#Delacroix II

[mamadayoo]

(...does this fandom ever exist?)

[favficbirthdays]

Happy Birthday

Delacroix II (11th October)

Code: Realize

[meowiarty426]

Everytime I think “I’m going to work on my backlog!” I feel like it expands. I look away, and it grows.

But I’m determined to put a dent in it this year! And it’s been going great so far! Maybe it’ll have a sizable one by the time I get the Switch 2? Which is next month… so debatable.

Next week we will go on a nice journey of Collar x Malice. I’m still on the first fandisc of Code Realize. Which Impey still steals the show, alongside best boy Finis and Herlock!

One of these days I will get to Masquerade Kiss and Destind on the Switch.

Also, they had zero right to make Dellys older form THAT good.

Look at this vampire. Zero right. What the hell, IF?

[diioonysus]

black women + art

[aisakalegacy]

Printemps 1918, Al Simhara, Égypte (8/20)

L’organisation de la cérémonie me donna l'occasion de recontacter de vieux amis, que je souhaitais inviter. C’est ainsi que j’obtins des nouvelles de Heather, la veuve de feu le Capitaine Delacroix, qui est aussi l’infirmière à qui je dois ma vie sauve. Elle est rentrée chez elle à Vancouver où elle a ouvert un institut destiné aux orphelins de guerre. Elle me fit part de ses regrets de ne pas pouvoir assister à la cérémonie à si bref préavis, mais nous envoya une élégante couronne de fleurs en tissus en guise de cadeau de mariage.

[Transcription] Earnest Simmon : Ce mariage est une chance pour nos deux familles. En associant nos fortunes, toi et moi, nous allons pouvoir bâtir un empire. Louise Le Bris : Je n’y compterais pas trop si j’étais toi, et je continuerais d’investir sur mon bien propre. Earnest Simmon : Qu’est-ce que tu entends par là ? Louise Le Bris : C’est Lucien qui va hériter, pas moi, et très honnêtement, c’est mieux comme ça. Je n’ai pas envie d’hériter des dettes. Earnest Simmon : Des dettes ? Louise Le Bris : Les Le Bris n’ont plus d’argent. Mon père ne travaille pas, il gaspille toute la fortune amassée par Grand-Père dans ses voyages. Louise Le Bris : *s’étire* Nous gagnons bien quelques dividendes par les élevages Le Bris, qui sont administrés par notre grand-oncle, et il y a sa pension d’invalidité, mais cela n’est pas suffisant pour couvrir toutes ses dépenses. C’est pour cela que ni Marie, ni Agathon ne sont pas en pension. Earnest Simmon : Je ne le savais pas. Louise Le Bris : De toute manière, avec la fortune de ta famille, on sera largement à l’abri du besoin.

[bloodsalted]

@rosewiltd || meme continuation || from here!

careful gaze locked on the vampire that changed direction the moment he saw dean scoot into the booth of a poor stranger who he struck conversation up with in the first way it popped in his head pretend to laugh. jokes. you know? mundane--not vampire huntery shit. he flashes the pretty lady a sharp, charming grin before he turns his attention back to his target needing him to relax. needing him to forget that silly notion that dean's been following him for a couple blocks. last thing he wants is a confrontation here. or him bolting out the door and getting way too much of a lead on him that dean's not gonna be able to keep up with. then.. a grimace. dean's not the only one finding company. looks like bloodsucker is, too.

living or dead...? that's yet to be determined. but he's got other things to focus on, too. mainly being his company. who is rightfully confused but going along with his request. makes him grin. some people would've told him to get the hell out of their booth and leave them alone.

she's a champ. pretty, too. if he wasn't busy, he'd stick around. ask her if she wanted company. rather than promising her. "i'll be back." like some line from the end of terminator. he doesn't stick around much longer past that. not entertaining what might lead into conversation. he's on the job. and he's got a target in his mental crosshairs.

dean slides out of the booth just as the vampire makes his way towards the back. then stops. when from the corner of his eye, he sees some seriously stereotypical nine inch nails, hot topic looking creeps come in the door. one after another. after another. were they having a gathering somewhere? shit. he knows where the nest is. it's gonna be best to let this one go. FOR NOW. there's way too many potential bloody outcomes he's weighing in his head to keep pushing. no innocent people need to get hurt in here. so? mid-slide, he stops--turns his attention back to the lady. "sorry. change of plans.. uh.. hi. i'm dean.. and kinda missed anything after that laugh.. how's your night" keep it casual. act like this is wholly commonplace. best way to go, yeah?

