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#socialite heroine
sailor-aviator · 6 months
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Don't Hang'em Til Noon Masterlist
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Pairing: Jake "Hangman" Seresin x Reader
Summary: Jake "Hangman" Seresin is a notorious leader within the Dagger posse of the old western territories of the United States. You, a recently orphaned socialite from the eastern seaboard, find yourself swept off to live with your older brother who has set down roots in said western territory. Determined to to make the best of your situation, what will you do when said outlaw sets his sights on you?
Series CW: Swearing, violence, period related violence and swearing, slow burn, fluff, (eventual) smut, enemies to lovers in a way, suggestive language, references to prostitution, firearms, etc. Chapter specific warnings will be included.
A/N: This is gonna be my first ever fanfiction series that I've ever written. Kind of excited for it, not gonna lie. Anyway, started this blog because I have very specific needs for fanfic, and apparently I've gotta do everything myself, so...enjoy. This work is also being published on AO3 under the username sailor_aviator.
All posts related to this series will be tagged as "DHTN" and "Don't Hang'em Til Noon"
*Denotes smut
Meet our heroine!
Last updated: 11.27.23 (Complete)
Masterlist || DPU Masterlist || Fan Art || Moodboards || Playlist 1 || Playlist 2 || Jake "Hangman" Seresin Tag List
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Series;
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five*
Chapter Six*
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine*
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve*
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Drabbles;
Jake with his newborn
Scout gets the laundry
Jake teaches Scout how to play baseball
Scout and Jake spend Christmas together
Scout finds Jake asleep
Scout and Jake wake up
Pregnant sex with Jake*
Jake gets hired on as a ranch hand
You call Jake "baby boy" in bed*
Isaac's attack from Jake's POV
The morning after Chapter Six
Scout talks to Jake while he sleeps
Jake carves the horse for Scout
Jake thinks about his and Scout’s fight
Jake's POV while being arrested...
Penny and Mav talk about Jake and Scout...
Scout meets Sarah and Billy
The jail scene from Jake's POV...
Tom and Jake's Relationship...
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acourtofthought · 6 months
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SJM didn't even realize she was setting up Elucien to be the Regency couple of the year when she wrote ACOTAR
"A rake is a particular type of romance hero—a loveable scoundrel whose goal in life is to enjoy being single"
“Ah.” Lucien chuckled. “Well, Tam’s not the only one who gets to perform the rite tonight. Once he makes his choice, we’re free to mingle. Though it’s not the Great Rite, our own dalliances tonight will help the land, too.”
A cork popped, followed by the sounds of Lucien chugging the bottle’s contents and chuckling with a muttered “Brushed.”
“I’ll have you know that while you two were dancing with the spirits, I was stuck on border patrol.” Tamlin gave a pointed cough, and Lucien added, “With some company.”
"Many a Regency heroine has gone to London to have a ‘season’ in the hope of finding a husband.
“We can’t afford a dowry,” I continued, and though my tone was firm, my voice quieted. “For either of you."
But we had nothing—absolutely nothing—to entice any suitor to take my sisters off my hands.
“Isn’t that right in the middle of the season?” The socialite season, which had ended a few weeks ago, apparently, full of parties and balls and luncheons and gossip, gossip, gossip. Elain had told me all about it at dinner the night before" / “And I’m surprised you don’t have a line of suitors out the door, begging for your hand.”
The ball my father was throwing in my honor was in two days, and the house was already a flurry of activity. Such money being thrown away on things we’d never dreamed of having again, even for a moment. I would have begged him not to host it, but Elain had taken charge of planning and finding me a last-minute dress,
Elain, who flitted about the room, personally greeting each guest and dancing with all their important sons.
"Known as the “Ton,” they were comprised of a few hundred wealthy families whose strict codes of conduct, fashion, and social customs dictated who and what was socially acceptable"
—a faint gleam in Tamlin’s eyes at that—“and being with females who were a far cry from the nobility of the Autumn Court.
“Lucien fell in love with a faerie whom his father considered to be grossly inappropriate for someone of his bloodline.
Though the tunic isn’t as pretty as a dress.”
Though she was bundled in a threadbare blanket, her gold-brown hair—the hair all three of us had—was coiled perfectly about her head. Eight years of poverty hadn’t stripped from her the desire to look lovely.
But once she did, she let that snowball roll down the hill.
"The idea that rakes are redeemable is their most attractive quality."
“You know it’s … hard for him, where females are involved,” I said neutrally. “He has been with many females since the death of his lover.” “Perhaps it’s different with you—perhaps it’d mean something he’s not ready for.” I shrugged, searching for the right words. “Perhaps he stays away because of it.” She considered, and I prayed she bought my half lie.
He’d always had a casual grace about him, but here, tonight, with his hair tied back and jacket buttoned to his neck, he truly looked the part of a High Lord’s son. Handsome, powerful, a bit rakish—but well-mannered and elegant.
I asked Lucien to escort me, and he’d been more than happy to do so, given that his own status as a mated male made him uninterested in any sort of female company these days.
“I’m a mated male now.”
"Clothing and shoes served as necessary survival tools in the 18th century as well as powerful ways to communicate status, ideas, and a person's role in society. Fashion was a very important way that people expressed their ideas and economic status during the 18th century."
He had to give Lucien credit: the male was somehow able to move between his three roles—an emissary for the Night Court, ally to Jurian and Vassa, and liaison to Tamlin—and still dress immaculately.
Elain … She’d taken one look at us in the swaying grasses outside that wagon, the legs and assets on display, and turned crimson
"I'll be right back," she murmured and hurried down the hall before I could explain that no one care if she showed up to dinner covered in flour.
Elain had let her golden-brown hair down tonight, and pinned it back with twin combs of pearl.
Gone was the ill-suited black dress from the ball, replaced by a gown of amethyst velvet, her hair half-up and curling down to her waist.
It wasn’t a formal dinner by any means—though Lucien, standing near the windows and watching the sun set over Velaris, was wearing a fine green jacket embroidered with gold, his cream-colored pants showing off muscled thighs, and his knee-high black boots polished enough that the chandeliers of faelight reflected off them.
"By the 17th Century (and beyond), ribbon usage was vast. It showed purpose in extravagant garments, hair accessorizing, and ornamenting furniture and linens. With the demand for the material rising, Coventry, England and Lyons, France became capitals for ribbon production and design."
Even during their squabbles in the cottage, fighting over who got clothes or boots or ribbons, it had never been like this.
"Regency's formal décor has recently made headlines and piqued interior designers' interest thanks to the series "Bridgerton." / The Regency period was one of elegance and opulence, luxuriousness and grandeur" / “The Regency is loud, glamorous, colorful, and much less stuffy "
Elain cut her a look. “This house has needed a woman’s touch for years.”
He tried to sound casual—comfortable. Even as his heart raced and raced, so swift he thought he might vomit on the very expensive, very old carpet. From Sangravah, if the patterns and rich dyes were any indication. Rhysand was many things, but he certainly had good taste. This entire place had been decorated with thought and elegance, with a penchant for comfort over stuffiness.
"Neither a lady nor a gentleman discussed private business in the presence of servants."
Possibly a factor in why we don't see Elain and Lucien interact when EVERYONE AROUND THEM US EAVESDROPPING! 😂
"A well-bred person maintained an elegance of manners and deportment."
Elain flinched again, her face coloring. Nesta snorted. “You’re living amongst beings who have none of our human primness, you know.”
Elain had blushed muttering about the impropriety of such things
He wasn’t sure if she truly meant to address him, but he said, “No, lady. I cannot.”
“I’m going to assume that one of those cups belongs to your sister.” “Do you mind if I help myself to the other?”
“There’s a plate of biscuits. Would you like one?”
The sound seemed to startle Elain, who swiftly set down her teacup. She rose to her feet, and Lucien shot to his. “I’m sorry,” he blurted.
“I’m sorry—if that unsettled you.”
"A lady did not engage in any activity that might give rise to gossip."
