#giving very much marina and the diamonds

[starkcontrasts]

anakin skywalker is Next Level Pretty and i consider it a great travesty that neither the prequels nor tcw discussed this enough

#blah blah but where would we find the time between the violent moodswings and murder and sith plotting #bitch idgaf look at him!! he is objectively so beautiful!! find the time!! #there were not enough crises over anakin skywalker being too handsome for his own good #fucking criminal that #he should've been making ppl reevaluate their sexuality left and right!! #hayden's smile alone is spontaneous proposal material #giving very much marina and the diamonds #star wars #sw #anakin skywalker #darth vader #the hero with no fear #the chosen one

[sulumuns-dootah]

WHB HC's - Gehenna demons

A/N: I'm not that far into the game, so some of this might be ooc to the game, but i based this off of what I've seen + Ars Goetia (Solomon's book of demons)

⟡ Masterlist ⟡

Characters: Satan, Sitri, Belial, Leraye, Astaroth, Zagan, Paimon

      ༺☆༻

Satan

Definitely has Gen Z humour

His necklace is a gift from Solomon

If Satan and Beelzebub happen to be at the same pub, they eventually end up having drinking competition

When he's depressed, the only ones he'll allow near him are Sitri and Ppyong

His playlist mostly contains metal and rock (He also has a secret playlist with pop music, but if you find out, he'll kill you right on the spot)

      ༺☆༻

Sitri

He has only one horn, because he gave the other to Solomon

Knows his dining etiquette and glares at anyone who does something wrong, including Satan

Loves watching horror movies with MC just to hear their heartbeat, but gets nightmares afterwards

Enjoys mixing batter for baking, but absolutely hates the rest of steps

A big fan of Edgar Allan Poe

      ༺☆༻

Belial

Frequently forgets to take Jiyu off his horn before shower

Secretly uncomfortably stares at everyone around him (Like we all do when we have sunglasses on)

I imagine his personality being just like Belphegor from Obey Me

Has a collection of plushies on his bed and a fully decked out dollhouse where Jiyu sleeps

Loves classical music, but also has few playlists with indie and symphonic metal

      ༺☆༻

Leraye

Would rather prefer bow and arrow than a gun, but bows don't have as much range

As an offering from mortals, he prefers fire water (=rainwater collected during storm with chilli)

Every teddy bear body on his outfit has a name

At first I was gonna say he loves playing darts, but he strikes more as a chess guy

Very competitive

      ༺☆༻

Astaroth

Loves gossip and secrets

In Ars Goetia it says his breath is toxic and I kinda like that idea

Always has a smut book on hand and sometimes he can be seen reading during battles

During sex the viper stays on (or even participates)

Gives really good advices

      ༺☆༻

Zagan

Favorite beverage is wine

Can move silently if he wishes to

Unlike Astaroth, you can actually trust him with your secrets

Absolute cuddle-bear

Actually kinda sassy and sarcastic at times

      ༺☆༻

Paimon

Complete Asmodeus from Obey Me energy, definitely follows him on Devilgram

Always wins the popularity contest despite the not being held one

If you introduced them to human music, they would love Marina & the Diamonds

Good friends with Zagan due to his Wine-to-Blood ability

Loves singing and has an amazing singing voice

#what in hell is bad #prettybusy what in “hell” is bad? #prettybusy #whb satan #whb sitri #whb belial #whb leraye #whb astaroth #whb zagan #whb paimon

[thekatebridgerton]

Eight deadly sins: Bridgerton partners edition

Companion piece to my 8 deadly sins Bridgerton siblings edition. So let's get started

Kate: Wrath

I think I chose her as Wrath because its the driving force behind most of her actions in TVWLM. Take playing pall mall, she doesn't want to win, she just wants Anthony to lose. Anthony pisses her off so much during their book that her almost in perpetual state of annoyance drives most of the actions she takes and also, it is often mentioned in later books, how much Anthony dreads making his wife angry. If you ask me, out of both of them it's Kate who has a tiny bit of an anger management problem. ( She's capable of ruining Maria Rosso whole career in a pique of annoyance, just sayin)

Sophie: Lust

Self explanatory. Sophie spent her entire book acutely aware that her lust for Benedict was a particularly terrible weakness of hers and as such she guarded herself against sleeping with him with all trough thick and thin. So much that when she does fall into bed with Benedict it makes her feel like she betrayed herself and makes her want to immediately run away from the situation.

Penelope: Pride

Penelope's pride was what ultimately led to her downfall. So proud of Lady Whistledown, so happy to have made a name for herself right under the ton's nose, so confident nobody would ever figure it out. Penelope likes being the smartest person in the room, she likes the invisible power her secret gives her. So much that the moment Cressida tried to take credit for LW Penelope's pride wouldn't let her get away with it! And her hurt pride also leads her to lash out at Colin when he discovers her secret. It's her life work! She's not going to let anyone minimize what she's achieved

Simon: Vanity

He does think he's hottest snack in the room and needs protection from matchmaking mamas. No Seriously all jokes aside, for someone that insecure, he does have a very high opinion of himself that borders on vanity. Simon has worked all his life to build his public image, to hide the parts of him that his father deemed undersirable and cultivate an image of aristocratic aloofness. It's Daphne seeing past all that, which makes Simon break character and start liking her

Phillip: Sloth

More like, he was content with the bare minimum, before Eloise came into his life. Most of Phillip's sins in TSPWL can be blamed on inaction, some because he didn't know what to do,(deal with the aftermath of Marina's death) others because he was too passive to actually do what needed to be done (take charge of the raising of his children) Phillip is content with inaction, with isolation and distance. That's all he's ever known. At least until Eloise lights a fire under him and pushes him to make things right

Michael: Gluttony

I guess I put Michael in this category because Gluttony is the sin of overindulgence and he's the merry rake. Michael is an overindulgent person, not just in Francesca's eyes, but also in the eyes of everyone else. Which makes it ironic that the only thing he's had restraint in, has been his desire for Francesca.

Gareth: Greed

His greed comes in good faith okay. We still love him. But truth be told he still has to replenish his family fortune by marrying an heiress and he's still looking for the family diamonds for this reason. Gareth's greed is ultimately channeled into healthy outlets but we all know that had lady Danbury left him to his own devices, he would undoubtedly have married for money

Lucy: Envy

Like Gregory, Lucy ended up getting envy by process of elimination. Which is fitting considering that while she doesn't Envy anyone's life, she does envy the fact that they have a choice in the outcome of said life. Lucy's entire life has been controlled by her uncle while Hermione and Gregory did grow up with families that let them have a choice in how they wanted their lives to be. Even Richard has more choices than she does. And Lucy envies them for this. Not to the point of wishing anyone ill, but yes to the point of trying to make sure the people she loves don't squander the chances they got, because she doesn't get to have those chances

An: honestly this post was hard because I do think all the Bridgerton partners are Angelic beings who have done nothing wrong. Still I did my best with the prompt

#bridgerton #simon basset #Kate Sharma #sophie beckett #penelope featherington #sir philip crane #7 deadly sins au

[argumentativeaxolotl]

More Cars(humanized) headcannons bc the Formula 1 race is tomorrow and there’s something wrong with me‼️‼️‼️

This is gonna be more on like family headcannons lol

Lightning McQueen:

- he was raised in an orphanage, bouncing from home to home in Florida where he grew up

- he never really had a family growing up nor did he have close friends because he was constantly moving

- Mater was his first real best friend

- He’s abominable socially(he’s jus a little bit too much like meeeee. Yes that is a Marina & the Diamonds reference sue me)

- Doc was his first ever good, permanent father figure

- Mack is 100% Lightning’s older brother figure

- Lightning is very awkward in every familial situation you can think of since he doesn’t have too much experience. The folks in Radiator Springs claim him as their’s.

- Lightning thinks of Luigi and Guido as fun, foreign uncles

- He thinks of Flo and Ramone as the cool aunt and uncle

- Sheriff is another uncle-figure

- he sees Strip as a father figure as well

- Sarge and Fillmore are 100% the warring brothers/bickering older couple due to their varying lifestyles

- Lizzie is seen as the absolutely ancient grandmother

- He sees some of his friends as brothers(Cal, Bobby, Junior, etc)

- Red is seen as a cousin to Lightning

Chick Hicks:

- His father is a right dickhead(this is canon)

- he had a brother who used to race, but died on the track leaving Chick as the only heir of the Hicks racing legacy

- His father is an alcoholic

- His mother died while giving birth to him, yet she loved him anyways

- his mother was in the army or marines at some point and the only thing he has left are a few dated photos and her dog tags

- He was raised by his older brother, yet because of his father’s horrendous tendencies Chick grew to be more like him than his brother

- Chick’s dad is a failed racer who never made it big and was known for crashing his cars. He cared very little for Chick, blaming him and believing that Chick was the reason his wife died

- He sees his Pit Crew as his close associates and friends(his Pit Crew see him as their brother/son)

Strip Weathers:

- His brother and sister-in-law(Cal’s parents) died in a car accident leaving a 11-12-year-old Cal with Strip and Lynda

- Strip adores Cal, sees him as his own son

- He kind of sees Lightning(and Bobby) as a surrogate son too. Especially since Lightning and Cal are friends

- He comes from an extremely wealthy family with two very long lines of racing dating back decades

- Despite being rich, he and his parents had a strained relationship at best(Strip was more of a rebellious kid back in his teens and younger years) so his parents pulled a Prince Naveen and cut him off from his wealth to teach him a lesson. This is when Strip picked up racing and began to make a name for himself

- Neither he nor Lynda ever wanted kids and then Cal came into their lives and they were like “he’s our son and if anybody says otherwise they will feel the fury of GOD.”

- Tex is like a brother to him and they met in high school then went to the same college and even lived together at one point. They are the bros of all time

Doc Hudson:

- He has no living relatives left except maybe like a random cousin or something

- Lightning is his son and he will fight anyone who says otherwise

- Sally is like a daughter to him

- He adores all the residents within Radiator Springs and treats them all as his family

- He came from an extremely poor family and started off as a mechanic under his dad’s wing then he started to race and he was really good

- his dad scraped enough money for Doc to go to his first race, gaining the attention for several well-known sponsors at the time

#cars 2006 #cars 1 #chick hicks #human lightning mcqueen #humanized cars #lightning mcqueen #doc hudson #humanization #strip weathers #human au #human chick hicks #human doc hudson #chick hicks headcanon #headcanons #lightning mcqueen headcanon #headcanon #humanized strip weathers #strip weathers headcanon #humanized doc hudson #doc hudson headcanon #i’m tired #it’s 1am #this is dumb #family #family headcanons

[fanderstuckin2018]

Ok this has been sitting in my mind for literally five years, so…

A PsychoAnalysis of Roman Sanders’ Playlist

It has two distinct vibes which I think encapsulates Roman PERFECTLY. Especially considering that he is a representative of Thomas’s theatre (🎭) profession.

Category one: flamboyant primadonna (did u see what I did there? Hehehe) Examples are

Flamboyant, Dorian Electra

Primadonna, Marina and the Diamonds

Holdin Out for a Hero, Bonnie Tyler

Etc. All of these songs are very upbeat, feel-good songs. They boost the ego in a sense, and give a very badass kind of energy. A “no one can touch me” sort of vibe. It’s what I believe represents Roman’s “mask” of being theatrical, stubborn and prideful. What he puts up to make it seem like nothing is wrong, so no one has to worry over him and discover his “flaws.”

Second category: I believe in you (please believe in me) Fanfic ass title but ykw it captures the vibe

These are songs like

Broadway Here I Come!

Dreamer, LaPeer

Paving the Runway, JJ Heller

Go, Keith Tutt Ii

These all have a very melancholy, longing feeling to them. A theme through each of them is not being good enough, trying to reach your dreams despite being put down constantly, and having to do things on your own to achieve greatness. This is representative of his true feelings beneath that mask. The fact that he’s not being listened to by the rest of the Sides and is essentially made the butt of the joke is proof that being reduced to such is hurting him.

When I was listening to this category of songs, I was taken aback how much I felt loved hearing them. It was such a 360, from Primadonna to something like Paving the Runway. It truly feels like you are being hugged by these songs. (Maybe the last three more so than the first.)

The last three are important. They are the last three songs on Roman’s playlist, which I assume to be the most recently added ones. Which means that his feelings of depression and loneliness have only been growing worse.

Anyways, this is just an analysis of Roman’s playlist. Maybe I’ll analyze the others lol. I listen to Virgil’s on a weekly basis, so if anything, he’d be up next. I hope this guy gets some attention soon, bc lord knows he’s been screaming for it for five years now LMAO.

#sanders sides #thomas sanders #virgil sanders #roman sanders #patton sanders #sanders sides playlist #thomas and friends #ts sides #tss #thatsthats24 #Dee's Theories

[dollypopup]

Marina, Polin, and the False Narrative of Good Intentions

or: Fanon has Failed You

we're taking a real deep dive, babes.

bring a snorkel

Episode 1:

We are introduced to Bridgerton, Lady Whistledown first. She has the very first lines, talking about the new debutantes coming before the queen. Penelope expresses immense nervousness about this, even after Prudence faints and she writes of the blunder in her sheet, likely grateful she doesn't have to spend too much time on herself when she can highlight Prudence's fainting. In the very first mention of Marina, it's a conversation between Portia and Lady Cowper, about how Portia is taking Marina, a 'distant cousin of my husband's' in as an act of 'charity'. LC replies that she has always been quite charitable, which Portia exclaims is what Lady Whistledown should have written about, instead of 'erroneously writing that she shall only have three ladies under her care.'

