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seirclys · 11 months

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OG! Penelope Eckhart Headcanons: Appearance

Part 1!

This is gonna be the first of a small series, I think? A lot of my headcanons revolve around my fanfic Shrike, and that doesn't necessarily appeal to a lot of people. Besides, I do have separate hcs for Shrike!Penelope and OG!Penelope, so that's the basis of this little series.

There WILL be some overlap between Shrike and these headcanons, though, just for you eagle-eyed readers who've read my stuff.

This is the first part, focusing on Penelope's appearance! I'm merging what we know from the novel and how SUOL-nim draws her since I imagine Siyeon as less precocious about her appearance than Penelope. I've included some links in the list to elaborate on further.

——— SPOILERS AHEAD ———

Physical Appearance

Penelope, as a villainess in a dating game, is portrayed with sharper beauty than the innocence of Ivonne.

First of all, unlike the roundedness of the manhwa, her eyes are incredibly sharp, catlike, and upturned. I think a better description for her eyes would be "danfengyan"(丹鳳眼), which are "vermillion phoenix eyes". There are two types of phoenix eyes, with danfengyan being the sharper one with double eyelids. Danfengyan is also associated with the beauty standard of China, a symbol of nobility and majesty in ancient China as well.

Additionally, it's also associated with more historical vibes, with their charm brought out the most by the opulent clothes of nobility.

It would certainly lend to a villainess feeling if a pair of aristocratic eyes gaze down at you with grandeur.

This chart is often used in Chinese eye shape posts, especially English ones.

While we're still on the topic of her eyes, the novel has them as green while the manhwa is this blue-green hybrid. I'm going to combine these together and add a bit of a magical element to them.

I think Penelope has eyes like nacre(also known as "mother-of-pearl"), eyes that shift from blue to green when the light hits them just right. I actually do have a reference picture for what her eye color looks like.

It also fits the idea of the "Mermaid Tear" jewel matching Penelope's eyes in the canon novel.

However, they now have a hazy, glassy quality to them that is normally hidden by a mask that Penelope wears, from the result of the pain she has suffered.

Reference

Penelope has aegyo-sal!! The cute little puffs of fat underneath your eyes which are all the rage in East Asia right now, it softens her eyes a tad.

She has long, thick magenta lashes, pretty well-defined like the manga-lashes trend. The lashes are a bit darker than her hair color.

In the same vein, her eyebrows are actually magenta/dark pink like the novel cover! Just a tad darker, with a slight curve, a bit thicker than the pencil brows that manhwa girls usually have. They're naturally set in a manner that makes Penelope look aloof.

She has a cute button nose but a higher nose bridge than Ivonne, making her look more elegant than cute. In addition, she has a more pointed nose tip than Ivonne as well. A small aristocratic nose.

For her mouth, Penelope has a full bottom lip with a slightly smaller upper lip, which has a defined cupid's bow. The novel cover has her upper and lower lips the same size, but I just think it's because the lower lip isn't colored in as much.

Edit: She has small, subtle mouth-corner dimples. The ones around the lower lip.

Her face is pretty sharp and slim, with a mix of doll-like elegance but the classical villainess sharpness.

Penelope's skin is extremely pale like the purest of pearls, both from her intense skincare regimen, the beauty standards of Eorka, and the fact that she rarely exposes herself to direct sun. Parasols are her best friend.

Her magic is subconsciously used for small things in her day-to-day life, so I would imagine Penelope's desire to fit into the nobility's beauty standards influencing it to affect her appearance.

Her hair, no matter how long, maintains its perfect curls and mirror-like shine. Its vivid rhododendron hue contrasts sharply with her skin.

I think that the "appearance-enhancing magic" was dimmed down when Siyeon was transmigrated in since she is a tiny shard of the original. It's gonna be my in-universe explanation for why Penelope's hair went to waist-length later on, Emily having to cut it because of the lack of magic supplying it with healthy nutrients.

Her hair, thusly, reaches to like. Her knees? Very Long Hair.

I'm referencing another Tumblr user's post here, I'll edit the post with the link when I find it. BUT. I've been drawing recently and trying to diversify the body shapes we see in manhwa.

I feel like Penelope's body would be more mature, "shapely" for lack of an appropriate term. She wore a lot of extravagant and mature dresses that weren't age-appropriate but suited her at the same time(I will have to fact-check this).

TLDR: hourglass body yo... peak example of beauty standards...

If she wasn't so ostracized, and her personality was less abrasive, I feel like her nickname would've been "The Temptress" or something, with her body being lusted over by other men(which feeds into her disgust at their hypocrisy. Will go into this in more detail in later posts). Think Roxana's 19-year-old body(Roxana) or Larcy(I Will Fall with the Emperor).

Tiny waist, which is even more pronounced by the tightlacing she does.

This is also due to my headcanon of a fictional plant named "Scipretta"(seen also in Shrike). Penelope was continuously dosed with it since she was 13.

Scipretta is a plant of Delman origin, from its Western Plains and has been cultivated for six centuries. It was used for physical enhancement of secondary sex characteristics, especially in females. Essentially, Scipretta would push puberty along, full of magical growth hormones. It was often taken by Delman concubines to appear more physically attractive. Unrefined, it acts as a mild poison that eats away at one's energy, causing the trend of "Slumbering Nymphs" in Delmanese culture.

The Eckhart maids regularly dosed her with it to cover up potential signs of malnutrition while harming her as well. Then, if someone were to be suspicious of the malnutrition, they could point to her body and say "how could Lady Penelope have a perfect body like that if she wasn't eating well, and being taken care of like a princess?"

However, Penelope does have a naturally beautiful body, the Scipretta fed to her was of questionable quality and really sapped her of her energy. When Dona was kicked out, she stopped getting dosed.

She has sharp shoulders, slender and pale limbs, and she has long fingers that are good for playing instruments. Her decolletage and bone structure are quite pronounced.

Clothing

Everything, and I do mean everything is expensive and extravagant.

Penelope wears a lot of dark colors and subtle but expensive patterns and fabrics. However, she does have a large variety of clothes in all cuts, styles, seasons, and occasions. She easily has one of the largest wardrobes among the noblewomen.

As mentioned above, Penelope tightlaced her corsets. It had the side-effect of making her not hungry even when she was starving from malnutrition. It kept it off her mind.

She carries parasols and fans, embroidered with beautiful lace and patterns.

Her accessories are as numerous as one may believe, with countless unique, stunning jewels in her collection. She has a lot of expensive, gem-studded accessories because they can be pawned off, especially if she has to escape to a place that doesn't use the standard currency.

Penelope has a lot of pieces and even luxurious gifts from foreign admirers.

They range from tame, to cute, to extravagant.

Her dresses are all structured with large skirts, but as she mentally matured during the time loops, she gravitated toward less structured silhouettes or mermaid gowns. In addition, her clothes began to cling more to her body, emphasizing it along with lower-cut necklines(think something along the lines of the Hunting Competition red gown).

She shows her shoulders off often with off-shoulder clothing.

Her layers also grew more sheer, like sheer overskirts, sheer sleeves, and other sheer details.

Scent

Flowers: She has that sweet, floral scent of roses, lilies, or fragrant rhododendrons.

Fruit: Penelope sometimes has notes of bergamot, which does wonders for stress. For fruity scents, she picks ones that induce calm.

Cloves: A hint of that spicy, woody scent, especially when she wears rhododendron perfume.

However, Penelope always carries around the scent of sweet flowers, which comes from her magic powers, described later on.

Makeup/Nails

While Penelope favors deep reds and pinks for her lips, she does wear lighter lipcolors during daytime occasions.

Her cheeks are constantly dusted with blush, a subtle all-over and concentrated a smidge more around underneath her eyes.

Her aegyo-sal is highlighted by highlighter(ha) and pink eyeshadow.

Speaking of eyeshadow: her eyes are highlighted the most with bold colors, but Penelope tones it down with shades of pink, red, and coral, as well as gold and silver powder to tie in the looks. She knows her makeup and how to not overwhelm a look.

As for nails, while she prefers to match her nails to her outfit, Penelope favors jelly-colors or pearl-patterned nails. The sort of blurry, glass-like nails that are popular all over East Asia right now and fast entering the West.

She imports a lot of products, accessories, and clothes(both styles and fabric) from all over.

#lysia's posts #lysia's narratives #villains are destined to die #vadd #death is the only ending for a villainess #death is the only ending for the villainess #ditoeftv #penelope eckhart #original penelope eckhart #og penelope eckhart #og! penelope eckhart #og penelope

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an-angel-so-called-satan · 3 months

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And since I'm in my rant moment:

Sadly, three long years have made me lose a bit of excitement about Ivonne's arrival and the coming-of-age ceremony party.

I still think that they are lengthening the manhwa a lot to make more money and at this point I don't think I will change my mind about this.

Of course, I still want to see those scenes in the manhwa, but now I don't post religiously about this manhwa like before.

I just hope the coming-of-age party turns out just as I imagined...

And that they don't extend the climax and the end so much that it becomes tedious... For God sakes!

#villains are destined to die #death is the only ending for a villainess #death is the only ending for the villainess #death is the only ending for the villain

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ofgildedgallows · 2 months

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I adore the light novel covers for Villains are Destined to Die

Title: 악역의 엔딩은 죽음뿐

Author: 권겨을

Synopsis: "Playing Daughter of the Duke’s Super Love Project as the easy mode heroine, Ivonne, makes charming the male characters a breeze. But once you switch to hard mode and step into the shoes of Penelope, the misunderstood villain, it’s nearly impossible to even stay alive! So imagine the shock of suddenly waking up in Penelope’s body―you know right away that your life is on the line. With love interests who will kill you if their affection meters drop too low and the inability to speak without choosing from pre-selected dialogue, it quickly becomes clear that Penelope’s chances have been rigged from the start―and this villain might just be destined to die!"

#manmeiss #manhwa #light novel #korean #korean novel #villains are destined to die #악역의 엔딩은 죽음뿐 #권겨을 #korean art

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yjzkxwkd45 · 2 months

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(yjzkxwkd45.tumblr.com) For the fact of the matter is that Sara Kay, Beckie Lynn, Jocelyn and Ivonne couldnt imagine anything more boring for their sex lives. CONTINUE...

#Shane first graced us some time ago as a fresh newbie.

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divineselflove1 · 2 years

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What Is 7 Chakra Meditation? How To Unblock 7 Chakras?

