🌱lottie dottie bo-bottie 🌱📟 🏴‍☠️🏒

@faeeebaeee.bsky.social

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tiny chaos goblin / silly goose / 28 / queer / australian / artist in an okay way, writer in a one trick pony way / pfp by @sweetpotato_70 linktr.ee/faeeebaeee

shecret (shane secret) @hollabackboy http://twitpic.com/dc00sh A picture of the Dean from Community at his desk, looking at his computer, quoted “This better not awaken anything in me” 01 Nov 10
Texts with JJ Shane The cologne from that one ad campaign he did? Like a year ago? Narcissus or something JJ No mon ami, you are supposed to say He smelled like defeat and failure!! Shane Oh. Yeah. That too.
A Google Search on Shane’s Phone Search: Ilya Rozanov Ilya Rozanov - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Ilya Rozanov is a Russian Actor and Model from Moscow, Russia. He is best known for his role as Edwin in Tender en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ilyarozanov Ilya Rozanov Ilya Rozanov Pictures
Texts with JJ and Shane- JJ How did it go? Shane Fine. I think. Ilya Rozanov was there. JJ To read? Shane Yeah. JJ Ugh. If Rozanov fucks you on this I'm going to fuck him back. iMessage
Group Text: Mother And Father Mum: A few familiar faces around here. Who else was auditioning? Vaughn? Ryan Price? Shane Ilya Rozanov. Mum Wow! That boy's going places. Shane Mom! Mum What! I didn't say where he was going!
hollabackboy (Shane) private account shecret (shane secret) @hollabackboy I would love to calm down. shecret (shane secret) Replying to @hollabackboy However, 01 Nov 10
NT. HALLWAY, RESORT OFFICE CENTER (CONTINUOUS) Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov stand outside the Conference Room, the door shut behind them. Unclear what else he should be doing with them, or himself; Shane shoves his hands in his pockets. INSERT SHOT- A visual reprise. Metal chairs - the CLOSED AUDITIONS sign - A ticking clock. The hallway is no longer empty. Ilya pulls out a box of cigarettes, and a lighter. SHANE I just wanted to say- you were great in there. ILYA I know. He places a roll between his lips, and offers another to Shane wordlessly. SHANE (eyes flicking to his lips(struck out) the cigarette) I don't think you can smoke in here. ILYA Okay. (after an extended pause, and a word muttered in Russian that sounds suspiciously like ‘Canadians') SHANE Okay. Ilya removes the cigarette. ILYA We can smoke outside. SHANE Oh- No- I don't smoke. (a beat) Neither should you, actually. Ilya looks at Shane like he's grown another head.
BACK TO SCENE: THE SHOT IS RED - AN EXTREME CLOSE UP. SLOW PAN OUT- THE RED IS REVEALED TO BE THE RED BLINKING LIGHT OF THE RECORDING CAMERA. INT. CONFERENCE ROOM - MID AFTERNOON CASTING DIRECTOR Aaaand- well done, cut the tape. Thanks guys- THE SHOT WIDENS- on the Casting Director. The recording light winks one more time to the audience, then - nothing. CASTING ASSISTANT (flipping back through the pages of the script) From the top? CASTING DIRECTOR (more to his Assistant than the actors) Actually- that was great. Call it. No notes. SHANE (catching the amount of notations scratched on the back of his head shot) I could- CASTING DIRECTOR now to Shane, smiling) No notes. SHANE oh. Right. So- ILYA (interrupting) Is that it? The Casting Director clasps his hands together. A clap. Singular. Congratulatory.
