#so rich in magic and wonder and meaning. he really is one of The Greats

[britneyshakespeare]

Much Ado About Nothing, II.i

#much ado about nothing #i am finally reading this play #the 29th shakespeare play ive read and im just finally getting to this extremely popular comedy #u can question my choices if u want im ok w that #shakespeare #beatrice #elizabethan literature #english renaissance #comedy #also i bought another edition of the shakespeare simply bc. i wanted tah. #this one has different supplementary material and it's not as chunky and unwieldy as the riverside (even tho the riverside is my beloved) #it was only like 14 bucks or so where i bought it #shakespeare: 23 plays and the sonnets revised edition edited by thomas marc parrott #it sparked joy #it's also so beautiful and has so many plated illustrations of performances over the years #it makes me soooo happy i have no regrets #as im getting closer to finishing the plays i haven't yet read im realizing that im going to want to reread them all my life #like i just have an inexhaustible love of shakespeare. unfortunately #so rich in magic and wonder and meaning. he really is one of The Greats #i like a lot of old dead people who wrote poems very specific to their time and place #and shakespeare belongs very firmly to his own time and place but the complexity and richness of his work really is so eternal #his stories and characters are fundamentally human and i do think upon a proper acquaintance just abt anyone can find smth to love in them. #the praise of shakespeare is not hollow. he's Really That Good #ive read so much literature in my life from various times places and cultures. only a drop in the bucket are Really That Good

[thewritetofreespeech]

Ello!! Is it alright if I request a vamp! Fem or gender neutral reader with Vanitas?? I have a small prompt. The two bicker alot, but what happens when the reader gets injured and refuses to drink blood to help themselves, and Vanitas is genuinely worried about them?? Sorry if this is too long. Have a wonderful day/night!!

They had barely made it out with their heads still on. [Y/N] barricading the door while Vanitas looked for something to make it more secure. “There. That should hold it.” He announced, with a slight pant, after he had shoved a bookcase, two end tables, and any other junk he could find in this abandoned shack of a villa to keep the Curse Bearer at bay.

“I’ve never seen one act so violently.” [Y/N] replied. Their eyes still bright red from the fight. As crimson as the blood staining their shirt where they had sliced them with their great, sharp spines.

“Yeah. I don’t think we’ll be able to save this one.” Vanitas commented solemnly. “We’ll have to get its name back to stop it, but the chances of them coming out seem pretty low.”

[Y/N] sighed, afraid of that but aware of the outcome, then swayed a little as they took a step to sit down. “You ok?”

“Yes. Just a little light headed.” They replied.

“You’re still bleeding, hn?” Vanitas commented. Following behind them as they sat down. “I thought you would have healed up by now.”

“So did I. The fight and flight must have taken a lot out of me.” Vampire were incredibly resilient, but had their limitations. Fatigue, hunger, overexertion, could lead to a decline in the healing process, like any living thing. Normally this wouldn’t be a problem for [Y/N], and they would take the slow path to getting better. However, the situation they were in was not one best suited for ‘the slow path’. Their enemy could find them at any minute. It wouldn’t take much to break down their barricade and slaughter them if they wanted. They would need to get out of here, quickly, if they wanted to survive.

“Do you want me to help you?” Vanitas asked. To which [Y/N] scoffed.

“I didn’t know you knew first aid.”

“No I mean….”

He began to gesture awkwardly. It took [Y/N] a minute to realize what he was ‘saying’ and when they realized they were shocked. “I’m not drinking your blood Vanitas.”

“Why not?”

“Why not?!” They repeated. Shocked further that they would even ask such a question. “Because aside from it being illegal, it’s also incredibly inappropriate and….intimate.”

“It’s only illegal if I say no.” Vanitas corrected them. “And I’m offering it to you. Look, do you want to get out of here or not?”

“I think we can get out of here without me resorting to barbarism.” [Y/N] retorted. Voices getting raised.

“Yeah, cause you did a fine job of getting us out of here earlier.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?!”

“It means you couldn’t get us out of here when you were at top percent at the start. Now you’re injured! And you think you’re just magically going to help get us out of here with your positive attitude and morals!”

“You were in my way! I didn’t see you helping any back there!”

“That’s why I’m helping now!” Vantias hand smacked against the wall behind their head. His usually slim frame suddenly towered over [Y/N] in an intimidating way, as he pulled back his bow tie & shirt to expose his neck. “Take my blood!”

[Y/N] sat there in surprise. Their face flush at the situation, but also with the hammering sound of their heartbeat in their ears. It had been years since they had had fresh blood. They really did mean it when they said they thought it was barbarism. But there was a part of them, deep down, that always would crave it. A base instinct that lingered under the surface. A dark whisper, almost like Naenia’s, that beckoned them to take his blood.

Slowly, shyly, they leaned forward towards Vanitas’s neck. To his credit, he did not move. In fact he only flinched a little bit when their fangs pierced his skin. The warm, rich flow of blood trickled down their tongue and down their throat. Making them feel like they had never been warm in their life until this moment.

They suddenly realized why some rouge vampires became addicted to this. They suddenly realized what all the fuss was about.

“T-That’s enough [Y/N]…” Vanitas called out to them and pushed [Y/N] back. His turn to swoon a little bit now. “It won’t do us any good if I can’t walk out of here now.”

“Oh…I guess you’re right….” They suddenly felt embarrassed that they had lost themselves in the moment. Then they looked down and realized that all their injuries were healed. “I think I’m all right now. Better even. Better than new.”

“That’s nice.” Vanitas replied, before he slumped down beside them. “I just need to sit for a bit. Then we can try to make a break for it.”

“I’m sorry. Did I….-“You didn’t do anything wrong.” Vanitas butt in. “I just need to sit for a minute.”

They sat in silence. Listening to the stone flinch around them in their cubby hole. It was the quietest moment they had never had together. They never spoke of what happened again.

#;ask and ye shall receive (request answers) #vanitas #vanitas x reader #vanitas no carte #vanitas no carte scenarios #vanitas no carte imagine #vnc imagine #vnc scenarios #tw: mild gore #scenarios #imagine #the case study of vanitas #vanitas of the blue moon

[booksandabeer]

A Man Takes His Sadness Down to the River (The Consolation of Philosophy) (E | 150 K)

To celebrate the completion of the fourth & final part Lost Vocabularies that Might Express (The Memory of These Broken Impressions) in this wonderful series by dorian_burberrycanary.

Author's summary: The worst of times, like the best, are always passing away. How’s that for some consolation on the road? A post-The Falcon and The Winter Soldier Stucky fix-it as part of the all-American road trip, detours included.

Follow Steve and Bucky on their Great American Road Trip as they drive and eat their way across the country and beyond. From the beaches of the Jersey Shore to the graveyards of Savannah, from the cragged horizons of Mexico to deserts with (small) volcanoes, from college campuses to earthship settlements, from the mountains of Colorado to the monumental emptiness of the Great Plains and on and on and on…there is always more road ahead.

A Man Takes... is a miracle of a series that works with what should be an unworkable premise: Steve really did leave to go live in the past. He returned a few months later, yes, but he still made that choice. Knowingly. So, how can any author, any story, rectify such a colossal mistake, and how can it be reconciled with a believable, satisfying romance that short-changes neither Steve nor Bucky? Like this. With patience, and care, and often painful honesty. Just like Steve, this story slowly digs itself out from under the burden of that terrible decision.

I know that some people are very reluctant or even outright refuse to read EG-compliant fics and I understand why this might be a tough sell for them. Believe me, I do. But this series manages to neither let Steve off the hook for his choices nor does it punish him excessively. Instead, Steve and the readers are repeatedly confronted with the fact that there are no magical solutions here, no take-backs—it’s a fix-it, yes, and very much a Stucky fic through and through, but it’s not a fix-it fantasy where in the end everything turns out to have been an unfortunate misunderstanding after all. What's done is done and the only way out is through. But. even if you usually prefer to ignore anything that happened post-[insert preferred point of canon divergence here], please, please try to give this absolute marvel of a series a chance. It is genuinely one of the most rewarding and satisfying works I've ever read in this fandom. It's catharsis in slow motion.

You will find descriptive writing here that is so incredibly beautiful that it will bring you to your knees in awe. This series transcends fanfiction in many ways, as it stands out for the remarkable quality of the prose and the nuance, subtlety, and precision with which it explores both the emotional landscapes of its protagonists and a fictionalized, yet very recognizable post-Snap America. At the same time, it could only ever work as fanfiction because it stays so close to the characters and is so deeply rooted in and filtered through Steve’s inner life and perspective. Just like the real Steve Rogers, this story is smart and curious, and deeply empathetic towards its characters and the world they inhabit.

Every detail is imbued with meaning. The food Steve and Bucky eat. The clothes they wear. The art they look at. The books they read. The music they listen to. The places they stay at. The landscapes they drive through and the objects they carry with them or acquire along the way. One doesn't need to understand or even notice all of the references, allusions, or ambiguities to enjoy the series, but it makes for such a rewarding reading experience to really dig deep into the many, many layers the author has so expertly assembled into this phenomenally rich text. More often than not in this fic, the curtains aren’t just blue. Or rather, Bucky’s sweatpants aren’t just gray.