No wonder nobody knows what the hell Elain does or thinks 😂
"It was unacceptable to owe money to a stranger."
"I can't stand to be in this court and have your mate pay for the very clothes on my back"
"A well-bred person walked upright, stood and moved with grace and ease."
“I’ll do it,” Elain said, taking a deep breath and squaring her shoulders. She didn’t wait for either of us before she strode out, graceful as a doe.
He’d always had a casual grace about him,
"A well-bred person was never awkward in either manner or behaviour and could respond to any social situation with calm assurance."
“Nesta, please,” Elain murmured.
She put a hand on Nesta’s knee, the purple of my sister’s gown nearly swallowing up the ivory hand. “Feyre gave and gave—for years. Let us now help her. Help … others.”
Elain crossed her arms and said calmly, sadly, “Feyre warned me this might happen.”
“I still wanted to come,” Elain went on with that focused calm, the quiet steel building in her voice. “I wanted to see you, to explain.”
The male had grown up alongside Eris. Had dealt with Eris’s and Beron’s cruelty. Had his lover slaughtered by his own father. But Lucien had learned to keep his cool.
Lucien threw him a withering look. “I’m not your enemy, you know. You can drop the aggressive brute act.” Cassian gave him a grin that didn’t meet his eyes. “Who says it’s an act?” Lucien let out a long sigh. “Very well, then.”
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The Allure of Lori Harvey
A Social Analysis of the Modern Black Feminine
For the summer of 2022, Ms. Harvey’s social life is trending, due to her sudden and abrupt ‘amicable’. break up with Michael B. Jordan, who’s also known as baby Denzel and one of the most eligible black men in the world.
We can speculate that the relationship was fake, real, MBJ was played or trying to rehab his image or Lori just didn't want to settle down and we’ll likely never know the real reason they broke up, but we can unpack the mysteries of Lori’s femininity an allure and figure out why she is so polarizing, equally admired & despised.  But first? We need a little background for a clear picture!
Lori Harvey is the quintessential Black American princess + socialite of the mainstream urban & hood collective. The adoptive stepdaughter of Steve Harvey and progeny of Majorie ‘Lady Heroin’ Harvey, she was born into one generation of black wealth and the genetic lottery. Her biological father was a famed drug kingpin from Memphis who managed to snag her mother. Majorie was also a legend in her own right on the streets, known for her beauty, ruthless demeanor, a peculiar sense of lascivious and lavish tastes, while she courted and eventually married famed drug kings, gangsters and pimps, in the black underworld. Majorie was described as beautiful, intense, ruthless and hypergamous. There was no doubt in Majorie’s mind that she would make it to the top and she didn’t care how she got there. Majorie narrowly avoided going to prison, after being investigated by the FBI and moved on to higher pastures by cleaning up her image, setting her sights on seducing and marrying comedic legend Steve Harvey.
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Steve & Majorie Harvey
 
The glamour of a famous stepfather and the dangerous mystique of her mother's past has rubbed off on Lori, as it appears she intends to follow in her mother’s footsteps by doing the same, and marrying well.
This lends Lori an incredible amount of curiosity and admiration from the black feminine collective. Her personal style, diet and dating choices are all up for social inspection and which she seems to enjoy and utilize to her benefit.
Socially in the black collective, it’s not looked upon favorably for black women to openly date hypergamously. Some could say this fact is easily said for all other women, except for the black woman is drastically socially different. The black woman is expected to be completely self sacrificing to the detriment of herself, other women, black men and the mental and social health of the black community and world, at large.
Historically the black body has been seen as hypersexual cultural commodity and unfortunately still black women aren’t free from these archaic assumptions. This hypersexuality when paired with two hundred plus years of systemic racism & psychological terrorism has created a confusing and hostile climate for the social and mental health of the feminine in the black community. Anything feminine is inherently seen as detriment or looked upon with disgust or shame, in both black men and women. It's culturally ingrained and internalized, for Black women to be consistently expected to have lower standards in terms of partners whether it be mentally, spiritually, physically or financially and the collective actively participates in defeminizing an robbing black women of their individual self respect and womanhood. These toxic ideologies, have seeped into the black social structure and in the global& mainstream social collective, an have done irreputable damage, terrorizing and harming the social and mental health of both black men and women, whom have been passing down this vicious cycle of toxicity from generation to generation.
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In comes Lorie Harvey, who represents a new breed of Black American women in this modern social landscape who have grown tired of a horrible status quo, are hoping for better & who see fractions of themselves in her. She may not even know it but Lori actively carries a new hope of shattering the toxic glass ceiling prepared for black woman by creating a better example of the social options for the black female collective and maybe even the mainstream globally.
Lori is bold and actively hypergamous, dating some of the wealthiest black men in the community and making a clean break when things don’t work out. For the modern black woman this is considered to be highly unusual and makes her intensely polarizing and hated by certain groups of black men, women and the community who aren’t used to change and are comfortably brainwashed by status quo.
For many Lori represents a break from convention and social change of the modern evolution within the mainstream black feminine collective. Change is not easy and this new development is going to be extremely scary to many, for a variety of reasons. For some groups of men, this means having to put in more effort when finding a sexual partner or mate and losing certain benefits they felt previously entitled too, for outsiders this can also mean possibly losing access or the interest wealthy or high status black men financially or sexually that they also feel entitled to, it could even threaten centuries old racist structures which are were intentionally created to keep the black community currently unstable and foster hostility via gender wars. The current dating scene within the community is obviously toxic. The Modern Black women hasn't really built the healthy structure dating structure, that pushes her and the community to the highest good. Most black women are ignorant on how to go about dating properly or seeking out quality mates, which in turn creates a horrible cycle of toxicity. For many black women this has led to hyper paralyzed state of toxic independence, which has been severely harmful to both black men and women, something that can be further researched by taking the time to read the Willie Lynch letters. It’s important for black women to break this cycle which has been enforced since the beginning the Trans-Atlantic Slave trade, because it will actively promote better social and mental health for both black men and women, and in turn the entire community.
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Lori fits a certain beauty standard, which can be argued to fit within some Urban or Eurocentric ideals. She’s moderately brown skin, gently relaxes her hair making it wavy/straight, an has a slim nose and full lips. She’s relatively in shape partaking in Pilates, a bit of precarious dieting and her shape varies between lightly petite and curvy. Her resources give her access to a variety high quality skin care, plastic surgery and beauty treatments. Despite this, her beauty looks natural and feels more easily accessible. She takes a considerable amount of care in her looks and it’s certainly strategic on her part because she’s hyper aware of beauty privilege and the visual nature of men, which she works to her benefit. All of these things somewhat work in her favor, but also can lend way to her being ripped apart socially, because beautiful brown skinned black women aren’t often taken seriously within black collective, without an extremely well credentialed educational background or status, and this may still never be enough. She walks a precarious tightrope of gender and colorism. There is no way of knowing for certain if her behavior would be considered less controversial and tolerated slightly better if she was of lighter of complexion, like the semi-controversial musician and queen of hip-pop Doja Cat, for example. Colorism can be fickle and random, as symptom of systemic racism, which is aggravatingly hard to gage.
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Lori’s beauty, background and dating style seems to resonate mainstream black feminine collective who desires to find a new way to counter the deliberate defeminization of the black woman socially. This brings her a degree of considerable allure and magnetism an makes her a interesting woman to watch in the future.
How will it all end ? Will Lori finally find the right man for her ? Only time will tell.
In the meantime, let’s keep our eyes peeled n stay tuned. If there is one thing we can count on it’s for Lori to keep tongues wagging, while putting on a great show!
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rom-e-o · 6 months
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Worthy (Constance/Ebenezer)
Trigger warning for mentions of s*xual abuse and physical abuse perpetrated by a third party (AKA Orin).
How does almost 20 years of marriage break? It shatters like bone.
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Before Ebenezer came into her life with the speed and majesty of a summer storm, Constance DoGoode (specifically, Constance Spiegler) hadn't thought herself to be particularly ... affectionate.