PINK: ALEXANDER You are perfect. But you do not have to be perfect. A watery laugh escapes Lily. BLUE: A brittle laugh escapes Ilya. PINK: LILY Try telling that to... She gestures vaguely- to her coach, to the fans, to the Olympic Rink. ALEXANDER Try telling that to Russia. Lily winces, remembering Zietsev's scores in the Team Event, ahead of his Single- still to come. She winces, recalling, again, their previous conversation. LILY Now - Now I am a distraction. Alexander gathers her face in his hands, resting their foreheads together. BLUE: Tentatively, Shane gathers Ilya's face in his hands, resting their foreheads together. And Shane notices: His eyes are blue. The paper crushed against Ilya's temple as he holds his head is pink. They're close enough that, script when Ilya peers down at the fisted in his hand for his next line, their noses brush and Shane turns crimson. PINK: ALEXANDER Then let me be distracted, neotrazimaya devushka. (Dazzling / Shiny / Perfect Girl)BLUE: Ilya silently mouthes a correction to his Russian PINK: ALEXANDER (quietly, after a beat) Let me do the routine. BLUE: Shane breaks away first. PINK: Lily breaks away. LILY Alex- no. You'll be disqualified. ALEXANDER (ignoring) I know it. I watched. I learn.
From the Blue Script: Shane stands. His dark eyes are suspiciously wet. Text scrap from the script is overlaid on a camera viewfinder shot of Shane, with tears in his eyes. He is in front of a grey background, wearing a grey wool sweater. The camera is marked as recording. 4K HD. 23.98 FPS. ISO 800. Th original video is only three seconds long. The clip is cut from TryQuin’s “he still smells like cinnamon” video.
From the Blue Script: Shane stands. His dark eyes are suspiciously wet. Text scrap from the script is overlaid on a camera viewfinder shot of Shane, with tears in his eyes. He is in front of a grey background, wearing a grey wool sweater. The camera is marked as recording. 4K HD. 23.98 FPS. ISO 800. Th original video is only three seconds long. The clip is cut from TryQuin’s “he still smells like cinnamon” video.
3. PINK SCRIPT: THE FIGURE reaches the Kiss and Cry. ALEXANDER ZIETSEV. He hurtles to his knees in front of Lily Lockwood. The remaining wind knocks out of her. BLUE SCRIPT: CASTING DIRECTOR Ready? START HERE. They do. Start here refers to a yellow annotation sticky note, stuck to the right side of the script, with START HERE scrawled on it. A penciled box is also drawn around the following dialogue and script. BLUE SCRIPT: BOLD, and hungry to make a lasting impression on the casting crew, Shane kneels. Shane, in a Russian accent, PINK SCRIPT: ALEXANDER Are you hurt? LILY I'm fine. He lifts her right skate to rest on one of his thighs, testing her ankle with deft, knowledgeable hands. BLUE SCRIPT: Shane lifts Ilya's right foot to rest on one of his thighs PINK SCRIPT: ALEXANDER What happened? Everything is broken? Twisted? You were dropped-? Did you fall- Lily places a hand on the top of his head, fingers in his hair. BLUE SCRIPT: Ilya places a hand on the top of his head. PINK SCRIPT: LILY Alexander, I'm fine. He glances up. Lily's eyes glitter with unshed tears. BLUE SCRIPT: Ilya's eyes glitter with unshed tears. PINK SCRIPT: Alexander eases her skate back to the ground. ALEXANDER No, not fine. LILY (parroting her coach) It's over. He stands. His dark eyes are suspiciously wet. BLUE SCRIPT: Shane stands. His dark eyes are suspiciously wet. PINK SCRIPT: LILY (CONT' D) I wasn't- ALEXANDER (interrupting- he knows what she is going to say; sighting the ghost of their last conversation on her lips) You do not have to be perfect.
COLD READ BLUE SCRIPT The Casting Assistant re-enters, with ILYA ROZANOV. From the unending well of scripts, The PA procures a script for Rozanov too. Crew flitter about, re-adjusting and recentering equipment. THROUGH THE CAMERA VIEWFINDER- The boys stand abreast of each other. SHANE (staring straight ahead) Ilya Rozanov? SHANE (CONT' D) Shane Hollander. He turns, then, to offer a handshake. The moment stretches heavy between them. Ilya accepts after a pregnant beat, shaking his hand and nodding a stilted acknowledgment. Shane goes to say something more, but concedes the interaction has ended. Instead, he skims the audition script.
