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Chapter 55: Burglar Alarm
🕑 Added 2024-11-15 13:33:55 +0000 UTCChapter 55: Burglar Alarm
Administrative Offices, Leavesden. August 2010.
Throughout my entire tenancy at Leavesden, I’d taken a keen interest in every department involved in production. Editing, set design, cinematography, you name it - I’d bothered someone to show me the ropes until they were ready to hang themselves. Sound included. In this instance, I wasn’t thrilled to be sitting in front of a blaring speaker.
Finance, however forgettable, too served its function.
Clock watching was an activity I hadn’t participated in over a (second) lifetime. The torturous tedium of counting the seconds until day’s end in a cramped cubicle was something I thought I’d sloughed off once I’d become a multi-millionaire movie star. But here and now, the swivel chair I was sneakily pitter-pattering between the rungs of was circling the clock quicker than the seconds ticking by.
Even Hollywood ran on excel spreadsheets and excessively long meetings. Which was why both David Heyman and Ben Wyatt had me strapped to a chair for WB’s latest shareholder symposium.
Potter, and my stint behind the specs was nearly over, so the wallets were asking: what next?
“Thank you again to all our incredible investors for taking time out from their hectic schedules to join us on this call. Before we all sign-off, we here at Warner Brothers would like to borrow a final moment of your patience. From the recent communication we’ve received, we understand your worries regarding the status of the company’s creative future. Just to reiterate, we have plenty in the pipeline - both franchise and standalone projects are on our docket, for which we’ll be sure to reach out to our legacy investors; many of whom are present here. Not only that, but Harry Potter and the wizarding world at large is something we still consider a major revenue generator.” The finance jockey in charge of the meeting was racing towards the finish line.
But before they could, someone overtook the conversation and knocked them right off their high horse. “No one at the table is denying that. The problem we’re having trouble reconciling is how do you expect to sell us on the idea that lightning is capable of striking twice?” Kudos to whoever that was, for the pun, as well as cutting through the manure.
“Let me just swoop in here for a sec.” Too bad the smell attracted the buzzards as well. Jeff Robinov, who’d already spent the last hour and a half pecking at us, couldn’t stomach anyone squawking over him. “Rest assured, I’ve been busting my hump carrying the Potter franchise on my back these last few years. It ain’t easy, folks, but I can confidently say it’s one of our most lucrative streams of income. And it’s here to stay.”
All my fidgeting ceased the moment that ridiculous sentence left his mouth. As I lunged forward to unmute myself on the speakers - Ping! - a notification on my phone popped up. Ping! Then another. Ping! And another.
My hand hovered over the comms equipment, before my curiosity got the best of me and I swapped over to the celly. No skin off my nose, either way. Since, according to him, his back was so broken, I’d happily tear his beak down to size instead.
( BenY8: Bas )
( BenY8: i know what you’re thinking )
( BenY8: just wait )
( Me: y shud i???)
( Me: credit where credit is due )
( Me: n that vulture committing fraud w my card )
( BenY8: then let him keep swiping )
( BenY8: lets see how far he runs up his credit bill )
( Me: o u sneaky lil bitch! )
( Me: fine i’ll play )
( Me:(‿ˠ‿) )
( BenY8: why have you sent me a butt emoji? )
( Me: bcuz touche )
( BenY8: OMG just pay attention! )
The entire time our thumbs had been thundering away, Robinov had continued to spew his personal propaganda. “The property itself is what was used to tie us to the booming online content library deal I struck with Netflix - like our merchandising department’s relationship with Uniqlo. We’re actually seeing profits coming in with projected growth in this sector for the near future. WB, under my guidance, is first off the line with this new medium of entertainment consumption. Already we’re seeing our competitors scramble to catch up. Don’t believe me? Take a look at what’s happening to blockbuster, word is they’re on the verge of filing chapter eleven. Bankruptcy. I got a lot of shit for stepping outside of our relationship with them, and now we’ve got undeniable proof of where we are versus them. I know what I’m doing.” Every suspect sentence of his was punctuated by more pinging.