At some point amidst this sprawling, reflective journey, a bittersweet realization sets in: There simply is no compensation for the time and life lost, for the pain suffered. No money, no medals or statues, no hagiographies, and certainly no delusional pipe dreams forcibly made real, will ever make up for all that loss. You can't outrun your past, but that doesn't mean you should bury yourself in it. And maybe, solace can be found in mutual understanding, not just between these two men, but in interactions, in shared community—however fleeting—with ordinary people doing ordinary things in their ordinary lives. And in the beauty of the mundane and the relief that there still is a world in which such beauty can exist, even though it is so often a cruel and unjust place. Steve Rogers finally allows himself to feel his feelings: his grief and his shame, but also his joy and—even though he’s already so very tired—his hunger for more: more time, more life, more Bucky.

This series is a wonderful tribute to Steven Grant Rogers—an honest and affectionate portrayal of this compelling and lovable, if at times difficult, character. It is also a gorgeous, intricate love letter to the miracle of a man that is James Buchanan Barnes. As you can probably tell by now, I love it a totally not normal amount.

A most heartfelt thank you to @burberrycanary for taking us all along on Steve and Bucky's long journey across America and (back) to each other. Thank you for letting us sit in the back seat and watch as they learn to love and live with each other in old and new ways, finally find some measure of well-deserved rest and peace, and, together, face their greatest challenge, their longest fight, the eternal question:

How to live with all this survival?

#stucky fic rec #or: a completely unhinged and very sappy & very gushy love letter to this series. #stucky #steve x bucky #steve x bucky fic rec #stucky fic #stevebucky #my recs

[happyely2]

Pairing: Portuguese D. Ace x Fem!Reader

Rating: It will vary from story to story and I will point it out at the time (green-for-all; orange-for a mature audience; red-for adults, minors are asked to skip this story).

General Summary: Ten Different Alternative Universes In which you will experience an extraordinary adventure with Ace (plots and more details are written under the respective title). Soon they will be published one by one, for now I leave the plots in general.

General Inspired: I will write from time to time the possible inspirations that have been taken as references to write.

Let’s Meet Agian In The Next Life

[📿Exorcism!AU📿] - The spirit of the red fire

You’ve been called in to exorcise a demon that’s causing a lot of trouble for the community in a quiet country village, so you don’t expect that curse to give you such a hard time.

[📚School!AU📚] - Breaktime at school

Ace is the most popular guy in high school, he’s a senior, and he’s going to college soon, so you don’t expect him to know who you are, a little third-year-old girl who’s doing very well in school. You don’t know how wrong you are.

[👑Royalty!AU👑] - Midnight Ball

You didn’t object when the mystery knight gave you his hand to go down the garden stairs, it was your last night of freedom before you had to marry someone you hardly knew. A moonlight dance before you become the wife of the future king of the kingdom with a mysterious knight you would love in silence for years to come.

[✨PeterPan!AU✨] - Lost Girl in Neverland

Second star right and then straight until morning! But wait for the lost children are not so children but they are teenagers!? Fairies and mermaids are friendly? Indians are a rowdy group of adults who want to dance all night and pirates are not real pirates but admirals of the navy? What kind of island are you in, and since Peter Pan has freckles and black hair and calls himself Ace?

[🔮Magic!AU🔮] - Rebel

Ace never thought he’d have to ask you, a witch, for help to save his family. But he is a warrior who is willing to do anything to save the people he loves, even to come to terms with a witch like you.

[🐺Omegaverse!AU🐺] - Damn to that beta

The biggest cliché in the world? You made it happen. You always considered yourself a beta with little sex craving and always squabbling with her beta neighbor. So you don’t expect that the day you go for the analysis something snaps in you and that you’re both soul mates. In short! You can’t be the soul mate of your neighbor Beta (actually Alpha) Ace! And you can’t be his Omega.

[🏹Indian!AU🏹] - The arrow of fate

Travel to the new world! Gold, riches, adventures and new lands to explore! That’s what they promised, but now Ace was wondering how he could explain that those were really fake things and that the only thing that drew gold were the hair of a certain Indian who had snatched his heart?

[⚔️Moschettieres!AU⚔️] - Damsel in distress

"And you call that a lunge?" You shouted behind the back of the man who was fighting to protect you.

"Then fight you mademoiselles!" The Musketeer answered you by stretching out the enemy that was attacking you and taking you for life to take away. What was all that effrontery towards the poor Musketeer Ace who was fighting to save you at the behest of his majesty!

"With great pleasure!" You answered by beating your fists on his shoulder. There were no bridesmaids anymore.

[🚓Police!AU🚓] - Cat Burglar

Ace had just joined the police force when he was given a very important case by Commissioner Smoker. Catch a famous thief who always announces her shots before getting them. I mean, it seems easy, but nobody on the police force has ever done it. And the policeman Ace will have to invent one more than the devil to succeed in catching tha

[💰Far West!AU💰] - The Naked Gun

There is only one law in the bar: no fighting is allowed and as a bartender you are categorical, your rifle is ready to fire a warning shot at anyone who dares even think of trying. You just haven’t met the outlaw Portuguese D. Ace and his wacky gang of bandits.

#one piece #one piece x reader #ace x oc #ace x reader #portgas ace x you #portgas d ace x reader #portugas d ace #one piece ace #portgas ace smut #ace smut #ace op #ace of spades #ace one piece #soft smut #smut #alternate universe #crossover #fanfic #Happy_Ely🪷

[george-weasleys-girl]

Hi! I was wondering if you could do something for George? I enjoy reading fanfics about him but surprisingly there aren’t many

Act Like You Mean It

Chapter 1

Summary: George and Y/N are oblivious idiots in love who agree to fake date in the attempt to drive away Y/N's unwanted suitor.

~•~

George Weasley x Fem!reader

~•~

Y/N worried that if she rolled her eyes one more time, they might get stuck like that, like her mom had always threatened.

But, seriously? How many times did she have to turn down a guy before he finally gave up?

Byron Montcroix was a rich, pompous, self-absorbed jackass who thought he was the universe's gift to women. And for the past two months, he'd been after her like a bloodhound on the hunt.

"There's plenty of girls who'd love to be in your position, Y/N, " Gabby said.

"Great! They can have him. I'll even wrap him up in a pretty red bow and deliver him to their doorstep."

Y/N's roommate shook her head. "I just don't get you. You've got one of Hogwarts' most eligible bachelor's practically banging down your door, and you won't even give him the time of day.

"Because," Y/N replied with an exasperated sigh. "He's an entitled creep who thinks that I, or any other girl for that matter, should be grateful that he even deigns to look at us."

~•~

George gazed at Y/N, resting her chin on her palm as she half-dozed. Unlike nearly every other student at school, he loved History of Magic. It was the one place he could watch Y/N unabashed because everyone, including her, was either unconscious or close to it.

Last year, after two long years of admiring her from afar, the younger twin, with Fred's encouragement and a few shots of firewhiskey, finally got the nerve to strike up a conversation with her during one of Gryffindor's infamous parties. A friendship blossomed between the two, but George could never muster up the courage to ask her out.

"Y/N's just so perfect. She's a Goddess," he'd told Fred. "And I'm just well--I'm just me."

~•~

Y/N couldn't help but smile when she saw George walking toward her. She'd had a crush on him since their third year but had been too shy to approach the cool, confident prankster. Then, last spring, during a Gryffindor party, he introduced himself, and they ended up sitting in a quiet corner, ignoring everyone else and talking long after the party was over.

He seemed to really like her and Y/N thought maybe he would ask her out at some point, but he never did. A couple of times, she almost bit the bullet and confessed her feelings, but froze up before she could even utter the first syllable. Y/N knew it could spell disaster for their friendship if he didn't feel the same way. So, in the end, she decided she'd much rather have him as a friend than not at all.

~•~

"There you are," George said, sitting beside her on the grass. "What are you doing all the way out here? I've been looking all over for you."

Y/N had walked almost as far as the shrieking shack in an effort to shake off her ardent admirer. "Hiding from Montcroix. He's been all over me like shit on a stick today. Would you believe he actually tried to kiss me? Granted, it was my cheek and not my lips, thank goodness. But still. Just thought of his mouth anywhere my skin makes me wanna puke."

George's blood boiled. He looked away for a few moments to hide the red splotches he knew were blooming on his face and neck. He wanted more than anything to punch that smug, cocksure smile off Montcroix's pristine, fucking face and then sweep Y/N off her feet in a passionate kiss. Just like in all the movies and romance novels.

"I'm just so sick of him," Y/N sighed. "I've tried everything I can think of, but he just won't leave me alone." She paused and looked up at George, "Got any ideas? I'm willing to try just about anything at this point."

George rubbed his chin, thinking, and then his head snapped up. His mind was reeling with this sudden crazy idea that would get Montcroix off her back and would allow him to shower her with the love he's been bottling up for so long. If he couldn't ask Y/N out for real, why not go for the next best thing? He blurted it out before he had time to second guess himself. "We could pretend to be a couple."