That's when Penelope comes to Portia with a plea, using Marina's upcoming arrival as an excuse for her to defer.

"Unless you should like to have only 3 young ladies under your care, I should gladly sit this season out." "Penelope is nervous" "I am not nervous, Mama-" "What she is is two stone heavier than she aught to be." Phillipa: "Mmm, those blemishes on her face are quite difficult to conceal. Perhaps some lead and arsenic would help" "Should you allow me to defer but a year, just as Lady Bridgerton has done for Eloise, I may remain dedicated to my studies"

she is denied. Portia dismisses Marina to Lady Cowper, talking about how she couldn't be competition with her daughters. Marina walks in and Penelope, as though in relief, says "Oh, she's beautiful."

Because Penelope, as of this moment, only sees Marina as a tool with which to get what she wants: invisibility. We know that's what she wants based on her and Eloise's conversation in the daffodils, in which she tells her

Penelope: "No one truly notices me. I suppose that is what I like. When you are invisible, you can have all the amusement you want without any of the expectations popularity brings. It. . .frees you.” Eloise: “Do you think that is why Whistledown remains anonymous?” Penelope: “Perhaps.”

Lady Whistledown and Marina, in this moment in time, have the exact same purpose: they serve as shields. Shields that keep Penelope from being seen, from being noticed, and hopefully to give her more time. Penelope is grateful for this, LW starts taking shots at the Queen by taking shots at Daphne, saying she was falling from the grace of being named the diamond. Instead, she thrusts Marina to the forefront of the ton, declares her the true diamond, and sits relatively gratefully through Marina's flurry of attention.

Until it comes to Colin. The scene in the Featherington drawing room in which Colin comes to Penelope after calling on Marina and says it's a 'most dreadful sonnet indeed', to which she quips her famous 'Lord Byron he is not', thus making Colin laugh before he bids her good day, and she looks at him on his way out. This has often been discussed as a scene in which Penelope is starstruck that she made him laugh, but I propose something else.

This?

This is a look of concern and sadness.

What Lady Cowper had said had been foreshadowing, now Marina is literal competition for the center of Penelope's affections.

Which, let's give him some POV here

Let's talk Colin

Even in episode one, Penelope at the ball was watching Colin, a look which is mirrored later on by how Colin looks at Marina for the first time, asking who she is. He quickly joins the dance floor right next to her, clearly curious. Curiosity is a huge part of Colin's character that often gets overlooked, in fact. His wanting to travel is rooted in it. His room is FULL of Greek mythology, the first place he visits is Greece. Colin is drawn to Marina's newness, and also how pretty she is. He likes her pretty naturally. And she also clearly likes him. Even after the other suitors slough off, Colin stays.

Marina isn't pretending, here. Look at her. She finds him funny, he's turned toward her. We find out later that she's been there for about a month, at this point. As far as Marina knows, she was sent there against her will, because she doesn't WANT to be with Portia and her snooty high society attitude. Even still, Colin acts as reprieve. He comes to visit her and cheers her, she likes a lot about him, in fact, as we learn later, but let's go back to episode 1, the now.

And then we see Marina accept (and mourn) the fact that she's pregnant.

This is why she didn't come to the Vauxhall Ball, claiming illness, and Varley brings Portia the clean sheets. Portia goes to confront Marina, she'd been there for over a month and hadn't bled, accuses her of 'revolting recklessness', says she'll keep it under wraps only so her own daughters won't suffer, and when Marina informs that she doesn't want any of this, in particular her hoity superiority, Portia slaps her.

Slaps her.

As horrible as Portia and the Featheringtons are to Penelope, they have never once laid a hand on her.

Marina is made Other from the first moment she walks on screen. She is unwelcome in the Featherinton house. Even Penelope really only cares about her insofaras she's useful. In fact, episode 1 is Penelope's first taste of what her debut would be like without Marina, and in it, Colin comes to her rescue when Cressida is being mean. Penelope didn't dance at the first ball Marina was at, but she *does* when Marina's gone.

For Marina, this is a horrible night. For Penelope, it's fantastic. Simon and Daphne even became a thing, and Penelope is seen observing them. Not only did she get to dance with Colin, but she also got her gossip. This proves she doesn't necessarily need or can utilize Marina as a shield.

From Episode 1, we see the start of the divide, even before anything else, the show pits them against one another.

Which takes us to Episode 2

We open with Penelope remarking that it is 'disturbing' and Phillipa and Prudence telling on her to Portia by informing that she has questions about Marina's condition. And then

"How did it happen, Mama? Is there to be a baby?"

"Why is Miss Thompson to be kept away?" "Because her condition is catching!" [to which Penelope responds with silent astonishment]

We then have her with Eloise, walking arm in arm as Eloise complains about Daphne and Simon, talking about how being pretty and having nice hair isn't an accomplishment, and that going to university is, essentially: a lament of societal misogyny. Penelope is not only clearly disengaged with her, but even exasperated. Eloise remarks that Penelope did not listen to a word she says, which is true, and Penelope ignores that, too, except to grab her by the elbow, and tell her that she knows someone with child, and that they're not married.

This conversation is comedic, yes, but it's also interesting considering we know Colin and Marina are involved, and that Penelope's curiosity for how Marina came to be with child (outside of the obvious practical reasons for wanting to know for her own sake) doesn't stem from friendship with Marina, but rather desire and curiosity for how it affects Colin.

"She is not married" "How did she become with child if she's not married?" "I do not know. But I will find out." "You must! Otherwise, how can we make sure it never happens to us? We have accomplishments to acquire."

Penelope, even here, knows that they don't want the same accomplishments. There's a rift forming here, too. Penelope is a year ahead of Eloise, already out in society, and she's writing Lady Whistledown. As far as she's concerned, her accomplishments are to get married. Her opinion of being out in society has changed: she still wants to be invisible, but not to stay with Eloise, but instead to continue Lady Whistledown, and perhaps get married. She says so later in the series, in which she tells Eloise that people have mature problems, problems more important than some silly writer, problems like getting married.

But to who?

Three guesses.

Colin's next scene is when Eloise asks how babies are made, to which he gives his classic 'Have you ever visited a farm?' response, and cheekily teases that he and Benedict are off to take their sticks out, 'for a round of fencing!' and once again, though comedic, it's also meant to serve a second function: he becomes a suspect. That's a very dramatic way to put it, I know, but as of now, it's not revealed who the other half of Marina's bun in the oven is, and it very well *could* be Colin.

A fact Penelope likely suspects. So, she MUST know how babies are made, because she agrees with Eloise on this: she does have accomplishments to acquire. I propose to us that instead of the 'Penelope was so selfless! She would have let Colin marry Marina so long as Marina wasn't lying to him and trying to trap him' narrative, something a bit more complicated is afoot

Penelope wants Colin. She knows she can't get involved in his current romance with Marina, but she wants him all the same. The dance they shared solidifies that for her. They're friends, she's been in love with him since she met him, and now she's *able* to get married. And she wants it to be to him.

And all her actions from there are stained with that information, including the final reveal.

It's in the middle of Episode 2, well over a month that Marina's been in Mayfair, that we have our first scene of Penelope and Marina together. We open with Marina reading letters, tearstained in her hands.

She hides them immediately under the blankets and Penelope comes in saying she found some sweets and that Marina might be able to eat them when everyone else was off at the Ball. Marina, gratefully, invites her into the room so that they may share, to which Penelope is clearly pleased.

"I hear they have decided not to send you home to your papa." "I dare say he is relieved. I can only imagine how he will react to- "Your condition? Marina, may I ask- how did it happen?"

Penelope didn't come to Marina out of the goodness of her heart at all. She came to get information. Because curiosity is also an inherit part of Penelope's character, just as it is for Colin. Penelope's reasons for wanting to know are three fold: for the sake of knowing (it's good information to have, knowing how babies are made), for Whistledown if it's a good story, and for Colin.

Marina goes on a beautiful story about George, and we, at the same time as Penelope, realize Marina is still in love with her soldier boy, who she believes is in Spain, and in a moment of immense trust, passes the letters to Penelope for her to read.

But Penelope is only relieved. It settles two of the three, clears Colin from being the father and provides her good information for Whistledown, which she doesn't get publish, likely realizing that all the secrecy means it's a big deal, but she still doesn't know how one comes to be with child.

She laments this with Eloise immediately after. Snarks that Marina said it was 'Love' and Elosie informing that made no sense, to which Penelope agrees, saying her mama had 3 children and love had nothing to do with it. Eloise then asks, in a moment of empathy no one else has granted Marina,

"Well, what else did she say? Was she not frightened?" "More. . .sad, than frightened. But there may be a chance for her to have a happy ending yet, I suppose. She wants to escape to the country where she and her love may marry."

At this, Penelope is happy. She's glad that Marina will be out of the way and also that Marina will get to be with someone else. She isn't cruel, she wishes Marina well.

She just doesn't wish Marina well with Colin.

Episode 3 has Penelope running mail errands for Marina since Marina's in confinement. With no letter in hand, she delivers her the bad news, to which Marina clearly is despondent, wondering when a letter from Spain would arrive. Penelope soothes her by informing that he's on the front lines and it's difficult for letters. "If your love is as great as your previous letters state, surely he will write back to you soon. Or perhaps even better, he is already on his way back to you here, to come and take you home."

Penelope takes on her mother after she's caught with Marina and scolded, saying that Marina's been there for ages, and it isn't fair. She leaves, and Portia insists that Marina find a husband. There is no choice for denial, here, Portia makes that clear, and Penelope takes the news unhappily from the door.

Looks like she isn't out of the woods, yet.

Because even underlying Penelope's compassion, there's a second motive. Penelope is just like Portia: she wants Marina gone, too. She just has a different, very contrasting way of accomplishing that goal, but she's making strides toward it.

She writes of Marina rejoining society, that she will be at the new exhibit. When Portia tries introducing Marina to an older man, she silently pleads for Penelope to help her and she tries to come to her rescue. In the end, Marina tells him off herself, and Penelope and Marina are united against Portia. As of now, there is nothing that really contests them. Even still, Marina acts as something of a shield for Penelope, something she is sure to notice. With Marina in the house, Penelope receives less of Portia's cruelty, and even when she's scolded, Marina gets worse of it.

As of now, Marina and Colin were a brief flirtation that took place at the beginning of her coming to Mayfair. She enjoyed his company, but she's also not suffering without it, clearly uninterested in rejoining society or getting a husband who isn't George. Being pregnant has given Marina a new dream: one in which a man she loves will return from war to help her raise their family. Even if she was open to a new love at the start of the season, she clearly doesn't care or wants to find a husband who isn't George. She tells Portia as much, that she will not bow down to Portia's schemes. She has a man who loves her, and she intends to marry him.

Portia is the instigator here, even though fandom has made Marina the villain. PORTIA insists Marina go out in society. PORTIA writes the fake letter. PORTIA is who twists Marina's arm, verbally and physically abuses her, and locks her up until she can foist her onto some decrepit man and be done with her. PORTIA is who speaks aloud Marina's doubts of George not loving her back because he hasn't sent a letter to her.

Even though Penelope and Portia's goals are the same, their methods are MILES apart. Penelope *does* have compassion for Marina, wants her to have her love story with George, and she tries to help her because she recognizes it as the path of least resistance. Portia meddles far too much, which is her downfall every time.

When a 'letter from Spain' arrives, Penelope brings it to Marina and nervously asks what it says. She's excited for the confirmation that George loves Marina back and that he'll come to take her away or marry her. When Marina falls heavily to the bed, crying, Penelope asks if he'd been wounded. Marina tells her that he pretends there was nothing between them, that he desires nothing to do with "our- my situation."

Look at the expression on Penelope's face, here.

As Marina sobs, wails, Penelope picks up the letters to read them for herself and Portia congratulates her and Varley for their efforts, justifying that Marina had to learn the truth of men, eventually.

And then we're halfway through the season

Marina starts this halfway point as a new woman. When she mourned the idea of George, she mourned a failed love story, and she also mourned herself. When she said 'My situation' she accepted that the only person who would truly help her out of this is herself. She's inspected by Lord Rutledge terribly, he asks to see her teeth as Portia gives an elevator pitch, essentially making it seem that Marina was defective but, look, she has some good parts, too! Marina informs that she's had suitors calling all week (so we return to the romance situation at the beginning with a wide net) and Portia informs they'll take too long, considering so much time has passed. That she needs someone who won't ask questions when a baby comes out 3 months early, even if they married her the next day.

