

So, without further ado... #bramleysbotw so far!

31/10/22 - Home by Tonya Lippert and Andrea Stegmaier

A gentle story of homelessness giving so much space for understaning & discussion. A great tool for deeper talking ab houseless people, different types of homes and unstable living situations with gorgeous, simple yet detailed art.

7/11/22 - How To Be More Hedgehog by Anne-Maire Conway

So much deep and true emotion, a relatable MC and great messages of self advocacy, confidence and activism. As someone with selective mutism and tics, I enjoyed every second of Lily's proudly stammer-filled journey.

14/11/22 - Lifesize by Sophy Henn

Over to my library kids for this #bramleybotw A new addition that they've not stopped talking about...Even my most energetic readers are sitting on the floor, reading the animal facts to their friends and comparing their hands to that of a polar bear!

21/11/22 - Me and My Dysphoria Monster by Laura Kate Dale and Ang Hui Qing

In honour of #transawarenessweek2022 and as a personal thank you from a trans educator. An amazing addition to trans children's literature (& kidlit in general) that I would highly recommend to other educators!

28/11/22 - Love Your Body by Jessica Sanders and Carol Rossetti

A beautiful and uplifting non fiction to support girls in loving and appreciating their body for all the amazing things it can do, and all the incredible ways it can look.

I needed more words to also talk about the incredible art in this week's choice. The colour pallet just so comforting and the style is a new favourite of mine!

5/12/22 - Paws by Kate Foster

My younger self would have loved this book and even now I adore it. It has authentic #actuallyautistic representation (without negativity!) and is all round a lovely story.

6/1/23 - When I See Blue by Lily Bailey

An emotional and gritty real world adventure with Ben, as he navigates making friends, protecting his alcoholic mother, and battling the bully in his head, his OCD. A tough but beautiful read.

30/1/23 - Star Knights by Kay Davault

A Graphic Novel filled with self acceptance, incredible worldbuilding and animals that turn into magical adventurers?! I mean come on, how could I not rec this one 💖 bonus points for queer rep too.

9/2/23 - All To Play For by Eve Ainsworth

It's recommended by Empathy Lab UK this year and I couldn't agree more. It has Barrington Stoke's signature dyslexia friendly pages and font - but so much more than that. A story of family, class and determination.

20/2/23 - Birdsong by Katya Balen

I'm a bit late to the party with this one. I've seen so many people sing it's praises! A gorgeously honest, emotional and raw story that any child will love, but will strike a chord with certain ones especially.

27/2/23 - Speak Up! by Rebecca Burgess

A graphic novel about a secret teen pop star with a wonderful autistic main and genderqueer side character representation? Of course it was amazing!

6/3/23 - Tyger by SF Said

Much like Phoenix, the dedication to world building, the layered, lovable characters, and the beautifully descriptive language had me gripped from the very start. Dave McKean's incredibly detailed and emotive illustrations surely helped!

13/3/23 - Needle by Patrice Lawrence

An incredible heartfelt read for UKS2/MG/KS3 - exploring often avoided topics of fostering, UK police and court systems, racial profiling, when to be honest (or fake it), whose voices matter most and questionable justice.

20/3/23 - Twelfth Grade Night by Molly Horton Booth, Stephanie Kate Strohm and Jamie Green

Sometimes you really just need a queer, unapologetically corny modern Shakespeare smash retelling of Twelfth Night and A Midsummer Night's Dream, and that's 100% okay! I got you covered!

In all seriousness, with all the hatred filling queer spaces atm, it was great to just float in a fun, sweet, dramatic world full of lovable ✨fairies✨The illustrations caught me instantly - the pining faces, the dramatic lighting! A teen romcom Will'd be proud of.

28/3/23 - Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga

A beautiful UKS2+ novel in verse following Jude's journey across oceans, growing up, making friends and finding her voice. Rich and realistic, not shying away from subjects often avoided, and with poetic Arabic intertwined.

3/4/23 - Frizzy by Claribel A. Oretga and Rose Bousamra

Whilst not my own cultural story, it resonated deeply still 💖 an incredibly honest, beautiful and joyous graphic novel with gorgeous colours and rebellious questioning of generational trauma!

12/4/23 - Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston by Esme Symes Smith

I put it off for so long bc I was a little scared it might not live up to my hopes, but it was so much more than I imagined. The love I have for these kiddos (and Callie's dads 😭) is intense. Kidlits often shy away from big, scary or rebellious topics. Neither Callie nor Esme are afraid to speak up ab what trans kids (and so many others) need/deserve to hear, and I am so proud of them for that. This is the book I needed as a kid - I am so glad it exists now 💖⚔️

24/4/23 - Jamie by LD Lapinski

A powerful story of never backing down and demanding your full self to be acknowledged. I'm so excited to see a story encouraging children to stand up for themselves and recognise that adults can be (& often are) wrong.

5/5/23 - Dungeon Club: Roll Call by Molly Knox Ostertag and Xanthe Bouma

Great for those who haven't played and incredible for those who have - the use of D&D stat blocks and dual narrative (irl and in game) 🙌🏻 simply amazing! Can't wait for the next!

15/5/23 - Call Me Lion by Camilla Chester

Being autistic, sometimes partially or non-speaking, and having struggled with confidence all my life - I just loved this little joyful tale. Realistic but hopeful, with easily likeable, well rounded mcs!

22/5/23 - My Brother is Away by Sara Greenwood and Luisa Uribe

A /beautifully/ illustrated and gently poignant picturebook of a child whose brother is incarcerated. I've seen this kind of book before, but this is it done right, well, and to a v. high quality.

19/6/23 - Front Desk by Kelly Yang

Been meaning to read this for so long, finally have, and of course its been added to my all time favourites list! What an incredible, reflective and honest piece of art for children. I don't do mandatory reading, but if I did: top of the list.

26/6/23 - The Golden Hour by Niki Smith

A gorgeous graphic novel, upper KS2-3 cusp/YA. It takes a beautifully artistic and honest look into managing childhood PTSD from gun violence, with help from an eye for photography, a cute calf, and a first queer crush 💖

3/7/23 - My Aunt is a Monster by Reimena Yee

A sweet and exciting story of adventurers, curses and mysteries with a healthy dash of queer and disabled representation, all whilst learning to see past first impressions.

#education #teacher #kidlit #educators #bookrecommendations #bookcommunity #goodreads #childrensillustration #bramleysbotw #ya #library #librarian

[shadowsshowdown]

Deus Ex: Human Revolution Shadow’s Showdown 34

The Christmas Wish.

Detroit. Rupert's house.

When the subway stopped at the next station, Laura looked up at the electronic display that informed her she wasn't even half of the way. She prayed for a miracle in the form of the subway breaking down before she reached her destination, but alas, that did not happen. She was horrified by the crowd gathered outside but luckily most were going in a different direction than west Detroit so only a few people got on the wagon. None of the new passengers had the idea to go to the very end so there was still no one. A baby was crying hysterically somewhere on the other side which made it difficult for Laura to read so she turned up the music.

After more than half an hour of riding, three short bell-like sounds signaled that she had reached her destination. The hacker stood up from her seat and, keeping her hands in her jacket pockets, stepped out of the subway wagon. She crossed the platform, nimbly avoiding the thickening crowd, and climbed the stairs. She found herself on a long street with rows of red brick houses with white windows and box gabled roofs on either side.

Laura stopped on the sidewalk, unplugged her headphones from the phone, and looked at the screen. The number 101 shouldn't be far away, she thought. She dreaded the moment when she met Rupert. Laura had put him in an awkward position, and she felt bad about it. On the other hand, she couldn't deny she needed to be with someone today, and lately, the hacker had pushed everyone away from her. She was already a few steps away from his house, so she slowed down. Every new situation made her panic and she needed a moment to calm her nerves. As a complete outsider, she felt most comfortable around faces she knew, and she usually took Joe with her on trips into the unknown. Laura would make up some story, and he would pretend to believe it. Now she was alone.

Three steps, two, one. The hacker had been walking a good while on the small, square, covered porch when suddenly the door opened even though she hadn't pressed the bell at all.

"Miss Laura please don't stand outside, you'll catch cold," she heard a female voice that remained cheerful even as it instructed her. "Sorry, I was just about to press the bell," she replied embarrassed by the whole situation.

Mrs. MacKenzie was a rather corpulent woman, the hacker estimated, close in age to Rupert. The landlady tilted her head looking at her guest.

"Please forgive me. I have admired your beautiful hair. I always wanted mine to curl and have that fiery color," she explained. "And I always wanted it straight because I couldn't tame them," she laughed. "Rupert is already waiting. I'm glad you came to see us, miss. I baked cookies. You can't refuse," she said in a sing-song voice, leading her through the narrow, long hallway along which the doors to the rooms were located. Laura admired the portraits of ancestors, clan crests, and deer antlers hanging on the stone walls. "Here is your room," Demelza announced as she opened one of the doors. "It's not very elegant for the times, but my husband and I can't get used to that new odd furniture," she shrugged her shoulders. "It's gorgeous and very cozy. This furniture has a soul. It's not bland. I have an antique clock at my place. Each scratch on the wood is a separate story." "I like you already, darling," the woman gave her a broad smile, immediately becoming serious. "I'm sorry, I fraternized too much." "Not at all," Laura instantly denied. "That's very nice," she admitted. "In that case, my name is Demelza. Just Demelza. Unpack your things, get some rest, and then go see Rupert, he couldn't wait. He's in his office, down the hall there." "Okay, I'll go to him right away," she replied taking off her jacket and tucking a scarf into one of the sleeves. She was already about to hang it on the coat rack, but the woman interrupted her in mid-motion. "And don't worry about the vase," she added. "What va…?" she didn't finish, because while hanging her jacket she accidentally tripped one of them.

The vase fell to the wooden floor, shattering into pieces just like her life. "I'm so sorry," she said horrified, covering her mouth with her hand. "I really didn't mean to. I'm so clumsy. I'll buy it back even if I have to starve to death, I promise." Demelza was alarmed by her reaction, and Rupert, leaning against the doorframe of his study, apparently was too, for he sent his wife an understanding look.

"I told you - Don't worry. It's just an object," she reminded calmly. "I have to watch the cookies," she added, staring into Laura’s guilt-filled face. "Come with me, Laura," she heard Rupert's voice and slowly moved toward him, leaving her backpack in the hall.

She noticed a wooden plaque hanging over the door with the words: Temet Nosce carved on it. She had the same one above the entrance to the kitchen. Know yourself, she thought. In fact, she felt she knew little about herself and was often unpredictable which scared her. She hesitated whether to enter the study.

"Don't be afraid, I don't bite," MacKenzie said in a Scottish accent that was only now clearly audible to her. "Sorry, I didn't mean to offend anyone, and that vase..." she tried to explain. "Laura..." the man sighed, walking over to the massive desk and reaching for his thin-framed glasses. "You better sit down before you say something stupid again," he said with a hint of playful annoyance.

The woman looked ahead at the armchair upholstered in dark green fabric and then to her right at the chaise longue standing more against the wall by the bookshelves reaching the ceiling. Not knowing what to choose. The Scot noticed how nervous she was so he immediately led her through a narrow passage to the less formal part of the study where the other part of the library was located. The man gestured with his hand to one of the two armchairs, and as the room was quite dark, he switched on a lamp with a white pleated lampshade standing on a table between the armchairs. MacKenzie was wearing tartan trousers having a green and dark blue pattern with intersecting white and red lines. Before he sat down, he had fixed the sleeves of a loose, light cream linen shirt laced at the neck.

"I shine, not burn," she said quietly. "Mmm...?" the psychologist looked at her confused as if she had snapped him out of his reverie. "Luceo non uro means 'I shine, not burn,'" she explained, at which the Scot bestowed upon her a hearty smile.

Rupert reached for his pipe and lit it with almost ritualistic gestures. Laura watched his every move. Her father was also a perfectionist, paying attention to the little things that to her were commonplace. Laura could not celebrate the moment, savour it. She realized this only when she lost him. A terrible, icy sadness pierced her. Now she had lost Adam, too. Before they started talking Demelza brought a plate with freshly baked cookies with candied cherries and chocolate, two china cups, a milk jug, a teapot with tea, and a sugar bowl on a tray. The not very tall woman arranged everything on the table, then turned to her husband: "Don't smoke in the guest’s presence," she rebuked him.

"I don't mind at all," the hacker woman protested, again feeling that she was creating problems for others.

The landlady smiled sparingly and left. Laura wandered with her eyes around the room, the pervasive silence was making her fear grow. Rupert waited patiently for the woman to become accustomed to her new surroundings. He saw her as a kitten who was curious about everything, but who would run away under the closet at the slightest movement. Therefore, he just sat creating a map of her personality, which was already monstrously intriguing for a psychologist. After a few minutes, Laura reached for the jug and looked at Rupert as if to ask if he wanted her to add milk to his tea. The man nodded affirmatively. This subtle and elegant movement as she stirred her tea and the lack of any sound made his mind even sharper. No doubt she had received an impeccable upbringing that she had lost over time.

Laura took a few sips of her tea, set the cup down, and walked over to a bookcase filled with various titles. History, geography, crime, horror stories, and even fantasy, but nothing about psychology, she thought.

"An impressive collection of books," she stated aloud. "Lord of the Rings? The Witcher? That's so..." "You think someone my age shouldn't read books considered children's stories?" he commented with mild indignation."Not at all, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you." "Rupert, my name is Rupert," he reminded her.

