#i love how William very clearly thinks he’s trying to play smart or something but. no he’s just like that | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

yourdeepestfathoms · 3 years

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with this unruly heart of mine

in which we all wish our parents reacted the same way as Alcina does when one of her daughters comes out to her

title is from Unruly Hearts from The Prom because it fit

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MERCUTIO

If love be rough with you, be rough with love. Prick love for pricking, and you beat love down. Give me a case to put my visage in. A visor for a visor. What care I What curious eye doth cote deformities? Here are the beetle brows shall blush for me.

Alcina read that line over and over again, but she still had no idea what the hell any of it really meant. She sighed and leaned back into the cushions of her seat. If she kept getting caught up on the literary meaning of every other paragraph then she would never finish this damned book.

She picked up the teacup sitting on the stand beside her chair and took a long sip. The tea was of sweet cinnamon on her tongue. It left a much better taste in her mouth than the rather gross relationship between Romeo and Juliet in this book. If the short amount of time the two knew each other wasn’t bad enough, the age gap made her teeth bare and nose wrinkle in disgust. What the hell was this William Shakespeare guy thinking when he wrote this?

The soft sound of bare feet padding against hardwood brought her back to the surface of complete awareness, her focus shifting away from the book and to the late-night arrival watching nearby.

A certain fly child stood, arm on the doorway. Her hair was shaggy from seemingly just waking up--or maybe she hadn’t slept at all in the first place. Unruly blonde locks were sticking up in various directions around her head, framing her face like an adolescent lion’s mane. The nightgown she wore was a size too big and drowning her thin frame.

The light from the fireplace made her golden-amber eyes look hollow.

“Mother?”

“Yes, dear?”

“May I sit with you?”

“Of course.”

Slower than she’d ever seen her move before, Bela inched her way onto the cushioned chair beside Alcina’s. She pulled her knees up her chest, bare toes poking over the edge of the seat, and Alcina regarded them with a scrunch of her nose.

“What have I told you about going around the castle barefoot?” Alcina chided gently.

Bela didn’t look away from the flickering fire in the fireplace. “I’m sorry, Mother.”

Something was bothering her.

Bela was a rather fickle little thing. Some days, she wanted to tell Alcina everything, every little fact of the new knowledge she had obtained from her books, all the small details of her latest stories or ideas. Other days, she put up walls and gave vague answers to questions prodded into her sensitive skin, curling into herself like a frightened snail afraid of being interrogated. This seemed to be something of the latter, and Alcina made a mental note to tread lightly to avoid upsetting her daughter.

“I don’t understand this at all,” Alcina said, waggling the book in her hands, trying to make small talk with her distressed child. She didn’t want to pry and further put Bela on edge more than she clearly was, but she couldn’t not do something about her bitter mood. What kind of mother would she be if she didn’t at least attempt to help with her kids’ problems?

“I can hardly make heads or tails of anything they’re saying,” she continued, hoping she wasn’t laying it on too thick.

Bela raised her head from her knees slightly. “What book is it?”

“Romeo and Juliet.”

There was a morbid snort. “How coincidental…”

“What?”

“Nothing.” Bela shook her head. “Lemme see. What part are you at?”

Alina pointed out the current line she had reread at least five times over without being able to discern the Shakespearean into modern-day language. Bela, however, looked it over once, scanned the other pieces of dialogue for context, nodded, then explained, “In this scene, Romeo, Mercutio, and Benvolio are sneaking into a party thrown by the Capulets by wearing masks to disguise themselves. Romeo is upset over Juliet and says he isn’t going to dance. Mercutio then teases him over this and turns all of Romeo’s words into gratuitous sexual metaphors to poke fun at him. Mercutio ends up going on this whole rant about Queen Mab of the fairies, who visits people in their dreams until Romeo and Benvolio cut in to get things back on track. Romeo also kinda foreshadows the entire play at one point. See? Right here: ‘I fear too early, for my mind misgives Some consequence yet hanging in the stars Shall bitterly begin his fearful date With this night’s revels, and expire the term Of a despisèd life closed in my breast By some vile forfeit of untimely death.’ I do believe that is hinting at his eventual fate of death.”

Alcina blinked at her for a moment before smiling fondly and rubbing her head. “Such a smart girl,” she cooed. “I could have never gotten that out of this .”

Bela smiled, but then it quickly disappeared, and she leaned back into her chair, curling up and watching the fire once again.

Now Alcina was really concerned. Bela was never one to let go of praise and affection so easily. Usually, she savored it a bit longer before moving onto something else, but here she was, brushing off Alcina’s words and touch as though they were nothing.

Something was very, very wrong.

However, before she had the chance to take the risk and attempt to ask questions, Bela spoke up.

“Have you ever been in love, Mother?”

Surprised, Alcina asked, “And what brought this up?”

Bela shrugged, not making eye contact. She kept looking at the fire as though she wanted to throw herself into it. Her voice was small, so small. “Just curious.”

“I see,” Alcina nodded. She looked up, thinking for a moment as she wracked her brain of the memories of her past life. “I have been in love before. Many times, actually.”

Bela gave her a curious look, finally pulling her gaze from the flames. “Really?”

“Indeed,” Alcina confirmed. “Though, I do believe that just comes with growing up. You gain lovers, you lose lovers. Some were real, some were fantasies I made up. Some lasted a few days, some a few months, some a few years.” She took a sip of her tea again. “None of them really mattered in the end, though. Clearly.” Another sip.

Bela nodded faintly. “Okay.”

“Have you ever been in love?” Alcina decided to ask.

Strangely, Bela went rigid. Her claws clenched around the sides of her calves as she stared forward with pupils that were constricted into pinpricks. Sweat beaded along the golden crown of her head.

“I-I-- umm…”

Alcina furrowed her eyebrows in worry. She closed Romeo and Juliet with a bookmark to mark her page, then set a hand on Bela’s back. Her daughter was trembling.

“Bela?” Alcina said, keeping her voice soothing and low to avoid setting off the poor girl even further. “Is everything alright? You don’t look well.”

“Yes, yes,” Bela answered her, much too quickly for it to be convincing. “I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

Before Alcina could prod further, Bela shot up to her feet. She began to chew on one of her claws, flexing her free hand at her side in visible agitation. Pieces of her skin broke off into flies and buzzed around her head madly. She seemed to be dissociating in panic.

“Bela,” Alcina rose to her feet slowly, not wanting to accidentally frighten her daughter. “Bela, what’s wrong? Are you alright?”

“I’m fine, I’m fine,” Bela said, even when she was so obviously far from fine. Her chest was beginning to heave.

“Darling,” Alcina said, and that seemed to get Bela to crack a bit.

With a tight whimper, Bela shook her head. “Hard-- hard to breathe--”

Instantly, Alcina loosely took Bela by the arms and lowered her to the ground. In the firelight, she could see the pallor of her daughter’s increasing panic as it morphed into a complete attack on her anxiety. Bela grabbed her wrists with her claws dug in for desperate grounding, and Alcina let her, even when it stung her skin. Her comfort was far from important in that moment.

“Alright, honey,” Alcina said. “We’re going to do the thing we’ve been practicing, alright? Do you think you can do it?”

Wordlessly, Bela nodded.

“That’s my strong girl,” Alcina said. “Alright, give me five things you can see.”

“Y-you,” Bela stammered. The words shook when they left her lips. “Your hair’s kinda bushy.”

Alcina rolled her eyes in a good-natured way. “Thank you for pointing that out, Bela.”

Bela’s fight instantly gave in at that and she hunched her shoulders in, looking ashamed. Quick to correct herself, Alcina lifted her chin so they could make eye contact.

“I was only teasing you, honey,” Alcina said. “Keep going.”

Bela nodded. “The fire; it’s really pretty. Your-- your, umm, chair; it looks soft. The book; not the best of Shakespeare’s works. And, ah-- the teacup; it has doves on it.”

“Very good,” Alcina praised. “Four things you can feel.”

“The fire’s-- the fire’s warmth. My heart in-- my heart in my throat. The floor under me; I should have worn socks.”

“I told you,” Alcina cut in playfully.

Bela swallowed thickly. “A-and, umm-- and my anxiety. It’s like a Lycan in my chest.”

Alcina frowned at that but quickly wiped it off her face for now. She stroked Bela’s cheek, gaining a spark of hope when Bela leaned into her hand.

“I feel you, too,” Bela said.

“You only needed to name five, little moth,” Alcina said, bopping her on the nose.

Bela just shrugged.

“But you’re doing so well. Can you give me three things you can hear?”

“My heartbeat in my ears; it sounds like thunder. I don’t like thunder. Umm-- the fire crackling; I like that. And-- and a raven outside. I think that’s Merlin. His cawing is kinda raspier than the other birds’. I think he may have hurt his throat at some point.”

A small smile grew onto Alcina’s lips. She continued caressing Bela’s cheek as she talked to her. “Now two things you can smell.”

“Fear,” Bela said almost instantly. Her nose twitched. “I smell fear.”

Alcina could smell it, too. The thickened dread wafting off of her shaken daughter was acrid, bitter, and unsettling.

“Umm--” Bela’s claws fidgeted, clicking against each other softly. “And your tea. Smells like cinnamon. Cinnamon makes me sneeze.”

“One more. One thing you can taste.”

“Fear.”

“Fear?” Alcina echoed, one eyebrow raised. “Again?”

“Yes.”

“What does fear taste like?”

Bela stared down at her claws, which she splayed open before herself. “It-- it has a slightly dull metallic taste that’s mixed with urea, I think. Sometimes it tastes like popping a bloody, pus-filled blister in your mouth and squeezing every drop out with your teeth and savoring it on your tongue. Sucking the wound clean and swallowing it down.” She clenched her fists. “But it doesn’t get clean. It doesn’t dry out. The blister just keeps oozing and oozing until all the discharge comes pouring out of your mouth, but even then it doesn’t stop. Because you can’t force it all down. You can’t just swallow and think it’s done. That’s not how anxiety works. It keeps coming, even when you thought it was gone, and it leaves behind this awful flavor of bitter bile. It’s acidic, too, you know? It melts your chest and stomach and makes you feel like you’re sinking in your own skin.” She looked up at Alcina, and her eyes were shiny and blank. “I taste fear, Mother.”

There was silence between them for just a moment. Bela wasn’t looking at Alcina anymore; she seemed to think the floor was very interesting at that moment. Alcina was still considering her daughter’s dark words, replaying them over and over again until the subtle taste of sour gall spread across her tongue. She swallowed it down and winced when it drooled over the back of her throat like rancid molasses.

“You did it, baby,” Alcina finally said, smiling despite her worry, despite the flavor of fear in her mouth. “I’m so proud of you.”

Bela just nodded. Though she was no longer having a panic attack, she didn’t seem any less upset. Alcina considered letting it go, especially after just having calmed her down, but if something was bothering her daughter so much that she couldn’t breathe when she thought about it too hard, she knew she couldn’t just leave it be. It could escalate into something much, much worse, and she knew damn well that Bela was willing to go to such extremes, if her explanation of fear and the way she kept looking at the fire wasn’t enough proof of that.

“Now,” Alcina saw Bela tense, but she plunged anyway. “I need you to tell me what’s bothering you so I can help.”

Bela shook her head with a strangled whimper. “I can’t tell you.”

“Bela, I’m your mother. You can tell me anything.”

“You’ll hate me.”

“I won’t hate you.”

Bela was quiet. Then, slowly, she dragged her gaze up to Alcina. “Really?”

“Really.”

“Do you promise?”

“I promise, Bela. I would never hate you.”

Bela nodded. “Okay.” Her claws clenched into fists against the floorboards, knuckles shaking and turning white. She took several deep breaths before forcing out, “I-- I don’t-- I don’t like people like that. Like how I’m supposed to.”

Silence.

Tears flowed freely from Bela’s eyes and she choked on a sob. Her head hung in shame as her entire body quaked. The poor girl looked terrified, and the sight hit Alcina right in the heart--though she didn’t quite get it.

“Thank you for telling me,” she said.

“No, no-- you don’t understand,” Bela’s breath was coming out thin and raspy again. She sat up straight, claws now knotted in her nightgown, tensing and pulling. “I don’t-- I don’t like people, Mama. The way other people do. The way everyone does. I’ve-- I’ve tried, but--” She cut herself off with a whimper, tears pouring down her cheeks.

“What do you mean?” Alcina asked. Trying to discern Bela’s vague words was like trying to discern Shakespearean. “Do you think you can explain it to me, hun? Like you did with the book and the fear. I want to help you.”

Bela sniffled, then nodded. “I-- I, umm-- I don’t feel anything towards people. Like-- like that. Romantically. And sexually.”

Finally, it dawned on Alcina.

“When I read those cheesy romance books Daniela likes, I don’t get the characters’ feelings at all. Just the thought of being in a relationship like that makes me so uncomfortable and I don’t know why, and that scares me, Mama.” Bela continued, her anguish oozing into every word she spoke. “I don’t like the thought of being tied down to someone like that, but it still feels like something has been stolen from me. That promise of a future with true love and marriage and a fairy tale ending that Daniela always talks about is gone, even though I still want it. Or, at least, I think I want it. I don’t know what I want.” She sniffled, looking miserable. “It’s the same for sexual stuff. When I come to scenes with sex in them in books, it makes my skin feel all weird, like severed hands are crawling all over my body. I get embarrassed and awkward and uneasy, and I don’t understand that, either. It just makes me feel so sick to my stomach.”

There was a pause. Bela was taking several shallow breaths and digging her claws into her legs, so Alcina reached out and took one of her hands, stroking her knuckles with her thumbs.

“Breathe, baby,” Alcina murmured. “Breathe.”

“I’ve-- I’ve tried to force myself to be like everyone else before,” Bela said unexpectedly.

Taken aback, Alcina said, “What?”

Bela swallowed thickly. “With-- with a maiden. You know how I am with them- too nice, too polite. I befriended one of them. We were kinda close. After a while, she started making moves on me. I knew what she wanted for so long, but I kept avoiding it because I was uncomfortable or scared. But then I had this revelation: maybe if I did this with her, I would finally feel something! I would be like everyone else! So I did. With her. And I didn’t like it.”

“Bela…”

“It hurt,” Bela whispered. “Like I was being scraped raw. Or my body was being turned inside out. I felt so sick. Humiliatingly, I started crying during it, but I don’t think she noticed. If she did, she didn’t stop. Not until she was finished. When she was, I threw up after she left. I was so sore.” Alcina squeezed her hand, and she sucked in a sharp breath, “But-- but I had to have liked it! I got, umm--” Her cheeks began to turn red with embarrassment, though Alcina didn’t blame her. Having to explain your sex life to your mother would be awkward for anyone. “I got…wet. And-- and that happens when you’re aroused! So-- so I do like sexual stuff!”

“Oh, sweetie…” Alcina sighed sadly.

Bela hunched her shoulders in. “R-right?”

“Honey, ‘getting wet’ doesn’t always mean you’re aroused,” Alcina said gently. “Simply viewing something erotic, like a naked woman, for example, could trigger this bodily response. It’s also a way for the vagina to lubricate itself to help dull the pain of penetration. You can be in a sexual situation and be wet, but not want to have sex. That’s completely normal and one hundred percent okay.” She lifted her hands to cup Bela’s cheeks. “Wetness is not an acceptable body language for consent. Who were you trying to convince: the maiden or yourself?”

Bela stared at her for a long moment, eyes wide and damp, breath hitched in the back of her throat. Then, she began shaking her head, pulling her hair, and weeping, “No, no-- I wanted it, I wanted it-- I know I did. I’m normal, I’m normal--”

It was truly heartbreaking to see her child in such a way. Bela seemed downright devastated over her own sexuality, to the point where she thought she was disgusting and unnatural for something that was actually completely normal.

Taking her daughter’s hands to keep her from hurting herself, Alcina went to say something, but Bela cut her off, getting to the words first.

“What’s wrong with me?!” Bela cried. “Why-- why am I like this, Mama? Am I broken? Am I heartless? I-- I love you and Cassandra and Daniela! I love Uncle Karl and Uncle Moreau and Auntie Donna and Angie and the Duke! I love reading and animals and writing, but-- but when I-- when I try to-- when it comes to sex and romance, I--” She finally gave up and sobbed.

“Oh, Bela,” Alcina said sadly. “Oh, my poor, sweet girl…” She pulled Bela into her lap and held her close, rocking her back and forth to help comfort her. Her fingers gently ran through Bela’s messy hair. “Shh, shh… You aren’t broken or heartless, sweetheart. This is an okay thing to feel.”

“You-- you don’t think I’m wrong?”

Alcina’s heart twisted at the way Bela looked up at her to say that, her eyes holding so much sadness and pain. She tucked her daughter’s head back under her chin and tightened the embrace.

“Absolutely not. Do you think you are?”

Bela answered in a strangled whimper. Alcina couldn’t help but wonder what put such a thought in her daughter’s brain--though, this was Bela she was dealing with. her anxiety was a wild, bestial thing that made her worry about the most obscene things.

“Did you really think this would change anything?” Alcina asked. “That I could ever possibly love you any less?”

Bela shrugged weakly.

“I-I just…”

That deep shame from before seemed to return and Bela’s head dipped. Alcina felt like she was going to try and pull away, so she tightened the embrace and used one hand to lift the girl’s chin.

“Hey, hey,” Alcina murmured, brushing away fresh tears on Bela’s cheeks. “There’s absolutely nothing wrong with this, sweetie. There’s nothing wrong with you, either. And if anyone says otherwise, tell me. I’ll eviscerate them.”

That got a tiny, watery giggle out of Bela.

“Don’t be embarrassed,” Alcina went on. “Sex and romantic relationships… They aren’t for everyone. And that’s okay. It certainly doesn’t make you broken or heartless.”

“B-but--”

“Hun, look at me. Do I really look like someone who will judge you for being this way?”

Bela shrugged a little. Her little body seemed to have exhausted itself of all its efforts to argue.

Alcina rocked her gently, stroking her hair the way she knew she liked it. “How about I explain something to you, hm?”

Bela looked up at her blearily.

“Your love may not be arousing or romantic, but you want to know what it is like?”

“What?” Bela asked softly.

“Your love is warm and fuzzy, like being wrapped in a blanket during a blizzard. It’s safe and reassuring. Your love is security and shelter. Your love is noticing all the little details, like my bushy hair because it’s late at night or your Uncle Karl’s finger twitching because he’s nervous at the meetings with Mother Miranda but is trying to hide it or Cassandra’s leg bouncing because she’s full of pent up, restless energy. Your love is knowing what makes each of us tick and doing everything in your power to make us feel better when we’re upset. Your love is like the first flower showing up in the snow as winter melts away and the beginning flickers of a tender flame and the gentle fluttering of bird wings.” Alcina let out a soft laugh. “I’m nowhere near as good at details as you are, my darling. But, most importantly, your love is normal and natural and what makes you you. And you shouldn’t have to try and change that for anyone, no matter what.”

Bela stared up at her in silenced awe, tears trickling down her cheeks. Alcina squeezed her reassuringly.

“I want you to know that I’ll always support you, okay?” Alcina said. “I’m always going to be here for you.”

Bela nodded, hiccuping softly. “Thank you, Mama,” she whispered through tiny whimpers. “Thank you. I love you.”

“I love you too, Bela,” Alcina said. She kissed the top of Bela’s head and purred to her softly. “My perfect, perfect girl.”

#resident evil 8 #resident evil village #alcina dimitrescu #bela dimitrescu #resident evil fanfic #dimitrescu family #with this unruly heart of mine

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tinyboxxtink · 3 years

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"Not My Yacht" *Chapter 4*

Part 3

Part 5

Mwahahahahaha!

Okay so-- obviously, this story is taking place in an alternate universe. Clearly. I need you all to follow me along on this journey, suspend your disbelief, yeah? I did my best at a backstory, I went over it for a long time. I'm pretty sure every detail is covered. If not, I apologize, let me know and I'll fix it.

I think this is gonna be one hell of a ride, people. I'm super excited, are you?!

Tag List

@madamsnape921

@lolliepopsicle

@chasingeverybreakingwave

@milkshqke

@wanniiieeee

@word-scribbless

@gibbs274

@sassyada

@aprildecker-blog

@bookishfanfic

@stars-in-the-skies-world

@stars-trash-18

@omgsuperstarg

@objection-argumentative

(should I keep tagging @storiesofsvu ? I'm gonna do it until she says for the love of god STOP. 😂)

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There was a very long, awkward pause before Rafael finally spoke:

“....What did you just say?”

“Please don’t make me repeat it,” You bit your lip as you looked at him with very sad, still very frightened eyes.

“I...I don’t…how...why...HOW is this man your husband?!”

“I...Well, he--” You muttered.

“He’s a PSYCHOPATH, Y/N!”

“Well he wasn’t when I met him!” You screamed unintentionally. You hadn’t meant to be that aggressive, but your instincts kicked in whenever a man yelled at you now.

“...I mean, I guess he was but you just said it yourself: He’s smart. He’s slick. He was sweet and charming and handsome, and I just-- we just-- “

“He seduced you,"

"I fell in love with him, Rafael! Jesus, it wasn't a one night stand. We were in love," You took a shaky breath. "Look I was a young, naïve, impressionable broke college student, okay? And he-- he was kind, and generous, and--”

“I don’t, I can’t have this conversation with you,” He started to walk into his secret room to get your clothes so that you could leave.

“No, please Rafael,” You grabbed his arm. “Please, let me explain? Please,” You pleaded with him.