[uwmspeccoll]

Staff Pick of the Week

Décoration moderne dans l'intérieur by Henry Delacroix (1907-1974) was published in Paris by S. de Bonadona, likely around 1935. Delacroix studied architecture at the National School of Decorative Arts of Paris joining his father’s architectural firm upon graduation. He made a name for himself reconstructing French cities after World War II, most notably City of 4000 in La Courneuve.  

Capturing Delacroix’s penchant for modern art deco inspired interiors, Décoration moderne dans l'intérieur is a portfolio of the genre’s luminaries. The publication contains forty-eight vibrant pochoir (stencil coloring) printed plates of designs by Francis Jourdain, Pierre Chareau, Georges Djo-Bourgeois, and the author, Henry Delacroix himself. He also included a seemingly heartfelt introduction that loosely translates to the idea of a man’s physical and spiritual needs being met through the luxury of a home that can facilitate the rest needed to nurture his imagination.  

Delacroix produced several portfolios of this kind showcasing ideas for an array of architectural settings and including painterly accessories inspired by Chagall and Matisse. A delight for anyone interested in interior design or color theory! Our copy of Décoration moderne dans l'intérieur is part of a gift from the estate of our dear friend Dennis Bayuzick.  

View other books from the collection of Dennis Bayuzick. 

View more posts featuring Decorative Plates.

View other Staff Picks.

– Jenna, Special Collections Graduate Intern 

[sjsmith56]

Bucky Barnes, Deadpool and the TVA (or How I ended up inside the fourth wall)

Summary: A Bucky Barnes fanfiction writer finds herself in the same universe as the Thunderbolts* Bucky when she wakes up in his bed.

Length: 4.1 K

Characters: Unnamed and undescribed OFC, Bucky Barnes, Dr. Strange, Wong, B-15, variant of OFC, OMC (OFC’s husband)

Warnings: some sexual innuendo, naked horny Bucky, no smut (sorry)

Author notes: Just a silly story that I pulled from somewhere in my mind. The part about the OFC and her husband seeing the new Deadpool movie at a matinee was based on real life.

💻 🦾 🛵

The blank page stared at me.  It wasn't blank five minutes ago, but I read what I wrote, and didn't like it, so I deleted it and then I was looking at the page again.  We met before, you, the reader and me, the writer.  I sought help from the very reason I write, Bucky Barnes.  The writing gods first sent me World War II Bucky, a sweet flirty guy who was still interested in the stories I wrote.  The version that appeared to me was from before Azzano and before the train; that dreadful transport of death that changed his whole life in a moment.  Then they sent me the Winter Soldier, the dark brooding villain ... I know, he was more than that, but that was HYDRAs use of him.  He was their Fist, brutally carrying out assassinations on targets they assigned him.  Relentless and frightening in his attention to his task he was still a sight to see; that tall, dark-haired muscular menace and the way he strutted towards his target.  No hesitation, no regrets and totally the object of many fantasies.  I still got warm thinking about the ones I read about, never mind wrote.  On that day, it was Falcon and the Winter Soldier (FATWS) Bucky who came to my rescue.  It was him as he was portrayed at the end of the series, seemingly in a place where he felt at home in Delacroix, becoming part of Sam Wilson's family as their adopted uncle.  That Bucky sat with me, helped me through my writer's block, and even gave me an idea for a Black Widow smut piece that was a gift to my husband.  Before he left, he said he would always be there for me.  At the time, he probably meant it.  Then there was a disturbance in the Force.

Wrong franchise, I know, but how else to explain how things seemed to go a bit sideways?  There were the What If? episodes, that displayed Bucky as the sidekick to Captain Carter.  Those was okay, then he was more of the dark brooding long-hair version of Wakanda Bucky in a zombie wasteland.  At least we got to see a cartoon version of him in the shower, from the waist up.  Wasn't quite enough to quench the fandom's thirst for him but it was a start.  Don't even get me started on the Guardians of the Galaxy Christmas special where Nebula appeared with Bucky's vibranium arm, opening a whole can of worms over whether it was funny (not to me), cute (seriously stealing Bucky's arm is cute?) and canon (no, James Gunn, it wasn't canon to me).  Yes, I'm changing the tense in the middle of a paragraph by telling you to don't @ me if you're a believer in any of the three above.  To me, all three of those scenarios were just wrong.  I got emotional then and I still do.