Obviously, Marina's in a horrible situation. This is nightmare levels of awful. She's been abused in so many ways, treated terribly. I don't think anyone could blame her for being upset. Penelope asks her if she'd like her to stay in, but Marina refuses, and Penelope doesn't push it. [Sidenote, this is also when Albion Finch comes to call on Phillipa, and we see Portia 'rewarded' (in her mind) for her efforts in keeping Marina out. She tells Mr. Finch that Marina isn't taking visitors, but he informs he's here to see Phillipa, to which Portia expresses wonder. To her, where her entire motivation is getting her daughters married, having seen Marina as an obstacle in such, she is vindicated through this]

Penelope and Eloise have another conversation, in which Penelope listens to Eloise talking about the house being abuzz w/ Daphne's prospects, to which Penelope says 'well, she *has* to marry eventually' after Eloise says she wishes Daphne would stay on the shelf forever so that Eloise doesn't have to be next in line [Eloise seeing Daphne very similarly to how Penelope saw Marina, in that way]. Eloise laments that she wants to fly, then praises Lady Whistledown as a brilliant woman of business, praise Penelope soaks up.

Penelope guides Eloise away from her attempts to rope her into schemes unmasking LW (who we now know is Penelope herself) and Eloise says she can tell her Mama she's sick and that she's caught what Marina has. Penelope informs that Marina is recovering, and that "It would be cruel of me not to be by her side when she comes back out. I shall cheer you on your endeavors, however."

The question is: has Penelope truly formed a friendship with Marina, or does she have a second reason, once again, for being beside Marina and keeping an eye on her when she re-enters once more?

Well, it surely means nothing that the next scene is Penelope and Colin having yet another moment. Surely.

Marina, being dangled about and clearly unhappy on the floor. Penelope, looking out to the ballroom. Colin comes behind her, to her delight, and talks about the host being fussy. "Do you think if he goes to bed, we all have to leave?" he asks, making Penelope laugh and clearly glad that he did so. To Colin, he likely imagines this to be the end of the correspondence, but Penelope surprises him. Like the first time, she opens up to him, shows him her wit, and they have a moment of snark, looking at each other for a beat too long after he compliments her with 'What a barb!'

Who breaks the moment? Penelope does. She doesn't continue. She doesn't take the compliment and run with it, she doesn't prolong the conversation. She looks down, and Colin changes the subject, sensing she's perhaps uncomfortable, or at least done with the moment, and says he's been trying to get in front of Marina all night, and Penelope says all Marina's interested in is a swift rescue, which inspires Colin to go after her.

This is their first moment together since her confinement, we know since he asks how she is, and from jump he gives her an out from a man who treats her like a piece of meat, and he makes a joke right away to ease her. Colin here is exactly to Marina as Colin was to Penelope when Cressida threw her drink on her: he's the knight in shining armor, and he likes it that way. Charm dialed up to ten, he and Marina re-hit it off immediately, and she's grateful to him. Tells him to spin her off and maybe she'll recover.

And Colin does. He spins her over and over again, in circles around the entire dancefloor, and Marina smiles, and Marina grins, and Marina laughs, something we haven't seen her do since she's thrown in confinement.

Can we blame her for wanting Colin? For falling for him? Very often we talk about how he was her only option, but the truth is that Marina liked Colin from the start, and she likes him here, too. She just found out that a man she'd been in love with is forsaking her, wants nothing to do with her. She's been inspected and slapped and degraded. And Colin is kind. Colin is genuine and earnest and fun. Colin brings her to life, again. She gushes about him to Penelope as soon as they're home.

And Penelope hates it.

Her problems are not that Marina is trapping Colin. She doesn't care about the logistics of the ruse. She tells Marina anyone but Colin. It isn't that Marina's pregnant, and it isn't that Marina lies.

It's that it's Colin. Penelope wants Colin and Marina wants him, too.

And that brings them back to where they started. It didn't matter what empathy and compassion they'd cultivated: Penelope is not Marina's friend. Penelope had *never* been Marina's friend. She was her ally insofar as Marina was going to live a story that left Penelope free for her own happily ever after with Colin, and as cruel as it is, it gives Penelope DEPTH. She is not just an altruistic darling willing to watch a man she loves marry her cousin. She does literally EVERYTHING she can to keep it from happening. That's her motive. He's her motive. It's Penelope's love for Colin and her hopes that they can be together that leads her to expose Marina.

In this conversation, she tries anew. Her hopes on George now dashed, and the confinement period over, Penelope tries to sway Marina by making Colin seem like a bad match. She can't think of negative qualities to counter Marina's compliment-fest (kind, funny, excellent with children), but informs that Colin is too young to marry. That she needs someone to propose soon. And Marina says he's not like other young men, that he's eager, that he saved her, that she thinks he will propose soon.

What Penelope never says is that everything Marina thinks of Colin, Penelope already knows. She knows Colin is funny, and kind, and an accomplished dancer, and excellent with children, and that he saved her, too, at Vauxhall, and that Marina opened up to her so she'll open up the same but she doesn't: she never once tells Marina that she loves him.

Because Penelope is not Marina's friend. But Marina *is* Penelope's. She says she'll be able to stay in town, gleeful that since Penelope is close to Eloise, so they will remain friends, as sisters. Marina doesn't see the secondary motives in Penelope's actions, trying to steer her away from Colin, nor does she assume anything of Penelope. How could she? Penelope has been nothing but nice to her in a house of cruelty. Penelope doesn't deride her, Penelope doesn't hit her, and Penelope helped her with George.

But Penelope doesn't want her there, same as everyone else in Featherington House. And she doesn't necessarily want Marina to be happy. She wants Marina to be out of the picture. She'd prefer if that was with her happy, but she doesn't need Marina's wellbeing. Just her absence. Or, at the very least, she's going move bitch, get out the way.

She begins thinking of how that will happen immediately after Marina leaves. She paces her room until Eloise throws rocks at her window, and this is when we get their fight.

Eloise comes with a theory about Lady Whistledown , going on and on about what she believes, and Pen cuts her off.

"Eloise I do not care! People have real problems, mature problems, problems that have nothing to do with the secret identity of some silly writer." "And you are so mature now?" "Well I am of age, I am out in society, therefore I have more important, mature things to worry about." "Like what?" "Like marriage," "You should not care about marriage.: "What if I do? I cannot expect you to understand, not everyone can be a pretty Bridgerton!"

Eloise runs off and Penelope immediately regrets it, because her fury isn't at Eloise, but rather projecting her frustrations at Marina and Colin's blossoming relationship at Eloise. When Penelope says she cares about marriage, that is only a half truth. She cares about marriage to Colin. Very specifically to Colin.

Episode 5 sees more of the same. When Colin comes to visit Marina, Penelope is displeased. She looks on as Colin brings Marina flowers, and Marina finds them beautiful. This is not a woman who would humbly have allowed Colin to marry whoever would make him happy, a selfless woman who had nothing but the best intentions toward Colin and Marina's love story.

She doesn't care if Colin would be happy with Marina. She wants him to be happy with her.

And listen to me very clearly: I like her more for it. Yeah, I said it. Oh, it would be easy if Penelope was a sweet darling, an innocent doll who tragically falls on the sword, wanting nothing more than for her dear friend to live a beautiful love story with someone who would appreciate him. No. She believes, knows Colin would be happier with her (and, ultimately, she ends up being right in that regard) and she wants him to be with her, not with Marina. This is not an excuse for Penelope. She doesn't do good things. Her intentions are not noble. What she wants is self-serving and how she goes about it is underhanded and secretive and manipulative. And I. Like. Her. For. It. Enough of the narrative that Marina was a villain, an antagonist in Penelope's love story.

Penelope was the antagonist in Marina's.

But she is also the hero in her own. From the very beginning, the narrative made it a one or the other situation. Even when they were friends, they weren't really friends. But through it all, Marina had no idea.

Because Penelope never told her.

She spoke in circles, said Colin loved to travel, encouraged him to do so in front of Marina, said Marina didn't like tomatoes when Colin joked that he'd bring her some as a surprise to break up the monotony of bouquets. Both Colin and Marina are surprised that she's saying anything in this scene, Marina moreso than him, because she thinks Penelope is her friend and would encourage this. Penelope knows how much Marina likes Colin, and how important time is with her situation. Marina gives her the 'girl, what are you doing????' face when Penelope clearly encourages Colin to travel. Colin informs that some things in London he'd want to see more than the world, and looks at Marina. They share a moment and Penelope rushes off after her mother for Plan. . .is it D, at this point? Plan D.

Penelope recognizes Marina and Colin like each other, so she goes to her mum. asks if it's a smart decision. She feigns caring for Marina. That she is ONLY worried because Colin is young and he's years off from marriage (which she doesn't really believe, or she wouldn't be saying anything) and that Marina simply doesn't have that kind of time.

It does what she wants. Portia comes to Marina, doubling down on Lord Rutledge, saying she has until Saturday to accept his proposal. Marina refuses, clearly disliking him, and Portia admonishes her.

"Is this about Mr. Bridgerton?" "He likes me! He will propose to me, I'm sure of it." "That boy is barely out of leading strings, he has two older brothers and they're still running from the yoke. You are to cut Colin Bridgerton immediately, or I will lock you in this very room until Lord Rutledge makes you his wife."

Marina's smart, she makes a deal. She recognizes how a marriage to Colin could do a world of good for Portia's daughters, and she pleads for just a few days. Before Saturday. That he would propose. And it's only now, in this moment, that Marina makes a plan that has anything to do with Colin. Only after already liking him and envisioning a second chance romance with him, and having a good life with him.

It isn't that Colin's her only other choice. Marina had several unhappy choices. But Colin is the choice she *wants* to make. She has a time limit now, hence the deception, but it's rooted in her attraction to him. "You will seduce him." is what Portia says, but for Marina, it's not as dramatic as all that. She already likes Colin. and Colin already likes her. So maybe they speed it all along, but it's not made through falsification.

But for Penelope, who listens at the door, this is now the proof that it's becoming serious, and that this plan, too, won't work.

Plan E, it is. Chuck her off to anyone new. See what sticks. She points out multiple men at the next ball they're at as prospects. This is Marina's face when Penelope described him as pleasant.

and then that another has kind eyes. To which Marina replies, honestly, rather relatably. That she doesn't know them or care about any of them, and that she's looking for Colin.

Only now. In the middle of Episode 6, just about at the 11th hour, does Penelope ask Marina not to pick him. This is the first time. That she can do this to anyone else. She attempts Plan H: a plea for morality. That she doesn't want him to be tricked and deceived. That she's known him forever. That Marina shouldn't do this to a good man, but Marina asks if Penelope would rather she marry a bad man, then.

And the truth is, Penelope would. Penelope would rather that Marina marry a bad man than marry Colin, Penelope would rather Marina do anything rather than marry Colin. Because this entire situation is all born because Penelope loves him.

This is her way of fighting for him. It's not her way of being altruistic, it's not her way of wanting to help him, it's her way of ensuring her own happily ever after. And no, that's not a 'Penelope is such a darling angel baby' take, but it IS a human one.

And the worst of it is that Marina would have backed off of Colin if Penelope just said something earlier. Think about how their friendship was. Penelope could have informed Marina that she liked Colin when Marina was gushing about George. She could have opened up. Or when Marina was getting suitors again after her re-debut in society. Marina was rife with suitors. She liked Penelope. But Penelope never spoke up. There was an entire month and a half Penelope could have talked to Marina, and then another in her confinement.

But Marina only realizes Penelope doesn't actually support her after Penelope says not to do this to a good man. That Penelope isn't happy for her in the least. She assures Penelope that she'll be a good wife to him, that he'll be good to her in return, and that, really, it isn't Penelope's business. Which it isn't except for the fact that she makes it her business. Lord Rutledge gets engaged, and Colin becomes Marina's last way out. But, let's be real: he was was also the only one she wanted to entertain.

Oh, my sweet, darling baby boy. Earnest describes him to a T. He doesn't know he's the rope in Marina and Penelope's tug of war (hell, Marina doesn't even know someone else is pulling for him), and he gets denied a narrative in so much of this. When Marina says she's feeling faint and to find someplace more private, Colin doesn't even THINK she has alternative motives. He's concerned, takes her to a different room.

Watching this scene, you see how utterly endearing he is. He leaves the door open until she encourages him to close it, which he does post haste. He smiles at her and keeps a respectable distance. He's truly been raised to be a gentleman, and he clearly respects her. When she says they shouldn't be alone together, he finally realizes what she wants from him. When she takes a step toward him, it's subtle, but he leans back. Gets nervous. Steels his face, drops his expression. When she goes in for the kiss, he makes a few minute jerks forward, for a grand total of 2 and a half seconds, and then cuts it all off.

"You are a Lady. I must maintain your honor. And mine. No matter how. . .tempting, otherwise."

Marina, after hearing this, is stupefied. Tells him he's right. That she's a lady. She's unmarried. And he is. . .a gentleman.

And she knows Penelope is right. That he's good. She just didn't know how good Colin actually is. And in this moment, she accepts her lot. She walks away. Her last chance, her last option, and upon realizing that Colin is kind and earnest and a good, honorable person, she agrees with Penelope. She doesn't want to lie to him, to trick him, she's about to let him go. But Colin offers her to marry him, and she accepts.

Because wouldn't you? Wouldn't anybody?

Hell, her exact words are "I would be delighted to marry you." and she means it. Not as a last resort, but genuinely. We don't do Colin enough justice in this romance.

He goes on about how their long engagement is romantic, that she deserves a grand celebration, and you can tell she enjoys that, but also that she knows she'll never have it. This is where she realizes how different they are, that he's a dreamer and she's a pragmatist. And that she'll have to change his mind but can't ask for it outright.