“....Fine,” He sighed, unable to ignore your whimpers and tears.

“He wooed me, he gave me everything and anything I asked for. He lived in this giant loft uptown, I thought he was amazing. Looking back on it now, the loft was probably owned by people that he murdered and he’d kill people to get things I wanted, but I didn’t know that at the time!” You paced the floor while thinking out loud.

“And then when he asked me to marry him, I was ecstatic! I thought it was going to be my fairy tale ending before I was even 25, I didn’t know--” You suddenly stopped pacing and stopped talking, the memories of that period in your life coming back to you in disturbing waves.

Rafael saw how much you were in distress telling your story. Even though he was disgusted that you were ever intimate with this lunatic, he couldn’t help but feel for you. He stood up and took your hand, leading you to the leather couch in the corner of the room. He sat you down and motioned for you to continue if you could, while still holding your hand.

“I didn’t know that he was just trying to get me to be-- ‘his’, so that he could do whatever he wanted to me,” You barely got the words out while you still burned holes into the carpet with your eyes.

“Oh God, Oh-- Y/N,” He took your other hand but didn’t force you to look up; he wanted you to tell the rest on your own time.

“After we got married he started hitting me for stupid stuff like putting the dishes in the dishwasher wrong, or folding the towels the wrong way. And then he’d--” You felt tears catch in your throat. “He’d make me have sex with him whenever he wanted,”

“Carino,” Rafael instinctively put his arms around your shoulders, pulling you closer towards him. He just wanted to comfort you, he didn’t want to think about what else that monster did to you.

“I--- I didn’t know what to do. I had just graduated, he was paying for my law school, he was paying for everything I had in my life. I felt like I was trapped, so I just-- I put up with it,” You tried not to cry, you swore a long time ago you wouldn’t waste any more tears on him. But right now you couldn’t help it.

“But then it started getting worse,” You finally raised your head to look at him. “He started beating me when he was angry over other things, sometimes within an inch of my life,”

Rafael didn’t know what to say, he knew you weren’t finished so he just kept rubbing the back of your palms with his thumb comfortingly.

“I finally knew either I had to leave, or die,” You got your tears under control as you remembered how strong you had to be back then. And ever since. “So one day when he was on one of his ‘business trips’-- which now I know were probably killings or heists or worse, I packed everything I could fit into two suitcases and I just-- I left,” You sighed.

“I didn’t have anywhere to go. My parents live in Florida, I didn’t really have friends at school, which wouldn’t have mattered anyway because without him paying for it I had to drop out. I slept on the streets for months!” You unconsciously moved closer into Rafael’s chest as you relived the horror.

“Finally I-- I did something that I never thought I would do in a million years, but I was desperate Rafael. You have to understand that,” You looked at him with a terrified look, like he was about to kick you out of his office for real after what you were about to say.

“I do,” He put a hand to your face. “Whatever you’re going to say, I understand,”

“Okay,” You nodded softly. “I...I became an escort,” You turned away from him and his soft hand on your cheek. Even though he just assured you he understood, you could feel the judgement.

“Not a hooker,” You quickly added, like that made it any better. “An escort-- for older, wealthy gentlemen callers,”

“Ah,” He nodded. “I see,”

“...I changed my name, cancelled all my credit cards and got new ones in my new name. And I started making pretty good money. Enough for a small apartment and food anyway,” You continued. “I had accepted the fact that my life was going to be just what it was at that time-- living my life out as a whore,”

“You’re not, and never were and never will be, a whore Y/N,”

“Rafael, please,” You shook your head with a sarcastic laugh. “Maybe I was a fancy whore, but still one nonetheless,”

“No you--” He didn’t want to get into female derogatory slurs with you right now, so he just let it go. “...Okay, continue,”

“So then I just-- got lucky,” You played with the buttons on his shirt once again nervously. “I shouldn’t say lucky, that’s awful to say about a person’s death,”

“...Death?”

“Yeah um,” You picked harder at the buttons. “A regular of mine, Bartholomew Ridgewood. He was a very wealthy stockbroker who had no family or friends, just-- me, apparently,” You shrugged. “He had a heart attack and died, and then his estate contacted me to let me know that he had left his entire fortune and penthouse to me,”

“Seriously?” Rafael almost laughed at the crazy notion.

“I know right?!” You suddenly exclaimed. It really sounded like something out of a soap opera. “So, I used the money to immediately enroll back in law school, and got a job with Rita, and-- here I am,” You motioned towards yourself, in a ‘ta da’ fashion.

“So, let me get this straight,” Rafael began going over detail of your story in his head. “You actually have a huge fortune, but you’re still going to law school, AND holding down a job?”

“...Yeah,” You pushed a strand of hair behind your ear.

“Why?” He narrowed his eyes.

“Why?” You half laughed. “Well for one, because I don’t ever want to have to depend on a man’s wealth to survive ever again,”

“How would that even happen? Did you blow through it that fast?”

“No!” You suddenly stood up in anger, not believing he was questioning you now. “But it still scares me that something will happen to it, and I’ll be helpless again,” You crossed your arms. “And two, I want to help people like me, without a voice. And three, a recommendation from the District Attorney to any law firm is a very highly coveted accomplishment, Rafael,”

“Right,” He nodded. “So much more coveted than a lowly DA’s recommendation,”

“Are you-- Are you serious?” You laughed in disbelief. “Wha--How, HOW did you get to that from any point in my horror story?”

“I don’t-- I don’t know, maybe if I had known you sooner I could have protected you,” He rubbed the back of his neck. Why DID he say that? Why was he suddenly jealous that you had consciously chosen to work for Rita over him? Why did that even matter at this point?

“No, you couldn’t have,” You shook your head as you sat back down next to him. “I got away from-- By the way he went by Tommy Richmond back then, if you want to add that to your case file,” You pointed to the folder on the desk.

He stood up and walked over to it, pulling papers out of the folder and examining each identity he had found so far. Tommy was on the list from a few years ago. Eric Braverman was next on the list, then Eddie Warshack and then Billy Forsythe, before William Lewis. Eric’s ID was from Connecticut, Eddie from Pennsylvania, and Billy from Ohio.

“....So this shows that once he left New York he went south, but then came back up? That doesn’t make any sense,” He flipped through the papers as thoughts ran through his brain.

“Doesn’t it though?” You stood up and walked over to the desk. “He came back for me. He’s probably looking for me. Maybe he thought I fled the state and he went looking and came back,” Your face turned paler the more you thought out loud.

“I have to get out of here,” You suddenly decided out loud. You briskly walked to the secret room and pulled your clothes out with one minute left on the dryer, but you didn’t care. You were quickly putting them on when Rafael ran in after you.

“What? No, no you don’t,” He tried to stop you from unbuttoning his shirt. “Not now that I know he’s looking for you, you’re not going anywhere,”

“Look Rafael,” You stopped undressing and looked at him very seriously. “He’s smart, and he’s fast. I’ll bet you right now that he is doing some very specific research on anyone that was in that station the day you picked him up. And that includes you,”

“And why would he waste time on that if he’s looking for you?” Rafael raised a curious eyebrow.

“Well obviously if he thinks he’s at risk of being caught I’m the furthest thing from his mind right now! And he’ll study you all like lab rats, trying to figure out your fears and weaknesses, and prey on them. That’s exactly how he manipulated me,”

“So he researched you?”

“No, I don’t think he needed to back then! I just fell into his arms, no hard work on his end required,” You scoffed at your naivete as a young girl.

“....So why do you need to leave?” He crossed his arms.

“Because he’ll figure out we’re....involved,” You gestured between the two of you.

“Involved?” He half laughed. “Y/N we haven’t even-- we haven’t done anything but talk!”

“And yet I’m standing here in your office in only my underwear and your shirt like you said, a sex fantasy!” You gestured to your still scantily clad body.

That gave Rafael an idea.

Without warning his arms were suddenly around your waist, pulling you roughly into his awaiting mouth. You were shocked at first, but soon welcomed his tongue into yours as it began exploring your mouth. His hands slowly moved up your waist through his shirt, approaching your bare breasts. Before he could reach them, you pushed him away.

“What the FUCK are you doing?!” You yelled angrily. “Do you really think now is the appropriate time to do this?”

“Well, if Lewis thinks we’re ‘fraternizing’, shouldn’t we actually ‘fraternize’?” He gave you a smirk.

“He doesn’t think anything yet! I have no idea where he is, you have no idea where he is,” You sighed in frustration.

“I do know where he is,” He traced your palms with his finger sensually. “He’s locked in the tank at the station,”

“...Really?” You were suddenly feeling much safer, and arousal quickly came along with it.

“Really,” He nodded, cupping your head in his hands by your jawline so his thumbs ran against the side of your temples. He gently massaged them, making you relax even more.

“...And you’re not just trying to have sex with me so I won’t run off on you?” You did your best to keep your wits about you, but it was growing increasingly difficult with the smell of his cologne wafting from his hands into your nose. It was intoxicating.

“Maybe I am,” He chuckled, “Or maybe, I’m just acting on things I know we’ve both felt since yesterday on that boat,”

“That’s assuming a lot, counselor,” You bit your lip as you tried desperately not to look down at his mouth while he moved his face closer.

“Is it, though?” His smirk grew more devilish as he continued to close the gap between your lips.

“I…” You tried thinking of anything but his tongue inside you, but it was a losing battle. “....Screw it,”

You grabbed his head and thrusted it against your burning lips as your tongues once again began to do a tango in between your mouths. His hands moved upwards quicker this time, and this time you let them. You jumped onto him, wrapping your legs around his waist as he fell against the desk to support your weight. He picked you up and carried you to the leather couch, laying you down and crawling on top of you while never removing his mouth from yours.

You were both so happy and so enthralled with each other you didn’t notice the door was cracked open, and two dark eyes peering behind it.

#rafael barba #rafael barba x you #rafael barba x reader #law and order svu #law and order svu fanfiction #raul esparza #not my yacht

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bryanlyon · 3 years

Text

Thoughts on Adastra

Disclaimers:

1. This is going to have spoilers for the entirety of Adastra, as well as marked spoilers for Echo and The Smoke Room. Not sure why you'd read an Adastra analysis if you haven't read Adastra, so this shouldn't be a deal breaker.

2. I'm not gonna do that weird bullshit people do in analysis where they just summarize the entire plot. Again, the audience of this analysis is people who have read Adastra, so a summary doesn't add anything.

"Ad astra" is a Latin phrase meaning "to the stars". Sometimes it was used literally, to mean something going up or even potentially going into space, and sometimes it was used metaphorically to mean something going to greatness. It's either a beautiful coincidence or a genius move by Howly, writer of Adastra, that the most common English phrase with "to the stars" is "I love you to the stars and back", whereas Latin phrases are mostly used in modern day by neo-nazis.

Intentional or not this reflects the main thing Adastra is about: a character who has been taught not to love trying to become better, and a society that is deeply ingrained in fascism trying to become better. Focus is also placed on the way these two things relate to each other: an Amicus who becomes increasingly loving and open is more capable of making a more progressive and free society, and a more progressive and free society enables characters to become more open and loving.

This is demonstrated well by the differences and similarities between Amicus and Cassius with their pets. Both of them have a pet who is a sibling or sibling level intelligence, but Cassius, constantly needing to perform strength to build towards a fascist state, has a strained, abusive, master/slave relationship with his pet. Amicus has the opposite kind of relationship. In line with his progressive ideals for the world, Amicus tries as best as he can within their system to treat Marco like an equal, and even gives Marco choices and requires his consent to do anything with him (SIDENOTE 1).

In this way Adastra is very comparable to The Wall by Pink Floyd to me. We see the way the political and personal affect each other, and one side is clearly presented as the better option (in both cases, a more progressive and liberal society, and a more caring and open personal life). Where Adastra stands head and shoulders above something like The Wall is in the additional commentary on society it gives while saying this.

Adastra does something I greatly appreciate in art: extremely not subtle metaphors and symbolism. The siblings have a rivalry between each other because each of them wants to impress the parents more than the others. One of the key methods they use to do this is having children, which they see not as people, but as workers and status symbols to impress their parents and outdo the other siblings. Eventually one of the siblings realize that their goal never should have been to impress the parents, but to better themselves. After realizing this they begin to cooperate with the other siblings, treat the children like people, and urge the other siblings to do the same. This is all so on-the-nose that I don't think it needs any explanation.

What might need explanation is the Other. If it weren't for the stylization of always capitalizing Other I'd think it was a coincidence. Because they stylized it like that, I can say with certainty this is a reference to Hegelian philosophy. In Hegelian philosophy the Other is a part of the Other-Self dialectic. The Other is things outside of ourselves and the Self is things within ourselves. The dialectic is the process by which we integrate things outside of ourselves to become better people.

Where I'm almost certain Howly is familiar with the concept from is pop-philosopher Slavoj Zizek. Zizek argued that this concept should be applied on a societal level when it comes to diversity. He says that where conservatives are at fault is that they don't want to integrate the Other at all, and where liberals are at fault is that they remove the Other from its Otherness (that is, they want people who are different to lose the parts of themselves that make them different in the first place).

Adastra's supernatural entity called The Other is treated by societies the same way the Hegellian Other is treated by them. The Khemians have been learning about The Other and how their society can adapt for it for a long time, whereas Adastrans don't even consider The Other until Amicus becomes emperor.

I can't say much more about this theme until we're further into the sequels, as what The Other is and what it does is yet to be seen, but stay tuned for that!

Lastly, I don't think it can or should be ignored that Adastra presents itself as a porn game. The game has several illustrated sex scenes, the main initial draw of the game is Amicus' fat cock, and everyone I know who played the game found it initially because they saw Haps' porn account on Twitter and thought his art was really good. There's nothing wrong with this! It's totally in line with the game's themes that the game itself is totally aware that, to some degree, it's a porn game, but it also tries to be much more than just a porn game.

Adastra can't be removed from its origins in the furry subculture. The furry subculture is an oft ridiculed and looked down upon loose group of people who are largely queer, largely counter-culture, largely ultra-progressive, and who like talking animals. If you know anything about furries, you know that they make a lot of porn of their talking animal characters.

Ordinary people ridicule furry porn often for being very weird (it is), but I think it's also a cool and important part of our culture. A whole subculture of traumatized, queer, arrested development people use the medium of furry porn as a type of escape from that life. This is largely because in furry porn the sexual fantasies of gay mentally ill manchildren are realized in a grand and superb way.

Adastra isn't alone in integrating its sex into its storytelling, and I actually think The Smoke Room and Echo both do it better.

ECHO AND TSR SPOILERS

With Echo we see this in Flynn using hypersexuality as a coping mechanism, Leo's exhibitionism acting as his only escape from his otherwise lonely and closed off life, and the shame that Carl and TJ carry due to their sexualities. The Smoke Room goes even further in using sexuality with its character development. Murdoch has no control over his day to day life, so he sees pleasing other men sexually as a way he can have control over others, the irony of this being that his most frequent sexual partner is one he only has sex with because he's externally coerced into it. William's character arc arguably centers around the fact that he's terrible at sex and refuses to do anything to make his partners happy at the risk that that would make him gay.

END OF ECHO AND TSR SPOILERS

In Adastra, Amicus hilariously declares that "emperors don't put things in their ass", and a major part of his growth as a character is that he gets over himself to such an extent that he eventually offers, reluctantly nonetheless, to bottom for Marco. Using sex as an integral part of the storytelling shows how Howly has integrated the Otherness of furry porn with the Self of writing a damn good somewhat traditional story. Integrating these two usually clashing things isn't weird or a problem for Adastra, it's something that should be celebrated. It should be celebrated that Adastra both made me want to see how Amicus can retake his rightful place as emperor and better the world around him while also making me want to see how much Amicus cums from a prostate orgasm.

It might go without saying since I wrote this much, but I think Adastra is really fucking amazing. It's cheesey as all hell, tacky, and littered with plot holes, but if you're going into a furry porn game looking for plot holes you aren't outsmarting the game, it's outsmarting you. Amicus is a surprisingly deep and likable character, the plot kept me engaged, and for God knows what reason Howly put in the work to make the game smart as hell and deep as fuck.

It could be argued that Amicus was not treating Marco like this because of his ideals but because of his self-perception. After Marco learns Amicus is gay Amicus cowers and asks if Marco is disgusted with him now. Given that the power dynamics of sexuality are so strong on Adastra that they make a 7 foot tall wolf emperor cower to a twink slave, it stands to reason that Amicus might have just not forced himself upon Marco because he was afraid of a slave being able to leverage his sexuality against him. Further, it could be the case that Amicus wanted to treat Marco as an equal because after being humiliated for his sexuality as a teenager he no longer felt as though he could have complete control over other people the way that other wolf royalty do. I think this is all not just plausible, but true. I think these, in addition to Amicus' ideals, contributed to the way he treated Marco.

#adastra #echoproject

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janetbrown711 · 3 years

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Do you think you could write a little something for your "Angelina I lives" AU where maybe we see one of Angelina I's lessons with Yakko, but AFTER the whole fiasco of when he bit her? To see how they would interact? Love your AU btw <3

Yakko wasn't one to use the word "hate" lightly, but he could say with all the confidence in the world that he hated his grandmother.

At first, he had been willing to give her a shot. After all, she was his grandmother and people were supposed to respect their elders and those they were related to. He had been willing to listen, to take part in her lessons, and see if what she said made a little bit of sense.

However, the moment she hit Wakko, all of his respect for her evaporated.

He lashed out and bit her. He didn’t think when he did it, but afterward, he had no regrets. It was only fair.

Sure, his mother told him he shouldn’t do something like that ever again, but Yakko knew that if she were to try and lay a finger on Wakko ever again, he wouldn’t hesitate. After all, it was his dad who told him an older brother’s job was to protect.

So, naturally, when his mom informed him that he still had to take lessons with his grandmother, he was upset. However, his mother reminded him that none of them really had a say in it and Yakko understood it was just something he was going to have to do, especially when he saw the pain in her eyes. He didn’t want her to worry about him any more than she already did, so he agreed to do it.

However, that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to do this his way.

“Remember what we said: you aren’t going to try anything with your grandmother,” his father practically read his mind.

“Why not?” Yakko sighed dramatically. “She deserves it.”

“Because we care about you very much and don’t want what happened to Wakko to happen to you,” William explained softly.

“So no biting?” He asked.

“Definitely no biting. Her arm is still healing from last time,” Willaim suppressed a chuckle.

“Just... remember, it’s often better to fight with the pen rather than the sword. Much less blood is spilled that way,” William said.

“So... you’re saying it’s never okay to bite?” Yakko asked.

“Not exactly... there are certain situations...” William said cautiously. “It’s just... your grandmother is one who prefers the sword over pen, and it causes people to fear and hate her, and none of the issues actually get solved,” he explained. Yakko nodded.

“But that’s not to say there aren’t moments where your hand is forced... like, for example, if invaders were in the castle and people were attacking. Then it’s okay. Self-defense is perfectly fine,” William said, nodding to himself.

“Or if someone were to attack Wakko?” Yakko suggested. William caught onto what he was doing and smiled a little.

“Or if someone was attacking Wakko, that’d be alright too,” He winked.

“I’m not saying what you did was wrong, Yakko. I’m just saying that there’s a very large risk factor in attacking your grandmother. Whether or not we like it, she’s in charge, and if you attack her she’ll likely attack back. That’s why words are better than getting physical with her, because no matter what, you won’t be ready for those consequences,” William explained, and Yakko finally understood.

“Okay... I won’t bite her,” He said. William gave him a side hug as they finally arrived at Angelina’s study.

“Well... we told her we wanted someone to go in with you at all times, but seeing as she has no respect for us or our wishes, there probably won’t be,” He sighed. “But you’ll be on your best behavior, correct?”

“As best as I can,” he chose his words carefully, still intent on doing it his way.

“Good,” William smiled. “You’ll be alright then, won’t you?”

“Bye dad,” Yakko gave his dad a hug before going in.

“Yakko. There you are,” Angelina looked at him with an unsettling smile.

“Here I am,” He said, not knowing how to respond, and he quickly sat in his usual spot.

“We’ll begin with dining etiquette- What are-?”

“Salad, then dinner on the left. Salad knife, spoon, soup spoon, then oyster fork on the right,” He grinned.

“That wasn’t what-”

“Oh! Hors d’oeuvres, amuse-bouche, soup, appetizer, salad, fish, first main course, palate cleanser, second main course, cheese, dessert, and mignardise,” He listed off. Angelina shot him a look.

“Your impertinence is dually noted, Yakko. Don’t think I don’t see what you’re doing,” She said.

“Whatever do you mean? That was what you were going to ask me, was it not?” He said. Angelina huffed.

“It’s not proper to-”

“-to speak over one’s advisor, yes, but I argue that this is a much more efficient way to get through lessons,” he shrugged.

“I’d argue otherwise,” She said dryly. “Now, how do you-”

“Fan folds are done by folding a large square napkin in half to create a rectangle, creating pleats, then folding in half again so pleats are on top, then folding upper left corner down and tucking behind the center pleat, which creates a triangle, then releasing and letting the pleats fan out,” He said with his eyes closed. “However, I don’t really know why you’d want me to know such things, as napkin folding is traditionally done by servants of the castle and not done by the host.”

“I instructed you to only read until the third chapter,” Angelina pointed out.

“Why? So you’d set me up for failure so I wouldn’t know anything of what you were going to quiz me about?” Yakko smirked.

“You forget who you are speaking to,” Angelina’s eye twitched.

