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iheartbookbran · 3 years

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in what world has Jaime done as many shitty things as Cersei... he's totally done shitty things, but Cersei is really out here having people tortured, abusing her children, killing babies, raping her teenage cousin, the list goes on? by all means let's hold Jaime to account but this saying he's done 'as many shitty things as Cersei' is honestly like comparing Theon to Euron

Hi anon! I think you’re referring to this post I reblogged about Cersei, in which I said in the tags that Tyrion and Jaime are objectively as shitty.

Ok listen, full on disclaimer here, but I’m not the biggest Jaime fan out there, and I’m by no means an expert on his character, so (in general) take everything I say about him with a grain of salt, but, while Jaime may not have as much blood in his hands as Cersei, I’ll concede you that point, he’s also not a king regent, like Cersei, with huge amounts of liberty—at least at first— to commit war crimes to his hear’s content. He really hasn’t had that much agency in general across the books, with him being a prisoner of war and then being dragged around the Riverlands by Brienne or being taken hostage... again. What readers trend to forget about Jaime is that when does have the agency, as of the start of aGoT, he’s more than a willing participant in Cersei’s schemes.

Yeah sure, he feels bad about it, and he justifies it by saying that he does it because he loves Cersei and wants to protect her, but to that I have to say...

Also I’m gonna disagree in one of the things you listed Cersei has done and Jaime hasn’t.

That is “killing babies” because Jaime doesn’t really show any qualms about harming children? Bran being the biggest example, of course. The only reason he isn’t dead is because he’s got big plot armor. Still, I feel this often gets ignored when discussing Jaime’s character because Bran didn’t die while ignoring the physical and emotional damage he’s suffering as a result, including deep depression. And just because an attempted murder failed doesn’t negate the fact that Jaime still pushed a 7 year old child out of a window with the clear intention of killing him.

He’s also not opposed to maiming children. He was more than willing to cut off Arya’s hand after the Trident incident:

"Do you see that window, ser?" Jaime used a sword to point. "That was Raymun Darry's bedchamber. Where King Robert slept, on our return from Winterfell. Ned Stark's daughter had run off after her wolf savaged Joff, you'll recall. My sister wanted the girl to lose a hand. (...) The king was passed out snoring on the Myrish carpet. I asked my sister if she wanted me to carry him to bed. She told me I should carry her to bed, and shrugged out of her robe. I took her on Raymun Darry's bed after stepping over Robert. (...) "As I was fucking her, Cersei cried, 'I want.' I thought that she meant me, but it was the Stark girl that she wanted, maimed or dead." The things I do for love. "It was only by chance that Stark's own men found the girl before me. If I had come on her first . . ."—aFoC, Jaime IV.

And yeah, he again justifies it on his need to please Cersei, but that’s not good enough for me, not by a long shot.

Same as this....

Edmure raised his hands from the tub and watched the water run between his fingers. "And if I will not yield?"

Must you make me say the words? (...) "You've seen our numbers, Edmure. You've seen the ladders, the towers, the trebuchets, the rams. If I speak the command, my coz will bridge your moat and break your gate. Hundreds will die, most of them your own. Your former bannermen will make up the first wave of attackers, so you'll start your day by killing the fathers and brothers of men who died for you at the Twins. The second wave will be Freys, I have no lack of those. My westermen will follow when your archers are short of arrows and your knights so weary they can hardly lift their blades. When the castle falls, all those inside will be put to the sword. Your herds will be butchered, your godswood will be felled, your keeps and towers will burn. I'll pull your walls down, and divert the Tumblestone over the ruins. By the time I'm done no man will ever know that a castle once stood here." Jaime got to his feet. "Your wife may whelp before that. You'll want your child, I expect. I'll send him to you when he's born. With a trebuchet."

Silence followed his speech. Edmure sat in his bath. (...) With a trebuchet, Jaime thought. If his aunt had been there, would she still say Tyrion was Tywin's son?—aFoC, Jaime VI.

Charming lol. Don’t forget that he’s doing all this while he tells himself that he’s keeping the oath he made to Catelyn about not harming her kin, and the riverlords as an extension, and at the same time defending and giving legitimacy to a hideous unlawful act that Jaime himself, deep down, condones, and yet there he is, waging war against the Tullys. And threatening to trebuchet Edmure’s baby while he’s at it.

I think that my biggest problem with Jaime is exactly that, his willingness to be complicit in all of his family’s wrongdoings and even rationalize his involvement. Like you also mentioned Cersei raping her teenage cousin, and that 100% should not be ignored (though funnily enough, Jaime uses Cersei “infidelity” if you can call it that to slut-shame her lmao, but their relationship is messed up like that). Now Jaime is one of the only male characters that acknowledge marital rape is a thing, that’s good, but at the same time his hold on concent is... shaky at best imo.

With his relationship with Cersei there are some glaring examples:

“Stop it,” she said. “Stop it, stop it, oh please…” But her voice was low and weak, and she did not push him away.—aGoT, Bran II.

“No,” she said weakly when his lips moved down her neck. “Not here. The septons…”

“The Others can take the septons.” He kissed her again, kissed her silent, kissed her until she moaned.—aSoS, Jaime VII.

This is a problem with Cersei as well. Both twins have issues accepting that no means no. And even going beyond that, there’s the whole Tysha fiasco and Jaime’s involvement on it.

"She was no whore. I never bought her for you. That was a lie that Father commanded me to tell. Tysha was . . . she was what she seemed to be. A crofter's daughter, chance met on the road."

Tyrion could hear the faint sound of his own breath whistling hollowly through the scar of his nose. Jaime could not meet his eyes. Tysha. He tried to remember what she had looked like. A girl, she was only a girl, no older than Sansa. "My wife," he croaked. "She wed me."

"For your gold, Father said. She was lowborn, you were a Lannister of Casterly Rock. All she wanted was the gold, which made her no different from a whore, so . . . so it would not be a lie, not truly, and . . . he said that you required a sharp lesson. That you would learn from it, and thank me later . . ."—ASOS, Tyrion XI.

Yes, Jaime, and she was also a teenage girl, who was gang raped on your father’s command, in front of your 13 year old brother who later was forced to participate (and people forget Tyrion was a victim here too).

I mean Jaime is a victim of his father’s abuse the same way his siblings are, but he’s also a full grown adult, more than capable of recognizing right from wrong, yet he still chosen to side with his family and be complicit to their crimes. Sometimes you can be guilty of what you don’t do, not only of what you do.

Of course, it’s kinda unfair to make a complete judgment just yet because his story is not finished, so he might make a turn in that regard, but that really hasn’t happened as far as the books go? Other than him deciding not to go to Cersei because he feels betrayed that she slept with other men. Oh the irony of him turning on her the one time she legitimately needs him to protect her from an actual injustice instead of him inflicting terror on others per her wishes.

I think it’s interesting that GRRM even gives Jaime this opportunity to grow, while he never extends the same courtesy to Cersei. That Jaime spents so much time away from his family—and by extension of Cersei—is a huge factor in that, but I do wonder what would have happened if he didn’t have the fallout with Cersei, if he had been in that position of power to continue the affair with his sister, to what lengths he would have gone to keep her, and that’s why I, personally, believe that he can be, or rather is, as bad as Cersei.

#ask #anonymous #ask pam #ok i'm not tagging this with the character tag because i don't fancy myself being hunted for sport lol #AND JUST TO MAKE IT CLEAR..... this isn't j hate like i think he's super complex but people do cut him too much slack sometimes #just my humble opinion #asoiaf #asoiaf meta #a song of ice and fire #valyrianscrolls #meta #my meta

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theangriestpea · 4 years

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Crowned : Six

Summary: Two blonde princesses, two dark-haired princes, and one plotting marquess. Lily is in love with a secret admirer. Shanna doesn’t want to ascend to the throne. Jughead wants to spend the day writing poetry. Sweet Pea would rather be out on his horse. And Reggie just wants to be king. <ao3> <masterlist>

Pairing: Sweet Pea x OC, Jughead Jones x OC

Word Count: 4.7k+

Warnings: Mentions of wartime and violence.

A/N: Thank you everyone who has supported me through this series. This is the first completely fanfiction series I’ve completed in quite some time not counting one-shots. I’m pretty terrible at finishing fics because I’m HORRIBLE at endings...and middles....really I’m only good at beginnings lmao. Please enjoy the Epilogue and look for more oneshots that I’ll write for this universe periodically. More “Deleted scenes” if you will, since the last one I wrote did really well. Ao3 is currently down so I’ll updated it there as soon as it comes back up.

Part Six: Epilogue

The screams of the two princesses echoed down the hallway. King Owens paced frantically outside the closed door to the special room in the royal infirmary. Sweat beaded on his brow as his stomach turned as he heard his oldest cry out once again.

He was useless. Just as useless as he was on the days they were born. He fainted when his wife was pushing out Shanna and would have passed out for Lily had he not been sitting down already at the doctor’s request. He did well under political pressure, but not under personal stress.

Inside the room, divided by a thin curtain, Shanna and Lily were plagued with labor pains. Though their due dates were a few days apart, and still about a week away, both had started contractions heavily that morning.

Shanna blamed her husband. Sweet Pea had seduced her into a round of wake-up sex which triggered her labor. Hearing her sister’s cries of pain caused Lily so much stress that she then went into labor. It was quite the royal disaster.

Sweet Pea’s fingers were currently being fractured in his wife’s tight grip. “I fucking hate you!” She yelled, tears trailing down her face, “you just had to get your dick wet!”

“That’s why this is happening?!” Lily yelled from the other side of the curtain, poised on her own bed. “Because he couldn’t take care of his morning wood himself?”

Jughead, future king of Riverdale, was doing his best to not laugh at his brother’s misfortune of incurring the wrath of both princesses. In fact, he couldn’t keep the smile from beaming across his face as today would be the day that he’d finally meet his son.

Sweet Pea would have been overjoyed to see his daughter in person for the first time as well if he weren’t currently being screamed at by two women in an insurmountable amount of pain. Their contractions were fairly closed together, although Lily was dilated about two inches more and was finally ready to get an epidural.