"What?" Y/N stared at him.

"We could pretend to be dating. If Montcroix thinks you have a boyfriend, he'll hopefully leave you alone. And if not, I'll kick his ass."

For a brief moment she harbored hope that maybe George wanted to be more than just friends.

But, then reality set in.

'Oh,' she thought. 'Pretend. Not for real. George isn't one to beat around the bush. If he actually wanted to date me he'd just ask me straight out.

No, this is just a friend helping out a friend.'

At least now she knew.

Y/N looked down at her hands, forcing back her tears. How could she say yes? How could she pretend her true feelings weren't real? How could she endure knowing his affections were all an act? Knowing it all had an expiration date.

She truly didn't know, and yet...

How could she say no? How could she throw away the opportunity to be loved by George, even if it wasn't real? Even if it was only temporary. This might be as close as she'd ever get to living her dream.

Y/N chewed on her lip as she convinced herself this was a good idea. Then looking back up at George, she smiled. "Sure. Why not?"

Part two:

~•~

@milivanili99 @fancy-pantaloons @turvi @zvummyummy @xmjthewitchx @pansexualwitchwhoneedstherapy @georgie-weasley @imshiningjustforyou @samberriejams @nighttimemoonlover @jsjcue @wzrd-wheezes @mrsgweasley @hufflepuffie @morally-grey-obsessed @fredweasleyyyyy @princess-paramour @anvaaryn @lastwandastan @samshifts @asuperconfusedgirl @hmisa11 @superduckmilkshake @mysticsheepsoul @gemofthenight @1lellykins @junerprsh @sierraluvz @wolfkill16 @kaysau2510 @igncrantbliss

#george weasley #george weasley x reader #george weasley x y/n #george weasley x you #george weasley headcanon #george weasley imagines #george weasley fic #george weasley fluff #george weasley angst #hp universe #hp fandom #harry potter fandom #harry potter universe

[ystrike1]

I Thought I Didn't Have Long To Live! - By Ari Choi (8.5/10)

A funny romance protagonist. What a breath of fresh air! Funny girls don't usually mesh well with yanderes, but it works here. Our heroine is obsessed with finishing her bucket list before her early death. So, she ignores all of the red flags. She marches up to the Legendary Monster Duke, and she says she wants to date him casually. Just for the hell of it.

Lariette is a good daughter. She does paperwork. She helps her father hold up his failing family. She puts up with her bratty brother. The problem is her family doesn't value her. She's pretty, so they try to sell her to an old rich guy. When Lariette gets diagnosed with Too Much Mana disease she knows she's doomed.

So, she beats up her ugly fiance and she leaves.

Lmao.

She's super good at purification magic, so she decides to sell her marketable skill...wait. Purification wizards are not in high demand. Healers are easier to use. So, she's broke. Lol. Her bag gets stolen too. She gets saved, violently, by a handsome man.

Asrahan is a Weird Duke. He got cursed when he was really young. A witch gave him rotting flesh, and the eternal stench of death. He's handsome, but his cursed body is repulsive. He's very lonely. Only a mega strong purification wizard can save him, and he hasn't found one. No one is willing to go near the living corpse.

Lariette isn't affected by his aura, because she's even more powerful than she thinks she is. She's good with fire and healing, but she doesn’t know she's on par with the pope.

She asks him to date her. He says no and she offers a purification contract instead.

He accepts.

She sees her relationship with him like this.

Her efforts to seduce him are all fun and games to her.

He sees their relationship like this.

Try to think about it from his point of view. People have been vomiting in fear at the sight of him since he was like seven. Now, a gorgeous woman sings his praises daily. Plus, she makes the smell go away. It's a slow process though, because his curse is a nasty one. They get even closer because of it. Purification is super draining. He appreciates the pain Lariette goes through for his sake.

Poor Asrahan turned to violence as a young man. His mom died too (of course) so he went to war to be surrounded by other corpses. He is the strongest guy around. His nasty aura makes him a hard opponent to beat too. It is sad though. Asrahan gets along great with his butler, but he has no friends his age and zero experience with women. Even though he's twenty seven. That's rough.

Lariette's old fiance tries to punish her for leaving. Asrahan immediately beheads the men he hired. He cuts off the old man's arm as a warning too. Asrahan doesn't completely accept his feelings for a while. He really sees himself as a monster. He isn't going to let Lariette leave though. Every time he thinks about becoming pure and free of the curse...he isn't happy because that means she'll leave.

Priest Doha is a great character, because he's not a real yandere. He's possessive because Lariette is special. He does fall for her, but his attraction is rooted in selfishness. Asrahan doesn't think he's good enough for Lariette, because she's so wonderful. Plus he also slices heads off. He beats priest guy no problem. Lariette chooses him. There is no contest.

Lariette rushes their dating life. Asrahan gets jealous of Doha and they start dating. Lariette wants to do it all before she dies. She also thinks Asrahan is experienced, with lots of past girlfriends. She can't comprehend how scary the corpse thing is, because she can't sense it. Asrahan doesn't handle being in lust for the first time well, but he tries his best. Consent. Cool!

Every other character sees Asrahan as a cold guy. Just because he killed thousands of men and his skin is purple and he sometimes goes into berserker rages blahblahblah. So judgemental.

I'm kidding.

Lariette realizes she messed up when the doctor says she's fine. She got misdiagnosed. Immediately after that she has to face the consequences. Asrahan is very kind to her....and that’s it. He doesn't need anyone else. He's so used to being alone. Having love is more than enough fulfillment for him, which is bad. She's got a life to live, and she won't get any freedom if she stays with her corpse boyfriend.

What a pickle!

#yandere #male yandere #yandere male #yandere boy #recommendations #recs #rec #recommended #webtoon #fantasy comic #I Thought I Didn't Have Long To Live!

[roohuh]

Detention

Ominis x MC

Part 11 of the Obliviate Series

Summary: you serve dentition for sneaking into the library after curfew.

Warnings: 18+ trigger warning(I can’t really decide but I feel like this chapter needs caution so just be warned)

Sneaking into the library to get some late night studying seemed like a great idea when you hatched it; however, having already been sent into a raging bad mood due to Sebastian's shenanigans, Scribbner was in no mood to be trifled. She sat at her desk late into the evening on the watch for any would be intruders. Swiftly she spotted your attempt to creep past her desk and assigned you a hefty detention which now stares you down as you finish your last class of the day. Ominis has been reluctant to leave your side even to use the restroom after the confrontation with his brother. You pat the back of his hand laughing as the two of you walk to the library.

“Whatever will you do without me all evening?” Teasing you dramatically pry your hands from his.

“I wouldn’t have to spend my evening without you if you would learn to study when the sun is up.”

“I have to strike while the iron of inspiration is hot.” You kiss his cheek before heading into the library holding your breath in the hopes of finding Scribbner in a better mood. Instead of the old stout lady sitting at her desk you see the tall blonde figure of Professor Guant reading a book. Blue eyes look up from the page and lock onto yours. Swiftly looking away you scan the room for the Librarian now desperate for her presence. Approaching you he greets warmly.

“MC! Right on time.”

“How's the face?” He ignores your dig he and continues.

“I have commandeered your detention.” Mouth going dry and you shift nervously. Beckoning you to follow he leads out of the library. You march obediently behind feeling as if you are to be lead to your execution. He walks in the direction of the dark arts tower and you wonder where he is leading. Eyes trainer on his lean back as you follow you can’t help but note how much like Ominis he looks from the back.

He addresses you stopping in front of the Undercroft.

“In we go.” You half expected to see Ominis down there as you and the Professor enter. Hand hovering over your wand you watch the man walk to the center of the room laughing to himself as he kicks the pile of blankets and pillows to the side.

“Relax, I don't fancy meeting your wand in battle today.” He laughs at your tense stance. “I would merely like to see what you are capable of.” Walking towards you he stands inside of your bubble of personal space. You can smell his rich cologne.

“I want to understand your power. How you killed that Acromantula. Ranrok, Victor.” He whispers in your ear. A shudder runs down your spine and you retreat from his proximity.

“ I know there is a secret to your power show me” He shouts drawing his wand.

“What if I don’t?” you challenge.

“I can give you your memories back.” You bore into his eyes.

“Ominis says you are not to be trusted.” You waver unsure if he means it. You are desperate for your lost memories but you have little faith in the word of your professor.

“Bitter words from a little brother.” He laughs not unpleasantly. Raising an eyebrow you question.

“I can have them back just by showing you a few magic tricks?” The man laughs at your simplistic break down.

“More or less. I will give you one memory for this demonstration. Everything I learn about your power will result in more memories.” You purse your lips wondering exactly how much ancient magic you can show him before you threaten to reveal the secret of your power.

“Fine.” You sigh pointing your wand on a barrel in the corner; picking it up you smash it against the opposite wall.