( BenY8: I hope he does cuz i don’t get his game rn )
( BenY8: the debt keeps racking up… )
( Me: im just waiting for him to say he played Harry )
( Me: not me )
( BenY8: makes me wonder if anyone is gonna believe him )
( BenY8: all of this info is so easily refutable )
( BenY8: people just need to browse the minutes from past calls )
( BenY8: makes it obvious who actually put the deals in place )
( BenY8: your fingerprints are all over everything )
( BenY8: doesn’t take a detective to figure that out )
( Me: he’s not that stoopid )
( Me: probs understands the financiers well actually )
( Me: knows that majority don’t see past the earnings section )
( BenY8: (‿ˠ‿) )
( Me: don’t u dare copy my tushy! )
( Me: enough people doing that already )
“It’s just like I told those media vultures during my interview,” rich coming from you, Robinov. “I haven’t just kept us from being ripped off the map, I’ve put us dead fucking centre on it!” That last little tirade seemed to be the straw that broke the camel’s back, even for Ben. He immediately jumped in before Jeff could complete his mental gymnastics routine.
“I’m going to have to interrupt.” Ben’s voice crackled to life. “Can we please stay on topic? The question asked was trying to ascertain how WB expects to either foster a new franchise in Potter’s place, or surpass the insurmountable wall of income that Potter has generated. Frankly speaking, the deal with Uniqlo has been in place long before your tenure, Mr Robinov. And as far as I’m aware, no one, including anyone from the esteemed company logged into the call, is a sitting member on Netflix’s board. Except Bas.” Ben’s tone was calm, measured; but no one could deny it was ultimately a diatribe. He’d come to collect on accrued debts. “Instead of resting on someone else’s laurels, we should discuss where we’re headed going forward.”
It was funny to me; my history with Robinov was glaring proof of just how inflexible of a person he was. The only way to get him to bend was to make him. Yet, here he twisted, showing himself off to be an accomplished contortionist comfortably capable of kissing his own ass.
“Fine. In more concrete terms,” which, given the molar mashed grunt Jeff responded with, is where I imagined he wishes he could bash Ben’s head right about now. “Potter is the lynchpin. We’ve got Rowling on the hook, working on the property to see how we can take it forward. So, let me make myself absolutely clear, we have plans for the future. It’s bigger than a few movies…” Robinov paused. Had this been a video call, my intuition (signified by the hairs on the back of my neck standing at attention) told me he’d likely be scowling right at in my direction, “and even fewer names or faces.”
Couldn’t help himself - just had to take that last dig at me, didn’t he? Careful, there. Might discover you’re shovelling your own grave, Robinov.
A flush of hot of anger followed in my hackles’ wake. Up my spine, around my ears, and all the way down my throat. But I swallowed my bile. Robinov was proving himself a larger obstacle day-by-day. I felt it prudent to remind everyone that I could be a much taller hurdle to crest.
“Got you loud and clear, Jeff el jefe.” Pretend to be the boss all you want. “I’m sure things’ll work out. If you’re having trouble getting in touch with Uniqlo, Netflix, or even Jo, let me know. I’ll bring it up to them the next time they call me. They always pay such rapt attention whenever I bring up any concerns; I’m really quite lucky to be partnered with them.” No idle threats. I didn’t just have receipts, I had an x-ray of my scoliosis to certify just whose back was carrying the franchise.
I threw FedEx, who for this entire duration, sat patiently beside me, a wink. She instantly picked up my dropped hint. I was done with this farce.
Her face stayed expressionless while she projected her voice in an eerie imitation of one of the more emphatic runners we had on set. “Mr Rhys! Mr Rhys! Are you done yet? We really, really need you back on set, please!”
“Ah! It appears my time’s up. Ta-ta!” Bleep! I hung up. Though if you mistook that as a censored swear, I wouldn’t blame you. That was very much the mood I was in.
( BenY8: i thought filming was done for today? )
( Me: it is )
( BenY8: … )
( BenY8: well the meeting ran long anyway )
( BenY8: since you have time )
( BenY8: can we please discuss that thing you wanna do? )
( Me: what about it? )
( BenY8: its too generous )
( Me: no )
( BenY8: but what if WB tries to steal praise for it? )
( BenY8: today was a prime example )
( Me: i don’t care. The others earned it )
( Me: not about glory. It’s the right thing to do. )
( BenY8: expensive, even for you )
( Me: worth it. Make it happen. bye bitch )
“My throat hurts.” Fedex reapplied her true tongue, stood up, and circled behind me. “As does yours, I suppose. Vinegared words stress the tonsils, no?”