She liked to flirt; a wink here, a flash of the ankle there. The best men got a swish of the skirt.
It was recreational for her; an exercise is the perfecting the persona of a stunning socialite. It was part of her job to maintain the image as a model and a soon-to be businessman's wife.
People noticed Constance, and they also noticed how others (especially men) treated her.
All the doormen at New York's ritziest apartments took turns on Friday evenings while gathered around shots of rye whiskey to brag about if she'd touched their shoulder or tossed her hair at them to throw the cent of her lily perfume. Bellhops would fight over who got the opportunity to handle her luggage or, heaven forbid, the opportunity to walk her to her room or bring room service. The jewelers at Tiffany's frequently invited her to their 259 Broadway storefront to solicit her opinion on the latest diamonds and jewelry styles.
When eager friends told Constance stories of her not-so-secret fanclubs, she'd laugh coyly, her smile bright as the stars. The unsuspecting onlooker might think the news overjoyed her.
Truthfully, she was indifferent. She liked attention in the way a horse liked sugar. It was a delightful treat, but it wasn't by any means necessary for survival or daily well-being. She felt the same way about the birds and bees.
While she'd had her first kiss at age 14 with a giggly classmate from her French lessons, she'd been a sterling little virgin on her wedding night. As for why she'd waited, it hadn't been an intentional decision. She'd simply never had the desire to go to bed with anyone before meeting her first husband. Others had definitely tried to persuade her, but the woman was nothing if not resolute, even when it came to her disinterest.
Her wedding night with Orin had been...nice. Delightful, even. Then, the next day, he'd 'shared' her with a group of other businessmen he'd met that morning in the Swiss ski lodge they'd opted to honeymoon in. She woke up bruised, bloodied, groggy from alcohol she didn't remember drinking, and most of all ... broken-hearted.
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As the years passed, kisses were nonexistent and hugs were only initiated in the company of others to keep up the couple's images. Sex was more awkward than painful, thanks to Orin's below average endowment (which she became beyond thankful for). When he did want to hurt her, he used his fists, broken bottles, or the steel-toed tips of his boots if she was especially prone.
She tried to rekindle their romance if for no other reason than to save her life. It failed, and she turned to a razor blade and scalding bath tub for salvation. She was denied. Orin found her and delivered her from ethereal release to the painful confinement of a hospital. Even while in a half-sleep, her body reeking of copper from the blood coagulating in the lace trim of her nightgown, she swore he mother's screams shook the city.
That night was the only night Orin held her hand, stroking her wedding band. It seemed to be a means to comfort himself more than her.
Doctors gave her pain meds - morphine, codeine, and heroin. Opium as well, of course. It lessened her libido further, something Orin would stomp his foot about like a child whenever she tried to shove him away after a long day.
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After he shoved her down the stairs, snapping both her femurs like toothpicks, the pain medication and grain alcohol cocktail she sloshed down daily numbed her to almost everything. Everything except the desire to escape.
The 30-day boat trip to London has been a miserable, rat-infested, shivering detox. Yet, as far as she was concerned, death would have been another form of release. Whether she reached the shore or not, she was free.
When she did reach the shore, what she lacked in money or prospects, she made up for in hope. The city was grimy, freezing cold and dark, but it was without him. For that reason, it was heaven.
Then, she met Ebenezer Scrooge.
He and Orin were physically similar, in many ways. Handsome. Tall. Dark-haired (well, past-tense for Ebenezer). Broad-shouldered. Their voices were even similar, striking her as a blend between velvety and smoky that she had never heard before. Orin's accent was distinctly Bronx, while Ebenezer's leaned more Welsh than the traditional London accent or cockney flair she'd heard so far.
Ebenezer rolled his 'rrr's easily, which separated him distinctly from the pronunciations of largely Dutch-settled populations of New York. Orin's family had hailed from the Netherlands and Germany, and he spoke fluent Dutch as a result. Constance spoke the language recreationally, and the two would often converse in Dutch at parties if they needed to speak privately.
"Tenzij je wilt dat je arm vanavond gebroken wordt, rond je gesprek af en laten we vertrekken," he growled. "Dat zal ik nu doen," she whispered, frantically waving to the acquatance she's started chatting with moments before. They stared back in confusion, but she kept smiling as to not alarm them. "Het spijt me." "Zorg dat je dat doet, slet!"
Both men were financial bigwigs, but Ebenezer's talent was sincere and founded on skill (skills that had come at a hefty price). Orin was ... well, a master of illusion. He talked an enthusiastic deal, cut shrewd deals, and adored parties and festivities. Yet, the management of money often fell to Constance because the man lacked any sense of self-restraint.
Where they widely differed, of course, was in personality.
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"How would you pronounce your name in Dutch?" he asked, using his elbow to pop is head up. The angle allowed him to look down upon her lovingly while simultaneously providing space for their nude bodies to slot together easily. They laid side by side in bed, his blunt fingertips tracing hearts idly over the skin of her bare hip.
"Konstanz."
He hummed, testing the pronunciation on his tongue. "Beautiful, of course."
She smiled modestly. "I've always liked my name, I'll confess. My mother chose it for me, after all."
He paused. "So, Theresea gave you your name, not ..."
"No. If I had a name before they left me, I don't remember it."
"I can't imagine a more fitting name for you," he said softly, flattened his palm to give her hip an affectionate squeeze. "Steadiness. Resoluteness. Persistence. How fitting for a woman of such strength."
"My schoolmates teased me for it, though," she commented. "They said it was too prim and proper for a redhead with freckles."
"Too prim?" he repeated, genuinely confused.
"I like the way your name sounds much better," she said, rolling over in the bed to have a better angle at which to toy with his hair. "Even H'azer. Similar to Hebrew."
He chuckled, capturing her hand to kiss her knuckles. "It sounds pretty when you say it."
"You don't like your name?"
"I'm indifferent," he explained. "It's certainly a name that sets a high standard. One I'm uncertain a can stand up to."
"I adore your name," she said sincerely, twining their fingers. Her thumb stroked his palm, and she took great joy in watching a deep blush color his cheeks (and not for the first time that day). "It's a worthy name for a worthy man."
"W-Well, thank you," he chuckled, stuttering a bit in the process. She adored why boyish embarrassment came over him in small glimpses. It was rewarding to see him accept compliments.
"I mean it," she repeated. "If anyone deserves a name of such esteem, it's you."
His facial features, already soft with affection, became borderline mercurial. "You're serious?"
"You are one of two men I hold in the highest esteem possible," she said. She pressed a kiss to the tip of his owlish nose. "Sorry, but I'm afraid my father takes the tippy-top spot."
He laughed at this, not in mockery, but in joy.
"I'd expect nothing less," he beamed.
Her heart swelled at his response.
"Oh, he would have loved you..." she said softly. "He never liked Orin. My father rarely lost his temper, but the first time I ran home with a black eye, he grabbed a pistol and tried to march out the door. He said, 'I'll kill the bastard.'"
Agreed, Ebenezer thought secretly.
"He sounds like an amazing man," he said, "And he raised an amazing, wonderful, strong, and beautiful daughter. One I promise I'll fight every day to be worthy of. For the rest of my days."
It was her turn to blush as she lifted her arms to wrap them about his narrow waist. Her cheek fell against his furred chest, finding the steady thud of his heart without issue.
"I think you'll find that your fight is over," she said with a smile. "Both of ours are."
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@quill-pen when writing a character's past hurts so much that you HAVE to throw in SOME fluff at the end to stay sane.
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ocshowandtell · 2 months
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Thank you for providing this! May I introduce the heroines of my first book, The Price and Prey of Magic?
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Yew is a girl with a curse who makes the questionable decision to apprentice herself to a dark sorcerer. She hopes she can learn enough magic to lift the curse. She might've been better off accepting the curse.
Eider's a socialite who finds herself on the wrong end of a magical spell which takes away her hands -- but she's not going to let it take away her future.
My heroines are both desperate to salvage their lives, and their fates are far more closely intertwined than either would like. And when they finally have the chance to change their lives, they won't necessarily be on the same side.