You've probably heard about chakras and how they affect the flow of energy in your body if you've done yoga or meditation, tried energy healing like Reiki, or even just watched videos on the internet about these kinds of things.

You may also know how important it is to keep your chakras open and transparent.

In total, how many chakras are there?

The energy centers in our bodies are called chakras. There are seven main chakras. Each one is in a different place along your spine. Let's look at each one in more depth.

Root chakra

The Muladhara, or root chakra, is at the base of your spine. It gives you a place to start in life and makes you feel grounded and strong enough to handle problems. The root chakra is the source of your sense of stability and safety.

Sacral chakra

The sacral chakra is called Svadhisthana, right below the belly button. This chakra is in charge of your sexuality and creativity. It also has to do with how you handle your feelings and other people's feelings.

Solar plexus chakra

The solar plexus chakra, also called the Manipura, is in your stomach. It makes you feel good about yourself and like you're in charge of your life.

Heart chakra

The heart chakra also called the Anahata, is in the middle of your chest, near your heart. It shouldn't be a surprise that the heart chakra is all about our ability to love and care for others.

Throat chakra

The throat chakra, also called Vishuddha, is in your throat. This chakra is connected to our ability to talk with our voices.

Third eye chakra

The third eye chakra, also called Ajna, is between your eyes. This chakra is where your strong gut feelings come from. Because the third eye is in charge of intuition, it also has to do with imagination.

Crown chakra

There is your crown chakra, which is also called Sahasrara. Your Sahasrara shows how you are connected to the universe, other people, and yourself through karma. It also changes what you want to do with your life.

How do you clear a chakra?

Malaspina says that bringing your physical body into balance by doing the following is a great way to promote harmony in a chakra.

Yoga positions

Breathing exercises to increase the flow of energy

Using meditation to clear up your mind

Good foods

The Bottom Line

Your body's many energy center, or chakras, are linked to specific nerve bundles and organs.

7 Chakras Meditation run from the base of your spine to the top of your head. If one of these energy centres gets blocked, you might feel or experience things related to that chakra.

You might be able to clear out or rebalance your chakras by doing certain yoga poses. Specific breathing techniques and ways to meditate can also be helpful.

Divine Self Love By Joyce Ivonne can help you discover the power of Reiki and Yoga that allow to experience self-healing on the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual levels. For more information, visit https://divineselflove.com/.

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bespokeredmayne · 2 years

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…in which Eddie Redmayne spills to his fan interviewers about:

•His growing bonds with Fantastic Beasts cast members, old and new

•His deep dive into studying physical comedy at a legendary Paris school before tackling Cabaret

•Exactly how he served not just as the star but as “a silent producer” on Cabaret AND

•The real origin story of the manticore dance, involving his children’s bath time.

When the world was put on hold by COVID for two years, Eddie Redmayne threw himself into being a father and husband — but now his career is back in a flurry of high-profile projects drawing intense media scrutiny.

Thanks to his always-thoughtful and masterful team, our group of five fan interviewers was able to get him to sit still while he was in New York for some hit-and-run promotion. We had another a lovely, lively phone chat about the third Fantastic Beasts adventure — Secrets of Dumbledore — and his return to the London stage for four months as The Emcee in Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club. (Just three days later, he would pick up the Best Actor in a Musical trophy at the Olivier Awards in London, and the production would earn seven awards altogether.)

We didn’t even venture into questions about The Good Nurse, which Netflix has announced it will release sometime this year. Eddie plays a real-life serial killer, teamed with freshly minted Oscar winner Jessica Chastain. But he did bring it up himself in an enthusiastic way that bodes well for his portrayal.

As always, Eddie was warm and open with his interviewers — who are excited to share the answers to the questions we think Eddie’s fans want to know.

IVONNE: The first Fantastic Beasts movie came out in 2016. I imagine one of the perks of being part of this franchise as an actor is being able to really delve into Newt's world and his emotional journey throughout different movies. I wonder if there's been anything about Newt that has surprised you in this new chapter? Things you didn’t initially expect from him when you first started with the character or thought you had figured out?

EDDIE: That’s a brilliant question. What I liked about him in this movie was the two fraternal relationships — one with Dumbledore and one with Callum’s character, Theseus. There’s this kind of fraternal thing, this leveling up, I suppose, of this guy who is used to be talked down to and dismissed and given a moment.

But the thing I love most actually is that little scene with Dumbledore, in which Newt sees in Dumbledore his own vulnerability. He’s the guy who is normally out giving counsel to the world and being kind of father to the world, and that moment when Newt goes, “We all make mistakes and you can try and make things better, and that process of trying is the important thing.”

That breath of Newt having confidence to identify his own character in other people, or his own thoughts in other people rather than just keeping to himself, was the big progression — however small it may seem — for me.

CHARLOTTE: I’m fascinated by these two recent projects of yours, Cabaret and Secrets of Dumbledore. They are both hugely entertaining, and at the same time they manage to be quite thought-provoking and relevant to our world. How important is each of those elements to today’s audiences, in your view — On one hand escapism, and on the other, delivering a serious message through a cautionary tale?

EDDIE: I suppose that’s what I like from art. I love to be seduced, I love to be enthralled, I love to be repelled, and I love to be entertained. But what makes things have a lasting effect is, of course, that piquing of something that you interrogate after having seen the thing.

That is so rife in Cabaret and one of the reasons it’s lasted as a sort of seminal piece for so many years. There are elements in the Fantastic Beasts world — and of course it’s the magic and the whimsy and getting to delve back into this other world of pure escapism — but there are messages there and there are parallels being drawn that will hopefully make you interrogate things afterwards.

MARCI: What for you was the most challenging part of making this film and what part did you enjoy the most?

EDDIE: COVID was the most challenging thing. I did a day of pre-shooting on a Friday, and it was a moment down in Newt’s case that actually was cut from the film, and while I was meant to start shooting proper on a Monday, I got a call on Sunday night saying, ‘This thing called COVID is causing us to stop.’ And it was four months or so until we started again.

And the world had sort of changed, and coming back to the film set — first, we felt so lucky to be going back to work; it also felt complicated because Hannah was at home having to look after the little ones. I’d been helping to homeschool Iris, and suddenly I was allowed to go back to work and my life — although the process was completely different, as far as protocols and all the specifics of a COVID film set — I was able to go back to work. Whereas most of the world, and for Hannah, it was still having to look after two very young children.

As far as the making of the film itself, they’re such big things. It’s really in David and Jo and Steve’s imagination, and we just come and deliver what we can and bring as much joy and life and vibrancy to it. I really enjoyed the silly dancing bit. It’s not often that, as you guys know, I get into something that’s comedic — so it’s fun. There’s a kind of physical comedy element to it that I really enjoy.

CHARLOTTE: That’s great. That plays perfectly into Ali’s first question.

ALI: During your time portraying Newt, you have been able to add some comedy to your portrayal. In the first film, most memorably, you did the mating ritual with the erumpent, and now we’re seeing the manticore dance. You’ve described these as a kind of ‘ritual humiliation,’ but they’re giving you quite a reputation for physical comedy. How hard is that for you, as an actor, to do? What kind of pressure does it put on you when you see that kind of bit in the script?

EDDIE: All I see when I see that bit — I say it’s humiliating, and of course it’s also deeply joyful. I love try to get into things that are outside my comfort zone, and particularly physicality has always been an interest. I’ve always enjoyed making it a part of my process.

After Fantastic Beasts and before Cabaret, I went to this school, [Ecole Jacques] LeCoq, in Paris — this very famous physical theater school — and I went and did a workshop there for a couple of weeks. It’s a school I’d always heard about, always wanted to go to, and not specifically in preparation for anything in Cabaret — it was more about just feeling slightly in a rut, and I felt re-inspired by The Good Nurse, and I wanted to go and just fill my mind and push my myself in different directions and fill my mind with other stimulants.

I enjoyed it SO much, and it really sort of re-affirmed that kind of clowning, physical element of performance is something that I just get off on. I never went to drama school, and so this felt like a moment to go and just throw myself and watch other actors from all over the world, all different generations, trying things and failing at things.

We were all trying and failing — and pushing myself outside my comfort zone so that when I came to the rehearsal room for Cabaret I felt completely free to try whatever.

CHARLOTTE: What a great insight into your performance in Cabaret, the preparation — that’s fascinating. Erina, I’ve lost track of what time it is there (New Zealand), but you can tell Eddie and ask your first question.

ERINA: You really don’t want to know what time it is! (Laughter)

EDDIE: Awww, what time actually is it? Is it something like 4 in the morning?

ERINA: It’s 2:45 a.m. on Friday.

EDDIE: Oh, my God. You’re amazing, you’re amazing.

ERINA: I was worried my alarm wasn’t going to go off, but I’m here, so we’re good, we’re good.

EDDIE: If it’s any consolation, I’m about to be closer to your time zone. I’m about to go to Japan, so if we’d saved this for a few days, we could have been in a similar time zone.

ERINA: So my question is about Dumbledore. Which Dumbledore would you rather hang out with, the young version from Fantastic Beasts or the kooky older one? And why?

EDDIE: Hahaha. I really love Jude Law. When he came onto these films it was such a treat for me because he’d been an old pal. I hadn’t known him that well but socially, and sometimes you click with actors as far as what your process is, not just on set but also kind of in life — but he brings kind of his full-bodied wonderfulness to set. I love him.

We did a lot of questions about what it was about Dumbledore and who Dumbledore is, and Jude just has that kind of gentle, condescending-like wisdom, extraordinary talent, and this kind of slight twinkle in his eye, a funny man.

Certainly in this film, there’s a bond between Newt and Dumbledore growing that’s unspoken, but there’s a trust. I love that. I don’t know how the elder Dumbledore would be towards Newt, but maybe one day when we’ve both gotten even grayer, there will be a sort of Dumbledore moment in Dorset or where Newt’s meant to end up…

IVONNE: I’m going to ask the question that pretty much everyone is asking: How was working with Mads?

EDDIE: Mads was pretty extraordinary. He arrived with so little prep, and he’s genuinely one of the coolest people I’ve ever met. He has an inherent relaxed-ness to him, but he’s also sensationally talented and also really comfortable in his skin.

Tobias Lindholm, who directed The Good Nurse, had written Another Round, a film which Mads had done, and adored Mads. So we had some friends in common, and he was just magnificent from the word ‘go.’