Marina has affection for Colin. Even in season 2 we can see that, when she rightfully tells him they're in the past and that he should focus on those in his life who already make him happy. How could she not have affection for him when he's genuinely so fucking good?

And speaking of, the way he defends her to Anthony still remains one of the hottest scenes Colin takes part in. When he says he's marrying Marina for love, and not because he compromised her, he means that. When he calls Anthony an ass for insisting he go to brothels and that his interest in Marina is just lust, he's genuinely offended. Anthony says that Violet is distraught and that he won't give Colin his blessing,

"Sorry to disappoint you." "You have. In so many ways."

Colin goes to see his mum immediately after. He takes her hand and, without saying it, he all but screams 'why don't you see me?' Reminds he was courting Marina all season after Violet says she was glad she knew before Whistledown. That she was too wrapped up in Daphne to notice.

Colin wants to be seen, to be taken seriously, and it really is, as of that moment, that the only people who do so outwardly are Marina and Pen. The difference between them isn't down to looks or attitude or anything like that at all: Marina pursues Colin, she makes it clear she's interested, and Penelope doesn't. It's her greatest character flaw and the crux of her story, that she never says what she wants, that she doesn't speak up for herself. Eloise even points it out about her (and you know in friend fights they cut deep). only when she learns to speak aloud what she wants does she get her love story and happiness in society.

Penelope is near in tears when Colin announces his engagement to Marina. But the thing about Penelope is that she's persistent.

As she walks in to Marina, Prudence, and Phillipa talking about how all their fortunes are about to change with the new engagement, Penelope snarks 'Especially Colin's' to which Marina replies by complimenting her, saying she looks lovely. Penelope replies not to mock her, and Marina says

"Do not mock me." "It pains me you should think every compliment a mockery." "Do not pity me either." "I do not pity you, Penelope. I respect you. You have been a true friend since I arrived here, and I rely on your continued friendship and sympathy." "My continued silence, you mean? You think so little of me I cannot bear it. I never would have made my way through this awful tangle without your kindness. Please, do not tell me you regret it." "I would never bring scandal to you or our family if that is what you ask. But I cannot condone your actions." "I want you as my friend, Pen. Can you not try to understand and be a little pleased for me?"

Marina leaves for her modiste appointment and Phillipa talks about how they'd make beautiful babies together, to which Prudence laughs and reminds that he's not the father. Penelope snaps at them, saying Marina makes a fool of Colin already, but

but

does she not do the same to him when she outs the information later on? I like Penelope, and I ship Polin. In fact, I ship Polin exclusively, in the sense that I don't actually ship Colin or Penelope with anyone else, but this entire season is proof of Penelope's fuck ups with Marina and with Colin, both, and her justification for her actions, a thing Portia also does. She goes deeper and deeper into her disregard for Marina. Marina wants Penelope as a friend but Penelope doesn't care about Marina to that extent, even from the beginning. As Portia and Marina become more entwined in their joined ruse, Penelope sets her hopes on Violet noticing that Marina is pregnant, but Violet does her best to welcome Marina to the family, wanting to do right by Colin.

So, there goes plan G. Dire straits, then. Penelope finally has a moment alone with Colin. I've talked about the scene in which she tries to 'tell him' in a different meta, and this is already so impossibly long, but long story is that Penelope still doesn't say what she really means here. There's a narrative that Colin doesn't listen to her, but all season he listens to her. And all season, she never says what she actually wants to. When she tells him that Marina loves someone else, Colin assures he would be a hypocrite if it mattered to him that she had a romance before him. (good for you, bb boi) She doesn't tell him Marina's pregnant, which she writes in LW later on, but skirts around the subject until those precious few moments are gone.

And she lies. She says Marina loves George, still, but Marina has accepted that George wants nothing to do with her. Whether she loves him or not is outside of Penelope's knowledge. She just wants to throw whatever she can at the wall and see if it sticks, see if it breaks the engagement, and still have Colin look at her with fond eyes after the fact.

When Marina discovers them in the hallway, it's hard not to sympathize with her. She's soft when she tells Penelope Portia is looking for her, and she looks so tired. Colin apologizes for Anthony being so rude at dinner, and Marina confides in him. That her own father doesn't want her. That the Featheringtons cannot wait to be rid of her. That she thought she'd find acceptance with his family, but that was a foolish thought.

And she's right. Marina is, for all intents and purposes, fully alone. She has no one in her corner save herself. And save for Colin.

"Even your mother is just being polite." "I shall be your family, now. We shall make our own family, you and me."

And Marina wants that. So deeply, she wants that. With Colin, there's acceptance. She isn't trying to manipulate him, here, she's just hurt. Penelope has her own reasons, she loves Colin, he's a dear friend, and she doesn't want to see him hurt, and she wants him to be with her, but Marina's reasons are also poignant. Colin is the only person who made her welcome in the ton and continues to do so. Once Penelope turns her back on Marina, she just has him. And in his desire to do right by her, offers to elope.

When she says "I love you" to Colin, she's not lying. She's not trying to trick him, as is so often discussed. Is it an everlasting love? No. Is it a nonproblematic love? No. But she certainly loves what he's done for her, how he makes her feel, and she has admiration for who he is as a person. That's love, too.

This is the face of a relieved woman. Not a woman who just lied and schemed reveling in her success. This is a woman looking up to heaven, thanking God for this second chance. Just LOOK at her

We come back to Penelope, then, the day after, who feigns being sick and then runs to ransack Marina's room, looking for George's letters. (so to all the people mad at Eloise for rummaging through Penelope's room, well. . .I hope that same 'it's an invasion of privacy!' applies here, as well) Instead, she finds her duffel packed and knows they're going to elope. She searches more for George's letters and finds them, realizing one is forged.

So, Penelope waits for Marina, in her room, with the falsified letters (Plan I?), to inform her that the letter that broke Marina's heart was a forgery. She has proof that her mama faked the signature. Marina informs that it doesn't matter. George never replied to her letters.

"He has abandoned me. While Colin has embraced me." "I thought you loved him. George." "I was a fool. This changes nothing."

To which Penelope is aghast, watching Marina burn the letters, and when she asks what she'll do when Colin discovers, Marina is truthful. That she will live safe in the knowledge that Colin is a good and kind man, as he has proven to be, and that he'll take care of her and her baby. Which brings us to:

"What of him? What of Colin?"

And do I think some part of this truly is Penelope caring about Colin and his ultimate happiness? Yes. She does want what's best for him, and she does care deeply for him, but the truth of the matter is that in this, she's not doing it for him. Penelope is doing it for her. And that makes it more interesting. At every turn, every single one, Colin shows that he's infatuated w/ Marina. That he loves her, even. Nothing about his actions signify any different. And maybe it's not true love, and maybe it's a bid for him to feel useful, to feel listened to, to be taken seriously, but it's still how he feels.

The only person suffering, here, is Penelope. And Marina recognizes it for what it is. When she tells Penelope that her love is an unrequited fantasy, she has no reason to think otherwise. Penelope never opened up to her, all her criticisms are now revealed as her wanting Colin from jump, and Penelope all but said aloud she and Marina aren't friends. Marina told her to get out of her relationship, and none of us can pretend that we wouldn't do the same. Penelope is acting as though Marina is a scourge on Colin, but all Colin has done is make Marina feel cared for and wanted. We don't give him enough credit, I swear, because the reality is that how Colin is with Marina is a glimpse into how he loves. If he can forgive Marina lying to him for a good reason, he can forgive Penelope lying to him for a good reason. Marina was never Colin's endgame. Not once. It was always going to be Penelope.

And it's to show that Colin is a good man who fights for his partner, who listens, who has empathy, who wants to bring cheer, who jokes, who is wide-hearted and romantic, who puts his feelings in his hands and reaches out palms first. Give him his flowers. He was a real one with Marina. Through and through and he's gonna be a real one with Penelope. A real one to the max. This is Colin's baseline and it'll only dial up with Pen when we reunite in Season 3 but for now-

Marina says she'll be the executioner of Penelope's childish fantasy of loving Colin, but it's Penelope who's the executioner. Because even though she comes running to Eloise, even though she sobs and cries and did so much to ensure what she didn't want to happen wouldn't happen, in the end, ultimately, Penelope chooses herself. She doesn't choose Colin, she doesn't choose Marina.

Penelope chooses Penelope.

And she exposes Marina's secret. And she breaks up the engagement. By force. "Perhaps she thought she had no other option. Or perhaps she knows no shame." which is what Penelope wrote of Marina, also applies to herself in this case. When she sobs with Eloise, she's hurt by what Marina says to her, yes, but she's not weeping to mourn Colin and her one day maybe love story with him. Because she doesn't believe Marina, she doesn't think it's an unrequited fantasy. Why else expose Marina?

No, she's mourning herself. Mourning the person she one thought herself to be, and how that isn't the person that she is, that she would and can use Whistledown to get what she wants, that she has power, and how she would throw her own family and even herself under the bus for just the HOPE of her love story, and that all her intentions of fairness fly out the window because Penelope is human, and she was jealous, and she was mad.

And she continues to be. Further salt in the wound in Episode 7

"Miss Marina Thompson's recent fall from grace continues to echo through every drawing room in town days after it was revealed her engagement to Colin Bridgerton was nothing more than a sham. Of course, a Lady's disgrace does not merely tarnish her own name, like the tars on the Thames, it also leaves a smear on everyone nearby. While there is no parasol in the world strong enough to shelter a ruined woman, the fallen Miss Thompson can only hope she shall find a refuge somewhere."

Y'all

This is mean. This is twisting the knife. Portia knows it's game over. Marina is even refused from a charity room without a considerable donation. She's out of options. And it narrows and narrows around her.

And for Colin, denial isn't just a river in Egypt. He claims Lady Whistledown to publish lies and says Marina must be in agony, that he doesn't understand why he can't just visit her. Anthony informs that BECAUSE of Lady Whistledown, Colin is absolved from being the father, but if he comes near her, they will presume and he'll ruin the rest of the family for it. Even still, Colin goes to refuse, but Daphne interrupts. No one listens to him in this scene, and he's left to listen to how his family will fix what they perceive as his fuck up. He says he's sooo happy it's been settled, and storms off.

Once again, no one takes Colin seriously. He's right to point it out. Not even Penelope, as she took his decision from him just as everyone else did. In a way, Colin is also alone. I think that's what really tugged his heartstrings when Marina lamented no one wanting her around.

Colin's a hopeless romantic. In a way, he fabricated his own love story around what he wanted to hear and know. He says Leander swam each night in total darkness to see his love, and Daphne, now jaded, tells him Leander also drowned. She'll arrange a rendezvous, but she doesn't believe it'll be a love story, not really, not anymore. And Colin even though Colin seemed to be hopeful that it was a lie, when Daphne says that Marina's a stranger and that Whistledown knew Marina better than Colin did, Colin clarifies that Whistledown knew Marina's secrets.

Maybe he already knows it's true, believes it to be, but he doesn't want to see it.

"You must tell me that this Whistledown woman is mistaken, what she wrote, it cannot be true." "But it is." "You are. . .with child? I do not understand. We were to be wed. You- you said you loved me." "Colin, I hold you in the greatest esteem." "Esteem? You are a cruel woman indeed to stand here and talk of friendly affection as if you have not just committed a grave sin against me." "Speak not of sin, Mr. Bridgerton. I did not come here to be shamed by you, nor anyone else. I did not know better. You may think me a villain but I did what I thought I must. No one ever truly helped me or guided me in a different direction. I had no choice. I needed to wed. And you- you were the only man who offered me even a glimpse of happiness." "So I should feel flattered, then? Consider myself lucky that you chose me, lied to me, tried to trick me into a fraud of a marriage? I shall take my leave of you for the last time, Miss Thompson. . .You wish to know the cruelest part of your deception? If you had simply come to me and told me of your situation, I would have married you without a second thought. That is how in love I believed myself to be. But I see now that was all a lie."

This is such a fascinating conversation. It reveals more of Colin than a lot of other scenes he has does. For Colin, it's not Marina being pregnant or having come to the Ton already with child that bothers him, it's that she lied to him. He calls it a fraud of a marriage, says that she told him she loved him, and that he doesn't believe it now. One lie toppled the entire house of cards for him.

Which makes it all the more paramount that Penelope tells Colin that she's Whistledown. He shouldn't have to find out on his own, and in fact, finding out on his own would cause an IMMENSE rift between them. It would shatter his trust in her worse than learning about Marina lying to him. If Penelope instead, however, comes clean, comes to him with honesty, Colin would see that in of itself as an act of love and trust. For Colin, love is being honest. Love is being earnest. Love is being upfront. And even though Marina had every reason not to do so, to hide, to reveal to him after the fact, having lied to him is what really breaks his heart.

This is an opportunity for Bton to get some payoff in a reflection of a scene like this with Colin and Penelope. Because what so many of us Polin fans don't want to face is the fact that Penelope is ALSO keeping a life ruining secret from him. And what Marina says? Can we not also hear that in Penelope's voice? If the question is how they overcome it, the first part of that answer is by Penelope taking accountability. Coming clean.