I love both of these characters so much, and love getting the chance to talk about them. If you'd like to learn more about them and their story, check out my writing blog.
incredible! thank you for sharing!!
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mermaidsirennikita · 2 months
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Do you read HR taking place in America? I have a kind of a hard time reading books in that setting
I do, but there is a lot of Civil War-era content or Civil War-adjacent content (see: the many westerns that feature heroes who were... Confederates) that I don't fuck with. So you have to sift through.
Here's the thing--I was about to type out that the issues of intense racism and slavery in America at the time makes it harder to read those... But it's hypocritical. Because God knows England was enslaving people for much of (all of, if we're being realistic--slavery being abolished in the colonies doesn't mean Brits just stopped facilitating and using slave labor in 1833) the time historical romance covers. England was colonizing... all over the place... during those eras. The dukes we read about have wealth because of slavery and colonialism. That's the fucking truth. The ethical duke is as much of a fantasy as the hot duke who is one of like, 700 hot eligible dukes in England at one time.
Historical romance, no matter where or when it's set, is to a large degree fantasy. I really consider it like... thisclose to fantasy romance. Which doesn't mean we can't critique it and come to terms with it. But it gets me when I see Bonnet Brigade types railing against heroines having sex before marriage, or gay people having HEAs ("it's not realistic" lmao yeah dude those things happened sorry bye) because it's like... the backbones of this subgenre, and tbh romance at large, hinge on fantasy.
Sooooo....
All of that being said, there are two authors I read more with American historicals. One is is Beverly Jenkins, who writes historical romance entirely centered on Black characters, across history and locations--in the Reconstruction era, out West, etc. Beverly is amazing--Indigo is a classic and I'd recommend it to anyone. Very emotional, very great.
I also read Joanna Shupe, whose historicals these days are set in Gilded Age New York. The Gilded Age was an amazingly interesting era of history, even if that TV show is determined make it boring. So much wealth, excess, parties, tycoons, socialites. Joanna is another all-time author for me. Love her books.
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sbrown82 · 8 months
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I wonder how The Stones children feel about they’re parents doing drugs, having sex with multiple people, having to have multiple stepmoms, or reading a book about how they were pretty much unwanted. I feel bad for Jade Jagger, Marlon Richards, all of Ronnie’s kids, Nicholas Dunbar and Brian’s kids. They have to continuously hear about how their parents were on drugs. Like Anita was on bad drugs with all 3 of her children, I wonder how they felt being around that. Or someone like Jade how both parents not really being there for her and then judging her for being just like them. Or Karis having to see her mom struggle most of her childhood while her dad didn’t even want to claim her. Or Brian’s children who probably only seen him on tv or in magazines because he didn’t really come around for them. Or Nicholas who’s mother was on terrible drugs and was sent to his grandma after his mom tried to commit suicide, it’s a lot to swallow.
Many of the Rolling Stones children have talked about this, specifically Jade Jagger, Marlon Richards, and Brian Jones' children. I mean, that couldn't have been easy, which is why some of them either acted out when they were young or completely stayed away from the spotlight. Keith Richards and Anita Pallenberg's son Marlon said his parents were both reckless and very heavy drug addicts. In fact, Anita did heroin while pregnant with her daughter Angela and even gave birth to her in a rehab clinic, and Keith once fell asleep at the while and crashed his car with his son in the back seat. One of their children even died at 10 weeks old from SIDS while in her care. Keith's mom had enough and took their daughter Angela to live with her and said Anita was a bad mom.
And yes, Jade always talks about how her parents were never really around and how she was treated like a mascot instead of their daughter. Mick was always on tour or doing whatever with whoever, while her mother Bianca was a "socialite" who partied at nightclubs or would travel for days leaving her daughter alone with nannies. Her childhood wasn't very pleasant as she had to fit into their lifestyles, which is probably why she acted out a lot. She did drugs, was kicked out of school, and even dabbled in "soft porn". Paparazzi even caught her having sex on a nude beach in Europe. She's a hot ass mess!!
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Karis is the total opposite! Her mother, Marsha Hunt, was a real hands-on parent who took her everywhere with her, provided her with a great education (even though she couldn't afford it), and kept her out of the limelight - probably a main reason why she doesn't do any interviews or cares about celebrity culture. I don't think I've ever even heard her mention her father before. The asshole didn't claim her until she was 12 years old. TWELVE!!!!! That's a loooooong time to deny your fucking kid. It's unbelievable that she wants anything to do with him. And even though she grew up poor and on food stamps, she had an extremely normal upbringing as opposed to all her siblings who are now "professional Jaggers". You never hear about her in the news, but can you blame her? After the way the media treated her mother back in the day, I wouldn't care either. She's very strait-laced and a real class act.
Brian Jones was probably the worst of them. By the time that fool was 19, he already had 3 children by 3 different baby mamas and didn't take care of any of them. Not one! That was his M.O.: he would date some teenaged girl (And I mean young, like 16/17 years old), knock her up, then abandon her and the baby, at times leaving them to starve. His third baby mama, Pat Andrews, even outed him about his behavior in 1965:
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A few of his other baby mamas actually gave the children up for adoption because they couldn't raise them on their own. But that had to be painful for all his children. They all lost a father they never knew, they didn't even know they had siblings growing up until they met each other in their late 20s and 30s. Another one of Brian's sons actually spoke about him and this pattern of treating the mothers of his children with such disregard:
Also, Nicholas Dunbar is not Mick Jagger's son, even tho the skinny mf spent more time with him when he was a baby than his own damn child Karis. Ain't that a bitch?!
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fictionadventurer · 3 months
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Fortnight of Books 2023: Day 12
Book you still aren’t sure of your feelings on
I'm not sure how I feel about the ending of Miss Pym Disposes. Does the ending (and the heroine's and author's obsession with face-reading) wreck the story for me?
For all that my love of the characters made The Heir of Redclyffe a highlight of the year, I'm not sure how I feel about some of the more melodramatic and preachy elements of it.
Requiem by Amity Thompson. The beginning was lovely with its meditations on life and death and an intriguing world/magic system, but the turn toward a story about creating a zombie army (and the heroine's odd reactions to it) didn't quite gel, and I'm not sure how I feel about the whole.
Series you gave up on in 2023
As hilarious as some of the stories in The Voluble Topsy were, Topsy's dippy-socialite speech patterns became grating in large doses, and the intricate 1920s British politics became a bit too dull, so I stopped reading partway through the second volume, and doubt I'll pick it up again.
I think I've officially given up trying out the books in Jenni Sauer's Evraft series of science-fantasy fairy tale retellings. I'm annoyed that this series will call itself science fiction while having stories that could be contemporary stories or fantasy save for one mention of a spaceship, and the stories and characters all seem so bland and "therapy talk"-ish.
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manhattansitgirl · 2 days
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Serena Celia van der Woodsen is the daughter of William and Lily van der Woodsen. She is the older sister of Erik and she is best friends with Blair Waldorf and shares close friendships with Nate Archibald and Chuck Bass. Serena is considered the "It Girl" of the Upper East Side and is a socialite. She is not particularly academically skilled, but she is often told that she is not meeting her full potential. This continually causes problems with her best friend, Blair Waldorf, as Serena is able to waltz her way easily through life while Blair has to work for things Serena attains via her charm. Serena is famous for her notable natural beauty. She is often admired for looking gorgeous effortlessly; including her voluminous blonde hair, flawless skin, and a tall, striking figure. She often wears tight clothes that flatter her body, sequins, and attention-grabbing accessories. Serena is considered, along with her on-again, off-again best friend Blair, one of the most beautiful girls on the Upper East Side. Her style is based off real life model Kate Moss and is meant to be more boho and casual as opposed to Blair's. Unlike Blair, who is considered to be the show's antiheroine, Serena is considered more to be a traditional heroine. Her motives are rarely selfish and her negative actions are oftentimes generally motivated by a lack of foresight rather than real malice. She's often seen to be friendly and will befriend anyone, such as when she talked to an out of place Dan at the party where they first met. Unlike Blair, Serena is also trusting, which sometimes doesn't work in her favor. Due to watching her mother's many failed marriages, Serena has issues with truly committing to a man and understanding what real love is. Serena is often noted to be irresponsible, especially when it comes to being places on time or completing tasks as told. As opposed to Blair, who tends to date men with status, Serena doesn't seem to have a type.