COLD READ SCRIPT THE SCRATCH OF A HALF-DEAD PEN - THE SLOSH OF HALF-EMPTY COFFEE CUPS. A CLOSE-UP - ON THE HEAD SHOT. CASTING DIRECTOR (While scribbling a note on Shane's Headshot) Thank you for your patience, Shane. The Casting Director glances up to smile politely. CASTING DIRECTOR (CONT'D) Shouldn't be too long now. SHANE (stiffly) Yeah. No worries. He shuffles on his feet as he says this, but is otherwise amenable. A specter with a clipboard and a headset emerges- A PRODUCTION ASSISTANT. The previously unseen PA whispers something urgent into the ear of the Casting Director. We catch snippets of their hushed interruption- PA (almost unintelligible) --Reader-- CASTING DIRECTOR Yes, where-- PA --Smoke Break-- CASTING DIRECTOR -- The call time-- PA I know-- CASTING DIRECTOR --behind-- PA Yes sir--
A blue script— Real Life Annotated. COLD READ - AMENDED - BLUE FADE IN: INT. RESORT OFFICE CENTER - MIDDAY SHANE HOLLANDER sits outside a Conference Room turned Make-Shift Audition Space, crammed onto a fold-out metal chair. His leg bounces, the seat complains, and the row of chairs beside him remains empty. Somewhere, a clock ticks. CLOSED AUDITIONS - Shane stares down the signtapedtothe Conference Room door like it holds some immutablepowerto grant his heart's greatest desire. He staresitdownlikehe secretly believes it just might. A CASTING ASSISTANT exits the Conference Room. Shane blinks. CASTING ASSISTANT Shane? Hollander? SHANE Yes. CASTING ASSISTANT we're ready for you. CONFERENCE ROOM Shane enters, and Shane counts: Four walls, two softbox lights, three tables pushed together- or one long table, maybe. A tripod, a camera, at minimum three PAs. Not so dissimilar to every other audition room he has stood in before now.
hollabackboy tweet: shecret (shane secret) @hollabackboy http://twitpic.com/ar12sh 01 Nov 10 Shane has posted a picture of James Acaster on a Talk Show, quoted saying: Can't do it. Too scared.
Instagram, circa 2010. shanehol posted: Location: Whistler Blackcomb 39s ago Shane posted a production photo— hands fix and brown-black fur hood around his shoulders, over a knotted grey sweater. His dark hair is styled, with his bangs swooping over his forehead. He is looking down softly with his eyes, but not his head. His cheeks and lips are flushed red with the cold, or with production makeup (blush). The background is dark and indiscernible. 1102 likes shanehol, caption: screen testing... is this thing on?
Twitter Home Feed, from the Twitter Phone App, circa 2010/2011 Tweet: VARIETY @variety 30 Oct 10 Popular Alexander Fan-Cast Ilya Rozanov spotted on location for 'Cold As Ice' ahead of film's tight 6 month shooting schedule https://variety.com/ 2010/film/news/ilya-cold-as-ice/ Tweet: The Hollywood Reporter 30 Oct 10 Scott Hunter Drops Cold As Ice Cast Clue - team searching for 'fresh, new Canadian talent' https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/ film/film-news/cold-as-ice-scott-hunter-interview/ Tweet: IMDb @imdb 29 Oct 10 Casting Lily Lockwood For Cold As Ice: 10 Actors Perfect For The Role https://imdb.com/news/cold-as-ice-10- list/ Tweet: Unlikely Animal Friends 29 Oct 10 Dog and Deer http://twitpic.com/fg56fg A sliver of a photo of a dog and a baby deer can be seen before cut off. Buttons: Home, Connect, Discover, Me
mama e papa › Group iMessage Text Between Hayden, Jackie, and Shane Hayden’s contact photo is a soft close up of his smiling face, the brown hair over his forehead slightly ruffled. Jackie’s contact photo is a picture of her in a sundress, standing in an orchard, looking slightly over her shoulder towards the camera. A cut off photo can be seen at the top of the messages. A white plate with grated carrot, cucumbers and black sesame seeds was sent by Shane. The message is marked as read. Hayd: Resort food is wasted on you man Message Line Break Today Hayd: Good luck today! Break a leg! Jackie: We're rooting for you Don't actually break a leg Shane: Thanks guys Marked as read. The iMessage typing bar is empty below.
