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mimisempai · 11 months
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Persuasion
Summary
Sometimes all it takes is a few crisps to change the atmosphere of an otherwise quiet evening.
Or how Mycroft never finished Jane Auster's Persuasion that night...
Notes
Mystrade Monday  1.0  #29 - "Come over here and make me."
Quotes : Persuasion by Jane Austen
@mystradepromptsandscenarios
On AO3
Rating G - 444 words
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“I can listen no longer in silence. I must speak to you by such means as are within my reach. You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half-”
Mycroft paused in his reading, disturbed by the sound of Greg shoving a handful of crisps into his mouth and chewing them shamelessly as he watched the television at the other end of the sofa.
He glanced at him, then resumed his reading.
“You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings are gone for ever. I offer myself to you again with a heart even m-”
Mycroft had to interrupt his reading again because Greg had just noisily bitten into another crisp.
Mycroft sighed, "Greg..."
"What?" the detective asked, turning his head towards him.
Mycroft replied, doing his best not to show his irritation, "Can you make a little less noise when you eat?"
Greg shook his head and countered, "No, that's impossible, they're crisps, as the name suggests they're crispy, they crunch under your teeth."
Mycroft rolled his eyes and, seeing Greg's stubborn face, didn't insist and went back to reading.
“I offer myself to you again with a heart even more your own than when you-”
The noise, much louder than the previous ones, almost startled him, so Mycroft exclaimed, "Greg, you will stop this at once!"
Gre, looking Mycroft straight in the eye, thrust his hand into the bag of crisps and pulled out a crisp which he raised to his mouth before saying cheekily, "Come over here and make me."
Mycroft made no further resistance, dropping his book as he slid to the other end of the sofa. All the way to Greg, from whose hands he snatched the packet of crisps. Fully aware that this had been Greg's goal all along, he closed the distance between them and crushed his lips to the cheeky detective's in a heated kiss.
When they pulled away from the kiss to catch their breath, Greg was the embodiment of cheek as he breathed, "You have to admit, these crisps are absolutely delicious."
Mycroft grunted and instead of answering, he captured Greg's lips again, using all his skill to wipe away his lover's victorious expression and prove to him that it wasn't just the crisps that were delicious.
Both caught up in the passion of the moment, they didn’t notice that Mycroft's fallen book had opened to a random page, the first paragraph of which began with these words, “ There could have been no two hearts so open, no tastes so similar, no feelings so in unison, no countenances so beloved.”
_________
Still not beta'd
Still not my native language
Still hoping you'll enjoy this story  🥰
Still thanking you for bearing with me 😝
Mystrade masterlist here
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randomfoggytiger · 1 year
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Use Your Words Tag
Thank you @catsandcoffeeandchemistry for tagging me! :DDD (Had so much fun learning about you, so thanks for extending the interest.)
A phrase /quote/ word you find funny: *looks at a random wanted poster of a dog* His name is... Bob BINGEE????"
Some of your favorite SFW words: Squonk.
Favorite cusses, NSFW or otherwise: Don't have. I do, however, like to share knowing side-glances w/ friends if something out of pocket happens.
What language do you speak? English. Studied (casually) Japanese and, to a lesser degree, Spanish. Didn't have any way to use them in my everyday life, so they eventually got weeded out. It taught me a lot about language structure, though.
Favorite word (s) in a language other than your first: Recently learned angst is a German word (I guess?), so I'll go with that one.
Movies with subtitles on or off: Off; though I'll always read them if they're on.
Book you’ve read/listened to the most times? I reread my book collection more than I read new books. I'll usually cycle between Pride and Prejudice/Northanger Abbey in my Jane Austen mood; Little Women/The Blue Castle in my romantic, spunky heroine mood; Laura Ingalls Wilder/Anne of the Prairie in my pioneer mood; Sherlock Holmes/Jane Eyre/Rebecca/The Lady in White in my mystery Victorian mood (might add Bleak House or any other Dickens book to that list soon); Speed Racer 2008 movie novelization when I'm in a simple adventure story (I'm dead serious, good book); Peter Pan when I'm in a bleakly whimsical "ponder human nature" mood (might add Philip Roth's American Pastoral to that list); Black Beauty/Trumpet of the Swan/Where the Red Fern Grows/Charlotte's Web/Ashleigh Thoroughbred book series when I'm in a children's animal series mood; Anne of Green Gables (her later books in the series) and Narnia book series when I'm in that fairy-fantasy-comedy prose mood; etc. I forget things that I rediscover something new every time.
Do you listen to songs in languages you don’t understand? Hypothetically, yes. In actuality-- I don't listen to music. It usually irritates more than anything.
Do you express yourself best with words, images or something else? Written word. Best kind of communication.
Do you talk more or less when you’re nervous? ...Nooooooo? I don't thiiiiink so, anyway. I try to get outta there asap.
How do you pronounce February? FEBuAIRee.
What kind of accent do you have? I have no idea. No dialect American would be my guess. I guess?
If you literally had to “eat your words,” how would they taste? Probably very cold soda, where it still has a bite to it in the best way possible. It's that unexpected "YES" feeling.
I'll tag @baronessblixen @suitablyaggrieved @my-spookybunnies @the-spooky-alien @thebeautifulfantastic @demon-fetal-harvest @medicaldoctordana @seek-its-opposite @scullyeffect @mondfuchs @thatfragilecapricorn30 @dreamingofscully @amplifyme and everyone else who wants to join (because I could be tagging all day.)
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laiqualaurelote · 6 months
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Hi! I just read "well-versed in etiquette, extraordinarily nice" on ao3. It is SO EXTREMELY GOOD, thank you so much for writing and sharing this kind of work. Your writing is great, it really feels like reading a novel from that period - lovely, and beautifully understated. Your use of quotes is extremely smart, I loved it. So thanks so much again.
I wanted to point out something about the use of French in that fic -- Crowley says "ça marche" at some point. I don't know for sure but I'm assuming you're not a native french speaker and thought you *might* be interested in a native speaker like me pointing out that while this is perfectly good and authentic french, it is actually quite a modern idiom! While I don't know when exactly it was used for the first time, it certainly feels out of place in a fic written in the style of a Jane Austen novel. A more historically (and literary) appropriate equivalent might be for example "C'est entendu".
(Possibly the line before should have a "ne" before "le", to be "je ne le parle pas trop mal", but that's more debatable, and depends on your interpretation of the syntax of that sentence, so it could very well stay like that.)
So I didn't want to write this as an AO3 comment because I wasn't sure you'd appreciate such feedback and may not want it on your fic? This message is absolutely not "constructive criticism" which I am quite aware is very rude to leave unprompted on fic; since as I said I found your writing absolutely excellent. I just feel like the intricacies of a foreign language are something different you *might* want some info on, as it may not be easy to access.
However if that's not the case feel free to never reply to me and just remember the first part of that ask, of which I mean every word!!! Thanks again for sharing your delightful work with fandom!!
Dear @xupz, thank you for your kind words and also for this ask; I appreciate both the information and the tact with which it was conveyed. While I speak French, I am not a native speaker, and I always find the input of native speakers helpful, especially with regards to nuance and colloquialism. I confess I did not look too closely at the colloquialisms of 18th-century French, and I really ought to have, only I quite rushed out this fic as I wanted it to be the first about the 1810 Clerkenwell Diamond Robbery (an honour, however dubious, I believe it did secure). I am putting this out here in case anyone else with a particular expertise in late 18th-century French would like to add to the discussion.
On the broader subject of accuracy, I would like it to be known that I am open to having inaccuracies in my writing pointed out. I know this is not the prevailing attitude for most fic writers, but pride in accuracy has been a cornerstone of both my former and present careers and I hope to extend that to my fic too. Of course I would appreciate my errors pointed out as tactfully as you have done here (as opposed, say, to the person who publicly mocked my anachronistic mention of rabies in turn-of-the-century Australia on their anonymous Twitter hate account) but on a whole I would rather know about the inaccuracy and be able to correct it for the record, or defend it as the case may be, than live in ignorance.
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greypetrel · 1 year
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Hi! What’s your favorite book??
Oh damn you uncovered Pandora's box, THANK YOU FOR DOING IT. :D
I can't choose only one to save my life, but a selection of my favourites, dividing between prose and poetry/theatre... Under the cut because IT LONG. And I'll jump at every chance to speak about my favourite books. (ask the Literature major about books and have them go on rambling for hours)
Prose:
- Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien . Getting into the saga has been one of those formative events for me, as for many other people around. It's an adventure, it's full of love and hope, it can be fun and light and go into deep themes as well. I'm in love with all of Tolkien's works (the fairy tales are so sweet and tender, you can see how much he loves his children reading Roverandom)(and Tree and Leaf has a special place in my heart). I majored in Germanic Philology because of him, and I can say I wouldn't be the same person if I haven't ever read LOTR.
- Master and Margarita, Mikhail Bulgakov. Another one of those books I can tell had a "before" and "after" in my life. I LOVE a good satyre, and Bulgakov is just *chef's kiss*. Wouldn't recommend it to anyone that knows little of Russian History or thinks erroneously (sorry not sorry get better informations) that Lenin was a good statesman and a good person. But... There's love, there's a sad woman being empowered by going outside the fence and expectations, good and bad are reversed, there's this very russian theme of strong women saving their male love interest (or trampling them. Seriously, female characters in Russian or Ukrainian as in this case classic authors are SOMETHING ELSE). Social and political criticism. And, a giant cat walking around Moscow and causing ruckus, and I don't know what you could possibly want more from a book.
- The Count of Montecristo, Alexandre Dumas. I distinctly remember barging into my therapist studio after I finished it and saying I was sad because yes I could read this book again, but it wouldn't ever be the first time again. What a glorious, epic book! Managing to mash epic themes with that underlying TRASH that it's typical of Dumas and he manages always to make work so well (the convenient cave full of treasures that NOBODY ever found but this one priest? Seriously Alexandre? XD ). Great, great, great book.
- A Room of One's Own, Virginia Woolf. It's one of those books, along Animal Farm and Se Questo è un Uomo, that I'd have EVERYONE read. It's technically non-fiction, but Mrs Woolf had her way to make it a great read. Go read it if you haven't.
- Two Years, Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nights, Salman Rushdie. Salman Rushdie could write a shopping list and make it the best thing ever. I love his style, I love magical realism, and I'm choosing this only because it was the first I read and I had a blast. It's glorious it's great, I love it, and I'm so sad Midnight's Children has such a lame adaptation (but it's not a book that's easily translatable if not in a series Game of Thrones long...).
- Everything is Illuminated, Jonathan Safran Foer. My goodness, the heartbreak of this book. It's one I have quotes saved around notebooks. It's heart-breaking in the most beautiful way, he's definitely one of those authors you either love or hate... I'm on the love end of the spectrum.
- Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen. It's basic bitch of me, I know. I don't care. As above, I'm all for social satyre and Miss Austen was just on another plane of existance on that. I'll fight people saying she wrote romances. She did not. Northanger Abbey holds a special place in my heart as well, but who doesn't have a crush on Mr Darcy, beside people who read this book thinking it was a romance? No no no read it again in the perspective that the author is mocking the heck out of every single character. Lizzie included. Austen is FIERCE. And Mr Darcy is such a beloved character because he learns from his mistakes and he's not afraid to admit it. Wow.
- Vita Scritta da Esso (Life written by himself), Vittorio Alfieri. I am not the biggest fan of italian literature, it's too much impronted on realism at all costs and MEH. Vittorio Alfieri was an anglophile and one that looked well beyond the Alps for his writings. His life was so entertaining and damn if he can make it entertaining and fun! That man travelled Europe, looke the fucking Kaiser in the eye (it was very offensive to do), had affairs with a Duchess, his long term partner was another English noblewoman... Who was married! And they were together since they met until he died! She was the one who published this Autobiography! Also personal preference: he wrote a whole satyre saying shit about the Accademia della Crusca and I love him madly for that. GO READ ABOUT VITTORIO ALFIERI.
Poetry/Theatre:
- Gitanjali, Rabindranath Tagore. Stop everything you're doing and read this. Now. You're welcome in advance.
- Poem Without a Hero, Anna Akhmatova. Anna Akhmatova would be very welcomed to step on me, I'm saying this shamelessly, it's just... URGH, it's melancholic, it's epic, it's heart-gutching.
- Anything by Christina Rossetti. Anything. Give me Christina Rossetti and some pre-raphaelites and I'd be happy.
- The Waste Land/The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, T.S. Eliot. That man loved his quotes. I loved that man because he loved his quotes and it's lyrical in a way that... Oh. How he depicts loneliness. "Coffee Spoons" is a quote from Prufrock ("I have measured out my life in coffee spoons". Is it pretentious? I don't care I have FEELZ for that poem)
- Cyrano de Bergerac, Edmond Rostand. The marvel of this comedy can't be fully expressed by words, I love it, I adore it, it made me feel better with myself as an owner of an important nose.
- Macbeth/Othello/Much Ado About Nothing, William Shakespeare. I majored in English Lit and I couldn't leave the Bard outside. I can't choose between these three, and choosing only three was difficult. I spent once 3/4 of an hour in an exam only speaking of the first three lines of Othello and I could do it again, ask me about it. :)))))
- Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. IT IS THE BEST THING EVER I love the Arthurian Cycle and this little thing is just... AAAAAAH. Gawain is a bisexual icon (it's not me headcanoning, he smooches both men and women, it's him. YOU GO GAWAIN). Yes I have deep feelings for the movie as well, Dev Patel we're not worthy of you.
I am leaving outside a lot of thing that I will remember in ten minutes and cry profusely about, yes. Also I am containing myself over fangirling about poetry too much because you won't hear the end of it otherwise, there are some things of Sylvia Plath and Auden and Yeats and Maya Angelou that just melt my little dark heart, but this is already far too long...
Also in this house we stan that Bob Dylan earned his Nobel Prize, fuck you Alessandro Baricco.
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livlaughlovee · 4 years
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if we talk about classic lit in depth for hours, we are getting married, i don't make the rules.
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iliveiloveiwrite · 3 years
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A Truth Universally Acknowledged // Anthony Bridgerton
Request: Hi angel! I love all of your stories, especially your Bridgerton and work! Is there any way you could write something soft and fluffy for Anthony and a female reader! PLEASE AND THANK YOU - Anon.
A/N: I haven’t written for Anthony in what seems like forever! As much as I love Benedict, I do love writing Anthony fics. This isn't overly long, I just wanted to write something soft and fluffy that’s entirely domestic as well. I hope you all like! Title is a quote from the first line of Pride and Prejudice (further quotes from the book are in italics).
Pairing: Anthony Bridgerton x Fem!Reader.
Warnings: none - fluff, books, marriage, happy relationships, cute.
Word Count: 1.6k
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The house is silent as Anthony strides through the waiting, open door. He nods his greeting to the Butler, Wilkins, before letting the weariness that had haunted him all day settle over his bones.
“Wilkins?” Anthony asks; no need to voice the question. Wilkins knows.
“Lady Bridgerton is in the Green-and-Gold, sir.”
Anthony smiles at the Butler. “You really do know everything.”
Wilkins smiles; nods his head. “It is my job, sir. Lady Bridgerton has already told me that you will take your final meal of the day in there, too.”
Anthony takes the stairs two at a time; refusing to accept his laboured breathing by the time he reaches the top. He was not an old man yet; he was still a very active man.
Turning left, he wanders blindly to the Green-and-Gold room named for the colour scheme of the walls and the furniture. His late grandmother had decorated the room; so fondly remembered by her ancestors that each refused to change a thing in the room save for any upholstering that needed to be done occasionally.
He finds you sitting on the left hand side of the room; the comfier side as argued by everyone who visits the room. Your legs are curled underneath you as your eyes pour over the page of an open book in your lap. From here, Anthony cannot possibly hazard a guess as to what you might be reading, but he feels a twinge of jealousy at the attention being paid to the book and not to him.
Well, love makes fools of us all, Anthony thinks to himself. “Darling,” Anthony greets in one single breath, as if the sight of you makes it all the easier for him to breathe.
“Darling,” You smile, standing from your seat, coming to greet the man you love with every fibre of your being. “How was your day?”
Anthony groans as he removes his jacket before tugging at the knot of his cravat. “Long,” He complains, struggling with the neckpiece. You smile at your husband, batting his hands away from his neck so you can take over. You feel the heat of his gaze as your hands work to do undo the knot he had tightened with a single tug; as the fabric unravels under your nimble fingers your husband reaches out to squeeze your waist.
“Thank you,” He whispers, voice full with an emotion you can’t quite decipher. Love? Weariness? A combination of both? Anthony looked ragged as you run your eyes over his face.
“I’m sorry that your day has been taxing, my love.”
“It’s all the better now that I’m here with you.”
“Flatterer,” You tease with no real heat behind your words. Anthony beams at you; eyes crinkling in the corners from the force of it as his hands tighten on your waist and his head dips to capture your lips in the kiss he has been thinking about for the better part of his day.
Breaking away, Anthony plants one, two, three kisses to your lips in quick, chaste succession leaving you breathless and highly amused. “How was your day?” He asks, curious as ever to find out what his wife does when he isn’t at home to distract you.
“Dull,” You answer plainly, enjoying the feel of Anthony’s strong arms around you.
“Dull?”
You purse your lips, thinking over your plans for the day so far. “I suppose dull doesn’t work. It hasn’t been dull at all.”
“Oh?”
“I’m only saying it because I missed you.”
“I missed you too,” He murmurs, kissing you once more. “What are you reading?” Anthony asks when he pulls away, spying the book laid delicately on the couch.
“Eloise let me borrow it. She gave me it when I called to see her this morning,” You answer, leaving the comfort of Anthony’s arms to take your seat on the couch.
“Darling, you know we have an entire library full of books, don’t you?”
Fixing him with an unimpressed look, you counter, “Your sister read this and thought of me. The least I could do is read it.”
“Alright,” Anthony sighs, knowing a losing battle when he sees one. “Budge up.”
“Pardon?”
Anthony gestures to the couch. “Make some room for me.”
A puzzled look settles across your face, but you follow the request, nonetheless, shifting on the couch so Anthony has room to sit down.
Anthony settles with his head on your lap; offering you a self-satisfied smile when you raise an eyebrow at him. “Comfy?” You ask, voice laced with humour.
“Very,” He responds. “Will you start from the beginning? I don’t want to miss anything.”
Chuntering about high maintenance husbands, you mark the page you got to before returning to the beginning. “Anything else before I begin?”
“Nothing… Oh, one thing.”
“That is?”
“I love you.”
Any previous ire you felt towards your husband disappears at those three magical words. The frustrated slant to your brow evens out as you reach out to stroke a hand through his hair and down the side of his face.
“I love you too,” You answer earnestly, feeling the power of the emotion running through you.
A peaceful look crosses Anthony’s face as your words sink into his skin like a balm on an open wound. He had felt neglectful lately; not spending as much time at home as he would have liked. He felt bad for leaving you so alone. Without children, you were your own companion throughout the day, and whilst you had both discussed having children, Anthony was to be left mildly vexed at the thought of you spending your days alone until a child was born.
The opening of parliament combined with Anthony’s seat in the House meant that he was spending more and more time in Westminster and less time with you.
A ratio Anthony was not fond of.
“I’m ready when you are,” He whispers; eyes focused on your face so he can watch every reaction and see every syllable leave your mouth.
Flashing an annoyed look at your husband, you take a deep breath and begin:
“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”
“What?” Anthony asks, eyebrows furrowed.
“Hush,” You admonish half-heartedly before continuing.
“However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighbourhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered as the rightful property of some one or other of their daughters.”
“This author is a genius,” Anthony exclaims, his voice awed as he tries to catch a glimpse of the cover to see the author’s name. “Who wrote this?”
“Are you going to comment the whole way through? I’ve barely read two paragraphs.”
“Sorry, darling, but I have to know. Who wrote this?”
“Her name is Jane Austen.”
“Well Jane Austen is a genius. In two paragraphs she’s captured what it is like to be a single man with a fortune in and amongst the sharks with unattached daughters.”
“Sharks?” You ask, highly amused at your husband’s words.
“Mothers,” Anthony shudders, remembering what it was like to go through so many seasons still unmarried. A Viscount with two seats of power combined with a hefty ancestral fortune – many mothers didn’t care whether Anthony would love their daughters; they simply wanted a fortuitus marriage that would leave them set for life.
Anthony thanks any and all gods and deities out there that he found his love match in you. You had taken him by surprise; Anthony had already resigned himself to a season with countless mothers forcing their daughters onto his arm. Until one evening early into the season, he had been listening to Gregory whine about the workload at Eton when his eyes met yours from across the room. In a total state of cliché, Anthony met your gaze, and he knew. He knew that he was going to spend the rest of his life loving you, worshipping you. He knew that whatever his future held, you would be right there weathering it alongside him. In a single glance from across the room, he knew.
You were married before the season finished; a special licence dispensed after a favour from the Archbishop called in. Anthony couldn’t wait; didn’t want to wait – he wanted to start the rest of his life with you as soon as possible.
Your light laughter breaks Anthony out of his reverie. “They aren’t all that bad,” You argue. “I suspect you’ll be worse than me when it comes to our children.”
Anthony snorts; doubting your words but loving the way you speak so openly about your hopeful future family. Clearing your throat, you continue to read on.
Anthony settles further into your lap; letting the calmness of your voice wash over him. After a moment of watching the concentration on your face, Anthony lets his eyes slip closed. He has no intention of falling asleep; he simply wants to enjoy this moment to its fullest.