And even though Marina has more that happens to her, this is the end of her and Colin's love story. From here, they don't really intersect. Marina does say to Daphne that Colin is a sweet boy, and for what it is worth, she is sorry, but they have very little beyond this. Until Season 2 when he visits her [we'll unpack that can of worms at a different time] Eloise comes to Penelope and asks how she's faring, Penelope says their mum swears they're ruined. But Penelope then asks about Colin, if he's in pieces, and Eloise assures that Colin will be fine as most men are, but that Whistledown has gone too far with the slander the sheet did to her family. The Featheringtons are asked to leave the luncheon, and Penelope walks off with them, realizing the true impact of Whistledown and what she's done for the first time.

One of which is Marina's brush with death. Disgraced, abandoned, and rejected, Marina drinks what she hopes is an abortive tea, and Penelope finds her on the floor after she comes to talk to her, perhaps to come clean, perhaps to make amends. Now that Colin is no longer a point of contention between them, Penelope can open her heart once more, and likely feels immensely guilty. In our final episode, Penelope is clearly feeling the weight of her actions, even when Marina apologizes to her after drinking the tea and recovering, is glad she can finally go home, and says Penelope was right. That Colin is a good man with a good heart. That Penelope was good to him, and one day, Colin will see it. It's the end of the season, now. Marina is more than ready to move on.

Enter Phillip Crane. The entire Phillip situation is tragic, how he has to tell Marina that George is dead, and how Marina has his letter as proof that George loved her, and that she thought him a villain. (Marina has a moment that I think will be reflected by Penelope in Season 3: 'I was wrong.' )

The next scene Penelope and Colin share is when he's singing for his family, his voice catching when he looks at her. Likely in gratitude or appreciation, but also this is another moment in which he looks at Penelope differently, their relationship subtly shifting. He realizes she was trying to tell him. He admires how good she is. He's touched by how she cares about him, how she tried to keep him from heartache. And she did. She really, really did.

She just also tried to keep herself from it, too.

But she couldn't. Because at the end of all of this, all these twists, these turns, and all the choices she makes 'for Colin'- he has to choose himself, too. And he chooses to leave, to escape, to heal, and to embrace his passions in travel. and this hurts Penelope, too, because it wasn't that she was trying to keep him from heartache, but rather to keep him for herself. Because she was trying to tell him she loved him.

Immediately following the end of his engagement that she orchestrated, she wanted to confess. In a way, Penelope underestimated Colin, didn't see him all season, the depth of his feelings or his gentle heart. Though she tried to keep him from heartache, heartache found him regardless. She denies his request for a dance, swallows her confession, and leaves. It hurts her that he doesn't want her, but she doesn't think of his perspective in it. To Penelope, Colin is not yet a person, but an idea. This is the first fragment in that image. Which is good. It has to shatter eventually, and it does so at the end of Season 2.

Daphne, the same woman Penelope tried to pit against Marina in the diamond wars at the start of the season becomes the only real ally Marina has. Her only true friend. And the reason Phillip comes and offers Marina marriage, thus keeping her from destitution. Penelope wasn't going to, even though she was sorry at the end. She cries after Marina walks past her without so much as a glance when she walks her way, stone faced, into a carriage with a complete stranger, her dead love's brother, to live the rest of her days in a completely new place.

And Penelope? Penelope engrosses herself into Lady Whistledown, and she continues correspondence with Colin from afar, as she is more comfortable doing, and she dreams of a someday, and she feels invincible, because at the end of the day, even though what she did was objectively not good, she got away with it. She leaves us with a smirk at the end of Season 1.

Which makes her even more bold in Season 2. Which will lead us up to her having to face actual consequences for her actions in S3, because in this entire season, not once does Penelope apologize, and in fact, the two people whom she causes the most harm to, both end up apologizing to her, completely unaware that the entire time, she'd been plotting to break them up from the very beginning

I don't think Penelope is evil, but Marina certainly isn't, either. To assume that Penelope felt betrayed by Marina, to pin the blame onto her, is to twist the narrative, and it has festered so long and so deeply into Polin, that we've seemingly completely forgotten.

Like it or not, the story with Marina serves important roles: it reveals the extent and sacrifices Penelope will go to and make for Colin, for herself, for her own happy ending, and for romance, it shows what a hopeless romantic Colin is, and how dearly he cares for others, how deeply he feels, and how desperately he wants to be heard. And, more than anything, it's the story of a woman who was thrust into circumstances that were bigger than her, that left her scrambling for answers, that revealed everyone else's cruelty in their interactions with her.

And that revealed ours, as well.

sometimes fanon festers for so long that it becomes what we swear is real, even if it isn't. it becomes a rot, in fact, manifesting in so many bad takes, particularly about Marina, in the Polin tag. we've all seen them. Penelope exposed Marina because she did it for Colin. Marina didn't care for Colin and only wanted to trap him. Colin was blind to what was in front of him all along. some of them are more cruel, people stating that Colin was an absolute idiot or that Marina was a heartless bitch.

It's enough of Marina being the Big Bad in Polin's love story. She isn't. Marina got dealt a horrible hand, and she navigated it with so much more grace than I ever could have. She endured physical abuse, verbal degradation, gaslighting, manipulation, derision, fake friends, and the death of her own love story to come out the other end a pragmatic woman with a kind heart, moving forward. Her experiences in Season 1 made her believe she had no Love Story to live. She loved, she lost, she tried again and it blew up in her face.

And she deserves our fucking sympathy

Her story is over in Bridgerton, but as Polin's love story continues, it's important to get a clean look at Penelope's intentions and how morally gray she truly is, which makes her all the more interesting and complex. It makes Polin's love story and their dynamics rich and nuanced and layered. Both Colin Bridgerton and Penelope Featherington said "I'll do anything for love"

we get to see just far that stretches

#marina thompson #marina crane #polin #bridgerton #penelope featherington #colin bridgerton #this is the longest post i have ever made #and i STILL have more to say #whoops

[meowchela]

random ass lps popular thought but i literally dont understand people who treat brooke like shes innocent solely because her mom is shitty??? like to me it seems like a very clear "villain origin story that explains why they are the way they are but doesn't redeem them". her mom is neglectful and abusive, yes, but a lot of her actions through the series are like. completely divorced from that conflict. brooke may be taking ques from her mom with the whole cutthroat social attitude she has going on but her actions are still very much her own, like she only got the baseline ideology of "you need to stay at the top to have any worth" from her mom and everything else (the manipulation, cheating, blackmail, etc) is all stuff she chose to do herself to attain that goal. and even THEN she's doing it all completely to serve herself, her mom couldn't care less about her daughter's status in high school. brooke probably knows this and is doing whatever she can to derive self worth from her social status alone because she's all too aware that her mom just doesnt give a shit. so everything she does is still on her

i guess a more succinct way of putting it is like. brooke's backstory is more of a frame for her mindset than something you should feel sorry for her over, yknow? because as badly as she's treated at home she turns around and treats everyone around her the exact same way. abuse is cyclical and it's crystal clear that brooke is willingly continuing the cycle because she's obsessed with the power it gives her, power that was stolen from her that she's now stealing from others. and the kicker here is she HAD chances to make positive changes, both with her dad treating her nicer while he was still alive which establishes that she does know how to be kind as well as savy being willing to reconnect and give her genuine friendship again which could've helped her out of this toxic mindset. but she threw both of those chances away because she's so power hungry and is CHOOSING to continue acting like her mom because that's what gets her the most power/worth.

she needs help, but she doesn't deserve forgiveness or sympathy because of all the heinous shit she's done. also, you can't help someone unless they accept the help and/or are willing to change, and we've seen that brooke is NOT willing to change at all. idk man i just dont think we should be so fast to absolve her of accountability when she hasn't shown any willingness to overcome her circumstances. like not even "oh i want to change but things are so hard" no she doesn't want to change full stop. shes stuck in her mindset and that's her downfall and that's the point

anyway brooke would fucking love marina and the diamonds. unrelated to everything

#meow meows #lps popular #brooklyn hayes #and before u come for me for ''hating abuse victims'' or whatever: i'm literally a victim of similar abuse to brooke herself #it's why i get so heated about this tbh #i've been down a similar road and it boggles my mind how she can continue the cycle so effortlessly the way she does #i know from experience that you can be a good person or at least TRY to be a good person despite your circumstances #so the fact that she doesn't even think about trying to do that and perpetuates the cycle instead is super interesting to me #god lps popular was SO ahead of its time in every way i salute sophiegtv #i feel like flattening brooke to ''sympathetic abuse victim'' takes away everything that makes her interesting #like u do realize victims can be bad people too right. we're regular people and surprise regular people range from kindhearted to shitheads #and that doesnt take away from what happened to us #both things can coexist. see nuance

[zponds]

(Credit goes to JWBtheUncanny on Deviantart)

Ketchum Alliance Uniforms 1

After Viewing the Teaser Trailer for Space Jam: A New Legacy, I've been thinking about The Pokémon World Coronation Series (ポケモンワールドチャンピオンシップス Pokémon World Championships) You know the anime-exclusive tournament. Ash is competing in, What if there was something about it that Non of us realise about. We know that It is a competition held to determine the strongest Trainer in the world. But we don't know who is hosting it and how it started, I would say Chairmen Rose or Charles Goodshow, But non of them are involved, And I doubt the Champions of Each Region came up with it, So I'm suspecting it's been Secretly set up for the Legendary and Mythical Pokemon Amusement, Or something else..... What if it's part of the Dissidia Contest of Champions, Made by Extremely Powerful beings (The Grand Master, The Collector and The Beyonders from the Marvel Universe) Setting up the Pokemon World Coronation to see which Strongest Trainer will be useful to go up against Other Champions within the Anime Multi-Verse, Who ever Wins gets the ultimate Prize, and the Losers become possessions of The Collector. So... with things becoming unpredictable, and Pretty Cure All Stars Gen 1 being captured by the Witch of Delays because of a Botched Rescue mission in the Grand Ocean, Yana Ketchum and Professor Cerise and Professor Ivy have Decided to one up the Ultra-Guardian concept for the Ultimate Wars, giving Ash and Goh's Dynamax Bands a Extreme Upgrade with Tech from not just from the Ministry of Science, But also the Aether Foundation, the Upgrades where inspired from Professor Bellis's Sync Pair Research, so Mega-Evolutions and Z-Moves can be performed, As well as summon up a very useful Built in Pokedex for Details, Tactical knowledge and Weakness location for any Combat scenario, The Bands can also form Official Ketchum Alliance Uniforms, not just for the Main members of the Ketchum Alliance, But Also for The Boys, The Truth Seekers and The Ultra-Guardians, (United they are the Ultimate Ketchum Alliance), Who Designed these Costumes, Non other then Hermione (Former Teacher of Paris from Diamond and Pearl Episode 86) She heard of the Heroic efforts Ash and his Friends did at Sukoyaka City and with Dawn and Cynthia having Special Contacts with Paris, Hermione agreed to come up with Costumes that will Represent the Ketchum Alliance in Future up-coming Battles using the Rarest and unique Materials, She's keeping a Trade secret. Here are Ash Ketchum (Leader) Goh (Ash's Apprentice) Chloe (Goh's Childhood friend), Conner "FireRed" Ketchum (The Clone of Red and Ash's Adopted brother) and Kris (Twin Cousin of Marina from the Jotho Region) While Ash and Goh are gonna have much importance, Chloe is gonna have some Active Roles in the Events of 2021 mainly tell them about Tropical-Rouge! PreCure, and the Reason Kris is there is because I may have started a Relationship Between Conner and Kris, You could say there Costumes are kinsa similar to Super-Sentai stuff like Kamen Rider, but without the helmets, and don't worry, These Costumes are not gonna over-shadow the Pokemon-PreCure aspects such as Ash being Cure Master, these will be for the More Advance Pokemon Battles.