“Impressive.” Eyes glowing he compliments your ability then waves his wand. The mist in your brain seems to clear and you can remember Ominis as a much younger self standing by a window in the common room on your first day at Hogwarts.

“I remember.” You gasp feeling tears prick at your eyes.

“Show me more.” He hisses moving his body dangerously close to yours. You can feel his hot breath on your skin and you freeze. He hovers over you, eyes running up and down your body. Licking his upper lip he growls something in Parseltongue then back to English in a low hiss

“I want you.” You lock eyes with him trying your best to appear unafraid.

“No.” You cooly reply ignoring the affect he had on you.

“I always get what I want little beauty.” He pinches your chin forcing you to meet his gaze. “I am a patient man. I will wait for you to come to me.” Before you can answer he lets go of your chin and leaves. Sinking to the floor you draw your knees to your chest feeling the hole Ominis’ absence creates. The tears you once held back now flood your eyes.

#ominis gaunt #hogwarts legacy #ominis x mc #ominis x reader #fanfic #hogwarts legacy ominis #ominis x you #harry potter hogwarts game #sebastian sallow #ominis fluff

[tiredflowercrown]

Hi will any of you really care about this? Probly not. Do I need to scream about this for at least one post? Yes

Alrighty! So if yall have read honor then you might be wonder who the hell are Herkies old friends, this is them, featuring their personalities and the fandom the originated from. Because they have been my beloved ocs long enough to travel though many fandoms and have picked up little things along the way!

Octavia Kassandra (Starling)

She originated from PJO, she's Octavian's older sister who only slightly nicer. She doesn't actively antagonize people who have power and could help her.

Fun fact! The necklace she wears is her engagement ring from her dead fiance!

Character she's most like in descendants? Probly Audrey. She's just a bitch, what else is there to say

Lex (Alexander Black)

He originated from HP. He's a member of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black. (Yes I know the name doesn't match the naming conventions he's next gen connecting back to mauaders as an actual canon)

He's charming, deceptively so, think rich ceo or landlord who says they're terribly sorry while taking your house.

Character he's most like in Descendants? Anthony Tremaine. He's a pretty boy who couldn't give a shit about anyone but his family.

Ali (Alix Duke)

She also originated from HP. She is also a member of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black (as well as technically being a Weasley but we don't talk about that.) Her and Lex are cousins! She just took her step father's name not her mother's.

She is incredibly dangerous, not because of hand to hand or melee, but because she can nail a shot 2000 meters away. A perfect stealth agent who is willing to do anything. And I mean anything. She's a sadist, point blank.

Character she's most like in descendants? Ivy de vil. She practically her carbon copy, will take any excuse to light shit on fire, deeply protective of her family, couldn't give a shit about anyone else.

Orpheia (LeBeau)

She originated from an unholy mix of Marvel and MHA. (She's technically a todoroki but she's changed just enough that it doesn't super matter)

She's the only nice one in the group. The only. She's actually a psychopomp, who's cursed with prophecy. She's not having a great time, thanks for asking.

Character she's most like in descendants? Jane but like only D3 Jane. She's sweet and very capable.

Hyacintha (LeBeau)

She also originated from the unholy mixture. She's Orpheia's twin! (Older by 2 hours and fraternal)

She can pummel you to bits physically and mentally! She is extremely knowledgeable in psychology and will use it.

Character she's most like in Descendants? Harriet Hook. She doesn't give a fuck, why are you bothering her and making another thing her problem.

Please understand that these are all rich kids with power. They couldn't give a singular fuck about who gets in their way or what happens to them. It's all family first, family last, and family by and by. You could disappear, be horribly tortured and murdered, and no one would ever be able to track it back to them. That's the level they are on.

Herkie is also like that. They would watch Auradon burn just cause it had the audacity to restrict magic and their authority.

If yall wanna know more about them please tell me, I will gladly go on

#disney descendants #heroes of olympus #my hero academia #harry potter #my darling ocs

[sexlovelitpodcast]

Sex Love Lit girlies! I watched Crash Landing On You (my first k-drama) and now I have a conundrum: A) I want to watch more k-dramas, and B) No k-drama can seem to measure up to CLOY 😭 Could you put together a playlist of entry-level k-dramas for new fans that capture the CLOY magic? Bonus points if they’re on Netflix

@sliceoflifegirl thanks for the ask!

(Corinne here) First of all, welcome to KDrama land! Crash Landing on You was my second ever KDrama, and the one that really got me hooked. I’m gonna be honest, it’s a hard one to top when you’re mid emotional hangover! That said, I love this ask and recommending KDramas to people, so I’m more than happy to recommend some. My strategy here, rather than recommend something that exactly mimics CLoY (because imo, there’s nothing exactly like it), is to recommend dramas that I think are some of the best of their genre—with some aspect that might help scratch that CLOY itch ;) So, without further ado, here is your KDrama Starter Pack: 

Goblin aka Guardian: The Lonely and Great God—This fantasy romance is a classic for a reason. The set-up: 900+ year old goblin Kim Shin is on a quest to find the goblin bride to pull the sword out of his chest and finally let him die. The catch: when he finds goblin bride Eun-tak and starts to fall in love with her, he wonders if there might be something to this whole “life” thing after all. Also featured: a glum Grim Reaper, with whom Kim Shin has a top tier bromance, who has a doomed romance of his own. Goblin gave me one of the biggest emotional hangovers post-CLOY in my early KDrama days. One caveat: Kim Shin meets Eun Tak when she’s in high school, so if huge age gaps in fantasy romances give you the ick, maybe give this one a pass (in which case the fantasy romances I recommend checking out instead are Alchemy of Souls and Doom at Your Service, both on Netflix atm). (On Viki)

Mr. Sunshine—My pick for one of the best historical (aka sageuk) KDramas out there. Set in early 1900’s Joseon, just before/in the early days of Japanese occupation, this drama follows the lives of five equally compelling characters as they navigate the political turmoil of the time. At the center are Lady Ae-sin, an aristocratic lady with a tendency for dressing up as a man and sneaking around at night on missions for the rebels, and Eugene Choi, an American Marine now stationed in Joseon who escaped enslavement there as a child and has mixed feelings about the land of his birth. This one resonates with the forbidden/doomed love of people from different classes and cultures from CLOY. (On Netflix)

Reply 1988—This slice of live drama set in Seoul in 1988 follows five families who live in the same neighborhood, and especially five of their high school aged children as they grow up during a particularly vibrant time in South Korea’s recent history. Like the other installments in the Reply series, the series uses two of the main characters in the present day (or present to when it was released, anyway) looking back—which means that viewers know the Deok-sun ends up married to one of her four besties, but which one?? Still, while the love triangle mystery is fun, at its heart, this story is about community. It’ll scratch the CLoY itch for the North Korean market lady shenanigans, and a few others as well (especially if you like intense yearning in your dramas). (On Netflix)

Business Proposal—If you’d like romance of a completely different genre than CLOY, look no further than Business Proposal! In this KDrama, Shin Ha-ri goes on a blind date in place of her friend as a favor only find out that the date is with her boss. This tightly plotted romantic comedy plays with more rom com tropes than you can shake a stick at, but never sits with one so long that it gets old. The B couple is also fire, and helps move things along whenever the A couple gets into a rut. This drama also features some chaebol (rich business family) shenanigans a la CLOY.  (On Netflix)

Extraordinary Attorney Woo–If you’re in the mood for a workplace comedy/drama, look no further than Extraordinary Attorney Woo. Featuring the incandescent Park Eun Bin as rookie attorney Woo Young Woo, this legal drama features about a case per episode as Attorney Woo finds her way in the world alongside a delightful main cast of characters. (On Netflix)

Little Women—My choice for the makjang to include on this list (a genre in which extreme storylines are treated very seriously), this drama focuses on the three Oh sisters as the oldest finds that her friend who died under mysterious circumstances has left her 70 billion that a powerful political family will stop at nothing to get their hands on. Will the story always make complete sense? No. But will the stellar performances, fast-paced, genre-mixing drama, and wild cliffhangers keep you on the edge of your seat as you binge the whole thing? Absolutely. (On Netflix)

Extraordinary You—Youth dramas may or may not be your thing, but if you have the patience for the shenanigans of high schools, Extraordinary You is my top pick. In this fantasy romance, Eun Dan-Oh discovers that she is actually a character in a comic–and she’s not even the main one! While still high school appropriate, Eun Dan-oh’s literally doomed-by-the-narrative and impossible circumstances romance with Haru, another side character, is another one from my early KDrama days to stick with me just as much as Yoon Se-ri and Ri Jeong-hyeokk’s. (On Viki)

Search: WWW—Ayanni’s particular contribution to this list, this modern romantic drama focuses on intersecting lives of three women working in the fast-paced tech industry at the top two competing web portal companies. Just as interesting as each woman’s various romantic entanglement are their entanglements with each other as they put their careers ahead of just about everything else. Ayanni says she especially appreciates this one because it focuses specifically on three women (also in this genre are Be Melodramatic and Because this is My First Life). 

Happy watching--and do let us know if you pick any of these up!