“Mr Bingley was good looking and gentlemanlike; he had a pleasant countenance, and easy, unaffected manners. His sisters were fine women, with an air of decided fashion. His brother-in-law, Mr Hurst, merely looked the gentleman; but his friend Mr Darcy soon drew the attention of the room by his fine, tall person, handsome features…”
A snore interrupts your rendition of Pride and Prejudice. Pausing mid-sentence, you look down to your lap where Anthony has fallen asleep so peacefully. Smiling softly at the man, you close the book, placing it to one side before running a hand through Anthony’s ever-unruly hair. He hums contentedly, pushing his head further into your hand as you begin to scratch at his scalp.
As you watch Anthony doze dreamily, you feel your eyes lose the fight against the growing tiredness. Your hand stills in Anthony’s hair as you fall asleep alongside your husband, utterly content at the path your life has taken considering it led you to him.
*****
Bridgerton Taglist: @heloisedaphnebrightmore​ @dreaming-about-fanfictions​ @now-its-time-for-a-breakdown​ @janelongxox​ @aspiringsloth20​ @wallwriterstuff​ @magicalxdaydream​ @darkestbeforethedawn16​ @gryffindors-weasley​ @spideysz​
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pagesoflauren · 3 years
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pagesoflauren's I love y'all 3000 Challenge
This is something I never imagined for myself. But it’s so wonderful to be part of this community and know that people enjoy my writing so much that you’re willing to follow me, despite my long periods of not updating because of school or other aspects of my life. I chose this challenge title because I do love the opportunity I have to write, but I also love each and every single person who reads my work.
So, I really want to host a challenge! I want to celebrate love in all its forms and expressions: romantic, platonic, familial, grand gestures, small gestures, smut, fluff, angst, light or dark. It’s all love, it’s all great forms of fanfic, and it’s all fun to read 🥳
Challenge Rules:
You don’t have to be following me
You can pick any two prompts to use and integrate into a piece of writing. You can send me an ask letting me know which prompt(s) you’re using. You’ll find prompts from various love stories, such as Disney films, Broadway musicals, The Song of Achilles, Pride & Prejudice, and unconventional ways of showing love.
You can write for any MCU character, any character played by an MCU actor, or even a DCEU character!
Please tag your stuff with #pagesoflauren3000challenge so that I can find it!
Some people have come to me letting me know they weren’t certain if they could stick to a deadline. So, I’m marking this challenge from next Friday, September 10, 2021, to Friday, December 31, 2021. Even then, if you don’t get your work done by then, I’m not going to be strict about it. Finish your work at your own pace and write at a rate you’re comfortable with!
There is no word minimum or limit!
You can write fluff, smut, angst, light or dark fics, I welcome all of that. I will allow noncon/dubcon, but please tag your works appropriately.
Please no zoophilia, pedophilia, underage sex, excessive violence, or sex involving bodily fluids.
Prompts and tags are below the cut!
Songs/Lyrics
“If I Never Knew You” by Jon Secada and Shanice, from Pocahontas - @syntheticavenger
“Something There” by Paige O’Hara and Robby Benson, from Beauty and the Beast - @writing-for-marvel
“Once Upon a Dream” by Mary Costa and Bill Shirley, from Sleeping Beauty
“Never Knew I Needed” by Ne-Yo from The Princess and the Frog
“El Tango Roxanne” by Aaron Tveit from Moulin Rouge
"Come What May" from Moulin Rouge - @denisemarieangelina
“As Long As You’re Mine” by Idina Menzel and Norbert Leo Butz from Wicked - @nekoannie-chan
“What You Mean to Me” by Laura Michelle Kelly and Matthew Morrison from Finding Neverland - @book-dragon-13
“So, this is love” from “So This is Love” by Ilene Woods and Mike Douglas from Cinderella - @saintbvcky @queenoftheworldisdead
“All at once, everything is different now that I see you” from “I See the Light” by Zachary Levi and Mandy Moore from Tangled
Quotes (If more than one person speaks, it will be denoted by //)
“I would know [him, her, them, you] in death, at the end of the world.” from The Song of Achilles
“[He, She, You, They] [is/are] half my soul, as the poets say” from The Song of Achilles
“Um, you...you fight good.” from Mulan - @pigwidgeonxo @queenoftheworldisdead
“Would you like to stay for dinner?” // “Would you like to stay forever?” from Mulan - @bluemusickid
(answers the phone) “I love you!” from Criminal Minds
“Why else live, if not for love?” from Moulin Rouge - @denisemarieangelina
“Is not general incivility the very essence of love?” from Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
“You must allow me to tell how ardently I admire and love you.” from Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen - @sweater-daddiesdumbdork
Unconventional/Subtle Ways of Showing Love
“This reminded me of you.” - @queenoftheworldisdead
“Will you let me help you?” - @pigwidgeonxo
“Are you hungry? I’ll make you something.”
“Tell me more.” - @sweater-daddiesdumbdork
“I like making you laugh.” - @takemedancingmaine
“Can I stay with you?” - @twittytelly @holacia2
“What do you want to do today?”
“Take me anywhere.”
“Who did this to you?” - @writing-for-marvel @buckypcrker
“Promise me.”
“Yes, I remember.” - @thewildthorberrys
Some peeps who showed some interest:
@saintbvcky @saiyanprincessswanie @myoxisbroken @twittytelly @sweater-daddiesdumbdork @bluemusickid @christywantspizza @queenoftheworldisdead @holacia2 @dbnightingale24 @searchforanotherway
Thanks y’all. I love you. I mean that ❤️
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shitpostsampler · 3 years
Note
Firstly, thank you so much for everything you do on this blog! I'm thinking about designing my first piece for a Jane Austen quote (I do not want people to be very agreeable, as it saves me the trouble of liking them a great deal). It's fairly lengthy so I was wondering if you have any general advice on font choice, layout, spacing, borders etc. Basically, things you know now about making a design that you wish you knew when you started. Thank you :)
A few pointers- - Quotes are way longer than you think they are, every time.  - Decide if you want to use 1 font or 2 and what the general approach for which words will be in which font and how you would like the emphasis laid out. - We usually try to stay in the 5-12 stitches high range for our fonts, just to keep the entire sampler more manageable as a whole design - Try to layout the words evenly and in a way that is aesthetically pleasing to you. Try to limit the amount of dead space. Generally speaking, if it looks bad to you, it probably looks bad. - Borders range from super simple to cumbersome and difficult to manage. Whichever one you pick, commit to it.  - You will inevitably hit a wall while designing. We have the luxury of having two brains to bounce designs back and forth between. It is perfectly acceptable to set your design down and take a break. Usually trying to force it results in lackluster choices. We hope this helps!
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idy-ll-ique · 3 years
Text
Balisong.
Pairing: Tom Hiddleston x F!Reader
Genre: Fluff, Mutual Pining, Roommate AU
Requested: by @tom-hlover
Tom Hiddleston x (roommate) reader where reader is harboring a secret crush on Tom, but she thinks that Tom only sees her as a friend, she loves to sing when she's alone, and sends Tom letters through the mailbox making it seem from another place,but in reality the return address is from her friend's address whom is out of the country and lets reader use the address for now, as she is serving as the house's caretaker as well 😅😅 until Tom finds out and also turns out hears reader's singing? And I was thinking of the song "Bali Song" by Rivermaya for that one particularly 😅😅😊😊
Summary: Y/N, who is roommates with Tom Hiddleston (omg they were roommates) has a crush on him and instead of confessing her love like a normal person, she writes him love-letters using a fake identity and address. What happens when Tom finds out, though?
Warnings: None
Author's Note: Hey guys! Special shoutout to @tom-hlover for the prompt, finished writing it under an hour so you have to excuse me if it's crappy. Enjoy!
---
Y/N POV:
"Oh, look, another letter from the secret admirer. I wonder what she wrote this time."
I looked up from where I was tending to the houseplants and gave Tom a quick grin. "Endearing words, as always. She does like you a lot," I professed with a slight chuckle, giving him a small smile and looking away when I felt a blush creeping up on my cheeks.
Tom sat down on the couch and opened the letter. "Dear Tom…" I stopped listening after that, I knew the whole thing to heart anyway. Wondering how? Well, I was the one who wrote it, simple! Let me explain. I'm Y/N Y/L/N and the person I was speaking to? Tom Hiddleston, my roomie.
Yeah we lived together; we had been friends for a long time and I needed a place so Tom offered to keep me at his home until I found another home. Nearly 5 years had passed since that incident and now we sort of just lived together, fallen into a nice, daily routine. I also happened to have a huge, huge, huge crush on him. Knowing how many other people, much better than myself, adored him, I kept my feelings to myself.
Oh and by the way, I paid my share of the rent so don't come at me! "She's so sweet with these, I might just pay her a visit! What is the address?" I looked up, wide-eyed as Tom took the envelope in his hand. "Do you really need to?" I blurted out, turning red when he squinted his eyes at me. "Do you know this person?" he blinked, raising an eyebrow.
"Of course I don't," I muttered, "You know what? Fine, go meet this person. I just hope they're not, you know, a psychopath." Yes, I knew I was talking about myself but was I wrong, though? Instead of confessing my feelings like a normal person, I was sending letters to my crush like I lived in the Victorian Era, using my best friend's address while she was out living somewhere else.
"I'm sure she's not. Anyway, what are your plans for later?" He let out a yawn, slouching on the couch. "Nothing much, I finish some work and then bam, dinner time." Tom laughed. "I have an interview early tomorrow, so I'm going to sleep early tonight. What do you want for dinner?" I shrugged. "Anything's fine, thanks!" He ruffled my hair and got up, going to the kitchen.
Okay, I see a lot of you are staring in confusion, let me clear things up yet again. I liked Tom for nearly 3 years now, but had no idea how to proceed with my feelings. Did he even like me back? Would he even like me back? That's when my best friend gave me a brilliant idea.
She said she was moving elsewhere and that her previous house was going to be empty but she was still going to be the owner. "Hey, Y/N, maybe you can go live there if you want!" she suggested. And I told her, "Hm, I'll think about it." Ever since then, I was the caretaker of the house, visiting it once a week to see if everything was okay with it.
One day when I was there, looking out the balcony into the garden, I came across the said brilliant idea. Why don't I just send letters to Tom from this address confessing my love?! He didn't know about it, and I technically won't be telling him anything in person. A great way to get the feelings off my chest while not getting the feelings off my chest!
Ever since then, I had started writing letters to him, once a week. Most of them were small, one paragraph long, along the lines of "hey how are you I love you thanks" while in some, I included lovesick quotes from famous authors like William Shakespeare, Virginia Woolf, Jane Austen or Anaïs Nin. Tom was a fanatic of classical literature, it only made sense.