#pokemon #pokemon fanfiction #pokemon ash #ash ketchum #pokemon goh #pokemon chloe #pokemon firered #pokemon kris #ketchum alliance #pokeart #pokefanart #pokemon art #pokemon fanart #drawing

[pelideswhore]

SONGS FOR HELEN OF TROY

seventeen — marina & the diamonds

Used to be a major scale, but the melody went stale […] Could never tell you what happened the day I turned seventeen. The rise of a king and the fall of a queen. Oh, seventeen, seventeen. Oh, you were embarrassed of me because I used my tongue freely. Bet you wished I couldn’t speak, ‘cause when I do, you know I tell you why you appear weak.

ivy — taylor swift

My pain fits in the palm of your freezing hand, taking mine but it's been promised to another. [...] He's gonna burn this house to the ground. How's one to know? I'd live and die for moments that we stole, on begged and borrowed time. So tell me to run, or dare to sit and watch what we’ll become, and drink my husband’s wine.

all you wanna do — aimee atkinson (six)

I think we can all agree I’m the ten amongst these threes and ever since I was a child, I’d make the boys go wild. […] All you wanna do, baby, is touch me. When will enough be enough? See, all you wanna do, all you wanna do, baby, is squeeze me, don’t care if you don’t please me. Bite my lip and pull my hair as you tell me I’m the fairest of the fair.

easy on me — adele

You can’t deny how hard I’ve tried to put you both first but now I give up. Go easy on me, baby. I was still a child, didn’t get the chance to feel the world around me. I had no time to choose what I chose to do, so go easy on me. I had good intentions and the highest hopes, but I know right now that probably doesn’t even show.

farewell wanderlust — the amazing devil

Goodbye to all my darkness, there’s nothing here but light. Adieu to all the faceless things that sleep with me at night. This here is not make-up, it’s a porcelain tomb, and this here is not singing, it’s just screaming in tune because farewell wanderlust, you’ve been ever so kind. You brought me through this darkness but you left me here behind. So long to the person you begged me to be, he’s down, he’s dead, and now take a good long look at what you’ve done to me.

flowers — eva noblezada (hadestown)

What I wanted was to fall asleep, close my eyes and disappear. Like a petal on the stream, like a feather in the air […] Flowers, I remember fields of flowers, soft beneath my heels. I remember someone, someone by my side—turned his face to mine, and I turned away, into the shade. You, the one I left behind, if you ever walk this way, come and find me, lying in the bed I made.

tango dancer — gelsey bell (ghost quartet)

I used to run in the sand, campfire stars in the distance, and I’d gaze into the darkness, and wonder about the void. And I’m haunted by that memory of who I used to be—so gleeful, so blank, so ready. I was empty then, and I’m empty now, but it’s not the same at all […] I’d stay up all night long and all the boys would fall over, oh, how dazzling I could be. But the magic is gone, my joy got bloated and sick.

memory — elaine paige (cats)

Memory, all alone in the moonlight. I can smile at the old days, I was beautiful then. I remember the time I knew what happiness was. Let the memory live again. Every street lamp seems to beat, a fatalistic warning […] Daylight, I must wait for the sunrise. I must think of a new life and I mustn’t give in. When the dawn comes, tonight will be a memory too and a new day will begin.

speechless — naomi scott (aladdin)

Here comes a wave meant to wash me away, a tide that is taking me under. Swallowing sand, I’ve got nothing to say, my voice drowned out in the thunder. But I won’t cry, and I won’t start to crumble. Whenever they try to shut me or cut me down, I won’t be silenced. You can’t keep me quiet […] Written in stone, every rule, every word. Centuries old and unbending. ‘Stay in your place, better seen and not heard’, but now that story’s ending.

girls against god — florence + the machine

What a thing to admit, that when somebody looks at me with real love, I don’t like it very much. It kinda feels like I’m being crushed. Is that something you’d like to discuss? […] And in my darkest fantasies, I’m the picture of passivity, waiting for you side of stage, suppressing all my private rage, but as my sister said, I’d probably last six days. […] But it’s good to be alive, crying into cereal at midnight. Oh, God, you’re gonna get it. You’ll be sorry that you messed with us.

exile — taylor swift

I can see you starin’, honey, like he’s just your understudy, like you’d get your knuckles bloody for me. Second, third and hundredth chances. Balancin’ on breaking branches. Those eyes add insult to injury. I think I’ve seen this film before, and I didn’t like the ending. I’m not your problem anymore, so who am i offending now! You were my crown, now I’m in exile seeing you out.

long story short — taylor swift

The knife cuts both ways; if the show fits, walk in it ‘til your high heels break. And I fell from the pedestal, right down the rabbit hole. Long story short, it was a bad time. Pushed from the precipice, clung to the nearest lips. Long story short, it was the wrong guy. Now I’m all about you, I’m all about you. Actually, I always thought I must look better in the rear view [...] Long story short, it was a bad time. Long story short, I survived.

dream girl evil — florence + the machine

Oh, did you miss me? Walk on water just to kiss me? Oh, come and get me, drag me out and destroy me. I’ve been expecting you, I’m ready. Deliver me that bad news, baby. Am I your dream girl? You think of me in bed but you could never hold me and like me better in your head. Make me evil, then I’m an angel instead—at least you’ll sanctify me when I’m dead […] Did I disappoint you? Did mummy make you sad? Do I at least remind you of every girl that made you mad?

broken glass — rachel platten

I’m on a highway full of red lights, I’ve lost so many long nights, felt words that cut like knives. I know they’re gonna say what they wanna […] I have been patient, but I’m not waiting anymore. I’m gonna dance on broken glass, broken glass. I’m gonna make that ceiling crash, that ceiling crash. So what? Still got knives in my back. So what? So I’m tied to the tracks, yeah, I’m gonna dance on broken glass.

trust in me — scarlett johansson (the jungle book)

Shut your eyes, trust in me. You can sleep, safe and sound, knowing I am around. Slip into silent slumber, sail on a silver mist. Slowly but surely, your senses will seize to resist. Just relax, be at rest, like a bird in a nest. Trust in me, just in me.

#greek mythology #greek myth #helen of troy #helen of sparta #iliad #marina #florence and the machine #taylor swift #six the musical #the amazing devil #adele #hadestown #rachel platten #ancient greece #mythology #greek gods #mythos #dance fever #dream girl evil #girls against god #greek mythos #trojan war #homer #classics #literature #songs #character song #female character #feminism #tagammemnon

[divinequo]

Diana headcanonz!!!! :3~~~~.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡🎀🍰

Is 14 and almost every birthday of hers she goes shopping with her mom

Her and lif are besties and ironically enough she's the more stern serious one while lif, the goth one is bubbly and perky

Gets physically targeted by her class whenever she brings her bubblegum out to chew on

Has lots of boy band posters in her room

As well as a retro boombox that when she was little and she first got it she stuck a bunch of care bear stickers on it and they never came off

Listens to artists like Lana del Rey, Marina and the diamonds, Madonna, etc

Also is close friends with Jamie (girl on her cheer team) and had a bit of a mini crush on her when she was younger without realizing it

When explaining it to lif while at a restaurant lif just stared at her with big eyes and looked away chomping extra hard into her burger

Easily boy crazy, Dee never even speaks in class that much it seems so it makes sense she'd easily fall for any guy who is at least somewhat nice

When she's not busy with cheer practice on weekends she does sleepovers with lif as they watch corny horror movies from the 50's and paint each others nails

Even though she hated to admit it because of how often she chetas on tests she gets sent to the principal's office fairly casually

Has a pet cat that is either smothered with attention by lif at sleepovers or heavy during the daytime when the cat is roaming around town

Her favorite food is fruits and sugary things

Tried to give Dee a mysterious love note but he immediately knew it was her and turned her down

Which resulted in a crying Diana in lifs arms wondering why no guy likes her :(

Diana loves kids but they hate her, meanwhile lif doesn't really like kids that much but they adore her, this always p!$$3d off Diana badly

Tried to babysit some four year olds for money but was trapped in their dog cage within a half hour

Wears a ridiculous amount of lipgloss, so much so it annoys lif and she sometimes even roughly scrubs it off with her sleeve, which is of course very annoying for diana

Is embarrassed by it but listened to metal one time and unironically enjoyed it

Has stalked Dee's Instagram at least twice lol

But then accidentally liked a photo of his from two years ago

Diana screamed and panicked around her room but meanwhile Dee just shrugged because he just genuinely doesn't care about it at like, all

That's all for now!!<333~~🎀🎀

#metal family Diana #metal family #metal family headcanonz #bubblegumcore #shes so sweet aaahhh #ilhsm <3 #such a princess!!

[agentnatesewell]

hmm, more nate quotes? for you... of course! how about...

"never forget that softness is strength, unflinching against the knife                 and it is also the knife."

(from jess rizkallah)

really love this one for n because i think the "softness" of the n route is mistaken for it being uninteresting, but there's so much depth to their gentleness.

there's this saying where i'm from that kindness always has an origin: most kind people have been through something that has made them kind; kindness is a choice we have to make over and over again even though it is something innate in us and should come easily. and unfortunately some people don't choose to be kind. (like sophie says to howl, "a heart's a heavy burden.")

obviously i don't need to explain what n has been through to you, but i love how this quote sums up how complex "softness" is! it can be hard-earned, it can be a weapon, it can be generous, it is disregarded and considered weakness when it can only ever take strength to be soft in a hard world.

like n (who is very soft) it is many things.

Hello friend! Thank you so much for this ask and this quote. I’ve been thinking so much about this very topic.

Even more so now with book three, with the more than we know, that being kind, being soft is not only what N is but what they have to use to save themselves from the ‘sins’ of their past (quotes because we don’t know what it is. can certainly speculate though, and without giving too much of their backstory away, I think they felt as though they allowed something they’d never had to experience consume them. I don’t want to use ‘darkness’ as it’s more of an umbrella term, and it may not have been what ultimately led to the single defining moment of their life).

That they have to use this to be comfortable with who they are now, and who they have been in the past three hundred years. It’s not easy, it’s difficult. You can see their struggle along the way, when they give glimpses.

And maybe it’s what they have to do to be the person they recognize. Someone their family then and someone their family now can be proud of.

Really, it’s inherent to their nature, their personality.

It’s not the same thing but it’s showcased well when N tells A that love can be a strength. So can this kindness, it can be a strength and it can be part of your arsenal.

Also, it’s likely done them well when negotiations and treaties were necessary.

A few years back, someone suggested the following song as an N song and it is so fitting (thank you for sending it): Soft To Be Strong by Marina and the Diamonds -

I know it's hard to be soft / I know it hurts to be kind / I know that when love is lost / It's only fear in disguise

And I guess I've known it all along / The truth is you have to be soft to be strong / Finally, I feel the fear is gone / I found out love has to be soft to be strong

Thank you so much for the quote and the ask! Always fun to discuss N! And I agree, I think a lot of times their niceness is interpreted as boring but really, there is so much under the surface. There is angst. There is nuance. I think we will see more as their romance progresses (now that there is an established relationship and coming out of the honeymoon phase)

#thank you for the ask #this was fun to analyze and relate #they are such a layered character #and i love that they’re not afraid to be soft and kind #twc #the wayhaven chronicles #n sewell #twc book 3 #long post

[wrenrogue]

Generally Canon Compliant Kuroken AU where they end up going to the same university. They also see each other as nothing but friends and somehow were able to became roommates. One night, Kuroo drags Kenma to a party.

It's all good for the most part, but then some of the party goers are like "let's play some high school party games for the nostalgia!!" and so they do, and of course the first one is "seven minutes in heaven" and kuroo and kenma are the lucky bastards to be chosen to go first.

They both sheepishly shuffle themselves into the closet, Kuroo being like, "hahah guys we're friends this is weird nothing will happen," before they get locked in. In the closet, both boys are a bit awkward about things, both wondering if anything will happen and after 30 seconds, Kuroo finally speaks. "So, how should we approach this?"

Kenma stays quiet for a bit and then goes, "I don't mind actually going through with it, we're friends, what's the worst that can happen?"

"I dunno Kenma, you might traumatize me by being a bad kisser"

"You say that like you're any better."

"How do you know my kissing skill level?"

"Kuro, you've only kissed one (1) girl in your whole life and that was your grandma"

"All I'm hearing is that you wanna challenge me to a kiss-off"

"Fine, best kisser wins something."

"If I win, you will stop playing video games at 3am on blast and actually sleep"

"And if I win, you will clean the whole apartment for an entire month without my help and without blasting marina and the diamonds"

"Not Marina!"

"I said what I said"

"Fine, you're gonna lose anyway"

So they get closer to each other and they're chest to chest (?) when-

"Kuro, you have to lean down I can't reach your face"

"Oh right, gotta help the little guy someti-OW, was that kick to my shin really necessary?"

"Yes."

"You're so romantic, Kenma. I'm falling in love already"

"Please don't, that would be a nightmare."

"Agreed, I would hate to fall in love with slouchy mcgee"

"Just lean down and fucking kiss me already you gee-" Kenma never has the chance to let go of that last voiceless velar plosive because Kuroo has effectively leaned down and caught Kenma's lips in a soft kiss. He's stunned at first, but then Kenma closes his eyes and kisses back, or at least they stay connected, but don't actually move their lips.

Kuroo is the one to break the kiss. "That one sucked, we can do better." Kuroo says before cornering Kenma and leaning down again, this time Kenma is more prepared and kisses Kuroo back with more intensity, wrapping his arms around his neck.

Their lips glide against each other as Kuroo places his hands on Kenma's hips. Kenma's giving it his all and so is Kuroo, because they cannot lose to the other dammit. Kenma bites on Kuroo's bottom lip and Kuroo thinks, why the fuck not, and opens up his mouth just a bit, which Kenma immediately takes as the okay for him to slip his tongue in.

They have never french kissed anyone before, so theyre kinda not sure what theyre doing, but they're eager to one-up the other so they keep kissing to the best of their ability. Kuroo gets bold and gives Kenma a butt squeeze as he nibbles on his lip and shut up, Kenma did not moan, that was probably some cat outside, he swears.

Kenma wants payback as he drags his fingers through Kuroo's surprisingly soft hair, tugging it, Kuroo groans and Kenma takes advantage of this and pulls again, because he can't lie, that was pretty hot.

They're very much into their snogfest and they don't notice when someone opens the closet door and exposes them to everyone outside. It isn't until someone awkwardly coughs that they stop and come back to the mortal realm.

They immediately break up and are like "good time, it's time for us to leave, bye" and rush out. They are mortified for many reasons but mostly because they were kinda into the sloppy makeout session they just had, and also because they don't know who won the bet. They get home and are like, "haha yeah that happened, we should talk about it tomorrow"

Tomorrow comes and they sit across from each other on their lil kitchen table.