I wrote since then, some AUs, lots of one shots as I explored that format, several short fiction pieces of less than 50,000 words, and a couple of long ones.  It was going well, then they brought out the Captain America 4 announcement that Bucky wouldn't be in it (what?) and the Thunderbolts* announcement that Sam Wilson wouldn't be in that (seriously?).  Why did they get us to invest our time and interest in a six-part series about these two men forging a deep friendship if they had no intention of continuing it in their movies?  The rumours about Bucky in this upcoming movie littered the pages of tumblr and Twitter (sorry / not sorry X); things like Bucky regressed mentally and emotionally, he and Sam had a falling out, he became a congressman, or he went to work for Val de Fontaine so that he didn't lose his pardon. 

Why would they do that to Bucky?  Let the man have a fucking life.  As you could see I got emotional about it.  On that particular day I decided to have a nap and clear my mind, then it all changed.

💤

"Hey, sweetheart."  I could hear the voice, then I felt a cold hand around my waist, reaching up under my T-shirt.  Jerking away and turning around I found myself in bed with Bucky Barnes, beefy Bucky, with the bad haircut shown in the leaked preview of the Thunderbolts*.   "There she is."

He had no shirt on, and I found it hard to look at him, then opened my mouth to speak but nothing came out.  I noticed the smirk on his face, which made me feel warm, like really warm, the way the writers of Bucky smut describe it; a warm pool forming in my core, between my thighs, deep in my ....  What happened to me?  Where was I?

"You okay, doll?  You have a nightmare?"  His hand cupped my jaw, as he rubbed his thumb on my cheek.

"You're Bucky," I said, still frozen in place, because let's face it, it's not everyday you find yourself in bed with your romantic fantasy.

"Last I checked," he answered, licking his lips then running his hand over the beard he grew since he was in FATWS.  "You're my wife."

I pulled away from him, aware that he might not have anything on at all.  He looked at me funny.

"You seem different.  Tell me you're not a multiverse version of you that's been dropped here."

"I don't know," I answered, pulling the sheet up to cover my front since I realized I wasn't wearing a bra, and my nipples were doing something that was a little disconcerting.  "Am I a writer?  Are we married?  Are you working for Val de Fontaine?"

He laughed, showing those beautiful white teeth, then he leaned close, gently pulling down the sheet and began to nuzzle my neck, making me feel all sorts of things.

"No, yes, and no," he answered.  "Come here."

I pulled away so far that I fell out of bed and sat there on the floor with him looking over the edge at me with a decidedly perturbed expression on his face.  With only panties on underneath that T-shirt I pulled on the sheet, so I was covered again.

"What's got into you?"

"What's my name, Bucky?"

"Sweetheart, sunshine, baby girl, darlin' and my personal favourite, doll."  He was resting his head on his hands, looking at me in a way that was definitely more friendly than I was comfortable with.

"Those aren't names, they're terms of endearment," I answered.  "I am married but not to you and you're supposed to be an Avenger, with Sam Wilson."

"Really, just who are you married to and what is your name?" he asked, in a flirting manner.  "Gotta say, sunshine, this role-playing thing could be fun."

I told him my husband's name and my name.  "I shouldn't be part of the multiverse because it's not real.  It's fiction."

He laughed, then saw I wasn't laughing and frowned.  Angry Bucky alert.  "You have to be from the multiverse.  If you're not, where's my wife?  Why do you look and sound like her?"

I raised my hands up.  "I don't know where she is.  I look like her because I write fanfiction of you, and I picture myself in the original female character's role.  She usually becomes your love interest.  But I had writer's block because Marvel has been messing around with your portrayal and not giving out much information of how they've changed your character.  It was bugging me, so I took a nap, then woke up next to you."

"Who's this Marvel guy?  Do you think he knows where my wife is?"

He didn't know about the fourth wall, was definitely angry and all I could think of was that he looked just as angry now as he did in that leaked Thunderbolts* footage.

"Marvel's not a guy, it's a corporation that owns the copyright to your character."  I winced as I explained it to him, knowing he wasn't liking it.  "You're not real, Bucky.  You're a fictional character from the comics and the movies they made from it.  But you know this already.  I've spoken to you in your World War II persona, your Winter Soldier persona and from when you and Sam fought the Flag Smashers.  That's called your FATWS era."