It was all in his eyes, and you just felt this genuinely terrifying figure emerge. What I loved also, going back to the physical element, is that Mads was a dancer, and so watching him do some of the duels with Jude, and the subtle physicality of the thing, was extraordinary.

MARCI: I really love the relationship between Jacob and Newt — the chemistry plays so well together. How does Jacob receiving a wand and experiencing what it’s like to have magical powers impact that relationship in this film and potentially in the future?

EDDIE: I have no idea, Marci. It’s interesting, because in some ways I’ve loved the new relationships that have developed in these movies, and I adore Jessica Williams, who brings such a new vibrancy to the films.

But I also have a sense of sadness that on the first movie it was Katherine and Dan and Ali and I, and we got to interact a lot. And what’s strange about the movies now is that I sort of barely get to see any of those guys.

When Jacob arrives on the train and Newt sort of — it wasn’t in the script, but I instantly wanted to give him a hug, because that’s uncomfortable for Newt, but at the same point, there is such love there between those two characters, and it’s sort of instinctive. Even though Newt isn’t particularly comfortable with physical interaction, there’s such joy there.

Dan is a true improvisational genius, and across all of these films, some of the funniest moments have been his improvisations on set that end up in the movies. It’s a real delight to watch. Everything is 100 percent real coming out of his mouth, and I think when they saw in the first movie that Dan had that extraordinary facility, they sort of — certainly in this movie, less of course in Grindelwald — but they realized that allowing him to riff is part of the joy. So it’s such fun getting to work with him.

CHARLOTTE: We’re going to veer off into Cabaret a little bit. Seeing you in Cabaret — more than once — and understanding how instrumental you were in bringing it to life in such a remarkable way really showed the depth of your talent. It seemed from what your colleagues say and by your own descriptions that you almost functioned as a producer on this, and I wonder if the experience is encouraging you to do more behind-the-scenes work on stage and film, including maybe directing?

EDDIE: I was a producer on Cabaret — like a silent producer, if that makes sense. I had quite a lot of input into the — obviously Jessie and I. The guy who produced, who created the venue when I did it at the Edinburgh Festival was the guy who came to me years ago, and then when I was thinking about doing this, I was thinking about Jessie, that instantly rang true.

So we were allowed to be, Jessie and I, at the forefront of those creative choices. Now once Rebecca (Frecknall, the director) came on, it was entirely her show. But as far as the way it was marketed, the way it was put out into the world, the secrecy of the thing — I kept wanting it to be something that if we had faith in what we were doing and if it became where you couldn’t photograph everything, that we wouldn’t release every image with hundreds of videos going out into the world to begin with —something that you had to come and see it live.

These were all sort of collaborative ideas, and I’ve always worked like that, whether it was on The Theory of Everything or the smaller films. I’ve always loved that ‘company’ way of working and that input.

Now with something like Fantastic Beasts, you just don’t have that. The productions are so grand and expansive that there are so many voices there. But it is something I love.

I love creating things as a team. I love having a voice beyond purely the performance. Because often — I suppose it’s because being an actor, you lack so much control, particularly on film. You know, you create this thing in your head, you give this performance, and then it’s taken totally out of your hands, edited by other people, and it tends never to resemble what was in your head.

Now of course that’s the brilliance of it because the alchemy is other people’s interpretation. But sometimes you want to at least have your voice heard. And so producing in the vaguest sense of the word — having more input than just your performance — has always been quite important to me.

As far as directing is concerned, I think I would love to direct a film one day. But directing is so all-consuming for so many years. It’s got to be a piece of material that for me, OK, I’ll give up four years of my life for something that could well fail, but this story has to be told, and I feel like I have the capability to tell it. I’m not quite there yet.

CHARLOTTE: What a great answer. That was so full of insight.

ALI: What caused you to make the decision to return to the stage, and and what was it about playing Emcee that made this particular role the right one?

EDDIE: I first did Cabaret when I was 15, in a school production [Note: at Eton College], and it’s been a bit confused in the press — I did a student production at the Edinburgh Festival when I was 19. When I did it when I was 15, it was a tiny little thing, but I look back on it as a time before I had any technique or self-scrutiny. And there was something instinctive in that part — it was purely instinctive, and I enjoyed it so much.

I remember it was my parents, who have always been super supportive but weren’t from this world at all, they always say that was the moment that they thought that I could be an actor. I had in my head that has always been something tempered, restricted — there was instinct related to this part — and so when I was asked if I would consider doing it, that had always been a dream, that had been a childhood dream, the idea of getting to do it out on the West End was a dream.

I said you’d be mad not to try and do it, and then I thought of Jessie. This is the version of Sally Bowles — I felt like she would be such an extraordinary actor and such an extraordinary singer, and has such total immersion and freedom. I was like, this is a reason to do it.

There was a moment a few weeks into rehearsal when I was like, how dare I do this? What was I thinking? Just because you were in a position where you’ve done some movies so you could get something financed — what were you thinking, playing this seminal iconic role — that just because you felt like you were OK when you were 15?

And I’ll never forget, there’s a wonderful member of the cast called Emily (Benjamin) and I was having a bit of a bout of insecurity, and she said, ‘You were cast for a reason.’ And I said, ‘No, Emily, that’s not true — I cast myself.” (Laughs)

The fact, honestly, that it went well — I couldn’t imagine the physical elements of doing Cabaret, how absolutely exhausting it was. The idea that if it had gotten horrendously reviewed, if no one had come to see it, the idea of doing that day-in-day-out, I can’t even imagine.

But that is the way I make decisions in the theatre: I go for the most pessimistic. I’m like OK: So the company — everyone hates each other. The rehearsals are a nightmare. No one comes to see it. The reviews are a disaster. Is there enough in this material to sustain me for four months?

Cabaret is one of the very few pieces in which that is a no-brainer. Getting to sing those songs and interact with an audience — even if there are only three people in the audience — that was a big ‘yes’ for me. So it was about fulfilling childhood dreams. That was a really long and ranty answer…

ERINA: Since you’ve just been on stage again, and since there’s now a precedent for Harry Potter coming to the stage — do you see any potential for any kind of stage version of Newt Scamander’s story?

EDDIE: Wow. I think fundamentally Newt doesn’t project much, does he? I mean as far as his literal vocal [projection] — other than when he’s doing that scream at the beginning of the erumpent scene. I just worry that no one would be able to hear him. People struggle to hear Newt on film, let alone on stage. There’d have to be some very good miking.

But I feel like there’s perhaps a potential musical version out there. He’s got a lot of moves that he’s accrued over the years.

It does make me laugh — where does the manticore dance come from? My kids, when they have a bath, I stand outside the bathroom door and I just walk back-and-forth across the door doing weird dances because there’s nothing quite like a 3- and a 4-year-old cackle — like a proper belly laugh.

There’d be that ‘Walk Like an Egyptian’ thing, and that’s basically where the manticore dance came from. That’s the one they found actually the funniest.

When it came to doing ‘Willkommen’ in Cabaret, in those sort of opening moments, there was even a little bit of manticore dance that made it into there. I’m sort of restricted by my physical inabilities, so I feel I put a bit of Fantastic Beasts into Cabaret. I’m not sure there’s a fully fledged theater version of it.

CHARLOTTE: I definitely saw the similarities there in a couple of those moves.

EDDIE: I’ve got a very limited repertoire.

CHARLOTTE: But it’s growing, though — it’s growing. Thank you so very much for doing this. We can’t tell you how grateful we are. Good luck at the Oliviers! And we look forward to going to the dark side with The Good Nurse and chatting with you again.

EDDIE: And thank you guys for everything, for being so supportive. When you came to see Cabaret, I had to be quite monastic while I was doing Cabaret. I’ve never done that — I had to go home every night and try behaving like an athlete, but it meant the world that you guys came, so thank you.

THE INTERVIEWERS:

Ivonne Jofre, originally from Catalonia, is now a budding filmmaker who divides her time among London, Spain and New York — where she has been accepted for a master’s program in cinema studies at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. She founded the first (and most popular) online fan site, Eddie Redmayne Net, in 2008 when she first met Eddie after seeing him on stage, and her @eddieronline account is the largest on Twitter, with more than 67,000 followers.

Charlotte Aguilar from the U.S., is an award-winning writer-editor-producer who has managed BespokeRedmayne accounts on Tumblr, Twitter + Instagram for nine years — assisted by granddaughter Maria Suarez. They have met Eddie in New York and London and coordinate an annual fan fundraiser for his birthday to support the Motor Neurone Disease Association of the UK, of which he is a patron.

Allison “Ali” Sherman from the U.S., has operated Eddie Redmayne Web/www.eddieredmayne.net for nine years years, with up to a half-million views annually.

Marci Wright from the U.S., is creator of TheRedmayneFiles accounts on Tumblr, Twitter and Instagram. As the single mother of a young adult son on the autism spectrum, she is particularly supportive of Eddie’s sensitive portrayals in The Yellow Handkerchief and the Fantastic Beasts films.

Erina Ellis, a television producer in New Zealand, manages the @AmazingEddieRedmayne account — the largest of its kind on Instagram, with 98,500 followers.

#eddie redmayne #fan interview 2022 #Fantastic beasts the secrets of dumbledore #cabaret at the Kit Kat club #warner bros #Ecole Jacques Lecoq #manticore dance

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theredmaynefiles · 2 years

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It’s that time again - time for a new film featuring our favorite freckly man! And that means it’s also time for another fan interview! This was my fourth time speaking to Eddie, & it still never fails to surprise me how kind he is & how much he actually seems to enjoy speaking to us. He has called us (the fan bloggers) his “safe place” in the past, & that seems to still be true. Arranged for us by the ever amazing Charlotte (of @bespokeredmayne) & Eddie’s awesome publicist, Carrie, our interviews are a fantastic opportunity to support Eddie & get his thoughts on his acting. There were five of us speaking to him on zoom this time around – myself, Charlotte, Ivonne (@eddieronline), Ali (eddieredmayne.net), & Erina (@amazingeddieredmayne) , & we were all thrilled to speak to him about The Secrets of Dumbledore & Cabaret.

I have to admit, one of the things I was most excited about from the trailer was seeing Jacob being presented with a wand, so I had to ask Eddie’s thoughts about that:

Marci: I really love the relationship between Jacob and Newt — the chemistry plays so well together. How does Jacob receiving a wand and experiencing what it’s like to have magical powers impact that relationship in this film and potentially in the future?