Princess Shanna was breathing heavily between muscle contractions as she tried to rest against the bed until her next one hit in approximately two minutes. She overheard the nurse letting Lily know she could get anesthetic now and Shanna groaned with the agony of jealousy.

Her own nurse checked her once more, head bobbing under the sheet that was tented by her knees. “Not quite yet, your highness.” She said, much to Shanna’s disdain. The nurse stood back up, putting the sheet back down. “But soon. Hopefully a few more minutes.”

“She’s dragging this out because she’s trying to kill me!” Shanna yelled in a fit of dramatics as she noticed Lily’s own pained sobs had mostly quieted. The world was cruel and she’d love nothing more than to catapult Sweet Pea into the sun for doing this to her.

Sweet Pea tried to soothe her by smoothing down her mussy hair, “no she’s not. She’s just not ready to come out yet…”

“And whose fault is that?” Shanna snapped at him angrily, ready to break another one of his phalanges. He blanched, knowing that this day might end in his own death.

Twelve laborious hours after she went into labor, Crowned Princess Lily gave birth to a healthy baby boy and newest heir to the throne. Of course, keeping with traditions, he was named Forsythe Pendleton Jones IV. Although the couple had settled on the nickname “Pax” to symbolize the peace he was to bring to their newly joined kingdoms.

Shanna was not quite as lucky. Her own labor lasted a total of fifteen hours before the new little princess joined the world at last. Princess Dahlia, after a flower that Shanna was quite fond of and in keeping with the floral tradition of her husband’s name.

Although no longer ascending the throne, Shanna still had to stay in the Northside castle as her husband was training the ground troops there to get them into shape. Some of his best men had come from the Southside to help him and he spent entirely too much time in his beloved war room, leaving his wife and newborn daughter to fend for themselves.

Well, as much as princesses would need to, considering the personal servants and chambermaids they both had. The king had even tried to order for a wet nurse to be available but the new mothers greatly protested as they didn’t want anyone else to be feeding their newborn children. Unfortunately for the king, he had to accept that his daughters were grown adults now and no longer needed his help with much.

Six weeks after Pax and Dahlia were born, the crowning ceremony was held for Lily and Jughead to finally become the reigning couple. King Owens stepped down from king to simply father of the queen. In truth, he was quite okay with this as ruling solo for so long had been quite tiresome. He had been looking forward to the rest greatly. Although he did stick around for a majority of the council meetings to help guide his daughter in the political processes. Afterall, Shanna had been the one trained in all of it and not Lily. It was an easy fix, however, and Lily was a natural just as her mother had been.

With Lily and Jughead ruling as equals, most of their day was spent going over new decrees, new laws being passed, having an audience with those wanting to propose changes or new social programs, going over financing the Southside with supplies, and various odds and ends. This meant that for a majority of the day, their son was actually in the care of his aunt as she had no royal duty to do...well anything really.

It actually caused her a great deal of distress, although feeling mostly fulfilled as a mother and aunt, she still grew depressed with the thought that this was all that was left for her while her sister and husband were off doing bigger and better things. She was left in their dust and was feeling particularly ignored and abandoned.

She was in her favorite sunroom with the two infants one day, alone as usual, and on this particular day she was weeping silently as she rocked the bassinet Pax was currently fussing in as he was fighting sleep. Her own daughter was already passed out from a belly full of fresh breast milk.

Duke Mantle, not the old pissant Marty but the new and improved Reginald, came across her there and noticed something wasn’t right. He came in slowly, not wanting to startle her or the little one that she was trying to get to sleep.

“Princess…?” He asked softly as she quickly wiped the tears from her face, hoping that he hadn’t seen them. But of course, he had. That was one of the reasons why he was coming in here. “May I sit down?”

Shanna let out a tired sigh. She didn’t sleep much, really only when both babies were asleep was she finally able to drift off into dreamlessness. “You may.” She said, her exhaustion evident in her voice.

Reggie sat down on the couch beside her. Not too close to be inappropriate, but close enough to try and give some kind of comfort. “What’s wrong?” He asked timidly, a tone that he very rarely took. She didn’t even look at him as she continued to gently move the bassinet back and forth in a rhythm that only she could feel.

“What do you care, Reggie?” She bit back, not understanding what he was doing here when he surely had some important things to do. Even the duke had a bigger role to play in the kingdom than she did at this point. She never thought that she would one day regret giving up the crown.

The duke frowned, “I know I didn’t act like it, Princess Shanna, but I have always cared about you. I never stopped caring. Everything I did to hurt you, that was my father’s doing. I never once lied about my feelings for you.”

More tears flooded her eyes as she tried to get them to stop. Hearing this from him was definitely not something she had realized that she needed. It did help heal some of her past hurts though and perhaps she felt the tiniest bit less used by him. She was quiet, still not answering his question.

“What is wrong?” He repeated, moving just a fraction closer. “Is something wrong with the prince?” His gaze moved to Pax who was finally starting to settle down, although gave the occasional whimper of protest.

“No, he’s fine.” She murmured, “Everything’s fine. I don’t have to be queen. I’m married to Sweet Pea. I have a beautiful daughter and nephew...everything is totally and completely fine.”

This was an obvious lie as if that were truly the case then she wouldn’t be sitting here by herself crying. Reggie obviously knew this as it wasn’t hard to deduce. “Then why are you crying?”

She hesitated, unsure if she should bare her soul to him once more. The last time she did it bit her on the ass. “My life has always had a purpose in regards to the kingdom. I was raised with an important role to fill. Now that I don’t have that...I feel completely useless.”

Her shoulders trembled with the threat of another sob, however she held it in. She didn’t want anyone seeing her like this, especially not Reggie. Despite him greatly improving himself over the past few months and flourishing with his new title, she still couldn’t help but feel like he was an old enemy that she just couldn’t trust.

Reggie put a gentle hand on her shoulder. He hesitated as he felt her stiffen beneath his touch. It was not a romantic gesture, rather a comforting one. Something to assure her that she wasn’t as alone as she felt. “Everyone else has a role to fill and you don’t.” He said, more for clarification than as a statement. Shanna nodded her head weakly. Even her husband had an incredibly important job. The once crowned princess was now nothing more than a royal nanny.

He gently rubbed her shoulder, “I think you’re greatly minimizing your importance in the work you are doing, princess.” He said softly, hoping she would take his words to heart. “Not just anyone can be a mother. And these are just regular children you’re taking care of. The crowned prince will one day be king of all of Riverdale. To ensure he is a good one, then he must be raised right. It takes a special person to do that. Not to say that the queen isn’t special, she is. I just mean it’s not something a commoner could do.”

Reggie paused, taking in her countenance. Shanna was still frowning, albeit not quite as deeply. “And Princess Dahlia I’m sure will one day have an important role herself. She could take over her father’s job or simply help rule the Southside for Prince Forsythe. My point is that she will also need a special upbringing as well. You should not sell yourself so short.”

Shanna chewed on her lip in thought. She wanted to believe him but that was proving to be difficult. The duke continued, “What you’re doing is extremely important, but if you still want to do more then why don’t you think about starting new social programs for the mothers of Riverdale? Help them get the things they need to take better care of their children.”

Finally she cracked a smile, “Reggie...that’s a wonderful idea. I could totally do that and propose it to Lily, I’m sure she’ll agree with it. Jughead will just have to sign off on the financial aid, but…”

His face mirrored hers: happy and excited, “I could help you if you want. Give your proposal while you take care of these two. Maybe work out any of the kinks that pop up.”

She turned to look at him fully, “Thank you, Reggie. This is the nicest thing you’ve ever done for me. How can I repay you?”

“Just stop hating me.” He said softly, eyes downcast with hurt, “forgive me. I never wanted to hurt you. You know the difficult position my father put me in, and-” She cut him off with a wave of her hand.

“If that’s all, then certainly I can do that. All is forgiven, Duke Mantle. Now, go grab a notepad and a pen and we’ll get started.” The princess declared, a smile still lighting up her face.

Reggie nodded and quickly did as she asked before joining her back on the couch so they could get to work.

|\/\/|

Shanna had still not been getting much sleep. Dahlia insisted on eating every two hours, even during the night. Though it relieved the fullness of her breasts, she was starting to feel utterly defeated. Sweet Pea, who slept like a sentient rock, did not wake up to his daughter’s cries. He was totally immune to her hunger pains.

But today was different. Today Sweet Pea had taken some time off to spend with his new family, mostly his daughter who he couldn’t quite believe the amount of love he had for her. He never wanted to protect something so fiercely as her in his entire life. He didn’t get any kind of paternal leave as there was much too much work to do. Instead he was forced to take time off here and there to get any real quality time with her.

Luckily this gave his wife some time to nap peacefully without having to worry about being woken up by a baby. Pax was with the queen today as she took her own day off to play with her little boy. Her and Jughead did this from time to time as to not miss these crucial first moments of their child’s life.

The princess had been asleep for the past three hours, which was more consecutive time than she’d had since Dahlia was born. If she truly wanted to, she could have nannies take care of her, but Shanna was determined to do it herself. If other mother’s could then so could she.

She was abruptly woken by the loudest burp she had ever heard. It startled her so bad that she nearly fell off the bed. She let out a groan before pulling on the robe and going into the living room of their new suite to see who the hell that came from and to promptly yell at them.

“I swear to god, Sweet Pea, the best sleep I get in two months and you-” She walked in to find both her husband and daughter in a fit of giggles. It was the first time she had heard Dahlia do something other than cry… Her eyes teared up with joy.

“She is definitely my daughter. Did you hear that whopper? That was her!” He was so utterly proud of his offspring in that moment that he thought he might burst.

Shanna did not look nearly as impressed. Mostly she just looked exhausted. “Did you give her gas drops?”

He grinned before kissing his baby on the forehead. “Of course I did. Looks like they’re working perfectly. Sleep well?”

“I did until the princess woke me up with the loudest burp in the history of the kingdom.” She grumbled as she tried to wipe the sleep from her eyes. “Well, I guess I’m up now. I should pump since she just ate. Did she take the bottle okay?”

“Yes. I told you she would. Just let me feed her sometimes at night. You don’t always have to do it. All you have to do is pinch me and I’ll wake up.” Sweet Pea said, a smile still on his face as he was still entirely too amused.