#crash landing on you #goblin #guardian: the lonely and great god #mr. sunshine #reply 1988 #business proposal #kdrama recommendations #extraordinary attorney woo #woo young woo #little women kdrama #extraordinary you #search: www #korean drama #korean dramas #kdrama #asks #kdrama list

[modestcage]

cewche cewchie cooooo🤗🤗🤗🤗

A young man stands in his bedroom. It just so happens that today, the 13th of April, 2009, is this young man's birthday. Though it was thirteen years ago he was given life, it is only today he will be given a name!

What will the name of this young man be?

Your name is JOHN. As was previously mentioned it is your BIRTHDAY. A number of CAKES are scattered about your room. You have a variety of INTERESTS. You have a passion for REALLY TERRIBLE MOVIES. You like to program computers but you are NOT VERY GOOD AT IT. You have a fondness for PARANORMAL LORE, and are an aspiring AMATEUR MAGICIAN. You also like to play GAMES sometimes.

What will you do?

Your ARMS are in your MAGIC CHEST, pooplord!

Out of sympathy for John's perceived lack of arms, you pick up the CAKE for him and put it on his BED.

You retrieve your FAKE ARMS from the chest. You use these for HILARIOUS ANTICS.

You CAPTCHALOGUE them in your SYLLADEX. You have no idea what that actually means though.

There are other items in the chest.

In here you keep an array of humorous and mystical ARTIFACTS, each one a devastating weapon in the hands of a SKILLED MAGICIAN or a CUNNING PRANKSTER.

You are neither of these things.

Among the ARTIFACTS are: TWO (2) FAKE ARMS [CURRENTLY CAPTCHALOGUED IN YOUR SYLLADEX], ONE (1) PAIR OF TRICK HANDCUFFS, ONE (1) STUNT SWORD, ONE (1) MAGICIAN'S HAT, ONE (1) PAIR OF BEAGLE PUSS GLASSES, SEVERAL (~) SMOKE PELLETS, SEVERAL (~) BLOOD CAPSULES, and ONE (1) COPY OF COLONEL SASSACRE'S DAUNTING TEXT OF MAGICAL FRIVOLITY AND PRACTICAL JAPERY, and ONE (1) COPY OF HARRY ANDERSON'S "WISE GUY", BY MIKE CAVENEY.

Some of this stuff may come in handy at some point. For now, you decide to just take the SMOKE PELLETS.

You stow the SMOKE PELLETS on one of your CAPTCHALOGUE CARDS in your SYLLADEX.

You still aren't totally sure what that means, but you are starting to get the hang of the vernacular at least.

You have two empty CAPTCHALOGUE CARDS remaining.

You aren't totally sure if "EQUIP" is a verb copasetic with the abstract behavioral medium in which you dwell, but you give it a try anyway.

Unfortunately, you cannot access the FAKE ARMS! Their card is underneath the one you just used to captchalogue the SMOKE PELLETS. You will have to use the pellets first in order to access the arms. But this is probably unadvisable, since you'd just make your room lousy with smoke!

Your SYLLADEX'S FETCH MODUS is currently dictated by the logic of a STACK DATA STRUCTURE. You were never all that great with data structures and you find the concept puzzling and mildly irritating.

But with any hope, perhaps you will advance new, more practical FETCH MODI for your SYLLADEX with a little more experience.

Is it even possible to get any more hard boiled than that? You really doubt it. This poster was one of your wisest purchases.

There is a nice spot on the wall next to it. You've been meaning to hang another poster there soon.

This note is rich with the aromas of FATHERLY AFTERSHAVES AND COLOGNES.

Beside the note is a ROLLED UP POSTER.

Another BIRTHDAY ARTIFACT. You wonder what is printed on the poster.

You'll need some way to hang it on your wall.

You first place the HAMMER into your SYLLADEX.

But now all of your CAPTCHALOGUE CARDS are full. You wonder what will happen if you try to take the NAILS?

You guess it doesn't hurt to try.

You captchalogue FOUR (4) NAILS into the top card, and push all the ARTIFACTS down a card.

The FAKE ARMS are pushed entirely out of the deck!!!

Oh well. They're probably completely useless anyway. But you probably don't want to do that again, unless you want to drop the SMOKE PELLETS and suffer the consequences.

In any case, you now feel like you have gathered enough things to get down to business and do some really important stuff. The next thing you do will probably be exceptionally meaningful.

This is the dumbest idea you've had in weeks!!!

STUPID STUPID STUPID.

And yet the polished surface of your desk...

It beckons.

You MERGE the top two cards.

The HAMMER and NAILS are now captchalogued on the same card and can be used together.

You use the HAMMER and NAILS card IN CONJUNCTION with the card beneath it.

You use the HAMMER, NAILS, and POSTER on the blank space on the wall.

It's glorious. Exactly what you wanted. The old man really came through this time.

PUT THE BUNNY BACK IN THE BOX.

I SAID, PUT THE BUNNY BACK IN THE BOX.

WHY COULDN'T YOU PUT THE BUNNY BACK IN THE BOX?

Morgan Freeman's genteel, homespun mannerisms were perfect qualities for a president residing over a crisis.

OCEANS RISE. CITIES FALL. HOPE SURVIVES.

WOW.

Films about impending apocalypse fascinate you. Plus, a black president??? Now you've seen everything!

You've marked your birthday, the 13th of April. Another day you marked was supposed to be the arrival date for the highly touted SBURB BETA LAUNCH.

It's been three days already. It's starting to become a sore subject with you.

You are sick to death of cake!!! You've been eating it all day. And you have no intention of clogging your SYLLADEX with it either. The CAKE stays put for now.

You hear a notice from your COMPUTER. Someone is messaging you.

You pull up to your COMPUTER. This is where you spend most of your time. You decorated your desktop with some rather handsome WALLPAPER which you made yourself. You are really proud of it.

Your desktop is also littered with various PROGRAMMING PROJECT FILES. You are so bad at programming sometimes you wonder why you even bother with it.

Your PESTERCHUM application is flashing. Someone is trying to get in touch with you.

Only one of your CHUMS is logged in. He's sent you a message.

-- turntechGodhead [TG] began pestering ectoBiologist [EB] at 16:13 --

TG: hey so what sort of insane loot did you rake in today EB: i got a little monsters poster, it's so awesome. i'm going to watch it again today, the applejuice scene was so funny. TG: oh hell that is such a coincidence i just found an unopened container of apple juice in my closet it is like fucking christmas up in here EB: ok thats fine, but i just have one question and then a word of caution. have you ever seen a movie called little monsters starring howie mandel and fred savage? TG: but TG: the seal on the bottle is unbroken TG: are you suggesting someone put piss in my apple juice at the factory EB: all im saying is don't you think monster howie mandel has the power to do something as simple as reseal a bottle? EB: try using your brain numbnuts. TG: why did the fat kid or whoever drank it know what piss tasted like TG: i mean his reaction was nigh instantaneous EB: it was the 15th day in a row howie mandel peed in his juice. TG: ok i can accept that TG: monster B-list celebrity douchebags are cunning and persistent pranksters TG: also fred savage has a really punchable face TG: but who cares about this lets stop talking about it TG: did you get the beta yet EB: no. EB: did you? TG: man i got two copies already TG: but i dont care im not going to play it or anything the game sounds boring TG: did you see how it got slammed in game bro???? EB: game bro is a joke and we both know it. TG: yeah TG: why dont you go check your mail maybe its there now EB: alright.

You see the view of your yard from your window.

Hanging from the tree is your TIRE SWING. In a kid's yard, a tree without a tire swing is like a proper gentleman without a monocle. That is to say, HE CAN HARDLY BE CONSIDERED A TERRIBLY PROPER GENTLEMAN AT ALL.

And there beside your driveway is the mailbox.

The little red arm-swingy-dealy thing or whatever it is called is flipped up!

What the hell is that thing called anyway. You do not have time for these semantics. The red flippy-lever thing means you have new mail. And that means the beta might be here!

You are about to hurry down stairs when you hear a car pull into the driveway. It looks like your DAD has returned from the grocery store.

Oh great. He is beating you to the mail.

If you go down stairs to get it, he will likely monopolize hours of your time. You decide to chill out up here for a while until the dust settles.

Sometimes you feel like you are trapped in this room. Stuck, if you will, in a sense which possibly borders on the titular.

And now your chum is pestering you again. The clockwork of friendship turns ceaselessly, operating the swing-lever dealies of harassment in perpetuity!

Whatever. The dude can just hold his damn horses.

You've put countless manhours into this assortment of quality titles.

You decide to consult with the Colonel's bottomless wisdom. Good grief this thing is huge. It could kill a cat if you dropped it.

But to really dig into this hefty book, you will have to captchalogue it. You are not sure you are ready to logjam your other ARTIFACTS beneath it just yet.

What did you just say?? You don't want to clog up your...

Oh, Jesus. In a momentary lapse of concentration, you accidentally captchalogue the arms again.

You don't think the situation is quite dire enough to go all the way to "RANCOROUS", but you still feel the PESTERCHUM client should reflect your mood change in some way.