Eddie: I have no idea, Marci. It’s interesting, because in some ways I’ve loved the new relationships that have developed in these movies, and I adore Jessica Williams, who brings such a new vibrancy to the films. But I also have a sense of sadness that on the first movie it was Katherine and Dan and Ali and I, and we got to interact a lot. And what’s strange about the movies now is that I sort of barely get to see any of those guys. Even though, when Jacob arrives on the train and Newt sort of — it wasn’t in the script, but I instantly wanted to give him a hug, because that’s uncomfortable for Newt, but at the same point, there is such love there between those two characters, and it’s sort of instinctive, and even though Newt isn’t particularly comfortable with physical interaction, there’s such joy there. Dan is a true improvisational genius, and across all of these films, some of the funniest moments have been his improvisations on set that end up in the movies. It’s a real delight to watch. Everything is 100 percent real coming out of his mouth, and I think when they saw in the first movie that Dan had that extraordinary facility, they sort of — certainly in this movie, less of course in Grindelwald — but they realized that allowing him to riff is part of the joy. So it’s such fun getting to work with him.

Marci: What for you was the most challenging part of making this film and what part did you enjoy the most?

Eddie: I suppose COVID was the most challenging thing. So I did a day of pre-shooting on a Friday, and it was a moment down in Newt’s case that actually was cut from the film, and while I was meant to start shooting proper on a Monday, I got a call on Sunday night saying, ‘This thing called COVID is causing us to stop.’ And it was four months or so until we started again. And the world had sort of changed, and coming back to the film set — first, we felt so lucky to be going back to work; I also felt complicated because Hannah was at home having to look after the little ones. I’d been helping to homeschool Iris, and suddenly I was allowed to go back to work and my life — although the process was completely different, as far as protocols and all the specifics of a COVID film set — I was able to go back to work. Whereas most of the world, and for Hannah, it was still having to look after two very young children. As far as the making of the film itself, they’re such big things. It’s really in David and Jo and Steve’s imagination, and we just come and deliver what we can and bring as much joy and life and vibrancy to it. I really enjoyed the silly dancing bit. It’s not often that, as you guys know, I get into something that’s comedic — so it’s fun. There’s a kind of physical comedy element to it that I really enjoy.

** You can check out the rest of our interview in Charlotte’s post here. **

Along with getting to speak to Eddie, Warner Brothers was amazing enough to provide us each with a screener copy so we could see the film & I have to tell you – this one lives up to the hype! We get to meet some interesting new creatures as well as seeing more of Jacob in the magical world with Newt, & there are some major jaw-drop moments that I still cannot get over & I know everyone is gonna be talking about over the next few days! Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore is in theatres starting tomorrow!!

#Eddie Redmayne #Fantastic Beasts #secrets of dumbledore

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imamotherfuckingstar-lord · 2 years

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Imagine annoying Stephen

Stephen stared at you and wondered how someone so intelligent could be indulging themselves in such ridiculous literature - if you could even call it that.

You were lounged on the sofa in the library of the sanctum sanctorum, eyes glued to the pages in front of you. Knowing how Stephen felt about the trash you often found yourself reading, a book sleeve made it easier to read out in the open. It was a simple trick that allowed you to read in peace while Stephen did what Stephen did - wizard stuff, you affectioning called it to his dismay.

He stared from his desk, analyzing the expression on your face and the way your eyes lit up. His brain was trying to understand the appeal of whatever you were reading, when the action of you biting your lip perplexed him into severe annoyance.

"That's enough," he declared, the book vanishing from your hand into his. Your sat up to protest but it was too late - Stephen was reading the filth you were pining over. His eyes moved steadily across the page until his head jerked up at you. "How is that humanly possible?"

"She's able to put her leg over his shoulder," you murmured, embarrassed that he caught you.

Stephen contemplated for a moment before he closed the book and placed it on the desk, walking around the desk towards the door. "Let's go."

"Go where," you asked, getting up from the sofa.

Stephen turned to stare at you, his eyes filled with false annoyance. "To see if that filth you read is possible."

His words were fighting to be stern but there was a hint of playfulness that made you smile. Following him out of the library, you hid a smile.

"For wizard research?"

Stephen stopped in his steps and you could practically see the eye roll before he answered. "Yes."

#dr strange x reader #stephen strange x reader #stephen strange #marvel #ivonnes imagines

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jeweled-blue-eyes · 1 year

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Pspspspspspspspspsp

I made this in like, 10 minutes

"Back off bitch, I'm armed!"

if only this is what would've happened

#this is exactly how i imagined their dynamic had Ivonne been alive #I need to see Ivonne protecting Penny from Derrick too #answered asks #death is the only ending for a villainess

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raised-u-fr0m-perdition · 2 months

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we could be more | dean winchester | 10

Summary: Ivonne Rainer was practically a trained killing machine. Stripped to the bone then built back up by her father in order to become one of the best, like he was. She was forced into hunting when she was nineteen, having developed powers that couldn’t be explained. That is, until she was paid a visit by Azazel’s lackey. Her powers were gone, she needed help, and that’s when she found her father’s journal. Pointing to Sam and Dean Winchester.

SERIES MASTERLIST

CROATOAN

ᴺᴼᵂ ᴾᴸᴬᵞᴵᴺᴳ : WHATEVER IT TAKES - IMAGINE DRAGONS

“What did you do?” Dean frowned once we were out of Dad’s earshot. “When you said that you’d destroy the box, you buried it, didn’t you? You made a deal.”

“I did.” I shrugged coldly.

“Why?” Sam asked, looking confused. “Now you have ten years to live.”

“I don’t.” I contradicted. “The demon only asked for my necklace.”

“What?” Dean blinked in surprise. “Just that?”

“Just that.”

“Why?”

“It said I have too much of a burden already, so it’s enough torture.”

“There’s gonna be some underlying motive, I just know it.” Sam gritted his teeth. “You shouldn’t have done it.”

“I had to!”

“Why?!”

“Because I’m lost!” I burst out. “I’m looking through every single book of mine, but I can’t find anything to do with setting my powers free. My dad can help. He taught me everything I know and he could know something-“

“What’s he gonna do when he finds out that your brother, sister and mother died because of a dreamwalker?” Dean fumed. “You’ve messed up big time.”

“I’m a mess up.” I wept, sitting down. “I can’t- I can’t do this without him, I just can’t. I raise my gun and I shoot, sure, but I think a thousand times before doing it because of Carter and Xavier, and the one person I’d always trust to help me is my dad, but when I look, he’s not there and it kills me. I-“ The two hugged me, letting go of their anger.

“It’s ok.” Dean murmured.

“Jellybean.” Dad was leaning on my doorframe, looking stern. “Did you make a deal with a crossroads demon?”

“Yeah.” I whispered, nodding. “I had to. The devil took my abilities away. People have died because I wasn’t quick enough to act, or I’m me. Mom’s dead, Dad. So is Lily, and Carter, and it was all my fault-“

“I know about it.” He assured. “It pained me, but I watched it happen. You were so brave, and it wasn’t your fault, it was mine.”

“It was my fault.”

“It wasn’t. Honestly? It was mine, because what I did led that dreamwalker to you and caused you so much pain.” He smoothed back my hair with a sad smile. “Look at you now. You’re so strong, so beautiful. You’re everything I knew you would be, even if things didn’t go as planned.” He leaned his forehead on mine, then kissed it. “I’ll protect you too from now on, even if those two boys are doing a good job of it. They’re John Winchester’s boys, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Good kids. I’ve already interrogated them about how well they’re treating you.”

“Dad.”

“You know I had to.” He excused. “I’ve got to know who these boys are if they’re spending time with my baby girl. Especially that Dean kid.”

“Dad!”

“There’s something there, I know it.”

“No, you don’t.” I giggled. “Dad, these guys have kept me safe.”

”More like you keep them safe. My jellybean doesn’t need protecting.”

“Yes, she does.” I heard whimpering from the other room, and I frowned. “Excuse me, Dad, just gotta go check something.” I went to the other room, where Sam was asleep. “Sam?” Sam’s face was scrunched up, sweat rolling down his face as he breathed heavily. I sat down beside him, taking the blanket off him carefully. “Hey, Sammy.”

“Sam?” Dean was at the door, but then Sam sat up, and I immediately steadied him.

“No…” He stared at Dean, panting, with wide eyes.

“There are only two towns in the US named Rivergrove.” Sam frowned, looking at the GPS. I had my earphones in, listening to music as we went.

“How are you so sure that it’s the one in Oregon?” Dean asked, raising an eyebrow.

“There was a picture. Crater Lake.”

“What else?”

“I saw a dark room, some people, and a guy tied to a chair.”

“And I ventilated him?”

“Yeah. You thought there was something inside him.”

“Like a demon? Was he possessed?”

“If he was possessed, we’d have exorcised him first.” I reasoned, taking out my earbuds.

“Yeah, cause I’m not gonna waste an innocent man.”

“But you plugged him, without reason.” Sam shrugged.

“Well, I'm sure I had a good reason.”

“I hope you did.”

“What’s that supposed to mean-“

“Can we have one car ride without you two trying to rip each other’s heads off?” I groaned. “It gets tiring to watch sometimes, y’know.”

“Ok, Beanie, for you.” Dean smiled, glancing back at me. I got a call from Dad, which I picked up.

“Hey, Dad.” I sighed, shooting a look to both boys to stay silent.

‘Hey, sweetheart. Are you at Oregon yet?’

“Nope, still got a while left.”

‘That’s the voice you make when you’ve witnessed an argument.’

“That’s cause I have, but it’s under control. What d‘you call me for?”

‘I packed food in the glove box. Just so you all can feel ready to fight whatever’s out there.’

“Thanks, Dad.” I grinned, laughing. “I’ll make sure to eat it.”

‘You better, jellybean. And tell the boys to keep you safe. Otherwise they won’t be for long.’

“I think they got the message when you almost did target practice on them.”

‘Fair enough. Bye.’

“Bye.” I cut the call, turning to the boys. “Dad packed food in the glovebox.”

“Your dad is the BEST!” Dean exclaimed, immediately reaching for the glovebox. Sam rolled his eyes, chuckling.

We pulled up at Rivergrove, meeting someone who was at the border. We got out, approaching him.

“Morning.” Dean smiled.