I started to explain what the letters meant but he just glared at me, so I stopped.  He pulled away from the edge of the bed and got out on the other side, naked, and I did stare, I'll admit it.  God, he had a nice ass and the rest of him from the back was... wow.  Then he turned to face me, and I looked everywhere but there. 

"Get dressed," he ordered.  "You're taking me to this Marvel place and I'm going to get my wife back."

"It's not as easy as that," I replied.  He stared at me, his arms crossed defiantly in front of him while he was still showing everything the serum gave him.  I focused on his face, but it was so hard ... not that, you know what I mean.  "If this is a multiverse incursion then there might not be a Marvel in this universe and even if there was it wouldn't be possible to just walk in there.  We have to find Dr. Strange.  He's the only one who can do anything."

"Fine," he said, "but you're still coming with me.  Now get dressed."

Holding the sheet around me I approached the walk-in closet, but he was still standing there, naked, in all of his glory and he smelled so good when I slid past him to see what was available for me to wear.  Then he was right behind me, practically pressing himself into me and I had to focus, wondering if I had ever written this much raw physical sexuality into my versions of Bucky but it was difficult to concentrate with him so close. 

"You having problems, baby girl?" he asked, his lips so close to my ear that I could feel his warm breath making me moist. 

"I don't know what to wear," I mumbled, still painfully aware of his naked body this close to me and I was really only separated from him by a sheet. 

"We're going on the motorcycle," he said.  "Jeans, T-shirts, and leather jackets."

"Right," I answered, hastily going through the sexy dresses, the long gowns with the thigh-high slits, the almost obscene lingerie, but there were no jeans or T-shirts.  "Um, where are they?"

"In the drawers," he grunted.  "Don't you have drawers in your universe?"

"Yes," I snapped.  "Could you stand further away from me?"

"What's the matter, darlin'? Do I make you uncomfortable?"

"This close to me while naked, yes."  I rolled my eyes, which he must have heard because he huffed, but he did move away, and I was able to get out of that small space.

Quickly, I located the drawer that had jeans and pulled them on.  They were tighter than anything I ever wore but somehow, I got them on.  The bra selection left a lot to be desired as most of it was see through and really didn't offer much support.  I must have made a noise while I was searching for something more modest because he was suddenly beside me.

"Having a problem, sweetheart?  Don't see anything you like?  My wife loves all the lingerie I buy for her."

"It's not my style," I answered.  "Doesn't she have something that covers more?"

"Sports bra," he answered.  "Bottom drawer."

I pulled it open, thankful to find an assortment of sports bras.  Pulling one out I started to take the T-shirt off that I woke up in then became aware of his eyes on me.  Turning around I was startled to see him reclining on the bed, propped up on one elbow, fully clothed, with his booted feet hanging off the bed.

"Do you mind?"

"No, I don't mind at all," he smirked.  "Don't let me stop you.  I've seen it all anyways."

"But you're married.  Wouldn't watching me get dressed make your wife angry?"

He grinned in an almost wolfish manner.  "We have an understanding."

"What?  The Bucky's I write are monogamous.  Are you polyamorous?"

The grin became a broad smile as he looked me up and down.  "If the occasion arises.  Gotta say I'm curious to see if you have the same appetites as my doll."

"Out!"  I wasn't in the mood for this.  "Right now.  Go downstairs and get your motorcycle ready."

Slowly, he slid off the bed, then approached me, backing me up to the dresser, while looking at me in a way that gave me thrills at the same time as setting off all sorts of warning bells in my head.

"You sure, sunshine?"  His fingertips grasped a tendril of my hair, as he twirled it slightly.  "I could definitely make you ...."

"Out," I repeated.  "Please stop this."

He backed up, suddenly respectful of my space.  "Since you said the magic word, I'll wait downstairs for you."

Just like that, he was gone, and I quickly got the sports bra on, then a clean T-shirt.  I pulled on some socks and found some boots, sliding them on.  With a quick run through of my hair with my fingers I looked at myself in the bathroom mirror, wondering what I had done to get into this predicament.

He was waiting on his motorcycle for me, with a helmet in hand.  As I stood there, he placed it on my head, adjusting the chin strap then nodding his head in approval, before putting his on.  I slid on behind him, grasping him at the waist.  His voice came over a Bluetooth speaker in the helmet.