“I’m speaking to the queen, am I not? Or is the real queen somewhere hidden, because that would explain quite a few things-”

“That is enough, Yakko,” she glared, and Yakko wisely pulled back.

“Well, seeing as your already so far ahead, why don’t I quiz you on your knowledge of history instead. What can you tell me about King Winston?”

“He’s dead,” Yakko said.

“No-”

“He’s alive? Why isn’t he in charge then?” Yakko looked around the room.

“No, he’s not-”

“Make up your mind, is the man dead or alive? Goodness,” He shook his head.

The queen growled. “Did your mother put you up to this?” she asked, borderline fuming. Yakko raised an eyebrow and shook his head.

“Don’t lie to me, boy. I’d recognize that smartassery anywhere,” She glared. “If that impertinent child doesn’t stop, I swear-”

“No! I did this all on my own,” He quickly said. “Mom had nothing to do with this.”

“Trying to be the hero now?” She raised an eyebrow, before a little smile grew on her face.

“Perhaps this will get you to pay attention then,” She said, going to one of the shelves and selecting a book. Yakko bit his lip nervously.

“Tell me, Yakko, what do you see here?” she said, showing him an illustration in the book.

“A really tall tower? Why are you showing me that?” He questioned.

“It’s a special room in the castle for those who disobey my orders. However, seeing as you love to play hero, if you don’t stop with the smart talk, I’ll throw your little brother or maybe even your mother in there for a week with no food,” She explained coldly.

“You wouldn't do that to your own daughter,” He said.

“I’ve done far worse than your little head can imagine,” She said, taking the book from his hands.

Yakko felt a wave of empathy for his mother.

“So... are you going to let me talk now? Or are you going to continue with the smart talk and have your brother and mother punished?” She grinned.

“Dad would free them. He’s strong,” Yakko pointed out.

“Oh? So you’re saying I should lock him in the dungeon underground while they remain above? What a splendid idea,” Her eyes shone.

“No!” He protested.

“Then do we have an agreement?” She asked. Yakko bit his lip once more, partially considering just biting her again. If he could just even the playing field just a little bit...

“Whether or not we like it, she’s in charge, and if you attack her she’ll likely attack back,” His father’s words from earlier rang in his mind. He probably should’ve listened so this threat wouldn’t have happened. Yakko sighed.

“Yes,” He said, taking a silent vow to make up for this minor setback in any way he could- to attempt to lower the playing field just a smidge.

“Good,” She smiled. “Let’s return...”

Queen Angelina then began to lecture, and Yakko stopped paying attention. Instead, he thought about what to do next.

Perhaps him and Wakko could set up elaborate pranks around the castle, and watch her go mad trying to figure out who did it.

No, she’d probably know it was the only two children in the castle, and Wakko would be punished.

Maybe he could talk back in a more subtle way.

No, that was him trying to be subtle. It was very clearly not his strength.

Maybe he could try talking her into giving him different tutors?

That wasn’t likely to work, as she made it clear from day one she was to be in charge.

Maybe if he let her choose?

No, she’d never agree to that much.

He was stuck with her. For the moment anyway... perhaps he’d think of something better in time when she cooled down and wasn’t expecting anything.

Yes, that was what he’d do; wait a month or two for her to relax, act like her perfect little prince, and then start back with the quips, but not too strong like today. He’d work on his “i’m not technically wrong” strategy too, it clearly needed work.

Yes, that’d work. Maybe if he wore her out or drove her insane over time she’d leave him and his family alone.

He could only hope anyway.

Yakko sighed, feeling bad for his mom and dad. This whole protector business was hard work, and they’ve been doing it as long as he’s been alive.

That was why he had to do it though, they deserved a break. Yakko could handle the responsibility.

He was going to wear her out so slowly but effectively she would no longer want anything to do with any of them, and then they could all be happy and his parents would never have to worry about her ever again, not if he had anything to say about it.

After all, it’s a big brother’s job to watch over and protect, and that was what Yakko intended to do.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8

#i cant believe its not angst #my fics #angelina 1 lives au #animaniacs #yakko warner #sir william the good #william warner #queen angelina i #xD #a tiny break from angst but buckle up bc next time is much much worse ;))))#you'll see #aldjfjjwjfdjjzhdsjk #i love william

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amandaklwrites · 3 years

Text

TV Series Review: Miss Scarlet and the Duke (2019)

Genre: Historical Fiction/Murder Mystery/British Period Drama

Rating: 10/10

TV Show Review:

I. LOVE. THIS SHOW.

Pretty much this review will be me talking about everything I love this series, just a warning. I hope you love it too, so you can enjoy my blabbering and gushing!

I will do this review a bit differently, since it’s still relatively new, especially here in the US. I’ll talk about my general thoughts, and then I’ll do a “keep reading” when it goes down into spoilers for each episode.

So, here, for the spoiler-free part of my review:

Let me start out by saying that these characters make the whole damn show. Yes, the mysteries are great and all, but it’s the characters in this series, for me, that drives the whole thing. Eliza Scarlet is a masterful main character, and I love everything about her—from her determination, her willingness to fight the crowd to be what she wants, how she’s willing to admit some issues, that she still relies so heavily on her father after he passed away. Her humor is so incredible, and I think she’s just someone I wish I could be. Her feistiness is so wonderful. And then our Inspector Detective William “the Duke” Wellington is… one of my favorite leading men, fictional of course. I like that he’s overprotective of her (sometimes, to funny extents), that he does his job well and follows a lot of the right paths, that he doesn’t seem surprised by much of anything, and that he’s willing to fight even when he’s falling apart at the seams. And their relationship! They are so clearly in love with each other (probably have since that “chaste kiss” when they were teens…), they bicker like a married couple, and though they annoy the living hell out of each other, they would die for one another. I like that their relationship isn’t perfect and they take note of that in the show, but it feels real. It’s one of the most real relationships I have ever seen.

Moses and Rupert are such important characters and I LOVE their relationship with Eliza, their friendships that seem so different, but they just fit. I can’t go much into detail about either of them, or it will spoil entire plotlines of mysteries, but I will say that I love what the story does with their characters, how it gives them breaths of their own, that they become some of the most dynamic characters in the show with so much to them and that take a life of their own. That they feel real and important and interesting, and I love the representation. That’s all I’ll say about them in the spoiler-free review.

Now, the mysteries, were incredible. They kept me guessing through every episode, and I would have some feelings about things/people, but I wasn’t sure how it would get there. At times, I thought of the truth, but figured that they were going to trick me with it (my grandpa always told me that I have a brain for a detective, if I had some training, so that’s fun!). But still, they were so innovative and different from other mysteries that I had experienced. And I liked that each episode felt a bit different—we had a taste of ghost story feeling, even an intense thriller. They were really, really good mysteries, to me at least. And I do love me some mysteries.

Okay, so the costumes, sets and music. MY GOD. It was all SO BEAUTIFUL! Eliza’s clothes were magnificent and they had POCKETS!!! William was way too sexy in those clothes (can we bring those back??? We can leave out the discrimination that came with the time period, but let’s bring back the clothes at least!). Everyone had gorgeous clothes. And the sets were beautiful—those dirty, Victorian, coal covered streets… I loved it! (My mom says she’s not sure why I’m so in love with the dark atmosphere of the Victorian era, but I am!). The MUSIC. Can they just upload a damn soundtrack already? I need to listen to this music all the time! It sounds different and cool and I’m just so in love with it.

THE HUMOR! My god, I had never seen a murder mystery show set in another time that does humor so well. I love how they travel between scenes to make it funnier, the lines they say to one another. It makes me feel like these actors absolutely had a blast filming this show. They were so on point, and some of the funny scenes made me laugh harder than any comedy movie I’ve seen.

As you can see, I’m obsessed with this show altogether. I love it, and I want to watch it over and over. The vibe, the love stories, the characters, every. single. thing. is my jam. I know they’re planning a second season and I cannot wait for it. Ugh. My god. It’s wonderful.

So here ends my spoiler-free review. After this, I’m going to talk spoilers. So if you have seen the show and/or want to read the spoiler-y thoughts, please click on the “keep reading.” If not, see you around after your watch the show! It’s well worth it!

Let me start out by explaining more of my thoughts on the relationship between William and Eliza, because I worried that some of what I had said would give away possibly too much. So here’s that part:

The (hilarious) way that William mutters “oh jesus” whenever he finds Eliza waiting in his office, or the fact that Eliza calls herself his wife (or in one instance, something worse, but to save herself) to get what she wants also feels like a sly to personally agitate him. How that he would toss her into jail/into court when she went against things he said she shouldn’t do (though he released her/got her out at some point) never got old and even funnier to me each time. I told my mom, she was like a toddler—he couldn’t keep her in sight, so he had to lock her out. But I liked that she still argued with him despite it. Their back and forth was perfect.

I will say here, that I have seen people’s comments online how they wish that William was more on board with Eliza’s detective dreams and support her 100% much earlier on. And I get that, that he can seem like an ass at times. But honestly, I think he feels more realistic that he’s a little harder about it in the beginning. Trust me, I love this show and the way they play with characters and storylines, and that they are so forward (I mean, Eliza is so forward-thinking and modern, it’s amazing), but to me, if they made EVERYONE, i.e. William especially, it wouldn’t ground me into the time very well. I like that it was more gradual for him, to fully support her. And actually, I think for a man in the Victorian Era, with his position, he supported her as much as he could. Though he fought her on it at times, he eventually gave up trying to stop her. And I do think, in some respect, he was trying to protect her, because he does care for her. He was a man of his time, in his position, and he is changing. Can we at least give him that? Because, in all throughout history, it took a while for things to change. And it was men like William that started to understand, that started to recognize that, that helped make it happen. Plus, Eliza didn’t let him pull shit all the time, and she did fight him on it.

Now, I’m going to comment on each individual episode with my thoughts. I’ve never done this before so yay! Here it goes!

EPISODE ONE: Inheritance

I knew the weird uncle wasn’t the girl’s uncle. I didn’t expect that it was her husband (I should’ve!! We knew he was a cheat and a conartist!!), but I knew it wasn’t her rich uncle. I knew from the moment he came on screen—I remember thinking, this guy looks too young around his eyes. His beard and mustache look fake. So, I was right to an extent.

I can’t be the only one who was horrified to discover what the police did to women who worked as prostitutes or in dance halls—they could be arrested and searched for venereal disease? Seriously??? For men who were so obsessed with wanting their wives to “stay safe” and “be protected,” they sure were fine with flipping the case when it came to women that they would also gladly pay to sleep with? Why don’t they check the male clients who are PAYING for this industry. It was appalling and horrendous, and it made my skin literally crawl as they tried tying Eliza down to the chair.

On the note of that scene, Eliza calling herself William’s favorite whore to save herself is literally one of the funniest (though, darkly) things—especially in the next scene, when you see the two of them sitting in his office in silence and William is mortified, annoyed, and I think amused at the same time.

I loved how Eliza tricked that bastard husband—she set him up, AND she gave him laudanum to make him pass out? This woman knows what’s up!

Instantly from this first episode, I knew I loved this show and these characters. Eliza shows her charm and wit and humor and smarts. She’s skilled and I love her personality so much. Though I can see how she could be aggravating to others. William absolutely adores her. Rupert annoyed me a bit at the beginning, but by the end—when he asked Eliza to not marry him, I knew I would like him. And Moses! A Jamaican man brings in the race question of this dark, old world, but I love that he likes Eliza and finds her interesting. He’s terrifying, but I think he’s a good, decent man, he’s only trapped in this world because no one will let him be anything else. But he’s such a rich, interesting character.

EPISODE TWO: The Woman in Red

This episode brings in the reality of homosexuality in this world. That it has always been there (damn those bastards who think otherwise), but it has been hidden away. That men and women have to fear for their lives, and also marry people they do not want because they want to not be noticed. I loved finding out Rupert was gay—my mom called that one!—and the friendship he develops with Eliza. That he trusts her to tell a secret that could literally have him killed and ruined. And that Eliza doesn’t even blink, that she’s willing to keep his secret to the grave, and I cried when she basically told him that. It’s quite beautiful that Eliza even seemed to be grateful that he trusted her enough to give her that secret.

Which was used in interesting juxtaposition to the gay man, accused of murdering his lover, and his wife. I understand the woman’s hurt, that she loved this man and it turned out he didn’t love her in the same way. But that didn’t mean her willingness to let him die for a crime he didn’t commit was at all good or called for. With Eliza talking her down, to prove that the woman’s husband was innocent, I think proved that though she was hurt beyond reason, she did love that man who was her husband and didn’t want to see her die. It’s really a hard situation, especially during that time, when people were constantly shoved down their throats that homosexuality was bad. Not that I’m giving her a “it’s okay,” but I can understand the pain and confusion she went through. Especially because she pulled through.

Through this whole episode, we thought it was the wife that had murdered the lover (the other man). I was surprised to find out that he had killed himself, cut his own throat (which I had heard wasn’t possible to do—but my grandpa, who had worked as a detective, told me that is a myth people talk about, that it’s really easy to cut your own throat). That was a shock, and it made me so sad. That he was dying because he was unhappy, because he hated what he was, because of damn society telling him so. I actually started crying, because as someone who is bisexual, I would be condemned in this time during for openly being with men and women, though I couldn’t even compare to people who are gay or lesbian, because the situation is not the same. But I could connect, I could understand. And I hated knowing the pain all those people were in, that a man had killed himself because of what he was, and that another man had to live with that. It truly breaks your heart.

William’s response to finding out the dead man was gay was interesting. I thought his comment “in my line of work, nothing surprises you” funny, but also telling. He didn’t act disgusted, he didn’t mistreat the husband when they questioned him afterward. The show didn’t directly say his thoughts on homosexuality, but I got the vibe that he was “whatever” about it. Like he knew it was there, and he wasn’t condemning it publicly. That gives him credit, in my book.

Another great episode that got deep and beautiful.

EPISODE THREE: Deeds Not Words

Is this show just obsessed with getting right down to modern issues that were also faced in this time, but not as strongly discussed? Because I’m all for it! This episode was all about the suffrage movement. But I liked the take they did on it.

Yes, they spoke out about the treatment of women. That men, white men, controlled this whole world. But I also thought it was interesting that they made this main suffragette not the greatest person. It made everything complicated. Like, everything she said to Eliza made sense, and I found myself cheering with her. But she shot a man in cold blood, she was willing to bomb a whole building of men—even though it seems justified because of what their club represents.

I think this episode was discussing the balance. That there can be change, but when you attack the people who you are trying to change, it may not work in your favor. At least, that was the vibe I got. Not to stoop to their levels, to become just as horrible as them. Her ideas and words were great, but her actions were a bit… skeptical.

Eliza and William’s response were interesting as well. Eliza felt a passion for the cause, William thought it a bit extreme. But, to me, by the end of the episode, they had a common understanding, they had reached a comfortable middle. I think, this show was showing that was how change came. People seeing eye to eye, and then it spreading from there. Of course, William has faults, but I think he’s truly trying. Especially with each episode. And the more Eliza and he grow.

EPISODE FOUR: Memento Mori

We got our ghost episode! I wasn’t even expecting it, it was incredible! A ghostly image of a dead wife that had killed herself reappearing in photos? How wild and cool is that idea!

I didn’t know that the Victorians had a thing where they took photos of their dead loved ones, looking like they were alive (y’all, the Victorians were obsessed with death…), but it’s an interesting concept. Maybe even sweet. I get what they were trying to do, even if it did seem morbid. How I feel about it is, if it brings you peace, then go for it (as long as it’s nothing disturbing or harming anyone).

The twist was one I had a hint of but hadn’t expected the whole thing. I knew the daughter had something to do with it (how disturbed is this poor girl??), but I hadn’t expected that the mother had planned this before she killed herself because she knew the woman and her husband were already having an affair. It was interesting and a creepy twist, but I was all for it.

Still, I loved how we had moments of eeriness and the haunting feeling in the house when Eliza stayed over. I felt scared and freaked, and most people that know me know that I do not like horror. But this was the perfect eeriness, which I do love.

That scene from this episode where William screams at the poor telegram young man to give them the message or he’ll break everyone bone in his body and then being like “are you crying?” was the funniest thing I had ever seen. I laughed so hard that I couldn’t breathe. I mean, it’s terrible, but the way it was done was hilarious and amazing.

EPISODE FIVE: Cell 99

This episode was… dark. I liked that it was set in an abandoned prison, and my god, was it creepy as hell. I loved all the shots of William walking through gave me the chills.

This one felt like a thriller to me. How it was filmed, set up, how everything went down. Except for the hilarious scene when they are both so annoyed with each other (Eliza and William, that is) that they both scream in frustration is brilliant. But otherwise, it took a dark tone that made me feel like something was watching my back. Especially as that big, scary guy came walking down the stairs when William and Eliza were trapped, ready to kill them both. I was nearly screaming at the tv in utter horror.

My mom had called it—and I had a feeling—that Eliza’s father had been murdered, not just drinking himself to death and found in the gutter. And there’s a gang now? How interesting!

The masked man was strange, as well as the forger locked away. But he was shot and killed, and it confused me.

I have a strange confession to make: that whole time with William in his dress shirt (without the coat), with his arm covered in blood, was weirdly…. Hot? Please don’t ask me explain. I have weird things to me. But I think it was also hot that though he was hurt and bleeding, he was gearing up to fight that big, scary man to protect himself and Eliza. I like that kind of shit, so much.

This episode was twisted, and it left me with more questions than anything.

EPISODE SIX: The Case of Henry Scarlet

My mom knew William’s boss was in with the gang! I liked that they actually explored the reality of corruptness in the police force (my grandpa had personal experiences himself, and that was why he left), and they laid it all bare. Despite the things that we are learning in this present day, it’s always been there. Which is horrifying and disturbing. That these police who are supposed to protect us are willing to delve into the corrupt world to bring themselves more power and money. Because that’s what it boils down to, doesn’t it? Powerful men wanting more and more.

I liked that William was okay with the truth unfolding, and not fighting it, trying to prove innocence for his boss. To me, it made me feel like that he knew something was up with that man (just beyond not liking him). For his character, it made me think that he was one of those people that was actually good and good at his job, trying to do the right thing. Even if he got distracted and didn’t give Eliza credit where it was due, and fought some things, he was trying to do what he thought was right. He didn’t kill anyone, he didn’t go after anyone specifically. Though him and Moses had some standoffs because he wasn’t sure about the other man, he gave him some thanks and shook his hand. Which is huge for that time period.

I did suspect William’s buddy. I always felt like something was happening with him, and that he would be the perfect bad guy because he knew what was going on at all times. And it was proven right! Though it wasn’t any less terrible, William having to realize that his close friend at Scotland Yard as the bad, bad guy who killed their boss when things were turning ugly.

But Moses to the rescue! I loved that he swooped in, teaming up with Eliza, and taking the guy out! I love Moses so much, he’s one of my other favorites.

And their ending, with a promise of dinner, of love on the horizon was exactly what I needed.

Lasting thoughts:

Besides all the amazing storylines and characters they brought in, besides Eliza and William’s chemistry and relationship, to me, this felt like a story about a daughter and her father. We see flashbacks of Eliza as a child with her father, how he taught her his detective work, when that wasn’t something men did typically in that time, and how she would still talk to him after he had died. That though she had chosen this profession for herself, it was also some way to connect to her father. Something they had shared when she was motherless and only had him, and he gave her these skills and talents, helped her hone in on them. And once he had passed, she fought like hell to keep it, but make it her own. I liked that their relationship wasn’t perfect, but they loved the hell out of each other. She was a grown woman, who believed in herself, but she still turned to him—a ghost, a memory, or whatnot—when she felt at the bottom.

This series is incredible, perfect and just all around so masterful in so many different ways. I knew from the moment I heard about it that I would love it. And it turns out I was right, but even more than I had expected.

Now, I think it’s time for a rewatch.

#miss scarlet and the duke #eliza scarlet #william wellington #i love this damn show #tv series review

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oureuphoria · 4 years

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Worst of You - JJK 03

You meet him under horrible circumstances but that doesn’t stop you from developing a very abnormal and completely unsolicited crush on your local hot police officer™. Too bad you have a bitch of a best friend, anxiety and an inability to learn from your mistakes which cripples your chances to be with the man of your literal dreams. Oh, and he has a lifetime’s worth of emotional baggage at 23.

“I’m not leaving until you tell me what’s wrong.” “Cool, I’ll let everyone know that you’re moving in then.”

Genre: fluff, angst, comedy

Pairing: officer!jungkook X collegestudent!reader

Word count: 2,266

Note: If there’s an Alex in your life, you gotta throw them away.

| 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 |

The decision to go to that party was a horrible choice and you’d commend yourself for your ability to constantly make horrible choices if you could. There you were - your first ever frat party. You were seated on a stool in the kitchen bouncing what you assumed to be a jello shot on a plate with a plastic fork. No one really noticed you and if they did, they were either too drunk or too horny to care about your existence. You thought this party would have been a chance to spread your hypothetical wings and become the social butterfly you so desperately wished to become but that was no way to meet people, unless you wanted to bone of course.

You decided to search for Alex, she couldn’t have gone far it was a frat house not the labyrinth. You searched both stories and peered almost every room (you avoided the ones with the doors closed, you were an amateur not an idiot) but to no avail. However, you did find Jimin, Alex’s annoying ex. “Hello!” You greeted him with the notion that he knew the whereabouts of your best friend. “Hey…uhhhh Jane?” “Y/N.” You deadpanned with a frown because you’d known Jimin since middle school and he still couldn’t remember your name. “Oh, yes Y/N, what’s up kiddo?” You rolled your eyes with annoyance at the pet name you grew to resent, besides, you were the same age.