“Good morning. Can I help you?” The man asked, and I spotted a tattoo. Master Sergeant.

“Uh, Billy Gibbons, Frank Beard, and in the back is Lily Carter. U.S. Marshals.” He flashed his badge.

“What's this about?”

“We're looking for someone.”

“A young man, early twenties.” Sam described. He'd have a, a thin scar right below his hairline.”

“What’d he do?”

“Well, nothing.” I replied casually. “We’re just trying to find someone else, and this guy could help us.”

“Yeah, he's not in any kind of trouble or anything; well, not yet.” Dean smirked. “I think maybe you know who he is . . . Master Sergeant. My dad was in the Corps, he was a Corporal.”

“What company?” The man asked cautiously.

“Echo-2-1.”

“So can you help us?” I asked politely.

“Duane Tanner's got a scar like that. But I know him. Good kid, keeps his nose clean.”

“Oh, I’m sure he does.” Dean replied. “You know where he lives?”

“With his family, up Aspen Way.”

“Thank you, sir.” I nodded, and we walked off. Sam nodded towards a pole, which had ‘Croatoan’ etched on it.

“Croatoan?” Dean blinked.

“Roanoke?” I raised an eyebrow. “Lost colony? Ring a bell? Dean, did you pay any attention in history class?”

“Yeah, Miss Princeton. Shots heard 'round the world, How bills become laws…”

“That's not school,” Sam grimaced, “that's Schoolhouse Rock.”

“Whatever.”

“Roanoke was one of the first English colonies in America, late 1500s.” I explained.

“Oh yeah, yeah, I do remember that. The only thing they left behind was a single word carved in a tree. Croatoan.”

“Yeah. And I mean, there were theories — Indian raid, disease, but nobody knows what really happened.” Sam frowned. “They were all just gone. I mean, wiped out overnight.”

“You don't think that's what's going on here, I mean…”

“Whatever I saw in my head, it sure wasn't good. But what do you think could do that?”

“Well, I mean, like I said, all of your weirdo visions are always tied to the Yellow-Eyed Demon somehow, so…”

“We should get help.” I sighed. “I’m calling Dad.” I pulled out my phone, but it had no signal. “I haven’t got signal.”

Dean and Sam looked at their phones too. “Me neither.” We went over to a telephone booth, but I got the ‘line unavailable’ tone.

“Line’s dead.” I grimaced. “If I was trying to massacre a town, this is exactly where I’d start. No way of getting help, so it becomes a death trap.”

We parked on Aspen Way, walking up to the house and knocking. A boy with spike hair answered, peeking around the door.

“Yeah?” He frowned.

“We're looking for Duane Tanner; he lives here, right?” Dean asked.

“He’s my brother.”

“Can we talk to him?”

“He’s not here right now.”

”Do you know where he is?” I continued with a an air that said ‘tell me where he is right now or I slap you’.

“Yeah, he went on a fishing trip up by Roslyn Lake.”

“Your parents home?” Sam raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah, they’re inside.”

“Jake? Who is it?” Mr Tanner came into the hallway.

“US marshals, sir.” Dean lied. “We’re looking for your son, Duane.”

“Wh-why? He's not in trouble, is he?“

“No, no, no, no. We just need to ask him a couple of routine questions, that's all.”

“When’s he due back from his trip?” Sam asked.

“We’re not sure-“

“Maybe your wife knows.” I smiled.

“She’s not here.”

“Your son said she was.”

“She’s out getting groceries. So, when Duane gets back, there's a number where he can get a hold of you?“

“Oh, we’ll just check in later.” We walked down the steps as Mr Tanner shut the door. “I call bull.” I shrugged, “Too Stepford for me.”

“Way too creepy.” Sam shivered. I pulled out my gun, all of us creeping round to the back of the house. We found a window, but it was only a bit open.

“I can’t fit in that gap.” Dean whispered.

“Yeah, well, neither can I.”

“Watch me.” I smirked, climbing up and slipping through the gap, opening the window wider for them to climb in. I looked through a crack in the door; there was an adult woman tied to a chair, another adult woman, possibly aunt, holding a machete, the spiky-haired brother and Mr Tanner. When we saw blood being smeared onto her cut, we busted through the door. The aunt and the dad ran towards us, but Dean and I pulled the trigger. But Dean shot three times, while I only did one. The two collapsed on the floor, dead, while Jake Tanner burst out of the window and ran, while Sam hesitates to shoot. We untied a crying Beverly, checking her.

I walked into the clinic, Beverly and Sam behind us.

“The phone lines are down, Miss Lee, I think this is a cause to worry.”

“I’ll only worry when I see it.” I vaguely recognised that voice.

Vaguely.

“Hello? Hello? We need a doctor here!” Sam yelled, and a young blonde woman rushed out. She wore a really girly headband plus a pink shirt.

“Mrs. Tanner, what happened?” She gasped.

“She was attacked.” I explained briefly.

“Dr Lee!” Another young blonde woman rushed out.

“Get her inside.” Dr Lee ordered, and we brought Beverly in. Dean rushed in, holding Mr Tanner and Miss Tanner wrapped in canvas. “Is that-“

“The Tanner siblings?” I finished candidly. “Yes.”

“Were they attacked too?”

“Uh… no.” Dean refused. “They did the attacking and then got themselves shot.”

“Shot?”

“Yeah.”

“Why are you?”

“US Marshals. I’d show you my badge, but…” I pulled out my own, flashing it before storing it.

“Oh, sorry. Take them inside. We also have a federal agent here, you know.” Sam, Dean and I exchanged a look. A man of about 6’3 walked in, making direct eye contact with me. He had black hair and green eyes, and I masked my surprise with professionalism.

James Rhodes, you son of a gun.

“Hey. I’m Harry Johnson, FBI agent.” He introduced, shaking my hand.

“Lily Carter, US marshal.” I replied, while Dean and Sam smirked at each other. “Nice to meet you, agent.”

“You too, marshal.”

“Can I have a word?”

“Sure.” We went into another room, and I looked him up and down.

“Way to follow me, Serge. Why are you here?”

“I’m taking a page out of your book, Lily Carter.” He raised an eyebrow, holding up his fake Fed badge. “Fake ID.”

“Never thought you had it in you.”

“Meeting you changed me, Rainer.” He smirked. “But… there’s something going on. I’ve never seen this many people go AWOL. I just had to check it out-“ He was cut off due to me yanking him forward by his collar, kissing him. His hand tangled in my hair, the other slipping under my band t-shirt.

”James…” My back hit the wall, both of us missing a beat for one second, but we made up for it in the matter of a few seconds.

“Goddamn, Ivy-“ I reached my fingers up, disconnecting and leaning my forehead on his while he took heavy breaths to undo his shirt buttons as quickly as I could, impatiently taking his suit jacket off his shoulders-

“Oh, wow.” Sam stood there, glancing between the two of us.

‘Don’t breathe a word of this to Dean.” I hissed.

“Yeah, sure.” Sam left, and I leaned my head back.

“Wrong place, wrong time.” I chuckled, then took a look at him. “But… damn.”

“I guess another time, then.” He sighed, buttoning up his shirt. “It’s been hard, not talking to you, cause you rarely pick up your burner.”

“I’ve been on missions, James.”

“I know, I know, but you’re still addictive.”

“Cause I’m a law-breaking citizen. You’re a good, smart and brave cop. Who’s meant to arrest people like me.” I started doing his tie, looking up at him with a smile.

“I think that’s it.” He shrugged. “You go against what I’m supposed to stand for, but I can’t stay away from you.”

“Don’t try.” I winked. “Maybe it’s fate.” I walked out of the door, into Dr Lee’s clinic room with him behind me. Sam snickered when he saw us come in.

“Wait, you said Jake helped him? Your son Jake?” Lee frowned.

“They beat me. Tied me up.” Beverly whispered.

“I don’t believe it.” Pam refused.

“Pam.” Lee warned, then turned to Beverly. “Beverly… do you have any idea why they would act this way? Any history of chemical dependency?”

”No, of course not. I don't know why. One minute they were my husband and my son. And the next, they had the devil in them.”

Sam, Dean, James and I exchanged looks, so we went outside to discuss. “Those guys were whacked out of their gourds.” Dean frowned.

“What is it, then?” Sam shrugged. “Multiple demons? Mass possession?”

“I have an unlikely idea.” I sighed. “Demonic plague. This many demons can’t just inhabit one town unnoticed by any hunters.”

“Demonic plagues are really uncommon in most lore, though.” James contradicted, getting looks from Sam and Dean. “What? I did my homework.”

“I’m proud of you, Rhodey.” Dean nodded proudly. “Beanie, you really know how to pick ‘em.”

“Shut up.” I chuckled, waving Dean off. “We didn't see any of the demon smoke with Mr Tanner, or any of the other usual signs.”

“Well, whatever. Something turned him into a monster. And you know if Sam would’ve taken out the other one, there'd be one less to worry about.”

“I’m sorry, ok?!” Sam groaned. “I hesitated! He was a kid.”

“It was an ‘it’. Not the best time for a bleeding heart.”

“That’s not our biggest concern.” I frowned. “It’s what’s affecting these people. I’m gonna look in my creature encyclopaedia, try and see if there’s anything matching that description.”

Dr Lee stormed out, meeting us.

“How's the patient?” Sam asked.

“Terrible!” She snapped. “What the hell happened out there?”

“We don’t know.” Dean recoiled.

“Yeah? Well, you just killed my next door neighbour.”

“We didn't have a choice.”

“Maybe so, but we need the county sheriff. We need the coroner…”

“Phones are down.”

“I know, I tried. Tell me you have a police radio in that car?”

“We do.” I nodded. “But it tapped out, like everything else.”

“I don’t understand what’s happening.” It’s best you don’t, lady.

“How far is it to the next town?” Dean asked.

“It's about forty miles down to Sidewinder.”

“I’m gonna head down there, see if we can get some help.” Dean clapped Sam and I on the shoulder. “My partners will keep you guys safe.”

“Safe from what?” She frowned.

“We’ll get back to you on that.”

“Huh.” Dr Lee mused while she was analysing Mr Tanner’s blood.

“What?” Sam asked, stopping his pacing. James stood up, all of us walking over.

“His lymphocyte percentage is pretty high. His body was fighting off a viral infection.” She explained.

“Really? What kind of virus?”

“Can’t say for sure.”