"You okay, darlin'?  Have you ridden a motorcycle before?"

"I'm good.  My husband has one and I've ridden with him.  Where are we going?"

"The Sanctum Sanctorum," he said.  "Might as well go straight to Dr. Strange."

Suddenly, we were there, pulling up to an open parking spot in front of the headquarters of the Masters of the Mythical Arts in the middle of Greenwich Village.  This was definitely a unique universe, as we skipped over the long motorcycle ride from Brooklyn, then the frustration of finding any sort of parking.  Striding over to the door, Bucky rang the bell, and we were ushered in by an acolyte to where Dr. Strange was drinking a cup of tea and Wong was standing there wringing his hands.  Before we could even say anything the two men looked at me, then at each other, then at Bucky.

"Where did you find her?" asked Wong.

That wolfish grin briefly appeared again on Bucky's face.  "In my bed.  Says she's not my wife, so where is she?"

"That is a good question," said Strange, placing his teacup on the table and approaching me, assessing me in a way that was a little disturbing.  "Well, this explains a lot.  You're from the real world, aren't you?  Beyond the fourth wall."

"Yes, I guess.  I'm a fanfiction writer and was taking a nap.  When I woke up it was next to him."  I pointed at Bucky.  "The thing is, he's nothing like the Bucky Barnes character that I write about."

"What's different about him?" Strange's one eyebrow was higher than the other.  It was one thing seeing it in the movies but another thing seeing it in person.  "Is there a problem with my face?"

"No, no.  The biggest difference is that the Bucky's I write are monogamous and this one is polyamorous."

"And?  That's a problem?"

I became aware that I was in the middle of all three men, and they were looking at me as if I were lunch, served on a platter just for them.

"Stop!" I barked.  "Yeah, it's a problem, okay?  Is this a polyamorous universe?  Because I'm not!  I'm married to one man, and I want to go back to him.  Please, you must find a way to get me back to where I belong."

Wong backed away from me first.  "She's right.  Consent is still required in this universe.  Plus, with her being from beyond the fourth wall we could really hurt her.  She's actual flesh and blood ... we're fictional characters."

Dr. Strange backed away, returning to his cup of tea.  Bucky, well, he just sprawled on a couch as if he had always lived there.

"Tell me about what you were doing before you slept," said Strange.

I told him about the physical changes to Bucky's appearance based on the leaked preview of Thunderbolts* and how the fandom was worrying about his portrayal, and the fact that after a six part series of him and Sam becoming friends Marvel just casually split them apart into two different movies as if the other didn't even exist. 

"You care about him," said Strange, his voice neutral.  "You want him to be happy."

"Well, yeah," I replied.  "The man lost everything that mattered to him and was tortured for 70 years, experimented on, and forced to become a killer for a gang of authoritarian thugs.  My thing, my contribution to fanfiction is that Bucky gets a happy ending."

"Sweetheart, I have that," said the super soldier, from where he sat on the couch.  "I admit that I am fucked up, but my wife makes me happy and her interest in our extramarital activities is the same as mine.  Yet, you treat me like I'm some sort of deviant."

"No, it's not that."  I sighed.  "Other writers see you in this way and that's fine; that's their thing and lots of people read them and enjoy them but I guess I just like you better when you're monogamous, kind and gentle.  To someone like me, this version of you is a bit scary and overwhelming."

"That's fair," he murmured.  "You look like my wife.  Does your husband look like me?"

"No, not at all," I smiled.  "He's shorter, balding, not as fit.  But he loves me and he's faithful, kind, and gentle.  He beta reads my stories, and I even wrote a Black Widow smut piece just for him.  I think he imagines me as his Black Widow sometimes."

Bucky grinned, then nodded his head approvingly. 

"Do they break the fourth wall in this Thunderbolts* movie?" asked Wong.

"I don't know.  It hasn't come out yet and there's been very few previews of it.  I think the only Marvel character that breaks the fourth wall is Deadpool.  His movie with Wolverine just came out recently and is making a ton of money."

Both Dr. Strange and Wong perked up.  "Deadpool?  As in Wade Wilson?"

I nodded.  "Yeah, he's fully aware in the movies and comic books that he's fictional.  He often breaks the fourth wall."

My voice tapered off.  Was I here because of Deadpool?

"Sunshine, have you seen the movie?" Bucky was also sitting upright.