“I’m just looking for Alex, do you know where she went?” He furrowed his eyebrows as he raked his memory but from the slur of his voice you would’ve been lucky if he remembered his own hair colour. “Yeah! She’s in the living room through the double doors playing truth or dare, I think.” You squeezed a ‘thank you’ out before rushing to the living room which was fortunately away from Jimin.

You slipped in through the heavy door quietly, not trying to get unwanted attention. There was a small hallway before the open living room area which was where you waited while you mapped out what you were going to say. However, a particular question that was shot Alex’s way spiked your interest.

“Do you even like Y/N?” Yes, of course, she had to. “No, not really, but she’s like, my childhood friend, you know and I kind of pity her. I’m her only friend so I stick around.” She laughed a bit but you could barely hear over the sound of your shattering heart. “You’re so charitable Alex, always so kind.” A girl you don’t recognise comments sarcastically and the makeshift circle starts laughing before quickly moving on. You weren’t a necessarily interesting subject. She wasn’t drunk enough for you to ignore it but you still tried to swallow the bitter taste in your mouth.

You walked home and didn’t even bat an eye to the circumstance - you were too sad to be paranoid and it could’ve been your downfall. However, you made it home safe and sound though you couldn’t say the same about the aching organ encased in your rib cage. You were angry for a bit but it passed, the sadness lingered though and the betrayal rang loudly in your head. You knew she had no idea you’d heard, you knew you wouldn’t have the courage to ever bring it up.

You woke up with a raging headache courtesy of the sob-fest you not-so-gracefully participated in the previous night. Not to mention the fact that you had a total of 3 hours of sleep and no time to grab coffee. You couldn’t possibly be late, you had 4 hellish kids to tutor. You grabbed the giant binder of worksheets and headed out. You looked horrible and if it wasn’t for your sunglasses you might’ve been a public risk.

You almost groaned in joy when the time had finally passed but you couldn’t really go back to sleep. You needed to shower and look somewhat presentable for a police officer who had absolutely no interest in you. Your irrational need to get ready was fuelled by your desire to stop thinking about Alex and the godforsaken party that you should have never gone to.

It took you far longer than estimated to choose what to wear which is why you were speed-walking down the street nervously. You weren’t late but you would’ve been if you hadn’t rushed there like a maniac. Thankfully you had gotten to the cafe with 2 minutes to spare. You sat down quickly, purchasing a bottle of water and chugging its contents like you’d run 20km of course your thirst leaves no room for you to notice the officer take the seat opposite yours.

“So you wanted information about your case?” You jumped at the sudden question - just then aware of his existence. You spilt a splash water on to your shirt and cursed in annoyance at small stain. You looked up to see him visibly hold back a laugh with an expression that would’ve been comical if not for your raging anger. “Just tell me about the case.” You spat with a grim expression and he let out a small chuckle at your tone. “The student who attacked you was under the influence. He’s out on bail but his trials in 2 weeks. He had no foreseeable motive and has a history of violent acts. From what I know, he was just acting on impulse. He had no idea who you or the other victim were.”

There was a sense of relief that followed his words and you finally understood why William was so worried. There was a small part of you that wondered if you had done anything to the attacker or if he had some kind of motive for what he did. It was uncannily relieving to hear that he didn’t but you knew William would benefit more. “Thank you so so so much!” You tried to give him a hug but backed out mid-way and opted for a high five instead to which he hesitantly complied.

“So, why were you chugging water?” He asked while observing your appearance which had you retracting into yourself like a hermit crab. “I ran, I was worried I’d be late.” “Smart and punctual, the teachers must love you miss L/N.” You rolled your eyes at his sarcastic comment and brushed over the backhanded compliment. He probably saw your school files and noticed your 3.99999 GPA. “If you’re implying that I am a teachers pet than I have a rude awakening for you. Last week, I skipped my lecture.” “You know those aren’t compulsory right?” You gulped at his comment but you refused to let him win. “Well would a teachers pet skip a lecture, Mr Jeon?” “That’s officer to you, princess.” You literally felt the heat rush to your face and you began to blush embarrassingly fast. It didn’t help that he was now leaning over to stare at you with a gaze so intense the tension was almost tangible.

“So, how was work?” You asked quickly with the intention of relieving the tension. “It was great. I responded to a total of two calls, a Pomeranian without a leash and an illegally parked car.” You snorted at his sarcasm but you held back a laugh. “How was your Saturday?” “I saved four people from unemployment.” He furrowed his eyebrows at your vague comment and you sighed before speaking again. “I tutored four juniors.” He laughed loudly and you glared at this obnoxiousness. “It’s not that funny. Tutoring is an incredible experience.” You mentioned quite monotonously with a scowl creeping onto your face. “Who are you trying to convince, love? Me or yourself?”

“Where are your friends?” You held back a laugh at his use of the plural term. “You tell me.” You joked with a smile but Jungkook could tell it was forced. You were an open book. “What happened? Did your best friend sleep with your boyfriend or something?” You giggled a bit, but your heart still felt heavy. “No, she just trash talked me with her nicer, way-cooler friends.” There was a long pause that led to an awkward silence that you rushed to get rid of. “It doesn’t matter though, she’s right. I mean look at you, you’re literally pitying me right now.”

“I am not pitying you!” “Yes you are.” “I’m not!” “Shouldn’t you be somewhere solving crimes, fighting for justice or something?” He glared at you pointedly from his gorgeously slanted eyes and the glare, albeit playful, made you incredibly nervous. “No, I prefer to walk around the city and slap parking tickets onto cars. If you must know, I’m off duty, after today I have the rest of weekend off.” You smiled at his excitement but it was short-lived. “It’s Saturday, you literally only have Sunday off!” His smile didn’t falter though and admired his optimism. “You take what you can get when you’re the youngest officer on the force.” You stare at him with confusion that granted an offensive stare. “How old are you?” He looked at you, taken aback to say the least. “I’m only 22. Why do I look older?” Your jaw dropped for a bit before you clasped your mouth shut with the fear of seeming rude. “Only by a little, sir.”

“Just call me Jungkook.” “Hey! That’s super close to Jungle Book. I loved that movie.” He laughed mockingly and you feigned offence but whatever comedic moment you were happening was interrupted by Jungkook’s buzzing phone.

“I’m gonna head home, my team wants to go clubbing and I am the life of the party.” “I’m sure you are old man.” “You know what, why don’t you join me and see for yourself.” You stopped yourself from taking the invitation too seriously, you were unknowingly getting your hopes up far earlier than expected. “I’m turning 20 in November so, I can’t. Unless you want bring me a fake ID.” You smiled as you joked in what you thought was playful banter but he clearly took your claim too seriously. “You don’t actually have one, right?” You snorted in astonishment before laughing a little but his face remained stoic.

“No, I don’t. Tonight I’ll be finding worksheets for high schoolers!” “You have no better way to spend your Saturday night?” It was sad because you literally didn’t, it wasn’t like you had a best friend to spend time with. “You’re right, I’m going to go party and get drunk. Thanks for the insight officer.” You quickly packed up as Jungkook was sputtering over his words in fear. “Wait I’m kidding, finding worksheets is fun!” You would have laughed at how cute he was if it didn’t make your heart sting a little. He was way out of your league.

“I’m going home.” You smiled as you watched the relief wash onto his face. “Do you want a ride?” Of course you did but the possibility of aching feet seemed more pleasant than that of an aching heart. “I think I’ll just walk, thank you though.” You’d known Jungkook for a collective amount of possible 3 seconds and yet you could tell he wasn’t the kind to back-down easily. “Pass me your phone.” You gave him a skeptical look as you handed the phone over hesitantly. “Unlock it, Y/N.” “No, what if you steal my memes?” He batted his eyelashes (which you had just realised were very pretty) in utter annoyance at your remarks.

You unlocked the phone with a huff and watched he dialled in his number. “Call me if there’s every an emergency.” “Shouldn’t I just call 911?” “Babe, I am 911.” You rolled your eyes at the corny line but thanked him nonetheless and then you set out an endeavour to your dorm where you would definitely not obsess over the very random nickname that made your cheeks flush impossibly fast.

#jungkook #jungkook imagine #jungkook fic #jungkook smut #jungkook x you #jungkook x reader #bts imagines #bts scenarios #bts reactions #bts #bts fic

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give-me-back-my-rhodey · 4 years

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Here We Are, Born to be Kings - AUgust Day 9

Title: Here We Are, Born to be Kings

Author: Purple_ducky00

Rating: Teen

Warnings: N/A

Pairing: Rhodey/Tony

Square Filled: G2 Dramatic Proposal

Link: Read on AO3

Summary: Prince James is in love with Lord Tony Stark, a childhood friend. However, the Starks have been disgraced due to embezzlement charges. Can they overcome this?

++++++++++

“Your Highness. Lord Stark is here to see you.” Quentin Beck holds up his nose.

Prince James Rhodes rolls his eyes. It’s not like Beck should judge. He was only hired because his family was in serious debt. Tony is working out of his.

Tony walks in a few minutes later, hair askew. “Wow, Rhodey, your servants hate me. I call it an achievement.”

“They just think it’s ok to judge since their scandals happened long ago enough for people to forget. You don’t deserve this.”

“I probably do.” Tony shrugs. “It doesn’t bother me. Actually, it gives me the chance to ditch my politeness because they already dislike me.”

“Oh for that luxury,” Rhodey sighs. He hates the protocol he must go through. Maybe that’s why he finds Tony so refreshing.

They first met at a football match. Tony was on the other team, and he told the young prince, “We’re not playing any easier because you’re the prince. So, be ready for that.”

Rhodey laughed and started playing. Tony’s team was clearly better, and they defeated Rhodey's team easily. After the game, Tony invited him to grab some lunch. They have been fast friends ever since.

Now, Rhodey is 22 and Tony is 21. Tony’s father died last year, and Tony inherited his estate. After going over the numbers, Tony’s godfather, Obadiah Stane informed him that Howard had been falsifying records and was basically bankrupt.

Dazed and reeling from his parents' sudden death, Tony doesn’t know what to do with this information. He reaches out for help, but as Howard had been stealing money from his peers, everyone refuses to help him. Rhodey offers to bail him out completely. Tony won’t let him. He decides he will work to pay off his father's debts.

Tony was always incredibly smart. His patented inventions were used worldwide. He decides to start his own company, Stark Enterprises, where he builds and sells hi-tech machinery and entertainment devices. As his company quickly grows, he branches out into clean energy and satellites. Not even a full year after starting his company, Tony is very successful. With only Stane and his PA, Pepper Potts, at his right hand, Tony makes sure that he himself takes care of the books. Every entry is painstakingly entered and checked by the big boss himself.

Rhodey is very proud of his friend, but it seems that his family is the only one in the kingdom that is. King Terrance and Queen Roberta love the young man as a son, but they often wonder if he is taking on too much, causing his sleepless nights and unhealthy eating habits. Tony waves them off saying he had had those problems before his parents had died.

Prince James’ PR agent tells him that finding someone to date might be a good look for him. Everyone is looking for news of the royal family, and they will only assume the worst if they don’t hear from each member. Queen Roberta’s cooking classes and bingo games are televised. The king does a podcast twice a month. Jeannie plays tennis professionally. James is the only one without a big public profile, and he prefers that. However, there are some people who think that James is being pushed out of the spotlight or being abused in some kind. To quell any quickly rising rumors, Rhodey agrees to attend sports matches and talk to the press for a few minutes each time. When Tony’s not working his ass off, he often accompanies Tony.

What Rhodey doesn’t tell his PR agent is the reason he doesn’t date. He is hopelessly in love with Tony and admitting that would be bad for a few reasons. 1.) Everyone in the country is against Tony. They would slander his name even more if they thought he had got his “money-grubbing claws” in the prince. 2.) Tony is straight. He had never told Rhodey otherwise, and he has only dated women as far as Rhodey knows. 3.) He doesn’t want any reason to make Tony uncomfortable in the only place he is welcome other than his home. So, he skirts the topic because fake dating is not his idea of fun.

Now, Tony’s here and Rhodey knows he’s giving Tony heart eyes. “So, you’ve got a day off from me. What’s the plan, Rhodey?”

“You pick today. I’m up for anything.” Rhodey trusts that Tony won’t do anything Rhodey can’t.

Tony sits on the chair beside Rhodey. “I need to sit. I don’t think I’ve stopped moving for a week.”

“So, what you’re saying is you need sleep.” Rhodey retorts.

“No, I need to spend time with my Rhodeybear. We never did that Star Wars marathon after Rise of Skywalker came out, did we?” Tony pokes him. “We can order like tons of pizza and greasy foods and bro it out like the old times.”

Stuck in a theatre room with only Tony and highly unhealthy food? “Sounds like a great day. Let’s queue up the movies. I’ll have |Miss Cabe order our food. The usual?” Tony nods and heads off to the theater.

Rhodey pulls out his phone and texts a maid, Bethany Cabe, to place an order for the following: an extra-large bacon pizza, two orders of cheesy curly fries, mozzarella sticks, and onion rings. Rhodey has cases of Tony’s favorite beer, so they did not need to worry about drinks.

As they settle in to watch the movies, Tony tells him, “Wake me up if I fall asleep. I don’t want to miss Episode Six again.”

“Come on Tones, Return of the Jedi isn’t the best.” Rhodey smirks.

Tony glares at him. “It’s my favorite. Leave me alone. Go ahead and like Empire or whatever one you like the best. Geez.”

“You know mine is Episode Three. The tragedy, the pain, the John Williams’ scores? A masterpiece.”

“Anakin deserved better.” Tony mumbles as he eats a bite of pizza. Rhodey sighs. He’s heard this rant many times, and he’ll probably hear it again tonight. Tony really gets into these movies.

Tony falls asleep at the end of A New Hope, his head falling on Rhodey’s shoulder. He looks so exhausted so Rhodey lets him sleep through Empire since Tony thinks it’s overhyped or something. Rhodey likes it. When Return of the Jedi starts, Rhodey nudges Tony awake. “Episode 6? Honeybear, you are an angel.” Tony kisses his cheek.

By the time The Last Jedi comes on, both of the men are sleeping. Jeannette comes in to check on them and snaps a picture of Tony lying on top of Rhodey, both snoring away.

Rhodey wakes up a few hours later and freezes. Tony is sleeping peacefully on him, his head on Rhodey’s chest. He doesn’t dare move in fear of waking Tony up. He slowly reaches for his phone and scrolls through Instagram and other social media apps until Tony wakes up.

Tony wakes up slowly, but when he’s fully awake he jumps up and goes. “I’ve got to get to work!”

“Hey Tony. It’s Sunday. We were going to spend Saturday and Sunday together, right?”

“Oh. Oh. Whew. I thought.” Tony slumps. “Probably hallucinating from all that grease.”

“Maybe we should get a little more sleep in a real bed.” Rhodey suggests. Tony nods, and they walk up to Rhodey’s room. Since they were kids, Tony always slept in Rhodey’s bed with him. They only ever slept and/or cuddled, and Rhodey has a king bed in case either of them needed their own space.

They go to Jeannie’s tennis match then accompany her to an expensive Italian restaurant for dinner. The next morning, there are pictures splashed across the tabloids. Stark trying to get in with the Royal Family? Read more on page 3! One says. The Apple Doesn’t Fall far from the Tree – Another Gold-Digging Stark! Rhodey shakes his head. He was afraid this would happen. He calls his PR agent, Maria Hill.

She answers with a “Now do you see why having a partner would be good?”

“Yes. Do you have any candidates who would be willing to date with no sex and/or strings attached? For public only?”

“You don’t know how many celebrities only hope for that. Let me see which ones I can get. I’ll send you over a packet when I get them.”

When he gets the packet, Rhodey isn’t surprised to find that 75% of them are women. Skipping through them, he tells Maria to reach out to an A-list actress Natasha Romanov. She is a beautiful woman, and they seem to have a lot of the same likes and dislikes. She agrees to meet with Rhodey at a small café near the palace. He introduces himself as Rhodey, then corrects it to “James or Jim” when Romanov gives him an odd look. “I’m sorry. My best friend always calls me Rhodey. It’s just what I expect now. I mean, if you want to call me that in private, it’s fine. Maria thinks it’s better if you call me James or Jim when talking with the press.”

“Tell me about this best friend.” Natasha leans forward. “He sounds like a nice guy.”

Rhodey launches into a detailed description of Tony: his strengths, his flaws, his quirks, etc. When he’s done, she asks, “And you’re dating me because you can’t date him?”

“How did you…?”

“You’re in love with him. Just look at your face. It’s ok. I won’t tell the press. I have almost the same problem. I’m in a poly relationship with a different celebrity couple. However, since Hollywood, even with its sex scandals, still looks down on poly relationships. I need a beard to keep our activity on the downlow. Is that acceptable for you?”

Rhodey nods. “Of course. And you’re right. I love Tony, but I need to keep the press out of his life. His father put him through a lot, and he’s trying to make up for Howard’s sins. He doesn’t need the extra press coverage. Also, I don’t know if he likes me like that. I’ve never seen him date a guy.”

“Well, I’d like to meet him.”

+++++++ Natasha and Tony eventually meet. Tony is happy to meet her, but Rhodey feels that Tony is wearing one of his many masks. |When they kiss goodnight, Natasha tells him, “Rhodey, he likes you.”

“Not that I want to doubt you, but I’m highly doubtful on this one here.”

A few months pass, and Natasha and Prince James are photographed at red carpet events, at sports games, and at galas. Rumors are spreading that Prince James might propose soon. Natasha shows up at the palace for a surprise visit. “Hey, can we talk?” She pulls James from his family dinner.

She tells him how the couple that she is dating are planning on coming out to the press as poly with her because they know some younger people who are receiving hate for their relationships. They want to be allies for such people. And they want her there when they come out. “Can we say we amicably split? I’d love to keep in contact with you.”

“That sounds good.” His phone pings. He has a google alert set up for Tony because the press likes to come up to him for hostile interviews at the most inopportune times. James does his best to save him. “Listen Nat, I will talk to my publicist, but I have to go.”

The press has trapped Tony on the palace driveway. “What do you think of Prince James marrying Ms. Romanov?” One reporter asks.

“I didn’t know they got engaged, but I think they are an excellent match. Well-suited for each other.” Rhodey can see Tony is keeping his press face on but was not ready for the sudden press conference.

Another reporter sneers. “We know you were trying to get a piece of the royalty. Will you try for the princess now that the prince is spoken for?”

“Excuse me?” Tony reels. “What are you talking about?”

“They’ll never have you. You’re just a charity case to them. What do you think of that? Did you think Prince James really liked you? Especially after what your father did?” Another reporter shoves a microphone in his face.

Tony loses his mask. “Do I think Rho- Prince James really liked me? I have known the prince since we were young teenagers. I know he likes me… as a friend. But anything more? No. He never did, never will. I know what my father did; I know what I have to do to fix it. My father and Prince James have no correlation. What are you even trying to say here?” Rhodey can see the pain in Tony’s eyes. They flash when he says that Rhodey will never like him as anything more as a friend.

“Excuse me.” Rhodey steps forward. “Can you step away from him, please?”

The press apologizes and steps away. “Now, I want to say this once more and hopefully never again. Lord Stark is not his father. Lord Stark is paying his father’s investors back as quickly as he can. He started up his business on his own with his trust fund from his maternal grandmother. Howard never saw or added to a penny of that fund. What is the point of hating a man for the sins of his father? Keep rolling. I am talking to the country as a whole. Leave him alone, please. I want to say one more thing. Tony Stark, you are the love of my life. The reason I have not dated is because the only person I have ever loved was you. Yes, Natasha and I dated, but we did to keep other things hidden. I’m sure she will let you know at some point. It’s not my job. Tony, again, I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you and perhaps rule with you. I do not have a ring yet because I had not planned to propose to you in front of live TV today, yet here I am. Will you make me the happiest man in the world and marry me?”

“You’re serious?” Tony gasps.

“Completely.”

“Then Rhodey, my Honeybear, my Platypus, my Sourpatch, I will marry you in a heartbeat.” Tony smiles widely, and Rhodey kisses him deeply, in front of the cameras. As they turn to the palace, Tony turns back to the cameras, lifts his middle finger, and says, “Fuck you” whilst smiling sweetly.

++++++ The country is so shocked at Prince James’ dramatic proposal. People wonder if Tony is a good fit for the prince due to his blatant disregard for protocol. Princess Jeannie posts the picture she took of them sleeping in the theatre room on Instagram, the caption “I knew it.” She broke the internet with the most likes on an Instagram post.

Tony goes through his numbers and his father’s numbers again to make sure everyone is paid off. While looking at his father’s records again, he notices some discrepancies from Obadiah’s report. The truth comes out – Howard had not done anything wrong; it was Obadiah. He falsified documents, records, and even bills to give him much more money. Obadiah is fired and imprisoned. Tony’s name is cleared. Anthony Stark marries Prince James Rhodes a happy man.

#ironhusbands #royalty au #tony stark doesn't give a care #ironhusbands bingo 2020 #ironhusbands bingo #au_gust_2020 #i write!

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somedayonbroadway · 4 years

Note

Picture this for angst: Titanic au.

Oh yikes...

Okay so… not gonna lie, I’d never seen Titanic until now.

I mean… obviously I knew how it ended and also knew that Jack could have survived if he’d tried a little harder. But no, it’s fine!