With a sigh, I got up and went to my room, getting started with my work only to end up spending all my time on social media until Tom called me over for dinner.
---
Tom POV:
"Ah, yes, this is the address," I said to myself, stopping outside a beautiful estate surrounded by pretty gardens. I parked the car and stepped out, heading to the door. As I was about to knock, I noticed that the door was locked. "Huh?" I whispered, maybe she wasn't home at the time? "Excuse me, sir? I saw your car parked outside…" I turned to see an old man blinking at me.
"Where's the woman who lives here?" I asked him. "Woman? This house has been empty for years, son, the last woman that lived here moved to the colonies 3 years ago." My eyes widened. So all this time, I was getting letters from… a ghost? Or was someone using a false address?
"Are you sure no one comes by, or anything?"
"Well, a fair young lady does stop by every week. Her name is Y/N Y/L/N, very polite and kind, she's like a daughter to me. She looks after the house; she's looking to move in, I guess but I'm not sure. Nice meeting you, young man! If you do want to meet up with the pseudo-owner, Y/N, she will stop by next Sunday at 11 am."
"Oh, I wouldn't need to do that," I muttered, bade him farewell and got back into the car. Well well well, things just got… interesting. I smiled widely as I drove back home. I had no idea Y/N felt the same way! All this time, the one-sided pining was actually mutual pining… it all ends today. Now that I knew she liked me back and my love wasn't in vain, there was nothing that could stop me from confessing.
Upon reaching home, I quietly opened the door only to see that Y/N was in the kitchen, singing a song unknown to me as she cooked. Like a thief, I tiptoed in and quietly closed the door behind me. I walked up to the kitchen, stopping when I heard the lyrics.
To speak or not to, where to begin
A great dilemma I'm finding myself in
For all I know you only see me as a friend
I try to tell myself, "Wake up, fool
This fairytale has got to end"
I leaned against the doorframe of the kitchen, finding it strange that she still hadn't taken notice of me. You only see me as a friend? Nonsense, I definitely liked her more than that. For some reason, the lyrics seemed familiar— Oh yes, the song Y/N apparently liked to sing all the time! What was the name, uh…
Never in my life have I been more sure
So come on up to me and close the door
Nobody's made me feel this way before
You're everything I wanted…
When she (amazingly) sang those lines, I decided to make my move. I walked forward and put my arms around her from behind, laughing when she screamed. "Tom! Oh my God, when did you come home?!" I spun her around, trapping her between the kitchen counter and myself. "A few minutes ago. You sing wonderfully, love," I smirked. She visibly gulped. "Uh, what are you—"
"Don't play dumb now. Aren't you the one who writes those letters? Don't lie to me." Her eyes went wide. "How did you find out? I'm sorry, I—" I cut off her trail of words by leaning down, capturing her lips with mine in a magical kiss. She, thankfully, didn't push away, instead wrapping her arms around me.
"I didn't think you'd like me back," she mumbled when we pulled away to breathe. "All that matters is that we're together now." She chuckled and snuggled into my arms. With a content sigh, I pulled her close, running my fingers through her hair as I held her close. "I love you," I said simply, dropping a kiss to the top of her head. "I love you too, think that's quite obvious."
We laughed. "How did you find out, though? What gave it away?" She got out of my arms and turned back to her cooking. I leaned against the counter next to her, crossing my arms. "I just visited the address on the letter. The door was locked, then I met an old man who said the person who lived there moved to the USA 3 years ago."
"My best friend, Y/F/N."
"He told me your name, saying how you went there every Sunday to look after the house. How come I didn't know?"
"Oh, Bertram. I always lied about going out on Sundays. I guess we sort of owe our relationship to Bert, don't we?"
I laughed and kissed her on the temple. "For sure, we do. What is that song you sing all the time, you were singing it just now?" She snorted and took out her phone, opening Spotify. She put on the song and turned to me, holding her hand out. "Balisong by Rivermaya. Care for a dance?"
"Don't mind if I do."
---
A/N: Oooh two fics in a row?? leave a like if you enjoyed lol thanks for reading!
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winterscaptain · 4 years
Text
the pleasures of the elder.
Aaron Hotchner x Gender Neutral Reader
a/n: the people have spoken, and they all love sean hotchner. this fits after mean it in the joyful future universe, but no context is actually required to enjoy a little bit of sibling rivalry. title comes from jane austen’s quote: “the younger brother must help to pay for the pleasures of the elder.” 
words: 3k warnings: language, alcohol use, sex mention, jealous!aaron, perceptive!sean
summary: when he arrives for an impromptu visit, sean knows his brother too well to give him any moment’s peace - especially when it comes to you. 
masterlist | a joyful future masterlist | requests closed
A man, both very handsome and vaguely familiar, pushes through the glass doors and walks across the bullpen - a visitor's badge pinned proudly to his leather jacket. You try to place him, but come up short. 
You’re alone, for the time being. Almost everyone is off running some kind of last-minute errand around the federal building - making copies, finishing paperwork, or in a meeting (in Hotch’s case). It’s the last dregs of the day, the sun setting over the river. 
The man stops in front of your desk. “Hi. Are you part of the BAU, or am in the wrong place?” His eyes are bright, roaming over your face with a kind of curious, warm, knowing air. 
You smile at him, and before you can answer -
“Sean!” JJ’s fond tone carries across the bullpen, and she arrives with an armful of cases. 
Sean? 
Oh my god. 
Sean Hotchner. 
“Hey, JJ, right?”
She laughs, sounding a little younger than she is. You can’t blame her. Sean is exceedingly handsome in an entirely different direction than his older brother. And if your memory serves correctly, just a year older than you. “Yeah, that’s right. Good to see you.” He offers her a hand, and she shifts her files to take it. His handshake is firm, and lasts just a moment too long. 
You kick back in your chair, almost inviting him to lean against your desk. “Hotch is in a meeting, if you’re looking for him. He should be out in,” you check your watch, “about five minutes.”
Sean turns back to you, his shockingly blue eyes meeting yours. “Thanks.” He smiles at you again, and you’d be lying if you said your heart was doing normal things in your chest. “Sean Hotchner. I’m Aaron’s - sorry, Hotch’s - little brother.”
Those eyes are dangerous. 
Oh, poor Aaron. 
You shake his hand and introduce yourself. “Pleasure’s all mine, I’m sure.” 
Just as you suspected moments ago, he takes the initiative and leans against your desk. JJ hovers nearby, a little smile on her face. You watch as she sends a quick text, and puts her phone back on her belt. 
Gotta tell the girls...
“So,” he starts, brisk and businesslike, “you definitely weren’t here during my last visit. What’s your story?”
“Well, if you must know -“
“I must.” He flashes you another smile, and you can only imagine all the trouble he caused growing up. Or, rather, you can imagine all the trouble he would have caused if his brother wasn’t around to bail him out. Five years ago, you would have been drawn into his pretty eyes and wide smile. Now, you can only see a boyish, overt, almost-inelegant version of the understated warmth you love in Aaron. 
You give him a quick rundown of your history: hometown, alma mater, etc. “- I was an academy grad in 2007, and I’ve been here ever since.”
“Ah, so not a newbie anymore. And you’ve worked with my brother the whole time?” He almost looks impressed. His glance down to your ringless left hand doesn’t escape your notice.
Oh Sean, if only you knew. 
You nod. “Yeah, I’ve worked under Hotch for five years now.” 
And I’ve worked over him for about three months. Also under him, around him, on the couch, in the kitchen, etc.
Shut up. 
C’mon. It’s funny.
A low whistle leaves him as you bite back a smile. “Damn. I’m so sorry. He’s a real hardass.”
You lean in conspiratorially, and you’re almost cheek-to-cheek as he leans down to listen. “You know, that’s what I hear, but -” 
Penelope bursts through the doors and calls your name, carrying an armful of papers that have absolutely nothing to do with the work going on upstairs. Emily is close behind her, an amused grin on her face. 
Sean leans back so you can finally see her. “Yeah?”
“I have these for - Oh, hi Sean!” She says it like she hasn’t already decided her primary objective is to get his attention. 
“Hey!” He looks over at her, one finger up to stop her in her tracks. “Wait, don’t tell me. Garcia, right?”
“Penelope,” JJ supplies helpfully. 
“That’s right. It’s good to see you again.” He offers her his hand, and she takes it. You’re almost certain he winks at her, and she smiles through the blush rising on her cheeks. 
He really is a heartbreaker, huh?
Aaron must have had his work cut out for him.
Derek rounds the corner and immediately rolls his eyes at the scene before him. Sean has his body angled toward you (in your chair, completely open, with your chin in your hand) while he shakes Penelope’s hand. JJ pretends to do work off at her desk behind yours, but she’s completely tuned into the conversation. Emily’s sitting on her own desk off to the side, watching the whole thing with a certain degree of good humor. 
“Sean, good to see you, man.” Derek walks over and takes Penelope under his arm. It’s almost possessive, and you almost laugh. 
Sean releases Penelope’s hand and takes Derek’s. “Hey, Morgan. How’ve you been?”
Their bro-to-bro catch-up fades into the background as you see Hotch appear on the breezeway by his office. You look up at him before pointedly glancing at Sean beside you. He sighs, then calls, “Sean.”
The man in question turns, and a smile breaks out over his face when he sees his brother. There’s something cocky about it, and you don’t miss the way his body language remains keyed into you as he speaks. “That’s my name, don’t wear it out.”
Aaron takes another deep breath and walks down the stairs. “What are you doing here?”
“Can’t I just come see my big brother at work?”
Aaron’s eyebrow is dubious at best. “What do you need?”
Sean laughs, and it reminds you enough of Aaron’s that it draws a wide smile from you. You find yourself looking fondly up at Sean, seeing more of the resemblance now that they’re beside each other. Aaron’s jaw flexes. You notice. 
Oh, see, now this is fun. 
“I was just in town and figured I’d stop by to see if you were here or out on a case.” Sean glances down at you with another charming smile before looking back at his brother. “I guess I got lucky.” 
He’s just full of those smiles, isn’t he?
JJ jumps in. “We’re actually planning on going out to drinks once we wrap up in a couple of minutes. You’re more than welcome to come.”
While JJ pulls attention elsewhere, you glance up at Hotch and throw him a wink. Hey. Relax. 
His jaw relaxes just a touch, and his lips twitch. As usual, he covers it by crossing his arms over his chest. Don’t be a shit. 
You wet your lips and purse them a little. Nice try. 
He shifts, just a little, raising an eyebrow. You’re really gonna go there?”
Watch this. You toss him a quick smile. “That would be great!” You brush Sean’s sleeve as you unnecessarily reach over him for Penelope. “What do you think, Pen?”
“Oh, we’d love that!” Penelope takes your hand, squeezes it, and looks up at Derek. “Wouldn’t we?”