She smiled before sitting down on the couch, “I guess I can. I feel bad because you have to work.”

Sweet Pea sat down beside her. “It’s not like you do nothing all day.” He said, rolling his eyes. “How is the new proclamation going? Mantle behaving himself?”

Her eyes lit up, “it’s going wonderfully! We’re going to give the formal proposal next Tuesday. It would help every newborn in the kingdom and make sure every new mother and father have all the tools they need to raise their babies. I’m so excited. Lily was very on board when I told her about it at lunch yesterday.”

Dahlia was staring up at him with big hazel eyes that matched her mother’s. She cooed at him before yawning.

“I’d be worn out too after that monstrosity you just let out.” Shanna said teasingly as she poked her little girl’s belly. Dahlia grinned a toothless smile before yawning a second time.

“I’m proud of you, princess.” Sweet Pea said suddenly. “I didn’t know brats could make such good mothers.” His tone turned teasing at the end.

Shanna’s eyes narrowed and she pulled on his earlobe, making him yelp in pain. “Jerk. I’m only a brat when you’re an ass. Besides, you enjoy it. Don’t try to deny it either because I’m not an idiot.”

The dark prince just laughed lightly, knowing it was true.

Meanwhile in what was the new wing for the King and Queen, Lily and Jughead sat with their son who had also just fallen asleep. “He’s so perfect.” Jughead said in a soft voice as to not wake the sleeping baby. “I can’t believe I helped create him.”

Lily was smiling at the swaddled bundle in her arms. “He has your eyes.” She commented, “the Jones’ blue eyes...I hope they don’t change when he gets older.”

Jughead grinned, “They won’t, trust me. All the men in my family have the same blue eyes...well, except for Sweet Pea but that’s because he’s adopted. Dahlia got Lav’s eyes anyway.”

The queen giggled lightly as she got up and gently placed Pax in his bassinet. “The prince who will finally bring peace to Riverdale...Do you think we expect too much of him?”

“Not any more than my father expected of me.” The new crowned king said honestly. “Once this war with Greendale is over then things should settle and be peaceful again. No other kingdoms are so gungho for war. The one-eyed queen is the last one trying to wreak havoc with her Gargoyles.”

Lily shook her head, “yes but now we’ll have the best Serpent army training our troops. We are twice as strong now. She won’t be able to even touch us. Especially with Sweet Pea leading them.”

Jughead was silent for a few moments. “I do worry what will happen when he goes into battle….”

She ran a hand through his thick hair, “we have to trust that he’ll be smart when he goes in. And pray that he stays safe. My sister would be devastated if anything were to happen to him. Dahlia deserves a father.”

“I know. That’s what concerns me. His temper or pride will blind him and he’ll get himself hurt or worse.” Jughead said, his face going stoic.

The queen shook her head, not wanting to discuss something so serious on their day off. “It’s his job, Jug. None of us have a choice. He’ll want to be out there anyway. You can’t stop him from doing what he loves.”

The king gave an exasperated sigh. “I know. He’s like a bull. At least his strategies are brilliant. Maybe that’ll be enough to keep him from getting himself killed.”

“We can only hope….”

Six months later the worst happened. Greendale finally made its move against Riverdale, attacking the border bases and cities. Jughead had no choice but to send Sweet Pea and his best troops to the front line. It was his duty, no matter how much Princess Shanna begged him to not make his brother go.

Dahlia was old enough to understand that her father was gone. What she didn’t understand was why. Shanna put on a brave face for her daughter but to be honest she spent most nights crying in her large bed alone. Lily did her best to be there and comfort her sister but she was so busy with her work that she didn’t have much time.

The unsung hero of the story was really Duke Mantle who helped Shanna immensely with both the children and keeping her head in a good place. Lily practically ordered him to keep her preoccupied so she didn’t dwell on thinking the worst.

The prince and princess wrote to each other as much as they could. Mail was slow getting to the front lines but letters from Princess Shanna were marked as the highest importance. While some of the older generals protested this, as they saw it as a distraction, Sweet Pea assured them that it was essential to keep up morale. Letters from home was the best way to do that.

Although, Sweet Pea quite regularly showed concern on how close Reggie and Shanna were getting. She had to keep reassuring him that it wasn’t like that in the slightest and to trust her. He’d always be her prince. She couldn’t even think of having that kind of relationship with Reggie again. The mere thought left a bad taste in her mouth.

The following week the letters stopped coming. Shanna waited day after day for just a single update on how her husband was fairing, but so far there was no news. At least none that had been released to her. She was almost certain that Jughead knew something and just wasn’t telling her. Hermes was in the stable the night before last on a return trip. This only meant that the king had gotten word from the frontlines.

During tea time that afternoon, Princess Shanna forced her way into the tea room with both babies in tow. “Jughead, I demand that you tell me what is going on!” The server in the room flinched at the casualness. The princess was giving orders to the king. The lack of proper etiquette was appalling.

“I don't understand what you’re talking about, Shanna.” The king said dismissively as he took another sip of her Earl grey.

She stomped her foot, “I know Hermes is in the stable as we speak! I know you’ve gotten news from the front. Tell me!” She demanded once more.

King Jughead was informal for the most part. At least, in the presence of family. Her accosting him in this way did not bother him in the slightest. Mostly because he knew she was worried sick about his brother and not because she was trying to be blatantly disrespectful. “Shanna, please. Sit down.”

Lily looked curiously between her sister and her husband, drinking a bit of her own white tea blend that was made special for the royal family. “Bring Pax here, I’ll hold him.” She said with a smile.

Shanna went around the table and deposited the prince before walking back around to take her seat, Dahlia perched on her lap with wide and curious eyes. She blinked at the adults around her before babbling something incoherent at Pax who merely cooed back.

Jughead took a deep breath before setting his cup down. “There was an ambush. The Gargoyles have mostly shifted to guerrilla warfare as Sweet Pea had suspected they would. Something happened about six days ago to cause the line of communication to nearly be cut.”

Princess Shanna bit her lip in anticipation, her heart sinking down into her stomach as she knew bad news was to come. Her eyes began to water in preparation. “Sweet Pea’s unit was attacked at night. The watchers were killed before they could raise the alarm. There were some devastating losses, however we were ultimately victorious.”

“And Pea?” She asked, growing impatient with him. He should have told her about this as soon as he found out!

“He was gravely injured. He just recently regained consciousness.” Jughead said, “but the doctors assure me he will make a full recovery. They are bringing him home now to recuperate while General Fogarty steps up to lead in his stead. I wanted it to be a surprise when he got here.”

At first, tears did fall. Sad tears over hearing that he had been hurt badly. However, they quickly turned to happy tears instead at the knowledge that he would be home soon. “How soon? When will he be home?”

The king smiled, “Tomorrow afternoon. I want him to get as much rest as possible and I need you to see to it that he doesn’t try to overdo it. He was very upset that he was being sent home.”

“Thank you so much, Jug.” Shanna said, still crying as she held Dahlia close to her chest. “I’m sorry I was yelling at you.”

Lily grinned, “it’s okay. We know how much stress you’re under. I would be lost if Jughead had to go off to war. Take all the time you need. I can keep Pax tomorrow so you can spend time with him.”

Her tears eventually stopped as she smiled back at her sister, “you’re the best, Lily. I love you both.”

Of course there were many, many, more tears when Sweet Pea finally arrived home the following day. Shanna nearly knocked him and his wheelchair over with excitement when she nearly jumped into his arms. The nurse pushing him had to stop her. “Princess, I’m sorry, he’s still very hurt.”

A worried look crossed her face before she leaned in and kissed him, gently at first until he pulled her into his lap on his own to deepen it. The nurse made a disapproving face at the two of them. “Your highness…”

“Let me kiss my wife, damn it.” He said back to the girl before hugging Shanna close to him. “Where’s my princess at?”

“She’s taking a nap, come on.” Shanna got off of him and took the wheelchair from the nurse. “I’ll take you to her.” She pushed him, struggling a little at first, “Christ you’re heavy.”

Sweet Pea rolled his eyes, “I don’t need help, I can do it myself.” He put his hands on the wheels and began to propel himself down the hallway.

That night, there was a family dinner in the dining hall. Sweet Pea talked about his more glorious battles, much to Shanna’s dismay. Hearing him in constant danger made her anxiety swell to an almost intolerable level.

Lily announced that Shanna’s program to provide care packages to the new parents of Riverdale (North and Southsides) would be in full effect within the week’s end. Everyone with a child under the age of one would be receiving guidebooks, equipment, toys, and more information on resources available to them in the event that they needed help with formula, baby food, diapers, wipes, and/or medical care. The support from the kingdom over this decree had been overwhelmingly positive, especially from the Southside who didn’t always have access to the programs that had been instilled on the Northside for several years now.

The previous king was alight with pride for his two daughters. This was the first major new social program implemented by the new regime and he couldn’t be happier. Former King Forsythe was also quite impressed with the whole thing. He knew that the families in his old kingdom would greatly benefit from this. It was nice to know that the place he strived to make a prosperous home for many was finally getting the second chance it deserved.

The war lasted for another three years, however Sweet Pea would come home after every four months or so to visit. He would stay with his wife and daughter for a couple months before leaving again. When the war had finally ended, Riverdale proved the winner as they beat back the Greendale forces until they had no man power or supplies left to feasibly continue their tirade. There were great losses on the Riverdale side as well, but not nearly to the same degree as Greendale.

Sweet Pea and the rest of the soldiers returned home for good, much to the joy and happiness of the families that had awaited them for so long. Sweet Pea, Shanna, and Dahlia moved to live in the castle in the Southside while Jughead, Lily, and Pax stayed in the North. They visited each other often and communicated almost daily. Despite the distance, the siblings were still incredibly close with one another.

And they all lived happily ever after.

Tag List: @the-gargoyle-queen, @princesweetpea, @wayward-river, @southside-vixen, @redhairdontcare732, @lilhemmo, @iamaunicorn4704, @jezzabelleserpent

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lucacangettathisass · 4 years

Text

how the light gets in (ch. 8)

SUMMARY: After your home is ransacked by a group of strange men, you and your cousin are taken in by a group of outlaws. And that’s when the trouble really starts.