Anyways,

Titanic AU

TW: Major Character Death (obviously. This is the Titanic), suicidal thoughts, mentions of abuse

Characters

Jack Kelly — Jack Dawson

Katherine Plumber — Rose DeWitt Bukater

Racetrack Higgins — Fabrizio

Spot Conlon — Tommy Ryan

Medda Larkin — Molly Brown

Joseph Pulitzer — Ruth DeWitt Bukater

Morris Delancey — Cal Hockley

Crutchie Morris — Lizzy Calvert

William Randolph Hearst — Thomas Andrews

Albert DaSilva — Brock Lovett

So so…

In 1996, a group of treasure hunters are searching under the sea for the Titanic, where it had been said the Heart Of The Ocean might be found. Albert, the leader of the whole fiasco, has been searching for this particular diamond for three years, becoming nearly obsessed with the lost artifact and not truly understanding the history or weight behind The Titanic or why it’s important at all.

On this particular hunt, Albert and his crew manage to find a lost safe in one of the first class rooms of the ship. Believing they’ve hit the jackpot, they head for the surface with the safe and Albert can hardly contain his excitement.

Finally opening the thing up, much to his irritation, all they find is one single drawing. Albert’s right hand man, JoJo, assures him that something similar had happened to someone else and it had ruined his whole career.

But Albert takes the thing down to the lab anyways, getting the thing recovered.

When he can see the thing clearly, he finds a beautiful young woman wearing only a single necklace and nothing else. The picture is really detailed and good and it is signed “JK” and dated April 14, 1912, the day the Titanic went down.

The story of the findings is aired live on television.

One woman in particular sees the drawing on the news. She’s with her great grandson at the time. Despite his bum leg, he takes care of her. She asks him to turn the television up, so he does. She drops the tea that she’d been drinking. The cup shatters on the floor and she makes a mess but she stands up from her wheelchair anyway.

Because she recognizes that drawing.

With a newfound strength in her heart, the old woman calls Albert DaSilva.

On his boat, Albert nearly dismisses the call until JoJo convinces him that he should really pick up, telling him that the woman’s name is Katherine Kelly-Dawson. Finally doing it, Katherine asks Albert if he’s found The Heart of The Ocean. After a few quick questions, Katherine reveals that she is the woman in the drawing.

He invites Katherine to come aboard and sends a helicopter out for her the next day. His crew tries to tell him it may be a hoax, just some old woman wanting attention. They reveal that Katherine is 100, almost 101 years old, married a Spencer Dawson, had three kids and was working as an actress in her twenties. Regardless, Katherine and Crutchie board the ship and they find that Katherine travels with a suitcase full of pictures.

When she’s settled in a room on the boat, Albert confronts her and asks if he can get her anything and she replies she would just like to see her drawing. So Albert takes her to it. The moment she sees it, her eyes water.

She can still see those green eyes that looked at her like no one else ever had.

Albert describes the history of The Heart of The Ocean, to which she responds it was a heavy, dreadful thing that she’d only worn one time.

Crutchie asks Katherine if she’s sure. And she says she is, referring to herself as a “doll”. Crutchie’s never heard her talk like that before.

After explaining that, if what Katherine was saying was true, she would’ve been wearing the necklace the day the ship sunk, Albert asks what they can offer for the information of what happened to the necklace. She doesn’t ask for any money. She instead, only asks for the picture. Albert agrees and shows her some things they found in her stateroom on the Titanic.

There are very few things, but that doesn’t make the emotion of it any less controlling. A few tears fall and she trembles a bit, but JoJo asks her if she’s ready to go back to the Titanic.

They show her an animation of the titanic hitting the iceberg and beginning to sink. Katherine starts to get really tense and emotional, so Crutchie offers to take her back to her room. She refuses.

JoJo gives all the scientific analysis and Katherine realizes that they may know exactly what happened, but they seem to have forgotten that the sinking of The Titanic was completely devastating.

So she begins to tell a story.

She states that The Titanic was called the ship of dreams. And it was just that.

Young Katherine Pulitzer arrived to board the Titanic reluctantly, with her fiancé, one Morris Delancey, and her father, Joseph Pulitzer. Morris had been trying to impress Katherine for some time, but nothing worked. She never did really like him, but this was an arranged marriage. Morris insisted it could be love, but she was much more reluctant.

After all, she’d only been 17.

But Morris is rich and smart and confident and would make a proper husband and that’s really all that mattered.

Meanwhile, moments away, in a local pub in Southampton, a young boy was in the midst of a game that may well be changing his life in mere moments. He and his best friend, a very Italian Antonio Higgins whom he’d given the name of Racetrack, are playing poker for two tickets aboard the Titanic.

It’s a close call, but Jack plays a very lucky hand and ends up winning. After a brief celebration, they are told by the bartender that the ship is set to depart in merely five minutes.

So they run.

They barely make it aboard before the ship departs, convincing the crew that they’re both American and are in fact brothers. He doesn’t let Race talk at all, as to not give them away. Then they go up to the deck of the ship and wave at the people on the shore, though they have no one to bid farewell. Then they go down to find their room, greeting their roommates who are confused as to who they are. They end up making friends with one of them, who Race calls “Spot” because of a birthmark on his arm.

Katherine is unpacking in her suite, instructing some of the crew to set up some of her paintings around the room. Morris comments that these “mud puddles” were a waste of money, but Katherine insists they’re beautiful. Truth without logic. And she adores them. Katherine is a huge fan of art and has been a collector ever since she’d been a child. Morris assures her that Picasso will never amount to a thing and dismisses the conversation easily.

He’s not a very kind man. Katherine complains about him often, though she knows it’s improper and rude. Her father makes it clear that she must marry this man to save their status as they’ve lost all their money.

Katherine knows this.

That doesn’t mean she’s okay with it.

Jack and Racer are exploring the ship together, much like they would explore a city. It’s gorgeous. They end up at the front of the ship, Jack standing right up on the edge, shouting that he’s the king of the world, to which Race replies they’ll at least be the kings of New York when they arrive in America.

Katherine is stuck inside, having lunch with many important people on the ship, including the ship’s builder, Mr. Hearst and someone Katherine finds amusing and fun to be around, one Miss Medda Larkin. Many around here think her annoying or out of line, but Katherine adores her from the moment she lays eyes on her. It’s mostly because of the color of her skin that folks have issues with her. Medda is the only one that seems to notice how controlling Morris is when it comes to Katherine.

Katherine makes a point to sit beside her until she ultimately leaves the table after her father and fiancé ridicule her for smoking a cigarette.

Finally alone, she explores the ship, ending up on the front deck.

The moment Jack catches sight of her, he knows he wants to meet her. His friends tease him and tell him to let it go. But Jack can’t stop looking at her. Not even when another man comes up from behind her and takes her out of view.

Later that night, Katherine is struggling to keep her cool. She is not content with her life and knows that once she arrives in America, that will be it for her. She’ll have to marry Morris and she goes to dinner and she meets important, rich people. While they’re eating, she presses her fork into her skin, drawing blood.

It’s only then that she realizes what she wants to do.

The moment she can, she runs.

Somehow she ends up at the back of the ship, though she doesn’t manage to get there without drawing attention to herself. Specifically the attention of a teenage artist who happened to be stargazing all alone when she rushed past him in tears, thinking no one else was still up at this hour.

As she swings her legs over the railing of the ship and readies herself to jump, a voice stops her and she gets even more frightened. Jack just talks to her, telling her that hanging off the boat like that’s dangerous as he takes off his coat and socks, explaining that he has to be ready to jump in after her. She tries to tell him the fall will kill him. He tells her that he’s not so much worried about the fall as the freezing cold water. She asks him just how cold.

And they start having a conversation. Jack tells her a story about falling through ice back in Wisconsin after ice skating with his father. He tells her it’s so cold, you can hardly think or breathe.

He promised her even still that if she jumps, he jumps too.

Eventually, she gets scared down and turns back to Jack finding their faces inches from each other.

Just as she’s gonna step back over, she slips.

Jack barely catches her. He promised her he won’t let go and that she needs to grab the railing and pull herself up.

Terrified, she listens, letting Jack pull her back over. She lands beneath him and her dress rips.

What they didn’t know is that when Katherine screamed, people came running.

When security sees Jack hovering over Kath like he was, they naturally assume he was taking advantage of her and he wordlessly let’s them pull him up, knowing his words hold no weight. He lets them out cuffs around his wrists as Morris rushes up to Katherine and helps her up. He then backhands Jack and yells at him for thinking he could touch his fiancé.

And Katherine pushes Morris away, quickly explaining that she had been leaning over the ship too far to see the propellers and had fallen over and Jack caught her just in time.

Morris apologizes to Jack only barely and Jack is released. Morris’s brother, Oscar, tells Morris that surely he must do something to repay Jack so Morris offers Jack twenty bucks. This does not please Katherine. So Morris invites Jack to dinner the next night.

As they’re walking away, Oscar comments that it’s interesting that Katherine fell so suddenly but Jack still had time to remove his coat and socks.

Once they get Katherine back in their room, Morris gives Katherine a very heavy, very expensive necklace to try and cheer her up. It doesn’t work. Morris is just trying to prove his wealth to her. That doesn’t mean she loves him.

The necklace is the heart of the sea. But Katherine doesn’t care.

The next day Katherine finds Jack on the ship, talking with Race who’s trying to woo some girl. They talk and Katherine tries to thank him, but Jack makes it slightly difficult. He’s nice enough but Katherine gets defensive and they bud heads. Jack tells her that if she didn’t like her life, she could change it. She doesn’t have a response. She won’t tell Jack that she doesn’t love Morris. Jack tells her she can leave but she counters him telling him he should leave until eventually she ends up stealing his sketchbook out from beneath his arm, telling him he probably isn’t that good until she sees his drawings that take her breath away.

He tells her that he’s been drawing ever since he could hold a pencil and the pictures he draws are of real life. She asks what was with all the naked women and he’d say he’d been in Paris and a lot of women didn’t mind taking off their clothes for him. He tells her stories about some of them, explaining that the one she called him “infatuated with” was a one legged prostitute.

Katherine comments that he really does see people, to which Jack responds he saw her and knew she wouldn’t have jumped.

Meanwhile Medda was trying to have a nice time with Katherine’s father and other rich folks on the ship who don’t necessarily like her around them. She manages to stick by them anyways as they go for a walk around the ship.

Jack and Katherine continue to talk about their dreams. Katherine always dreamed of being a reporter, chasing a story all on her own. Jack says she wouldn’t last two days as a reporter in New York, living in a crummy apartment with no hot water. She slaps his arms, telling him to stop dismissing her dreams like everyone else. So he does.

Jack promises to take her to Santa Fe and teach her how to ride a horse and then to California where they can ride a rollercoaster. He promises to travel the world with her and show her the seven wonders of the world (can’t wait for eight and nine) and she agrees to all of it, laughing with him, happy for the first time in a long time.

Jack loves hearing her laugh.

Then he takes her hand and they run around the ship. Jack tries to teach Katherine how to spit “like a man”, and she tries.

That it’s, until she hears her father behind her.

She’s pulled away and everyone looks at Jack like he’s got two heads. He’s used to everyone thinking he’s crazy. He’s never minded it.

When Pulitzer takes Katherine away, Medda asks Jack if he knows what the hell he's doing and Jack replies honestly that he has no idea. So Medda would take him and get him a change of clothes.

When she’s done with him, Jack looks like a perfect gentleman.

He goes to dinner, sticking close to Medda who knows how to behave at these sorts of functions whereas he does not.

Jack escorts both Katherine and Medda to dinner (which is honestly freaking adorable).

Throughout the whole dinner, Morris is belittling Jack but Jack ignores him completely, focusing all his energy on trying to make Katherine smile.

Once the dinner’s done, Morris and Pulitzer and the other men at the table excuse themselves, inviting Jack who declines. Morris says it was a good choice as it would be nothing interesting to him anyways. Politics and stuff like that.

Jack has to hold back an eye roll.

He excuses himself, kissing Katherine’s hand and passing her a note to meet him at the clock and make it count.

So she does.

And Jack asks her if she’s ever wondered what a real party looks like.

He takes her to one.

It’s down below. Everyone is drunk. Race has struck up many games of poker and other drinking games and has started everyone off dancing. Jack gets them a drink and is shocked at how well Katherine can hold her liquor. She says it’s nothing.

Jack dances around with a little girl, this sweet little six or seven year old (Smalls) and Katherine asks if she can cut in. Jack promises Smalls that she’s still his best girl and teaches Katherine how to blend in when neither of them know the dance.

Eventually, after mingling a little, Katherine shows men what real pain feels like by going up on point completely barefoot.

They don’t see Oscar catching sight of them all.

Jack walks her back to her part of the ship and Katherine explains to her that everyone in her crowd are so small and Jack tells her she must’ve been mailed to the wrong address.

They see a shooting star. Jack tells Katherine that it’s a soul flying up to heaven.

He tells Katherine to make a wish.

She tells him it’s no use and leaves, though Jack doesn’t want her to.

The next morning, Morris goes off on Katherine, scolding her for behaving at that party as she did. He slaps her and leaves, knocking their breakfast onto the floor. Katherine tries to apologize to the maid and clean up, but the maid assures her it’s alright.

Later, Pulitzer demands Katherine never see Jack again reminding her once again that their money’s gone.

Jack tries to catch Katherine after church, but is sent away, though he tries to explain he was there last night and is a friend of Katherine.

Jack goes back to his friends who tell him to let it go. Race just wants him to remember where they stand in the food chain, but Jack doesn’t care.

He sneaks over to see Katherine anyway, stealing a coat and a hat to fit in and then grabbing Katherine's arm while she’s out for a walk and pulling her into an empty room.

He tells her he can’t leave her alone unless he knows she’ll be alright. So she assures him she will be and that it’s not his job to save her and he agrees, telling her that only she can do that.

She asks Jack to leave her alone and goes to rejoin her group.

Later she gets out of tea with her father by accidentally spilling some on herself and she finds Race who tells her that Jack is up at the front of the ship.

When she gets to him, Jack acts like nothing ever happening to begin with. He tells her to step up on the railing and close her eyes, promising that he’s got her. He wraps his arms around her waist and tells her to leg go and open her eyes, so she does.

She’s flying.

Jack holds her tight and let’s her fly. And he sings to her.

They stay there till the sunsets and then Jack and Katherine walk around the ship, just talking and having fun until Jack asks what’s up with her necklace and she tells him she wants him to draw her like one of his French girls wearing it.

And nothing else.

He just grins.

They run back to Katherine’s room and get to work after she pays him a dime for his work. She lays out on the couch and Jack admires her as he draws her perfectly. Katherine notes that he’s blushing and he just chuckles.

When he’s done, he dates and signs it and she puts the picture and her necklace in her safe with a note for Morris telling him that now he can keep them both locked in his safe and just as she and Jack might move further into their romance, someone unlocks the door. Oscar.

Katherine and Jack are then on the run.

Jack doesn’t let go of Katherine’s hand the whole time.

Eventually, they end up down at the bottom of the ship in someone else’s car and they definitely have sex whole half the ship is up searching for Katherine. They don’t find her. At least, not for a while.

When Jack and Kath eventually make it back to the deck, they catch the attention of the lookouts who realize moments later the whole ship is headed straight towards an iceberg. Katherine promises Jack that she’ll be getting off the ship with him and they can run away together.

When the ship hits, Katherine and Jack were dancing under the stars. Jack has to pull Kath away to avoid getting hit by the ice.

Everyone thinks it’s just a close call.

Eventually, after realizing the damage is worse than they thought, Jack and Katherine go to see Pulitzer and Morris, hand in hand and prepared to come clean, only for Morris to insist that he’d been robbed as Oscar plants The Heart of the Ocean in Jack’s pocket.

Jack screams for Katherine to believe him as they drag him away, calling him a criminal and she can’t speak, not knowing what to do.

They take him down further beneath the ship and Oscar handcuffs him to some of the pipes. Jack knows he can’t get out.

When the ship starts sinking, he starts to panic.

Everyone in first class is told to get their life straps on and climb up to the deck. They do. Women and children are told to get on the lifeboats. Katherine recalls that there aren’t enough boats to get half the passengers off safety. Without thinking anymore, she goes to find Jack.

She runs into Hearst who tells her the ship’s going to sink and then tells her how to get to Jack.

When she finds Jack, Jack is alone, screaming for help because the water is rising and he can’t get out and he just doesn’t want to drown. He hears Katherine calling for him. She finds him and kisses him and tells him how sorry she is.

Then he tells her to get help because he needs the cuffs off. No one is willing to help them, so Katherine grabs an ax and runs back to Jack. After some not so promising test swings they manage to break the cuffs and run, finding their way to Race and Spot whoa really arguing with the man who has the entire lower class on the ship locked behind a gate, not allowing them to get to the surface.

Spot is trying to argue, saying there are women and children down here too but no one’s listening.

Morris goes back for the necklace which he puts in his pocket before trying to find a ship that will let him board. He bribes a crewman for passage on a lifeboat and is about to board the thing when Oscar tells him he found Katherine and she’s with Jack. Morris is torn, but rushes to find Katherine.

Jack and his friends try to find another way out, resorting to grabbing a small bench and ramming it into the locked doors and letting the lower class people out so they’d have a chance.

Jack tries to get Katherine on a boat, only convincing her when Morris finds them and helps Jack lie about having bribed someone on the other side of the ship after giving Katherine his coat. Jack goes along with it, trying to keep Katherine safe. But she jumps back on board after they begin to lower the boat.

He jumps, she jumps.

When Jack rushes down to her they run and Morris realizes he left the necklace in his coat which Katherine now wears. Morris sends Oscar after them with a gun.

Oscar tries to kill them. Eventually, Jack gets the upper hand. But Morris grabs the gun and chases them.

Jack and Katherine are forced to run down where they once again get trapped behind a gate. The man with the key to their release throws it into the water and Jack only manages to find the things and unlock the door just in the nick of time.

Race and Spot are trying to fight for their right to live with nervous security who end up accidentally shooting Spot. He dies in Race’s arms. Race takes his life vest and kisses him on the head as he goes.

Morris finds an abandoned child and uses her to get a seat on a lifeboat, abandoning Katherine and Jack and Oscar all at the same time.

Oscar jumps overboard and dies on impact. Race gets crushed by part of the ship. Hearst resigns himself to dying in the grand entrance of the first class cabins.

But Jack and Katherine keep going. Jack says they have to stay on the ship for as long as possible. So they do. He holds her hand the whole time.

The ship is sideways. They’ve climbed to the top and are on the other side of the railing. Katherine comments that this is where they first met and Jack kisses her deeply before explaining to her what they have to do once the ship goes under. Kick for the surface. Hold her breath and kick for the surface.

Katherine emerges but Jack doesn’t. Not right away. Someone grabs at her, nearly dragging her under until Jack finds her and fights the guy off, helping Katherine swim over to the wreckage and helping her up on a piece of the boat that’s still floating.

(Okay, look guys… they both could have survived that day, alright? But it makes for a much less dramatic ending and even though myth busters proved it could’ve worked, were sticking to the script here)

There’s only room for one of them.

So Jack floats beside her and holds her hand, shivering but talking nonetheless.

Jack tries to tell Katherine that the boats will come back for them, though they both know it’s a lie. Katherine tells Jack that she loves him and he tries to tell her not to say her goodbyes. But he ends up telling her he loves her too.

Jack makes Katherine promise him that she’ll survive. That she’ll grow old. That she’ll make it.

And she does.

He asks her to promise that she’ll never let him go.

And she does.

Hours later, Katherine is delirious. She’s still gripping at Jack’s freezing hand, laying on her back and watching the sky.

A shooting star crosses it.

That’s when she hears someone calling for survivors. She calls for Jack, telling him they’d made it. He doesn’t respond.

No matter how hopeless she was, she had made him a promise. Even though it pained her through and through, she did what she had to, turning to the boy… the man that her heart and soul would forever belong to, and telling him that she’d never let go, as she lets his body fall beneath the surface of the ocean. She sobs as she watches him go.

But she swims over to a dead body nearby, grabbing a whistle and blowing it as loud as she can.

And they come back for her.

In 1996, the entire crew is staring at her in shock, including Crutchie who has never heard this whole story. Katherine explains that she saw Morris one more time but did not make contact and last she heard, he’d taken his own life when the depression hit America.

After that, she’d lost Jack. she began to introduce herself as Katherine Kelly, believing Jack was now her guardian angel, which he was.

She made contact with Medda who grieved with her for a boy they’d never get to see again.

Katherine explains to Albert and his crew that Jack Kelly had no records. So no one knew he existed. He lived only in her memory until Medda had brought her a picture one day.

A sketch of one Jack Kelly, done by a professional.

Then, the old woman reaches into her purse, the one she’d always carried, and she pulls out an old piece of paper, showing her great grandson and Albert the smiling face of her guardian angel, the one that was watching over them at that very moment. She’d tell them that every time she felt an ocean breeze pass her by, she knew it was just Jack laughing.

Jack had saved her in every way a person could be saved.

Katherine went on to live a great life. She’d met her husband, Specs, she’d ridden a rollercoaster, a horse, she’d explored New York and even published a few articles herself. And all of it was because of Jack.

Crutchie takes Katherine back to her room that night.

And Katherine wakes up hours later, walking barefoot to the back of the ship, admiring a shiny blue necklace. The Heart of The Ocean. And then she drops it in, smoking as she watches it leave.

The next night, warm in her bed, Katherine’s heart gives out. Charlie watches a shooting star cross the sky.