I craned back, landed on the cushioned backrest, and flopped my neck to look at her staring at me. Her fingers pressed against my temples and began rubbing in circles. Instinctually, I huffed a sigh and closed my eyes; though I knew her pinprick pupils were prowling across every single one of my pores. It was oddly comforting. “If only you could keep a close eye on Robinov for me. Maybe I’d be less stressed, then?”
“Espionage is an effective tool, one I am experienced in.” She stopped her massage. I blinked awake. “But against thieves like Robinov, it is better to have all eyes on you to make it harder for them to steal from you. Alibis and evidence are more useful than hearsay, no?”
Rolling my shoulders to shake off my lingering irritation, I stood up. The both of us made our way out of the meeting room, following my heavy steps back to the caravan for some much needed rest. “So, what? Have someone else besides you follow me around with a camera or something? Who’s got that kind of time?”
“It is easy to arrange. All I need is your go ahead.” Confident my consigliere, wasn’t she?
“Then you have it. But let’s leave the details for another day. Right now, I’m ready to crash.”
Fedex sped up, looped her arm around my elbow, and fell in step next to my shuffling gait. “Would you like to borrow my bed? Sounds like you need your rest. Sleeping on the couch in your own trailer is not ideal.”
I shook my head. “No. I’m alright. A couple more days won’t kill me. I don’t know what Anita’s issue is, but she’s been stuck to me like velcro recently. Rare for her to even consider padding down anywhere lower than a four-star hotel. I don’t mind accommodating her if she’s so hell-bent.”
As I completed that though, relief washed over me when I spotted my caravan past Fedex’s. Instead of heading to the door, however, Fedex yanked my arm to pull me round its rear. She plonked us just beneath the open window, keeping us out of sight of the voices inside that suddenly prickled my ears. We turned to face each other. My eyebrows shot up; her index blocked her lips. We hunkered to eavesdrop.
“-ou can’t keep stringing him along like this. Things are tough enough for Bas, as it is right now,” Anita scolded. I knew that tone well, but I was surprised because it wasn’t directed at me for once.
“I know. Perhaps not why. Believe me, though, it’s not just me who’s noticed how on-edge he’s been lately. We can all tell. Which is why I’m here, isn’t it? Our evenings are ours, and I know just how to cheer him up.” Emma had long since become a frequent visitor to my quarters, apparently not so welcome at the moment. “Though, admittedly, I’m not sure what you mean by ‘stringing him along’, Anita.”
“Don’t play those games. Yes, you do.” Anita brokered no argument.
Emma still tried, though. “So what exactly am I meant to do, then? Break-up with him?”
“You can keep him, but no more skulking around or having him cover for you. If you want the romance to stay, then the relationship has to come to light finally.”
“Why do you have any say in this? Bas hasn’t mentioned anythin-”
“Because that’s his problem. He won’t. Not even to me, which is really pissing me off. My job is to look after the both of you. And as it stands, if something doesn’t change in your dynamic, something’s gonna give. My fear is that something is probably Bas. Between you, the job and what’s after, plus whatever nonsense production is pulling these days - he’s not having an easy go of it.” Anita noticing wasn’t a surprise, but…I had no idea my frustrations were so visible to those around me.
“Do I not also figure into this?” Emma’s voice was muffled now. I didn’t require a peek to guess she’d mushed her face into her palms. It was the trick I always used to lower her volume, too. “I want Bas, more than I can fully articulate. But I so desperately crave a mundane life as well. Should I surrender to my wants, I’ll not have a shred of normality left. Regardless of where I go or what I do, the knowledge of our relationship will overshadow everything. Getting out from under Hermione is going to be enough of a chore. Remember the university tours? Every time I asked a question, some silly bollocks thought himself so immensely clever for shouting out ‘ten points to Gryffindor’! Every time! I want my partner, but I also want peace of mind. Is it really so much to ask for both?”
“Yes.” Anita’s words were hard, but her tone was as soft as it had been all conversation. “Because Bas doesn’t deserve any less than you.”
“I can’t tell him.”
“You will.”
Fedex sidled up to me and whispered as low as she could. “Shall we take a short walk and come back?” It was an offer to escape - at least for a little while.