PAIRINGS: John Marston x Fem!Reader, Arthur Morgan x Fem!Reader

ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, SIX, SEVEN

TAGGING: @mountainhymn if you would like to be added to the tag list just lmk!

NOTES: so sorry for the slow update! ive been doing some full on hours at work (my manager literally told me that im doing full time hours despite being part time lmao rip) so that’s been leaving me a little drained lmao but hey at least we got there!

more mentions of low self esteem, those are gonna be a lot more prevalent from here on out actually.

on another note, i’ve been wondering if i should rewrite this as an oc fic rather than a reader one. thoughts? i might not even do it, but im curious to hear what you guys think.

anyways, hope you all enjoy! and dont forget, likes are nice but reblogs are what motivate creators the most!

p.s. pls check out waking up slow by mountainhymn!!!! it is so wonderful im still crying

“Well, it really all started with my momma.” You felt yourself begin to fidget and made an effort to stand completely still. “She got a job working for a wealthy Russian widow, Mrs Zamolodchikova.”

Mr Morgan let out a low whistle. “Now that’s a name.”

You couldn’t help but smile. “A lot of Russian names are like that. As I was saying, she hired my momma to be a maid when I was still very young. Mrs Zamolodchikova treated us very well, we even lived in a little cottage she had on her land.”

Despite all the years that had passed, you still thought of that cottage fondly. It had been small and not impressive by any means, but it had been your home for most of your childhood. You had a lot of good memories of it.

“I...I lost my momma when I was seven.” Even now, twelve years later, it hurt to say. Your mother had been your whole world, everything began and ended with her, and it had never once occurred to you when you were a child, that you would one day have to face the world without her. She loved you too much to do that to you. And then it happened anyway.

You had never experienced a heart break like it before, or since.

“I’m very sorry to hear that.” Mr Matthews said gently.

“It’s alright.” You assured him, trying to speak around the lump that always formed in your throat whenever you thought about losing your mother. “She had been ill for as long as I could remember, it was only a matter of time.”

“I imagine your aunt and uncle took you in?”

“They wanted to, but Mrs Zamolodchikova stepped in. She said that she saw it as her Christian duty to take me in as a ward, and that’s what I became.” It had stunned you at the time to learn that Mrs Zamolodchikova cared for you that much. You would always be grateful for her kindness, it had changed your life. “She had no children of her own, so I think she wanted me to fill that gap.”

“That was very kind of her.” Mr Matthews sounded surprised, and you supposed that it made sense. You couldn’t imagine that he had come across many people willing to take in the child of an employee, particularly among the rich. You certainly had never seen such a thing in your time among them.

You nodded in agreement. “She taught me etiquette and how to behave in upper class circles, and as I got older I became her companion. That was how I met Mr Cornwall.”

A spark appeared in Mr Van Der Linde’s eyes, and you knew that you really had his full interest now. “How did that come about?”

“He was looking for investors in his business, he was just starting out you see, and he needed some capital.”

“So he went to Mrs Zamolodchikova?” Mr Van Der Linde asked. “She must’ve been rather rich.”

“Exceedingly so.” You said. “Her family is very old Russian money, and when she came to America with her husband, her wealth only grew, even after he died. I imagine Mr Cornwall thought that if he could convince her to invest, he would have an easy time of building his empire.”

“Did he?” Mr Van Der Linde’s eyes sparkled with a kind of devious curiosity, the kind most often found in children. “Convince her to invest that is.”

“I’m afraid not. Mrs Zamolodchikova found him rather...disagreeable.” A part of you still cringed on the inside just thinking about that meeting. It had started off well, and Mr Cornwall had certainly been polite enough, but once his true character came out, it all started to go downhill rather rapidly.

“In what way?”

You hesitated slightly. “Well, I mean, one doesn’t wish to disparage others when they don’t have the opportunity to defend themselves.”

A chuckle came from Mr Van Der Linde, and you even saw a corner of Mr Morgan’s mouth twitch.

“We just want your honest opinion, that’s all.” Mr Matthews assured you. “No need to be disparaging.”

You paused, trying to think of the right way to phrase it. “Mr Cornwall...well, Mrs Zamolodchikova and I found him to be rather...brusque and arrogant. When Mrs Zamolodchikova turned down his request, he got rather upset and he seemed to take it as a personal affront.”

“She must’ve grown to regret that.” Mr Van Der Linde mused.

“Not at all. Mrs Zamolodchikova was happy for him of course, but she was also happy she rejected him. She said she couldn’t imagine being in business with someone so...tasteless.”

“Tasteless in what way?” Mr Matthews asked.

“Well he was...very new money.” When you saw the looks of confusion on the mens’ faces, you tried to think of a better way to phrase it. “He was something of a show off, and a little gaudy. He wore a lot of gold, I imagine to try and impress, but it came off as vain and rather insecure. Mrs Zamolodchikova was very critical of that kind of thing, and when she saw how self aggrandizing he became after his success, she grew to dislike him even more.”

Mr Van Der Linde nodded slowly, and you could almost see the wheels turning in his head. “It sounds like you’ve lead a rather interesting life.”

“I suppose you could say that.” Your eyes roamed over the two older men again. “I imagine that wasn’t the kind of information you wanted, my apologies Mr Van Der Linde.”

Despite your fears, the black haired man smiled and waved a hand. “It’s fine Miss [Last name]. I was just curious, that’s all. Javier, why don’t you walk her back to where she’s staying?”

“Sure thing boss.”

You turned to leave with Mr Escuella, but you hesitated just as he put a hand on the door knob. “Wait.” All eyes were back on you, and you felt yourself flush, but you felt that you needed to get this out. “I just-I just wanted to add that Mr Cornwall is a very powerful man, and in my opinion, and in the opinion of mutual acquaintances that he and I share, he is lead more by pride and ego than wisdom. He doesn’t take insults lightly and can be rather harsh.” You were very careful and deliberate with your words, not wanting to seem like you knew better, but still wanting to convey your feelings of apprehension.

Mr Van Der Linde raised an eyebrow, and you got the feeling that he understood what you were trying to say. “Duly noted Miss.”

You nodded, and turned back to Mr Escuella, this time actually following him outside.

“You must’ve lived a pretty good life for a while.”

You shrugged and felt yourself blush heavily. “I suppose.” It always somewhat embarrassed you, knowing how different your life had been from other people, especially those who were born into the same class as yourself. “I honestly just think I got lucky.” You looked down at your feet. “Don’t feel so lucky now though.”

A heavy silence hung between you two, and you had to bite the inside of your cheeks to stop yourself from crying.

“Sorry.” You said softly. “I’m sure you don’t want to hear about my woes.”

“It’s ok.” Mr Escuella assured you, his voice kind again. “Considering everything you’ve been through, I’d say you have a right to let your feelings out.”

You looked at Mr Escuella in surprise. You hadn’t really thought about it like that. “You’re very kind.” You said sincerely. “Sadie might not think so but I certainly do.”

That brought a bright smile to Mr Escuella’s face, which made you smile in turn. You always enjoyed making people smile, it made you feel good, and you felt that it proved that you were useful and worth something for once.

“You’re a sweet kid.” Mr Escuella’s eyes were shining, although you couldn’t hazard a guess as to why. “Don’t let anyone beat that out of you, ok?”

“I-Ok.” You weren’t sure how else you should respond, being so unused to compliments from strangers. You watched as he held the door to the house with the other women open. “Are you not coming in?”

“Nah.” He smiled. “You stay warm ok?”

“Of course, and you as well Mr Escuella.” You went inside, and no sooner was the door closed that you were practically swarmed by Miss Jones, Miss Gaskill, and Miss Jackson.

“What did they want?”

“You weren’t gone for very long, did everything go alright?”

“Are you allowed to say?”

You felt yourself flush as you tried to keep track of who was asking which question. “It was nothing special.” You said. “They just wanted to know how I knew Mr Cornwall.”

Of course they all also wanted to know, and so you told them what you had told Mr Van Der Linde, Mr Matthews, Mr Morgan, and Mr Escuella-omitting your warning at the end.

Much like the men, they were stunned to hear your story.

“So you grew up pretty well to do.” Miss Jones said, in a tone that sounded impressed and envious.

“I-Well, yes, I suppose.” The embarrassment from earlier had returned. “I was extremely privileged.”

“What was it like?” Miss Gaskill asked, sounding wistful. “Being in that world?”

You paused, trying to think of a good way to describe it.

“When I was a little girl, it was dazzling.” You confessed. “All those men and women in their finery...it looked like an entirely different world. Like a fairy tale.”

“Oh yeah?” Miss Jackson raised a brow. “Meet any prince charmings?”

You laughed. “I met some well to do gentlemen if that’s what you mean.”

“I think she means suitors.” Miss Gaskill said with a giggle, and an eager look on her face. “Well, did you?”

“Oh!” A scorching heat unlike any of the others from before overcame you, and you felt your throat dry up. “I-Well-no.” You stammered, looking askance out of embarrassment.

“Really?”

You looked up and saw Miss Roberts looking at you with surprise. “You mean none of them tried to…” She trailed off, leaving you to fill in the blank.

“Not at all.” You said, your flush worsening. “After all, I was just a maid’s daughter.”

And therein lies the rub.

No matter how much you learned or how you dressed or how you behaved, everyone knew that you were just the daughter of a maid who Mrs Zamolodchikova had taken pity on. Most of them had been polite enough, but that boundary had always been there, and always would be. You had grown accustomed to it, the way one would grow accustomed to a permanent limp. And it left you with what you imagined would be the same level of alienation. It was one of the many unfortunate side effects of being born as yourself, and one you had learned how to deal and navigate the world with.

But it would always be a fairy tale to you. Beautiful, grand, never within your reach no matter how well you knew it. And you would always be that little girl that chased after it with every breath in her chest.

#arthur morgan x reader #john marston x reader #rdr 2 #red dead 2 #red dead fic #fic: how the light gets in

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beyond-far-horizons · 5 years

Text

The Meeting of Two Minds

Dumbledore may have been Love’s greatest advocate in later years but for now the young and brilliant Albus likes to think himself above such frivolous sentiment. Until he’s introduced to the infamous Gellert Grindelwald that is… One-shot, Rating K+.