Jack is waiting for Katherine when she opens her eyes. He’s waiting for her by the clock. And Katherine meets him right on time, suddenly seventeen again. Forever and eternity.

And she’s with Jack again.

And everything’s okay.

For more Mood Boards and AUs, check out my list

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iihappydaysii · 4 years

Text

Jamie is attracted to Lord John, which makes him very confused and angry, in this essay I will… okay, but I’m actually going to write this essay, so buckle up.

Last night, I read Jamie talking to the others at Castle Leoch in Outlander about his experiences as a teenager with the Duke of Sandringham. First of all, the duke is disgusting and needs a very swift kick to the balls—but even so, Jamie doesn’t take the duke so seriously. He finds an amount of humor in it, even if it’s in part just how he’s chosen to deal with it. Also, Jamie is surrounded by men that, though they’re far from “allies”, they’re not being particularly hateful about it. Of course, all of this discussion occurs before the rape and torture Jamie experiences from Black Jack Randall. This filled in a piece of what I’ve been trying to understand about Jamie’s relationship with Lord John.

Before Lord John, the Duke and Black Jack are Jamie’s experience with—I strongly hesitate to say gay men—but Jamie sees a connection between these three men based on their attractions to men, however disturbingly they present in the Duke and Black Jack. The Duke preys it seems to be exclusively or near exclusively on young men. Claire upon meeting him says that it’s all the boys under eighteen that seem wary of him, as they’ve been warned (I’m increasingly glad that as far as we know the Duke got nowhere near young Lord John). Of course, we have Black Jack who is an 18th century version of a serial rapist/serial killer. Jamie experiences a horrific trauma at his hands. Not only did he rape and hurt Jamie physically and very, very seriously, he also found ways to make Jamie find pleasure in it. And thinking of Jamie’s casual reaction to the Duke’s inappropriate advances, it makes me think Jamie’s particular reaction to this form of torture isn’t based on a simple baseline homophobia.

A) Jamie feels guilt for getting “pleasure” out of it because he’s married and faithful to Claire. Also, how could she ever love him if he did (his thoughts)? B) What does it say about him that he could find any kind of release/pleasure at the hands of such a horrific man and in the midst of an incredible amount of pain? C) Later, after the rape and torture, if he experiences any attraction towards a man—as it seems he might towards John, I’ll explain more later—how can he ever know if those feelings only exist because of Black Jack? And, even if he can parse that out, he can’t stomach the thought that he shares anything in common with the Duke or his rapist.

Enter Lord John Grey. Jamie likes him, despite the fact that he’s the Governor of the Ardsmuir Prison, despite the fact that he once tried to kill Jamie. At first, there’s mistrust and contempt there, but eventually, they grow to like and respect each other and enjoy time spent in each other’s company. Dining together, swapping stories and playing chess. Given Jamie’s strong reaction to John’s simple touch to his hand (a death threat, followed by basically years of contempt). If Black Jack had never happened, I think, at worst, he would’ve given an 18th century “Sorry, man. I don’t swing that way.” John would’ve apologized and that would’ve been that. Jamie knows John is no real threat to him. Jamie has little that can be leveraged against him, as Black Jack was able to leverage Claire against him. Our sweet David Berry gives us a false impression of the size difference between Jamie and Lord John. He’s near a foot taller and physically dwarfs John. Not to mention, in the show, Jamie says defiantly to John (before their friendship) that he can do his best to torture him but there’s nothing he can do that hasn’t already been done. He doesn’t seem particularly afraid.

I’ve mentioned this before, but its mentioned in the Lord John series that John is actually pretty good at figuring out who’s into dudes and who isn’t. He’d have to be to survive long, doing what he does, especially as he doesn’t go to the brothels. He ‘gets it wrong’ with Jamie and it’s likely a mix between wishful thinking/strong feelings and simple misinterpretation, but John is smart and he senses something. So he acts on it in as gentle a way as possible (not knowing anything of what happened to Jamie with Black Jack, he won’t realize Jamie has been raped at all until he guesses it in that painful scene in BOTB, which I’ll discuss in a moment. Firstly though I want to mention some things that come later that relate to suggestion that Jamie is attracted to John in some way, beyond John believing so enough that he takes such a large risk. For one, Claire will end up sensing something between John and Jamie, enough that it bothers her and she recognizes it for what it is, at least what it is for John. For two, we know there’s a connection between violence and sex for Jamie, we can see it in how he is ‘in bed’ with Claire. Anytime John’s attraction to Jamie gets brought up, he responds violently, despite John not being any actual threat to him—something he knows for certain by the time John is saying “We were both fucking you”—and yet, how does he react then? Violence. (I can’t fuck you, so I’ll hit you. Two sides of the same coin for Jamie.)

Later, he’ll even admit to Claire that when he was falling apart after William was born that it was John who was able to put him back together again, and that he’s angry about it. He’s angry that John can touch his heart in that way.

Anyway, let’s rewind a bit, so we can discuss why exactly Jamie would be so angry about any possible attraction to John based on how he sees gay men (and how he believes he’d have to see himself if he were to accept the way John is able to make him feel).

The scene where John comes to Jamie for help figuring out what to do about Percy’s impending trial is where we can see this issue most clearly laid out. First of all, Jamie has a VERY strong reaction to realizing Percy was John’s lover.

I can’t in honor see him hanged for a crime whose guilt I share—and from whose consequences I am escaped by chance alone.

This is all it takes for Jamie to realize that Percy is John’s lover. Though John doesn’t directly state that, Jamie senses it, is smart enough to figure it out—and does not react well. (Also, the word Jamie uses is ‘catamite’, which is a term from ancient Rome and Greece that means ‘a boy kept for homosexual practices—and John corrects him to lover).

They begin to argue it at this point, basically the concept of whether or not men can be lovers. Jamie, whose experience is limited to the Duke and Black Jack, knows intimately that what those men experienced was not love, but selfishness and power trip to varying degrees. He’s projected that on to all men who experience attraction to men—a burden he would have to hang around his own neck as well—if he were to feel a similar (as maybe he did when John touched his hand in Ardsmuir… in that moment, before he pulled away.)

Only men who lack the ability to possess a woman or cowards who fear them—must resort to such feeble indecencies to relieve their lusts.

It’s an attempt to goad John, to insult him. It doesn’t particularly work as Lord John doesn’t possess any great deal of shame around his being gay and knows that isn’t true. He’s not afraid of women and could most certainly possess one if he wanted to. John doesn’t take the bait as intended and deflects to talking about love. What do you think love is?

He needs to keep his love for Claire separate from anything he could or could not feel for John and Jamie goes on to speak of one of his other experiences with gay men, though John doesn’t know that this relates to an exact experience (this can also relate to Black Jack because of Fergus). But I think Jamie, at this point, is pretty certain that John is no Black Jack. His negative reaction to Jamie (in a sense) forcing John to whip him Ardsmuir was a good example to him that John doesn’t get pleasure out of that. But still, if John has this attraction to men in common with Black Jack and the Duke, he must have others, right? So, he turns to accusing John of ‘preying upon helpless boys’.

Lord John threatens to physically fight him for that comment, which is very fair. It’s a horrible and gross accusation that he absolutely does not deserve in any way.

Jamie’s reaction to this is interesting. Armed or no, ye canna master me.

Of course, this is when John says something really motherfucking dumb without realizing the implications because he doesn’t know Jamie’s history of trauma.

I tell you sir—were I to take you to my bed—I could make you scream and by God, I would do it.

This conversation goes all to hell because John thinks he’s arguing against homophobia and what he’s really arguing against are fundamental beliefs Jamie now holds to protect himself against his trauma and any feelings he may or may not have for John. (and it just must really suck to be in love with someone who thinks such terrible things of you, through not fault of your own).

(Also a quick aside about Grey wanking after this, like it doesn’t make a hell of a lot of a sense in reality. Especially as we know Grey will be very angry about this conversation for a long time after. However, in a literary sense it goes to reflect that idea of violence as sex or violence as a way to express sexual attraction. If Jamie’s release of the sexual tension of that scene was the punch, John’s was this.)

Of course, they’ll rebuild their friendship slowly, over the years at Helwater and in Scotland. Enough so that Jamie will gift John with one of his most precious things—his son William. This time will end with an offer of his body in exchange for John to care for William (though it is a test to make certain John’s not a creep and if he is Jamie plans to kill him). John, of course, turns Jamie down because as Jamie will later say to Claire, “he would not take counterfeit for true coin”. This is the moment where Jamie separates John from Black Jack and the Duke. And, at least for a moment, is able to separate himself from them too. Enough that he does something he does not have to do, that there’s no real reason for him to do, he kisses John.

Grey felt the big hands warm on the skin of his face, light and strong as the brush of an eagle’s feather, and then Jamie Fraser’s soft wide mouth touched his own. There was a fleeting impression of tenderness and strength held in check, the faint taste of ale and fresh-baked bread. Then it was gone, and Grey stood blinking in the brilliant sun.

#lord john grey #jamie x john #outlander nonsense #rape tw #homophobia tw

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puckinghell · 4 years

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25. with william nylander. y/n doing the trekking and willy asking them? - xo

i love snow days because it means that you trek across town to hang out with me and watch movies on the couch except this time you demand to know who i’m crushing on and i don’t know how to say you (sorry Willy did the trekking I forgot that you specified that!)

combined with

you’re sick and I feel bad because I’m pretty sure i gave it to you, so I bring you some of my great grandmother’s soup and watch movies with you

–

“You’re not coming over,” you say into the phone, trying to sound stern despite the fact that your voice is quivering and you’re very clearly trying to hold in a cough. “You can’t. I’m sick.”

“But it’s tradition,” Willy whines on the other side. “Besides, I’m already putting on my shoes.” You can hear stumbling in the background, then some incomprehensible yelling and a door falling shut.

“Will,” you scold, “do not come…”

“Too late, bye see ya in ten minutes!” Willy all but yells into the phone, and then the line goes dead.

That dick.

You’ve known Willy for years, so you knew going into this that he was probably not going to listen to you. He never really listens to you, and you’re used to it, by now.

For as long as you’ve known him - since he was just a wide eyed teenager coming to Toronto to play in the big league and you were just another student trying to get a piece of paper that could launch you into a career - it’s been a tradition for him to come to your house during snow days.

The first time, it happened because snow made him miss Sweden, made him miss Calgary, made him homesick, basically, and Kappy wasn’t home so you offered to distract him with a Christmas movie en hot chocolate.

Now he comes to your house every single time it snows, and you watch Christmas movies - yes, even if it snows in March - and drink hot chocolate and it’s been the cause for some of your favorite memories.

You would never say no to snow-day-Christmas-movies.

Except now you’re sick, and Willy has a game in two days, so he can’t get sick, so he can’t get close to you and…

The door bell rings.

“Go away!” you yell, and there’s a giggle from the other side of the door before it swings open.

“Keys,” Willy says triumphantly, as if you didn’t give him those keys in the first place.

You wrap your arms around yourself and glare at him from under your blanket as he kicks off his shoes, drapes his coat over the chair and starts moving around the place as if he owns it.

“I can’t believe you came here after I told you not to come.”

“That’s because you never mean it when you tell me not to come.” Will holds up a sealed container. “I brought soup.”

You can’t help it; you sit up slightly, peaking above the edge of the blanket.

“Your grandma’s soup?”

“As if I can make any other kind of soup,” Willy says, and that’s a fair point: he’s not a good cook and probably never will be, but he’s got his grandmother’s soup recipe down to a T.

“Fine, you may stay,” you grumble, because you love Willy’s grandmother’s soup. “But if I get you sick and the entire city of Toronto comes for my head, it’s your fault.”

“I’m not gonna get sick!” Willy yells from the kitchen, where he’s messing around with bowls. He doesn’t elaborate until he’s walking into the living room, holding a steaming bowl of soup and a glass of water. “I’m pretty sure I made you sick, actually,” he admits, carefully placing the bowl on the coffee table in front of you, as you sit up on the couch. “Last weekend, when we hung out, I wasn’t feeling too great.”

“And you didn’t think to mention this to me?” you scold him, grabbing the spoon.

Willy, to his credit, seems to fluster at that. “Sorry,” he says, a little sheepish. “I just hadn’t seen you for a while and I was really looking forward to it, so I didn’t wanna cancel. I didn’t think I was really sick.”

You should probably yell at him some more, except his words have something squeeze in your stomach.

Usually, your massive, seen-from-space crush on your best friend is kinda easy to ignore, because he’s oblivious as can be and he flirts with everything and everyone, but sometimes…

Sometimes he’ll say things like this and it hurts a little, to know that it will never mean to him what it does to you.

Right now, your head also hurts, so you focus on the soup.

“What movie?” Willy ask, and since you known you’ll probably be asleep within half an hour you let him pick. It ends up being some Christmas flick on Netflix.

If you ask, Willy will say he picked it for you, but you know he really picked it for himself.

When you’ve finished your soup, you lean back on the couch and let your head drop in Will’s lap. He carefully pulls the blanket back over you and lets his fingers softly thread through your hair.

“Hmm, for someone who never dates, you’d be such a good boyfriend,” you blurt out. Later, you’ll blame the fever and the fact that you’re high on painkillers, but right now you don’t really think about it.

Will stiffens behind you. You know this isn’t his favorite subject: he’s been crushing on the same girl for literal years, but he refuses to tell you who the girl is. You’ve had legitimate fights about it, you’ve chirped and teased him, you’ve tried to gently coax it out of him: nothing works, he’s never going to tell you.

“Stop,” he mumbles now, and you would, except…

Well, except you don’t want to, and you’re sleepy and feverish and warm and there’s no reason for you to stop.

“Why won’t you just tell me?”

“Y/N, don’t,” Will warns, and usually you would let it go, but you know he won’t get mad at you when you’re sick, and you’re just so annoyed with not knowing.

You sit up. “Fine, if you won’t tell me who she is, tell me something about her.”

For a second, Willy stares at you, and you can tell he’s trying to figure out if it’s worth it to fight you on this. Clearly he decides against it, cause a small smile curls at the corner of his lips.

“She’s really great,” he says, and the first piece of your heart cracks. “She’s super smart, and funny. She always makes me laugh, even when I’m upset, but she also knows when to just let me be upset and complain.”

You thought you were the one he called when he was upset, so there goes crack number two.

“She tells me what to do even though she knows I won’t listen, but I think she secretly likes that I don’t listen.”

Crack number three.

He talks about her, about this girl, with sparks in his eyes and a lightness to his voice that can only be recognized as fondness, and with every sentence he speaks your heart cracks more.

She’s got great taste in movies, and makes fun of his taste in music. She doesn’t mind that he can’t cook, always pretends to eat his food anyway, but he’ll find her snacking in the kitchen later at night. She supports him when he needs it and isn’t afraid to tell him to get his head out of his ass when he needs that.

Clearly, she’s everything he’s ever wanted.

“Well, since you like that,” you mumble, a little sour, “I’m telling you to get your head out of your ass and tell her you like her. You’ve been into this girl forever, Will, it’s worth the risk. And besides, there’s no way she isn’t into you, not when she’s acting the way you’re describing.”

You know this for sure, because this is how you act, and you’re into him.

“I want to,” Willy admits. He’s staring at the TV but you can tell he’s not really seeing the screen. “But I just really don’t know how.”

You sigh. You really deserve a best friend award, for doing this for him.

“Fine, I’ll give you a script. Just take her hand, and say: hey, I’ve been too afraid to tell you what I want, but it’s you. I want you for worse or for better. And I’ve waited a long time for you, and I would wait forever if that’s what you want me to do, but I need to know if I’m waiting on nothing. So, is there ever gonna be a chance for us? Or should I move on?”

Willy smiles and it’s a little sad, like hearing you say those words hurts him, although you have no idea why.

You lightly bump his shoulder. “And then when she inevitably says, Oh Will, I’ve been into you forever too! You can kiss her. And then tell me who the fuck she is.”

“Okay,” says Will, and suddenly he reaches out and grabs your hands. “Hey, I’ve been too afraid to tell you what I want, but it’s you that I want for worse or for better. And I’ve waited a long time, probably too long, and I would wait forever if that’s what you want, but I need to know if there’s ever gonna be a chance for us.”

His bright blue eyes are staring intently into yours and your mouth feels a little dry, your heart beating in your chest. It feels real, too real, and you need to shake yourself out of this before you start hoping for things that aren’t realistic.

“Yeah, exactly like that,” you manage to bring out, your voice a little shaky. “She’s gonna be on the floor, Will.”

Willy frowns. “I thought you were gonna tell me you’ve been into me forever too.”

“Oh.” You can’t, not when it’s not real, not when he’s just practicing his speech, not when it means so much to you…

“Fuck it,” Willy says, and then he reaches forward, cups your cheeks and crashes his lips against yours.

At first, the kiss is a little incoordinated; his teeth clack against yours and his pinky nearly pokes you in the eye, but then he softens his mouth and everything goes a little fuzzy.

It’s perfect. It’s like it’s always been meant to be this way.

When he pulls away, you feel dizzy with it, with the scent of his cologne and the warmth of his skin, and perhaps a little bit with fever, and Willy is smiling.

“It’s you, Y/N. You’re my crush. You’ve always been my crush.”

And that’s… Oh. Willy’s wide eyes are filled with nothing but love and sincerity and Willy is not a good actor, so that means…

“Oh no,” you suddenly realize, “now you’re definitely gonna be sick! Will, you have the worst timing, I can’t kiss you when I’m sick!”

Willy shrugs. “Too little too late.”

And then he’s kissing you again.

#Anonymous #william nylander #winter prompts

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the-busy-ghost · 3 years

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Thoughts on TSP S2E05- The Plague

Well that was An Episode. Actually I thought the writing in this one was a little better than the other episodes (at least until the last three minutes or so, what the fuck), and I did like some of Katherine’s speeches this time. Nonetheless some thoughts:

- Firstly, I would like to see the casting call. Do they cast for ‘Whispering Lady #1′ and ‘Whispering Lady #2′? Seems like you could make a career out that, given how often they appear in period dramas.

- How long has Sir William Compton been ill? I know the plague was a terrifyingly quick disease but you would think someone would have noticed he looked a bit peaky BEFORE he dropped dead in the middle of the hallway. Also they’ve established that he’s the physically closest person to the king and yet nobody is at all focused on checking to see if Henry is well?

- I really feel like they’re setting up Anne and Katherine’s relationship to be Bessie Mark 2. Like Anne is going to be portrayed as a close attendant and confidant and then stab Katherine in the back, thus robbing Anne (and indeed Bessie) of any independent motivation or justification.

- Could they call this episode Bessie Blount and the Fastest Three Year Pregnancy in England

- And while we’re on the subject poor Bessie. I really feel like she’s been robbed a little by the writing (not by the actress, Chloe Harris is great). She doesn’t get to say a word in her defence until halfway through (the silent Other Woman), and then we’re supposed to believe that being the king’s mistress was such a huge dishonour she’d be chucked out, and then the only reason she is restored to favour is probably going to be because of Katherine? That’s a lot to saddle on one woman. I was already a supporter of the Bessie Blount defence squad and I am quietly seething on her behalf. Also I feel like they could have had Katherine help at the birth IN LITERALLY ANY OTHER WAY THAT WAS VERY GROSS AND NOT AT ALL SAFE AND THEN YOU JUST LEFT HER THERE BLEEDING AND FUCKED OFF WITH HER BABY

- Katherine “what did you think I was going to use it for” WELL SURE I DON’T KNOW KATHERINE BUT HOW IS THIS BETTER??? The Myranda absolutely JUMPED out here, I cannot even BEGIN to describe how appalled I am.

- Also again is this supposed to be a sympathetic portrayal? Snatching baby Henry away from his mother before she’d even held it? Even if you hate her it’s a dick move especially since you are known to dislike the pregnancy and you also just pulled a knife on her? And you won’t even hold your own daughter so like double shit?

Anyway moving on...

- They are really playing up the ‘Wolsey lives vicariously through Henry’s mistresses’ vibe this episode. It is A Lot

- Also how does Stafford always manage to say things in literally the grossest way possible. Who gave Olly Rix these lines.

- Lol @Wolsey just dropping his cardinal’s hat casually into the conversation. Classy.

- Nobody “understands” Henry. Except Wolsey of course. Poor misunderstood baby king, AYE RIGHT.

- Mary’s storyline was actually pretty well done. They ARE cute. But I suppose it’s easier to pull off the ‘beautiful princess in arranged marriage and secret wedding’ plot than anything more complex like Margaret’s. I’m still not over the fact that that is very clearly Waddesdon though.

- *Technically* I’m not sure their marriage actually counts as treason, in the terms of the fourteenth century treason acts, but I’m no expert on that so I could be wrong. Just seems that period dramas throw the word treason around a lot when it had quite a specific meaning in England (in Scotland not so much, it’s a very flexible word there).

- Mega Feminist Katherine of Aragon refusing to touch her daughter and continuing to refer to her as a ‘useless girl’. 100% Accurate and Feminist portrayal this (not). But Girl Power right?

- Awkward sex scenes GALORE this episode

- Margaret’s storyline was... somewhat comprehensible this episode but still a bit naff. Not the actors fault, they are doing their best. But I suppose it works? I do have some specific thoughts on details on that though, so more below

- Do I have to keep pointing out that James V WAS the king not the future king? Did you all miss the mourning coronation or something? Also the ‘Stewart clan’ does not “insist” on anything, because that is waaaaay too simplistic and also the wrong terminology.