I didn’t take it. “No.” As much as I might enjoy it, I can’t keep hiding under skirts forever. Serious relationships require serious effort - even when they end. I’d done all I could, and more. If that wasn’t sufficient, there weren’t any other tricks for me to perform. At this stage and place in our lives, compatibility just wasn’t cutting it. “Gimme a boost. It’s about time I put this to bed.” God, was I gonna miss my time with her in it.
Fedex crouched down and interlocked her fingers. I toed off my shoes, planted one sock covered foot in her grip, and hopped as she hoisted me up.
“What am I even meant to say to him?” Emma pleaded with no one, but I heard her anyway.
“I reckon-” I grunted myself onto the windowsill, leaving me hanging by my under arms. “I’ve gotten the gist of it.”
My unexpected intrusion sent the two conspirators into cries of shock. If anything, that reaction made my phony smile stretch a little more genuine.
“What the-? Bas!”
“Fuck-! Uh- how long have you been there?”
“Long enough to know that I’m single again.” It was a callous thing to say, I realise. In all honesty, though, it was the best method I had to cope. This wasn’t easy for me either. A not insignificant part of me ached to capitulate and carry on this midnight charade. But that wasn’t something I could tolerate - for Emma or for me.
“I’m so sorry!” Emma launched herself off her seat, swung her arms, and wrapped the fraction of my torso poking in through the window in a tight hug.
The creamy soft silk of her skin brushed against my cheek; bringing with it the distinct, lingering, patchouli scent of her goopy green face mask she wore every night. As my arms curled around her and I breathed her in, I almost gave it up as a bad joke. Unlike my dangling legs, though, I held firm. “Don’t be. You gave me one of the best years of my life.” I meant that wholeheartedly.
“You’re lying!” She crushed me tighter into her embrace, which I was grateful for as I felt myself slipping. “Oohh, you hate me now, I know it!” Her voice quavered and choked.
“Never.” I was happy to use the frame, constricting my larynx, as an excuse for why I sounded the same as her.
“This is awful!” She shook in my arms, shifting me slightly out with every weepy hiccup. My feet scrambled to find purchase on the smooth wall, but it was mostly her holding me up now. “I must be the most horrid girlfriend in the world. Even our separation is subpar - we ought to be screaming at each other and fighting. Forget the relationship part - I’m not even allowing you the satisfaction a proper break-up provides!”
My palms soothed their way up and down her back, crumpling her shirt. One of mine, actually. “C’mon, don’t fool yourself. Ain’t getting rid of me that easy. We have our whole lives ahead to bicker nonstop.”
“Promise?”
“Til you get sick of me.”
“I’m going to miss you.” She shuddered. “So much.”
“Me too. Now unhand me, will you? I’m suffocating.” She unclenched her pythons, pulled away, but left her hands splayed over my jaw. Her mascara was running down again. “God, you’re a mess.” She really was beautiful.
Her laugh was thick, stuffy, and wet. “You’re not any better.” She leaned in and planted a last tear-flavoured smooch on my lips.
We let go.
Comments
Bar Calak
Well by now we know Bas' penchant for more well seasoned food anyway haha
Anonimacho
Why are people making such a fuss about Zendaya? She seems like a totally ordinary person to me. None of the celebrities you mentioned even come close to a tenth of the McDonald's cashier's beauty.
Matthew The Bread Smith
Always a silver lining ;)
Bar Calak
Life's funny that way. Speaking of life - if trollina ever found out Fedex would be working overtime to save Bas'
iceknight90
Trollina (discovers Bas and Emma were together): IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN MEEEE! NOT BAS! Trollina (discovering Bas and Emma are no longer together): I knew that Bas was a no good piece of shit! Also... I have a chance now?! What a twist. What a turn of events. So many chapters had been leading to them getting together and now suddenly, it turns out that they just won't work out because they have very different goals and interests in life. But that's just how things are. I guess they'll forever spend the rest of their lives with a wistful "what could have been" attitude and presumably irritating their future romantic partners with the seething sexual and romantic potential that hovers overhead like an angry thundercloud.
Philip
Shh i like the omniscient viewpoint of god looking down from above, don't break the immersion and remind me I'm just a chump reading this on a break from work...