He had deliberately provoked her into this behavior. Laura was obviously afraid of an outburst of aggression. Something in her past must have triggered that fear and it was definitely a very powerful catalyst that remained to this day.

"MacKenzie means MacCoinnich in Gaelic, right?" She asked, turning away from the bookcase. "You have quite a bit of knowledge," he admitted without hiding his admiration. "I was in Scotland on vacation with..." Laura intertwined her fingers nervously. "With my parents. We stayed in a small house in a suburb of Glasgow. My parents didn't like being in the center of big cities. We spent a whole month there, walked around a lot, explored. My dad once took us on a trip, and we lost our way so we stopped by a house on the way to ask if there was a hotel somewhere in the area. The woman immediately invited us to stay the night even though her husband was ill. We didn't want to inconvenience her, but she insisted. Laura sat back in her chair. "So we stayed. Instead of sleeping, we sat by the fireplace. Her husband, muffled in the tartan blanket, was telling us stories I can't even repeat. He was of the MacCoinnich clan, hence my knowledge. In the end, we exchanged addresses and phone numbers. Sadly, a week later Gail called us with the news that Aidan had died. After the funeral, she confessed that on his deathbed he had said that the few hours he spent with us had brightened his dark days." The hacker rested her straightened hands on her thighs and lowered her gaze. "Two weeks after I returned to Sweden. I was left alone. The whole world came crashing down on my head, I was fifteen at the time and had huge plans for the future," she didn't know why she said all this so openly. Even in front of Adam, she was reluctant.

Rupert nodded letting out a cloud of smoke with his mouth. He hadn't expected Laura to take such a big step in such a short time. He had to be very careful about what he said and did to make sure she didn't back down. The hardest thing would be to refrain from being resolute. In Adam's case, such an attitude was successful, but she is different. The slightest display of aggression or pressure ends very badly. Jensen mentioned her ex is blackmailing her, but the problem is much more serious.

"I'm going to be honest with you, because I think you missed one thing while you were in Scotland," Rupert changed the subject. "What kind of thing?" the woman asked somewhat frightened. "Our Christmas is tomorrow, not today. Of course, if you don't want to be our guest, you can leave at any time but we would be delighted if you stayed," he explained, and Laura could feel the fatherly concern in his voice. "Well, yes, I've noticed that there isn't enough of the usual busyness for a festive day, but I didn't know why. I will stay, not because I should but because I want to."

I'll stay because I have nowhere else to go anyway... The Scot watched her carefully, she seemed sincere to him yet he noticed the sadness in her eyes. For a moment he wanted to call Adam and invite him to dinner tomorrow, but he decided it was a bad idea.

Detroit. Laura's apartment.

Adam still couldn't let go and together with Connor waited outside the hacker's apartment, even though he knew it was pointless. He tried to find a way to find out where Laura could have gone, he even wanted to call Faridah at the risk of losing his head, but he remembered she must have left Stalker somewhere. If he was lucky, he'd find him with a neighbor who might know where she went. Jensen passed Connor, who was still busy with his phone, and rang the doorbell next door. He was opened by a woman in her sixties, smiling.

"Sorry to bother you just now. I won't take up much of your time," he excused himself. "Can I help you?" she asked squinting her eyes magnified by the lenses of her glasses. "Ah, Mr. Jensen, right? Laura isn't home, she left some time ago but I don't know where. She asked me to take care of the cat." "That's what I was going to ask, but since you don't know I'll have to wait until she returns. Merry Christmas," he wished before the woman closed the door.

When he turned around, he noticed that Connor was gone and Laura's apartment was open. He was instantly enraged, so he took a quick step into the hall.

"What the hell are you thinking?!" he growled at the man who was looking around the rooms. "I thought something might have happened, so I decided to act," he explained completely unconcerned that the ex-SWAT was furious. "Laura left the cat with a neighbor and went somewhere. You could have waited," he rebuked him reaching for the phone.

Hey Faridah. Sorry to bother you, but I'm looking for Laura. Is she at your place? A.

Did she run away from you again? No, she's not at my place. I'm serious. F.

Adam was running out of ideas although for a moment he thought she might have flown to Uppsala. However, he quickly verified that possibility. Malik was the only person who could take her there. The man sat down heavily on the sofa next to his enemy, rubbed the back of his neck with his hand, and then his face as he watched him play with his phone. The longer he watched the more the thought grew in his mind that this idiot might be useful to him somehow.

"Connor?" he tried to get his attention. "Yeah?" he became slightly interested, but he was still more interested in the smartphone. "Can you track Laura's phone signal?" he asked hoping he would swallow the bait. "I can try, but I can't promise anything," he replied leaning his back against the backrest of the sofa.

Jensen waited silently for any results of his attempts. He hoped it would work. The silence was driving him crazy.

Rupert's house.

The clock ticked in the silence filling the room. Laura had already eaten her third cookie, but it didn't help for the bad mood at all. The Scot saw her mask cracking more and more, showing she was in great pain.

"Adam invited me over for Christmas," she said quietly, momentarily focusing Rupert's attention on her. "I wanted to explain everything. I really did but..." the woman suddenly stood up and began walking nervously around the room. "She...She was there...He wasn't alone."

Laura had said this when they spoke on the phone however it sounded completely different now. MacKenzie felt he had to do something, or at least try. The situation couldn't get any worse, at worst it could stay the same. A few minutes later Demelza came in to pick up the empty cups. Apparently, she also read Rupert's silent request.

"Laura, if you are not very tired, will you help me in the kitchen? I need to get some things ready for tomorrow," she asked, knowing that such requests were not to be denied. "Of course, I'll just go to unpack my things, and get changed" she replied and left immediately afterward. "Demelza, please advise me," the psychologist spoke up as soon as they were alone. "I already said that no one should be alone at Christmas."

The Scot smiled slightly, knowing what his wife meant. He got up as soon as she left, went back to the first part of the study, and started looking for something in the desk drawer. Laura picked up her backpack from the hall, noting in the process that Demelza had already collected the shards of the vase. She was still remorseful, even though the landlady assured her that nothing had happened. Unpacking her backpack, she felt as if she had returned home after a long journey. When she enters the kitchen, she will meet her mother preparing the dishes for Christmas so she will help her. In the end, they will bake kanelbulle as usual. Father will come to disturb them and surreptitiously snack on gingerbread cookies. Later, the scent of cinnamon and vanilla will fill the kitchen along with laughter. A fire will burn in the fireplace, crackling quietly on the firewood. The woman sat on the edge of the bed, putting her clothes next to her. She regretted running away so quickly without letting Adam say anything. If she had a second chance, she would listen to everything only then evaluate and decide. Unfortunately, her reactions were far from what she wanted. She didn't recognize herself, and that scared her the most. Having changed into more comfortable clothes, she left the room following the smells coming from the kitchen. She had a box of kanelbulle with her which she was supposed to give to Jensen. She didn't want them to go to waste.

"I thought you were asleep," Demelza said as soon as she saw her entering the kitchen. "I was just thinking. It's so peaceful and cozy here," she replied. "I baked kanelbulle. They were always on our table at Christmas and not only. They're not as good as the ones Mom used to make, but I tried," she added handing the woman a box.

Demelza wiped her hands on her apron and, tilting her head, looked at Laura. "That's very kind of you, thank you. Come, help me slice the vegetables." The hacker just nodded and got to work. She had helped her mother with cooking many times, so she knew quite a bit about it. This time, however, she found it hard to concentrate. While slicing the carrots, she cut her finger. The landlady gave her that gentle, motherly look as she dressed the wound.

"You carry a sadness inside you, it can be felt," she said quietly. "When we're done, I'll make some cocoa and you can tell me all about it," was the tone that defied objection, but at the same time was warm and understanding.

Laura nodded, finished slicing, and dumped everything into a bowl. The rest of their work went very quickly, which she wasn't too happy about. Soon they were sitting at a round wooden table set in the corner of the kitchen sipping cocoa. Demelza waited, not wanting to put pressure on her guest.

"I wish Adam were here. I was dreaming... I wanted to be with him that day. I know it's the least important thing, but I even bought him a gift. If he knew I had to save up for everything now he would be furious," she smiled tartly. "I should give it back to the store but I still believe things will change." "You care about him, a lot even," she admitted nodding slightly. "You should remember not to overdo it because then it will turn into fear. You'll be afraid that at every turn something might happen if not your fault then someone else will be blamed for it."

Demelza hit the nail on the head. Laura realized she had already fallen into the trap of fear. Adam had become so important to her that she was beginning to treat him like a child incapable of defending himself. She blamed all the bad events on herself. The hacker sipped her cocoa, washed her mug, and wished the landlady a good night.

"The bathroom is just at the entrance to the right," she informed before Laura left. "I've also prepared towels."

A moment later Demelza went to Rupert's study to tell him not to sit up too long. She had always told him this, but when he came across some interesting or difficult case he always stayed awake at night. Half an hour later Laura lay in bed but could not fall asleep. At her place at least she could look towards Adam's apartment. She also missed Stalker, although he always woke her up at night when he knocked things off the table checking if they bounce. The silence everywhere did not help her fall asleep either, but somehow she managed to get used to it. After a long time of fidgeting, she fell asleep.

All  chapters can be found: [AO3], [dA], [Wattpad] and [Tumblr]

#Deus Ex #DXHR #Deus Ex Human Revolution #Adam Jensen #Shadowfanfic #crunchy-shadow #Shadow's Showdown #Nifriel #I never asked for this #Fanfiction #Evie Dormer OC #Joe Mando OC #Cyberpunk #Writers on tumblr #Chapter 34: The Christmas Wish.

[mako-lies]

I’ve been really into Cambodian music lately, specifically the growing Original Music Movement. For some context, Cambodia had a really rocking music scene in the 60s, prior to the Khmer Rouge taking over. A lot of the Khmer cultural heritage was lost during the Cambodian Genocide, and recovery after the fall of the Khmer Rouge regime is... still ongoing in a lot of ways. 

 Specially focusing on music, a lot of the music that Cambodia “produced” after that was basically Khmer (Khmer, referring both to the people of Cambodia and also the Khmer language) covers of foreign songs. There was no producer of original Khmer music. It wasn’t until recently that there was a revival of Cambodian original music. 

The figure I’m most familiar with is Laura Mam, though she isn’t the only figure. She is co-founder of a record label called Baramey Productions, which produces Khmer original music. Her story is really interesting. Here are some NPR articles about her and a TED talk that she did. 

 Her production company, Baramey, is the one I’m most familiar with and has artists such as VannDa, Sophia Kao, Khmeng Khmer, and Songha. There’s another popular production company called KlapYaHandz with artists like Vuthea, SreyLeak, and AGO. I also was able to find an alternative label called Yab Moung Records. 

 History lesson aside, LETS TALK ABOUT THE MUSIC. 

VannDA 

 Basically, if we’re talking about contemporary Cambodian music, we HAVE to start with VannDa. He is considered the King of Cambodian Rap, and for good reason. His ability to seamlessly weave old and modern music styles, English and Khmer, is incredible. An incredibly versatile artist, I don’t think I’ve heard anything of his I don’t like. Honestly, a lot of his songs read like poetry—and they’re all subtitled in English so he’s a really good jumping in point.

Time to Rise is his most famous song. It’s helped him reach international fame, and really meshes traditional Khmer music with modern rap. It also incorporates vocals from Master Kong Nay, a musician who survived the Khmer Rouge, to really solidify this blend of past and present. The lyrics are gorgeous, the beats amazing, and it’s just such an incredible song. The instrumentals (the ones not done by Master Kong Nay) are done by Vanthan, a fantastic musician who’s mastered all of the Khmer traditional instruments.

  Queen Bee is a sweet love song. This is a live performance he did, linked mostly because you can really see the flute here!

Sorrow lmao he did a video on his phone when he was in quarantine 

 Laura Mam 

While she mostly produces these days I think, she does still make music sometimes, especially for Women’s Day. She has such a sweet sounding voice, and I love everything that she puts out! Also, she dances really well—sometimes she shows up in Baramey Productions videos to dance and things. Again, her videos are subtitled in English, so an easy jumping in point.

 Just Like You is a really cool song that honors three Cambodian women and tells their stories of resilience. Has some bonus VannDa in it, and is catchy as hell. 

 Kmeng Khmer 

Literally meaning “Khmer Youth,” they’re a duo who were actually the first group signed on with Baramey Productions. I really like that they’ve got a young, kind of lighter sound. Their stuff doesn’t have subtitles, so I don’t understand the lyrics, but it’s such fun music to listen to!

 Far Away is such a bop. And their dancing is really nice. I love how bright and fun the video is, too. 

Komlos Tang 3 is another fun, catchy bop that I really enjoy. 

 Sophia Kao 

She’s more of an R&B singer. I love how distinct her voice is, it’s so relaxing and good. She mostly (entirely?) sings in English, and often collabs with the other Baramey artists. I really love her sophisticated sound and sad vibe. 

Time is a great sad love song. I love her mix with VannDa, the blend of English and Khmer they have going~! 

 Hell is another sad love song in her typical style. 

 Vuthea 

A hugely popular Cambodian artist, he works in a variety of styles ranging from pop-rock to hip hop to more traditional styles as well. Vuthea’s songs are some of the most popular in Cambodia today, and for good reason—he’s super fun to listen to. 