“Do you think an infection could have made him act like that?”

“None that I've ever heard of. I mean, some can cause dementia, but not that kind of violence. And besides, I've never heard of one that did this to the blood.”

“Did what?” I persisted.

“There's this… weird residue. If I didn't know better I'd say it was sulfur.”

“Sulfur.” I repeated, staring pointedly at Sam.

“I don't understand. Are you saying my husband and Jake had a disease?” Beverly whispered, huddled on a stool.

“That's what we're trying to find out.” Dr Lee frowned. “Now, during the attack, do you remember… did you have any direct contact with their blood?”

“Oh my God. You don't think I've got this virus, do you?”

“Beverly, I don't know what to think. But with your permission, we'll take a blood sample.” Beverly nodded tenderly, laying her hand on Dr Lee’s. Then she lashed out, grabbing Lee’s wrist and yelling. Sam and James advanced, but she tossed them against a glass cabinet. She picked up a scalpel, but I hefted a fire extinguisher and slammed it on Beverly’s head, knocking her out.

“Y’know, sometimes I hate my job.” I panted. “Now, if you excuse me, I need to wipe blood off this fire extinguisher.”

“What if we all have it? What if we all go crazy?” Pam whimpered, huddled at the far wall.

“You've got to stay calm.” Dr Lee replied calmly. “All we can do is wait. The Marshal's bringing help.”

“I can't, I... I've got to go.”

“Pam!”

“No, you don't understand. My boyfriend's out there, I gotta make sure he's okay.” She hurried out of the lab, and Sam followed after her. I went back to Dr Lee, smiling.

“I think that if we manage to get overthrown by an insane infection, I’d like to know the name of the other sane woman here.” I grinned.

“Olivia.”

“Ivy.” We shook hands. “So, has the sulfur gone?”

”No, it’s still there, surprisingly. I don’t know how sulfur makes people act so murderous.”

“I’m still figuring that part out, trust me.” I walked out to find Dean and the man we talked to earlier. “What’s the stats?”

“People are being infected through blood-to-blood contact.” Dean explained. “Demonic germ warfare.”

”I told you. Demonic plague.” I frowned. “It’s rare, but it happens, just like in Roanoke.”

“Now we get it.” Sam grumped. “Any way to cure it?”

“You can only contain it.” I sighed. “The cures possible are impossible.”

“I've been poring through Dad's journal, found something about the Roanoke colony.”

“What d’you find?”

“Dad always had a theory about Croatoan. He thought it was a demon's name. Sometimes known as Deva or sometimes Resheph. A demon of plague and pestilence.”

“And he’s here why?” Dean groaned.

”I have no idea. But Dean, who knows how far this thing can spread? We gotta get out of here, we gotta warn people.”

“They’ve got one!” The dude from earlier, who I’d found out was Mark from his badge, yelled. We rushed into the other room.

“The wife. She’s infected.”

“We've gotta take care of this. We can't just leave her in there.” Mark pointed with a shaky finger. “My neighbors, they were strong. The longer we wait, the stronger she'll get.” Dean didn’t even hesitate, pulling out his gun.

“You're gonna kill Beverly Tanner?” Pam gasped.

“Doctor, could there be any treatment?” Sam asked urgently. “Some kind of cure for this?”

“For God’s sake, I don’t even know what ‘it’ is!” Olivia cried out.

“I told you, it's just a matter of time before she breaks through.” Mark grimaced, gun at the ready. They opened the door, facing Beverly, who jumped up, playing victim.

“Mark, what are you doing? Mark, it's, it's them! They locked me in here, they, they tried to kill me!” She begged, faking tears. “They're infected, not me! Please, Mark! You've known me all your life! Please!”

“You sure she’s one of ‘em?” Mark asked us. I nodded, and so did Sam, so Dean stepped forward and shot twice, his face steely. James walked in, looking at the scene with wide eyes.

“There are people crowding the door.” He informed, then gulped. I gave him a reassuring look, running my hand through my hair. Pam started freaking out, especially when she dropped a vial of blood on herself. However, she was deemed clean.

“Why are we staying here? Please, let's just go!” She cried.

“No, we can't, because those things are everywhere.” Dean refused.

“She's right about one thing. We can't stay here. We've gotta get out of here, get to the Roadhouse? Somewhere. Let people know what's coming.” Sam murmured.

“Well, I'm not sure we've got a choice. Lots of folks up here are good with rifles — even with all your hardware we're, we're easy targets.” Mark reasoned. “So unless you've got some explosives…”

James looked between us. “We could make some.”

“Yeah, there’s stuff like potassium chloride, benzoyl peroxide, ammonium nitrate, or we can go full on molotov.” I shrugged.

“You know a scary amount of stuff about explosives.” Dean chuckled nervously.

“I’ve learnt a lot about ‘em.”

We heard banging on the door. “Hey! Let me in, let me in! Please!”

“It’s Duane Tanner.” Mark went to the door, letting Duane in.

”Thank God.” Duane breathed a sigh of relief, limping in.

“Duane, you okay?” Mark asked, and Duane nodded.

“Who else is in here?”

“FBI, Harry Johnson.” James flashed his badge.

”We’re US marshals.” I smiled, gesturing to the three of me, Dean and Sam.

“Hey, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, easy there, chief.” Dean took Duane by the arm when he raced in. “Hey Doc! Give Duane a good once-over, would you?” We went into the lab.

“Duane. Where you been?” Mark questioned.

“On a fishing trip up by Roslyn. I came back this afternoon. I . . . I saw Roger McGill being dragged out of his house by people we know!” Duane stammered. “They started cutting him with knives! I ran, I've been hiding in the woods ever since. Has anybody seen my mom and dad?”

“You’re bleeding.” Olivia remarked. There was a huge cut in Duane’s leg, and I instantly put my hand on my gun, taking it out.

“Where did you get that?” Dean frowned, staring at the gash in Duane’s leg.

”I was running, I must have tripped.” Duane explained feebly.

“Tie him up. Rope’s in there.”

“Wait-“

”Sit down!” Dean ordered, pulling out his gun.

”Dean!” I snapped, but Mark was already preparing to tie Duane.

“I'm sorry, Duane, he's right.” He grimaced. “We've gotta be careful.”

“Careful about what?” Duane panted.

“Did they bleed on you?” I asked.

“No, what the hell? No!”

”Doc, any way to know for sure, at least?” Sam pleaded.

“I've studied Beverly's bloodwork backwards and forwards.” Olivia frowned.

“My mom!” Duane cried.

“It took three hours for the virus to incubate. The sulfur didn't appear in the blood until then, so . . . no, there'd be no way of knowing. Not until after Duane turns.”

”Dean, Ivy, we have to talk.” Sam sighed. We went to a different room. “This is my vision, Dean. It's happening.”

”Yeah, I figured.” Dean nodded coldly.

”You can't kill him, all right? Not yet. We don't know if he's infected or not.”

“Well, I think we're pretty damn sure. Guy shows up out of nowhere, he's got a cut on his leg, his whole family's infected?”

“Let’s just keep him tied. He can’t keep this act up forever, if he’s affected.” I suggested calmly.

“What? Just wait or him to Hulk out and infect somebody else? No thanks, can't take that chance.” Dean started to push past Sam, who stopped him. ”Hey look, man, I'm not happy about this, okay? But it's a tough job and you know that.”

”It's supposed to be tough, Dean. We're supposed to struggle with this, that's the whole point.” Sam argued, his hand still holding Dean back.

“And what does that buy us?”

“A clear conscience, at least!”

”Well, it's too late for that.”

“What’s happened to you?!” I burst out.

”What?” Dean blinked.

“You might kill an innocent man, and you don't even care! You don't act like yourself anymore, Dean. Hell, you know what? You're acting like one of those things out there.”

“Mhmm.” Dean pushed past Sam, who tried to stop him a third time, but Dean threw him against the wall.

“DEAN!” Dean walked into the other room, locking the door behind him. Sam ran up, trying to unlock the door, trying the handle and banging on the door.

“Open the damn door, Dean!” Sam yelled. “Don't do it, Dean! Don't!”

“It’s too late.” I sighed, punching the door angrily. “Damn it! I’m sorry, Sammy.”

“You tried, at least.”

“I didn’t try hard enough.” Then the door unlocked, and Dean was standing there.

“I didn’t do it.” He whispered.

“It's been over four hours. Duane's blood is still clean. I don't think he's infected. I'd like to untie him, if that's all right.” Olivia asked us, and I gave her a nod while pouring the right amount of potassium chloride into a glass bottle.

“You know we’re gonna ask you why.” I raised an eyebrow, setting down the bottle.

“Yeah, I know.” Dean nodded.

“So why? Why didn’t you do it?” Sam asked.

“We’re gonna need more alcohol.” Sam left, leaving Dean and I alone.

“First molotov done.” I put a rag in the hole, setting it aside. “You can talk to me, Dean. Why?”

“What you told me got in my head when I was about to murder the sucker.” He looked up at me. “You and Sammy mean the most to me. I don’t wanna see the day that you tell me I’m a monster.”

“I’d never say that.” I cupped his cheek, and he leaned into my touch. “Never-“ We heard crashing, and James and Mark ran in, armed. I pulled out my gun, busting open the door just as Pam smeared blood over a cut on Sam’s chest. I lifted my gun in an instant, shooting her twice in the back in cold blood. She fell to the side, and Sam pushed her off, getting up hurriedly.

“She bled on him. He's got the virus.” Mark announced.

“Get him to Dr Lee.” I ordered. “This is enough. Too many people are dying.” We got Sam to the medical room, where Olivia got to examining him.

“Doc, check his wound again, would you?” Dean frowned, pacing.

“What's she need to examine him for?” Mark scoffed. “You saw what happened.”

“Did her blood actually enter your wound?” Olivia asked Sam gently.

“Come on, of course it did!”

Dean shook his head. “We don’t know that for sure.”

“We can’t take a chance.” Duane retorted.

“You know what we have to do.” Mark murmured.

Dean gritted his teeth, “Nobody is shooting my brother.”

“He ain’t gonna be your brother much longer. You said it yourself.”

“Nobody is gonna shoot anyone.”

“You tried to shoot me!” Duane yelled.

“You don't shut your pie-hole, I still might!”

“Oh, just SHUT UP!” I shouted, silencing everyone. “We still don’t have any idea whether Pam’s blood mixed with Sam’s. I get it, we can’t take chances, but the testosterone is killing me!”