"So"

"So."

10 minutes pass as they twiddle their thumbs, UNTIL-

"Um, so should we just leave it as a draw?"

Kenma, not wanting to think about how he really liked kissing Kuroo is like "Uh, okay, yeah."

They try to go back to normal as best they can and treat each other like usual for the most part, but they're both kinda thinking about kissing the other 95% of the time. Kuroo would be like, "this pillow is so soft" and his mind would provide, "just like Kenma's soft pouty lips." And Kenma would stare at Kuroo's hair and think about how he would groan if Kenma tugged just right.

They were having lunch at some random restaurant one day and while Kuroo was digging into his ravioli, Kenma was thinking, was Kuroo actually attractive this whole time??? Likewise, Kuroo was like Was Kenma always this cute???, when he walked into Kenma scarfing down a bag of cool ranch doritos.

It got worse as the days passed to the point that their usual routine of bickering and slap fights were replaced with "sorry, I didn't mean to brush my elbow against your elbow, I will try not to think about how nice and soft your skin felt against mine, since that's scandalously lewd of me" and "I was not breathing in your general direction, I swear. I'm not a pervert!"

The last straw was when kenma woke up after having a wet dream about kuroo and had the epiphany that "I'm fucking Gay for Kuro why does god hate me so much????" He decides to talk to his bestie about it the next morning because this was going too far.

Kuroo, like usual, was making breakfast by the stove and noticed how tense kenma was as soon as he appeared in the kitchen. "Is everything okay, you look more tired than usual?"

"Kuro, we need to talk."

"Talk about what? Did something happen?"

Kenma sighs as he sits on the kitchen counter. He wanted to look relaxed enough so that kuroo wouldn't worry.

"Kenma, you're worrying me. What did you need to talk to me about?" because of course Kuroo would not fall for Kenma's antics.

Kenma took a deep breath. It's now or never. "Kuro..."

"Yeah?"

"I think..."

"Go on"

"I think I...hmm..."

"Use your words, kenma"

"Shut up I'm trying"

"Sorry."

"I think..."

"You sure do think a lot"

"Kuro, I swear to god-"

"I'm sorry, I'll stop, I swear"

Kenma glares at kuroo for a minute and then takes another deep breath. "I think...I like you," he says, immediately hiding behind his hair. He shuts his eyes and waits for Kuroo's reaction and he hopes to everything that is holy that he doesn't regret what he just did.

"Kenma, hey." He feels a hand brushing his hair away from his face, but he refuses to open his eyes. "Kenma, it's okay, look at me." Kuroo speaks so softly that kenma decides to look at his friend. He's holding on to the counter so intensely that he feels his fingers hurting.

When he looks at his friend, he's taken aback by how tenderly Kuroo is looking at him.

Kuroo gently cups Kenma's cheek with his hand, ghosting his thumb against his lips. "I think I like you too," He confesses.

Kenma stays silent, processing what kuroo had just said. Everything seems to click into place as they stare at each other in their kitchen, no thoughts, heads empty, just gay.

"Should we do something...about it?" Kenma finally says.

Kuroo shivers at how Kenma's lips brush against his thumb. "I think so...yeah."

They lean forward and their lips meet once again, but this time, it wasn't for a bet. Their feather light kisses eventually became a bit more eager, a bit more passionate. Kuroo found himself in between Kenma's legs in an attempt to get closer to him on the counter.

Kuroo had moved on to leaving open mouthed kisses up the column of Kenma's neck, while kenma had his hands up Kuroo's shirt, when they smelled smoke.

"Oh fuck, the bacon!" Kuroo immediately turned around to turn off the stove, leaving kenma kiss bruised and a bit disoriented.

"Fuck, fuck, the bacon didn't make it."

"Kuro."

"Oh god, why didn't the fire alarm go off. There's so much smoke."

"KURO" Kuroo stopped to look at kenma.

"Yeah?"

"Open a window, we can make more bacon, and I'd rather we continue where we left off."

Kuroo looked surprised at Kenma's boldness, but then his bastard energy kicked in and a smug grin appeared on his face. "You want me that bad, huh?"

"Yes."

"Kenma, I'm the one that's supposed to be smooth," Kuroo says, definitely NOT blushing.

"Just get over here and kiss me already."

"Only because you want me so bad."

"I'm having regrets."

"You don't mean that."

"I wish I did."

"You don't mean that either."

"Kuro, I'm waiting."

"You're so hot when you're bossy"

"Kuro-"

Kenma never finishes his thought and he's okay with that as long as Kuroo keeps kissing him, and Kuroo isn't one to disappoint.

#kuroken #kuroo tetsurou #kozume kenma #meow #2020 #ficlet #this one's like 1.5k words #I should probably post it on ao3 at this point ashjdkasdsada

[lilborealis]

Mortal Kombat Oc’s-part 2

———————————————

Rhyolite

Real name:Min Le

Age:18-20

Birth place:The Lin Kuei fortress

Current Residence:The Lin Kuei Fortress (formerly), The Shirai Ryu Fortress (after the events of MK1)

Family

-Father:Long Fei (deceased)

-Mother:Ai xue (deceased)

-Brothers:Bi Han, Kuai Liang, Tomas Vrbada

Appearance:Min Le is about the average height of a Chinese woman, with short, wavy, black hair that sits just above her shoulders. She’s got dark brown eyes with a usually bright smile.

Min Le has a lean build with somewhat muscular arms due to her training. She’s got some scars on her shoulders from sparring and a burn scar on her knee from a childhood accident.

Default outfit is the standard Lin Kuei/Shirai Ryu uniform but in a muted red. Her mask is a dark red and is reminiscent of a rhino beetle with pointed ends (like part of it points upwards and the bottom part points downwards)

Backstory:Min Le was born to the grandmaster of the Lin Kuei, Long Fei and his wife, Ai xue, almost two months premature. She was already a difficult pregnancy for her mother and it was feared that neither baby or mother would survive the first few days after she was born.

Thankfully, Min Le and Ai Xue would survive. Ai Xue would be severely weakened by giving birth, but that did not stop her from being a loving mother. Min Le was very close to her mother and father as both were overjoyed to have a daughter of their own. She resembled her mother mostly, leaving Long Fei to always say, “Min Le is just as pretty as her mother”.

Kuai Liang, Bi Han and Tomas were extremely happy to have a little sister and Min Le would go onto have a very sibling-like relationship as well. Yet, out of all of her brothers, she seemed to be attached to Bi Han the most. As a baby, if she would cry, he would usually be the first to pick her up and console her. Their relationship would quickly change after their mother passed.

Min Le was four when her mother passed away from illness. Bi Han would become more distant towards his sister, as he was closer to his mother than his father. He would partially blame Min Le for their mother dying as her birth resulted in their mother’s weakened state, which allowed her to get sick more easily. Despite this, Min Le was still too young to understand and was confused why Bi Han was so cold towards her. Long Fei would become somewhat protective over Min Le as well, as she was the last bit of his wife he had left. This would further distance Bi Han and Min Le apart as Bi Han believed that their father was showing favoritism towards her.

As Min Le got older, it soon became apparent that she showed an affinity for earth magic. This wasn’t surprising as she, Kuai Liang and Bi Han all come from a long line of elemental magic users. She would also be trained in the use of a Chuí (a type of hammer) that resembled a sledgehammer. She continued to stay close to her brothers but Bi Han would stay cold towards her. Min Le still idolized her older brother.

She eventually graduated to rank of a full Lin Kuei, yet her brothers would continue to be protective over her, not letting her go on certain missions. She now longs to prove herself to be just as strong as her siblings.

Playlist

-Am I Dreaming by Metro Boomin, A$AP Rocky and Roisee

-Brutal by Olivia Rodrigo

-Buy The Stars by Marina and The Diamonds

-Fear by Current Joys

-GO! by Santigold ft Karen O

-Vienna by Billy Joel

-What was I made for by Billie Eilish

Princess Yumi

Full Title:Princess Yumi Of Outworld

Age:looks to be early twenties, in reality much closer to 10,000 due to being Edenian

Birthplace:The Royal Palace, Sun Do, Outworld

Current Residence:The Royal Palace, Sun Do, Outworld

Family

-father:King Jerrod

-mother:Queen Sindel (deceased)

-sisters:Princess Mileena, Princess Kitana

-appearance:a tall woman, at about 5’10, Yumi has a fair complexion with a bit of a slender face. She resembles mostly her sister Kitana in terms of facial features though. She’s got long black hair normally worn in a braid that stops at her mid back and wears a smaller version of Kitana’s headpiece (Tiara? Idk what it’s called) that sits the crown of her head. Yumi is tall and slender, just like her sisters, very swan-like.

Default outfit is mostly similar to Mileena’s but in lilac with silver accents. She has arm guards like Kitana’s and does not have leg guards like Mileena has. She has sheer pink short train-thing (think of sort of like a bustle but much shorter-I’m so sorry I can’t describe this well) that sits on her hips and covers her butt.

Backstory:the youngest child of Sindel and Jerrod and third in line for the throne, Yumi knew from a young age she’d have less responsibility than her older sisters. Mileena was the heir and Kitana was next in line if anything would happen to her twin. So, Yumi was free of the responsibility of leading the empire. Despite her “interesting” reputation as an adult, as a child, she was actually a strict rule follower. Even more of a “goody two-shoes” than Kitana.

She was also quite intelligent, excelling in her studies. She also learned to fight alongside her sisters, coming to be skilled with a shield and club. Yet, compared to her sisters, Yumi was much less “like a princess” than her sisters. She was a bit of an ugly duckling to put it bluntly.

At age 14, she was sent to a boarding school to further her studies. She was gone for four long years, but often wrote to her parents and sisters. Finally, she returned to Sun Do on her 18th birthday and her transformation was eye-opening to say the least. She had grown several inches and had clearly grown into her looks. She was a lot more talkative, confident, but most noticeable, more reckless and less eager to follow the rules like she was before.

When it came to her parents, Yumi loved them but began to butt heads with them after she returned from her schooling. She didn’t like them “breathing down her neck”. On the night Jerrod died, the last words Yumi said to him “I hate you, father, just get out of my life!”. Yumi almost never lets anything bother her, but this was the exception.

Going into adulthood, Yumi basically became the “it girl” of Sun Do. Many would copy her sense of style and it was a sign of status if you were invited to her parties. She was also a great source of scandal though, from public intoxication or even having affairs “just for fun”. Yet, no one can deny that Yumi knew how to work a room and is surprisingly good at diplomacy as she knows exactly what to say to get on a person’s good side.

Playlist

-Confidence by Ocean Alley

-The Family Jewels by Marina and The Diamonds

-Maneater by Daryl Hall and John Oates

-No Scrubs by TLC

-Primadonna by Marina and The Diamonds

-She Wolf by Shakira

-SUPERMODEL by Måneskin

#mortal kombat 1 oc #mortal Kombat #mk1 #mk oc Rhyolite/Min Le #mk oc Princess Yumi #lin kuei #shirai ryu #li mei mk #sindel mk1 #kitana mk1 #mileena mk1 #bi han sub zero #kuai liang scorpion #original characters

[zaynes-ocs]

Just thinkin about the Bandmates crew again and realizing that idk if I’ve actually fully stated who they are in relevance to being an actual band!

So, each of them is inspired by a different genre of music I listen to, though its pretty broad even when I try and narrow it down a bit, and a few of them are furry ocs I’ve had forEVER that have finally found a story to kinda be slotted into.

Anyways, the main concept of the band is that they are rhe band that plays the music during my mental animatics for other ocs when I zone out, somwtimes even just doing concert animatics themselves when a somg doesnt go to a particular oc, and sometimes, they get special guest preformances from my other ocs! (Namely Xadian). All in all, they’re a very comedic, rag tag, 4th wall breaking set, and this is a little bit of who they are and their roles (color coded for fun)

Dusty “Riot” the Hyena: (he/him) hes the oldest oc of the bunch and has gone through many design changes, but has always been generally rock inspired, namely bands like hollywood undead, fall out boy, and other classic middle school emo rock kinda stuff. Hes the lead singer/main guitarist of the band, but he also plays drums for when its Dimitri’s turn to sing! He’s kind of an awkward, golden retriever type of guy offstage, absolute sweetheart and a total klutz, but he always means well! Hes also a huge nerd and takes the most after myself.

Cherri the scarlet fox: (she/her) shes only a little younger than Riot, and just as loud and peppy! She’s his adoptive sister figure of sorts, more in a childhood friends to besties kinda way and shes more inspired by the pop songs and female vocals in my playlists like Kesha, marina and the diamonds and so on. Shes got a loud, party girl personality and is the worst/best driver of the group (thats up for debate. She hasnt wrecked, yet, but also dont have open drinks if you’re riding with her and use the oh shit handle generously). Shes very blunt and rude about things sometimes, but she means well. If you need to find someone to go wreck a rage room, shees your gal.