Kromom 3 Styles is a fun song to listen to, and possibly his most popular song?

Oun Sas Ey is another easy listen. His songs always have such a nice beat, and his voice is so nice! 

Sreyleak 

A farmer who sings both pop and traditional music, Sreyleak has such a beautiful voice. She is super popular in Cambodia, and I love all of the music of hers that I’ve heard. 

Saravan Rok Ku is super neat because she’s got this very traditional sound going on, compared to the rap that goes on in the middle. Her voice is just so lovely, and I never feel like she’s overpowered by the rappers. 

Rom Tov Mit is just a really nice display of her vocals, it’s super sweet~! 

Sin Setsochhata 

The granddaughter of one of Cambodia’s most famous singers, she is a soul and pop singer. Her voice is beautiful, and she’s able to sing a bunch of different styles too. She’s working on a new EP and I’m super hyped to see what she’s going to make! 

Champa Battambang is a remake she did of one of her grandfather’s most famous songs. It’s honestly so beautiful, the first time I listened to it, it took my breath away. 

Truth is a beautifully sad song, that shows off her voice so well. It also has English captions, and is an incredibly poignant song about facing the reality of her father’s death. 

Vartey Ganiva 

Dubbed Cambodia’s Queen of Punk, she’s one of the few punk/alternative Khmer artists. I honestly couldn’t find much about her, but she seems really neat! 

Evil Husband is about domestic abuse. Such a strong song. I love her voice, and the instrumentals are so good too! ​

I’ll stop here because uh… this list is already GINORMOUS, but I hope you like at least some of the songs I’ve linked. Some of the artists are on iTunes if you decide you want to support them. It’ll be really cool to see how Cambodia music continues to develop~! Note: I’m not like… a huge music person, so I don’t know all the terminology or anything so sorry about that! I just got really excited. Also, I’ve done some research for this, but if I’ve gotten anything glaringly wrong, please let me know (:

#cambodian music

[merryfortune]

Blue Water High Club

Written as a gift to @pinceauarcenciel as part of the @precuresecretexchange

Fandom: Tropical Rouge PreCure

Ship: Manatsu/Laura

Rating: T

Word Count: 5.2k

Tags: Alternate Universe - Blue Water High, Rivals to Lovers

Synopsis: Manatsu is one of the five teenage girls who has been selected to be apart of this year's Blue Water High Club cohort: a group of competitive surfers who are trying to make it to the elite circuit. However, one of the other girls, Laura, is unimpressed with Manatsu's 'bumpkin' style of surfing and feels threatened by the rival that she sees in Manatsu until finally, it all bubbles and boils over.

  Manatsu was buzzing with excitement as she hauled her backpack and her surfboard to the competing zone. Her parents were more naturally anxious beside her, flanking her at every point and making sure that she wasn’t hitting innocent bystanders with how she flaunted her surfboard affectionately named Summer.

  Manatsu donned her name tag and competition status on her skin-tight, leotard bathers – up to snuff with competition rules and had cost a pretty penny to afford but were absolutely worth it. She looked good in them and she looked like just the other hopefuls looking to get into the Blue Water High Club.

  The Blue Water High Club was the name given to a personalised set of surfing studies given to only a handful of teen girls per year. They were given a hostel by the beach and automatic entry into the closest high school. For one year, they would have the opportunity to eat, sleep, and breathe surfing. Every bit of their schedule would be tailored to them and getting them even better at their craft. Then, at the end of the school year, there would be a competition which was bigger than big which would either swim them into the professional circuit or cause them to sink. There was nothing more than Manatsu wanted than to be one of the five girls who would be the cohort of this year’s Blue Water High Club.

  Only thing was, this was Manatsu’ first tournament and she was proud as punch to be here. Her parents… not so much. To her, possibility was as boundless as the sea they were giving a wide girth to as there were so many people here: other competitors, their families, judges, the media. But to her parents, whilst Manatsu thought she could only go up like the sun, they were worried she was going to sink like a shipwreck. Not because they didn’t have faith in her abilities to surf but because they were worried that she was a big fish in a small pond. She might have dominated back on their island, but this was a gathering of all sorts of people, from all sorts of places.

  Nonetheless, with Manatsu all signed up, she was raring to go. Words were getting lost over the crackly speakers, competing with the sounds of people and the beach itself but it was apparent from the electric tension in the air: something was coming. Something was about to happen. And in a stroke of good luck, the announcements solidified. Manatsu’s heat was about to be up.

  Her mother smiled and held her face, with a feeble voice she said to her daughter, “Good luck.”

  “Go get ‘em, sweetie.” her father added as well.

  Manatsu beamed and her left hand rocketed up, “Will do!” she shouted.

  Her voice all but broke the barrier of general noise and ordinance. Some people stared, some people ignored her: either way, Manatsu was totally oblivious and so, she swung out. She had to go join the line with all the other hopefuls. She marched over like she was on a mission and hovered through the crowd of equally competitive and nervous girls until she finally found the person with the number before her.

  She was irritable looking. And utterly unimpressed with Manatsu. She flipped her pinky-purple ponytail off her shoulder and bore a generally cross-looking expression on her elegant features. Manatus was utterly oblivious.

  “Hi, my name is Manatsu, what’s yours?” she asked.

  “Its none of your business.” she retorted back.

  It seemed this girl had already made up her mind about Manatsu and that decision was that Manatsu was nothing but trouble. Nothing good at all. Either to socialise with or to compete with.

  “Well good luck.” Manatsu shrugged off such hostility with a smile.

  “You really shouldn’t bother Laura…” the girl on the other side of Manatsu whispered.

  Manatsu flinched. She hadn’t even noticed that another girl had joined the line-up. She was spooked by this sudden voice.

  “She’s really serious.” This other girl said.

  “And so am I.” Manatsu boasted and she stuck her tongue out at the other girl. Laura.

  “Ugh.” Laura growled.

  “Shush, all of you, we need to get ready.” the girl in really thick, prescription goggles on the other side of Laura added.

  She was right of course. Even if she was being a little bit pernickety. Laura huffed and sighed, folding her arms but mostly settled down. Same for Manatsu and the other girl, she stole another look at her and then there was more crackling over the speaker system.

  “Ladies, gentlemen, and esteemed guests, friends and family, we welcome you to the eighteenth annual Aozora City Blue Water High Club tournament.” the speaker said. “Middle school girls from first to third year are eligible to compete. There will be multiple heats and the best of the best from them will be chosen. Thus begins, the first mixed heat of four.”

  An air gun was shot, and all the girls rushed out to the water. It was like second nature to them. Feeling the wind in their hair and soon enough, the chill of the saltwater on their ankles. Their hands. Paddling out and taking turns scanning the horizon for waves and they were all truly beautiful.

  What a day for surfing it was. The air was just right. It stuck to the skin like a blanket, invigorating and alert but comfortable. These were all girls in their prime after all, in their element. The water was choppy and getting higher and higher. It was a shame that a couple of the girls had already ridden their wave and it didn’t feel like it had been all that long out there. They had all been briefed prior in the guidebooks and sign-up sheets that the heats only had so much time.

  Manatsu was awed as she found herself among the last of the girls to make their move. Her heart was pounding. These conditions were great but not as great as the ones back home. The waves were taller there. The wind was somehow windier. And it seemed that every couple of seconds the perfect break came along and right now, as Manatsu weighed up her options, there wasn’t even going to be something close to her ideal break.

  And as she looked around, she noticed that she wasn’t the only one who had pulled back perhaps too long. Laura. For some reason, Laura took Manatsu’s breath away right there and then. She could have choked on salt thinking that her rival competitor, and a snot-nosed inner-city type at that, was literally sitting pretty on her pearly, blue and pink board like that. But she was.

  Her eyes were sharp; her ears were pricked. And then something happened. Her determined demeanour shifted, and she paddled out. Manatsu watched as Laura caught a wave that was almost as gorgeous as she was – and about as perfect as this cityscape beach was going to provide for a competitor.

  She was all hard work, Manatsu noticed immediately. Studied and prim, nothing about her was out of place, not even a single curl of her hair as she rode that wave. Performing tricks that Manatsu would never have dreamed up by her own right. She was out on the water like she had been born beneath its waves, like a mermaid. Her routine stunned and, in that awe, Laura was shining like the shimmering, swaying ocean all around her and when she came ashore, her board skidding on the sand, she didn’t falter once, ending it with a dramatic bow.

  Laura wowed everyone and anyone with her performance. Even the speaker system was singing her praise. And making warnings unto Manatsu. She gulped and she looked around. With Laura ashore, she was the only one left and the waves her getting flatter and flatter by the second.

  But Manatsu had hope and there was this one gleam of foam that she was going to put the utmost hope. To be vivacious and full of energy. To earn her spot. It was as if she were willing nature to abide by her whims – and even weirder, it seemed to be working.

  A wave began to rise up and out. Getting bigger and bigger and bigger until Manatsu leapt to her feet. Suddenly she wasn’t just the only girl on the water, she was the only girl in the world. It was just her and the water and she was soaring. Flying. She carved the waves and pulled off moves she couldn’t name technically but she had technically named them after herself. They were all her discoveries, through trial and error, her own thought process. She was the ur-performer, the talent to the technician and when she washed up, she did it with a smile.

  Her parents were applauding her as hard as they could; more casually, a few others in the audience was doing the same. Even a couple girls – like the ones from before, not Laura though – were patting her on the back as well. With her finisher, the announcements began to trickle on over the announcements. The first heat had come to a glorious conclusion and there would be ten minutes until the next. Then, by the end of the day, the results would be privately shared with the girls and their parents. Once the results were given out, the tentative wait would occur next and soon this year cohort for the Blue Water High Club would be solidified.

  She could hardly watch the other sets but from what she had glimpsed, the only girl worth watching was the sixteen-year-old with long, red hair. She got more fanfare than the others.

  Once the other sets completed, Manatsu was on edge all afternoon. She was just buzzing with excitement that she couldn’t do anything else. Even a friendly girl like her, who had already made a couple of connections here, couldn’t go out and socialise. She was just staring down the judges’ tent with a cool drink in hand, waiting for her results to come in through text message to her parents.

  It was seven minutes past five o’clock exactly when that highly awaited moment came. Manatsu’s mother phone pinged and Manatsu could have tackled her but fortunately, her mum was quicker with her thumb, opening the text message in the nick of time. And she couldn’t believe it. Neither could Manatsu’s father but Manatsu could. She took her mother’s hand and lowered it so she could see the screen. Smile didn’t begin to be an apt word for the expression that Manatsu was making.

  She was grinning ear to ear. All for that mass copy and pasted text with a few changes. Miss Natsuumi Manatsu, congratulations, you scored incredibly well, tieing with only one other girl, and thus we welcome you to the Blue Water High Club. Follow the link for more information.

  Her parents couldn’t believe it. Manatsu’s pipe dream had become reality. A reality that dawned on her and her folks quicker than they could have imagined. First term was two weeks away and there was a lot to get in order. A new school uniform, entrance exams in nature of arthimatic and literature, and so much more. At least accommodation was paid for but everything else came so hard and fast they were all breathless as those two weeks slipped through their fingers.

  Before Manatsu knew it, she had arrived on the mainland again. Her father’s kiss still on her forehead as she marched up to the school and dormitory complex of the Blue Water High Club. It looked just as casually chic and pristine as it did on television, in the brochures, and on their official website. It was on a private beach front and had a pool as well, there were two-three storeys kind of melded with the hills that it was built on and ultra-modern by Manatsu’s standards.

  She couldn’t wait to meet the other girls and see her room. The latter was brand new to her. Alien and without a homey feeling, at least until she started to make it more comfortable to herself by piling her clothes into the provided storage and putting up her posters and macrame. The former, however, was quite familiar to her.

  She found the other girls in the common room, having already set up and arrived since apparently, they were local to Aozora City, unlike her, and Manatsu did know their faces. She remembered the purple-haired girl with fluffy, twin plaits and the girl with glasses from the competition. She was also willing to bet that the tall girl playing on her Nintendo Switch was the red-haired girl who had been the best in her heat according to the announcements.

  “Hi!” Manatsu exclaimed when she found them. “My name is Natsuumi Manatsu, its great to meet you all!”

  Her voice was way too loud for an indoor setting, but her enthusiasm was sparkling so for that noisy transgression, she was forgiven. At least for now.

  Cringing through a smile, the purple-haired girl put up her hand gingerly and introduced herself, “It’s good to meet you, Manatsu, my name is Suzumura Sango.” She said.

  “Takizawa Asuka.” the red-haired girl piped up and she pointed towards herself with her thumb.

  “I’m Ichinose Minori…” the girl with glasses mumbled, her eyes somewhat obscured by them but it was also, as though that she were looking away from Manatsu. “There’s still one other girl left for you to meet…”

  Manatsu almost didn’t quite catch that but she started to count. One for herself, two, three, four: oh! Minori was right. Someone was missing. Manatsu blinked. She wondered if that girl had simply not arrived yet, but the aura of the room was strange. Growing tenser and tenser by the minute but Manatsu was entirely oblivious, up until she decided that using all this brain power was making her thirsty.

  She spun on her heel and she came face to face with the fifth member of the Blue Water High Club cohort – and even in her lackadaisical, happy-go-lucky state, Manatsu recognised her instantly. Laura. The rude girl from before but even so, Manatsu cracked a huge smile and held out her hand.