"BULLY" will have to do. You guess.

This unsurprisingly does nothing whatsoever.

Oh, right, you forgot your chum is still pestering you.

TG: is it there TG: plz say yes TG: maybe you can play with TT shes been pestering me all day about it TG: shes mackin on me so hard all the time i start to feel embarrassed for her TG: i mean not that i can blame her or anything EB: yes, it is understandable because you are really attractive. i am attracted to you. TG: thank you EB: jk haha. EB: no, i don't have it yet. EB: my dad has the mail and i guess i have to go get it from him and see if it's there. EB: and i've been busy spending all afternoon shitting around with my stupid sylladex. EB: it's so frustrating. TG: whats your modus EB: what? TG: how do you retrieve artifacts from it EB: oh. like one at a time i guess. and if i put too much in, something falls out. TG: stack?? hahahahahaha EB: what is yours? TG: hash map TG: my bro taught me a few tricks he basically knows everything and is awesome EB: what the hell is that? TG: you should probably brush up on your data structures EB: i guess. TG: did you at least allocate your strife specibus EB: no. TG: it could free up a card for you TG: plus let you attack stuff whenever things get too hot to handle TG: which is never TG: what have you got EB: well, i've got a hammer but it's trapped under some arms. TG: wow you really suck at this dont you TG: just get rid of the arms and then allocate the hammer to the specibus EB: how? TG: i dont know just use the arms on any old thing and see if it works

You stick the FAKE ARMS in the CAKE on your bed.

This definitely makes the CAKE at least 300% more hilarious. You're sure COLONEL SASSACRE would know the precise index of elevated hilarity.

You check the back of your STRIFE SPECIBUS for the KIND ABSTRATUS you have in mind for it.

Your STRIFE SPECIBUS has been ALLOCATED with the HAMMERKIND ABSTRATUS.

The HAMMER has been moved from your CAPTCHALOGUE DECK to your STRIFE DECK.

EB: ok, i did it. TG: hammerkind? EB: yeah. TG: ok that will be the permanent allocation for your specibus TG: i guess i should have mentioned that EB: uh... TG: hope you like hammers dude! EB: yeah, that's fine i guess. i can't imagine it's going to be all that relevant.

Now that you've got some space in your SYLLADEX to work with, you figure you might as well start squandering it immediately.

Ordinarily this ridiculous book would be way too heavy to carry around in any practical way. You guess maybe this is one respect in which the cards present some convenience.

It might come in handy if you ever need something that burns easily.

You expend your final card on the MAGICIAN'S HAT.

You don't have a free card in your SYLLADEX!

However, you are able to MERGE the BEAGLE PUSS with the MAGICIAN'S HAT to create a CLEVER DISGUISE.

John? Who is this "John" you speak of? You are quite certain there has never been, nor ever will be...

Yeah, this is a really shitty disguise.

While you are wearing the items, they remain on the card, but it is temporarily removed from the deck, thus freeing up the cards beneath it.

You exit into the HALLWAY.

On one wall hangs a picture of a fella who sure knows how to have a laugh, a man after your own heart. You always thought he looked a lot like Michael Cera. But your DAD swears on the many HALLOWED TOMBS of Egypt that it is not. You're not sure about that though.

On the other wall is one of your DAD'S stupid clowns. Or HARLEQUINS, as he is quick to correct anyone who would venture such brazen assumption.

The accursed odor of fresh baking wafts into your newfound nostrils. Something is brewing in the KITCHEN. It must be the connivings of your arch nemesis, BETTY CROCKER, and the rich, buttery aroma of her plot stinks to high heaven.

This mission is going to be more difficult than you imagined.

You check out the shelves of FANCIFUL HARLEQUINS.

Look at this fucking garbage. You hate this stuff. Funny is funny, but your DAD sure can be a real cornball.

Sometimes at night you pray for burglars.

A bright orange flame flickers in the FIREPLACE. It doesn't matter that it's April and not terribly chilly outside. In a home, a FIREPLACE needs a fire, because that's what FIREPLACE is for. A fire BELONGS in a FIREPLACE, dammit, cata(ptcha)gorically, at all times, without exception.

As domestic myth of unaccountable origin holds, a home borrows the spirit of the flame for as long as it makes a guest of it, much as the moon takes liberty with the sun's rays.

"The moon's an arrant thief, and her pale fire she snatches from the sun." -Mark Twain

You are almost certain Mark Twain said that.

It doesn't burn as quickly as you hoped.

Each GAMEBRO MAGAZINE is guaranteed to be printed on 40% recycled asbestos. For big ups to Mother Earth, yo.

You examine the SACRED URN containing your departed NANNA'S ASHES.

When your father gives her portrait a wistful glance now and then, you can tell it brings back painful memories. A tall bookshelf. A ladder. An unabridged COLONEL SASSACRE'S.

He never wants to talk about it.

#cage talks #kyyuuuy

[antipolin]

Luke Thompson for The Guardian

The actor Luke Thompson, 35, was born in Southampton, grew up in France and trained at Rada. He was nominated for two awards for his first professional role in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Shakespeare’s Globe. After 10 years in theatre, his screen breakthrough came playing Benedict Bridgerton in the Netflix hit Bridgerton, which will return soon for its third season. On stage, he recently played Willem in A Little Life, opposite James Norton, and is now making his RSC debut as Berowne in Love’s Labour’s Lost.

You recently won a WhatsOnStage award and were nominated for an Olivier for A Little Life. Was that gratifying?

It’s a lovely cherry on the cake of that experience. It’s easy to have an opinion on awards when you haven’t been nominated but actually they mean a lot. I’ve devoted a lot of time and thought to getting better at acting, so it’s incredibly meaningful to be recognised like that.

What was the audience reaction like? There were reports of fainting.

Oh god, yes, everything. There were weeks when it was mad. The craziest one was towards the end of the run. Someone was coughing very loudly during a quiet moment in the play and the show had to stop. It turned out they’d projectile vomited in the dress circle, over other people, who then started retching too, so it was like a chain reaction. I wonder sometimes how much of it is self-perpetuating. The more people come expecting graphic content, the stronger they might react. There’s definitely been an uptick in fainting incidents post-pandemic.

How was working with James Norton?

Fantastic. What I love about James is that he keeps it simple. I don’t know if it’s because of his screen experience but in theatre, the risk of repeating a show over and again is that you start to decorate it and it becomes unrecognisable. Whereas James always wanted to trim the fat and get back to the core of it.

We’re speaking during a break in rehearsals for Love’s Labour’s Lost. Is your RSC debut a big deal for you?

A really big deal. It’s a lovely time to do it as well, when there’s been a changeover of artistic directors. It feels like a fresh page. To be the first production in the big theatre is a real honour.

Director Emily Burns’s production is inspired by billionaire tech bros, right?

The play itself is very Elizabethan. We’ve tried to put it in a modern, more relatable context. It opens with a group of rich, powerful men who are very anxious about what to do with their time, what’s real, what’s honest, what’s fake. We all live in that online world now. It’s also about self-improvement and how to deal with these horrible things [points at his mobile phone].

The play includes Shakespeare’s longest speech. How do you go about learning that?

As always with Shakespeare, there are different versions swimming around but yes, it’s a mouthful. Lines in these great texts work like magic spells. You learn them, repeat them and it stirs things in you. So I mutter it to myself and see what happens. Somehow it’s easier when I’m on the move, but I have to be careful. I’ll be walking down the street and run into someone while reciting lines at full throttle. Then I’ll go quiet because it’s like being caught out.

There’s an ongoing debate about West End ticket prices. Should theatre be more accessible?

Of course. It’s not just about accessibility, it’s about the role of theatre. I sometimes worry it’s for the 0.05% of the population who go all the time but I still believe theatre has a societal function. It’s a bit like politics – you need everyone involved, from as many different backgrounds as possible. Theatre should be the opposite of an echo chamber. It’s about coming together and sharing ideas. That’s increasingly rare nowadays. We’re all stuck behind our screens, slightly uncomfortable with the idea of proper debate and exchange.

Bridgerton series three is imminent. Where do we find your character Benedict?

Things come to a head in terms of trying to work out what he actually wants. When you’re “the spare”, there’s a lack of pressure. Benedict flits around having fun, free and easy, but he’s also paralysed by choice and searching for something more meaningful. He’s quite a modern character in that way: I know a lot of people trying to build meaning in their life.

Is this series as sexy as ever?

Of course. Julia Quinn’s books are romance novels, so it would be a betrayal not to explore that. It’s a genre with its own codes. That’s what’s so delicious about the show. Sometimes it’s dismissed as unserious, but there may be some misogyny in that. People love romance. There’s not enough of it around.

What’s it like seeing your bare backside on screen?

Quite strange. We don’t often get that view of ourselves. In a way, it’s good to keep track of these things.

A disabled character joins the cast this series. Are you proud of Bridgerton’s diversity?