- Albany’s line about ‘civilised company’- I mean as a Scot OUCH but also it’s quite believable coming from him I suppose, wee John was not a huge fan of Scotland.

- Holyroodhouse was not part of Margaret’s dower so far as I’m aware? At least it wasn’t traditionally part of queens’ dowers in Scotland and it wasn’t in any of the documents I’ve seen made at the time of her marriage. It also had a freaking abbey attached to it (though tbh, that had fallen into decline a bit by the early sixteenth century). So why not pretend you’re using one of Margaret’s actual dower houses, further north? Also if I were Angus and I was trying to hide out from the Duke of Albany while illegally retaining control of James IV’s illegitimate children, I would probably go to the much more secure castle of Tantallon, not Holyrood. But everything has to happen in Edinburgh I suppose.

- Ok it’s a tiny detail but I am still exercised about the Presence of James IV’s illegitimate children. Firstly, how are they all still kids?? The only one who should still be under the age of twelve in 1516 (or 1519? God knows when this is) is Janet Stewart, the future Lady Fleming and daughter of the Countess of Bothwell. There is no evidence that she was ever raised at court and her mother Agnes was still very much alive (she actually spent Christmas with Margaret Tudor at Morpeth after the queen’s flight into England).

The others were either dead (Alexander via Flodden and a few who died in infancy), married adults (Katherine, Countess of Morton, and Margaret, Lady Gordon- the latter *might* have also been in a relationship with Albany’s older brother Alexander Stewart at this time, it’s unclear), or teenagers approaching adulthood who were either on the continent or in Albany’s camp (James, Earl of Moray).

SECONDLY how does it AT ALL fall in Margaret’s purview to raise them, let alone that of the Earl of Angus. Margaret could theoretically have stepped in as a benefactor- that’s not unknown and the royal family was a wide concept so Albany and Margaret sometimes did act on behalf of royal cousins and illegitimate children- but Angus? Even Jane Stewart of Traquair would theoretically have more right to one of the children than him (and NOT because of some stupid ‘Stewart clan’ nonsense) since wee Janet Stewart was probably her first cousin. (Margaret Stewart, Lady Gordon was Angus’ first cousin but once again, she was a married woman with children of her own). Although if they’re implying this was a political move on Angus’ part then that would have been a smart move- having custody of James IV’s illegitimate children could be quite useful politically, as later events involving both Albany and Margaret Tudor showed. But since the show has sort of been implying that they’re useless and that Margaret is stuck with them, it doesn’t make a lot of sense.

- Also none of this is how a pre-contract works, and while we know very little about Jane Stewart of Traquair anyway, it’s clear that the show knows even less. But we love to see the Earl of Angus torn to shreds by both Margaret and Jane. One would hope that that was him Telt but sadly we all know this isn’t the case.

- Oh and a woman! In Scotland! Who is Scottish! We’re not cryptids after all! And she was then immediately chucked out.

- Also he just... walks off?? No attendants, no kinsmen, no horses? Do the writers have any idea of the level of power and status the Earl of Angus theoretically held?

- One of the men behind Margaret had A Line. I fear this is how Henry Stewart is being introduced to us.

- Can they shut up about the god damn kilts for TWO. MINUTES.

- BUT the real award for the most truly disappointing thing about this episode goes to the fact that we are now unlikely to get the Margaret and Mary reunion we all deserve. I mean I cannot BELIEVE this show passed up the opportunity to show the Queen of England and the dowager Queens of Scotland and France all acting in consort after the Evil May Day Riots. But then I suppose they would have to deal with that event in a sensitive fashion which like, I do not see them doing. I am genuinely disappointed by this, since the actresses are doing their best and I think it might actually have been a good scene. And it would have been an excuse for some fabulous costuming.

Anyway. That’s about all I’ve got.

#TSP #Margaret Tudor #Mary Tudor #rants #Meg Tudor

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percywinchester27 · 4 years

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About a boy (Part-4)

Word count: 2.2K

Warning: Suspense, feels, mention of physical abuse and bullying

Characters: Dean, Cas, Gabriel, Benny, Michael, OCs and… Sam?

Summary: Dean Winchester has a secret. A secret that could really land him in trouble. He never expected to connect with anyone when he walked into the ‘Blue Stone Orphanage for Boys,’ but even then, the walls he has put up are slowly coming down. Now, a series of strange events are threatening to expose him. When everything starts falling apart around him, will he still be able to save the one person that matters the most?

A/N: I have to thank each and everyone of you who’ve taken the time out to read this series, and comment. It truly means the world to me :’)

All my love to @thing-you-do-with-that-thing and @deanssweetheart23 for beta reading this story. You are awesome <3

About a boy masterlist

"How many Sams can there be?" Dean complained as they walked back from school. "I mean seriously?"

Cas smiled sympathetically. "It's not about how many. It's about the shuffling crowd. Stynes- the family that owns the place - are apparently very influential. They have all sorts of crazy contacts and kids just get adopted all the time."

"Really?" Dean tried to keep a poker face. It wouldn't bode well to let Cas see through him about what he really thought of the Stynes.

"Yeah." Cas said, blissfully ignorant of Dean's tone which was grudgingly challenging. "I mean, it's not like you and me stand a chance, but the little kids are taken up all the time."

"Sam's not a little kid."

"True, but the kids still get shuffled a lot. Foster homes, other orphanages. You could see one face today, and then never see it again." Cas narrowed his eyes.

"You sound weirded out by that," Dean noted.

Cas looked at him, brow furrowed. "But it is weird, isn't it? My earlier orphanage was so sleepy. Barely anything happened there. Then there's this place which is so secretive, doesn't let the kids interact across all age groups. I've been here for 7 years, Dean, and I just never get to know everyone."

Dean stayed quiet. This conversation was dangerously inching towards the subject of how and why Dean had ended up at the orphanage in the first place. And Cas was smart.

"Shit." Cas stopped, eyes wide and panicked. "What if… what if Sam was here and they moved him away? Damn it, Dean. What the hell will we do?"

Dean pursed his lips, trying not to smile. Cas's worry and fear was heartwarming. It was still a task to be careful about what he says because his friends kindness tempted Dean sorely. "My sources were pretty solid. He's here. He was here when I came in. Besides, he's 12. Kids that old don't just get adopted."

Dean could feel Cas looking at him curiously as they started walking again. He was tempted to tell Cas the truth, all of it, but he held back. For now, it was only his burden to carry. He didn't want to put Cas in trouble, or worse, endanger his life. He had avoided all of Cas's questions about where he had come from so far, but dodging the queries had proven to be harder and harder day after day. Then there was the guilt. Cas was going out of his way to help him, and Dean had been as secretive as possible. At least he could draw solace from the fact that it was for Cas's own good.

"What about you?" Dean asked, changing the topic. "You've been here so long. You didn't get tossed around?"

Again, Cas looked uncomfortable. "All of us, from the old orphanage, we've just stayed together."

He didn't say it, but Dean understood. It was Michael. Cas and everyone from the 'Angel names orphanage' as he called it in his head, was somehow protected. He didn't know what Michael's deal was, but he was up to something… something that, by default, provided a protection to everyone under his umbrella, including Cas.

All those angel named kids were settled now. They had a reassurance that they were sticking around till the end. Which explained the pride, bullying and the strut like they owned the place. But not Cas. The privilege embarrassed him. The idea that he was singled out and treated preferentially was both unpleasant and distressing at some level to him. It made him uneasy.

It made Dean like him more.

They walked in companionable silence for the rest of the way home.

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

It had been 3 weeks. Dean was frustrated.

How much more searching could he do? Every minute was spent plotting the next move, trying to squeeze in time to slip into the record room. It took so much of his own patience, that Dean wondered when Cas would snap and cut himself loose from the hunt. After all, Sam meant nothing to him.

Even so, Cas's commitment never faltered. He went about searching the records as dedicatedly as possible. Every day.

They had found six Sams in the records so far. Three of them had already turned 18 and left the boys home. One had been transferred and two more were too young. By nightfall, Dean wanted to fling something at the figurative heaven. He all but yelled at Cas to stop praying in the evening. There was no God up there.

Dean was also tired of counting all the brown haired kids. There were way too many. More than half easily. He soon realised it was about as pointless as finding a needle in a haystack.

After lights out, he slipped out of his room once more. Cas and Gabriel were both out like a light, but Benny, who was reading something in torchlight, gave Dean a look as he passed. Dean had a suspicion that Benny knew where he and Cas sneaked off to in the evenings, but he hadn't said a word about it, neither had he given the impression that it so much as even mattered to him. Dean had learned to ignore Benny. Cas was always absolutely pleasant to him, but Benny never spoke more than a word or two. Even Gabe, who went around chilling with almost everyone, maintained a decent stance with Benny. Not like he was scared, but like he respected him.

Dean just couldn't bring himself to feel anything. And tonight, when he walked out, with Benny's eyes following him, he wondered if one day he was going to land in trouble thanks to Benny's lack of response.

He found himself back at the steps, back to grill, eyes closed in the light breeze flowing through the corridor.

"Back again, I see."

Dean did not jump this time, but his lips pulled up in a half smirk.

"So are you."

There was a soft chuckle from the other side.

"How was the Oly… uh… the thing that you had." Dean scratched his head. "Oh yeah… the Olympiad."

"Okay, I guess," the voice said. The kid sounded pleasant. "I mean, I don't think I'm failing or anything." Then he added in a small voice. "I just don't want to think about the result."

Dean snorted quietly. Normal problems.

Then it hit him.

"You're what? 11? 12? Why're you participating in Olympiads?"

"Seemed like a good exercise for the brain." It was no big deal to him from the way he said it.

Smart and pleasant. That was a rare combination for a kid in an orphanage.

"How long you've been here?" Dean asked.

"About half a year, I guess? Ain't the worst place I've been in."

Dean raised an eyebrow. "Even with all the detention camp treatment? What with the lock-down and no interaction."

The kid laughed, only slightly bitter. "Well, you haven't been in too many orphanages then."

It was true. What did Dean know about that?

"Have you been to too many?"

The boy sighed. "About five, I think. That's not counting the abusive Children's home." He said it as a matter of fact.

"They hurt you?" Dean's heart seemed to be squeezed.

"Ehhh… mostly I ended up hurting myself."

"How?"

A dry scoff. "Can't deal with people who throw weight around like that. If I saw someone getting hit, I'd go stand up to abusive idiots."

"I'm sorry that happened to you," Dean murmured sincerely. It was unfair.

To his surprise, the boy laughed. "Don't be. It's how I learned to fight. I can throw a mean punch."

Dean couldn't help the appreciation he felt.

"What's your name, kid?"

The voice went silent.

Dean waited for a couple of minutes, but no reply came.

"Hey?" He tried again.

"It's against the rules to be out, ya know?"

"You think I'm gonna rat you out?" Dean asked, incredulous. "Look around, kid, I'm breaking the rules, too, here."

At long last the voice sighed. "It's Will. Short for William."

There was some solace in getting to know the kids name after all. At least he had gotten one answer today, as opposed to all the ones he had been searching for.

"I'm Dean. Dean Winchester."

"You have a last name," Will noted.

That clearly meant Will didn't have one. He had been in orphanages since he was too young to have known his real name. Sure he might have a made up last name in the papers, but it was just that, a formality.

Dean couldn't stop himself from asking the question. "Why are you up tonight? Another test?"

Another scoff. "Not really."

"Care to elaborate?"

Another silence.

"Well, aren't you being one secretive bitch today?" Dean grumbled. Will intrigued him, and that annoyed him.

"You're the one to talk, jerk," Will shot back. "Especially after how mysterious you played last time."

It was true. Kid had a point. He had, in fact, disappeared on the boy the last time.

A heavy exhale sounded from the other side. "It's just, I can't stop thinking about what lies beyond these walls. One of the boys I knew was transferred today and I don't know where he's gone. Sometimes I wonder if… if I even have a future."

"What?"

"I know!" Will said, talking fast now. "Most kids just end up on the police roll call, the only place their picture ends up is in mug shots. It's what Andy says."

"Andy's an idiot!" Dean stated.

Will laughed. "Maybe."

More silence - comforting and companionable.

Out of the blue the idea came to Dean. "Hey, there's something you can help me with?"

"Oh-kay?" Will sounded wary.

"How old are you?"

"I don't see how that helps you with anything, but I'm 11," he replied.

"That's fantastic!" How had he not thought of this before? "Do you know anyone by the name Sam on your floor?"

"Sam?" There was the usual curiosity in his voice.

"Yeah!" Dean had to keep his voice from getting the better of him. "Sam or Samuel or anyone like that?"

There was no reply, just a loud thrumming. As if the boy was tapping his fingers against his lap or the other hand. "There's one kid called Sammy, I think."

Dean's throat constricted, his heart doubled its beat. Could he be? Could it really be?

"No wait… his name is Sandy," Will corrected. "Don't think I know a Sam… but I can't say for sure that I know everyone."

Dean seemed to deflate. He wanted to punch something… someone... for both- the hope and hopelessness. One of it was going to kill him, he was sure.

"What do you want with this Sam, anyway?" Will asked and Dean wanted to slap his head.

"Fine, don't tell me! But don't go back to being the mysterious shadow," Will added quickly, making Dean smile.

"Let's just say it's a personal research project for me. It's my way out of this place… to my future," Dean said. He didn’t know what Will made out of it, but the kid remained quiet for a while.

“There’s twenty new kids on the floor. Came in about a month ago,” Will said, slowly. “I’ll ask around and let you know.”

Dean wanted to ask why. Why was this kid helping him? He had expected the question from Will- that ‘what was in it from him?’ But no such conditions came. Will offered his help freely… willingly. Just like Cas had. Maybe Dean needed to trust people more, see the good in them often, because there was all the good there, that which he couldn’t have possibly hoped for.

“Thanks, man,” he said quietly.

“No problem,” Will chimed. “I’ll keep this hushed.”

Perhaps he understood what hope of a future meant.

Dean realised that the more he got to know the people here, the more they surprised him with their kindness. Cas, Will… and unexpectedly even Gabriel and Benny in their zealousness and quiet had all helped him in their own way. Dean was starting to care. He didn't like it.

Will yawned abruptly.

“Get some sleep,” Dean suggested. His was evading him.

There was some scuffling as Will got to his feet. “Night, Dean. I hope you find your Sam.” His voice was soft, both grave and reassuring at the same time. It startled Dean, and he wondered if Will truly understood how much finding Sam meant to Dean.

“Night,” he said.

The feet shuffled away and Dean squinted into the darkness, pointlessly trying to discern the passing shape, trying to get one look at the boy who had selflessly, unconditionally agreed to help him.

That night when he closed his eyes, for a second… or, at least, a fraction of it, Dean felt the strangest urge to send a thought up to heaven, or whatever higher power there was. He finally understood why Cas prayed, understood the urge to want something better for other people. Maybe Cas’s God will listen to Dean.

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

A/N 2: I really really hope y’all like this story!! Please let me know what you think… the feedback is what keeps me going :)

If you wanna be tagged, please send me an ask

About a Boy taglist:

@sdavid09 @deanssweetheart23 @blacktithe7 @thing-you-do-with-that-thing @cosicas-cuquis @chalicia @anathewierdo @mrswhozeewhatsis @protectteamfreewill @firefly124-writing @spnbaby-67 @hoboal87 @rizlow1 @donnaintx @starmission @gh0stgurl @tftumblin @emily-a-c11 @ericaprice2008 @jotink78 @charliebradbury1104 @ohgodwhybloggg @i-dont-get-cold @bobbie3939 @samsexualdeancurious @dancing-the-hellfire-rumba

#dean winchester #dean winchester fanfiction #dean fanfiction #spn fanfiction #supernatural fanfiction #about a boy part 4 #aab 4 #anawrites #anawritesspn #Ana writes Dean #ana writes aab #q

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hellzyeahwebwielingessays · 4 years

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The Not-So-Amazing Mary Jane Part 24: MJ doesn’t even consider raising the alarm in ANY way

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Last time I put to bed why MJ wouldn’t rely upon defeating Beck herself. In this part though I will dissect MJ’s decision to not alert anyone else to Mysterio’s threat.

In Part 20 I dived into many of MJ’s combat experiences and observed that in many/most of them she relied upon assistance from third parties (including Spider-Man).

With this in mind MJ’s failure to alert anyone to the presence of Beck or other current villains is extremely dangerous and irresponsible. She knows her limits from the years she’s dealt with her life being endangered and how often her survival depended upon the help of others. And she has incredibly flimsy reasons to place any trust in Beck, let alone his villainous crewmembers that haven’t got his sob story.

She doesn’t call the police, Spider-Man, her friends in the super hero community nor the (very nearby) West Coast Avenges.

One could argue that there could be perfectly reasonable explanations for why she fails to do this.

Bringing the authorities in could cause the villains to attack , take hostages or slip away once they are alerted. And in Beck’s case he could use his trickery to escape. As for Peter, bringing him in could endanger his career prospects couldn’t it?

I already shot down the latter idea back in part 18. But to expand upon it a bit, by alerting the regular or super human authorities Mary Jane would never have to worry about risking Peter’s well being at all. He’d likely hear about it after the fact, and maybe be upset that she didn’t tell him about Mysterio. But honestly that’s a small price to pay for the greater good and is something that could be pretty easily smoothed over between them. Sooner or later Peter would get over MJ not talking to him if she explained she did it out of concern for him.

As for the regular authorities, MJ could simply inform them of whom they were dealing with and advise them to not go in guns blazing. That’d hopefully give them recourse to properly prepare for who they were dealing with, either by employing weapons designed to deal with super humans or by conducting an undercover investigation of some kind.

And of course they could call in super human assistance themselves. Indeed there is no reason MJ couldn’t contact the regular and super hero authorities.

The super human authorities like the Avengers would have the technology and fire power to deal with Beck. Most of the West Coast Avengers alone are out of his league and in the case of Hawkeye have advanced experience with organizations like SHIELD that would entail stealth. Even if they needed proof Beck was in disguise Reed Richards and Iron Man could likely whip up something to see through Beck’s illusions. They have the technology to see past Skrull impersonators I think he can handle some smoke and mirrors.

But let’s say that’s not the case. Let’s say it’s not fair to bring in canon from beyond the Spider-Man line of titles for our analysis. Or let’s say Mysterio’s technology is really that good, which is arguably proved by his fake alien invasion from ASM v5 #1.

We’d be in a position where the heroes would need to gather proof before they could strike. Well putting aside how many of them are capable of stealth/under cover work and know what they are looking for, couldn’t they simply take one or more of Beck’s crew members (criminal or otherwise) and interrogate them? Are all of them so tight lipped that they would never give up Beck? That’s highly unlikely.

And then of course you have the simple fact that Mary Jane knows where the real Cage McKnight is!

Surely the realisation that there are two individuals who seem to be the same person is just cause to at least arrest Beck on the suspicion of identity theft/impersonation?*

In fact they could use the real McKnight to lay a trap for Beck by learning private information that only he would know and then engineering a scenario with Beck in the hopes of him contradicting this information, obviously whilst they record it.

But MJ doesn’t pay any mind to the real Cage McKnight once she’s told where he is. She doesn’t even consider asking the authorities to check Mysterio’s claims check out! She trusts the word and ‘evidence’ of a man who is notorious for making you see and hear whatever he wants!

And all that aside there are still other options the authorities could take.

Why couldn’t they just shut down the film’s production on some made up excuse and secretly investigate the set and crew?

Why couldn’t they shut down production or arrest ‘McKnight’ due to his illegal employment of criminals?

Why couldn’t they go in gun’s blazing but also prepared to quickly subdue the criminals?

Why couldn’t they reveal they know Beck is McKnight prompting him to run and set a trap for him?

Why couldn’t they at least keep an eye on the production and be ready to leap into action in case anything goes down?

Frankly, given how some of MJ’s super hero friends are just straight up vigilantes and they trust her couldn’t they bend the law and simply ‘abduct’ Beck as McKnight knowing for a fact he’s broken/breaking many, many laws? I mean let’s be real here, Spider-Man has committed breaking and entering many times in the course of his career and whilst that’s awful from a real world POV, in context it’s been for the greater good and we readers understand that because we know the stakes.

Of course the counter argument to all of these is that Beck could’ve just planned for all of them. He could’ve planned a contingency for anyone snooping around McKnight. He could’ve planned a contingency to the authorities closing in on him.

And you know that wouldn’t be at all out of character for him. But it isn’t at all hinted at in AMJ #1, nor that MJ even considers it as a possibility.

And therein lies the problem. He could have done all that preparation…but has he? Does Mary Jane think he might’ve?

The story never talks about that.

You know what else the story doesn’t talk about?

The idea that Beck might be monitoring MJ or that she suspects he might be monitoring her.

That’s another thing that’d be very in character for him. Not only has he got a contingency in place in case anyone comes snooping around or rumbles him but he also has a contingency in place to prevent or at least alert himself to anyone revealing hi secrets.

But this idea is also never even hinted at in the story whatsoever.

This is where we loop all the way back around to what I spoke about in part 2.

The idea that MJ’s failure to alert anyone is the result of her suspecting he’s monitoring her (or has contingencies in place) is a No. Prize attempt. It’s headcanon. It could arguably fill-in a hole in the story but why is that hole there at all?**

AMJ #1 is the first issue. It’s the set up for the premise. Ideally it should put all the pieces on the board that are going to play a role in the story going forward (obviously this can include red herrings) and present the relevant motivations for the story going forward. This means the specifics of why Mary Jane (the lead character) does what she does should be clearly conveyed.