  “Oh! Hey! I remember you,” she said, “I think we got off on the wrong foot, I’m-”

  “Natsuumi Manatsu. I heard. Everyone heard. I think the whole city likely heard.” Laura retorted.

  Manatsu laughed awkwardly and she scratched behind her head, “Ah, sorry, sorry, I’m just so excited to be here. It’s been my dream since forever and when I heard that I’d gotten in with top marks, well, I’m still surfing that high, haha.”

  Laura’s eyes widened and her arms slowly unfolded, as though confrontational. Manatsu blinked again.

  “You got in with top marks?” Laura asked.

  “A-yup.” Manatsu replied.

  Laura was completely off put by Manatsu’s answer. Her eye twitched and she stepped back. It was all written on her face: utter disbelief. Her lower lip trembled as this flabbergasted expression wrung her out.

  “I was told that only one other girl made it into the Blue Water High Club with unprecedented top marks, was – was that you?” Laura asked.

  “Huh, must’ve been.” Manatsu shrugged.

  The other girls were most certainly not owning up to their own scores. Either way, Asuka rose to her feet, sensing a conflict.

  “Let’s not get too hot and bothered about those scores,” she pointed out, “we’ve got plenty more to get. Both in the Club and in our schoolwork, let’s keep a clear head.”

  Laura glared but before anything more could be said on the matter, it seemed their teachers had arrived too. Couldn’t have a handful of competitive teenagers unsupervised for too long and so, the five of them were carolled up outside and put through orientation.

  They sat on the beach together, like it was a campfire and were put through the rules and expectations of the year which was about to be. Everything from their chores to their homework to, of course, the competitions which would make them standout from the rest of their peers at the Aozora City Middle School. It was the mere mention of competition that caused ears to prick and eyes to slit. These girls were primed and ready and to their mixed delight of apprehension and thirst, there was going to be a surfing competition sooner than they thought. Just at the end of the month: three weeks away. For it, they were willing to put in more than just tooth and nail at school and at training.

  And already they had their first competition on the calendar. It was a mere four weeks away but until then they had plenty of other things to keep afloat in such as school and training. Both were going full straight ahead with no letting up on either side: everything they did, they had to push themselves to. It felt like they were crammed from every side as they were told to rebuild their surfing from the ground up at training and then slammed with assessments at school but there was one another problem too.

  Trouble was brewing amid the girls. They hardly knew each other and already there was drama. Specifically, between Laura and Manatsu, of course, who else?

  It was like a war zone in the off moments. The rare moments they had in between all the chores, assessments, and workouts that they had to do in and around the dorm. When it was during the on moments, like the aforementioned examples, it was stellar. Their competitiveness was bringing the best out of them but when it wasn’t, it was making the other girls’ lives – and even their own – a living hell.

  Week one had been mundane. Little spits and spats here and there. They mostly stayed out of each other’s hairs as Laura was so entirely offended that a country bumpkin like Manatsu could even dare to reach glory that a technician surfer, taught professionally from a young age, all but hailed a child prodigy, could achieve even a slither of what Laura had. Manatsu, however, was mostly oblivious to the fireworks, trying to be cheerful as possible and doing her best to at befriend the other girls so they knew, when they were eventually caught in the crossfire, that it wasn’t entirely her fault.

  Week two had escalated. Staying out of each other’s way hadn’t mostly worked. They lived together, after all, went to the same classes and everything else about what made the Blue Water High Club cohort so impossibly close by the end of it. Here, even their teachers – in and outside of the Club – had begun to take notice. Just not to the full scope of it and were under the impression that the rivalry was for the best. After all, their results were truly scraping against each other – and the other three girls, not wanting to be left in the dust already in what was still very much the beginning were keeping pace too. But that had its backfiring effects as well.

  And by week three, it had become entirely unbearable. Everyone was tired and irritable. There was rarely, if ever, a moment of peace and quiet. The dorms were usually so, so, so loud with arguments and bets and trying to get the two firecrackers to sizzle down but not even all the water in the ocean was capable of that. It was wearing on everyone. Minori could hardly study, Sango could hardly sleep, and Asuka could hardly hear herself think. None of them had even the remotest idea on how Laura and Manatsu was fairing and they were the centre of all this.

  It wasn’t for lack of trying or mediating. There had been many, many compromises and shouting match to just be young adults and put everything aside but trying to change those tides was meaningless. There had been many different approaches; some sly and some fortright. All was to little result. Manatsu had tried. Asuka had tried. Sango had tried. Minori had tried. The only person who hadn’t really tried was Laura. Until now, that is. The day before their first competition and everyone was ram-shackled on every possible level of their wellbeing.

  Laura strolled up to Manatsu at noon sharp. She had bags under her eyes and tucked her arms in front of her, a slight pout to her lips as she loomed over Manatsu. Manatsu slowly looked up at her, equally tried seeming if more dishevelled looking, her hair was lifeless, and her eyes were drooping. The way she was spooning her lunch – leftover curry from the night before in her mouth – could be likened to that of an elderly woman’s technique in that it was very slow and very wobbly.

  “Ah-hem,” Laura began, “I want to call a truce.”

  Just those few words completely revitalised Manatsu. Her jaw went slack but her shoulders went taut. She slammed her hands on the table, “Really?” she exclaimed

  Laura huffed, “On a condition or two.” she said.

 “Okay, cool, what is it?” Manatsu asked, her words were rapid fire.

  “You. Me. At dusk. Let’s have ourselves a friendly little surf. I want to see your skills up close and personal again before the big meet tomorrow.” Laura said.

  Manatsu’s face split into a huge grin, “Your on.”

  “excellent.” Laura sounded pleased with herself, smiling a small smile, before frowning again. She glanced towards the living room, “And girls,” she said, pointedly addressing Minori, Sango, and Asuka who were eavesdropping with great relief from their various spots of lounge and study in the living room, “this will be a private affair.”

  “So long as this isn’t a ruse to drown Manatsu before tomorrow, have all the privacy you need.” Asuka retorted.

  “Seconded.” Minori piped up.

  “You have four hours to prepare, Manatsu.” Laura said, moving on just to warn Manatsu.

  “Got it.” Manatsu chirped.

  “Excellent. I’ll meet you on the beach then.” Laura told her.

  “Sounds good.” Manatsu replied.

  Laura nodded, not having much more to say and so, she sashayed off, presumably to do her own preparation for this finally healthy iteration of her and Manatsu’s friction. It was almost too good to believe.

  Asuka, Minori, and Sango ventured out of the living room and with bright eyes, Minori asked, “So? Are you going to drown her?” she asked and then adjusted her glasses, having a literal flash of inspiration. “Or do you have any contingencies for if she tries to drown you?”

  “Minorin… that’s so morbid.” Sango whined.

  “Well, do you?” Asuka countered.

  “Well, um… no.” Manatsu said, and she beamed. “I don’t think Laura’s that kind of person. She might be really, really driven and self-absorbed, but I don’t think she’d resort to something so low as to incapacitate her rivals. So, I’m gonna win our little spar fair and square. The only way I know how.”

  “Oh, Manatsu…” Asuka murmured. “You are too cute for your own good, sometimes.”

  “Huh?” Manatsu blinked.

  “Well, um, good luck.” Sango added.

  “And you know where to find us if you need any help.” Minori replied.

  “Thanks.” Manatsu said. “Well, I’m gonna need a full belly if I’m gonna beat Laura tonight so if you don’t mind, I’m gonna re-heat my curry and track down some melon bread to have as well.”

  “Sounds good.” Asuka said with a thumbs up.

  Manatsu smiled and made good on exactly what she said she was going to do. She re-heated her curry and sussed out something sweet to have after it and then got to work. She hit the beach for a few laps, both swimming and running and got in tune the best she could. It looked flighty and playful, but it was very Manatsu and so, when the promised hour came, she felt as much as she could be at her peak on such short notice and off the back of many horrible nights of sleep.

  Laura met Manatsu on the beach, looking prim and stern just by the waves. Her hair looked darker in the dimming sunlight. Twilight was encroaching fast tonight and no doubt by the time they were down with their little showdown, it would be utter night they would be returning home to, presumably as victor and loser. Still, in those moments as Manatsu got closer to Laura, sand scrunching under her toes, she felt breathless. It sure was beautiful tonight.

  There was an anticipation on the air, roughing up the waters that glimmered beneath an orange sky. The clouds were fat and fluffy, drifting slowly through; the sun was sinking quickly in contrast, however. The black and gold waves lapped at their ankles as the two girls came to stand before one another, with their chins up and absolutely in tune with that environment of rivalry fuelled apprehension.

  “Glad you could make it.” Laura politely greeted Manatsu, her arm shifting slightly around her surfboard.

  Manatsu grinned and she patted down her own surfboard, Summer, “Wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

  “Good.” Laura tutted. “I want to settle our little… disagreement once and for all, it’s gone on long enough, don’t you think?”

  “Oh, absolutely.” Manatsu agreed – both wholeheartedly and exhaustedly.

  “I want to see it.” Laura interjected with a glare.

  “See what?” Manatsu asked, puzzled.

  “That you didn’t just get lucky and managed to tie with me, a future queen of the surfing championships. I – I just couldn’t believe it. I still can’t and so, I want to see it. You’re surfing so good allegedly it can challenge me, even with my pedigree and promise.” Laura explained.

  “Well, I’m no one that fancy…” Manatsu humbly countered through a smile. “But I try my hardest and try to shine as best as I can. I mightn’t wanna be a queen like you, but I do want to stand at the top of the world.”

  Laura blushed, feeling horrible for some harsh things she had said – and thought – about Manatsu in the weeks previous, “Perhaps we’re more alike than we realise…” she murmured.

  “Maybe.” Manatsu laughed.

  “Then it will be with the same critical eye that we surf together and come to conclusion of who inches, or even miles, out the other.” Laura asserted.

  “Yes.” Manatsu nodded.

  Laura smirked and she thrust her other hand out, “I won’t lose to some random islander, you can count on it.”

  “And I won’t lose to some smug princess either.” Manatsu rebuked and she mimicked how Laura pointed at her.

  “On the count of three, we hit the waves, got it?” Laura said.

  “Mm-hm, got it.” Manatsu confirmed.

  Laura’s arm lowered and her hand curled into a fist, “One-” she shook her fist with one finger extended, “two, three!” With each number, she rocked her hand and she unveiled more of her fingers and then there was that final three.

  She tried to lunge first towards the water but Manatsu was just as swift. In their mad dash for the deeper waters, it was a miracle that neither of them got shoved out of the way, from either their flailing hands or with their angling surfboards. The decks of which hit the water with a smack as they paddled out, parting from one another.

  Manatsu waded through the waters, it was colder than she was expecting but it invigorated her rather than deterred her. She glanced out to Laura who was like a shark in the water, gliding through with precision and finesse on her pretty blue and white surfboard. Manatsu could have gotten lost, floated out to sea, admiring Laura from afar but her attention snapped back when a wave dumped on her, but she shook it off. It was just that Laura’s form was so captivating and one more glance towards her, Manatsu watched as Laura sprang up to her feet.

  She was so delicate, like a dancer, as she got to her next form whilst Manatsu was belly down like an awkward turtle still. The wave that Laura had popped up on was gorgeous, not as high as other waves that Manatsu had seen on this beach in sunnier weather but still pretty good with fluff that foamed at the hanging curls of it. She gritted her teeth and scoured the backrow for something good.

  Laura surfed so elegantly, pulling off spin after spin, looking utterly graceful doing it whilst Manatsu floundered. Even so, she refused to let that keep her down. Manatsu scanned the horizon for a wave, and she saw it. Not only did she see it, but it also called out to her with a siren song. She paddled out to it, viciously hard whilst Laura began to end her set.

  Manatsu took a breath and she put her all into her pop-up. She landed with a wobble, not great, but her expression was fierce. Manatsu let her heart guide her through the water, pulling out moves that she had honed in her island home and moves that she had learned from the others. The cute acrobatics moves that Sango liked; the more technical moves with long names that Minori liked; and the core strength and upper arm moves that Asuka liked; and maybe even some stuff that she had learned from competing with Laura. Their teachers were good but honestly, it was her peers that Manatsu learned the best from.

  Laura beached herself on the shoreline and she twisted around to watch Manatsu’s set. It took her breath away but most of all, it was the sheer joy that Manatsu emanated that really impressed Laura. She wondered when the last time was she looked so happy during one of her own sets. It was melancholic. Melancholic and dark and Manatsu washed up lazily next to her.

  “What do you think?” Manatsu asked as she dug her legs into the wet sand below to anchor herself.

  “You weren’t bad.” Laura brushed her off.

  Manatsu giggled, she leaned in and could tell Laura was lying through her teeth, “I thought you were magnificent,” she said, “totally tropica-shining.”

  “Thank you, Manatsu.” Laura awkwardly accepted the praise.

  “So?” Manatsu asked, splashing about in the waves that came and went, tickling at her and Laura’s waists as they sat on the shore atop their boards. “Who won?”

  “I don’t think I can crow myself the winner on a good conscious.” Laura admitted.

  “And I’ve gotten better as late knowing where I can improve…” Manatsu added.

  “Then its another draw.” Laura decided.

  “Yup.” Manatsu agreed.

 Laura glared playfully, “Then you better promise that we won’t draw tomorrow because that simply won’t do.”