Hugely proud. It’s great to see everybody represented on screen. Disabled people were around in those times. It also gives the lie to the authenticity police who govern how period dramas are done. Particularly in the UK – it happens with Shakespeare productions as well – there’s a whole army of people ready to insist that it’s supposed to be like a museum piece. It’s often governed by a nostalgia for something that never even existed. Bridgerton’s not a documentary, it’s a drama. In drama, you can do whatever the fuck you want, Shakespeare wrote history plays that are completely inaccurate historically and no one gives him any shit about that. I guess partly because he’s dead. But it’s a poetic reality and Bridgerton is no different.

What’s it like learning Regency dance styles for ballroom scenes?

Great fun. I have to be careful with spoilers or I’ll get arrested, but I get a nice dancing moment this season. It’s fascinating when you understand these dances as basically like a dating app. They get people to speak, touch, be close – then literally swipe to the next row.

Luke Newton plays Colin Bridgerton. Does it ever get confusing with two Lukes playing brothers?

It’s OK because I tend to be referred to as “Lukey T” and he’s “Newts”. There’s a whole flurry of acting Lukes suddenly. Later in the RSC season, Luke Thallon is playing Hamlet. I grew up thinking I was the only Luke in the village but it’s back in fashion. We’re all roughly the same age, so there must have been a Luke moment back in the late 80s/early 90s!

What do people tend to come up and say when they recognise you?

It’s always a lovely exchange. The breadth of people who are Bridgerton fans is heartwarming. Although once someone asked: “Are you from Bridgerton?” I evaded the question a little bit, then saw her Google “Bernard Bridgerton” on her phone, which made me laugh. Who’s Bernard? Another came up with a photo of Jonny Bailey [who plays Lord Anthony Bridgerton] and said: “This is you, isn’t it?” I was like: “Well, obviously not. We play brothers, sure, but we look quite different.” The funniest was on a plane to New York recently with some of the Bridgerton lot. The air steward came up to Claudia [Jessie, who plays Eloise Bridgerton] and said: “Oh my god, you look like Eloise from Bridgerton!” She pointed at me and said: “And doesn’t he look like the brother?” The air steward said: “Oh, I wish!” So apparently I look shit in real life.

Which fellow actors do you admire?

I just saw American Fiction and the whole cast were terrific but Sterling K Brown was particularly great as the brother. It was just simple, warm, easy acting. It was also lovely to see Jeffrey Wright front and centre for a change.

What theatre have you enjoyed recently?

I loved An Enemy of the People with Matt Smith and had the best time at Sunset Boulevard. It was so fun, sexy and exciting.

How do you relax when you’re not working?

I’m a pianist. I’ve played since I was a kid and did all the grades. Sometimes acting can feel like you’re always deferring to other people and don’t have much control but piano is something entirely yours. I can sit down, play classical stuff for two or three hours, and not notice the time pass. I’d be up for including it in an acting job someday.

Do you have a dream role? It’s a terrible cliche to say you want to play Hamlet, but most actors do. And I’d love to play Iago, mainly because a casting director once told me: “You can’t play Iago because you’re too nice.” That’s such a misunderstanding of how evil works. It’d be nice to explore something a little bit more unpleasant.

#Luke Thompson #Bridgerton #Bridgerton cast #Benedict Bridgerton

[demani-dusk]

I really loved Babel or the Necessity of Violence a lot and I want to get some more of my own thoughts out.

What I liked: I mostly read/listen to/watch scifi/fantasy stories, and while I love scifi/fantasy for allegory and metaphor that can focus in on and provide sharp commentary on the real or how the hyper real can heighten the emotions of a real thing, it turns out it was very grounding to read a story about empire set in the actual British empire about people who would have been its actual victims. And even then, I really do love the fantastical elements of the setting and the way silverwork and translation convey the ideas and themes so well.

I like the way the premise of the story and the positions of the characters so clearly and directly conveys the exploitation and extraction of imperialism, the way educating and shaping Robin into an Oxford student is so deeply and inherently abusive. I love that actual real world translation work from the time fits so neatly into the story. Commentary on everything being translated into English but rarely would something be translated from one colonized language to another. Commentary on the way imperialists treat texts written by cultures they don't respect. It all works together so satisfyingly well.

Translation as a kind of magic, as a central theme is also just such a great tool for a writer to do fun and good writing stuff with. I love the way etymology and translations give weight and new layers of meaning to the text the way other literary devices might. It's a book where the thinness of any single language is part of the conceit of how the magic works and Kuang is like, supplementing the inherent thinness of language by offering the reader translations as supplement, trying to get *us* closer to the "realm of true meaning" as it were.

I love very much Robin's internal turmoil throughout the first 2/3 or so of the story. His love and hatred of Oxford. His inability to choose between his father and his brother. His fear, his wonder, his resentment. The way he feels extremely at home and never at home at Oxford. It's all done extremely well imo.

Things I'm less sure about:

I really wish Victoire were more fleshed out earlier in the book. I think what we get makes sense with the story being Robin's perspective, because Victoire and Letty are pretty much always together and Letty has a way of sucking all the air out of a room. But I still wish more room had been made for us to learn more about Victoire before the last act.

I would like to see a little more about sexism and Letty's relationship to feminism. We know she is very aware of the sexism she faces at Oxford but what does she think of suffragists? I can imagine white feminist Letty supporting women's suffrage and still not taking racism or imperialism seriously, and I can also imagine ivory tower rich girl Letty being entirely skeptical of addressing any social issue in a way that isn't about personally fighting to improve your own position, including sexism. I also think Victoire's experience of misognoir is relatively underexplored and that's too bad.

There's also this thing in the writing I'm not sure how I feel about. That is, there are a couple of intractable arguments characters have repeatedly on and off the page. I found myself not loving this as a reader, but I'm somewhat convinced that the way I didn't like it was that it effectively conveyed the boredom and discomfort of having the same argument over and over without making progress, and isn't that the book doing its job well? I still sort of feel like it would help to get these arguments in ways that highlight different character's perspectives each time or something. Or like, ifl having the same best reappear in a story you want the circumstances to change such that the thing happening feels importantly recontextualized, and I didn't always feel like this was happenijg. idk I'm not sure my instincts about this are good.

Anyway, it's a good book, I liked it a lot.

#babel or the necessity of violence #babel an arcane history #babel rf kuang #babel

[thoughtfullyrainynightmare]

Hiya, I was rewatching black clover and realized smth about team E. So finral didn't join cause he was rlly injured (in a coma?) Hamon managed to join the royal knight. Leopold however couldn't. Although Leopold managed to break the crystal (not on time). Do u think there is a reason for this or maybe the higher ups thought they would need hamon more for this?

Btw I rlly love ur content.

Hiya! ^^

Hmmm... This is a very good question tbh. Now, before I begin to speculate, I must admit that half the time I forget the existence of the Royal Knights arc, and as I recall, I fast-forwarded some of the scenes while watching the anime, because I didn't find it particularly interesting. (Though there were a couple of very interesting points, as well as wonderful characterizations of eg Zora, which gave depth to their personalities.)

Moving on to the actual answer....

If someone higher up didn't have a hand in play to protect Leo, which I could pretty much see to be only the decision of a direct family member, it could be about expectations. As in, Leo, as royalty, I would consider as a late bloomer as well, just like Noelle. His skills aren't seen as great as his siblings, which is really unfair because they're comparing over 10 years worth of experience with magic, fighting, and ... being a knight. But he is seen as, as much as it pains me to type, "lesser" Vermillion. And, from the point of view of a higher up, would you want to put someone who is supposed to be capable and is rich in mana, but one that you consider as incompetent, on the battle field and a kind of spot light? Not really, because it might shake the societal structure of Clover.

In layman's terms, there could be a line of thought of "we must not let such a disgrace to royalty into these circles. His downfall would make all of us look bad". Now, again, this is doing very very very veeeerrrryyyyyy wrong on Leopold.

Noelle at least has managed to find her place in her squad, and though Leo seems to be at home at the CLK too, the difference is that Noelle has become stronger by learning to be a team player. She's been introduced to new ideas and she's had to adapt, while Leo is still stagnant in the same tips and ideas that don't work for him specifically. Fue's (and Mereo's) training method's might work for them, but it doesn't mean that they'd work for Leo, and thus, Leo stayed stagnant for a very long time, while Noelle managed a lot of growth.

Or. Then it could be, that as a Royal Knights' Captain, Mereo decided that she won't bring her other little brother onto a field of battle. Maybe she was sentimental and wanted to shield Leopold.

Or then, as you suggested, Hamon was just more useful.

Only Tabs knows

Thanks for dropping by! ^^ AND. I AM GLAD THAT YOU ENJOY MY CONTENT!! 🥺❤️‍🔥

#anon flamelets #black clover #leopold vermillion

[alastairstom]

Do you have any good fantasy book recommendations? I'm looking for something new to read and love TLH.

Hallelujah! Yes, I do. :)

If you're down for a little bit of weirdness, I would love to recommend the Charm of Magpies series by KJ Charles. They're extremely weird self-published books, and they're simultaneously masterpieces of queer literature and so genuinely off-the-wall terrible that they form a perfect dichotomy. Either way, they have a place of prominence on my "favourite books" shelf and if I'm honest with myself are my personal favourite fantasy novels besides TLH and TID. The first book is called The Magpie Lord.