‘Let me not to the marriage of true minds.

Admit impediments’.

Sonnet 116. Shakespeare.

With the The Crimes of Grindelwald out, here’s my take on the first meeting of Dumbledore and Grindelwald. I dedicate this to the amazing Broad Strokes prequel fan film - Dumbledore and Grindelwald - The Greater Good, which inspired this fic a few years ago. Their Gellert will always be my Grindelwald - I encourage you to watch it on YouTube if you haven’t seen it already!

Albus Dumbledore stood outside the vine-laden cottage of Professor Bathilda Bagshot, his hand hovering over the oaken door. Normally a visit here provided a brief respite from the gnawing dullness of Godric’s Hollow, but last time she had casually mentioned a visit from her Bavarian nephew and would he mind being introduced? Naturally Albus could not refuse on civility’s grounds let alone disappoint a benefactor of such kindness, yet now he chaffed under the obligation. Yet another burden getting in the way of precious research time. What little of it Aberforth and Ariana left him…

Which was awful and unkind and all too common a thought infecting his head of late.

I suppose he’ll be from Durmstrang too so I should prepare myself for some coarseness…

He sighed, biting his lip and looked back down the cheery ramshackled path to the front gate. If I can’t manage a better grace I should come back another time. Professor Bagshot deserves that much courtesy at least…

The door opened and his heart sank.

“Albus, there you are!” Bathilda answered the door in a deep garnet dress, her blonde hair pinned in a knot on top of her head. “How nice of you to pop round. I was just talking about you.”

“What a coincidence, Professor.” Albus said, turning and forcing his face into the best approximation of a smile. “I- I can’t stay for long, but I thought I would stop by just to introduce myself at least.”

There, Ive given myself an excuse if I require one.

“Well at least stay for a cup of tea. I’m sure Aberforth can manage till then.” Bathilda’s eyes twinkled and Albus had the uncomfortable impression she could read him far better than he would have liked. She waved him in, passed shelves weighed down with books and took his coat and hat.

As always the cosy cottage smelt of baking, woodsmoke and dried vellum. He wished that smell didn’t seem more like home compared to the house next to it. Aberforth did try his best…

“Into the sitting room, Albus. I’ll call Gellert down. He’s been looking forward to meeting you.”

“Has he?” Albus tried to inject enthusiasm into his voice as he edged around a tower of tomes that had grown since his last visit.

He could see it now - yet another dull exchange where he would have to pretend to be interested in the mediocre achievements of someone everyone assumed he would get on with because they were vaguely the same age.

Come on Albus, at least try not to be so stuck up! He chided himself, selecting his favourite chintz armchair and removing a selection of papers from it. If he’s related to Professor Bagshot then he should at least be intelligent.

“Or perhaps not…” He smirked as he caught sight of notes on Uric the Oddball scrawled across the page he was holding.

“Oh I am sorry Albus, I meant to clear the living room before you came.” Bathilda said as she took the notes from him. She stacked them neatly on a writing desk in front of the bay window that already teamed with scrolls, books and dried inkwells.

“Embarking on your great endeavour at last?” He smiled as he took a seat. “Although forgive me for my presumption Professor, but critics might not take the book too seriously if Uric the Oddball has a starring role.”

“Nonsense, Albus.” Bathilda said, taking his teasing in good humour. “Why, if I’ve learnt anything about Magical History, it’s that the eccentrics are the ones that push us to new heights.”

“My sentiments exactly, Aunt.”

Albus stood up, intending to make a quip about jellyfish hats, but the joke died on his lips as Bathilda’s hand swept towards a tall youth in black with blond, curling hair and an intense, evaluating gaze.

“Albus, this is my great nephew. Gellert, come in.”

Blue eyes met grey and Albus felt a lurch in his chest.

“Albus Dumbledore.”

“Gellert Grindelwald.”

His outstretched hand was met with a firm grip and he struggled not to flush. He nodded, keeping up his polite veneer as any proper British wizard would, only to see a flash of merriment on Gellert’s face.

Albus took back his hand, feeling mildly irritated. According to Professor Bagshot he was slightly older than her nephew so why then did he feel like the naughty schoolboy?

“Albus is exceeding bright, Gellert, I’m sure you will have lots in common.”

“Yes I’ve heard the name. Even in Durmstrang you are famous, Master Dumbledore.”

Albus had been expecting a veiled insult given Gellert’s previous smirk so was instantly wrong-footed. “Oh, it’s just Albus, please. And it’s nothing really.”

“Nothing?” The glittering eyes were back. “I’d hardly say ‘Most promising contribution to Alchemy in Cairo’ is nothing, Albus.”

Albus’s heart gave another lurch at the praise and the way the other boy said his name.

What is this?

Pushing the thought aside he smiled and at a nod from Bathilda sat back down. “Well, I like to apply myself.”

Gellert took the opposite chair and leaned back, stretching out his legs with a careless grace Albus envied. “And yet you are here. Forgive my curiosity but I thought a man as promising as you would be on the Grand Tour by now.”

Albus’s smile dropped and he fought back the resentment that burst up in his chest.

“Albus is very devoted to his family, Gellert.” Bathilda cut in quickly. He didn’t miss the significant look the witch gave her great nephew.

Wonderful, so he knows I’m the newly appointed head of the family. Would that they all knew just how truly devoted I am…

Pushing down the sense of shame that perpetually dogged him, he accepted a cup of tea from Bathilda’s floating tray.

“A noble sentiment - family.” Albus couldn’t work out if the tone was genuine or sarcastic. “And something I’m sure my great aunt thinks I could learn from.” The blond boy took the other cup but his gaze was still fixed on Albus. “But you can’t say this place isn’t full of history itself. If you know where to look, of course.”

Is he referring to the Hallows? No…most wizards think they are just a legend…

“Well you both know my feelings on the subject.” Professor Bagshot chuckled and suddenly all Albus wanted was for her to leave the two of them alone.

“It’s true, I suppose.” He replied carefully. “Although with all due respect to the professor, it can feel like something of a backwater at times.” He couldn’t quite keep the bitterness from his voice.

“Then I hope you won’t think me presumptuous to say I’m glad to have met you.” Gellert’s smile was infectious. “I was looking forward to exploring, but nothing beats meeting someone with the same interests.”

“You’ve also studied alchemy?”

“Yes and I actually found your contribution very interesting along with your theories about dragon’s blood. You know you had our Potions master at Durmstrang almost spitting fire himself saying that dragon’s blood didn’t work that way.”

Albus found himself on the edge of his seat. “You wouldn’t believe the amount of times I get that reaction! It’s like-”

I can’t say it. How arrogant would it sound? That I know better than-

“- like they refuse to see the truth because of your youth?” Gellert’s lips were pursed and he set his untouched tea down with a clank. “When the reality is, it is they who are blind?”

Albus’s mouth opened. “…Yes.”

Is he a Legilimens too? He felt uncomfortable at the thought.

Gellert leaned forward, lazy ease replaced by seriousness. “Actually I would believe it. They are blind, Albus. What is worse - they are jealous.”

“Jealous?” Albus laughed, hiding his shock. How many times have I thought that? How many times have I railed against the Establishment, feeling that they were holding me back? “Conservative, maybe…”

“I’ve heard the British are famous for their modesty. It’s charming, Albus, but let’s be honest, there are many who feel threatened by innovation, especially if it comes in the form of someone young, someone who might actually deserve the titles and accolades they have only gained through decades of toil.”

Albus looked down. “Experience is to be respected.” He mumbled and looked up sharply at the roar of laughter from the other chair.

“The archetypal gentleman wizard.” Gellert grinned and warm giddiness spread through Albus’s body.

He’s laughing at me! Albus tried to force his face into stern affront but the teasing light in those grey eyes was impossible to hate.

“Experience is to be respected but what of talent, Albus? What of true imagination? In Durmstrang we believed that only the strongest, the ones that proved themselves constantly, had the right to stand at the top.”

Albus had a sudden vision of a cold, dark landscape, of mountains, vast skies and powerful, brutal wizards standing on soaring pinnacles with their foes lying crushed beneath them. Gellert’s face was foremost amongst them, staring down at him as he did now with that haughty cockiness.

“Are you suggesting I should have duelled them into submission?” He replied coolly.

Gellert laughed again. “Maybe. Perhaps it would get them to try something new at least, rather than just passing judgement on the rest of us.”

“It sounds like you had a trying time at Durmstrang.”

Gellert waved a dismissive hand. “I’m beyond that now, on to better things. Speaking of which I tried your dragon’s blood solution in a compound of my own.”

“And?”

“It worked as you said it would.”

“You see! There are far more uses that can be made of it, I’m sure of that!”

The two boys didn’t notice Bathilda smile as she was quite forgotten. She slipped silently up to her study, happy that her wayward but brilliant great nephew seemed to have finally met his match.

“I knew it would be good for Albus to talk to someone his own age.” She said softly to herself as she took out an elegant old quill. And if anyone can keep Gellert on the straight and narrow it’s Kendra Dumbledore’s son.

Dipping the ancient quill in ink, she sat down to write a long letter to Gellert’s mother.

Such good beginnings…

Albus’s throat was dry. Periodically he tried to take a sip from his tea cup and then remembered it was stone cold.

Odd…

He kept meaning to ask about another drink but then Gellert would say something else and he would be lost, excitedly explaining his latest theories or questioning his new friend about his own thoughts and experiments.

I can hardly believe it. He thought, the steady thrill that had been building in his body bursting again into life. I can’t believe someone like him would come here of all places. Finally something good is happening to me!

There was a brief pause in conversation as both parties stopped to gather their thoughts. Gellert was standing by the fire he had conjured earlier, one hand on the high mantlepiece, the other stretched towards the flames as if to catch them. Albus curled in the comfortable chair, his head on his folded hand and found his eyes tracing the other boy’s proud profile. Light danced across the handsome face, turning it molten and cast his long shadow into the cosy room. Albus dared not speak for fear of breaking the moment.