I nodded my head.  "My husband and I went to see the matinee just a few days ago."

A green glow emanated from the time stone as Dr. Strange went to wherever he went when he activated it.  Wong watched him carefully as did Bucky.  Then the Supreme Sorcerer stopped his permutations and gazed at me.

"The Time Variance Authority are in this movie," he stated.  "I have a feeling they're involved in this.  But why they would take someone from the real world and place them here is a mystery to me."

Suddenly a TVA portal opened in front of us, and B-15 walked out followed by me, at least a version of me, wearing only a T-shirt and panties.  Bucky jumped up from the couch.

"Doll? Is it you?"

"Oh Daddy, I was so afraid," she cried, as he wrapped his arms around her.  "I woke up in a cell and didn't know how I got there, and ...."  She noticed me.  "She's me."

"I'm sorry," said B-15, looking at me.  "A terrible mistake was made.  Beyond the fourth wall is usually forbidden to our hunters but when you went to see the Deadpool movie your presence was noticed in the theatre with your Bucky variant."

"Wait, my husband is a Bucky variant?"

The leader of the TVA smiled.  "Well, yes.  It's why you write Bucky Barnes fanfiction.  You see him as Bucky and yourself as the original female character.  You don't have to look alike to be a variant.  It's just that you're kind of the model for the OFC in your own universe where you draw your inspiration from.  It's supposed to be a private universe and off limits to the TVA.  Unfortunately, one of our hunters didn't understand that.  He removed Mrs. Barnes here as an illegal variant and installed you as the original in this universe.  He has been sent for judgement and won't be in a position to do that again.  We are also making sure all of our hunters are aware that the Bucky Barnes fanfiction that you write and read in your own private universe is just that, private, at least to us."

"So how do we get this Mrs. Barnes back to her universe beyond the fourth wall?" asked Dr. Strange.  "I have the feeling it's beyond my capabilities."

B-15 smiled at him.  "It is but not beyond mine.  As soon as she's ready to go I'll open a portal back to her universe."

It sounded simple and like many movies, a little bit of a quick fix, but I wanted to go back so I wasn't going to question it.  Wong smiled at me.

"Good luck on the next one shot," he said.

I nodded at him, then Dr. Strange looked at me in that superior way he sometimes had.  "I knew there would be a logical solution."

"Right."

Bucky was next, his wife already wearing his leather jacket.

"Oh, this is yours," I said, starting to take the one I had off. 

"Keep it sweetheart, as a souvenir," he smirked.  "Say hi to your husband for me.  Tell me something.  The lady there said something about the fiction you read.  Does that mean you do read the polyamorous stuff, since you ended up in my bed?"

I sighed as I hated being put in a position of agreeing.  "Every so often one captures my eye," I admitted.  "Doesn't mean it's something I'm interested in trying."

"If you say so."  He glanced at his wife with affection.  "You came through for me.  I appreciate it."

I looked at B-15.  "I'm ready."

She nodded at the others, then punched a few buttons on her TemPad.  A portal opened and I walked through it, then felt the touch of my husband's hand on my shoulder as I was still on top of the bed.

"Honey?  Wake up."

I sat up, saw my husband, and felt a rush of affection for him.

"Sorry, I took a nap, and I guess I was more tired than what I thought."

"No worries," he smiled.  "Um, did you go shopping today?  Is that a new jacket and jeans and boots?"

I was still in the other Mrs. Barnes' clothing.

"Yes?" I answered, tentatively.

He smiled and nodded his head appreciatively.  "I like them.  Makes you look hot.  You should wear stuff like that more often."  Offering me his hand, he helped me up.  "What do you think of taking a ride on the bike and going to a diner for dinner?  My treat."

"Sounds like a plan," I answered.  "Just let me freshen up a little."

When I got outside my husband was already waiting on his Vespa.  I know what you're thinking ... a Vespa is not a motorcycle.  Maybe not in the traditional sense but it is what we have and it's a lot of fun.  I still get to wrap my arms around my husband's waist and maybe he doesn't have a hard body like Bucky Barnes, but he's all mine and I don't have to share him with anyone.  Besides, now that I know he's a Bucky variant I understand how he knows what I like between the sheets, if you get what I mean.  When I do write smut, I'm writing about my Bucky, the one I live with in this universe, beyond the fourth wall.