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chouxtranslations · 10 months
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Shizun 009 - Thrill of the heart, shake of the soul
Among the socialites of Haiping City, Long Jingtian counted as a somewhat well known figure. He spends money easily and is popular with social media models. Even if he said durians grow in water or that Tang Yin was a debut actor, beautiful women would clap their hands and agree.
All this filled him with confidence.
The first time he went for the unspoken rules, a man did him?
His face was turning crimson from anger. He can’t even go to the police. From sending invitations, to getting a room at a hotel, to intimately going into the room, it was all his own actions! There’s no sign of a struggle on his body, and he was even cleaned up afterwards. He couldn’t find a single piece of evidence on his side. 
He couldn’t make a big fuss either. If his friends found how how can he still show his face? Everyone will laugh at him...
With this kind of injustice, you have to go with it whether you like it or not.
“Long gongzi, you’re awake?” That shameless beauty in women’s clothes opened his eyes. He stroked his long hair, sat up oozing sex appeal, and said with flirting eyes, “shall this one rub gongzi’s shoulders?”
Long Jingtian stared in anger!
He had met this beauty named Jin Yunu at a bar. He was filled with a classic air but an easy going personality. He said that he wanted to debut as an actor, threw himself in Long Jingtian’s arms, and drank with him. He even had a great tolerance for drink.
“Zombie Princess” was still in pre-production. Some third rate actress was going to be the heroine, the script was still being worked over, no one else had been cast and nothing had been leaked.
God only knows where Jin Yunu had gotten the rumor from, but he had wanted to use the unspoken rules to secure a role. The role he had his eyes on was the second supporting actress - a seductive skin painting demon.
The demon was just a pretty part to cater to a male audience and didn’t require a lot of acting prowess. Even someone with zero experience could do it, as long as they were beautiful.
Long Jingtian had actually thought that even without any of the unspoken rules stuff he would have recommended Jin Yunu to his father. He had a certain quality to him and had the potential to be massively popular.
Who knew that this person wasn’t a beautiful woman! Not to mention not even a woman! And someone who would do such a shameless thing to a benefactor!
Damn it! Damn it!
He’s mad, he wants to hit someone, but he couldn’t move, when he tries to move his behind hurts...
Jin Yunu seems to not have noticed his anger and leaner over attentively. He asked with anticipation while kneading his shoulders, “this one has already did the unspoken with gongzi, well then, the role of the skin painting demon...”
“Dream on!” Long Jingtian pushed him away and said mockingly, “what kind of man could be a skin painting demon? Why don’t you take a look at yourself!”
Jin Yunu asked, confused, “Why can’t a man do it? Why does the demon have to be a woman?”
Long Jingtian said angrily, “what kind of story has a male skin painting demon? How can a man be beautifully seductive? You don’t fit that role at all!”
Jin Yunu started panicking, “Gongzi has already accepted the unspoken, and now you want to backpedal on your side of the deal?”
“Go back a fucking grandma’s bear!” He could still be ok if the matter wasn’t brought up, but the moment he heard the words Long Jingtian wanted to hit someone again. “Get out! You not a man not a woman bastard!”
Jin Yunu’s gaze slowly got cooler. He slowly got off the bed and stood naked on the carpet. The moon had set, and the slight lights of the city soaked through the windows and gently cast shadows upon him, shining on his skin like jade.
He delicately caressed his skin with his fingertips. Gently, as if it was the greatest treasure in the world. He then smiled and said again,
“Beautiful?”
“Seductive?”
“Man? Woman? All can be painted skin.”
“Does gongzi not like this skin?”
“This one can switch for another...”
His voice was beautiful, with a gentle rhythm and drawn out sounds. It felt theatrical, but in the night it was filled with strands of terror, making Long Jingtian’s heart feel like it was being frozen.
He shuddered with a sense of foreboding.
He saw Jin Yunu reach behind him, peel off his skin bit by bit, revealing the stark white skeleton inside, the veins and the viscera. The two bloodshot eyeballs twirled around in the eyesockets and the smile grew more and more bizarre.
The skeleton stretched out a finger, made a charming pose, and asked sweetly.
“What kind of beauty does gongzi like?”
“Does Gongzi still want to do the unspoken rules?”
“Gongzi...”
Long Jingtian was so scared his mind was blank and his heart was nearly stopped. After a while, he finally gathered his wits. Ignoring his pain in his behind and his lack of clothing, he scrambled to run out the door. But the door simply won’t open.
The skeleton walked towards him, step by step.
Long Jingtian slammed at the door with all his strength while screaming bloody murder, “SAVE ME! SOMEONE COME! THERE’S A SKIN PAINTING DEMON!”
Jin Yunu gently dragged a white fingertip across his cheek and mocked, “Didn’t gongzi say... a man can’t be a skin painting demon?”
Long Jintian was about to cry. He’s a normal person, how was he supposed to know these supernatural rules? He felt the ice cold touch of the demon and the scent blood, and could feel the despair take over his heart. His last thought was, mother is only fourty five, they can probably still have another kid...
I’m an unfilial son, I’ll be going now...
...
A gentle breeze blew at the thick curtains. Far off clouds had started to turn white like fish bellies, and the sun was about to rise....
“Seems like there’s no more time today,” Jin Yunu looked at the time regretfully and took two steps back. He said softly, “Worry not, gongzi. This one will paint a new beautiful skin, and come find you in a couple of days to play...”
The voice faded, then disappeared.
Long Jintian pressed against the door and shivered with his eyes closed for a long time until the coldness left him. He then carefully looked back, confirmed the demon was back, then finally released a breath and slid to the floor.
This night had thrilled his heart and shaken his soul.
He couldn’t tell if being done by a man or meeting a demon was worse. Perhaps the two had added together. Worse added to worse to be the worst...
And that demon said... he’ll come find him again?
Long Jintian set aside his fear, put on this clothes, then dashed out of the hotel. He has to go home and ask dad for help!
The service workers saw him and started gossiping amongst themselves. Wasn’t that the incorrigible young master Long? Why was he in rumpled clothes and crying like a young bride?
...
Long Jingtian’s father was named Long Xingbang. He had started from the bottom and work hard to build his business. After getting some capital from real estate, a little bit of luck, and a good eye, he fought and built the Tenglong Group together with his wife.
The couple had flown all the world trying to build their business and in turn ignored their son’s education. By the time they noticed the issue it was too late. Long Jingtian was long spoilt by his grandparents, with bad grades and even worse habits.
Lying, fighting, drinking, causing hassles. There was no end to his problems and he was nothing but shameful...
Long Xingbang was so mad that he was getting a heart condition from it. Hitting or yelling at the kid seem to do nothing. And as he was so close with his wife, and Long Jingtian was their only child, there was nothing to do about it, they couldn’t just cut the kid off.
Luckily, Longtian made a long string of small mistakes but never did anything major. He never broke and laws nor played around with girl’s feelings. He surrounded himself with beautiful women who only wanted him for his money. Everyone was on the same page and took what they needed. The guy would get someone new every few days and never even had a proper girlfriend.
Just thinking about the matter makes Long Xingbang want to reach for his heart medication...
What kind of good girl from a decent family would ever settle for a scumbag like him?!
And now, Long Jingtian had wandered outside for three whole days, spent over a hundred grand on his credit cards, ran home in the morning, and then started babbling nonsense.
Long Xingbang held his forehead and tried to grasp the main points. “So you’re saying... You had met some master in a panda costume, the panda master said you would meed a demon, then you tried to do the unspeakable with a new girl you had recently met... In the end the girl was a man, who’s actually an amazing skin painting demon, who bullied you, and then is coming back to find you?”