  Manatsu beamed, “You’re on.”

  “That’s a good expression, Manatsu.” Laura murmured.

  She leaned in too and surprised Manatsu with a kiss. Her lips were cold, from being wet and salty, too, but they were soft. Her technique was coy, but it was more than enough to fluster Manatsu. She went bright red and burned up to boot. Laura giggled as she kissed Manatsu before pulling back.

  “More mind games?” Manatsu asked.

  “Something like that.” Laura replied and she found herself unable to resist the impulse of touching her lips.

  “Well kiss or no kiss,” Manatsu told Laura very seriously, “I’m going to win tomorrow’s competition.”

  “I’d love to see that.” Laura preened.

  Their conversation held some semblance of seriousness for a second before devolving. Manatsu splashed Laura and Laura splashed back. It was getting late but neither seemed to care. The moon seemed fuller and more silver than usual tonight, they couldn’t help but want to play in the water just that little bit longer before dinner and curfew passed them by.

#precuresecretexchange2021 #precure secret exchange 2021 #precure #tropical rouge precure #cure summer #cure la mer #tropical rouge #natsuumi manatsu #manatsu natsuumi #laura (precure) #laura x manatsu #manatsu x laura #writing tag #femslash

[bunkerboy]

We were children playing at war

“Lily, can we talk alone?” James asks quietly.

Peter eyes his watch uncertainly. “We’re already late, James.”

“We’ll tell them you’re coming,” Sirius says gruffly, clapping Peter on the back. “Prongs never needs more than five minutes anyway.” 

“Thanks, mate,” James says, and his tone is sarcastic but he really means it. He takes Lily’s hand, and leads her away from the gargoyle that guards Dumbledore’s office. One right turn and they can no longer see the Marauders.

In this nondescript hallway, ten meters from McGonagall’s classroom, he thinks, she might not be about to become a soldier.

She might be fourteen, about to start screaming because he hexed Snape’s textbook to sing dirty sea shanties. She might be sixteen, teasing him for getting his 100th detention and then keeping him company all night under his invisibility cloak. She might be seventeen, stealing kisses when they’re supposed to be patrolling.

She might not be eighteen, returning to Hogwarts one final time to accept Dumbledore’s offer to join the Order of the Phoenix. She might not be about to hand her life over to a war they will probably lose. 

In the same moment, each of them steps closer to the other, and now he can feel her breath on his face.

“I wish you didn’t...” he tries to begin, but she knows exactly where he’s going, and she shakes her head.

“No, you don’t.” She’s right.

“No, I don’t. I wish...I wish I were the sort of person who could fall in love with the sort of person who didn’t want to fight this war.”

She smiles at him, almost. Her eyes are wet, and he brushes the tears away with his thumbs. Merlin, he hates when she cries. “But you aren’t,” she says, “and you didn’t.”

“I love you.”

“And I love you.” Her voice is quiet. “Merlin, we’re the worst sort of people.”

He half-laughs, half-gasps, and presses his forehead to hers. “Don’t you dare die, Evans,” he whispers. “Don’t you dare.”

She touches his hands where they still cup her cheeks. “We have to go back, James,” she says, tilting her head toward the gargoyle.

“Can we just...” his hands fist in locks of her hair. His eyes drink her in. “I want one more minute where you’re not in this war.” She nods, lips trembling as she stares back at him. He tries to memorize her. 

Freckles and asymmetrical nose and bony wrists. 

Terrible haircut because she got drunk and made the rookie mistake of betting against Sirius. 

Fucking unbelievable eyes.

She is the most beautiful girl he’s ever seen, the only real thing in the world. Her eyes flutter closed and so do his, and they stumble even closer until their lips are a half-inch apart and—

“James Potter? Lily Evans?! Merlin’s beard!”

They jerk out of each other’s arms and see a blond Ravenclaw girl staring, mouth open. She looks only two or three years younger than them, but James could swear he’s never seen her before in his life.

“Elizabeth!” Lily cries immediately. She’s a wonder. She probably knew the first years’ names when they were in school. She probably still does.

“What are you doing here?” Elizabeth demands, “You graduated! Merlin, are you two still together?! That is soooooo cute. I always thought you were endgame. I mean, Laura said—”

“We’re here to meet Professor Dum—to meet Albus,” James cuts her off, trying the strange, grown-up name out on his tongue. “And we’re late.” He grabs Lily’s hand and they walk back toward the gargoyle, away from the girl, who just keeps talking to their backs.

Lily laughs under her breath. “Albus? You’re on a first-name basis with Dumbledore now?” she whispers, as soon as Babbling Beth is out of earshot. “You are such a show-off, Potter.”

He grins goofily at her. He loves that she caught him. “You don’t know, maybe old Al and I get together at the weekends and crack open a few butterbeers.”

“And how do those convos go, exactly?” she asks, giggling, as they reach the gargoyle. She drops her voice an octave and scrubs her hair with a hand, imitating him: Yo, Old Al, long time no booze!”

“Ah, but Papa J,” he answers in his best Dumbledore impression, and Lily snorts. “It is the mark of a truly great pub crawler that he may return after a day or a decade and find the drink just as he left it.” then, to the gargoyle: “pumpkin pasties.” The statue leaps aside, and Lily and James step onto the stone staircase that carries them upward. She leans against him, and he lets go of her hand to wrap his arm around her shoulders and squeeze. “How fares the missus, Papa J?”

Lily tosses her hair, smiling. “Gorgeous as ever. Much too good for me. Far smarter than I am, and almost as smart as I think I am.” He kisses her temple and hums his agreement. “How about you, Al? Still loving the bachelor life?”

“Ah, yes. Chicks dig the beard.”

She blinks. “Chicks?” she says in her normal voice, “Babe, you know Dumbledore’s gay, right?”

“What?”

“James...”

“What?!”

“This cannot be new information for you! The man pulls. He definitely shagged our 6th year Defense prof—”

“Ragnarion?!” his jaw drops, and his arm falls from around her shoulders. The woman is blowing his mind.

“—Him and Slughorn have a whole will-they-or-won’t-they going on, but I have it on good authority that they did once, and, get this! It wasn’t good—”

“Lily, give me a Knut’s minute to process that he’s gay before we detail his whole body count—I always assumed McGonagall...hold on, is that why Ragnarion didn’t get sacked after that bit with the engorged hinkypunk and Longbottom’s arse?”

“Obviously! What, did you think he stuck around because he was such an inspiring teacher?”

They reach the top of the stairway. Dumbledore has left the door ajar for them. The world rushes back in. They are frozen, staring at each other, inches from the door, inches from the war.

James’s bantering retort dies in his throat, and Lily drops the bag she was holding. They collide. His arms circle her waist, her hands tangle in his hair, their lips seal too tight to breathe. Desperation makes them clumsy. His spectacles bite her nose; she stands on his feet. His hair is a mess from his anxious scrubbing at it all day and her hands get caught, tugging painfully. None of that matters. In this moment, they are not yet soldiers losing a deadly war. They are just children in love, kissing under their headmaster’s nose.

#jily #james potter #lily evans #i love my kids #this image refused to leave my head for Days so i decided to inflict it on you #tumblr is prob not the correct venue for this #but it's not developed enough to be a real #fanfiction #marauders #harry potter #lily and james were 21 fucking years old fuck you jkr #i mean fu jkr for bigger more important reasons that affect real ppl but also #long live the queue

[qsdblogging]

10 More TV Shows You Need To See

This is the second installment of my recommendations of shows for you to add to your own lists. I watch a lot of television and I’ve got, what I consider to be at least, a wide variety of shows under my favorites. 

If you haven’t seen the first list, you don’t need to unless you want to see another list of ten shows you may want to check out if you’re looking for anything new to watch.

Warning, though, some of these don’t end the best way and may end up more as a disappointment. I’ll leave that up to you to decide.

I. Warehouse 13.

Pete and Myka, U.S Secret Service Agents, are deployed to South Dakota’s Warehouse 13 with a new assignment from an authority above and outside the government. 

Intrigued?

With the Warehouse comes assignments regarding objects that hold some sort of abilities that can cause people to do wild and crazy things. It’s their job to find the artifacts (as they all hold significance to history) and bring them back to the Warehouse for safe keeping.

Things get wild and some serious topics get handled, but the show isn’t alone. It’s connected to another on this list, Eureka. More on that when you get to Eureka.

Some familiar faces are Eddie McClintock who played a part in Bones, one episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Joanne Kelly who played a role in The Dresden Files television series, Allison Scagliotti who played roles in Stitchers, The Vampire Diaries, and Drake & Josh, Aaron Ashmore (twin brother to Shawn Ashmore, who has been in the X-Men movies alongside appearing in The Boys, and voicing Conrad in Man of Medan) from Killjoys, Lost Girl, and Smallville, and Jamie Murray from Castelvania, Gotham, The Originals, Once Upon a Time, Defiance, and Dexter.

I highly recommend, especially because the dynamic of the characters is really interesting and covers a lot. 

II. Eureka.

As mentioned above, this is connected to Warehouse 13. But only in the last two seasons of this show are the two connected. 

Eureka is a town full of geniuses and advanced technology that the government funds, and when a new sheriff comes to town, he’s exposed to all the daily occurrences the locals get up to. And maybe a couple instances of time travel that may or may not have to do with the connection.

The town is full of faces you may recognize. Colin Ferguson who has roles in Haven, The Vampire Diaries, and Maytag commercials, Erica Cerra who has roles in The 100, Supernatural, Deadly Class, and the first Percy Jackson film, Felicia Day who has roles in The Magicians, Supernatural, Con Man, The Guild, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Trevor Jackson who has roles in Grown-ish, and a couple Disney productions.

It’s a huge science fiction show and if you’re into that, give it a watch.

III. Alphas.

Now, like the two above is, Alphas is a science fiction packed drama. And it’s rumored to be connected, like be in the same universe, as Warehouse 13 and Eureka. It’s never been confirmed, but there is one character (same name and job) that plays a part in both Alphas and Warehouse 13, which is the stem for the theory. (Plus, some other ideas floating around). 

But Alphas focuses on a team that investigates people with supernatural abilities while they, themselves, have abilities. These powered people are referred to as Alphas, due to their nature.

Unfortunately, this show ends on a cliffhanger in its second season.

Yet, I still recommend giving it a shot because it truly is an interesting show and it’s got some people you may recognize. 

IV. Haven.

If you’re a fan of Stephen King’s “Colorado Kid”, you’ll most likely enjoy this show since it’s loosely based off of it. 

Set in the coastal town of Haven, Maine, FBI Agent Audrey Parker comes to town to find that the residents have dormant curses, or rather troubles, that can be triggered at any given moment. She, along with the Sheriff and the town’s black sheep, must deal with the troubles’ deadly effects. And a few things may be revealed about herself too along the way.

It’s pretty interesting and I enjoyed it quite a lot when I first watched it. I’m not the biggest fan of Stephen King, and the connection seems to barely be there, but I wouldn’t know given my dislike for King. 

I highly recommend giving Haven a shot, however, especially if you’re a crime and fantasy fan. 

V. Lost Girl.

Lost Girl focuses on the gorgeous and charismatic Bo, a supernatural being called a succubus who feeds on the energy of humans, sometimes with fatal results. Refusing to embrace her supernatural clan system and its rigid hierarchy, Bo is a renegade who takes up the fight for the underdog while searching for the truth of her own mysterious origins. (Taken from IMDB). 

Plus, there a lesbian romance or two. 

Now, the show itself is pretty strong holding in its own storyline and lore, but the last season does get a bit rocky feeling. It could’ve been better, and it definitely feels a little rushed, but it wasn’t too bad of an ending. However, it’s not a show that got cancelled before it could wrap things up and it leaves things pretty open-ended.

In my books, that’s a point. I highly recommend this is if you’re a fan of fantasy.

VI. Almost Human.

Unfortunately, this is one of the ones in the list that only has one season (that seems to be out of order and frankly I’m not entirely sure of the order myself, so rely on googling it yourself and hopefully you find the right order) and was cancelled not long after airing. 

BUT, it’s a good watch. It’s set in the distant future, where cops are assigned an android partner to protect and serve. Things get pretty wild and I’m quite sure there are some bombs involved at some point, but there’s a bonus to all the madness of Almost Human.

Minka Kelly and Karl Urban. Two incredibly beautiful human beings.

I highly recommend bingeing this single season show. 

VII. American Gods.

This shows feels very confusing. But it’s still a good watch. 

It centers on a recently released ex-con named Shadow Moon. He runs into a man full of mystery named Wednesday (and you’ll later come to find out who he really is, or you may already know given your knowledge on the book of the same name or just how well you know mythology) who seems to know more than Shadow about his own life and past. 

There are Gods, mischief, and a lot of crazy shit in this show. So far it’s on it’s third season as far as I know (I have to rewatch the first two before I pick it back up).

You should give it a shot, but I won’t blame you if you feel way too confused about the whole thing.

VIII. The Boys.

Now, there’s a lot of controversy regarding this Amazon Original Series, but honestly, I think everyone should at least give it a chance. I know a lot of Tumblr users were put off on trying to due to the advertisements on the site. 

If you don’t know what this series is about, it follows a group of vigilantes set on taking down the corrupt superheroes that are abusing their powers and status.

It covers a lot of ground. Murder, sabotage, terrorism, capitalism, and a lot more. Feminism and sexual harassment occur, but there are warning before each episode for what you may see in the contents.