Derek nods. “We’d love to have you, man. It’ll be good to hear what you’ve been up to in New York.” 
Aaron does his best to suppress his eye roll. You’re lucky he loves you, childish antics and all. 
+++
When you split up into your respective cars, Sean elects to ride with you over his brother. You and Hotch play the role of designated drivers. You’ve fallen into the routine, finding it's much easier to sneak around your coworkers as they get more and more inebriated through the evening. 
Aaron doesn’t look too happy with the ride arrangements, but he lets it slide. Dave and Emily ride with him, while you have Derek, Penelope, and JJ in the car with you and Sean. 
It’s not that he doesn’t trust you. He doesn’t trust Sean. 
Logically, he doesn’t have anything to worry about. He woke up this morning to your patient, adoring eyes and your hands playing with his hair. You ate breakfast together (read: sat in his lap with a bowl of cereal while he read his emails), were (almost) late due to your showering arrangement, and only parted after a (very) good kiss in the driveway. 
Still though, he can’t quite shake the insecurities he always felt with his brother. Thirteen years his junior, Sean always seemed to excel in every social pursuit. Music, girls, friends - he was able to settle into things Aaron always struggled with. It was stupid. Aaron was well into his thirties when Sean was in undergrad, but that prickle of envy never seemed to fade. 
Their mother never put the pressure on Sean the way she did on Aaron, and in some ways it made sense. He was a teenager when their father passed, and Sean was hardly a child. More responsibility, more weight, less credit. 
Aaron might be his mom’s pride and joy, even to this day, but Sean will always be her baby. 
Thus, watching Sean easily weasel his way into one of your smiles wore on almost thirty years of tension. 
“Hey, what’s going on with you?” Emily asks, tapping Hotch’s shoulder with gentle fingers. Upon making contact, she snorts. “Wow, you’re really tense.” 
Hotch shakes his head and shrugs her off. “I’m alright.” 
It’s Dave’s turn to snort. “No you’re not. You’ve been scowling since Sean showed up.”
“He just has that effect on me. Always has.” 
“C’mon, Aaron.” Dave says. Aaron’s grip on the wheel tightens, but he doesn’t say anything. “He’s just a kid.” 
With a flat deadpan, Aaron replies, “He’s thirty.” 
Emily leans forward on the center console, inserting herself into the conversation. “Hotch, you don’t have anything to worry about. Sean doesn’t have anything on you.” She bumps his shoulder with hers. 
He sighs. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” 
Emily and Dave share a look and a little smile. 
+++
You hop out of the car, swinging your keys in your hand. Hotch is a couple of spots down from you in the parking lot, and your little groups meet up somewhere in the middle. Falling back, you let Derek and Emily lead the way. When they’re all in front of you, Sean included, you press your shoulder to Aaron’s for just a moment. 
“Are you going to be childish?” he says, quietly. 
You suppress a smile. “You’re fun when you’re jealous.” 
“I’m not jealous.” 
“Alright.” Your hand snags his for just a moment, before you jog forward to catch up to the rest of the group. 
“There you are!” Sean’s voice rings out, and you let him tuck you under his arm. You wrap an arm around Sean’s waist and chance a look back to grin at Aaron. 
Gotcha, babe. 
Aaron rolls his eyes so loudly you can see it from twenty feet away. Ridiculous. 
I love you. 
I know. 
+++
You’ve all managed to secure a table. While not incredibly crowded, there are plenty of people around. You planted yourself next to Aaron, and Sean planted himself next to you. The music is just loud enough to encourage dancing without requiring a shout to communicate. 
Derek downed his first drink and led Penelope on the floor within ten minutes of your arrival. 
The round table is crowded, and your pinkie locked in Aaron’s belt loop goes unnoticed. He stretches his arm out behind you to clap Sean’s shoulder, and his fingers quickly trace across your shoulders as he pulls it back. 
“So what have you been up to, Sean?”
“Oh, you know. This and that.” He pulls from the drink in front of him and you’re almost certain it’s just a Coke. 
Sober? Getting there? 
Remind me to get the skinny on that later. 
10-4.
Aaron chuckles darkly. “You’re gonna have to do better than that.” 
Sean shrugs, and leans back, checking out the dance floor. You pull your pinkie from Aaron and put both of your hands on the table. Emily’s looking a little too watchful tonight, and you’d hate to lose your bet. 
Your money is on making it more than six months without alerting the team you’ve been sleeping together. Aaron, always of little faith, took the alternative. 
“Dance with me?” Sean offers you a hand, and you take it. Before you get too far, you lean across Aaron to take another sip of your drink. When you lose your balance (on purpose), Aaron steadies you with a hand around your waist, making sure you’re settled on your feet before you jet off with Sean. 
“Thanks, Hotch!”
He takes a long pull from his beer - his only drink for the evening. Hotch. Gimme a break. 
“Looks like they’re hitting it off great,” JJ says with a laugh. “That works out. I mean, Sean’s about our age, right?”
Don’t remind me. 
“Yep. Turned thirty last month.” Aaron does his best to not sound too bitter. 
JJ smirks at Emily, who turns to smirk at Dave. They don’t know what they don’t know, but they certainly know enough to keep an eye on Aaron for the rest of the evening. 
“That’s in-flight entertainment, baby.” Emily whispers to JJ. “I can’t wait to tell Will. He’s going to die laughing.” 
JJ lets out a peal of laughter. “Absolutely.”
Out on the floor, you’re having way too much fun, sandwiched between Derek and Sean. You pull Penelope between you and Derek, and loop an arm over Sean’s shoulders. 
“So,” he says, his lips close to your ear and his voice barely audible over the music, “how long have you been sleeping with my brother?”
You freeze for just a moment, but it’s a moment too long to recover. “What?”
“Oh, come on. Question in response to a question? That’s like profiling 101.” 
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Sean rolls his eyes. “He’s halfway in love with you, if not completely fucked, in case he’s failed to tell you.” He spins you out, and back in so your back is against his chest. 
“We’ve got that covered, yeah.” You twist in his arms. “You gonna do anything about it?”
He shrugs. “I dunno. I think it’s pretty funny to get him all worked up, though, don’t you think?” Another bright smile crosses his face and his blue eyes seem to glow in the dim light. 
“Oh, Sean. I think we’re going to get along just fine.” You laugh and reach for him again, but a finger appears in your belt loop. Derek pulls you back toward him by the hip. He’s stupid strong, and you can only tumble back into him with another laugh. 
You’re sweaty, sober, and having way too much fun.  
“Careful, kid. I think Hotchner has a crush.” Derek’s playful jab is warm against your ear as you fall in with him, cheek-to-cheek. 
“What can I say?” You ask. “I’m irresistible.” 
Derek throws you under his arm in a spin and you land back at his chest with the wind knocked out of you. “He’s gotta get in line though.”
“Oh?”
“I think his big brother’s gonna give him a run for his money?” 
That’s enough for you. “Gimme a break, Morgan.” With a laugh, you shove at Derek’s chest and leave the floor. Returning to the table, you sidle up to Aaron again. “Hey, Hotch. Having fun?”
He gives you a weak glare out of the corner of his eye and takes a sip of his beer. “A blast.” 
“Couple more hours, if that, then we’ll be home.” You drop your voice, almost whispering into your glass as you take another sip.
Aaron nods. “Can’t come soon enough.” 
The rest of the team gets more and more sloshed as the evening progresses, and you can get away with a lot more. That said, Sean’s eyes are playful, sober, and more than a little amused. 
“What did my brother say to you?” Hotch murmurs, under his breath. The girls went to the bathroom (and to call Spencer a cab home) while Derek and Sean posted up at the bar, itching for an excuse to give some asshole the what-for. 
You bump his shoulder. “Just that you’re half in love with me, if not already completely fucked.” 
He heaves a sigh. “Can’t catch a break.” You link your pinkie through his belt loop again. “He’s right, though.” 
“How’s that?” You look up at him and you know he can see how much you love him. 
“I’m completely fucked.” 
If any of your team members wonder what’s so fucking funny, they don’t ask. It’s just good to see Hotch smiling again. 
+++
At the end of the night, you drop Sean back off at the hotel on your way home. He’s the last in your car, so he can speak his mind with a certain degree of freedom. You idle in front of the building for a moment, just enjoying the silence.
“Hey.” 
You look over at him. “Yeah?”
“You’d make a great in-law. Just wanted you to know that I’m here for it.” He offers you a hand. You shake it and it almost feels like you’re making some kind of gentleman’s agreement. “Take care of him. He needs it.” 
“Oh, don't worry. I know.”
The smile you share is that of a pair of co-conspirators, of siblings, of friends. 
We’ll do just fine, you and I. 
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Text
Pride and Prejudice 1940: "When Pretty Girls T-E-A-S-E-D Men Into Marriage"
Made during the Great Depression, this classic black and white film is loosely based on Austen's novel and is set in what is likely the 1830s rather than the Regency Era (late 18th century to early 19th century). It is an escapist piece which capitalizes on nostalgia for a simpler time by transporting its viewers to a chocolate-box vision of the past, while paying homage to Austen's social satire by delivering plenty of laughs along the way.
Overall Thoughts on the Film:
The first time I watched this movie, I was confused because the plot as well as the setting was revised significantly (the events after Darcy's first proposal are changed to hasten the happy ending; Darcy's letter and Elizabeth's visit to Pemberley are not included in this movie). This changing of plot points makes the 2005 movie a much more faithful adaptation in comparison with this version, in spite of the creative liberties both take with the novel.
Production Design:
The movie is a typical example of Golden Age Hollywood productions, with beautiful actresses and melodramatic flourishes added to increase the drama. Some of the lines are delivered very quickly, in keeping with the comedic style of the time.
The music: definitely not historically accurate. A lot of sentimental, "ye olde timey" string arrangements that emphasize emotions or fast-paced waltz music for balls/parties.
The 1830s costumes are beautiful; it seems as if no expense (or quantity of fabric) was spared in making them. The bonnets are way taller and have more decorations than typical 1830s bonnets. Some of the patterns/fabric choices are very 1930s, and the costumes are exaggerated in such as way as to make the wearers look like fancy turkeys.
Hair and Makeup: very 1930s, with finger/sausage curls, plucked eyebrows, lipstick/lip makeup, and long lashes.
The sets: the dollhouse-like interiors are lavishly gilded and made to look as opulent as possible. Outdoors scenes are lush, with lots of flowers and bushes; the garden in which the second proposal takes place is gorgeous. The set design transports the viewer into an idyllic vision of the bucolic English countryside.
The Lead Actors:
With the exception of Laurence Olivier, the majority of the actors are American, since this is a Hollywood production. Many of the characters in the film's imaginary vision of pastoral Britain speak American or make clumsy attempts to imitate British English.