Long Jingtian nodded, “YES!”
Father was a ceo after all, he was good at grasping the main points. Though, he was too embarrassed to talk about the sex and hand waved that part, only leaving the rest mostly untouched.
Long Xingbang then asked again, patiently, “And you want me to find your panda master to save your life?”
Long Jingtian nodded like mad, “YES!”
Long Xingbang looked at his stupid son and gave a long sigh. He first grabbed two heart pills from his medicine cabinet, took it with some water, then grabbed his rattan and started hitting his son, all the while yelling “The hell do you mean yes! You bastard, how much do you think you drank last night? Your drinking is breaking your head! Panda master? Why don’t you say turtle master? And you’re doing unspoken rules now? You really think you’ve got something going for you don’t you?!”
Long Jingtian was stunned by the hits. His behind was even more pained now from being hit. But his grandparents were travelling and his mother was on a business trip. There was no one to save him.
His father may be old but he was still strong, wielding the rattan like a tiger on the attack.
He howled all over the house, running while trying to explain the situation. But he had lied too much before and there was no credibility at all. There was nothing he could do to explain properly.
In the end the rattan broke.
Long Xingbang became even more disappointed seeing that his son refused to admit to making a mistake, and yelled, “Get out!”
“Fine! I’ll go!” Long Jintian slammed the door on his way out. “Even if I die out there I don’t want you to collect the body!’
He ran out and ran for a long time. Finally he sat down on some steps by the road, only to immediately hiss from the pain and stand up again. As he leaned against the light pole, he was at a loss....
The wolf is here and the kid who let the lambs out is going to be eaten.
He felt indignant and afraid.
He didn’t want to die, so he had to prove that he wasn’t lying.
Long Jingtian ran to Yinmao mall, found the supervisor office, and asked after the pandas who was passing out flyers the previous day. But the event was over, there were dozens of pandas, and it was all done through a third party agency anyway... If he didn’t know who was inside the costume it was impossible to find...
To doxx someone through a workplace was illegal, and it was simply too stupid to call everyone asking if they were some kind of xuanxue master.
The supervisor turned down his request.
Long Jingtian wanted to bribe the guy, but found that his father had frozen his card.
He left the the office in despair and finally thought of an idea at the end of his rope...
Long Jingtian messaged his friends and asked him if they had a clear photo of the panda.
His buddies sent him a flurry of photos of the same event from different angles: he was drunk out of his mind and confessing to the panda.
It was high definition and highly embarrassing.
Long Jingtian watched for a long time, then gritted his teeth. He sold his diamond studs, went to a print shop, made a big poster board of the photo, put on sunglasses and a mask, then held up the board at a crosswalk. On the board, he had written”
LOOKING FOR THIS PANDA!
IF ANYONE KNOWS ANYTHING PLEASE CONTACT 138XXXXXXXX, LARGE REWARD!
All the social media sites exploded with laughter.
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neveralarch · 1 year
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A Practical Arrangement Fandom: Transformers IDW Rating: teen (suggestive language, kissing) Characters: Minimus Ambus | Ultra Magnus/Starscream, Prowl, Chromedome, Dominus Ambus, Rewind Wordcount: 15500ish Summary: Minimus Ambus just wants to be left alone. He has his obligations to the Ambus house, a busy schedule as a socialite and dilettante… and a secret nine-to-five moonlighting as Ultra Magnus, bureaucrat extraordinaire and the conscience of Iacon. Really, he has enough to do without bringing in romance.
That all changes when his brother Dominus informs him that a match has been made between the Ambus house and the exiled Winglord of Vos. Minimus’ new conjunx, Starscream, seems to be hiding something. Minimus can’t quite put his finger on what… but maybe Ultra Magnus can.
AKA Dominus sells his brother to One Direction some guy he met at a party, Minimus is a romantic heroine who just wants to BE BIG and FILL OUT FORMS, and Starscream is doing Anastasia only he's the exiled nobility AND the conman AND the murderous revolutionaries. Illustrations by @whirl00 . Written for the TF Big Bang 2022!
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fruityyamenrunner · 4 months
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idk why the various London and New York "ooo remembehs rhodesia" socialites and BAPoids haven't made a thing out of these degenerates. they seem like more realistic role models
Born Alice Gwynne (1898–1946), she was an American socialite, relative of the powerful Whitney and Vanderbilt families. Kiki and her second husband, Jeromy "Gerry" Preston (1897–1934) first moved to Kenya in 1926, after being offered land on the shores of Lake Naivasha by a friend. Kiki and her husband excelled as big game hunters. Kiki was also notorious for her drug use, especially her addiction to cocaine and heroin, and was one of the best clients of Frank Greswolde Williams, the chief drug dealer of the colony. She was nicknamed "the girl with the silver syringe", due to her habit of always carrying her syringe in her bag and publicly shooting drugs without regard for onlookers. Whenever she was out of supplies, she would send an aeroplane to get new ones. Kiki also had numerous affairs with men, including Prince George, Duke of Kent, whom she introduced to drugs, much to the dismay of the British royal family, which forbade them from meeting with each other. Kiki is often alleged to have borne a child out of wedlock from her affair with Prince George, who later became publishing executive Michael Temple Canfield, adopted son of Cass Canfield
and so on. maybe they are too realistic
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zmwrites · 2 years
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Open Seas: A Powerpoint WIP Intro
As promised, a revamped intro for this project!!
Transcript & taglist under the cut:
Start transcription:
SLIDE 1:
Open Seas, aka Pirates and Propriety, a WIP intro by zmwrites
SLIDE 2:
sure i have a plot
Tess is 24, which means (in this society) it's time to get married
she arrives in Ayrith for the social season and encounters several suitors
one of them proposes to her at her FIRST event of the season, she panics, takes a walk along the boardwalk to clear her head..... and is promptly kidnapped
(oops)
while kidnapped, she befriends Petra and Dorian, and the three of them lead an escape (kidnappers are actually slavers which is just not cool)
she soon learns that Petra and Dorian are pirates
she's a shipping heiress so there's some conflict of interest
they try to part ways but things go terribly wrong and Tess ends up a guest on their ship, The Allegiant
the crew decides to help her get home
it does not go well
also she still has to decide who she's going to marry when she gets back?? wtf
SLIDE 3:
our perfect regency heroine, Tess
Theresia "Tess" Bowen, 24, heiress & socialite
only child of a very well-off businessman
her father finds her too kind and deferent, has declared that her future husband will lead the family company instead of her
modest in every way (perhaps too modest), plays the piano, enjoys embroidery, knows how to dance, has literally never worn pants
never strays from the rules of propriety
has accepted her role is to marry and bear future heirs for the family business, is picking suitors based on their business acumen (her inheritance brings all the boys to the yard)
suuuuuper not a pirate. like at all. this woman has never been without a maid to do her hair.
how will she survive on a pirate ship? stay tuned to find out!
SLIDE 4:
the suitors
Caspian Saville, 30
#1 eligible bachelor around town
rich in his own right, but a second son
was close with Tess last social season
Tess' parents #1 pick
stupidly attractive
Nicolau Carvalho, 24
also freshly on the marriage market
heir to a rival shipping company (uh oh)
understands her situation like no one else can
Edward Bilton, 25
son of a bricklayer turned second officer for luxury cruiseliner
Tess' childhood love who left to find his fortune and never wrote
seen as an unsuitable marriage prospect due to his parentage
determined to be viewed as a serious suitor despite this
SLIDE 5:
the pirates
Dorian Hale, 29
captain of The Allegiant
voted into the captaincy, shares power w Idalah
considerate of Tess' sensibilities
smiles a lot, quick to joke
brilliant swordsman
Petra Spice, 27
third-mate of The Allegiant
also first rigging mate
wants Tess to join the crew bc fancy society is ridiculous
rarely has her feet on the deck, up in the rigging
friendly, agile, sneaky (b+ pickpocket)
other notable crew members
Idalah Cabral - 36, quartermaster
Lionel Simmons - 32, boatswain
Thana Cabral - 34, surgeon
Lucia Valente - 25, navigator
Raleigh Page - 26, pilot
There is an arrow pointing from Idalah Cabrall and Thana Cabral to the words “they’re wives.”