Some familiar faces include Karl Urban, who’s known for his roles in Thor: Ragnarok, the newer Star Trek movies, Almost Human, Lord of the Rings, and more, Erin Moriarty from Jessica Jones, Laz Alonso from The Mysteries of Laura, Chace Crawford from Gossip Girl and The Covenant, and Jensen Ackles from Supernatural has been confirmed to be joining the cast for its third season.

The Boys is currently on it’s second season, being released on a weekly schedule. So, if you like superheroes and graphic content, this show might be it for you.

IX. Chuck.

Chuck is the result of when a twenty-eight year old computer geek inadvertently downloads critical government secrets into his brain, the C.I.A. and the N.S.A. assign two agents to protect him and exploit the knowledge, turning Chuck Bartowski’s life upside down. (Taken from IMDB).

This is one of the shows I cannot recommend enough to people. It’s the right mixture of action and comedy, plus a little romance. Spies, love, and murder, oh my! What more could you want? 

Plus, Zachery Levi plays Chuck. If you don’t know him by name, you probably would recognize him from some of his roles with the most recent being in Shazam!, Fandral in the second and third Thor films, voicing Eugene Fitzherbert (or Flynn Rider) in Tangled, and Heroes: Reborn. 

If Zachery Levi playing a lovable computer geek turned spy doesn’t interest you, maybe some more familiar faces will. 

Yvonne Strahovski from The Handmaid’s Tale, The Astronaut Wives Club, acting as Daenerys in a Princess Rap Battle on Youtube, and Dexter. Adam Baldwin from Firefly/Serenity, Bones, Angel, The Last Ship, and Independence Day. Brandon Routh who plays Ray Palmer from the DC Shows. Matt Bomer from Doom Patrol, American Horror Story, White Collar, Magic Mike, and True Calling.

X. Deadly Class.

Unfortunately, I have a truly bad streak with new shows. Deadly Class, like others that have been mentioned in these lists of mine, got cancelled and on a cliffhanger no less. However, that shouldn’t stop you from enjoying the action-packed coming-of-age story set in the 1980s. 

Following a new recruit for a high school training assassins, things get pretty wild when you pair death and teenagers. 

#deadlyclass #watchlist #tvshows #chuck #eureka #americangods #alphas #theboys #almosthuman #lostgirl #haven #warehouse13 #qsdblogging #qsdbloggingpopculture #qsdpopculture #findingqsd

[elsarah]

Favorite clips of s5

Thank you so much @smblmn​ for tagging me, I love the idea! While the season as a whole was kinda underwhelming, it was full of amazing clips and I do have a lot of favorites. Here’s my top 10 and a few honorable mentions. I tend to have one favorite clip by episode, except for episode 8, which I REALLY didn't like. I didn't rank my picks, I'll just list them chronologically.

And since I didn't have the opportunity this season, I'm also making gifs to illustrate my picks :) I need the practice, as you can see.

Ep.1: Samedi 0:25 - Le choc

One of my favorite things this season has been the symbolism and the metaphors around sound and silence. In the first episode, there were 2 occurrences: Arthur seeing Noée for the first time underwater at the pool and him looking in the street as snow falls and slowly realizing he's gone deaf. I thought this was an amazing idea and that it gave disability more depth and beauty.

And that look at the camera in the last seconds… And the piano music… It was so chilling.

Ep. 2: Jeudi 20:59 - La nuit de

Globally, the scenes at the association were my favorites, even though I have a complicated relationship with them. Before shooting started in October, someone from the crew promised they would invite me on set during the filming of these scenes, but they ended up breaking their promise. I try to be as drama free as possible on the internet so I didn’t talk about it publicly but now that the season has ended I’m like “Why should I bottle this up, I’m not the the one who screwed up and I’m still hurt about it”.

The first time I watched that clip in January, I was heartbroken. Not just because of the missed opportunity but because I realised I never got to experience what Arthur did; there was no association for me, no one. But I still have a really soft spot for this scene because it's just gorgeous. The aesthetic is incredible and I totally understand what Arthur feels (minus the alcohol). Overall, as bittersweet as it is, it's probably one of my top 3 scenes this season (and it looks like it's one of David's too, this man has great taste). I can’t help but feel for the teenager I was and I wonder how I would have felt watching it then.

Ep.3: Vendredi 13:12 - Check de frérot

Arthur and Basile's friendship was one of the highlights of this season, heck Basile WAS the highlight of this season. Basile and Arthur never shy away from hugs and I'm living for it. I'm so looking forward to see more of Basile in season 6 (since I guess we'll see more of his relationship with Daphné). I loved seeing him be so well-intentioned, despite his usual clumsiness. Seeing Paul in a more serious register (for instance when Arthur lashed out at the boys in episode 6) was delightful.

Ep 4.: Lundi 19:02 - Les entendants

This one also belongs in my top 3. This is the representation I was looking for when I learned Skam France would tackle hearing loss and deafness. It doesn't come in the same package for everybody, and I love that they tried to show it through so many different characters. The situations described here are universal among deaf people.

On a more personal note, I loved that the extras were actual deaf people and sone of them well known. The lady interpreting is Jennifer Lesage-David, co-director at IVT, and she helped David and Niels a lot this season. And the girl speaking about her relationship with her dad is Lulu, she has a YouTube channel with her sister where they raise awareness about hearing loss. The instagram post that was published that day also featured a lot of people I more or less know.

Watching this clip was an experience in itself. I was attending a conference that night about deaf TV archives. The clip dropped 2 minutes before it started and I had to wait for it to end to finally watch. It was excruciating. Also, half the staff of IVT was there and I actually ended up watching the clip in front them. There were like "Wait? Jennifer was in Skam?".

Ep.4: Vendredi 20:43 - Ma vie a changé

While I'm still sceptical about Noée falling in love with Arthur so quickly (this sign song is unambiguous), I think this is one of the most beautiful scenes in the whole series. I don't care very much about this being romantically coded, I just choose to focus on the sign song, because I'm so happy they featured deaf visual arts.

My friend and I spent hours trying to decipher what the song could be about and our interpretation differed a lot from Winona's original text but we loved doing this. David was curious to see how my friend would understand it (especially the part where Noée signs a growing love which she cradles) and he was so happy when she understood it right.

For those interested, here’s what we interpreted (roughly translated into English):

Like two souls lost in the storm, Swayed by the tide, Never really seeing each other Until ours eyes meet. Something is growing inside me, something new, That sets my heart beating. You take off my mask and the truth in your eyes, Fills my heart. Look at me, I also see you.

Ep.6: Mercredi 18:31 - Un simple bout de métal

Also one of the scenes I was expecting the most this season, especially when it transpired that Noée was a bit radical. Her letter echoes my own fears and I thought it was really on point. Arthur admitting he needs her made my heart melt, he's so lucky to have met her. And Winona was amazing in that clip.

Ep.7: Vendredi 20:31 - Sourd dating

Just like for "Un simple bout de metal", I was also expecting that scene. I like that they made Noée and Camille voice their opinion like both faces of the same coin. It was a great way to address cochlear implants as they're a sensitive topic in the deaf community. I think this is one of the most shining example of the research work they did. They could have just stopped at Noée’s letter. But since they had deaf actors like Lucas, who is also implanted and has faced prejudices from radical Deaf people in the past, they had to show implants were not evil and that the situation was more complex than just “Doctors who want to act as gods”.

Learning Noée’s backstory was also interesting, although I didn’t expect her to be an "ex-implanted" deaf. She explains that she learned sign language at the association, which can't be more than 3-4 years ago (and if you look closely in ep 3, when Arthur checks the website, she says she joined the association at its beginning), but there's no way Noée would have that proficiency in sign language in just 4 years of practice. Winona's fluency in sign language is clearly that of someone who grew up with it. I loved being able to notice these subtleties.

Like all the clips at the association, it was a joy to watch because of the atmosphere and the sign language. The deaf extras were lovely. I actually got to meet a few of them last month and had an amazing time with them.

Ep.9: Vendredi 20:17 - Choisir pour toi

Coline. singing. Do I need to say more? I like that both Noée and Alexia had their shining moment and as clumsy as the story got, I appreciate that the writers didn't try to pin one girl against the other and make one superior. Noée had her sign song and Alexia her own composition. And both were breathtaking. What really gets me in this scene are the colors. I'm a sucker for aesthetics.

And of course, it was great to see Alexia stand her ground and break up with Arthur. I have nothing but respect for her and I'm team Alexia + happiness all the way.

Ep.10: Lundi 10:04 - La même vie que vous

When Melchior, Laura and the brochure subplot was introduced, I was a bit wary because their introduction scene was really, really awkward (it wasn't very well tied at first). By their second scene, at Arthur's place, I was sold. It was great to address accessibility and show that there's no point putting people with disabilities in the same bag, because there are hundreds of them and the needs are different. What doesn't change is our wish to live our life at the fullest, just like abled people. And this scene was precious. Seeing Arthur endorse this new part of him and support his peers was everything.

Ep.10: Vendredi 20:47 - Le meilleur des mondes

I'm still very emotional about this scene. Like… I don't know what to say, the music still sends shivers down my spine.

Honorable mentions :

Ep.1: Mardi 11:59 - 3, 2, 1,…

One of the only things Robin told me about the season when I met him at IVT was that the first clip would drop on New Year's Eve at 11:59 p.m.. That date became a beacon during fall and oh you wouldn't believe how much I waited for that clip to drop and how much I was looking forward to it. And it freaking delivered. The atmosphere, the tense music, that first shot on the loudspeaker, the confetti clogging it gradually… That teaser was a masterpiece.

Ep.2: Like… the whole episode actually. The alarm clock concept was genius.

Ep.4: Samedi 10:15 - Nouveau style

One of these gorgeous clips without dialogues that still say lots.

Ep.5: Samedi 10:03 - Maîtriser le langage

Oh my, this one was so relatable and a joy to watch. Camille explaining that sign language and mimes are different, Arthur being that dimwit asking about swear words and being told off for speaking… Kuddos to the deaf extras who had to pretend they didn't know any sign language, it was so funny (looking at you, Enzo).

Ep.6: Samedi 8:30 - Mythos

Seeing Arthur lashing out at his friends was cathartic. He roasted them so well, I wished I had his ability to speak so well when I'm angry. A+ work.

Ep.6: Dimanche 14:41 - Envie de rien

Alexia being the real MVP, as always.

Ep.7: Samedi 2:15 - Pool Party

It’s strange, because even though a lot of the story went down in this particular episode, it must be one of my favorites, like… tied with episode 2. It has probably a lot to do with the fact there were mostly deaf characters and that they had so much fun together. It’s something I can relate do, the sheer joy of signing the night away, which is something I didn’t get to experience until very recently.

As gorgeous as the underwater scene is, I'm not a fan of Noée and Arthur's almost kiss. I picked this scene because I love the moment of sheer joy that follows; everyone joining in the pool and having fun together. And of course the rise of Camika. I know it's a bit convoluted to have the two openly gay guys fall for each other first time they meet but… it just worked so well.

Ep.9: Mercredi 21:34 - Frère

This clip was about to make the top 10 cut when I remembered about another one and I had to remove it. Just Basile being lovely Basile.

Ep.9: Jeudi 17:30 - T'es pas tout seul

This clip was so important, bless the nurse and bless Jérôme. I wish Jérôme was my audiologist, to be honest.

Ep.10: Samedi 13:39 - Maman

Arthur's mom was so lovely and I'm so sorry she had to go through this shit with her trashcan of a husband. I liked her relationship with her son and her reassuring him he's not like his father was very soothing. I wasn’t the biggest fan of Arthur at the end of this season and I appreciate he’s well looked after after what he went through.

Ep.10: Jeudi 17:46 - Recommencer

Just like "Nouveau style" from ep 4, it's another one of these silent clips that has lots of meaning. Arthur putting back his glasses, slowly accepting his life won't be the same and that he has to move on. Except now things are clearer. Skam France love its symbolism and while sometimes it's very poorly done (like the love triangle emphasizing on Arthur's balancing between two worlds), more often than not it's very compelling.

Now I want to rewatch everything, so see you soon I guess :)

#skamfr5 #Manon rambles #I'm so sad my gifs look so ugly #I spent a lot of time on them but smart sharpen in a pain in my butt #I can't control it very well #oh well #I'll practice and I'll get the hang on it #my edits

[phoenix43song]

Little Women [2019] Film Review and Analysis

I have been reading the Little Women series since I was a child and I grew up on the 1994 film version that stars Winona Ryder. I have also watched the 1933, 1949, 2017 (mini series), and the 2018 modern film adaptation. I have watched and enjoyed the web series The March Family Letters on youTube, which is another modern adaptation take on the story, though unfinished. I have a graphic novel and a novel called Meg and Jo that are also modern adaptations. I love the songs from the musical, and I wish to play Jo one day (after I get my singing voice back). You can say I am a bit obsessed, though it has been quite awhile since I last read Little Women and did research on Louisa May Alcott. When I heard Greta Gerwig was going to be making another adapation I reread the whole series. The research I have done on Louisa, and the research that I have read from other fans and scholars has made reading Little Women all the more interesting. I try to be a writer, though I've only ever written novella's and short stories and short films. I love the theatre, acting, and now I am directing for the first time. I have so many story ideas for novels, series, and for feature films (maybe even TV). I've also always loved art, though without praticing much since adulthood my skills have dwindled. I identify with Jo and with Amy and I am really glad that this version of the book did these character justice...well Greta went wayland on Jo a bit.