Bar Calak
Haha the wordplay is my trademark! I like it for the more lighthearted chaps. makes the prose imo more fun to read while emphasizing Bas' manic head. The worlds his oyster now
Bar Calak
all in due time
Bar Calak
It was also important to me to explore a more youthful aspect to serious relationships. Life experience has to come from somewhere so you can learn and grow. That said - no strings on Bas going ahead
Bar Calak
Defeat is a little more grim than I intended - more stymied or facing obstacles - but i guess the intent is the same. Narratively there's nothing to gain or go towards if you've aready won the race. Gotta beat him down before building him up again. We're entering the (re)construction phase soon!
Bar Calak
My fave bits too mostly because thats when i started separating the story into its own original narrative beyond HP haha. He's a bit beaten down. but watching him return to form is where the excitement comes!
Bar Calak
Harry has his baby, now Bas has to find his. He's spent the his career so far building something ultimately for someone else. He's made his fortunes during it sure, but now he has to evolve and fend for himself.
Bar Calak
He has his angle
Bar Calak
had to happen. Time to get out there!
Bar Calak
The games have only just begun
Bar Calak
Nail on the head every time, I swear. Also it helps me set the foundation of Bas' behaviour going forward. Analogized in the HP epilogue
Bar Calak
Everyone wants to live their lives to their best ability - unfortunately that came at bas' expense. Now lets see how he fares with fewer tethers
Bar Calak
This is commander Shephard and this is my favorite comment on the citadel
Bar Calak
Now more people can join in on the fun w/ Bas eh?
Bar Calak
i cri evrytm
Bar Calak
Robinov's involvement still has some distance left to fly. No spoilers tho! Bas needs a strong adversary.
Bar Calak
Hmm Bas hanging with athletes arc? I'll have to think about it
Bar Calak
Oof ow ouch forcing? haha. Nah they're too young for that IMO
Bar Calak
That means I'm hopefully building him into an effective villain! And totes. Just because romances die doesnt mean the relationship has to fizzle too.
Bar Calak
Well he was due to step out his goody 2 shoes sometime.... (in his own way at least)
Bar Calak
Very much so haha. Also they both had so much on their own plates that priorities often aren't set in stone.
Bar Calak
its so funny you say not a lot to be invested in haha. fans weren't meant to know about them dating. - i.e. you! I wanted to show a more realistic take on young adult relationships (from my personal exp at least) fires burn hot, fast, and never as maturely as you think at the time. It didn't make sense to me to have them settle in so easily. Pus I also wanted to maintain character agency. I never want it to feel like the characters in the story are purely there to stroke Bas' ego you know? They have their own ambitions.
Childishdavebino
Going with Stone, the sass levels of conversation would be great
Paul Wang
Great chapter! It feels less wordplay oriented and more grounded than it was previously which I appreciate a lot, and yeh the break up was definitely coming but it did feel quite well blocked and thoughtful. I'm just racking my brain at the moment and I can't think of any actresses that would have the sheer starpower to match Bas the teen superstar turned actual good character actor/stuntman/leading man billionaire. Margot Robbie comes close but she doesn't really have the ability to carry a move the way that Chalamet, Cruise or Gosling does. All the A-list actresses seem to be from previous generations, i.e. Kidman, Jolie & Blanchett. Emma Watson honestly feels like she was getting there after HP and Beauty and the Beast, same with Jennifer Lawrence before she had a pause in momentum. Emma Stone maybe? or Zendaya if Bas doesn't mind going for a little younger. From other spheres there are pop stars like Swift or Rihanna or models I suppose. And perhaps Bas will shake all expectations and not be a massive manwhore lol, or just date someone normal. But now that the obligatory Emma Watson relationship is out of the way, the potential is infinite!
Kasikan
If he went back to enjoying himself with women that were happy to have fun with him and not try to tie him down, he'd likely be doing a lot better. Having people that are fine with you the way you are and don't try to force you to change would make things much better for him. Especially if they're fine with supporting him when he decides to go after the people screwing him over. Better to have people that'd support him than stab him in the back like Emma and a few others all did to JKR these past few years.
Aagkard
I shall pray the ancestors for his undoing.