Slide 6:
fun facts!!
The Allegiant is (as of now) a four-masted galleon, is known for being one of the fastest ships on the water
there are mermaids with three rows of incredibly sharp teeth
Tess knows a lot about them and has a habit of singing to them
Tess still sometimes dreams of experiencing the true love shown in stories, despite being set on marrying for the good of her family's business
she has two cousins, Lina (20) and Flora (23), who live with her family during the social season
Lina is flighty, Flora is shy, they're both meant to benefit from Tess' example
Dorian has a bad habit of putting plans into motion when he's only come up with the first half of it
the previous captain of The Allegiant retired to run a bar in a pirate haven
thank you & the end
End transcription.
Taglists (as always, just ask to be added or removed)
Open Seas: @theouterdark, @perditism, @klywrites, @etjwrites, @akindofmagictoo, @were-writes, @cirianne, @vellichor-virgo, @revrevrew-personal, @josephinegerardywriter, @ashen-crest
General: @the-ichor-of-ruination, @professionalasshat, @writingbyjillian, @sageblogsthings 
cheers!
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@slightlyunderokayartist i made another post so I didn't hijack the other one. Because I basically paraphrased an entire novel.
I am going to make you appreciate Pride and Prejudice. It may at some point involve a PowerPoint full of comic sans and memes but I'm on my phone right now, so bear with me. Don't worry, I will remain nice about it.
The thing about Austen, is that she was one of the earliest means based feminists. (Yes, shes writing about landed gentry, but this is 180fuck and feminism is baby steps) Basically the thrust of alot of her work is that violence against women isn't always physical or even particularly violent. A lot of her contemporaries had stories about kidnapping and coercion and perfect pure heroines. In contrast Austen writes a character who is kinda a bitch and the primary antagonist is the fact that her life is entirely beholden to the decisions of the men around her.
So the book opens and you have lizzy. A bitch(affectionate). Shes got four sisters, no brothers and parents wealthy enough to own a country estate but not a London town house. So they're well-off but not fancy.
Lizzy is the second daughter and her dads favorite, because she's clever and cynical like he is. Her older sister is beautiful and sweet and shy and if Austen were anyone else she would be the main character. But Austen said 'nah, I wanna write about the messy one'. There are also 3 younger sisters who are various mixtures of spoiled bratty immature wild child girls.
If you can't tell, Mom and Dad have not been doing a ton of parenting. Specifically Dad, has not bothered to hire a tutor or send them to school so none of them has any marketable skills beyond being a socialite. And they're not even particularly good at it. Dad is less than motivated to take them anywhere they make connections and the entire family is pretty yikes as a result of his decisions. People see Jane (older sister) and go 'oh shes pretty and pleasant and her sister (lizzy) is fun to chat with, but yikes'
The issue is, there's no dowery for any of these girls. A dowery, if you don't already know is money set aside for a woman's married life that transfers to control of her husband when she leaves her family or if she doesn't marry, goes in a trust so she'll be supported when she doesn't have family to take her in. Its basically an insurance policy so she won't starve to death on the street because women can't legally own anything. Also it's a lot of money, that then goes to the new husband, so it makes woman in question more desirable. These girls don't have that, because dad never got around to it. Other issue, when dad dies all his stuff, including the house, goes to some cousin because women can't hold property. Cousin has never met this family and could decide to kick them all out when he owns the house.
Mom, looks at her daughters and goes, 'holy tits, you have got to get married. Preferably to someone rich enough to take care of his in-laws, but married, now.' So she's trying to marry her daughters off for money and different adaptions handle this differently but the original work is pretty forgiving because the other option is pretty grim.
In comes Mr Darcy and his buddy Mr Bingley. Bingley is very wealthy and has the personality of a golden retriever. Darcy is extremely wealthy and doesn't want to be there but his extrovert bestie is dragging him to parties because its good for him.
Mom goes 🤑🤑🤑 and shoves her daughters over there. Bingley and Jane are getting along immediately and Darcy is looking at Mom and going "uh dude..."
There is an overheard conversation that consists mostly of "eh, Jane seems nice but uh everything else? Yikes.😬 " to which Lizzy has the opinion of "what a dick, whatever, not like i ever have to see him again"
Except Mom sees JanexBingley happening and she's gotta lock that shit down. So she insists jane ride on over to his place for a visit tomorrow. In the rain.
"But momma we are fragile English gentry we can't get rained on, I will surely fall ill and die" says jane.
"Yeah, no shit, that's the point. Now go live your favorite hurt/comfort sick!fic and snag a husband"
Jane gets rained on, Jane gets sick. Lizzy says absolutely not and walks over to Bingley's house in the mud and busts down the door to get to Jane. (Lizzy has Plot Armour and/or a functional circulatory system)
Darcy, who's chilling at his bros house, looks at Lizzy and goes "oh, wow" Lizzy goes "you're a dick i don't care about your opinions"
Inside of Darcy head: ooooooh😳😳😳 pretty lady being mean to me? Flirting? 💘Maybe?🥰 oh no shes meeting all my standards
What actually comes out of his mouth: I'm not impressed
Lizzy: I don't feel bad about hating you, because as usual, I'm right
Then Mom shows up, because it can always be worse. Jane is in fact living and enjoying her hurt/comfort sick!fic and Lizzy is about to invent noise canceling headphones a couple centuries early so she doesn't have to make any more small talk. Mom wants to make sure that Jane is being slutty enough. The bratty little sisters are there. Bingley is shopping for rings. Darcy the hypocrite thinks maybe he should chill a little because the prospective inlaws are yikes.
A note: having unhinged in-laws was a big no-no that reflected badly on you as a person, un like today when its just assumed that everyone has a nightmare somewhere on the other side of the family. Like the toilet shotgun. We don't talk about the toilet shotgun.
Carrying on
We meet a dude. His name is Wickham. Hes a bad dude but we don't know that yet. He is of the opinion that Darcy is a huge cunt and Lizzy decides this man has good opinions. There's drama, Darcy screwed me over, blah blah, he sucks and I'm broke but handsome and charming.
We also meet the cousin. Imagine the most obnoxious person you know with a connection to some random famous wealthy person and make sure they bring it up every chance they get. He's also aware he inherits the house.
Marrying your cousin was a thing back then, so he looks at the available choices and picks the pretty one. Jane is spoken for, says Mom but Lizzy is very lovely, I'm sure she would love to be not homeless. Cousin goes yea sure, acceptable. Hey Liza, sorry, Lizzy, I love you v. much, plz marry.
Lizzy, understandably, does not want. Says no. Will not marry into a miserable loveless marriage for comfort. Dad gets the final say, says yeah thats reasonable, favorite daughter gets what she wants. Mom goes "hey your options are miserable and married or miserable and homeless. And your entire family comes with you on the second one. Are you sure thats your final answer?"
Theres some plot, there's a party. Bingley cuts it off with Jane and she sad. Lizzy is pretty sure it's Darcy's fault.
The man himself shows up and asks her to marry him. It goes... poorly.
There is an adaption where she starts swinging a fire poker at him while spouting lines of dialog lifted straight from the book and its not out of place. She reads this man for filth, bringing up Wickham and how he's responsible for breaking her sisters heart and also in general a huge dick that she would not marry if he was the last man on earth. It does not help that he's not only admitting to the things she's accusing him of but defending it with stuff like "i didnt want my buddy marrying into your nightmare family" and "Wickham is an asshole who deserved it"
She knows shes fucked if she doesn't mary rich but she bitches this man out so hard he leaves town and goes back home to learn to be nicer.