The character of Jo in this adaptation is fully realized, three dimentional, however she is made to be have way more of a temper when she's an adult, unlike the book. Jo has this Peter Pan mentality where she wants to keep living in childhood and never grow up. She is in denial of her feelings, and she doesn't understand romantic love fully until the end. Greta decided to really incorporate Louisa herself into Jo. Louisa wrote the book loosely based on herself and her sisters growing up because she was pressured in writing a children's novel. She didn't want Jo to get married: she wanted Jo to remain a spinster like herself. Louisa was pressured to marry Jo off so she did. And then she continued to write two more novels after Little Women (technically Good Wives): Little Men and Jo's Boys. She created Friedrich Bhaer for Jo, who was the perfect choice for her...and most readers can't seem to see why Jo fell in love with him when, based on the research that I did and others did, Louisa created him off of men she had crushes on. Yes Louisa had crushes; she most likely had a few short lived romances, but we'll never know because if she wrote any of this down in her diary or in letters they have been destroyed.

Friedrich Bhaer in Greta's Little Women is not Friedrich Bhaer. He shares but a few qualities. Louis Garrel did an amazing job with what material he was given and he understands his characters and Frieidrich's relationship with Jo far better than Greta does. Based off of interviews and other comments that Greta has mentioned Greta hates Friedrich and can't stand that Jo married in the end. She doesn't understand him nor their relationship. She took away everything that Friedrich is, how Jo became friends with him, the courting he does, and one of the most romantic proposals in classic literature. Greta decided on an ambiguous ending for her movie and I absolutely hate it. The umbrella scene is rushed, hurried, and not romantic at all and it's edited in a way that this only happens in the novel that Jo writes because she is pressured, or somewhat forced, to marry off her heroine. Then there are cuts where we see Jo at her school for boys and girls, where her family presents a cake for Marmee's 60thbirthday and we see that Friedrich is there. This is cut where Jo is watching her book being made and she hugs it to herself: I really enjoyed this part of the ending, but the ending could have still followed the book more and not edited and written in a way where Jo's love for Friedrich and marriage isn't fiction. I mean Greta even had Amy and Meg drag Jo to go after him when Friedrich leaves and claim that Jo loves him. This is a change that...it destroys the characters in a huge way.

Friedrich isn't German in this film, though we do see him go into a German Beer Hall with his friends. I did love the dance scene in the Beer Hall and him dancing with Jo. He's French because Louis is French. Part of me wishes Greta would've gotten a German actor because Germany in it's people and culture was a huge part of Louisa's life and German is scattered all over the book. But I love Louis Garrel so this aspect of Friedrich didn't bother me that much. However...we don't get to know him and we don't get his backstory in this film. He doesn't play with the children, his immigration and carring for his orphaned nephews isn't mentioned, and him bringing Jo to intelletual gatherings isn't seen. Him giving Jo Shakespeare is in the film, but it's not done in person. He helps Jo with giving honest feedback on her stories and Jo doesn't take constructive critism well at all and yells at him. Friedrich likes Jo and you can tell. It's even shown that Jo likes him as well, but we sadly don't get to see their friendship: hell they don't really have much of a relationship in this movie. When Friedrich comes to visit Jo at the March house, we can see that Jo is surprised but pleased. I really do love how the family really likes him and gets to know him, and that they can see that the two love each other but that Jo is in denial. Except...Jo isn't really in denial in the book. She blushes when she realizes that Friedrich has come to court her. Jo in the book feels more mature by this point then she does in the movie.

Jo also tries to make herself love Laurie by writing him a letter because she's lonely. She never does this in the book. She does have one mention of a what if scenario but she stands by what she always thought: that she only loved Laurie like a brother. I really loved the scene where Jo rejects Laurie when he proposes because she's telling the truth and we even see in the movie that that have this special commarderie that's close but platonic, and not romantic. I do love how Greta explains and shows different kinds of love and growth in the sisters. But this seemed to degrade Jo a bit when it comes to actual full realized growth. I just don't understand where Greta was going with this and why she doesn't seem to understand Jo and Jo and Friedrich together. She put way too much of Louisa into Jo when Jo is a fictional character and not 100% Louisa. It's made to look like the umbrella propsal is fiction and that Jo did end a spinster. I am so upset right now at this that I will talk about what I did love and more of my analysis from a filmmaking aspect. (I doubled majored in theatre and in film in college and I do know that there will be changes in adaptations. However this doesn't mean that you can change characters and relationships to fit your own idea of how they should act and how they should end up. When you adapt a story you have to keep who the characters are and Greta doesn't do this with Friedrich nor with Jo in the end with her as a character and the relationship between the two).

So. This film is gorgeous. Beautiful cinematography, direction, costumes, acting, score, and editing. The only thing that I didn't like was how the characters read their letters to the camera. It took me out of the story and didn't fit in at all. The editing of present to past was well done, and I loved how it went with parallel themes. Each sister is three dimentional and real, and the different takes on money and love was really interesting. Beth's sickness and death was well done and so heartbreaking poignant. I loved how she got Jo to write again, and I loved the montage of Jo writing her novel. Mr. Dashwood was hilarious, and Meryl Streep had a blast playing Aunt March. Laura Dern made a capible Marmee but she didn't feel like Marmee to me sadly. Mr. March was barely in the film, but he's barely in the book so that was ok. The scenes between Mr. Lawerence and Beth were beautiful, and the scenes between Mr. Lawernce and Jo were good as well. I liked seeing Meg wanting riches, her feelings about being poor, but her love for John was a lot stronger and she made sacrifices. Amy was great, espeacially as an adult in Paris.

Laurie...I have a lot of thoughts on how Laurie was protrayed. I liked how his Italian ancestry was mentioned a lot and that Laurie could never sit still. I liked how he was represented as a drunk and ladies man until Amy talked sense into him. I like how we got to see how Amy and Laurie fell in love, and how Laurie realized that his love for Jo wasn't of the romantic nature either. He does love Jo and you can diffinitely see that, but at the same time they're best friends. Yes it's good to want to marry your best friend but at the same time you need more than just physical attraction ( and that's where Friedrich comes into the pitcuture). But there was something off about how he was represented. I honestly think it's because that Tim looks way too young for the adult version (even though he is an adult in real life), and that he's too skinny. Sorry I said it: Tim needs to put some meat on his bones.

This film does deserve awards and it bothers me that the film wasn't nominated for a Golden Globe (though Saoirse being nominated for Best Actress was a choice well deserved) or for an SAG awards. I hope the film is nominated a lot at the Oscar's at least. I would give this film somewhere between a 2.5 to a 3 out of 4 stars. This would've been a perfect 4/4...I know a lot of critics and fans love the ending, and that's there's only a minority of us that understand and love Friedrich, and Jo/Fritz together. At least we have other film adaptations and the musical – love the musical! - and I am really tempted to write my own version of a Little Women feature or mini series. I want to do more research on Louisa and write a biopic. I even have my own modern adapation ideas. This is a beloved book and I wish more people will read it, along with the rest of the series. To understand Jo/Fritz you have to read the last two books. This isn't really an essay or full on anaylsis, but more of me rambling, but let me know your thoughts in the comments. I would love to discuss Little Women and hear your thoughts and opinions. (Also sorry for spelling and grammar errors: I wrote this up really fast and didn’t bother to edit as I’m rather busy). 

#little women #friedrich bhaer #jo x friedrich #little women 2019 #movie review #book to movie adaptation

[padfootagain]

Here are some good German songs. Most of them are older because I used to listen to them when I was younger, but they are still good:

Stadt - Cassandra Steen ft. Adel Tawil

Lieder - Adel Tawil

Dieser Weg - Xavier Naidoo

Little Help - The BossHoss

Bye Bye - Cro

An Wunder - Wincent Weiss (he has a lot of other good songs as well, I would recommend to just listen to some of them)

Eiskalt / Von Allein / La Bomba / Ey DJ - Culcha Candela

La Cintura / Sofia - Alvaro Soler (German /Spanish singer. He sings in Spanish and it sounds beautiful)

And while I was trying to find inspiration for my new fantasy story I fell into a rabbit hole of German "medieval fairy-tale"ish kinda music. I don't know how to describe it and it's something really special and I'm sure you can only either like this music or absolutely hate it. But I kinda like it, because the melody and the German voices are strangely relaxing to me

Rosenrot / Spieglein Spieglein - Faun

@blacklilyqueen    Ooooh!! Thank you so much for so many recs Laura!!! I gave them all a quick listening, and they’re all great!! Even the medieval kinda song is great, definitely could use it for playlists for some fics hahahah!!!

Here are a few recs for you!! I hope you’ll like some of them!!

A few in French as you were kind enough to give me only recs in German so I can listen to your beautiful language :D!!!!!

- I love the artist Christine and the Queens, Especially her first album, you should definitely check her songs Christine and Saint-Claude 

-Le Lac, by Julien Doré

-I love Amir, and you should definitely try to listen to Longtemps (this is such a beautiful love song, omg)

- My absolute favourite song is an old French song by Francis Cabrel, called Je l’aime à mourir

- Let’s add a little bit of Vianney with Tu le sais

-Let’s go full on nostalgia with this old French song that I love so much Désir, désir by Laurent Voulzy

And your last rec makes me of two songs that are not medieval like but I always feel a little surreal when I listen to them:

- Jeanne by Laurent Voulzy

- AND I ADORE THIS ICELANDIC SONG (the only one not in French in this rec list), it’s just so gorgeous, I have no words to explain, you have to listen to it!!! Vor í Vaglaskógi by KALEO

[thediaryofatheatrekid]

The Movie in My Mind: Wicked (Version 2.0)

Okay, so Wicked the movie... Will it ever get made? Who knows! And... That’s my intro... because I really don’t feel like writing out a long post.

Colleen Ballinger as Elphaba

Ballinger recently made her Broadway debut as Dawn in Waitress, but she is best known for her character Miranda Sings and her fan base is, quite literally, insane. However, unlike some supposed Elphaba candidates, she actually has the talent to boot! She’s an absolutely gorgeous singer with expert comedic timing. She also studied vocal performance in college and is a theatre kid at heart so she’s gonna do the role of Elphie justice.

Honorable Mention- Anneliese van der Pol

Kristen Bell as Glinda

Bell is probably most famous for playing the title characater on Veronica Mars as well as voicing the role of Anna in Frozen and she is an absolutely beautiful woman absolutely wonderful vocals and has the high notes in her. She is also a fantastic actress with wonderful comedic timing that would be perfect for the part of Glinda.

Corbin Bleu as Fiyero

Corbin is just fantastic isn’t he? He can dance, sing, act, tap, and is just an incredibly gifted performer. That’s all I got to say and his smooth vocals on “Dancing Through Life” oooo my ovaries....

Honorable Mention- Brendon Urie

Richard Gere as The Wizard

While Gere, depening on how you feel, may not be the best singer in the world he is a good actor who previously played the sleezy, yet charming lawyer Billy Flynn in the Oscar winning Chicago. I think Gere would bring that same sleezy charm to the role of The Wizard. Because when you think about it The Wizard is very manipulative.

Honorable Mention- Christopher Walken, Hugh Jackman, John Travolta

Jessica Lange as Madame Morrible

“What are you a f*cking idiot?”- Laura Benanti

Honorable Mentions- Cher, Liza Minnelli, Meryl Streep

Ben Platt as Boq

I’m not the biggest Ben Platt fan in the world, but even I agree that he would make an absolutely charming and wonderful Boq.

Melissa Benoist as Nessarose

I love Melissa. I think she is absolutely, ridiculously talented and has a stellar voice. I would also love to see her play more a snarky character as opposed to the goody good characters she normally plays.

John Barrowman as Dr. Dillamond

Ya’ll know I love me some John Barrowman...

Other Roles:

Idina Menzel as Witch’s Mother

Norbert Leo Butz as Witch’s Father

Rachel Bloom as Midwife

#The Movie in My Mind #Wicked #Colleen Ballinger #Anneliese van der Pol #Kristen Bell #Corbin Bleu #Brendon Urie #Richard Gere #Christopher Walken #Hugh Jackman #John Travolta #Jessica Lange #Cher #liza minnelli #Meryl Streep #Ben Platt #Melissa Benoist #John Barrowman #Idina Menzel #Norbert Leo Butz #Rachel Bloom

[wild-moony-joonie]

Game Night

Author: Laura(me)

Warnings: Suggestive ig. Swearing, nerds being nerds. Lots of Gay.

Pairing(s): Sasuke/Naruto(Sasunaru).

Synopsis: Naruto has a lot of things he’d like to avoid, and as hard as he tries. He just can’t avoid some.

______

Somehow his mom had convinced him to come to this stupid game night, Kakashi-sensei was throwing at the academy. Naruto inwardly groaned as he thought about the torture to come, Sasuke would inevitably win all the games Kakashi didn't participate in. With that smug smirk and dark hooded eyes. Naruto shook his head, his orange and black snapback shaking slightly. He adjusted it so that the bill was in the back, his longish blonde hair poking out from underneath and hiding his blue eyes. He slipped his ear buds in as he walked along the sidewalk, his cream hoodie and dark green jacket with red accents perfect for the fall evening weather. His jeans made slight swishing noises as he continued the two city blocks to the academy.