Was it just this morning I thought I would be trapped here forever? Now I never want it to end…

Gellert’s face, however, had dropped its perennial smirk. He stared at the fire with a concentration that was almost severe. A small tongue of flame pulled itself from the hearth and began to dance around his fingers.

“Freeze-flame. Wordless and wandless. Very nice.”

“I’m not trying to impress you, Albus.” Gellert’s voice was soft but firm, and more flames gathered, encircling his outstretched palm like a fiery serpent.

“What are you doing then?”

“Thinking.”

Albus raised his head. “Care to share?”

Gellert snapped his fingers abruptly and the flames were extinguished. “I think I’ve shared enough with you for one day.”

Dismay dispelled the happiness Albus had been feeling but he covered it with courtesy. “I hope you don’t regret it.”

White teeth flashed and the dazzling smirk was back. “Not at all. It is perhaps a little surprising. I’m not usually given to talking about myself so much.”

Albus’s heart turned over again but he wasn’t going to loss the opportunity to tease. “Aren’t you?” He replied with an innocent look.

“You see,” Gellert turned towards him, “already you know me too well.”

Albus chuckled, feeling like he had consumed half a barrel of his father’s firewhisky. “Not that well, I still haven’t asked you why someone as brilliant as you isn’t on the Grand Tour himself.”

The grin dropped as fast as it had appeared. “That would be because I should still be at Durmstrang.”

Albus’s face fell. “Should be…” The words escaped before he could lock his mouth shut.

Away from the fire and facing towards Albus, Gellert face was now wreathed in shadow. “I was expelled.”

Why? The Dark Arts? But they teach them there. What could he have done that would have been bad enough for Durmstrang to expel him?

Gellert’s smile was slow and secret like a siren’s song. “Ah but how could they expel such talented and affable person as myself?” He spread his arms in mock hurt. “Let’s just say you aren’t the only one that was held back by…how did you put it earlier? ‘Conservative’ witches and wizards.” He turned towards the stairs and looked back over his shoulder. “Goodnight, Albus.”

“Night?” Albus stood up, horrified to see the window confirming word with telltale blackness.

Has it truly been that long? Oh no, Aberforth! Ariana! I said I’d only be an hour at the most!

“It was good to meet you…”

“You too…” Albus replied distractedly, then realised how rude and inadequate that sounded about the wonderful discovery of their new-found friendship. He turned back to offer a better goodbye but ex-Durmstrang boy had disappeared up the stairs.

All thoughts of his siblings melted away.

I should have said-

-But what did he mean-

-Wish I had-

Damn.

He stood there staring stupidly at the place where Gellert had been, before realising how bizarre and embarrassing it would look if his new friend came back down and found him still gawking like a lost troll.

He saw himself out, wondering idly where Professor Bagshot had gone.

Until tomorrow then…

There was barely a minute’s walk between the two houses but he stretched it out with several backward glances. A light was on in the Bagshot’s small guest bedroom.

That must be Gellert, what is he thinking? Is he thinking about what I said? …Is he thinking about me?

Albus paused on another doorstep, this time his own. The light that shone through this door was the complete opposite of the one he yearned for. It spoke of interrogation not illumination. Aberforth would be sat the other side, by the stairs so he wouldn’t miss his errant elder brother. Oh no, Aberforth never missed an opportunity to upbraid him, even if he did deserve it. Albus sighed, leaning his head against the wood, then glanced again at the narrow upper window in the Bagshot cottage.

Tomorrow couldn’t come soon enough…

Reviews and thoughts very welcome! I’m so glad to have finally finished this piece. Such an intriguing and ultimately heartbreaking dynamic. Also if you are wondering why Bathilda didn’t come down and offer them lunch or dinner etc I suspect this was one of those rare ten hour first meetings between visionaries where she wouldn’t have been able to get a word in and would have gotten the Gellert Glare TM if she’d tried to interrupt, poor woman.

#grindeldore #gellert grindelwald #Albus Dumbledore #grindelwald #dumbledore #Harry Potter #my writing #my fanfiction

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n0feelingsxx-blog · 7 years

Text

do you like getting hickeys? only on my nek.

oral, do you like oral? i love receiving it, giving isn’t too bad either, but only do it for the right peron.

if you could see any musician live, front row, who would you choose? Eminem

plan on getting drunk or high tonight? i’ve gotten drunk the past two nights, so not tonight tomorrow i will be tho

do you have any best friends that you only know online? i know ppl just online, they’re not bffs tho

is it okay for people to cheat if it’s only online? its not okay to cheat in any snse

are you interested in anime? DBZ, KIND OF. if that counts?

do you have a favorite youtuber or do you not watch much youtube? i have few favs, but i still dont watch it too much

have you ever given a tattoo before and would you like to? i have given one actually

have you ever made out in a hot tub? dont think i’ve ever been in a hot tub

ever peed in your pants after the age of 10? when i was pregnant lmao

what was the name of the last video game you played? COD

what is your favorite elvis song? i dont listen to music that far back. don’t have anything against elvis tho lmao

what is the last tattoo you got? my sons feet on my back

what would you say is your guiltiest pleasure? food.

do you let your pets on your furniture? would if i had a pet and my own furniture as long as they didn’t shed a lot

do you enjoy your job? if unemployed, are you content being so? I’m pretty content with being unemployed, i hate working and i love being a stay at home mom

what is something you have given a lot of thought to lately? how bad i need to get this tax money, get the fuck outta this county, and get over some feelings.

what is your favorite christmas movie? A Christmas Story.

what do you think of your best friend’s ex? uhm, i didn’t really know him.

are you biracial? noo.

be honest, does the person you like actually deserve you? or are they actually not worthy of your affections? this is a hard question to answer for my situation

would you ever wear black lipstick? do you know anyone who does? hell nah.

if you wear eye shadow, do you put on a dark color or a light? and if you wear mascara, what color is it? no mascara. light collored eye shadow, brings out my green eyes.

what was the last alcoholic beverage you consumed? Skittles

are you any good with kids? i got a one so yah.

have you seen the last person you kissed without a shirt on? Yup

do you like watching jerry springer? Not anymore

have you ever fallen for your ex’s best friend? Nooooo

have you ever unbuttoned your ex’s pants? well yah

have you ever deleted your facebook, then brought it back? mhm

have you ever kissed someone who smokes weed? yes

what’s your favorite brand of peanut butter? Is there brands other than jiffy?

do you have a thing for shy/awkward hot guys? well yeah, im not picky tho. just be nice and sweet and not a fuckboy

what’s your favorite lunchables meal? double cheese pizza

have you ever eaten at golden corral? fav buffet

do you ever decide to just dance crazy to a favorite song? sometimes when i’m really happy

have you ever watched fireworks with someone you loved? mhm

are you good at memorizing phone numbers? i am.

do you like men who have a sensitive side? yeah

have you ever used glitter as one of your makeup items? only makeup i mostly use is eyeliner

do you keep a memo book/agenda? I need to

is there a song in a different language that you can sing? None.

what was the most expensive thing someone bought you? probably north face jacket and uggs.

how do you feel about bands that use pyrotechnics in live concerts? It’s cool.

is there anyone on your facebook friends list that you dislike? why do you dislike them? some are annoying, but i dont dislike anyone

have you ever tasted baby food? how about pet food? both. they’re nasty

have you ever thought about what you might call your children? or, if you already have children, what are their names? alexander.

where is the person you would most like to see, or most like to be with? fuck guys

find 5 people on your facebook friends list, whose name begins with K. who are these people, and how did you meet them?

Kristin: my cousin

Kim:my half sister

Krysta:my main bitch

Kaitlyn: grade school/cheerleading

Kathy: my ex husbands friends wife.

is there a person that you can go to in sweats, and still feel comfy? Plenty.

do you think the last person you kissed is nice? fuck him.

how many people of the opposite sex do you fully trust? trust no mf..

how far away is the last person you kissed? about 20 ft.

have you ever had a teacher that was like a second mom to you? nope

have you ever been in a school talent show? what for? nope.

was the last book you read for fun, or was it for some type of assignment? som mystery novel ider.

would you prefer to go out on a fancy date or just chill in his house? It depends on my mood. I like doing both.

do you enjoy long car rides? Sometimes.

do you ever wish you could live on a farm? Nope.

do you know how to play poker? hell yeah used to kick ass

have you ever had an ear infection? Not that i remember of

what color is your favorite bra? #nobralife

what was the name of your first boyfriend? nathan.

have you ever dated someone more than three years older than you? Not yet.

have you ever dated someone a year younger than you? i think so.

have you ever dated someone of another race? nope

do you enjoy eating veggies? ewh

are you attracted to the last person you exchanged numbers with? i dont have a number to exchange

what do you think of country music? some of its good.

do you think pigs are cute or ugly? Grown pigs aren’t the cutest animal out there… but as babies, they’re cute.

did any of your friends lose their virginity before they were 16? if so, did you feel pressured to do the same? lol. i think all my friends has sex at 16 or younger. and i lost mine at 14 so

what kind of home would you like? idc as long as i owned it

did you ever build furniture forts as a child? yassss

what kind of dog is your favorite? teacup yorkies

have you ever considered dropping acid? thought bout it

describe your music style: rap/hiphop/alternative

are you close to any of your aunts/uncles? I write my uncle in jail every week. another uncle comes visits me and my grandma a couple times a week, so. bout it.

have you ever had a seizure? No.

do you plan on losing weight any time soon? hopefully gain.

what was your gpa in high school? 3.5

if you have a favorite television show, who’s your favorite character? shameless. uhhh, i love all the gallaghers

what is your favorite book series, if you have one? I don’t have one.

have you ever had a parasite before? Nope.

do you enjoy listening to older music? Sure.

have you been to disney world before? i will someday

have you ever met someone who was really racist before? Unfortunately, yes.

if you could be a disney character for a day, who would you be? i dont like the disney characters

would you ever want to swim with sharks? i cant swim so i’d either die instantly from being eaten or drown

what was the last thing that made you laugh? I have no idea.

ever used a bow and arrow? Yes.

occupations you wanted to be when you were a kid? astronomer, veternarian…

tea or coffee? Coffee.