Tweet: shecret (shane secret) @hollabackboy Private Account http://twitpic.com/jt24sh 7:46 AM • 01 Nov 10 A screenshot from video game GTA when the MC is walking down a low poly side street / alley way, saying (with sub titles): Ah shit, here we go again.
Title card. November 2010, in bold caps white-yellow letters, to the left— over a snowy parking lot. The early morning sun can be seen cresting over a snow tipped mountains in the middle distance. Tall pine trees line the lot, where a dozen or so cars are parked. In the original video, the first 15 seconds of the track Rivalry from the Heated Rivalry soundtrack plays. https://open.spotify.com/track/06bb202h8xCZ904uMx8Z28?si=P9hB6p1nSR2NLpiotp2SZg
VIDEO - 15 seconds. Title card: November 2010, in bold caps white-yellow letters, to the left— over a snowy parking lot. The early morning sun can be seen cresting over a snow tipped mountains in the middle distance. Tall pine trees line the lot, where a dozen or so cars are parked. Title card: Whistler, British Columbia, in bold caps white-yellow letters, to the left— over a snowy parking lot. Title card: Shane, in bold caps white-yellow letters, to the left— over a snowy parking lot. The first 15 seconds of the track Rivalry from the Heated Rivalry soundtrack plays. https://open.spotify.com/track/06bb202h8xCZ904uMx8Z28?si=P9hB6p1nSR2NLpiotp2SZg
Hayden Pike’s Twitter Profile, circa 2010. HaydenPike @haydonapike Montreal, QC Jackie (heart emoji) Actor (film slate emoji) Cool guy (sunglasses emoji) Goals: 5 Emmys, 5 Oscars, 5 Kids http://imdb.com/name/haydenpike About @haydonapike 907 Tweets 569 Following 1578 Followers Recent Images 1)Hayden sitting in a suit on steps outside a museum. 2) A still from a film, Hayden looking intense. 3) Hayden in a boarding school uniform with a costar. 4) Hayden, shocked, outside at night. Hayden tweeted: Hayden Pike @haydonapike wife guy: man who takes any opportunity to mention his wife in an admiring manner. 19 Sep 2010 Hayden retweeted: Shane Hollander @shanehol Biscuit is out now - http://www.biscuitfilm.com.ca 16 Sep 2010 Hayden tweeted: Hayden Pike @haydonapike @shanehol is always trying to take me when he flies anywhere. i'm like if a emotional support dog was a person 18 Sep 2010 Hayden Pike @haydonapike(borat voice) my wife!! Shane Hollander Rose Landry
Kip Grady’s Twitter Profile, circa 2010. kip @kipinyourstep New York City, NY Christopher 'Kip' Grady "Art is not a thing; it is a way" NYU About @ kipinyourstep 430 Tweets 108 Following 544 Followers 8 Listed Recent Images 1) Kip wearing a purple cap with a pink strawberry, his face mostly obscured. 2) A picture of an older man standing in front of an artwork at the MoMA. 3) Kip lounging by a lake at golden hour sunset. 4) Kip in a red lit bar, drinking a cocktail. Kip retweeted: Michelangelo @mikethepainterdude Never quote price for "simple ceiling paint job" without on-site visit first. 1 Oct 2010 Kip tweeted: kip @kipinyourstep straw this berry, or something http://twitpic.com/jyt14vy 16 Sep 2010 kip @kipinyourstep feeling of the day is that one botched restoration of the Ecco Homo Jesus fresco 14 Sep 2010 Similar to you Elena Rygg elenarygg Cybersecurity Engineer - Equinox Tech mariaaaaa mariavoontraphisass go piss girl
Scott Hunter’s Public Twitter Profile, circa 2010 Scott Hunter @scotthunter New York City, NY Actor. Activist. http://imdb.com/name/scotthunter About @ scotthunter 1,881 Tweets 64 Following 15,696 Followers 5 Listed Recent Images 1) A black and white photo of Scott in a suit, drinking at an after party. 2) Scott in the gym, flexing. 3) Scott on a walk, flexing. 4) Scott in bed, probably flexing. Scott retweeted: Just Another User @notilya i went to jurassic park and all the dinosaurs there knew you @scotthunter 1 Oct 2010 Scott tweeted: Scott Hunter @scotthunter Party after the After Party http://twitpic.com/jyt14p 29 Sep 2010 Scott retweeted: best of two worlds @hannahnebraskalyrics Everybody makes mistakes, Everybody has those days Everybody knows what I'm talkin' bout, Everybody gets that way 28 Sep 2010 Similar to you Ilya Rozanov ilyarozanov This is the official Twitter for Russian Actor Ilya Rose Landry theroselandry LA girl. Michigan Baby.