N3XU5 alpha: (he/it/they) the first half of N3XU5 prime, hes more the cold, calculating logic behind the band, a mechanical dragon and inspired by a lot of darker techno music and hardstyle edm, bands ranging from Daft Punk to Coone to Chonny Jash, it mans the synthesizer and blasts all sorts of beats from their mechanical jaw, lights on their neck acting as soundbars. He’s kind of the “oldest sibling” type of guy and is honestly the only thing holding the band accountable for anything. It keeps up the matienence of the band’s gear and makes sure everyone arrives on time to practice, though hes not the best at talking to the fans and can come off quite intimidating

N3XU5 beta: (she/they) the other half of N3XU5 prime, she’s the bubbly and eccentric robotic dragon, more steampunk inspired than their silvery twin and much more on the fem presenting side. She does the higher pitched electronic vocals and is inspired by a lot of classic mechanical singing like vocaloid and nightcore and shes just very generally pinkie pie coded. They play the keyboard and always have such a great time just hanging out with her friends at practice! While their brother is more scientific and logical, she is more spiritual and curious and seeks to understand what humans believe about the world rather than what their AI tells them is fact about the world. Shes always eager to learn new things and can fuse together with their bother to make the dual headed drake “N3XU5 Prime”.

Dimitri: (they/them) they’re the cool, calm skaterboy/anarchist of the group. Inspired mostly by metal vocals from 5 finger death punch and a lot of the rough, snarling growls in some music, they’re a dragon who gives zero shits about the world. First and foremost, they’re the band’s drummer, but in their spare time, they’re an avid graffiti artist and arsonist, often setting bonfires in less than safe areas. They like to skateboard at an abandoned skatepark they’ve made their home, and are always down to party with Cherri and Riot when asked, but even better if you can offer up some chaos

#ocs #my ocs #oc #bandmates dating sim #Bandmates #i love these guys they rot in my head rent free

[allisonlol]

aa hi allison!! firstly, i totally understand if you've got too many match up requests already, so no worries if you don't get to this! 💜 AND CONGRATULATIONS ON 2K AGAIN! help i hope i'm not too late—

i'm straight and i'd love a romantic match up, preferably with nsfw!

starting with my appearance, i'm around 1,67m tall, i've got long light blonde hair that reaches to around my hips and is straight — i really like to try out fun hairstyles, such as different braids etc.! —, my eyes are grey and i've got very few freckles and some birthmarks! i'm very pale and have quite a few health problems like constant headaches, being constantly cold and fainting, but my doctors say they can't do anything about that?? 🤨

my aesthetic is very soft; i really like pastel pink and white as colours, i enjoy (faux!) white furs and plush fabrics and i'd say i've got a very feminine style! i don't own any trousers or jeans actually, only skirts and dresses.. liz lisa is one of my favourite brands but it's expensive </3

my hobbies are drawing, writing, reading, learning languages and playing the piano! i also go to dance classes each week — standard dance like slow waltzing etc.! i, uhh, what else... English is my second language and i'm currently learning two more languages for school/uni! i also love to go ice skating and travelling!

special interests of mine are shopping baking and cooking! i just made an apple pie today 👁️ and i often bake whenever i'm stressed or frustrated! makes me feel very housewifey... 🤲🏻 i also like snowy and rainy days and playing card games (even though i'm a bit of a sore loser...)!

i like pop music like Marina and the Diamonds (is that pop? i hope so) and classical music, as well as some soundtracks from video games and movies! the How To Train Your Dragon soundtrack will always be my favourite.....

i'm an ENTP, though i spend most of my time at home by myself! i asked my friends to describe my personality for this occasion only and they said something along the lines of “calm, rational, intelligent”, and i agree with that, though i'm also very soft-hearted!

when i went shopping some time ago i bought the one item in a broken packaging on purpose because i thought no one else would get it and i felt bad </3 help me

i tend to overthink a lot... this might be some sort of anxiety but my mind is constantly making up worst-case scenarios and i can't stop </3 worried 24/7

i'm affectionate but not clingy, and i love animals! i've got three cats and i love them with all my heart... i like dogs as well though they kind of scare me occasionally... i can be pretty sarcastic and teasing, but i'm very adaptive, so if my partner would dislike back talk, i'd just stop </3

i like flirting but i get flustered so easily, blushing sputtering the second someone hits on me in return...

i'm not sure about my love languages; i'm guessing it's quality time and receiving gifts... THIS MAKES IT SOUND LIKE I WANT A SUGAR DADDY THAT'S NOT TRUE but... i do like getting gifts... an occasional necklace or bracelet or so would win my heart very easily... 👉🏻👈🏻

because of my very exhausting overthinking i really crave security, especially in a relationship. i have no idea whether i'd fit more well together with someone introverted or extroverted — i believe intjs are my ideal match based on the mbti types, but i'd give everything a chance! THIS IS KIND OF EMBARRASSING TO ADMIT but i'd love to be with someone who's very confident and has everything under control so i can just.. relax and follow orders, maybe... "brain no more thoughts please i already think too much" is a very relatable meme... The urge to just be a pretty housewife and stay at home and cook and clean and welcome my husband home is big..

i'm not very picky when it comes to dates, though i'd love going out to eat in some fancy restaurant or visiting a theatre etc together! staying at home sounds fun, too, though!

UH NSFW FACTS.. i'm very submissive but i can be a bit of a brat, though i'd also try and be obedient only if that's what he'd prefer. i like quite a lot of things like choking, spanking, anything that makes it less vanilla — or so i say, because i'm still a virgin. help </3 would i let my partner spit in my mouth? yes. anything for him. ANYWAY—

that's about everything i can think of!!

thank you so much already in case you decide to do this!! i'm very excited already! 👁️💜

꧁♥ ᴍᴀᴛᴄʜᴍᴀᴋɪɴɢ ɪɴ ᴘʀᴏɢʀᴇss… ♥꧂

i match you with...fyodor dostoevsky!

ok ok hii honey!! first of all, reading this was super relatable like?? we're opposite aesthetics but otherwise u are me </3 also the only person i could think of the whole time was fyodor (and not just cuz u wanted an intj--) i will explain more below but YEA

Relationship

the dynamic here is like the supermodel looking gf and the tired, "on the verge of death" bf (jk--kind of)

but in all seriousness you contrast each other in every way, both physically and mentally

be very glad that your love language is receiving gifts because fyodor showers you with random and expensive gifts

^is he using this as some means of manipulation?? probably but you don't care

you steal his clothes a lot, specifically his coat because it matches you aesthetic. plus, who wouldn't wanna wear it??

fyodor adores your willingness to stay home and away from people so u can be his little housewife <3 you always cook something for when he arrives home or bake him snacks when he's locked up in his office all day :((

^repays you with kisses and rare affection

playing card game together? yes, playing card games together. except with him it's more of a psychoanalysis and u always lose (except rare occasions where he lets you win and goes :0!! great job dear!!)

luckily for you, fyodor is the type of person you can banter with and tease <3 but only in moderation!! too much of it and he shuts that shit down

^if you tease him too much he'll either 1) flirt back but 10x more extreme so you get flustered or 2) ignore you and refuse to give you attention until you quit your antics :((

brings you shopping, traveling, out to eat or to the theatre often, anything you want to do he'll join you on really!! i see his love language as quality time as well so that works out near perfectly

when you go shopping, he enjoys watching you try on all the clothes you want and will give his opinions <33 he's brutally honest tho

suuuuper overprotective, not necessarily jealous since he knows you're all his, but hates when other people look at you for too long and will glare them down >///<

NSFW

oh lord what have u gotten yourself into

as mentioned before, fyodor adores your submissiveness in both innocent and sexual ways

but especially in bed

you are just...so pliant for him?? anything he orders you to do, you usually do so without a fight

i feel that fyodor is rather vanilla (traditional--?) when it comes to sex but when he's riled up, he gets pretty damn kinky

^an easy way to achieve this is by being a brat. teasing him or refusing to do as instructed results in fyodor quickly losing his patience and putting you in your place

^spanking, orgasm denial, choking, etc...

degrades degrades degrades. glares down at you in near disgust while calling you all kinds of names such as "useless whore" and "unsatiable slut" :((

dw he can be nicer sometimes <33 operates on a reward system: the more well behaved you've been, the more praise and affection you will receive

and yes, he does spit in ur mouth <3 gives u a lil pat on the cheek and an approving smile when u swallow it >///<

#2k matchup event #fyodor x reader #fyodor x you #fyodor hcs #fyodor smut

[one-strugling-bean]

Animatic ideas and songs that remind me of the Dragon Riders:

(because when I obsess over something, it takes hold over every aspect of my life, including, how I listen to my music)

“Family” by Mother Mother is the gang's friendship summed up

“Cult Of Dionynus” by The Orion Sound also gives me the gang's vibes, but while “Family” is about a platonic, familial friendship, with “Cult of Dionysus” I think of them as a romantic polycule (the mighty OT6)

“Melancholy Astronautic Man” by Allie Moss reminds so much of Fishlegs and Heather

“Someone you like” by The Girl and the Dreamcatcher is RttE Hiccstrid. Just yes, trust me on this, I'm right

“Saint Bernard” by Lincoln makes me think of both Hiccup and Snotlout, but for different reasons

McCafferty's “Beachboy” also gives me the gang's vibes, but not sure why

“Bromance” by nigahiga is an accurate representation of Snotlout and Tuffnut when they decide to be besties

Then Astrid makes a joke about them looking like a couple and Tuff breaks into Ninja Sex Party's “If We Were Gay” and Snotlout is not amused

“You, me, and Steve” by Garfunkel and Oates works so well with literally any ship+1 among the Dragons riders, try it yourself

“Boys will be Bugs” by Cavetown is teenage Snotlout material, but it's also teenage Hiccup material. I dunno, but I can hear both of them in this song

Meanwhile, whenever I hear “Talk to Me”, also by Cavetown, I just think of all the hurt/comfort fanfics I'll never write about the riders being each other's emotional rocks and leaning on each other when they need to decompress

I can totally imagine Ruff and Tuff performing “Have You Seen My Sister Evelyn?” by Evelyn Evelyn, except it's "Have you seen my cousin Gruff?"

“Heather” by Conan Gray is so freaking perfect for unrequited Fishlout - Fishlegs is in love with Heather and Snotlout mopes about it

“I can't decide” by Scissor Sisters was Dagur's vibe when he was evil

“UwU” by Chevy -> Snotlout about Fishlegs after he realizes his crush wasn't exactly Thor Bonecrusher

Speaking of Snotlout's crushes, “Boy Bi” by Mad Tsai is also a very Snotlout-y song. I wonder why

“Oh No!” by Marina & The Diamonds is my personal idea of Astrid's mentality up until Httyd1 rolls around. Maybe Snotlout too, but definitely more Astrid

"They're only Humans" from the Death Note Musical and it's the dragons' thoughts on humanity before Httyd1 (Barf and Belch are the ones singing it because I say so)

An AU materializes in the form of a very Dark Hiccup singing to Astrid “If I Killed Someone For You” by Alec Benjamin after finally killing Viggo for his transgressions against the Riders

“Love like you” from Steven Universe works in so many ways, but I'll propose Hiccup and Toothless, thinking about each other and their one-in-billion connection

Snotlout realizing the error of his teenage ways and trying to change for the better following the beat of Jaymes Young “I'll Be Good” (I know it's a cliché, but lemme have this)

An animatic of Hiccup convincing Eret son of Eret to join Berk's side through “The Other Side” from The Greatest Showman

Kodaline's “Brother” makes me think of Toothless and Hiccup, or just, the riders and their dragons in general - that tight bond they all have with each other. Or even just the riders themselves, amongst each other.

Hookfang's evergrwoing feelings towards Snotlout portrayed throughout the trilogy of songs from Kaden Makey "I just really hate/like/miss your face" (ik that's supposed to be a romantic song(s) but i think it can work for a platonic relationship as well, sue me). It's like, 1st works before Httyd1, and his feelings towards humanity in general, then the 2nd it's already at any point after they form their bond (Hookfang is a major tsundere peeps), and theeeeeen, 3rd is just, angsty, hurt Snotlout fanfic :>

“Oh Fionna” by Neil Patrick Harris from Adventure Time but Hiccup wrote it for Astrid during RttE - and then never had to courage to sing it to her up until their wedding night

One of the riders singing Centaurworld's “Rider's Lullaby” to their dragon, who's still recovering from an injury received in their latest battle

“In Our Bedroom After The War” by Stars is an absolutely beautiful song that I think illustrates the few months post HTTYD2, or perhaps even more accurately, HTTYD3 pretty well

“Don't Forget” from Deltarune, and it's Astrid, singing their kids to sleep and definitely thinking about Stormfly the whole time

Listen to “Let Her Go” by The Passenger while thinking of HTTYD3 and join me in the crying corner :')

These are just a select few I've thought of from the top of my head. Anyone else wanna add any? I love finding songs that match my favorite fandoms

#every single one of these songs is amazing #i tried thinking of a wide variety of them #not sure how i managed but oh well #Im not sure why im posting this #its really random #httyd #httyd rtte #hiccup #hiccup horrendous haddock the 3rd #astrid hofferson #astrid #snotlout #snotlout jorgenson #fishlegs ingerman #fishlegs #ruffnut thorston #ruffnut #tuffnut thorston #tuffnut #dagur the deranged #httyd heather #viggo grimborn #toothless #hookfang #stormfly #meatlug #barf and belch