If MJ isn’t alerting the authorities because she is concerned about being monitored, of them being harmed, of bystanders being harmed or of any of the crooks slipping away then the story should at least hint at that if not be explicit about it.***

And you wanna know the real kicker?

It’s extremely debatable if MJ would even refrain from alerting the authorities about Mysterio even if she did suspect Beck had planned for that. If she suspects he is monitoring her she could use her ingenuity to sneak off set and then use a different phone to contact help. Or if that’s not a possibility she is smart enough to figure out a way to contact help without Beck knowing. She could talk to Peter in code. Or contact the Look Ups, the support group for super hero’s loved ones. ASM v5 #29 established they have a local branch in L.A.

And honestly, as heroic a soul as MJ is it Is incredibly unbelievable that she wouldn’t simply alert the authorities even if she had no way of ensuring her own safety.

Am I saying MJ would give her life to save others?

Yes.

Yes that is exactly what I am saying.

Her feats of bravery in part 20 are proof of that as is her respect for Peter’s role as a hero. I’m not saying she wouldn’t take a desperate or calculated risk to save herself (see ASM Ann #19 from part 20). If there are other options beyond noble self-sacrifice, however slim, it’s not immoral to go for those options. But at the end of the day MJ would put the lives of innocent civilians before her own life.

Even her lack of action if she believes Beck has put contingencies in place is highly debatable. It’d depend upon what those contingencies might be. If they would come into action against other people (like the innocent crewmembers) then I could see her not doing anything. But if Mysterio is just going to fly the coop then, as bad as letting him get away might be, it’s better than allowing him to stick around and continue to commit crimes against the real McKnight, the movie studios and potentially civilians. And at least it’d hopefully result in the criminal crewmembers facing justice.

However you slice it MJ has options in this premise.

Leah Williams simply doesn’t address them whatsoever and makes MJ look just awful as a result.

Look, I’m not trying to say Mary Jane should just be the damsel-in-distress, the poor little woman waiting patiently and docile for the big strong men to come and fix her problems for her.

What I am saying is that MJ is basically an unarmed person with limited knowledge of firearms casually hanging around armed and dangerous criminals (in a populated area) and she’s simply presuming they won’t do anything wrong at all. And she’s presuming that if they did she would be more than a match for them.

What I am saying is she knows she has limits. And she knows those limits do not reliably encompass this situation. They at best offer 50/50 odds on MJ ensuring the safety of herself, civilians, their properties, Cage McKnight, his career.

Those are downright irresponsible odds to undertake.

Mary Jane has no right to risk innocent people’s lives like that whatsoever.

And just like the unarmed person in the above analogy she should contact help!

And with that we are finally finished with the dissection of AMJ #1’s premise and can now move onto issue #2.

*Surely that could also convince any regular law enforcement that might doubt her story. It’s entirely possible that Beck could rely upon sexism and/or stereotypes of the ‘prima donna actress’ to delegitimize MJ’s claims to the police.

But her knowledge of the real Cage McKnight would vastly improve her legitimacy.

Not that she’d need to. She has Avengers who’d vouch for her to regular law enforcement and she could just ask them for help anyway.

**This also applies to just about any headcanon you could come up with for anything in the issue. MJ’s actions could be explained away by lingering grief from Flash’s death or a desire to assert her independence rather than be saved by a third party. Doesn’t matter though, not if there is nothing in the issue to support those ideas.

***This isn’t a 1-to-1 comparison I admit but it’s a lot like defences I’ve seen of Star Wars: the Last Jedi, specifically Admiral Holdo’s motivations.

The context is the good guys are being chased down by the bad guys and when questioned Holdo (the leader of the latter) remains tight lipped about there being any kind of escape plan.

Why is she tight lipped?

Well you see it’s because she was concerned about the presence of spies…according to several fan theories.

And that’s the key. It’s just a theory. The film provides literally no explanation whatsoever, not even a hint.

Whether that’s a logical explanation or not, it is not one supported by the text of the film.

The same applies in AMJ #1.

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#Leah Williams #Mysterio #Quentin Beck #Amazing Mary Jane #mjwatsonedit #mary jane watson #Mary Jane Watson Parker #MJ Watson #Spider-Man

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fortheheavenssake · 4 years

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💙Humble Attempt Anon💙

*** All submitted by @anon-annoyed on @skippyv20

May 20

For fun and entertainment - gave the riddle a try

MM ANON ………

5 years old ‘ COVID security ………

There is video of Fauci stating a pandemic was coming I think it is 5 years old

transmission admission??………

Will China admit it knew more then started earlier? WHO?

1st. June. ……………

HMTQ People cover comes out

A pollution solution …………

Covid 19 has taught lessons in solving pollution problems

free at last………

PH? Free finally? Annulment?

kiss 💋 me 😱😱😱…………

HMTQ can get kisses from her 3 Cambridge grandchildren?

another Father???……………

Artificial’s real dna Father is announced?

Spanish,French and judo 😂😂😂……………

MM riduciliousness

lies,damm lies, and MM………

Damm. (archaic and original) a small, essentially worthless coin from India So

Money flaunting PR homes are lies

an expensive squat…………

The cost of pr using TP’s house is going to be an expensive bill to pay In terms of owed favor?

A Greece-y gamble. …………

A double word play on greasy person from Greece that MM took a chance on and will be burned by it?

“ is one sitting comfortably’ good, Once apon a time “

Apon is front eh Middle Ages meaning same as upon. Are we about to see a Middle Ages divorce reminder in this fairy tale of dread?

Great job! Love it! Thank you😊❤️❤️❤️❤️

——————

May 29

2nd attempt at a MM ANON riddle

First want to say my thoughts and prayers are with you dearest Skippy. May your family be surrounded by Light!!

MM ANON ………

looting/ shooting …………

DT;s statement

“ tic-toc Nanny”…………

Nanny doing the dance

“ ok! Charlotte, get Louis too” ………

Including Louis on the tic toc

“ George,do it properly “………

Charlotte bossing George around

W&K , It’s a challenging schedule ma’am” …………

Laughing at the Tatler article with HMTQ

” there having a bike day at Brands Hatch with Ducati “ ………

The whole Cambridge family went to track and rode bikes while PW rode Ducati

“ Nottingham cottage ma’am”…………

Prince Harry finally able to say he is there

“like old times ma’ am”……………

Prince Harry able to be honest about being at NC like old times with a pause of relief

” I’ll have a quiet word with Donald “…………

HMTQ having to give DT the details of the soon Anulment anouncments

“ not Philip, his diplomacy is wanting”…………

PP not handling the details since he is not delicate

“exiting times ma’am”………

Exiting the drama, announcing the A Nul ment and finally being free !!

“ one shall insist on compliance Christopher “

Insisting on being compliant with all the agreements for A Nul ment (hope so)

Wonderful! Thank you😊❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

——————-

June 8

Another humble attempt at the MM riddle

MM ANON ……

D.O.J.………

DOJ requesting PA to appear in JE court

A Stern retort. …………

Hmmmmmmmmmmm can figure anything for this one.

the sept. Soothsayer ………

Fortune teller - when Kate is due with 4th baby

A 14 day suicide for the trade…………

Tatler magazine has created a suicide for themselves with the Kate article

in court today ………

Is this regarding MM or PA? The demand for PA to be in court or that MM is in court …hmmmm

Beatrice tooo tu!! ……………

Beatrice looks to become a senior royal as she is showing great charm and ability

wonderful Wessex………

Sophia being praised for her awesomeness

more photos from Kate??? ………

All 3 kids will have a new picture released soon thus 3 question marks?

no fuss birthday …………

PP wants no fuss for his birthday on the 10th

“ shall one suggest a gathering of 8 .” ………

Cambridges are 5, HMTQ and PP make 7 and Harry makes 8??

” no, silly’ Balmoral?? ………

headed to Balmoral for the meet up of 8

MM desperatum iri videbatur……

MM desperate situation hmmmm hers or the BRFs?

Great! Thank you….I think MM is the desperate one….😊❤️❤️❤️❤️

——————

June 9

Riddle humble answer another attempt

MM ANON ………

everyone and their brother,brother ………

Trooping the Colors…PH will be there this Saturday?

wow!! What a photo Kate!!……………

A second photo coming like the umbrella one ?

little Louis gets a surprise ……………

Agree with PG that this is them telling him a baby is coming

a well rounded future of three( four) ………

Well rounded meaning the 4th will be a girl?

A birthday tic-toc dance…………

PP gets a tic toc dance for this birthday on the 10th

“ do Catherine , come and bring the children “…………

DoC bringing the children for Trooping the Colors mini even

“maybe a change of routine “…………

Trooping the colour change of routine will be at 2:00 AM - 5:00 AM Saturday, June 13

“ Both of you are an example hope”………

Sophie and Catherine are shining examples of hop for the monarchy

“ yes George,I’ll see if we can get to a match”

George is missing sports and hoping to see a match

Thank you…looks great!❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

——————

June 10

super humble attempt at the riddle (love these riddles so much )

MM ANON …

Gone……………

Covid 19 gone from New Zealand with a capital G

everything is now B&W……………

The protests and movements are making everything B&W

“ but’ tomorrow is another day”…………

Gone with the Wind famous line - echos of Carrying On

“ but old thing, I look like bloody Bela Lugosi” …………

PP complaining about something he was asked to wear

“ shutup Philip”………

Telling him to just get o with it

“ just Take the bloody picture “.………

PP famous quip at the photographer most likely said again

”they’ve hardly ever been on a train William “…………

Taking the train to Balmoral

“ yes , they’d be very excited 😜 “ …………

How excited the kids will be to ride the train

🎼we’re all going to the zoo tomorrow 🎼……………

Hmmmm can’t crack this one (PG’s the smart song one!! So grateful)

she lies for exposure………

MM;s never ending lies for keeping in the press

yachting’ secret exposure !! ……………

Ohhhh a yachting owned secret coming - a picture thus exposure

this time it’s explosive!! …………

It will be a big explosive exposure this time

“ great scoop Beth.”

Hmmmm can’t crack this one

Wonderful! Thank you😊❤️❤️❤️❤️

——————

June 14

Humble Riddle Attempt…THANK YOU MM ANON!!!!!!!!!

MM ANON ……

Adeleville……… Adele’s connection to Grenfell memorial and IT connecting to her….does Adele use Sunshine Sacks? hmmmm

Westfield?? ………… https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westfield_Group the malls in LA The Grove are owned by this group https://caruso.com/ and I remember seeing the CEO in a pr fluff of IT

Charlottes delivery …………… Maybe referring to Baby 4 coming same as Charlottes. But not possessive plural hmmm

🎼grab the cash with both hands🎼………… Pink Floyds “Money” Dark Side of the Moon 1973…hmmm

another scam charity …………… BLM has been showed to be directly connected to Dems …scam?

she’s a race… ist …………IT is a race onto her self for sure and clearly is a ist..and JM is now going to turn

she publishes the book ………………… Will JM publish a book now? With all the skeletons?

we will destroy her, we have the tapes…… JM saying she has the tapes and will leak them?

“ no more Mrs, nice ma’am!! “ …………IT no longer Mrs???? TOOO exciting to think about….

“ ones gloves are orf Christopher ………… Hmmm https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/orf/ of disease of sheep to human. Could the sheep following IT finally be seeing the disease she is? And LG is able to move forward with final finals?

“ it was a very good year,old thing “……..PP telling HMTQ it has been a great year (period)

This is great! Thank you😊❤️❤️❤️❤️

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June 16

humble riddle notes - PG & LK THANK YOU I learn so much and am so grateful

MM ANON ………

Shetland lift-off……… https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-53049513

LIZA with a ‘ don’t know em…LM;s public facebook post that she has never met them

” it’s shopping Jim, but not as we show it……… PG & LK have linked to Star Trek, I have never watched that show so completely miss the reference and am so grateful to them for their interpretations. Interesting that it is half a quote. Does this have to do with MM mirror site? Maybe LK was right and the Jim reference is supposed to lead us to a person within the firm? Maybe Prince Edward’s youngest son?

“ matter of fact it’s all dark” .. everything to do with IT..dark and ugly …LK’s interpretation was enlightening and taught so much. Wanted to add that June 21st is also Father’s day in the United States.

first jet easy …………Jet return to Scotland so easy to get to Balmoral

Brexit,old white guys drinking a lot. …………LK & PG interrupted this I am lost

a moment of reckoning ……… According to the Cambridge dictionary “a time when the effect of a past mistake is experienced or when a crime is punished”

a virtual Wimbledon?? …………plans to show highlights from past games

Catherine to the rescue …… baby 4 to lift the spirits of all or maybe she will narrate/ host the virtual Wimbledon event? Or BOTH?

“ Ahhh , a relaxing night old thing “ …“Sydney’s provided a new box set” ……“Boardwalk Empire” ………“ bit violent old thing” ………“ Epic Philip!!”…… “ones usual Sydney “…“great!! No bloody tic toc. PG’s excitement was so fun to read and lifting THANK YOU for that PG, MM Anon and LK for these riddles and interpretations.

This is great! Thank you!😊❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

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June 16

riddle attempt humbly (Love how I learn through these, I now search the news for clues0 THANK YOU MM Anon!!!!!!!!

MM Anon

“she Ascot nothing on me” ………… IT only went to Ascot once and it was when Doc did not attend https://www.express.co.uk/news/royal/1296617/meghan-markle-news-kate-middleton-royal-ascot-megxit-royal-family-latest-spt

para-thanks William ……… PW visiting the paramedics to thank them first outing https://people.com/royals/prince-william-steps-out-for-first-official-public-duty-to-thank-first-responders-during-covid-19/

PC , LOST weight??…………That PC lost “dead weight’ of IT with 2 question marks meaning Artificial and IT…hope so!!!!

Oxford,Oxford ……… Protests https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8428313/Black-Lives-Matter-protesters-march-Oxford-ahead-meeting-Cecil-Rhodes-statues-future.html

STIR-oid ………news that steroids help with sick Covid patients? https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/16/health/dexamethasone-covid-drug-recovery-trial-bn/index.html “Stirring an old remedy” “Finding value in an old medicine”

U-Turndinner…https://london.eater.com/2020/6/16/21292624/marcus-rashford-free-school-meals-coronavirus

falling tragedy …………UK headed to recession a tragedy from falling to the Covid 19 https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk/2020/06/how-uk-has-been-left-worst-all-worlds-over-covid-19 and/or the tragedy of IT is falling into place to a end!!! A NUL ment (hopefully)

the Paris peasants are revolting ……… ……… There are 2 spaces for answers to this one so thinking there must be 2 meanings : 1) the anniversary of Richard II’s chat with the Revolting Peasants at Mile End (1381), and of Owen Glendower’s declaration that he was allying himself with the French against Henry IV, in 1404. Perfidious Welshman. No wonder there are a couple of border towns on the English side where it’s still legal to kill a Welshman as long as you do it with a bow and arrow and at certain times of the day or week. And today https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/france-medical-workers-protest-unrest-and-fires-ensue/1879407 So happening on this day in past and present

“ we can still dress-up cabbage 🥬 “ …“Anne, my yellow ensemble”…“Sydney ‘ a photo”…“that’s a keeper, old thing” …“ here we go , tic-toc, the three of them”… “O, and Catherine!!” … “ ehhhh, And William “ … “ make it a double Sydney “… “ how entertaining Philip “ PP telling HMTQ they can still dress up for Ascot/his bday and she wears the yellow dress and PP thinks it is a good shot and then he sees all 3 Cambs o tic toc and Catherine and then William join in as well so he tells Sydney to double the drink and HMTQ is very happily entertained by it all.

You are doing a great job! Thank you😊❤️❤️❤️❤️

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June 18

another humble attempt…..LOVE LOVE the riddles!!!!!

MM ANON ………

“NEVER………… No chance of IT returning to BRF

“ ………” mon dieu” …… “ “ My God (in french) President telling PC he can’t believe IT is still around and feels sorry for the BRF

🎼some sunny day 🎼……… Well Meet Again (Alternate) Vera Lynn a remembrance of her as she passed away

“ good to meet again Mr President “………HMTQ speaking with French President

air corridor ………Britons could yet take foreign holidays this summer as ministers draw up a list of countries who could be exempt from tough quarantine laws, Matt hancock confirmed today.

“ to be honest,he was an obnoxious old bastard” ……… Maybe Lord Hague being described ? https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-53061432

world beating cherry …trace testing hoping to be the cherry on top of COvid19 getting in control …https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/letters/boris-johnson-foreign-aid-dfid-coronavirus-test-trace-a9572941.html

non app- licable …… What does not applicable mean in court? “Not Applicable” or “N/A” is often seen on forms or in tables or for questions. It’s the answer you would give if a question did not apply to you. For example, if there were a question “What is your date of marriage?”, but you have never been married, you could answer “N/A”, because the question does not apply to you.

“ Bolt-hole. ………… Another markled celeb https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-8435543/David-Victoria-Beckham-LOSE-planning-row-neighbours-31-5m-London-mansion.html

self interest

………https://www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/18525189.letters-triumph-naked-self-interest/ Something to do with Scotland’s feeling toward the UK serving their self interest

BOE- more money!! ……………https://www.wsj.com/articles/central-banks-pump-more-cash-into-economy-to-fight-recession-11592482055 Bank of England printing more money as many countries are.

pepper sprayed……… hmmm lots of stories of pepper spray by police hurting protestors was IT in the ned just a pepper spray on the BRF….annoying and painful but forgotten and healed up in a little bit of time….hmmmm

“ O Philip, it’s the last one “……… “Always Downton Abbey old thing”

HMTQ being bummed Boardwalk is doe and PP saying can always watch DA…..does this maybe mean that the gangster back room drama of IT is over and that they can go back to just living the DA life again…….We can HOPE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wonderful! Thank you😊❤️❤️❤️❤️

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June 20

another humble attempt at MM Anon riddle - LOVE YOUR RIDDLES

MM ANON

Hello!! ………… Welcome back to the family being together - a BIG HELLO!!

“ It’s a rally Jim , ……… “Mad Money” host Jim Cramer broke down what drove Tuesday’s market rally.

viva espana ………… People were singing this in SF along protests

🎼drink, drink, drink,🎼…………… “Drinking Song” or “Drink, Drink, Drink” is an exuberant song composed by Sigmund Romberg with lyrics by Dorothy Donnelly. It is the most popular piece in the 1924 operetta, The Student Prince.[1] It was a success for tenor Mario Lanza, who performed it in the 1954 movie, though the part was played on screen by another actor, due to a contract dispute.[2]

black wall……… History of Black Wall being destroyed 99 years ago and Trump trying to bring bring attention there by holding rally there

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/jun/19/tulsa-1921-massacre-trump-violence-legacy

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-06-20/on-black-wall-street-hope-and-fear-as-trump-comes-to-tulsa

MM , another agenda!! ………… IT’s new agenda of BLM the never ending circling door of IT’s missions and agendas

bollotics …… this meaning fits all this for nothing to resolve it BLM feels like bollotics

https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=bollotics

Bollotics The art of defining why something can’t be done without any real reason - is a urban word for Red Tape, when everyone knows it is total bollotics that is preventing things from progressing and yet nobody can resolve it.Often found in the work place e.g. when a department refuses to allow a change because there isn’t a process for it, that is Bollotics, just do it and shut the **** up.by MowgliCub October 10, 2013

“ Kate and William,the children are with nanny “ ………… “ Dover Sole and lemon parfait old thing “………… cream caramel,and Irish coffee Sydney!! ………… “September 9th ma’am. …… “ Stay over Catherine “ –

Sounds like the family is celebrating and knowing the children won’t go back til September so asking them to stay in Balmoral for the summer

This is great! Thank you!😊❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

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June 21

Thank you! This is great😊❤️❤️❤️❤️

short attempt at riddle (LOVE THE RIDDLES)

MM ANON …

give us a hug…………PH is back and with the family? getting/giving a hug

Duchess of Cambridge Royal collection ………Her amazing photographs

in the footsteps of lord Lichfield ………… photographer in RF now is DoC https://www.theguardian.com/news/2005/nov/12/guardianobituaries.artsobituaries

EOS C700 Christmas present … … camera ready for Christmas present Camb baby 4?? https://www.usa.canon.com/internet/portal/us/home/products/details/cameras/cinema-eos/eos-c700

“slow the testing down”…………President Trump said that’s how you slow the spread stop the testing

Kung-flu…………… PT also called the COVID 19 this i his speech

Size matters………… School class sizes will be small in the fall

reopening NYC……… NYC opening up after Covid19 lockdown- IT going there?

“ get ya hair 💇🏽‍♀️💇🏼‍♂️cut” …………… hmmmm hair salon open

“ 🙋‍♂️🙋‍♀️🍺 “ ………… Everyone excited for the pubs to open - PW said he was

Rachel for president?? …………… LC said IT has presidential ambitions

archificial daddy day?? ……… hmmm no father’s day cause no real Archie

spotted in St Johns Wood………PH seen there? St John’s Wood An affluent district of leafy residential streets, St John’s Wood is known for Lord’s Cricket Ground, the headquarters of English cricket and a venue for domestic and international matches. The Beatles made many recordings at Abbey Road Studios and fans use the crosswalk outside to recreate the iconic album cover for photo ops. Boutique stores and chic eateries dot St John’s Wood High Street.London borough: Westminster; CamdenLondon Assembly: West Central; Barnet and CamdenPostcode district: NW8Sovereign state: United Kingdom

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3 notes · View notes