Svetlana’s Public Twitter Profile, circa 2010 Svetlana Vetrova @svetlana Boston, MA Talented Model. Talent Agent. Your favorite nepo baby. Too hot for you. About @ svetlana 1981 Tweets 472 Following 21,249 Followers 41 Listed Recent Images 1) Svetlana posing in a sleeveless black bodycon dress, in front of kegs in a cage. 2) A selfie of Svetlana in natural lighting. Her hair is pulled up into a pony. 3) Svetlana and Ilya in a field, their legs stepping over and under each other. 4) A selfie of Svetlana wearing a red dress. Svetlana tweeted: Svetlana Vetrova @svetlana paris fashion week? big heart eyes 4 Oct 2010 Svetlana retweeted: Model Source @modelsource How Svetlana Vetrova Sculpts Her Hair And How You Can Too— http://www.modelsource.com/ofthemoment/svetlanainterview 30 Sep 2010 Svetlana tweeted: Svetlana Vetrova @svetlana Tips for building a modeling portfolio - http://www.svtalent.com/tips 24 Sep 2010 Similar to you Shane Hollander Rose Landry
Rose Landry’s Public Twitter Profile, Circa 2010 Rose Landry @theroselandry Los Angeles, CA LA girl. Michigan Baby. "If roses did not suffer thorns on their journey to beauty, they would lose out on becoming masterpieces." About @theroselandry 1,845 Tweets 515 Following 10,702 Followers 44 Listed Recent Images 1) Rose lounging on a beach chair. 2) A headshot of Rose mid-interview. 3) Rose is on a cream couch modelling a small black dress. 4) A disgruntled Rose selfie on an airplan. Rose retweeted: Just Another User @roseyposey omg?? spotted rose landry at the rose bowl??? talk about kismet #heygirlhey 6 Oct Rose Tweeted: Rose Landry @theroselandry The Beach Episode → http://twitpic.com/jyt24v 24 Sep Rose retweeted: X-Squad Updates @xsquadttime Rose Landry officially returns as Mystic in 'X-Squad: Years of Past and Present' 23 Sep Similar to you Ilya Rozanov This is the official Twitter for Russian Actor Ilya Svetlana Vetrova Talented Model. Talent Agent.
Ilya Rozanov’s Public Twitter Profile, circa 2010. @ilyarozanov Boston, MA This is the official Twitter for Russian Actor Ilya Rozanov. All Tweets are from Ilya Rozanov. Other accounts claiming to be Ilya Rozanov are not Ilya Rozanov. 1,221 Tweets 11 Following 6,955 Followers Recent Images 1) Ilya at an event table with a woman, wearing a black suit. 2) Ilya posed in the same suit, advertising a watch. 3) A black and white photo of Ilya in a gym. 4) A close up of Ilya’s face as a curl on his forehead is adjusted. Ilya tweeted: watched @cliffnotes new movie, it was not even that bad. but also it was not that good. 9 Oct Ilya retweeted: Rasputin Lyrics Bot Russia's greatest love machine-It was a shame how he carried on 6 Oct Svetlana Vetrova someone watch him for me http://twitpic.com/jyt14p (Image of Ilya wearing a read shirt that reads: pls do not give me a cigarette no matter what I say) 10 Aug Similar to you Shane Hollander Rose Landry Svetlana Vetrova
Shane Hollander’s Public Twitter Profile, circa 2010. Shane Hollander @shanehol Montreal, QC Canadian Actor. L'habit ne fait pas le moine (translates literally to “the clothes don't make the monk” and means “don't judge a book by its cover”) http://imdb.com/name/shanehollander About @shanehol 777 Tweets 212 Following 1,919 Followers 143 Listed Recent Images 1) Shane and a film employee on set, phot taken in black and white. 2) Shane candidly photographed on a stage, with flattering blue lighting. 3) A film camera view finder. 4) Shane and a director studying a script bathed in backlight. Shane has retweeted — Adults never get excited anymore about how big I got since they last saw me:( 6 Oct 2010 Shane has tweeted: BTS→ http://twitpic.com/jyt14v 18 Sep 2010 Biscuit is out now - http://www.biscuitfilm.com.ca w 16 Sep 2010 Similar to you Ilya Rozanov This is the official Twitter for Russian Actor Ilya Rose Landry theroselandry LA girl. Michigan Baby.