A bit later she gets a long ass letter explaining how Darcy thought that Jane was getting shoved into marriage by their mother and didn't want her and Bingley to end up unhappy. And also how Wickham got a fuckload of money from Darcy's dead father and squandered it all because he's an asshole. The asshole also tried to marry his baby sister to weasel into the family fortune so they're not talking and there's the 1800s version of a restraining order out there. Ends with something like "I respect you and am a little scared of you which is why I wanted to marry you and if you never want to speak to me again thats fine"
Lizzy should really be allowed to say fuck here but she doesn't. She decides to get out of town herself and goes to chill with her aunt and uncle. They're touring the countryside and Darcy has a house big enough for tours so they end up touring the house. (Ugh, rich people)
The household staff who work for this guy are all of high opinions. The cleaning lady knows your shit. She knows. And they all like the guy.
Lizzy does not say fuck.
Darcy is not supposed to be there in his own house but he shows up in his own house and sees the love of his life with whom he monumentally blew it. In his own house.
Darcy doesn't get to say fuck either.
Lizzy gets a letter and she really really should be allowed to say fuck because Wickham has run off with her baby sister.
Not married. Run off. Sister has had no supervision or parenting and just knows she needs to get a man so she did. Kinda. And tanked her whole family's reputation in doing so. No no one will marry any of the sisters and they're all fucked.
Darcy realizes this is partly his fault and hes also the only one who can really fix it. So he, without telling anyone, runs down Wickham and threatens/blackmails/bribes him into marrying baby sister and saving everyone's reputation. He makes sure little sister and Wickham have enough money to live comfortably regardless of how shit that relationship turns out to be.
Then he goes over to his sad golden retriever friend who has been moping about the pretty lady who didn't love him and point out that now he has spent all that money and effort rehabilitating the Bennet reputation Bingley might as well marry Jane. So Bingley prances off to go propose to Jane and Mom realizes her family is secure and quits double fisting ye old anxiety meds.
He doesn't tell anyone this. Lizzys family still thinks she hates him. He shows up and goes "hey hope you're happy and okay with this, my feelings haven't changed since last time I asked, I'm hoping yours have."
Lizzy would love to marry this guy because he was never really an asshole from the start and her family is indeed kinda a mess.
Her dad reassures her she doesn't have to marry the rich dude she hates for his money, Jane already did that. Lizzy explains that no actually she loves him and also he saved their ass with respect to the Wickham debacle. Dad decides that Darcy must be a good dude if thats the case and says yep go get married.
Blah blah blah happily ever after.
Lizzy overcomes her prejudices against Darcy and unbends her pride enough to admit she was wrong.
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insomniac-jay · 9 months
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Giftedverse | Splendor [Redux]
Joou Hitsugaya (nee Takarano), alias Luxurious Heroine: Splendor, is a member of the Heroes Association. By day, she's the owner of Takarano Incorporated, a company specializing in support items for Heroes, as well as a fashion designer and socialite.
Appearance
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Personality
On the surface, Joou is the perfect businesswoman. Ambitious, straightforward, and strategic with boundless intelligence. She's what the definition of "girlboss" should be. Many in her field look up to her as what they should be like and aspire to reach her level of success. While she is really like that in reality, it's also a mask to hide who she really is.
Joou is extremely hardcore when it comes to keeping people (outside of family) at an emotional distance. Not because she hates people or is emotionally stunted, in fact quite the opposite-- it's her defense mechanism. She has trust issues that run so deep that not even Joou knows if she'll ever be able to recover from them. It has earned her a reputation as a recluse.
Joou carries herself as mature and reasonable while on duty as a hero. She deals with criminals as accordingly and humanely as possible. She stays focused on her mission and doesn't let many things distract her.
When around her family, Joou shows a much different side of herself. A warmer, more open side of herself that many don't see. Joou is a loving and caring mother to her children, and a good wife to her husband Irefumi.
She is especially close to her younger sister Hime. She does her best to be someone that Hime can look up to and aspire to be.
History
Joou was born in Japan to Fan Zhìháo, a Taiwanese born businessman, and the heroine Glitz (Kimi Takarano). The eldest of two children, Joou lived a life that many dreamed of. However it was no dream for her not only because of her mixed race heritage subjected her to bullying and ostracism by her peers, but also she was born with albinism. To make matters worse, her body made her even more of a target after she hit puberty.
Wanting their daughter to have some semblance of a normal childhood free of bullying, Zhìháo and Kimi sent her to live with her aunt Shiho and uncle Keizo who were residing in America at the time. While there, she was homeschooled and returned back to Japan shortly before middle school started.
Upon returning to Japan, Joou went on the defensive and began keeping people at an arms length by isolating herself. She knew people didn't like or respect her but kept her head high and carried on.
Eventually she enrolled at the same elite hero college her mom went to and graduated with full honors. During her freshman and sophomore years, she was briefly engaged to another student there but broke up with him as she wasn't attracted to him romantically.
Gifts
Midas Touch: Joou has the power to telepathically manipulate the properties of jewelry (i.e. hardness, luster, etc) and turn them into weapons. This includes being able to turn a pair of diamond earrings into mini lasers or turning a necklace into a sword. She later awakens the ability to transfer their properties onto herself whenever she is in gem or metal form.
Ferrokinesis: Another one of Joou's major powers is her ferrokinesis. She can telepathically manipulate all metals as she pleases; though the sources must be external. While this ability is useful, it's also very mentally taxing on her so she rarely uses it.
Technopathy: Splendor can physically "link" herself to any form of technology and control it as she wishes-- all with a simple touch. She can even override systems and inhibitors. When this happens, gold colored circuit lines appear on her body.
Gemstone Mimicry: Splendor has the power to cover her body in a durable gemstone skin that she can breathe, eat, and even move in. This ability was awakened as a response to trauma. She can also adapt a certain gemstone's properties onto herself in this form.
Metal Mimicry: One of Joou's lesser used forms; she can cover herself in a metal skin that allows her to still function properly. The only reason that it's less used is because of how painful and draining the process of transforming into it is.
Relationships
Fan Zhìháo - Father
Kimi Takarano | Glitz - Mother
Hime Takarano - Younger sister
Nicolau Irefumi Hitsugaya | Inkstain - Husband
Hiko Hitsugaya - Son
Fuyuhito Hitsugaya - Son
Hiroko Hitsugaya - Daughter
Mikako Aimoto | Vixen - Godsister, former mentor
@floof-ghostie @calciumcryptid @s0ursop @opalofoctober @elflynns-horde-of-stuff @pizzolisnacks @peachyblkdemonslayer @supermansbisexualson
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docgold13 · 2 years
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365 Marvel Comics Paper Cut-Out SuperHeroes - One Hero, Every Day, All Year…
August 31st - The Wasp / Janet Van Dyne
Janet Van Dyne is an acclaimed fashion designer, noted socialite and the renown super hero known as the winsome Wasp.  
As part of an effort to avenge the death of her father at the hands of an extra-dimensional villain, Van Dyne was exposed to the size-altering ‘Pym Particles’ and biologically altered by Dr. Hank Pym (the adventurer known as Ant-Man).  Now calling herself ‘The Wasp,’ Van Dyne became Ant-Man’s crime-fighting partner, having the ability to shrink in size, fly with synthetic wings and fire energy stings. The pair would have many adventures together and went on to become founding members of The Mighty Avengers.
Van Dyne eventually married Pym, yet his ongoing difficulties with mental illness led to their separation and ultimate divorce.  Janet flourished unburdened from her ex-husband’s struggles and she would go on to become chairperson and leader of The Avengers.  
The Wasp appeared to have perished in the final battle of the Secret Invasion event, yet she was actually stranded in the micro verse.  She was later rescued by her Avenger colleagues.  She would go on to act as a member of the Uncanny Avengers Unity Squad and, more recently, has accepted a role as an Agent of Wakanda alongside her duties as an Avenger.  
Following Hank Pym’s death, Janet has stepped in to act as a mentor and parental figure to Pym’s daughter from a previous relationship, Nadia.  
A version of Janet Van Dyme features in the the Marvel Cinematic Universe, portrayed by actress Michelle Pfeiffer.  The heroine first appeared in the pages of Tales to Astonish #44 (1963).
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