Greer Garson: while she is definitely too old for the part, she perfectly conveys Elizabeth's intelligence, outspokenness, and sarcasm. Her facial expressions are killer as well; with the arch of an eyebrow along with a snarky side eye, she captivates us all. All in all, Garson effectively shows off Elizabeth's impertinence through her nonverbal acting (this reminds me strongly of Jennifer Ehle's Elizabeth Bennet).
Laurence Olivier: he effectively conveys Darcy's pride while hinting at his deeper feelings beneath the surface (I can see why Colin Firth spoke so highly of Olivier's portrayal of Darcy). Most importantly, the film emphasizes Darcy's intelligence; he is certainly Elizabeth's intellectual equal. While this portrayal of Darcy is very accurate to the book, Darcy's pride does go away pretty quickly (he and Elizabeth form a tentative friendship early on) and his social awkwardness isn't immediately obvious thanks to his charm. Also the unflattering hairstyle with the greasy hair and painted on sideburns makes me sad.
Key Scenes:
Opening scene: The title card appeals directly to the audience's nostalgia for a sentimental, romanticized past: “It happened in OLD ENGLAND (this was actually capitalized), in the village of Meryton…” The Bennet women are at a fabric shop, where they gossip with aunt Phillips about the rich people moving into Netherfield Park.
The carriage race: this scene, which isn’t in the original novel, represents the rivalry between the Bennets and Lucases. The mothers both want their daughters to be the first to snag the rich bachelors.
The first ball: There is a historical anachronism as the music is a waltz by Strauss, who became popular in late 19th century, specifically the Gilded Age; far too early for the Regency Era or 1830s England. Other changes from the original novel include Elizabeth meeting Wickham before Darcy; other events from Aunt Phillips’ ball (which isn’t included in this movie) and Wickham and Darcy’s confrontation are included in this scene.
Elizabeth’s impression of Darcy at the ball: she puts on airs and mocks his casual dismissal of her as tolerable (definitely a parallel with the 1995 version, where Jennifer Ehle does the same, but privately with Jane).
Great comedic change: Darcy introduces himself to Elizabeth after calling her tolerable and asks if she will dance with him (this originally takes place at Mr. Lucas' ball). Right after rejecting Darcy, she instantly agrees to dance with Wickham; in a humorous moment, Darcy evacuates to a corner of the room to sulk while seeing Wickham dance with Elizabeth.
The “Accomplished woman” scene: the dialogue lifted directly from the book for the most part. Darcy, in a departure from his trademark seriousness, shows off his playful side when reacting to Caroline Bingley's "turn about the room." I particularly like this added repartee from Elizabeth Bennet to Darcy, which is clever but also foreshadows her prejudice: “If my departure is any punishment, you are quite right. My character reading is not too brilliant.”
Elizabeth can't stand Mr. Collins: After twirling about his monocle, he pronounces that: “It might interest you to know my taste was formed by lady Catherine de Bourgh.” The best part of this scene is when Elizabeth plucks a wrong note on her harp when Collins gets really annoying.
The Netherfield ball (which is now a garden party):
Elizabeth running away from Mr. Collins: She looks rather ridiculous, almost like an overdressed turkey, in a white dress with puffy sleeves as she runs away from an overeager Collins. Then she hides in the bushes while Darcy helps her to hide, telling Collins he doesn't know where she is. It's fun but most likely not something a proper lady and gentleman would do (two people of the opposite gender out alone, shock!).
The archery scene: Darcy attempts to teach Elizabeth how to shoot a bow and arrow, even though he doesn’t hit the bullseye. She goes on to impress him by perfectly hitting the bullseye every time; Darcy learns his lesson: "Next time I talk to a young lady about archery I won't be so patronizing." Caroline Bingley, very passive aggressive as usual, shows up for her archery lesson right after and it's absolutely perfect.
Mr. Collins attempts to introduce himself to Mr. Darcy: Laurence Olivier captures Darcy so perfectly in this scene (really set the precedent for Colin Firth). When Mr. Collins starts talking (inviting Elizabeth to dance with him) Darcy tries to keep himself well-composed but has a pained expression on his face as if he’s about to pass out. Olivier masters the way Darcy can look so miserable but also disgusted and proud at the same time.
Mr. Collin's proposal to Elizabeth: I like the added touch of Mrs. Bennet pulling Elizabeth back by her skirt when she tries to run out of the room. The dialogue is taken directly from the book, and the scene is made even funnier when Collins holds on to Elizabeth's hand desperately and doesn’t let her get away. My only quibble is that Elizabeth isn’t indignant enough when Mr. Collins doesn't take no for an answer.
Elizabeth and Darcy at Rosings: I like that Olivier subtly indicates that Darcy is clearly affected upon seeing Elizabeth at Rosing, hinting at deeper feelings beneath the surface. I also like how the scriptwriter emphasizes that Darcy indirectly praises Elizabeth and enjoys their conversations, while she remains convinced that he hates her. Sadly, the original dialogue of the piano scene is not included, which is unfortunate as it allows Darcy to reveal his introvert tendencies, calling into question Elizabeth's assertion that he is unpardonably proud.
First proposal: The famous opening lines are mutilated with awkward punctuation: “It’s no use. I’ve struggled in vain. I must tell you how much I admire and love you." While the rest of the dialogue matches up closely with what happens in Austen's novel, both of the actors aren’t emotional enough; instead Elizabeth cries very daintily, and Darcy remains serene, which conflicts with the book's description of both of them being very angry and defensive at each other.
THE SCRIPT:
The first half of the film up to Darcy's first proposal follows the events of the original book closely, though certain blocks of dialogue are moved elsewhere and other events such as Mrs. Phillips' party are skipped over. The most significant changes, besides updating the setting to the 1830s, are made to the second half of the book to squeeze the key events of the story into the movie before delivering the inevitable happy ending.
Brilliant Quotes:
Mr. Bennet's reaction to Mrs. Bennet's despair over the situation of their 5 unmarried daughters: “Perhaps we should have drowned some of them at birth.”
Darcy insists Elizabeth cannot tempt him: “Ugh. Provincial young lady with a lively wit. And there’s that mother of hers.”
Darcy is an arrogant snob: “I’m in no humor tonight to give consequence to the middle classes at play.” (Technically the Bennets are part of the gentry; they just are less wealthy than Darcy).
Elizabeth's reaction to Darcy pronouncing her to be tolerable at best: “What a charming man!”
Elizabeth rebuffs Darcy's offer to dance after overhearing his insult: “I am afraid that the honor of standing up with you is more than I can bear, Mr Darcy.”
Elizabeth favors Wickham after witnessing the bad blood between him and Darcy: “Without knowing anything about it I am on your side.”
Mrs. Bennet's comment after she sends Jane to Netherfield under stormy skies: “There isn’t anything like wet weather for engagements. Your dear father and I became engaged in a thunderstorm.”
Mr. Bennet's reaction to Jane's fever: “Jane must have all the credit for having caught the cold…we’re hoping Elizabeth will catch a cold and stay long enough to get engaged to Mr. Darcy. And if a good snowstorm could be arranged we’d send Kitty over!”
The sisters' description of Mr. Collins: “Oh heavens! what a pudding face.”
Caroline Bingley at the Netherfield garden party: “Entertaining the rustics is not as difficult as I feared. Any simple childish game seems to amuse them excessively.”
Darcy reassuring Elizabeth after helping her escape Mr. Collins: “If the dragon returns St. George will know how to deal with it.”
Darcy learns his lesson after Elizabeth beats him at archery: “The next time I talk to a young lady about archery I won’t be so patronizing.”
Elizabeth comments about a curtain: “Oh that’s pretty. It’s a pity you didn’t make it bigger. You could have put it around Mr. Collins when he becomes a bore.”
Elizabeth on Kitty and Lydia: “2 daughters out of 5, that represents 40% of the noise.”
Elizabeth sees Lady Catherine for the first time: “So that’s the great lady Catherine. Now I see where he learned his manners.”
Lady Catherine's attitude towards philanthropy: “You must learn to draw a firm line between the deserving poor and the undeserving poor.”
Darcy takes Elizabeth's advice: “I’ve thought a great deal about what you said at Netherfield, about laughing more...but it only makes me feel worse."
Elizabeth and Darcy have a conversation with Colonel Fitzwilliam: “He likes the landscape well enough, but the natives, the natives, what boors, what savages … Isn’t that what you think, Mr. Darcy?” With a smile: “It evidently amuses you to think so, Miss Bennet."
CHANGES FROM THE BOOK:
The first half of the film up to Darcy's first proposal follow the events of the original book closely, though certain blocks of dialogue are moved elsewhere and other events such as Mrs. Phillips' party are skipped over. The most significant changes, besides updating the setting to the 1830s, are made to the second half of the book to squeeze the key events of the story into the movie before delivering the inevitable happy ending.
With the exception of Lady Catherine de Bourgh, the portrayals of the characters are (generally) true to the book.
As I said earlier, the film neglects any sort of historical accuracy when setting the story in romanticized "Old England," where genteel people pass simple lives that revolve around dresses, tea parties, social gossip, and marriages. A lot of Austen adaptations present an idealized vision of Regency life, where people are dressed immaculately, flawlessly adhere to "chivalry," and find love in the ballroom. This contributes to the misconception that Austen's novels are shallow chick-lit books with flat characters who live for lavish parties and hot men, instead of stories of unique, complicated women who happen to be well-off but aspire towards love, respect, or independence instead of being content to make economically advantageous marriages. Austen's novels are character novels and she doesn't waste time writing about dresses or tea parties; balls, while exciting, are just another part of daily life for her characters rather than some Extremely Big Special Once In a Blue Moon Event.
Austen's multifaceted view on marriage turns into a game of matchmaking. She recognizes it as necessary for women to survive in the patriarchy, since they cannot provide for themselves unless they marry well, but at the same time, presents marriage as a means for freedom if it is a loving partnership between two people that respect each other. In contrast, marriage is a game of manipulating the partners into wanting to marry (ex. Lady Catherine and Darcy's trickery). Also, it seems to be a given that Elizabeth will marry for love, unlike in the book where it is uncertain whether she will achieve this.
Kitty and Lydia's antics are viewed much more sympathetically as those of young people having fun; in the book, their behavior harms the family's social reputation, reducing the chances the Bennet daughters have of making good marriages.
Louisa Hurst, Georgiana Darcy, and Aunt and Uncle Gardiner are not in the movie.
Wickham is introduced much earlier than in the book; he is friends with Lydia from the very beginning. Interestingly, he doesn't begin to trash-talk Darcy until Bingley leaves; in the book he does so much earlier, before the Netherfield ball.
Darcy is more considerate towards Elizabeth at the Netherfield party (ex. rescuing her from Collins), until he overhears Mrs. Bennet scheming to get the daughters married. Elizabeth forms a tentative friendship with him until finding out that he separated Jane from Bingley.