“She’s right.” James agreed. “So, Sam, what do you say?”

”Dean, they're right.” Sam nodded sadly. “I'm infected; just give me the gun and I'll do it myself.”

“Forget it.” Dean whispered.

“Dean, I’m not gonna become one of those things.”

“Sam, we've still got some time-“

“Time for what? Look, I understand he's your brother, and I'm sorry, I am.” Mark sympathised. “But we gotta take care of this.” He pulled out his his handgun, but I stepped in the way.

“This is his decision, not yours.” I gritted my teeth, glaring daggers at him. “I'm gonna say this one time — you make a move on him, you'll be dead before you hit the ground. You understand me? I mean, do I make myself clear?!”

“Then what are we supposed to do?!”

I held up my hand, and the keys to the Impala flew into them from Dean’s hand. I handed them to him. “Get the hell out of here, that's what. Take my car. You've got the explosives, there's an arsenal in there. You three go with him. You've got enough firepower to handle anything now.”

“What about you and Dean?”

“Dean, Ivy, no. No. Go with them.” Sam pleaded. “This is your only chance!”

”You’re not getting rid of us that easy, kid.” I smiled sadly.

“No, he’s right.” Mark frowned. “Come with us.” We didn’t answer, so he shrugged. “Fine. It’s your funeral.”

“I'm sorry. Thanks for everything, Marshals.” Olivia nodded with a pained expression.

“Oh, we’re not really Marshals.” Dean chuckled awkwardly. “And he’s not FBI.”

“Oh. Ok.” She went out the door, and then James walked up to me, cupping my cheeks tenderly, his eyes glistening.

“Come with me.” He whispered, leaning his forehead on mine.

“I can’t.” I sighed. “Besides, this seems like a good way to go. In a blaze of glory.”

“Don’t say that, don’t say-“ I kissed him, fighting off my own tears.

“If I make it out, I’ll find you. Or text you. Or pick up the phone for the first time. Either way, you’ll know.” I patted his chest. “Now, you need to go.” He hugged me tightly, kissing my hair and breathing out shakily before detaching himself.

“I love you.”

“I know.” He went out the door, and I turned back to the boys.

“Wish we had a deck of cards, or a foosball table or something.” Dean joked.

“Dean, Ivy, don't do this. Just get the hell out of here.”

“No way.”

“Give me my gun, and leave.”

“For the last time, Sam.” I shook my head. “No.”

Sam slammed the table, tears running down his face. “This is the dumbest thing you've ever done!”

“Oh, I don't know about that.” Dean shuddered. “Remember that waitress in Tampa?”

“Dean, Ivy, I'm sick. It's over for me. It doesn't have to be for you.”

“No?”

“You can keep going.”

“Who says we want to?” I shrugged.

“What?”

Dean crossed too the other side of the room, running his hand through his hair and pulling a gun out of his waistband. “I'm tired, Sam. I'm tired of this job, this life… this weight on my shoulders, man. I'm tired of it.”

“I’ve lived eight years wondering where I went wrong, Sam, and it’s one hell of a burden.” I wiped a tear from my eye. “I’m meant to be in prison. Heck, I should be dead. At least my dad gets to live.”

“So what, so you're just going to give up?” Sam scoffed. “You're just gonna lay down and die? Look, Dean, I know this stuff with Dad has-“

“You're wrong. It's not about Dad. I mean, part of it is, sure, but…”

“What’s it about?” Dean’s reply was cut off by a knock on the door, so I went to open it. Olivia was there, looking spooked.

“You better come see this.” She said.

“There's no one. Not anywhere. They've all just… vanished.” Olivia shrugged.

“Either they’re planning a surprise attack, or somebody wiped out this town. Either way, let’s get back inside.” I frowned. “But everyone who disappeared was infected.”

“Let’s check Sam’s blood.” We rushed back inside, going straight to Sam’s blood sample. Olivia checked it, then looked surprised. “Well, it's been five hours and your blood's still clean. I don't understand it but I think you dodged a bullet.”

“But I was exposed. How could I not be infected?” Sam stammered.

“I don't know. But you're just not. I mean, you compare it with the Tanner samples…” She looked at the Tanners’ blood, “what the hell?”

“What is it?” I asked.

“Their blood. There's no trace of the virus. No sulfur, nothing.”

“So that’s it?” Dean confirmed.

“That’s it.” I brought the two aside, looking between them.

“Demonic plague.” I confirmed. “Never seen anything more like it. They infect the people, then completely wipe out anyone with sulfur in their blood. Which should be everyone in town.”

“Hey, the Sarge and I are getting the hell out of here, heading south. You should come.” Duane grinned.

“I'd better get over to Sidewinder, get the authorities up here. If they'll believe me. Take care.” Olivia smiled.

“What about him?” Dean nodded to Sam.

“He's going to be fine. No signs of infection.” I went over to her, beaming.

“From one sane woman to another, you took this better than most.” I smirked.

“From one sane woman to another, I probably wouldn’t have gone mad if you hadn’t kept everyone in check.” We hugged, and I gave her a once over.

“Take care.” I went back to the boys, correcting my jacket collar.

“I swear, I'm gonna lose sleep over this one.” Dean scoffed. “I mean, why here, why now? And where the hell did everybody go? It's like they just friggin' melted.”

“Demonic plagues do that.” I sighed.

“Why was I immune?” Sam thought aloud as he went to the backseat of the Impala.

“Yeah. You know what? That's a good question.” Dean agreed as we got in the car. “You know, I'm already starting to feel like this is the one that got away?”

“I sure don’t want it to come back.” I chuckled.

I dialled a number when I got home, putting it to my ear.

‘New York PD, James Rhodes speaking.’

“I told you I’d call.” I heard a laugh of relief from the other end, and I grinned.

‘Ivy! You made it out?’

“Yeah. Sam was immune, turns out. Plus, everyone in Rivergrove disappeared, just like that.”

‘What’s the conclusion?’

“Demonic plague.” I replied. “I’m not sure what type, but it’s happened.”

‘Damn. But does that mean you’re free to have dinner sometime?’

“Depends. How illegal are the methods to obtain it?”

‘Completely legal.’

“It’s not for me, honey, sorry.” I joked. “I’m available tomorrow at 8.”

‘Sounds like a plan.’

”Also, I thought you were Baltimore PD.”

‘I transferred.’ I could feel his smirk on the other side. ‘Goodnight, beautiful.’

“Sweet dreams, handsome.”

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#dean winchester #dean winchester fanfiction #dean winchester x reader #dean x reader #dean winchester x oc #spn #spn masterlist #supernatural #dean winchester x you #supernatural oc

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seirclys · 2 years

Text

Headcanon: Penelope, Eckles, and Slavery

cw for mentions of slavery

First of all, WHY is slavery a thing in so many manhwa. It's literally fantasy. It's not accurate in most parts, so why is slavery even there?

Something I found while researching slavery(called nobi) in Korea. From the definition of North Korean scholar Kim Sok-Hygong, they could be divided into two groups. Residents/slaves lived under the same roof as their masters and provided domestic and the majority of agricultural labor. Non-residents/tenant farmers/serfs dwelt farther away, cultivating land, owning property, and paying rent to their masters.

Of course, according to this definition, Eckles was a slave. A military captive turned slave(I'm sorry I can't find the actual term for this since 'military slavery' was the drafting of slaves as soldiers).

I imagine that Penelope hates it, really. She hates how the Empire operates on a system of slavery to some degree. When she lived in her family estate before they had to flee, most of the domestic labor was done by carved runes and animated golems.

On the streets, she had to be constantly watchful of slavers and kidnappers. Penelope remembers dark nights where latticed carriages would bring hordes of slaves, cramped and bound together by chains, the crack of a whip sending them on their way. The way that they'd be called "products" and referred to as something less than human.

The terror she'd feel when street children disappear, and a few come back with slave collars and marks of abuse.

When she goes into the Duke's household, she understands a little more. How it feels to be belittled every day by people around you, how it feels to be dehumanized and treated as a savage. To be chained to people who wouldn't care if you dropped dead, only for them to drag you back kicking and screaming when you try to leave.

She remembers how it feels, the whip across her back, sitting in a dungeon, fed worse than rotting food on expensive plates.

A hazy memory, perhaps not hers, the remnant of one of her ancestors. Standing on a stage at an auction, presented as a product with her limbs chained and gagged.

But after countless loops, she looks at Eckles and cannot muster up any more pity. Yes, there is pity for his circumstances as a slave. But she cannot draw any of that out when she remembers his arrogance, how he'd treat her like she was stupid when she clung to him. She can only remember him siding with Ivonne.

Yes, Penelope hates slavery, and would not want anyone to suffer it.

But she also hates Eckles. After everything she did for him, showering him with gifts and luxuries that no slave could ever dream to ever see, opened her heart to him because of their shared circumstances... he leaves her. Eckles turns his back on her when she offers her hand and chooses Ivonne like the rest of them.

He was supposed to be her guard. Her knight. How many times had she argued for him to be treated better? Stared the duke in the eye as she laid out her demands. Better treatment. Equal access to the infirmary. A proper teacher. Equal lodgings. For that damned collar to come off and the ring off her finger.

So when he offers his hand to her, desperate, asking for her love and for her to run away with him for a new life, she laughs hysterically at the irony of it all.

Because she had done the same. So shouldn't she do the same as he did once and reject him?

Because she has seen just how twisted he can get. And sure, she's just as twisted as everyone else, but she would not trade a life of chains for another, for a life that would give her less than what she has now.

After all, material possessions had become her only source of joy, a life where she could sometimes delude herself that she was with her parents.

Reference: Kim, Bok Rae. “Nobi: A Korean System of Slavery.” Slavery & Abolition, vol. 24, no. 2, Mar. 2008, https://doi.org/10.1080/01440390308559162.

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star-trekkin-across-theuniverse · 7 years

Text

Here Comes Your Man

Prompt: @imamotherfuckingstar-lord‘s song challenge - my song was ‘Here Comes Your Man’ by the Pixies. My character was Jim Kirk. I had SO much fun writing this. And listening to the Pixies. Word Count: 2111 Author’s Note: Oh Jim. You do make a girl’s heart go pitty-pat. I used the song lyrics as the section dividers - I think it kind of works thematically. You’ll have to believe me that I let the song lead the fic ;)

Outside there's a box car waiting, Outside the family stew

The wind rushed through your ears as you flew down the highway on the old PX70, headed away toward the shipyard. You were determined to make the shuttle leaving for the academy, hell or high water. You smoothed down your hair as you dismounted from the bike, and stowed your keys in your pocket. The security guy at the perimeter raised an eyebrow at you.