A stack of script paper. The top page reads: FADE IN: 1. INT. DISCLAIMERS - NIGHT (into the phone) This is a work of fiction. Unless otherwise stated, all names, characters, businesses, places, and events are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons or actual events is coincidental. LOTTIE (CONT' D) Rated E for Explicit. (pause) LOTTIE (CONT'D) I do not speak Russian or French. If any words / phrases / sentences / translations are incorrect, please let me know. LOTTIE (CONT'D) Actions and/or viewpoints expressed by the characters in this work do not automatically reflect my opinions. This work is not meant to educate or serve as a moral example. FADE TO BLACK. 2. INT. NOTES - CONTINUOUS LOTTIE NO AI - Everything within is imperfectly human. LOTTIE (CONT'D) Slow updates.
A blue tinted screenplay script sits on a brown wooden tabletop. The cover page reads: COLD READ written by Lottie D based on the works of Rachel Reid & Jacob Tierney After Russian rising star Ilya Rozanov outshines him for the leading man role in 2011's hottest romcom, up-and-coming actor Shane Hollander battles to become Hollywood's newest IT boy. Twitter:@faeeebaeee Bluesky: faeeebaeee A03: faeeebaeee First Draft: January 2026
An artistic render of Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov in the style of an indie movie— a close up on their brown and blue eyes, their temples pressed together. The title, Cold Read strikes through their eyes, in bold, blue, caps lock letters. Written above, in the white text: A social media au original. Below are film credits— Written by Faeee Baeee. Directed by Lottie Dottie. Music by Peter Peter. Screenplay by L. D. B. Bottie.
He was quite striking like this, wasn't he? Ed. Under the ambient glow of a kitschy photo booth; tanned, tattooed arms bare, dark waves falling across his forehead, irises as big as dinner plates, swallowing the deep umber of his eyes— sharp and unreadable as they were. It wasn't the first time Stede had noticed, Ed was a good looking man, after all. Handsome, some might say. He must've had girls tossing themselves at him, constantly— 'Ladykiller! Wow, your eyes, they glow!' And it wasn't the first time they'd been in such close proximity, either— so crowded in each other's space that Stede could count Ed's sunspots or admire the piercing nestled neatly in his eyebrow or watch his eyelashes wisp across his cheeks-but there was something about this Ed, close and compelling, that had him entranced him so completely.
And Ed saw. He fucking saw.
Shit, It was small. Smaller than it had any right to be, actually— made for giggling children and prepubescent teenagers. A tacky, flashy, over-the-top thing with too little space. So of course tacky, flashy, over-the-top Stede was drawn to it— a sailor to a siren. It called to Stede, and Stede called to Ed, and they were both fucking goners, unable to break away from the temptation presented in front of them. Ed had been flagrantly and flippantly arrogant to think he stood any kind of chance to the contrary. Graciously, Stede released his jeans, thank fuck, only to nudge Ed into the booth, oh fuck— and Ed went willingly, convinced he would follow Stede off a bridge at this point if he so much as muttered the word jump. The whole situation was precarious, dangerous—a razor Ed would cut himself on if he breathed the wrong way— but at least it couldn't get any worse. Ed thought it couldn't get any worse. It did.