"Hey Loser! Wait up!," The shout came from behind him. Naruto was considering ignoring the jerk, but instead turned around and pulled one earbud out.

"What do you want Sasuke?" Naruto snapped, impatient with the raven haired boy approaching him.

"I figured it wouldn't hurt to walk with you," He smirked at Naruto, his cocky expression always present. He had pushed up the sleeves of his black leather jacket and purple hoodie, with the gray shirt tails of a button down sneaking out from underneath. Sasuke pulled his hood up over his lavender baseball cap, attempting to hide his somehow effortlessly perfect behead, which shade matched his laminated blue-black jeans.

"You excited for me to kick your ass?" The taller boy whispered in the ear unoccupied by an earbud, shoving his hands into his pockets. Naruto jumped surprised by his sudden closeness.

"Uhmmm, what are you talking about? You know I'm only coming cause my mom made me."

Sasuke made a sympathetic face,

"I can practically stand my mom. All she ever talks about is me getting a boyfriend, I mean since she learned I'm gay. I swear, she's more obnoxious than Itachi constantly knowing everything."

"Hmmm, must be pretty bad. Itachi's such a know it all," Naruto muses.

"You come out to your parents yet?" He asks nonchalantly.

"Yeah, they accepted it pretty easily, my mom is now just glad she can talk to me about hot male celebrities,"

"Who's your favorite?"

"Tom Holland," Naruto says, now picking his nails as they slow down, prolonging this moment of comfort in each others presence.

"Ugh, Hiddleston," He wrinkles his face up at the thought of Holland. Just as he says this, they round the corner to their high school. They walk in the doors and check into the booth, run by a couple of fellow juniors. Sakura and Ino, and of course they both start obsessing over Sasuke, mainly because nobody but Naruto and his family knows that Sasuke is gay, despite the blonde being openly Pan Sexual.

He nods to them and then moves on, he quickly follows. they walk in to find Iruka-Sensei running Just Dance. They simply share a glance, and Naruto pulls his earbuds out and wraps them up.  They simultaneously step in line next to each other.

"Hey Naruto!," Naruto turns and sees his best friend Kiba, running towards us. Sasuke makes a  displeased noise, and the shorter boy elbows him hard, shooting him a firm glare.

Naruto's POV

" Sakura looks great tonight! Did you see her?" Kiba gasps like a fish, I hold my hands out palms facing towards him.

"Whoa slow down there Kiba, take a few breathes, don't die on me," I say laughing softly at his words, and mentally wondering what he brought it up.

"Yeah, but all she talks about is Sasuke," Kiba groans, standing up, and puts his face in his hands, dramatically pulling at the strings of his blue sweatshirt. He turns to look at Sasuke, with a woeful expression pulling at his face, "You're soooo lucky, you know that?"

Sasuke suddenly bursts out laughing, hard. Harder than I've ever heard him laugh in all my years of knowing the jerk. Laughing so hard it catches everyone's attention. Laughing so hard that he starts wheezing. He bends over holding his stomach, and I can't suppress a giggle, which soon turns into to full out laughing. I'm now wheezing, clutching my stomach.

Sasuke and I lean into one another gasping for air, between bursts of laughter. HIs hands grip my waist as he leans into my chest, his body shaking with laughter, gasping for lost breath. I lean into his touch, finally starting to calm down.

"What's so funny guys?" Kiba asks, peering curiously out of his sweatshirt, suspicion painting every feature on his face. Sasuke leans in close to Kiba, and whispers,

"Can you keep a secret?,"

I lean nonchalantly on Sasuke's shoulder, smiling softly at Kiba.

"Yeah, you bet I can." Kiba replies, brushing Sasuke's hand off. Crossing his arms. Sasuke glances at me, and I grin, imagining what Kiba will say once he hears.

"Kiba..."

"Yeah?"

"I'm gay...," Sasuke waits a moment for this to sink into to Kiba's brain. When it does Kiba's eyes get really wide and he burst out laughing.

"Do you see why it was funny now?" I chuckle, cocking my head at Kiba.

"Yeah. Also, you know that you two would make a really cute couple now that I think about it. Like realllyyyy cute."

"That's out of the question," I say firmly, removing elbow from Sasuke's shoulder, turning away from the both of them.

"Oh Princess, don't be like that," A voice coos in my ear, pale muscular arms winding around my small waist. Pressing me into a rock solid muscular chest. Everything fades away... except for Sasuke. His presence is sending my heart pounding in my ears, his smell, his voice the only thing surrounding me. I instantly panic and step on his foot and elbow him in the sternum, He catches my elbow as I turn, and raises his eyebrows slightly.

"What was that for?" He asks, trying to hide his disappointment at my reaction, " Am I really that far into the friendzone?"

" Honestly Sasuke, you're not in the friendzone by a mile," I whisper, shocked by whatever compelled me to say these words in front of him. He smirks and leans closer to my face, teasing me,

"What was that Na-ru-to? I couldn't hear you." His says loud and clear, I suddenly remember Kiba. I turn to him, and can't help but chuckle at the slack jaw. Clearly shocked by the sudden tension between Sasuke and I. Electricity is crackling, ready to strike. But I'm not ready, not ready to admit that I'm gay for Sasuke and have been for years so, I won't. I glance at the line, and realize that we only have two people in front of us. I pull out my phone, ignoring Sasuke's smug smirk. And realize that I have thirty-two text messages, and ten missed phone calls. All from my mother. I glance at the time on my phone, and my blood runs cold. It's ten twenty-two.

"Shit!," I swear.

"What?!" Kiba and Sasuke, look at me concerned.

"I was supposed to be home by ten, shitshitshitshitshit!" I ramble, shoving my phone in my pocket and grabbing Sasuke by the arm.

"Bye Kiba!," I yell over my shoulder as I drag a dead weight Sasuke behind me out the door.

"Bye Sasuke!" A chorus of girls cheer in a sing-song voice as we pass them outside the school.

"Whoa, slow down Blondie," Sasuke says behind me, twisting his wrist out of my hand, and grabbing my belt loop. Forcing me to stop.

"I'm soooo late my moms gonna kill me!" I panic, and shake my head at him. My earbuds jangling against my thigh. I look up and see Sasuke's calling someone on the phone.

"Who are you calling?" I say in distress.

" Your mom," He says in a bland tone. Then continues, "Hi, It's Sasuke... yes, it's my fault Naruto is late. I made him stay with me... no but thank you... yes, you too. See you tomorrow... okay, bye," He hangs up and slips his phone back into his pocket on the darkened street corner. In the streams of moonlight, Sasuke is gorgeous, his hair casting shadows on his narrow face. His skin turned silver by the bleached light. He leans in and looks at me, then glances at my lips, and I know what comes next. Normally, under any other circumstance, I would stop him. Go home, shut him out. Get some sleep. But he looks so good right now I'm dying, and the electricity I felt earlier could put power wires to shame right now. So I give in, I caress those pale soft lips with my own. I give in and slide my hands into his hair underneath his hood. I give in and part my lips. I give in, and honestly, it's about damn time.

#sasunaru #naruto #sasuke #Uchiha #uzumaki

[charityhopevalentines]

A Long Overdue Review of  “My Fair Lady”

-i saw her just a little after Laura had had a cold and I was BEYOND THRILLED when I saw she was going on that night!

-can i just say how much i ADORED hearing an actual overture at the beginning of a show?! like an actual overture made up of several songs from the show? bring overtures back!

-laura is really brilliant and breathes new life into eliza. she humanizes the character and makes her more than the of a caricature guttersnipe she is supposed to be even from the beginning. Everything Eliza does is with the thoughtful intention of becoming a lady and honestly her acting is just superb.it is honest. It possesses an intelligence and gravity I’ve never seen before in the character.

-you could really see the desire for more in her eyes especially during “Wouldnt it be loverly” which was basically choreographed like the movie

-her cockney accent was okay. I mean I didnt really expect it to be perfect and it surprisingly didnt bother me that much (being the Julie Andrews purist that I am). I thought her high class accent was better though, however in her dramatic final scene it did come and go a little with the heightened emotion but honestly it really didn’t hinder her performance for me. 

-Her “aaaooowwws” were more low key but probably more realistic and not as caricaturish. 

-you really felt Eliza’s exhaustion and frustration with everything Higgins was doing(but it a very realistic way), which made him look like a far worse character than he has been portrayed as in the past, and rightly so I would say because it exposes him. 

-HER VOICE IS SO BEAUTIFUL. I mean wowww. I’ve heard her sing many times from Gypsy and Women on the Verge but she was never really required to sing the way she does in this and it sounded very operatic with lots of vibrato and it was magical. I don't know why I was so delightfully surprised, I knew she had a great voice before but it felt like yesss this is the show you needed to show off your instrument. “I Could’ve Danced All Night” was absolutely a dream and I will never forget it.

-the rotating set was super cool(only used for higgin’s house: library(two stories with couch, spiral metal staircase, desk, wooded banister, chair obs books, hallway with wood staircase, bathroom with shower for that one scene, and a small outside area which wasnt used)  it was beautifullll omggg. also as it was turning laura would do quickchanges and I was so impressed with how she did what looked like were really complicated changes in a very short amount of time

- Harry Hadden-Paton, who played Higgins was really great and I feel like he has gotten even better from the first time I saw him in August. He grew into the role and was much funnier and energized than before (maybe because of Laura?) He did a great Rex Harrison-esque voice and sang the songs very well but it made me a little sad because for an actor who can actually sing it must be a rather limiting role and Harrison’s shadow is cast in such a way that he feels the need to imitate him because I guess thats what they think we expect but I feel like the audience would’ve been fine with just an average higher class english accent but I enjoyed it.

- the man who played her father was good but I didnt find him super likeable and I think he’s supposed the kind of character who isnt really the best morally but is so charismatic you have to like him?? but it was ok

-during the ball scene there was a grand staircase at stage left which made for super lovely entrances as you can imagine. the orchestra was onstage during the ball and it was soooo cool to see them actually playing the music as people danced to it. I dont know why it struck me as so special because we all know shows have orchestras but they became characters in the show for a while “musicians” playing “musicians” and I thought it was special. like we don’t think about it often but we take the fact that there is a live orchestra for granted yet we never really see them. also the scene was so beautiful! there were gorgeous chandeliers and it was very stylized yet simple. all of the dancing and waltzing was so romantic and it was just beautiful honestly. also laura looked stunning but i think they could’ve picked an even better color for her because it was off-white and i wasnt absolutely in love with it.

-SHE IS SO FREAKING HILARIOUS *which we already knew* but just the little things she did were so fing hysterical. The scene where she's talking to Higgin’s mother and other high class people at the races was one of the funniest things I have ever seen. When she was saying “how do you do” to everyone she copied their vocal pattern for how they said it, which was different every time and when she got to Freddy he didn't say it so she mouthed “how do you do” and then looked panicky at Higgins like “wtf do i do?” The scene with the fire and saying “hah” to make the flame jump was so funny because once she got it she was like “hah, hah-hah, hah-hah-hah-hah-hah. hah-hah-hah-hah-hah..etc” and was moving back and forth with each hah in her chair and I died. There were a lot of other little things that were super funny too. 

-i feel like the move your bloomin arse line isnt even funny anymore because everyone knows its coming-but is it supposed to be funny?

-get me to the church on time was one of the most energized and fun parts of the show i mean it was really ALIVE and it made you want to get up and dance. It really had the feel of a lot of drunk friends together having a big party at a london pub and there was a lot of dancing and DRAG! there were men dressed as showgirls and one as a bride and a woman in a tuxedo and it was obviously for comedic effect but yass! It was one of the highlights of the show!

-Laura’s “Show Me” didnt really work as well as I thought it would. I saw the understudy Freddy so maybe that’s why but I feel like moments they tried to make comedic really didn’t sit as well with the audience as they would’ve liked. I think it needed more rage? and i wasnt really feeling the release of frustration?? which is ironic because she was so good at conveying it before?? but maybe she was saving it for the last big scene (she wore a pink outfit which looked sooo beautiful on her though omg it was like baby pink-i loved that color on her) 

-on the street where you live was classic and beautiful and just as romantic as we all imagine it to be and the background of a pinkish/purple sky really added to the mood.

-their dynamic(her and higgins) was very equal and they were clearly on the same plane the entire time because of the similarity in their ages(which made their relationship in the end a lot better I think and not creepy like in the past imo)  as well as Laura’s interpretation of the character which showed she was just as emotionally and mentally intelligent, except she really didn’t come into her own and realize this until the scene at the end which was soooo satisfyinggg.

-HER ACTING IN THE SCENE WHERE SHE REALIZES SHE DOESNT NEED HIGGINS WAS SUPERB. it had the same strength and power of the dressing room scene at the end of gypsy and i was blown away.

-i really liked the feminist ending where after he says “where the devil are my slippers” she runs into the audience and up the stairs out of the theatre (its an amphitheater) like she has finally found love but doesn’t depend on that and has finally found herself and that is the most important thing. (also she run up the side closest to me and i freaked out realizing she got that close i was like AHHH!)

-I LOVED THE SHOW! It was better than the first time I saw it! It totally lived up to the original production while not being an exact copy and I am so glad I got a second chance to see it! Brava Laura! Im so glad I got to see her in her dream role!

#Laura Benanti #broadway #my fair lady #lerner and loewe #theatre #musical theatre #classic #musicals #review