David Karlsson
Hope he bombs his attempt at a new cinematic universe even worse this time, then comes crawling to Bas when he's on the ropes. JK knows he was the obstacle from HBP onwards and won't appreciate him taking her and Bas for granted and taking credit so I hope they hold off on further HP stuff besides writing more books until Jeff is gone
David Karlsson
I wonder what is up with Anita since that phonecall with endeavour? She stays close to Bas now, maybe for his own good after the VIP event but still. Hope the group get together again and make some plans for the future. See how much he has after his DH1 dividends to play with. Will he give a bonus to some of the departments he learned from? A vacation? Or a party
David Karlsson
Glad I'm not the only one to think so. Emma wanted to be pampered so he had what passed for romance without being open about it. Somehow it seemed more genuine with Arterton, even if they snuck around and weren't dating as such. It wasn't demeaning to either of them. The last few chapters have just been kind of sad. He doesn't stick up for himself now. gets used by Jeff, credit for franchise success stolen, is unappreciated and disrespected and his relationship with Emma is demeaning and leaves a bad aftertaste. Hope he gets back in the groove and turns the tables on Jeff and finds someone else to pursue
McLuvin
I think it’s complacency mixed with slight defeat, he’s put in the work, he’s been nominated for an Oscar, he’s got contacts with Cruise, RDJ, Stiller etc he’s proven he can do absurdist comedic work via Tropic Thunder and Black Dynamite and Psyche and 50 Rock as well as bigger franchise work too. So he knows he’s shown what he can do, and he has set a lot of groundwork… But I think he’s overestimated that work and, alongside his difficulty getting into the comedy movies he wanted lined up for Post-Potter, he’s not seeing as much room to manoeuvre as he has done previously and is overly resting on his laurels. I mean, look at everything that’s happening. He declined The Other Guys to pursue 21 Jump Street and got rejected, leaving him only with his third option of Limitless and annoying Dwayne Johnson. The Deathly Hallows has been a fight with Robinov, filled with politics and manoeuvring even while he acts his heart out, he nearly drowns and dies, causing everyone to treat him differently even as he avoids what happened. He’s entered his now failed first real relationship with a woman who wanted to keep him as her little secret for almost a year and he’s having his publicity plans rejected. Bas has taken some hits, he’s avoiding focussing on them, but he’s probably genuinely beaten down and tired.
Kasikan
Glad they broke up. He was having a much better time of things when he was dating a few of the other girls.
Soh•M©
I feel Bas might be getting on Demon time soon on this rominov ass
Jellyfish Rogers
THIS…He felt like a passive protagonist the past few chapters. Like he’s letting life happen to him. I hope to see him actively seeking roles and further utilizing his future knowledge. Him auditioning for movie roles and seeking business deals were my favorite chapters
David Karlsson
I've noticed that as well he doesn't stand up for himself as much lately. Not sure if he has a plan with all this rominov stuff or he's just being disrespected and taken for granted with impunity, they dismissed and used him so casually for that VIP event he may as well work for Disney if that continues
David
he knows, its just threats besides, the guys rich allready Bas stays hes rich if he leaves hes rich, so he just dosnt care
Relayed
Sacrificing his own self-interest for the sake of others and to his detriment seems to be the prevailing theme for this chapter. Oddly enough this was also the theme from the previous chapter where Harry decides to prioritize Teddy. Although in this chapter, this practice is seen as a negative by Anita, Ben and possibly Fedex. He seems to have planned something for all of his costars at a great expense for himself, which is saying a lot if it’s too expensive for him. He has also given up sleeping on his own bed as Anita seems to be more concerned about him than ever before. We even see the consequence of such actions in his relationship with Watson as she is unaware of his problems as well as the problem within their relationship. I wonder when this habit started to take root in Bas. Prior to this, Bas was an active participant in the kind of roles that he got. Tokyo drift was a no that he had to talk into a yes. His role in Tropic Thunder was a character that he improvised over a Skype call. Even Love Actually was a result of his relationship with Rickman. The past several roles have, as far as we’re aware, been handled entirely by Anita. His future knowledge should still be relevant for another 10 years. Logically speaking, he should have been preparing for his post Potter career years in advance by now.
Noctus Tagaris
oh yea, Margot robbie's a huge potter fan isn't she?
J.C. Anders
Did it occur to Robinov that every achievement he was taking credit for, was also him listing an entire resume of why Bas should stay on? He's literally trying to ice out the guy responsible for their biggest investment deals.
GooseElite
We knew it from the start. Thanks for this chapter.