“Last person came gunning in here like that left me his keys,” he winked. You rolled your eyes.

“That’s an antique. Probably worth more than the shuttle. I’m not giving it to you. My dad’ll be by to pick it up this afternoon,” you shot back, skipping a stair as you bounded onto the shuttle. Once you were buckled in, you closed your eyes and relaxed.

Out by the fire breathing, Outside we wait 'til face turns blue

Jim Kirk. You remembered him, vaguely, from high school. He was that misunderstood genius delinquent that all the girls loved to get caught under the bleachers with. You’d fancied yourself interested at one point, but you’d never once caught his eye, and finally gave up, moving on to non-genius delinquents who were probably not as fun, but easily as much trouble. And really, two genius delinquents in one relationship was probably one too many anyhow.

After high school, you’d headed to university for engineering, and discovered your aptitude for mechanics. It had led to your hire at a shop that restored and updated old cars and motorcycles. When Christopher Pike had brought in an old motorcycle for a retrofit, he’d seen the way you worked and started the recruitment speech. He even went as far as to look you up, and throw your aptitude scoring back at you.

Which was how you wound up sitting behind Jim Kirk in a lecture of xenoanthropology in a command track class. All those repressed feelings from high school bubbled to the surface when you saw the line of his jaw, flexed with concentration. When the prof called on you to answer a complicated question about the Prime Directive, he turned and you saw a flash of recognition in those blue eyes. You smirked, somewhat lopsidedly, and winked at him before he turned back to his seat. You weren’t sure, but you thought his ears might be a bit redder.

I know the nervous walking, I know the dirty beard hangs

It wasn’t until hand-to-hand that you came face-to-face with him. He smiled and took in your stance, a lazy shrug of indifferent confidence sliding across his body like a sweater. He took you down easily, without a word, and winked before he pulled you to your feet.

“Again, or is once enough?” He asked. You raised your eyebrow and got back into ready stance, having already learned plenty from the quick takedown. You grappled for a few minutes, both of you grunting and sweating until his superior strength and size finally defeated you.

“Good,” you managed. He released you, and you felt your body relax beside him.

“We should catch up, Y/N, it’s been a few years.” He offered a hand to pull you to your feet. You weren’t sure if you felt breathless because of the fight or because he was asking to see you, but you nodded dumbly.

“Sure. Comm me,” you agreed.

Out by the box car waiting, Take me away to nowhere plains

He’d been hooking up with an Orion girl, which might have explained why he’d never had time to follow up on the offer to catch up. Who’d want to catch up with a human who wasn’t a sure thing if you already had an Orion waiting in the wings? That said, he’d sat beside you in xenoanthropology during your next class. He’d slipped in late, and saw the empty seat beside you, near the aisle. It wasn’t deliberate, as far as you could tell. You always sat near the doors, and always put your bag in the seat beside you to discourage people from sitting with you, as you hated the way the seats pinned you in so close to one another.

The first time it happened, you’d assumed it was because it was the first seat he saw. But as the weeks progressed, you realized he was deliberately choosing to sit with you, deliberately leaning into you to read over your shoulder at the notes you were taking, deliberately seeking you out in both the lecture theatre and lab. It was, at the same time, both comforting and unsettling. Comforting to have someone you knew beside you in class. Unsettling because all those feelings from high school just kept intensifying every time he would wink as he corrected something in your notes, or clap you on the back after good exam results were posted.

“Can you help me with the Kobayashi Maru?” The question came out of nowhere as you left class one afternoon.

“How?” Your brow furrowed.

“I need a crew. I’d like you to be the weapons tech,” he explained. You bit your lip as you thought. If you were going to put money on anyone passing the damned test, it would be Jim Kirk. It would be cool to witness it.

“Okay,” you shrugged. Little did you know what you were in for.

There is a wait so long, You'll never wait so long

“You must be Y/N from home.” A lanky, handsome man smiled at you. “Jim talks about you a lot. I’m Leonard McCoy.” He offered his hand.

You smiled and wracked your brain. “Bones?” You considered, not realizing you’d said it out loud. The man smiled.

“In the flesh,” he laughed weakly at his joke. You grinned. Jim talked about the man constantly.

“It’s nice to meet you, Leonard,” you offered. “I see you’ve been roped into this as well?” He nodded and found his position on the simulated bridge. And just like you expected, pretty soon it went to shit.

Big shake on the box car moving, Big shake to the land that's falling down

You’d been stunned when he was accused of cheating the test a few weeks later. But your surprise turned into anticipation as cadets were mustered to various ships to go investigate the reported attack on Vulcan. You were astonished to be assigned to the Enterprise. You’d wanted to be assigned to her, eventually. You just never dreamed it would happen for the maiden voyage of the ship. While you were still a student. As you boarded the shuttle bound for the ship, you were surprised to see Bones wrestling a very sick looking Jim aboard. He plopped down in the seats beside you and you leaned close.

“What the hell are you thinking? He’s grounded!” You hissed.

“He’s sick, Y/N. Eyes forward.” Leonard’s voice was strained but even. You raised an eyebrow.

“Bullshit.” But you didn’t press for more information.

Is a wind makes a palm stop blowing, A big, big stone fall and break my crown

“Attention crew of the Enterprise, this is James Kirk. Mister Spock has resigned commission and advanced me to Acting Captain. I know you were all expecting to regroup with fleet, but I'm ordering a pursuit course of the enemy ship to Earth. I want all departments at battle stations and ready in ten minutes.” The announcement echoed in your head and you looked up at the speaker in surprise before going back to the repairs you’d been pulled to engineering to take charge of.

There is a wait so long, You'll never wait so long

It was over before you’d had a chance to even get halfway through the extensive repairs you’d started, and it almost felt like you were back on the ground sooner than that. The flurry of exams and interviews and debriefings the Starfleet Academy administration and deans went through to get the third and fourth year students ready for their commissions was enough to set your head spinning, and you found yourself studying late with Jim often, as you struggled to keep on top of the knowledge you were required to spit back during oral exams that replaced the written ones. Jim pulled from your shared childhood to remind you that were every bit as clever as he was, and pushed you to your continued success. There was no way, he said, that he was going back into space without the entire crew that had been on the Enterprise. And that included you.

The first time you crashed in his dorm had been completely innocent. You’d been sprawled across the bed that had belonged to his roommate before the Narada incident, and had fallen asleep, face-down against your PADD. You’d wakened in the morning to the scent of fresh coffee and noticed he’d draped his favourite blanket over you in the night.

It hadn’t felt awkward or strange, and so when it continued to happen, you weren’t fussed. It didn’t even bother you that Jim had retrieved your toothbrush from your room one night while you slept. You didn’t notice the whispered voices in the cafeteria, until Bones pointed it out.

“There’s a whole table of girls over there running a pool on exactly which disease Jim is going to give you, Y/N,” he announced as he sat on the bench beside you. Jim choked on his coffee. “My money's on Gangorian Clap.” Jim glared and put down his coffee cup.

“Too common,” you countered around a mouthful of eggs. “I’d rather an old fashioned, cured in the 2060s case of chlamydia.” Jim choked again and Bones started laughing.

“Syphilis too old school, is it?” Bones asked, his eyes dancing with amusement.

“Excuse me, I’m right here,” Jim interrupted. You winked at him and went back to your breakfast. “People think we’re sleeping together?”

“She hardly leaves your room except for classes,” Bones countered. “Of course they do.” Jim looked at you thoughtfully and fell silent. You would have completely forgotten the incident, but Jim started acting strangely over the next few days, until finally you felt the need to confront him.

“What’s the issue?” You asked. He looked up from the other side of the room, startled. “Why are you being weird? You’ve been weird since Bones told you people thought we were hooking up.”

“But we aren’t,” Jim commented. “Doesn’t it bother you?”

“We could both be doing considerably worse,” you shrugged. “So not really.”

Here comes your man

The first time you slept with Jim was after what felt like a disastrous chemistry exam. He found you sobbing in his room - your room, really, most of your things had made their way over soon after your toothbrush had. He pulled you into his arms, kissing the top of your head and murmuring soothing sounds. You melted into the warmth, letting him soothe you until your tears dried. When you looked up to thank him, something flashed across his eyes and he stopped, and took a deep breath before dipping his head and brushing his lips against yours.

Every inch of his body was warm, and solid, and felt so good against yours that you were surprised it had taken so long for you both to succumb to the pull that was there. The chemistry exam was forgotten in a tangle of sweaty sheets and the inarticulate sounds of body against body culminating in a climax that made you whisper one another’s names in prayer.

The delicious ache deep in your muscles woke you. Jim’s weight, pinning you to the mattress, reminded you of the previous night’s activities. You stretched against him, trying to wriggle out of his grasp. He pulled you closer, murmuring your name in his drowsy not-quite-awake voice, “Stay, Y/N.”

“I’ve gotta pee. I’ll come back.” You pushed against him again and he let you up. When you returned from the bathroom, he’d untangled the sheets, and fluffed your pillow.

“Took you long enough,” he winked. You furrowed your brow in confusion as you slipped back into bed beside him.

“I wasn’t that long in -”

“I meant last night. Ten years?” You could tell he was counting back in his head to when you’d first met in high school.

“Twelve,” you corrected. “You never saw me then.”

“I saw you. I just knew this would happen,” he explained. You shot him another confused look.

“You’re no stranger to a romp in the sheets, James Kirk,” you laughed. His cheeks turned pink, which you found wildly amusing.

“You aren’t just a romp in the sheets, Y/N. You’re the kind of woman a man likes to wake up to,” he admitted. “I’ve never done that before.”

“You’ve been waking up to me since the Narada,” you countered, slowly beginning to understand what he was saying.

“Waking up to a roommate is a little different than waking up to a lover,” he stumbled. You felt your cheeks flush.

“You’ve never stayed the night with a woman before?” You blurted it out before you realized exactly how invasive a question it was. He shook his head.

“No. But with you,” he paused. “I could get used to it.”

#ivonne's song challenge #star trek imagine #imagine star trek #jim kirk x reader #james t. kirk x reader

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