One Shots Masterlist

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[enlitment]

French Revolution Snapshots from Paris compilation: part II

Eugène Delacroix's Liberty Leading the People my beloved -> I know it's the 1830 Revolution, but still. It felt surreal being able to see it in person!; Louvre

Marat's L'Ami du peuple!; Musée Carnavalet

The 1793 constitution, too good for this world, too pure (excuse the bad quality I tried my best); Musée Carnavalet

This beautiful French revolution era clock which includes the 10-hour dial; Musée Carnavalet

La Conciergerie which served as a prison during the revolution (didn't have enough time to go inside, sadly)

This detailed map of Paris just before the revolution broke out!; Musée Carnavalet

Marquis de Lafayette, looking like he's judging you severly; Versailles

A painting of the National Guard in Paris, 1792 (there's a painting of Valmy just above it which I have as well); Versailles

[arandomdai]

Rodeo Chitlin' Circuit Tour: July 4th and 7th Analysis

I hope you enjoy this analysis. Enjoy!!!

🟠 Introduction

Beyoncé announced the "COWBOY CARTER Rodeo Chitlin' Circuit Tour" on February 1st (very poetic imo). What stood out to me is the 2 dates for Washington. What's the story behind it? Why these dates specifically? Let's dissect.

🔵 July 4th

The July 4th or Independence Day comes from the Declaration of Independence, a day that the 13 colonies were free from Great Britain's rule. During that time, the American Revolution was happening, slavery, and economic hardships due to the war. Very interesting that the very document claims that "all men are created equal", but black people were still slaves around that period. Also, the economy wasn't doing well either due to war and the problems of trade and inflation, which caused the nation to be in debt. Beyoncé's message is clear: history keeps repeating itself. And nothing has changed. She wants real equal opportunity for everyone, fair pay, and actual freedom.

🔴 July 7th

So I did some research on the date and what's so significant about it. Come to find out, National Rock and Roll Day is on July 7th. Also, "The Marco Polo Bridge Incident" (major part in the war), "The Battle of Normandy", and the Japanese Army launched the last banzai charge on Saipan. This all took place during WWII. So I have a feeling that act iii is Black Betty (her heroine/final character) going to war with the machines (the robot cowboys and the Motherboard). This could possibly reference us fighting with the machine (the powers that be/ people in power. So she wants us to come together and fight the system (the machine). This can explain why she says "...and we woke up in Mars" instead of woke up on Mars. She's saying we (and Betty Black/ people of Echoville) are in a war/chaos (Mars symbolize aggression, passion, war, etc.).

⚪ Liberty Leading The People

So I found out that the Declaration of Independence is embedded in Enlightenment philosophy. With the phrase "unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness". The word that stood out to me was "Liberty". I suddenly remember Beyoncé referencing the Statue of Liberty for COWBOY CARTER act ii. The Statue of Liberty represents democracy, enlightenment, immigration, and freedom, and making these ideas possible was/is because of war/conflict. It's clear that Beyoncé plays on two liberties...

The statue of Liberty= What we want.

Liberty Leading The People (c. 1830 by Eugéne Delacroix) (and the sash that showcases part of her Creole heritage)= How to get what we want.

Liberty Leading The People took place during the July Revolution in July 27, 1830 in Paris, France. Just like the setting, the people rising against King Charles X and his ideas/polices alienating the middle class. Not to mention restricting the freedom of press, limitations on voting, and dissolving the Chamber of Deputies. This started The Three Glorious Days (Les Trois Glorieuses). This took place from July 27 to July 29th (RENAISSANCE came out on July 29, 2022). This led to the abdication of Charles X on August 2, 1830. Beyoncé, just like the painting itself, is reminding us that we as a people are powerful and with love and community we can fight for our rights (even if it means literally).

I find it interesting that Coldplay had this painting for their album cover for Viva La Vida or Death And All His Friends (c. 2008)

July 4th is 3 days before July 7th 👀

Also a possibility that Betty Black is the heroine leader just like Liberty.

🟥 Thank you for reading my analysis. Can't wait to type more soon. You can ask me anything🟥- ☺️❤️

[xtruss]

This Painting of Lounging Lions Was Hanging In A Family’s Living Room. It Turned Out To Be An Original Delacroix

— By Andy Corbley | Mar 28, 2025

Up for auction today at a swanky Parisian auction house will be a slightly lazy paint sketch of some lions.