opinions on sex before marriage? do it. fuck arriage

who was the hottest teacher you ever had? freshman year there was this math teacher who was super hot and i think he transferred cause i kept flirting lmao

have you ever walked on a beach at night? nah.

when was the last time you baked something? did it turn out good? chicken pot pie homemade, it was amazing. couple weeks ago

do you think some of the stuff we’re taught in school is useless? almost all of it

why do we put the clocks one hour forward or one hour back? daylight savings time.

what song really gets to your heart and inspires you? I’m not sure.

do you have fireflies around where you live, or do you wish you did? I think there are fireflies around here…

what commercial do you wish they kept playing? hate commericals.

what current commercial is your favorite? I don’t watch enough TV to know of any good, current commercials.

if you could have played in any movie, what movie would it be? Magic mike 2, would’ve ayed the girl who got the lapdance at the end.

did you used to do easter egg hunts when you were a child? Yes! i loved them

what would you rather live by: highway, train tracks or airport? ive lived by train tracks before, so them.

do you believe that ‘hate’ really is a strong word? I guess. Maybe not anymore

if you have facebook, are you guilty of fanning countless things? mhmm

as a kid, did you love playing on neopets? Not really. i was too poor for that shit

do you often get bitten by mosquitoes, or rarely ever? hardly ever anymore

what’s your opinion on plastic surgery? ever thought about getting it? i’m getting a boob job one day, i’ve said it since i was in grade school..

do you own any feathers? tf kinda question is this lmao no.

do you have a skype? nope

the last person you had a thing with comes up to you and says “i’m sorry”? he said sorry earlier but it dont mean shit so i just continuted crying.

where was the last place you had a romantic dinner? ive never really had a romantic dinner

do you get mad when your current bf/gf talks about an ex? when my ex did that i did. but im singleee now

do you know anybody who was abused? me, a couple ppl i know.

do you start feeling really gross if you don’t shower after one day? sometimes

do you pee a lot more after you’ve drank a caffeinated beverage? i pee about 2-3 times a day. only pee more when i start drinking alcohol

waiting for something? my life to get itself together.

who is your last received call from? grandma.

how do you pronounce the name Sean when you come across it in text… “shawn” “sheen” or “shane”? ”Shawn.”

wouldn’t it be EXTREMELY weird if someone fell in love with you after reading your answers to this survey? kinda.

who is the next person you’ll hold hands with? nofuckingbody.

have you ever pole danced before? id like to.

what is something you used to be afraid of, but aren’t anymore? i dunno.

do you believe your dreams have any real meaning? sometimes. i took a nap earlier and i dreamed of snake and bugs and i looked it up and it said that something in my life was bothering me, which is true so..

what do you think of guys who ask girls out over via text message or internet? pathetic.

do you drink more apple or orange juice? apple

do you recall the first time that you learned the truth about sex? i reaked out. then got curious

do you find extreme body builders’ bodies to be attractive? ewh no

does it bug you when people go ‘mhm’ all the time when you’re talking? kinda

are your parents religious? they were yeah. not super holy rollers but they believed in god yeah.

what is your favorite hostess/little debbie snack? swiss rolls, honey buns

do you find it rude when you offer someone something and they decline? Nah

do you think benedict cumberbatch is hot? who

favorite disney princess? none

does your sibling have a significant other? dont have a sibiling

do you have any american girl dolls in your house? fuck dolls

have you ever gotten in trouble at school for wearing revealing clothes? yup

are you borrowing books from anybody at the moment? Nope.

have your parents ever questioned your virginity? i told my mom after it happened, she cried but after that didn’t care, my dad never asked

roleplaying is super lame, agreed? It’s not my thing, but people can do what they want.

how’re you feeling right now? I’m done crying and i just feel empty, and kinda mad and just wanna get my money and go.

does/did either of your parents serve in the military? No

is there anybody you’re not ashamed to tell anything to? Yes.

are you prone to illness? used to be

are you on birth control? bout to change it but yeah

how bad are heartbreaks? unbearable sometimes

has a song ever given you an orgasm? uhm no.

have you ever made out in your room? last time? i dont have a room.

if the last person that you kissed said they wanted to marry you, what would you say? lolololol. we already are.

do you like your eyes? I do.

are you attracted to the last person that you fell in love with? Yah

do you have a big butt? Not anymore

would you be a good salesperson? helll no

do you like hot sauce? if yes, what do you usually put it on? nope .

can you do the ‘emo hair flip’? used to be able to

do you know anyone that has dimples? alex.

would you ever make out in front of your best friend? i think i have

anything physically wrong right now? nope.

ever had sex under water? No.

the last person you kissed on the lips said that you were the only one they wanted, would you believe them? no

you’re having twins. what’s your first reaction? freak the fuck out

did your first love love you back? why hell no

do you have scars on your wrists? mhm

do you like fedoras? Lmao, no.

have you ever wanted to get drunk and get your mind off everything? what ive been doing the last couple ights but hasnt helped

is there a band you like with amazing music but a bad vocalist? idts

is there a band/artist who has strange lyrics but you love them anyway? probably

does your optimism sometimes hurt you? yah

have you ever painted a piece of furniture? mhm

do you believe the fortunes in fortune cookies? Nah

what do you prefer more: waffles or pancakes? Waffles!

did you love playing hide and seek as a kid? Yes my fav

got plans after you finish this? sleep

did you ever dream that you had a baby? Yes.

have you ever been in a beauty pageant? Not pretty enough for that shit

did you sleep alone? I slept alone in my bed last night, but Mahima and Adrika were sleeping in the same room.

does your best friend approve of the last person you kissed? probably dont care

where is the last person you kissed at this moment? In his bed.

describe your dream girl/guy? fuck guys

been arrested? for what? I’ve never been arrested.

tell us the story of your first kiss? it kinda just happened in the middle of class,

do you sleep with stuffed animals? I have one stuffed animal that I keep in my bed with me.

how many stuffed animals do you think you have? used to have a lot but one now

favorite character from finding nemo? dory

how long does it typically take you to get over people? depends

are you stressed out? always

so tell me one interesting thing about yourself. im an emotional wreck

do you own a trenchcoat? Nope.

have you ever owned a tire swing? no

do you have a nervous twitch? Nope

are you currently listening to music? no

is it easy to get a job where you live? im in cc rn, and its not. but in indy it is. .

is your signature legible? it is, and pretty too .

was the last time you cried because you were angry? inbetween angry, sad, empty, not feeling good enough. .

is there an animal that scares you? snakes, spiders, anything big enough to hurt and eat me

are you any good at video games? helll yahh.

has a jehovah’s witness ever showed up on your doorstep? mhm

do you have a step parent? I dont even have parents anymore..

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writingguide003-blog · 5 years

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'I completely lost it': the movie scenes that made our writers weep

New Post has been published on https://writingguideto.com/must-see/i-completely-lost-it-the-movie-scenes-that-made-our-writers-weep-2/

'I completely lost it': the movie scenes that made our writers weep

From Toy Story 2 to Under the Skin, writers pick the cinematic moments that made them cry and explain why. Spoilers ahead

Aunt Lucys trip, Paddington 2

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On the face of it, Paddington is a fairly broad kids film franchise about the hijinks of a CGI bear, and so probably shouldnt make a grown human cry hot, salty tears. But that description ignores the fact that Paddington is a really, really well-made kids film franchise about the hijinks of a CGI bear, one that completely gets the pathos of its central character, a little lost immigrant searching for something resembling a family. Both films ably tug at the heartstrings, but the second film got me sniffling as early as 15 minutes in when Paddington imagines giving his only living relative, Aunt Lucy, a tour around London, something that in reality is impossible as shes stuck thousands of miles away in darkest Peru. When at the end of the film spoiler alert Aunt Lucy arrives on the Brown familys doorstep and she and Paddington hug, I completely, unapologetically lost it. Lord knows what surprises Paddington 3 has planned for my tear ducts. GM

When She Loved Me, Toy Story 2

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Just before writing this, I put When She Loved Me from Toy Story 2 on YouTube once again, just to check. Yep. Just as always, I choke up, in the same abject, lip-wobbling, head-bowed way. It still has that terrible power.

When She Loved Me is the song written by Randy Newman and sung by the devastated toy cowgirl Jessie and in fact performed, beautifully, on the soundtrack by Canadian singer Sarah McLachlan. The song is Jessies way of telling Woody why she has grimly decided to submit to the airless world of the toy museum, because it is better than the inevitable heartbreak and delusion of loving a fickle human child. She reveals her anguish that her owner, Emily, has fallen out of love with her outgrown her, in fact. As Emily entered the world of adolescence, pop music and boys, Jessie was left under the bed and finally dumped.

When I first saw this scene and misled by the size disparity between toy and owner I thought it was a parable for a childs anxiety over being abandoned by the parent. But now that I am a parent I can see the truth which is completely the opposite way around. It is about the parents fear of being abandoned by the child: the terrible fear, actually the terrible certainty, that the kid one day wont want to play with you. They will grow up and want something else. This song is utterly devastating. It is modern cinemas equivalent of the Vesti La Giubba aria from Pagliacci the tragic clown smiling on the outside but crying on the inside. Im afraid to watch it too often. I dont want to break down over and over again. But I also want to preserve its power over me. PB

Ruths death, Fried Green Tomatoes

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In many respects, Fried Green Tomatoes is not a movie for the modern age. It is a story about racism in the deep south told largely by way of eliciting our sympathies for wealthy white characters; it is a story about a lesbian relationship that had to slide its lesbian relationship in unnoticed, by presenting it as a very close friendship fulfilled by food fights, poker games and heads leaning meaningfully on shoulders. But I am deeply fond of this 1991 Sunday afternoon classic. Ive seen it more times than is healthy, and so I know exactly what is coming and when, and yet am still unable to resist the inevitable guttural sobbing that comes with the death scene.