Jane is more obviously heartbroken over Bingley's departure than in the book, where she keeps her pain to herself. In the movie, she runs away to cry, which is uncharacteristic of her.
Collins is a librarian instead of a clergyman. I dislike this change because some Austen scholars/fans think that Collins being a clergyman is a deliberate choice as part of Austen's social criticism. Collins is representative of how hypocritical the Church is, since he worships Lady Catherine's wealth instead of God, and preaches moral lessons instead of actually using religion to help people. My theory is that the change was made because of the Hays Code, which led to the censorship of movies for "unwholesome" or "indecent" things; the religious criticism could have been offensive.
Elizabeth reacts rather too kindly to Charlotte marrying Collins by showing concern for the loveless marriage. While she does worry about the lack of love in the marriage, initially she is extremely surprised, outright shocked, and confused.
The scene where Darcy tries and fails to talk to Elizabeth (the "charming house" scene in the 2005 movie) just before the proposal is removed.
Darcy's letter is skipped over and Elizabeth overcomes her prejudice of Darcy very quickly, as shown when she tells Jane she regrets rejecting his proposal. This is contrary to the book, where overcoming her prejudice is an emotionally exhausting and slow process that continues all the way up until the second proposal.
The Pemberley visit is removed; instead, Elizabeth returns home to the news that Lydia has eloped. Visiting Pemberley is very important as part of Elizabeth's re-evaluation of Darcy's character and provides an opportunity for Darcy to show Elizabeth that he has changed for her. The visit is key in increasing Elizabeth's love for Darcy, and removing it means that the characters have less personal growth (also wouldn't it have been great for the audience to be treated to another gorgeous estate of "Old England?"). Instead, Darcy visits Longbourn on his own and offers his help in finding Lydia. When the news comes that Wickham accepts very little money in exchange for marrying Lydia, it isn't as shocking as it is in the book because Darcy had already expressed his intentions of helping Elizabeth earlier.
Here's the change that bugs me the most: Lady Catherine becomes good; though she is a busybody, her main priority is Darcy's happiness. Her confrontation of Elizabeth is a scheme hatched between her and Darcy as a test to be certain of Elizabeth's love. This does not make sense on so many levels: first, Darcy insists that "disguise of every sort is my abhorrence," so why would he resort to trickery, however well-intentioned, to find out if Elizabeth still loves him? Second, Lady Catherine is a social snob and objects to Elizabeth's low connections; also she has an arranged marriage planned for Darcy. Third, in the book, because Elizabeth likes Pemberley and gets along really well with his sister Georgiana, Darcy would have had some evidence that Elizabeth, in the very least, cared for him. And the added claim that Lady Catherine approves of Elizabeth because she likes rudeness and thinks Darcy needs a humorous wife irritates me further because the marriage of Elizabeth and Darcy is revolutionary since it was made in defiance of societal rules!!! Why, why, why in the name of comedy did they have to do this?!
Darcy kisses Elizabeth (in a stagey and melodramatic way) after she accepts his second proposal. Seems a bit uncharacteristic of him.
All the sisters get married at the end. Happily ever after.
CONCLUSION
This movie certainly was not aiming for faithfulness to Austen's novel; it ignores her detailed portrait of Regency era society and its attitudes and focuses on the "light, bright, and sparkling" aspect of Pride and Prejudice that gives the story its timeless appeal.
All in all, this comedy of manners is definitely a classic thanks to the clever dialogue and jokes within the script, along with some great acting.
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@appleinducedsleep @dahlia-coccinea @princesssarisa @colonelfitzwilliams @austengivesmeserotonin
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waffle-lexicon · 3 years
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reading hamlet live updates: (method of reading: aloud, for the first time, with my 8 year old sister who cannot pronounce half the words or understand what's going on.)
you're laughing. they used the funeral pork as the wedding meal and you're laughing.
ophelia really said: thanks laertes <3 if you're mad about me having more of a sex life than you go cry to dad about it and stop bothering me <33
I love how ghosty hamlet daddy got a limited time to spend with the living and he spent half of it describing how the poison he got dumped in his ear turned his blood to chunks.
ooh idk why but it's giving me jane austen vibes with the "discredit my son's name but only a little bit"
wow king + queen just got their (adopted) child paid friends. how loving <3
POLONIUS;;; he's funny. but in a weird creepy old man way funny? I picture him looking like a less slovenly denethor (from LOTR), which is weird. "brevity is the soul of wit" is my favorite quote so far, however. and love how straight after that he goes into the whole "yo son crazy" speech.
hamlet's crazy really comes out with polonius, but not gonna lie this is where I start to like his character the most. ya boy's funny that's all I'm gonna say
"The world's grown honest." "Then doomsday's near." EPIC
I love all of Hamlet's interactions with people so far. the snark is on full blast and he keeps trying to have philosophical discussions that don't work out.
OH he's bisexual
"My lord, I have news to tell you--" "mY lOrD i HaVe NeWs To TeLl yOuuu"
ooh he sneaky sneaky. great plan u theater nerd (affectionate)
catch me shuffling off that mortal coil
GET THEE TO A NUNNERY;;;;; 😱😱😱😱 don't know quite what to feel about this scene yet but I feel like hamlet knew that the king and polonius were there so that makes it 10x funnier
not hamlet telling the actors how to do their job
"Here, sweet lord, at your service." I SEE YOU HORATIO
Wormwood, wormwood.
how DRAMATIC <3 hamlet really said "I'LL TURN INTO A PIPE IF YOU WANNA PLAY ME THAT BAD"
hamlet: darn he just prayed he won't be going to h-e-double hockey sticks if I kill 'im now the king at that very moment: hOW do I PRAY uhhhh MURDER MOST FOUL no that's not right ummm aaaa
wait a second hamlet WHO are you keeping in your heart's core? your heart of hearts, so to speak?
AND THEY WERE SCHOOL FELLOWS
HOW NOW? A RAT??
hamlet has no idea how to use a sword does he.
hamlet: *thrusts rapier wildly through big ol tapestry* polonius, aforementioned rat: oop he got me *falls and dies* hamlet: huh. what
does he just. carry around two pictures of his dead dad and his uncle in the random chance that he's in a broom closet with his mother so he can be like; DO YOU HAVE EYES. YOU MARRIED AN UGLY MAN DO YOU HAVE EYES
act 4.2 is the best thing that shakespeare has ever written fight me
PIRATES
where did the pirates go
I wish that Ophelia's death had happened on stage, but also the way that Gertrude described her death is just w o w. it reads almost like poetry, what with all the flower mentions and the imagery, and it's so so beautiful and really sad.
horatio and hamlet are just having a date in the graveyard huh? how romantic
WHY does this 'clown' keep throwing bones. how does he know whose bones they are. do they have lil stickers on them
part 1/?
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imanes · 3 years
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Hello! You mentioned reading Piranesi a few months ago and I finally got around to reading it and I love it so much - thank you for the lovely recommendation <3 If you don't mind can you talk a little about what you loved about the book (I love hearing your thoughts)? Also have you read Jorge Luis Borges' Ficciones (I believe it inspired Piranesi)?
HELLO my friend!! first of all tysm for taking the recommendation, I'm so happy it worked for you! honestly what do I NOT love about this book? it's hard to wrap my thoughts about piranesi because it was such a lovely reading experience which i honestly need to repeat ASAP because the layers to explore in piranesi are so numerous. secondly let me admit that i haven't read any borges yet BUT he's definitely on my radar and I've been looking for his books on my used bookstore runs since i read piranesi, not to much avail unfortunately but i added ficciones to my tbr for reminder!!
anyways I'm gonna stop right here for anyone who has not read piranesi yet because i think you'd benefit from going into it not knowing much except that it's told in vignettes and that it has elements of mystery which become more and more central to the plot as we advance and unravel the world that piranesi lives in. so don't keep reading past this if u haven't read piranesi yet! i did keep it spoiler-free though so no pressure. also putting everything under a read more bc i truly was obnoxiously verbose adlkjglsjk if it didn't work my apologies 4 it
NOW let's talk about what i loved about the book which honestly will probably just be a flimsy overview bc again i think a re-read would make what i love about it more salient and richer but i guess we can already have a start here!
first of all, the character of piranesi. when i first started the book and immersed myself in his inner voice, i was kind of thinking ok there must be a reason as to why he is so incredibly wholesome but also with an extremely sharp mind and immaculate observation skills. the childlike wonder of his perspective was an absolute joy to read from but also provided some tension because i think pretty early on you catch that he might be a bit of an unreliable character and that what he tells you may not match the reality of what his experiences and observations mean to the reader. you're very much the prisoner of his limited perception, his sometimes bizarre but always delightful thought process, and also again the childlike wonder with which he observes the world and which makes everything carry so much more weight w/o resorting to pompous/pretentious gravitas. a statue isn't just a statue to him, it is the Statue, something important in and of itself, with its own story/mythos and it harkens back to a child's point of view which hasn't yet been shaped by the world and therefore isn't as limited as our jaded adults' minds, even though he is an adult himself, which is apparent in his very keen mind.
then we have the form, with the novel being told in vignettes. i personally really like novels such as these because they feel a lot more personal but also propels the story forward. I'm not a fan of huge chapters tbh because my attention span is trash lmao. it was so easy to immerse myself in his world because the writing was so vivid and honestly made me reevaluate a lot about myself adjdjslg. I'm not much of a quote person but "the Beauty of the House is immeasurable; its Kindness infinite" lives rent-free in my mind because 1. it appears at two key points in the novel and both iterations echo the other brilliantly in their respective context and thus add even more meaning to the quote and 2. i think it's a beautiful metaphor for the world we live in, which leads me to the next point
what i mostly clung to during my reading experience was the theme of confinement to a specific physical space, which can feel suffocating and limited. susanna clarke suffers from a chronic illness that has kept her within the confines of her home for many years and this book very much reflects that. from my personal experience with that theme, i was less reminded of how thematically relevant it was in the middle of a pandemic, and more about how much goodness there is still in this world at a time where everything seems so bleak, and unkind. i myself suffer from an ugly case of chronic cynicism which i think is very unappealing lmao but at least I'm self-aware! being reminded that we live in a world where kindness is indeed infinite in the smallest and biggest of ways is the balm that my shriveled soul truly needed. i guess it's my emotional support quote lmao.
then we have the setting of the book which, while limited spatially, is also so full of wonderful things and imaginative configurations that i was just in awe of everything that was being done with it. the plot is closely tied to the setting and i really want to keep this spoiler-free (just in case) so I'm not going to delve too deeply into it but i'd love to visit this place and have piranesi guide me through the labyrinth of the House and the many wonders (and tragedies) that it holds.