"Now what?" Stede asked, placing his hands back on the flipper buttons. Right, yeah, pinball, friends. Now what? Feather light, Ed settled his own hands over Stede's, wedding ring a cold reminder against his calloused fingers. "Pull the trigger," Ed said, wondering, for a split, scary second, if his thoughts had escaped via his mouth again, unbidden, but no- "I'll push if— when you miss an opportunity." Overeager and keen, Stede flung the ball into play, muscles flexing under his cotton shirt, and Ed's heart hammered so loud against his ribcage his sternum might as well have been a construction site. "Only use one flipper at a time— you're more likely to miss flicking two," Ed directed, pointedly ignoring the miniscule, love-driven builders also banging away inside his skull, wondering if anyone else could hear the deafening cacophony, "And if it's coming down the middle, nudge the cabinet a bit."
"Think you have a very specific talent for sucking at arcade games, mate. Won't win us any prizes at this rate," Ed teased, no real bite to his words as yet another machine flashed an 8-bit Game Over screen. It was fun— watching polite and proper Stede let loose, lose, and then glare at the cabinets as though they had personally insulted him, scowling with a face so angelic it was almost comical, ad nauseum. Only— it didn't make Ed nauseous. Giddy? Yes. But sick, bored? Hardly. "Be nice, l've never been to an arcade before!" Stede batted at him half-heartedly, the back of his palm thwacking into Ed's bicep. Fuck, Ed would endure much worse than radio silence if it meant he could share a thousand tiny touches like this with Stede Fancyman Bonnet. "You've never been—? How old are you, fifty?" Ed quipped, devoid of any real heat. Guess that explained Stede's deep and troubling misunderstanding of ski-ball, then — he'd almost given Ed an aneurysm, initially raising his arm to toss the puck like a basketball, 'Underarm, Stede Underarm! Fucking Christ, you lunatic.
"|-" Stede hesitated, brows furrowing gently, as though he hadn't considered why himself, "I wanted to apologize. And spend time with you. I think that's important too." Christ, Ed melted. Stede was a sunbeam— dazzling and golden-sweet, face bright— and under his warmth, his radiance, a week's worth of biting fears and what if's thawed. I wanted to— spend time with you. Ed melted, because how the fuck could he not? "Are we... okay?" Stede asked. "I—" I don't know. I don't think so. What the fuck was Ed supposed to do here? Say here? "We're fine," Probably not that, but Stede was standing before him like some small, scolded puppy in a dumb little puppy sweater vest, so achingly sincere and so desperate for his forgiveness— that Ed found he could never have said anything to the contrary, "We're good. Just— communicate, man."
Ed, with his back turned and hair draped over is shoulder, is dressed in a tiny pink body con dress, with a heart peek-a-boo window at the small of his back, where the tattoo ‘Trust No One’ can be seen.
Stepping out of his tinny, roughed-up Ford, Ed immediately wanted to retreat, hightailing it out of the arcade parking lot as quickly as his old Pinto would allow. If he was lucky, maybe someone would rear-end him on exit, fuel tank crumpling into the rear axle, and he'd burst into flames— a defect Hornigold had warned him about when he'd first bought the blasted car, post Pinto Madness. Anything to avoid facing Stede, who was idling at the arched entrance of Spanish Jackie'z, cradling a case of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale- Ed's favourite. Hair honey in the sunlight, silk tie coloured berry-red, sweater vest from Ralph Lauren— Stede was over-correcting from their last meeting by being ludicrously over-dressed, a lone flower in a field of teens decked in muscle tees and glitter tights and windbreakers. It was endearing. Ed was endeared. So, time to combust— Ed tried to turn on his heels, ducking into the driver's seat of his death trap, but Stede clocked him, waving to him with a surprised "Ed!" made Ed's stomach turn, peanut butter toast and instant coffee tumbling around his insides like a laundromat washing machine.
Polaroid of Stede, dated Sat 18th April ‘87. Stede is swearing a dark green-blue sweater vest, over a mint shirt and red tie. He sheepishly looks off camera.
Ed to Stede, beeper code: 066