There are plenty of teasers for it, too: Buddy on the train tracks, even Mrs Threadgoode talking about the death of her adult son. Nothing, however, can prepare the viewer for Ruth asking Idgie to tell her the old story about the frozen lake thats now somewhere over in Georgia. It doesnt so much pull on heartstrings as play a full symphony on them, and its devastating. As Sipsey puts it, a lady always knows when to leave. RN

The rooftop dance, Eat Pray Love

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While I was repelled by the mere existence of the Eat Pray Love book, I found something strangely charming about its big-screen translation. It was a mixture of glossy food porn, glossy travel porn and glossy Julia Roberts emoting porn (she remains one of the best fake criers in Hollywood) all wrapped up in a rather unique tale of a woman trying to unshackle herself from the men in her life. But while that all provided mostly surface-level enjoyment, one scene cut deeper and the extent to which it cuts surprises me still.

As is often with the case with movie tears, these were tied to a real-world experience that had happened not long before I sat down to watch. I was dumped by a long-term boyfriend without much of an explanation and without any sort of warning. I was heartbroken and seeking some form of closure that was kept cruelly out of reach. I didnt understand why it had happened and it was the not knowing that felt harder than the break-up itself.

In the film, Roberts character has left her flighty husband and remains haunted by the heartbreak shes caused. On a rooftop in Delhi, a vision of him appears and they dance to Neil Youngs heart-grabbing Harvest Moon, the song that was supposed to accompany their first wedding dance. She reminds him that she did love him. He tells her he still loves and misses her. They cry and continue to dance. At the end, she tells him that it wont last forever, nothing does. Its a short scene but it hit me like a bus, it still does now. My tears are for the film but theyre also for something deeper: the sting of loving someone who stopped loving me and the ache of an ending I was never allowed in real life. BL

The thunderstorm, Click

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Adam Sandler can make me cry harder than hes ever made me laugh, the true test of a clown. Yes, even in the underappreciated comedy Click about a dad who finds a magical remote control in the Beyond section of Bed Bath & Beyond.

Sandlers workaholic architect fast-forwards through the worst parts of his day the dull weeknight frozen dinners with his family, the repetitive arguments, the gross times everyone gets knocked out by the flu in order to get to his next promotion so he can buy his kids whatever they want. His plan doesnt go well, of course. But whats shocking is how gut-rippingly painful it is to see Sandler hit play on his life only to realize hes skipped past everything that matters. His bodys been present, the bills have been paid, but his emotional engagements been staticky a trade-off too many of us can understand.

In the climax, old man Sandler sobs in a thunderstorm as he arrives at his daughters wedding only to learn shed rather her stepdad walk her down the aisle, and his son has grown up to mimic his job-first, family-second example. I rarely cry at unavoidable tragedies where no ones at fault. My weakness is characters regretting choices they cant rewind. Click isnt Ingmar Bergman Sandler gets a happy ending but I barely saw his relief through the rainstorm on my face. AN

The courtroom, Kramer vs Kramer

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By all accounts, Robert Bentons film Kramer vs Kramer skews heavily toward Dustin Hoffmans Ted, whose wife Joanna has left him and their six-year-old son Billy. Billy and Ted make french toast together, or argue about eating ice cream before dinner, or visit the nearby jungle gym. Were it not for Meryl Streep and the trenchant, intuitive way she humanizes a woman who, in the 70s, would have otherwise been made to seem mawkish and unstable Kramer vs Kramer might be just a schmaltzy panegyric on fatherhood.

But leave it to our greatest living actor to turn a film on its head with a single scene. You know the one: Joanna, during the custody hearing, is subjected to a string of sexist questions about her failure as a wife and a mother. When asked why shes seeking custody of Billy, she blinks three times, beginning the monologue Streep herself wrote in an effort to redeem her character, who she initially perceived to be an ogre, a princess, an ass.

Billys only seven years old. He needs me, she says, reciting the word need with a whispery uptick as she glances at her ex. Im not saying he doesnt need his father. But I really believe he needs me more. After catching her breath, she becomes more emphatic: I was his mommy for five and a half years. Since I was about Billys age when my parents got divorced, ergo, too young to understand or even care, Ive always been astonished and, by proxy, moved by how compassionately Streep plumbs the depths of Joannas truth. JN

The beach, Under the Skin

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Little focuses the mind more effectively on human distress than the arrival of your own kids; scenes in films which I might once have snoozed through now induce boggle-eyed terror OH MY GOD, DONT LEAVE THAT BABY NEAR THAT COFFEE TABLE, IT HASNT GOT A CORNER PROTECTOR! But nothing has topped at least, not yet the scene in Under the Skin where Scarlett Johansson murders a swimmer and drags him off to eat him.

Its not the murder thats so epically upsetting, though its gruesome enough: Johansson, playing an alien visitor permanently on the lookout for human nutrients, simply bangs him over the head with a large stone as he lies prone and exhausted on the beach. Its what goes on in the background that is so awful. A woman goes into the water to try and rescue her drowning dog, and her male partner instinctively rushes in after her, leaving their toddler alone high on the shore. Johanssons chum the only other adult on this lonely Scottish beach goes to help too.

With the speed of falling dominoes, a nice little day out unravels: the mother and father are swept away to who knows where, and the alien takes her chance to acquire their would-be rescuer as a food source. Meanwhile, the suddenly abandoned kid is shrieking in terror as the night closes in. Another, less astute film-maker, might cap the scene with the alien scooping the kid up and adding him to her dinner menu, but what Glazer contrives is absolutely horrifying. Johansson-alien simply ignores it, and leaves it alone. The film moves on, this incident consigned to the past.

I have to confess I was absolutely blindsided by the scene; mostly, I think, because of the its sheer unexpectedness. I think I was gripped by a kind of internal hysteria: shock, hyperventilation, a feeling the back of my head might explode. (I cant say I actually cried though I may have, but in the confusion I cant really remember.) I certainly had to hold on to the seat to stop myself bolting out of the cinema then and there. I am aware theres a some degree of self-indulgence here: the fact that my daughter was about the same age as the kid in the film undoubtedly super-sensitised my reactions. But everyone has their weak spot; this is very much mine. AP

The birth, Cheaper by the Dozen 2

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Cheaper by the Dozen 2, if you havent seen it you probably havent, why would you have? is the sequel to the remake of family comedy Cheaper by the Dozen, and Im sure it was made because Steve Martin, the star of the franchise, needed to pay his mortgage. The main gist of the movie is that Martin and his wife, played by Bonnie Hunt, have 12 children who get into various japes. Its asinine. But during a time in my life when I was making a lot of transatlantic flights, Cheaper By the Dozen 2 was always an option on the British Airways seatback televisions, and one day I found, because of the frequency of my flights, I had watched all of the other films.

What choice did I have? At the climactic scene, where the oldest daughter, played by Piper Perabo, gives birth, and then names the baby after her father because he has shown her that there is no way to be a perfect parent, but a million ways to be a really good one, I cried so much the man sitting next to me regarded me with what appeared to be real concern. There may have not been enough cocktail napkins on the whole plane to dry my tears. Was it the recycled air? Was it the two miniature bottles of white wine? Or was it that a joyful childbirth scene can warm the cockles of even the coldest of hearts? JHE

The accidental reunion, Manchester by the Sea

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Weve got a real talent for repression back in Massachusetts. Kenneth Lonergans searing Manchester by the Sea plays out a 15-minute drive from my childhood home and, true to life, the characters all struggle to articulate the perfect storms of emotion raging within them.

When Lee (Casey Affleck) has a chance encounter with his ex-wife Randi (Michelle Williams), the shared history between them is literally unspeakable. They sputter out fragments of sentences that act as a shorthand for vast reservoirs of guilt and self-loathing they cant bear to express, and because they know one another so intimately, they can intuit all the meaning they have to. Theyve both shoved a lot deep down inside just so they can look at themselves in the mirror, and when in the presence of the only other person on the planet who understands what theyve been through, some of it has to come out. Randi does most of the talking, inviting Lee to lunch so they can get some closure, and he ends the conversation by walking away. Shes ready to face her past and be fully present in the new life shes built for herself. Lee, a North Shore boy born and bred, feels more comfortable starting a bar fight as his form of therapy. CB

The hotel, Unrelated

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Joanna Hoggs first film, Unrelated, has had something of a second life on account of being the debut of Tom Hiddleston, and set during a Tuscan summer, which means swimming pool, which means toplessness, and lots of it. Its nice to imagine the Loki-lovers streaming this masterpiece of English upper-middle-class excruciation. As its ending shows, specificity is no barrier to emotional oomph.

The story sees a woman in her early 40s, Anna (Kathryn Worth), holidaying with old friends and their teenage children. She finds she prefers the company of the kids, especially the charming Oakley (Hiddleston, then 26, playing eight years younger). The holiday implodes. Anna goes to stay at a grim airport hotel. Her friend visits, crossly wanting to know whats behind her behaviour. Anna explains that, quite recently, she thought she was pregnant but no, in fact, it was an early menopause. Shell never be able to have children. She sobs and bends double on the bed. It is shot in one take, from the middle distance, acted with a banal frankness which feels like eavesdropping.

When I saw it a decade back, it floored me: a twist I hadnt foreseen, a pain I could only imagine. A few years ago, I began consciously avoiding the film, fearful a similar fate awaited me. Now I can safely watch it again or, I thought I could, but Hogg is much too superb and mysterious a film-maker for that. It isnt simply the information which is terrible, it is the dreadful catharsis of its expression, coming after so much obfuscation. The stifle has gone; instead there is the most awful sadness. Buttoning up is often the bravest way. CS

Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/us

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writingguide003-blog · 5 years

Text

'I completely lost it': the movie scenes that made our writers weep

New Post has been published on https://writingguideto.com/must-see/i-completely-lost-it-the-movie-scenes-that-made-our-writers-weep/

'I completely lost it': the movie scenes that made our writers weep

From Toy Story 2 to Under the Skin, writers pick the cinematic moments that made them cry and explain why. Spoilers ahead

Aunt Lucys trip, Paddington 2

youtube

When She Loved Me, Toy Story 2

youtube

Ruths death, Fried Green Tomatoes

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The rooftop dance, Eat Pray Love

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The thunderstorm, Click

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The courtroom, Kramer vs Kramer

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The beach, Under the Skin

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The birth, Cheaper by the Dozen 2

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The accidental reunion, Manchester by the Sea

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The hotel, Unrelated

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Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/us

0 notes