If gay magicians with moving tattoos fighting giant rats and angry art students with the power of their magical sex bond isn't your thing, The Jasmine Throne is a much more normal fantasy novel. Inspired by Indian history and mythology, this sapphic book is super fast-paced and features some amazing characters. The world-building is super rich, and if you love to immerse yourself in a well-built world, this is definitely the series for you.

Another awesome book I loved was The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by SA Chakraborty. It featured kickass pirates and a main character who had a huge heart but also was ruthless and cunning. I loved her and her crew so much, and if you're a pirate enthusiast, you'll adore it.

Romance fans, these ones are for you: Laura Thalassa's books. All of them. She's a top-tier author. They're romantasy, meaning that their primary focus is romance and the fantastical world is meant to enhance the characters and relationships. I especially love the Four Horsemen series, a 4-book quartet where each book follows a horseman of the apocalypse falling in love and becoming a malewife. Book one is Pestilence. But if you prefer faerie courts and bad bargains, the Bargainer series is great. The first book is called Rhapsodic. Please note that these books contain somewhat dark subject matter like SA and abuse and may not be for everyone.

The Shades of Magic trilogy by VE Schwab is also wonderful, and I've been gunning for a reread lately. It's set in a world where there are multiple alternate Londons and the MC Kell Maresh can hop through them. He's the adoptive son of the King and Queen in one of the Londons, and his brother Rhy is set to be king. I love this series and it's so fun, especially if you like things set in London. Book one is A Darker Shade of Magic.

Up until this point, I've only talked about adult fantasy. If you like YA, you also will probably adore the We Hunt the Flame duology by Hafsah Faizal. At this point in my life, Faizal and Cassie Clare are my only two auto-buy YA fantasy authors... and, honestly, the only two YA fantasy authors I really enjoy reading from. The world is based on ancient Arabia, and there are tons of awesome characters and an enemies-to-lovers romance. There's also a great side character, Altair, who reminds me a bit of Matthew Fairchild. 10/10 duology, honestly.

I'm going to tag @belle-keys here too because I know she'll have more to say on this. :)

[where-dreamers-go]

Reading and rambling: The Fork, the Witch, and the Worm

(Tales from Alagaësia VOLUME 1: ERAGON)

~~~

PART ONE: THE FORK

II. A Fork in the Road

~~~

.... Where the blazes is this?

WHO'S point of view is this??

AND WHY do I feel like it's passed their curfew???

Umm. Essie, sweetie, should you be home? I feel like you're a child. Where were you and is it late?

Wharves. Uh. I need the dictionary again.

Is this a winter-y place by the sea or waterway? Girl, hurry up and go home.

Great, I'm still thinking about getting Eragon more protein rich foods and now there's this one!

"I see. Does that make her important?"

Essie shook her head. "It makes her think she's important."

Oooh. We're getting the tea!!! And this "unknown" man has an excellent vocabulary. Uh-huh. I know who you are, pal. "Tornac" ... nice name. 👀🧐

"Essie Siglingsdaughter."

*closes book*

"Who named your mother??"

... All this children drama is intense. Like: been there with dealing with 'miss all-that's'. Do you need help, sweetie?

"Then maybe they weren't really your friends."

Speak the truth! 👏 Give her a head start in learning that. Just because you're social with someone, even for years, it doesn't mean their a friend.

A snort escaped Tornac. "If you don't count being shot at by arrows, then yes."

A young girl who has her sights set high. You know, Beor Mountains high. It's nice to see humans saying something positive about the dwarves and not watching the elves from a distance as if they were wise, mysterious, rude, hunters. Anyway...

"That . . . is a very impressive scar. You should be proud of it." And --> "Because a scar means you survived."

Love it. Love yourself!

"... the big oaf."

A new scar for Tornac from a friend? Hmmm.

"A long, long way from here."

Okay, now with the war and battles over with, I'm curious as to where other people live. Because the only ones native to Alagaësia are dragons and dwarves, right? So what are other human cultures like? Have they traded with other dwarves? Are there advancements in the far north? Do they have eye glasses?

Also, can we just appreciate "Tornac" just being truthful and leveling with Essie on a person to person level?? Trying to bestow wisdom.

And first hand learning apparently if Essie continues to watch everything.

"A whole field scattered with stones."

"Black and burnt?"

"As if seared by fire, but with no sign of flame or smoke."

Hello, mystery. And they smell really really bad...

"... Hand over the rest of your gold, or the youngling here will pay with blood."

Ooooh. Things should get interesting. It's building the tension.

Hold on a minute, folks, we have a development.

Tornac used magic, but it didn't work because all these smelly and armed guys have charmed necklaces. Who's witch-woman Bachel? And how come they don't call it magic?? Ooooh. Different places, different names, different beliefs.

Anyway...

And then he spoke a Word, and such a word it was.

Oooooooh!!! Snap, here we go!

Oh, guess they're under Nasuada's magic laws too. Thanks for clarification, Essie.

Uhhh. The Word didn't change anything. This is a disturbing sign. Yup yup.

*reading fight scene be right back*

"You do not know what you seek, Wanderer. You're moon-addled and nose-blind. The sleeper stirs, and you and me--we're all ants waiting to be crushed."

I feel like this is important along with where the nasty stone is from.

Uh, who are "The Dreamers" and why do I feel like there's a scary plot hidden.

Essie, darling, this is your first step into a wider world. Use the fork well and learn much more.

MISTER STABBY!!!! All the love to Essie, goodness.

. . . Murtagh lifted his head and took a deep breath of night air.

Murtagh, you softie.

Always more mysteries . . .

That's what I'm saying! Let's get down to business~

So again he wondered if perhaps the time had come to turn and face his past.

Someone was watching The Lion King.

Yeah! Go find the witch-woman Bachel and be careful.

Oh my goodness. What a fascinating chapter. I hope we will get an update on Essie in the future. That would be neat. I mean, why would we go from the dragons showing Eragon the world to a complete different point of view.

Was there another purpose for such a view or just because she was closest to Murtagh at that point?

Hmmm

#the fork the witch and the worm #tftwtw #where dreamers go #eragon #reading and rambling

[invisiblegarters]

The End of the World With You Ep 8 - Finale

Here we are. Last ep. Will our ragtag crew survive? Is Yuma a magic boy that has somehow managed to avert the world’s impending doom? Does it really matter in the end? Guess we’ll find out. 

Aw, okay at first I was wondering wth Meguru was doing bringing Yuma into Madoka’s room, but I like that he’s trying to give Yuma a gift here, that his idol read his letters, that she kept them. I think that that’s actually really sweet, and good to know, in a way. Sometimes it really is enough to know that you’ve touched someone’s life. 

Okay, Yuma is totally a magic boy. We all saw that. Ritsu you saw that. Masumi you saw that. We can all stop and acknowledge as a collective that Yuma has something going on. 

Which means that it’s very possible that damn meteor might just go away. 

LOL. Oh, teenagers. Sure Yuma, Meguru was totally trying to confess to you. Why not. Love Masumi and Ritsu sharing that amused glance, too. They love him. 

Idk, Ritsu, I think maybe Yuma can deal with a meteor. He managed to reverse death didn’t he? Or at least keep that pill from working. 

Never thought I’d see the day when Ritsu was the one being hesitant about sex. 

Aw, so Ritsu did go to the library on purpose to find Masumi. That’s almost cute...if you can forget that he was also hoping that he could get Masumi to help him with the dead body in his place, ha. Although maybe if Masumi hadn’t been like “so not nice yo see you, bye,” he might have been content to just leave Yuma there. I'll just leave you to imagine that. You’re welcome.  

You know, there are worse ways to bring in the end of the world than with a sex marathon. Much worse. Get it, guys. 

I KNEW it would do the ambiguous ending if it didn’t go straight for kablooey. I knew it. But I like that. I like it a lot. I know it’s not going to be for everyone, but to my mind, the end of the world was never the point, not really. Like a lot of end of the world canons, it was more about learning to live, and to do what you can with the time you’re given. And maybe it was a bit about learning to connect with the people around you, rather than closing yourself off. And also maybe about learning to look for the impossible. Just a little. 

This show was such an unexpected gem for me. It had me thinking a lot about forgiveness and the things that scar us and the way we scar ourselves, too. and I liked that it was so rich with character work. Ritsu especially was very compelling. Even though I’m still not entirely sure I ever really came to like him, I did come to understand him. He was such a multilayered character and the actor did a great job with him. I’ve got to say I’ve never seen him in anything else but this has made me want to look up his other work, for sure. 

And it’s almost made me forgive the other one for Senpai, This Can’t Be Love. 

Almost.

Final verdict: 8.5/10. A solid show that was well acted and well-scripted, one that made me think. One of the best things currently airing, imo and well worth the watch. 

#the end of the world with you #bokura no micro na shuumatsu #episode 8 #finale