Treebeard Joshua
Or he buys the Cardiff team
Joseph jestes
Emma Watson's live action of beauty and the beast is still one of my favorite movies
Soh•M©
Bas going through the game of thrones at Warner and heartbreak from Emma will make him take drastic measures
David Karlsson
Earlier in the story someone commented it was selfish and a but cruel of Bas to string her along when she showed interest. Now it's the other way around and Bas deserves better. I wasn't really hyped about this ship from the start. They had a good friendship but the wrong dynamic for a working relationship. Now the readers have their smut scenes out of the way we can get to the endgame relationships like Margot Robbie
David Karlsson
That might be a good idea. Bas won't be tied down to Disney, Emma gets a huge salary and recognition. She had most success with Disney stuff anyway. The actress for Yelena had quite good chemistry with Scarjo and her comedic delivery was decent. Maybe in this timeline Emma takes a greater interest in improving her acting. No idea how they'll fix her problem with accents for that role...
McLuvin
I’m still hoping she has more stamina in her career than OTL. I’ve mentioned the fact she was the first pick to play Yelena in the MCU, and, rather than Bas joining the Superhero movie scene, I think it would be interesting to have Emma be the one giving us a look into that culture instead.
David Karlsson
I feel it needed to happen, and doing so this early so there's no will-they-wont-they later or hard feelings as Bas dates or fucks other girls going forward. Now they've got it put of their system and can move on with other priorities. Emma probably won't get any amount of normalcy in either case, but if they went public her 18th birthday treatment by the paps would be a regular ordeal
McLuvin
In universe it was for most of the Deathly Hallows production to its aftermath, just under a year if I had to guess off the top of my head. Realistically they were never going to make it long past Harry Potter anyway, this was far healthier than keeping it going. Narratively, yeah, they had little screen presence, but I think that was intentional. They’ve been together a dozen chapters and almost all their moments together are stolen glances and touches and secret flirting. That’s the entire point of why they failed, Emma didn’t want to reveal it all, she wanted it all to herself and secret, and that shows in the text.
McLuvin
I called it from before they got together. Doesn’t mean it’s not still impactful however. From the start it felt more like puppy love and sexual tension mixed with friendship to me, I think that’s been made clear here, most of what they were doing together was sexual first and emotional second, and that’s clear in Emma’s priorities. Bas isn’t her emotional primary source of comfort, the idea of some amount of normalcy is. Someone from the QQ thread called the reason they would break up exactly, whoever that was props to them. I think this breakup felt so controlled because, as I said before, both of them had bigger fish to fry and, honestly, it was more a release than a connection I feel. They didn’t even have a proper date.
Leafninja91
Great chapter. sad about Emma, but what can you do? I can't wait to see what Bas has instore for the Douchebag.
JustaDude
Just a thought I've been having about this story but it's been mentioned multiple times that Bas was playing Mass Effect. Potential chekovs gun for a movie adaptation?
Matthew The Bread Smith
Sigh. We all saw it coming a mile away... It was fun while it lasted.
Uncle Snoo
Bas making Welcome to Wrexham?
David Karlsson
I can see it though. She was one of the cast most eager to strike out on her own after Potter. Being known only as Bas's girlfriend for years after wouldn't appeal to her, and she's still in that phase where she tried to get a normal uni experience and reinvent herself. She's not giving him an equal in the relationship even from the beginning. Now he's free for Margot Robbie at least
Evilhippy
Sads
David Karlsson
I mean it was a bit demeaning. How long was he going to have to sneak around and cover up for her? Years?
David Karlsson
Probably for the best. Glad they could split amicably too. Wonder what Robinov is up to? Does he even still want MC on the franchise
Christian Miguel
Maybe suggestion bus will own football club increase more fame?
BronRevo
Eh? You end it like that? Forcing the breakup? Could've Krasinki'd or Reynolds it but I guess breaking up is your favourite choice. Shame, that 😞
Aagkard
I can't wait for something to happen to Robinov. Also glad that they broke up in such good terms.
Dalen
Sometimes my intrusive thoughts want bas to become evil Sometimes
thevolunteer
Bummer.
Philip
What a tragedy. If only there was someone he could rebound with *looks at all the other potential costars* oh wait. Real shit tho, that whole Emma arc seemed really short imo, ik in universe it was a while but ending that the same time as potter while poignant didn’t really give a lot to be invested in