finally we have the MYSTERY and omg i love picking up the clues and kind of forming my own theories along the way bc it truly isn't an in-your-face mystery like a thriller would be. we buddy-read this with some ppl from the book club so the experience of sharing our theories made it all the more pleasant. i really loved how clarke presented the many mysteries of the story in such a subtle yet gripping manner that soon i was just obsessed with knowing who was whom and what they wanted from piranesi and who piranesi was and how this all came to be. all the different players felt fully fleshed out and made me feel veeeery strongly (i.e. i wanted to kill some of them like literally daydreaming about choking them to death... not to sound unhinged or anything). they provided such good foils to piranesi's inherent goodness and all that they lacked in terms of decency. their shamelessness and infinite greed and how they see piranesi as a pawn to use set my teeth on edge so i was just biding my time for the karmic retribution that they'd get akjdlkgj also great exploration of how ambition can be the downfall of mankind
then we have all the clever-people-themes of neoclassicism and philosophy and plato's cave and whatnot and it's not what held my attention so i can't speak much on it bc I'm not one of those clever people who picked upon these themes LMAO but I'll for sure spend more time unpacking these layers on my re-read of this book because there are so many smart ideas hidden in the nooks and crannies of this story that i think you could get something different from each read, kind of like i feel about pride & prejudice by jane austen which offers me new delights to enjoy upon each re-read.
honestly i have so much more to say about how religion is handled, the rituals surrounding grief and their importance in the celebration and respect of of life, birds being amazing creatures, identity and how it can create contradictions etc etc but at this point i might as well just write a college essay on literally every theme explored in this book because it was just SO GOOD! thank u piranesi for me life
tl;dr this book made me feel like my brain was buried in a thick coat of dust and let some much-needed air in
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aliasimagines · 4 years
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Proudest Gradpa // Jason Todd
requested by @im-hqlover
At the mansion, what should be another visit from the reader at her boyfriend’s house turns into a kind of theater, where in the beginning it was just Jason reciting some lines from some of his favorite books, he starts acting too, the reader wanting to get in on the fun pick up her cell phone/book(?) (idk) and starts trying to act too, and the two start walking around the mansion while "acting" and laughing too. I can say that maybe Alfred was proud. (I hope you understand all this)
word count: 488
a/n: i'm sorry, this really took me so long and mostly because I just couldn't decide what book they should read from. eventually i went with pride and prejudice, but i didn't write out the dialoge cause i was too lasy but it's form chapter 34. thank you for the request, hope you enjoy it ❤️
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Jason Todd is a nerd. No matter how many people at school thinks it otherwise, no matter how many of them see a typical bad boy when they look at him.
You know him, and he is a nerd. And it's the cutest thing in the world. Seriously, hearing your tall, crime fighter boyfriend, who looks so intimidating to so many people, ramble excitedly about his current favorite book? It's the best.
You walked in to the manor, after Alfred so kindly gave you a lift, as he was grocery shopping and saw you buying some snacks to bring over.
So as you walked closer to the living room you heard noises. No, it was talking. Jason? Oh he must be speaking to someone on the phone. You walked in the living room, so you could wrap your arms around him from the behind to suprise him when you saw he was not talking on the phone.
He was reading, out loud.
Jason was so into reading that he didn't notice you sneaking behind him and looking over his shoulder.
Your eyes quick found the part he was reading.
"... She paused, and saw with no slight indignation that he was listening with an air which proved him wholly unmoved by any feeling of remorse. He even lookrd at her with a smile of affected incredulity." before Jason could continue and read the next line, you did.
" Can you deny that you have done it?" you read Lizzie's part causing Jason to jump, and turn around with eyes wide open. He looked at you for a second and than, deeply staring into your eyes he continued.
"I have no wish of denying that I did everything in my power to separate my friend from your sister, or that I rejoice in my success. Towards him I have been kinder than towards myself."
You shook your head, unbelievable, of course he knew the book by heart. Jason flashed a smile before passing the book to you. You chuckled quietly and went to read the next words of Lizzie Bennett.
During the next few minutes Jason stood up and the two of you started to act out the scene while walking around the living room. Somehow, while passionately shouting the dialoge at each other, you ended up in the hallway, not far from the kitchen.
A certain butler heard you, not that any of you were aware of how loud you were, and stepped in the kitchen door to peak out.
The sight melted Alfred's heart. Quoting Jane Austen was not an uncommon thing from Jason but seeing the two of you together made Alfred certain that his young master, damn, his grandson found the one.
The way you made him smile and happy? He was so grateful for you being in Jason's life. At that moment he felt like the proudest grandfather ever. And maybe he was.
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ladywhisteldown · 3 years
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A NEW PROSPECTIVE ON BRIDGERTON 🌙✨🤍
part two:
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The viewer is led to follow the emancipation of Daphne from the nest, she learns to know, episode after episode, the temperament, the firmness, the concrete intelligence, less 'ideological' than that of her younger sister Eloise, trapped, this last, in the family narrative - and, consequently, his own - which wants the 'mind' of the family, all intellectual fervor and zero domestic or even emotional yearning. Bridgerton certainly did not invent anything: Jane Austen's heroines were already like that. Normal girls, indeed “barely passable”, to quote Matthew Macfadyen's Mr. Darcy, who in the end managed to win the most coveted bachelor thanks to their wit or sensitivity, thanks to intellectual or, so to speak, spiritual gifts. Bridgerton's heroines have on their side a pragmatism that the Austenian matrix lacks, a natural inclination to act, to want to escape a position of passivity, even sexual. Emblematic in this sense is Daphne's discovery of sex, kept in the dark by her mother of how the 'things of love' work: first through masturbation and then through direct experience with a partner, she understands up to what sexual pleasure is reachable only as long as one renounces to superimpose on it both the codes learned on a cultural level (the myth of female passivity, for example) and above all the family ghosts and their exploitation to achieve purposes, conscious or unconscious, of power or control not only over the other but also over oneself.“Do you do it because you like it or to please me?”: This is the question that, of all, resonates the most once the vision is complete, it is the one that most remains in the midst of a chatter of often negligible suggestions. Paraphrased: How much of what we do in bed is due and how much is enjoyed? To what extent is what seems instinctive to us, however, vitiated by cultural heritage or family complexes?
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technicallysideacc · 3 years
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I was tagged by @theleavesoflorien @tomthenetherlands and @foreverfanficaddict in these three memes, so I thought I’d put them together in the same post 🥰💗 Thank you so much for tagging me, this has been really fun to do!✨
—If I were
if i were a month, i’d be: October ・ if i were a flower, i’d be: a tulip ・ if i were an album, i’d be: "what’s the story (morning glory)?” by Oasis ・ if i were a mineral, i’d be: malachite ・ if i were a sound, i’d be: leaves crunching beneath your feet ・ if i were a colour, i’d be: emerald green ・ if i were a drink, i’d be: gin and tonic ・ if i were a fruit, i’d be: strawberries ・ if i were a quote, i’d be: “there is a fine line between recklessness and courage” (Paul McCartney) ・ if i were a television series, i’d be: NANA ・ if i were a movie, i’d be: Music & Lyrics ・ if i were a fashion brand, i’d be: Pepe Jeans ・ if i were a mythological creature, i’d be: a centaur ・ if i were a taste, i’d be: homely broth ・ if i were a scent, i’d be: burning wood ・ if i were a fabric, i’d be: tartan ・ if i were a body part, i’d be: eyes ・ if i were a song, i’d be: “English Tea” by Paul McCartney ・ if i were a god(dess), my four attributes would be: empathy, kindness, enthusiasm, courage.
—aesthetic tag
rules: bold and total your favorite choices
>> 𝐒𝐎𝐅𝐓 7/20
baby pink | iridescent | glitter is always a good option | no bra | minimalistic tattoos | cherry patterns | sweet scented perfumes | wearing generous amounts of blush | doodling hearts | getting excited to pet an animal | fun nails | rewatching old barbie movies | hair sticking to glossed lips | heart shaped sunglasses | taking pictures of the sunset or sunrise | stuffed animals | protecting nature | stickers everywhere | teen movies | the light rain that falls from a clear sky at the beginning of the night
>> 𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐊 𝐀𝐂𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐀 15/20
neutral tones | masculine outfits | studying languages | worn down copy of books | grey skies | turtleneck sweaters | loose fitting pants | hair tied with a silk ribbon | trying to remember a cool difficult word you read somewhere to use in a convo | thick belts | minimal makeup | windows fogged by rain | vintage jewelry | blouses with cuffed sleeves | reading a murder mystery and trying to solve it | oxford style shoes | sweater vests | subtitled old movies in a language you don’t speak | leaves crackling as you walk | annotating books to express your emotions about the story
>> 𝐄𝐃𝐆𝐘 7/20
closet full of dark clothes | fishnet tights | makeup sweating off | neon signs | searching for unknown songs | chokers | band tees | doodling on old converses | finding smoking aesthetically pleasing but not doing it | weird humor | accidentally very dramatic | dim lights | layered outfits | chain belts | chipped nail polish | messy hair | low quality pics | piercings | combat boots | scribbling on desks
>> 𝟕𝟎’𝐒 7/20
colorful wardrobe | doodling flowers | wearing short shorts | using a bikini top or bra as a normal top | listening to ABBA | flowers in your hair | DIYing everything | jamming to songs alone in your room | drunkenly telling your friends you love them | patterned bandanas | mid heeled shoes | messy braids | flared sleeves | walking barefoot on grass or sand | bold sunglasses | the good kind of tired you get after doing something you enjoy for hours | feeding stray animals | fun patterned socks | room decorated with succulents and other plants | likes to go roller skating or skateboarding
>> 𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐏𝐏𝐘 𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐔𝐀𝐋 6/20
collared clothes | drinking juice out of a champagne glass | getting excited to see the met gala looks | thick headbands | small pastel cardigans | making your friends take your ootd pics | plaid mini skirts | tweed two pieces | watching reality tv to pass time | frilly tops | watching old hollywood movies | academically driven | long manicured nails | new year’s eve fireworks | colourful tights | layered golden jewelry | yearns for luxury brand items | decorating your room with fairylights | cursive and neat handwriting | lace details
—10 characters, 10 fandoms, 10 tags
I’ve tried my best, but there were fandoms in which I just couldn’t choose one!
1. Mass Effect: commander Shepard / Kaidan Alenko 2. The Lord of the Rings: Aragorn 3. Harry Potter: Minerva McGonagall 4. Dragon Age: Inquisition: Dorian Pavus 5. One Tree Hill: Nathan Scott 6. Final Fantasy X: Tidus 7. Downton Abbey: Lady Mary Crawley / Violet Crawley 8. Haikyuu!!: Kageyama Tobio 9. Jane Austen: Emma Woodhouse 10. Resident Evil: Chris Redfield
I’m tagging @theleavesoflorien @foreverfanficaddict @tomthenetherlands @whatagreatproblemtohave @justmehernthemoon @littleprincepleasedontgo  @herefortommo and @halo-the-brave to do any part of this that they want!💕✨
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