But these relaxed beasts are more than they appear. As it turns out, the work entitled Study of Reclining Lions was a lost creation from one of Paris’ greatest ever modern painters: Eugène Delacroix.

The man whose hand wielded the brush that gave the world Liberty Leading the People, Delacroix also painted these 7 lions in a swirl of brown and ochre savannah, but after a 1830 sale following his death, the work disappears from records.

It turned up during an appraisal at a home in France’s central region of Touraine conducted by Malo de Lussac.

“The owners were not sure that it was a Delacroix,” de Lussac tells Agence France-Presse. “When I arrived in the living room, my gaze was attracted by his magnetism. It was very moving. Delacroix’s works are seen very regularly in museums but very little in private hands.”

Sophia Anderson at the Smithsonian Magazine reports that Delacroix loved very much to observe the tigers and lions kept in the menagerie at the Jardin des Plantes in Paris.

“How necessary it is to … stick one’s head out of doors and try to read from creation, which has nothing in common with cities and the works of man,” Delacroix once wrote, and Anderson shared.

Up for auction at Hôtel Drouot auctioneers, the estimate is between €200,000 and €300,000.

“Over the course of his career, Eugène Delacroix produced numerous studies of fauves [wild animals] either for their own sake or for inclusion in a scene with figures,” writes Lee Johnson in The Paintings of Eugène Delacroix: A Critical Catalogue, 1816-1831. “In 1829, he considered a composition on this theme for the Salon, hesitating whether to paint lions or tigers at rest, in contrast to the academic subjects of fighting and hunting. He finally opted for the latter, and exhibited a Young Tiger Playing with its Mother.“

Klimt Painting of An African Prince Lost For Nearly 100 Years Goes On Show In Austria

— By Andy Corbley | Mar 25, 2025

Prince William NII Nortey Dowuona, 1897 – Credit Wienerroither & Kohlbacher Galleries.

A portrait of a stately West African leader painted by famed Austrian artist Gustav Klimt has reappeared in public after being lost before World War II.

Nearly a hundred years have passed since it was last seen, and is now exhibited at Wienerroither & Kohlbacher Gallery in Vienna, with a price tag of €15 million.

The portrait of Prince William Nii Nortey Dowuona—a representative of the Ga people in West Africa, comprising parts of modern-day Ghana, was painted by Klimt in 1897, sold by the artist’s estate in 1923, and lost by 1938.

An art historian who had been searching for the work for 2 decades verified its authenticity for W&K Galleries with the help of a well-faded stamp on the back of the canvas. A wealthy Austrian Jewish family who had converted Klimt’s studio into a villa acquired the painting in 1928 for an exhibition.

That was the last time and place it was seen, for by 1938, the Klein family had abandoned their property and fled the growing anti-semitism in their homeland to Monaco.

“The composition and painterly execution point to Klimt’s turn towards decorative elements, which were to characterize his later work, and are directly linked to his pioneering portraits of the following years,” said Alfred Weidinger, who authenticated the work, in press materials.

Prince Dowuona traveled to Vienna for a late-colonial sing-and-dance called the Völkerschau which exhibited ethnographic displays from colonized people around the world at an urban zoo. This is where a friend of Klimt’s first found the stately African leader, who was one of 120 Ga people who traveled via steamship to Austria for the Völkerschau, according to Art Net.

It’s believed that both Klimt and his friend Matsch painted Dowuona, but being that this work remained unsigned and in Europe, the client, whoever it was, probably selected the one painted by Matsch.

Klimt’s corpus includes many that have fetched 8-figure sums at auction houses, and one that sold for $108 million of an unknown woman holding a fan. There is currently no plan to auction this work.

Lost Rembrandt Found Tucked Away In Attic In Maine Sells For $1.4 Million During Bidding War

— By Andy Corbley | September 11, 2024

Kaja Veilleux auctioning the Rembrandt painting Portrait of a Girl – Credit Thomaston Auction Galleries

“Tucked away” in a home attic in Maine alongside a “collection of heirlooms and antiques” art appraisers found a lost Rembrandt portrait.

Depicting a teenage woman in 17th-century Dutch attire, it recently sold at auction for $1.4 million, delighting the handlers who know it will be preserved and shared with the art world in a manner befitting the Dutch master.

The sale was handled by New England’s Thomaston Place Auction Galleries and Appraisers, who were on a routine house call to Camden, Maine. Kaja Veilleux, the gallery’s founder and a seasoned appraiser, was the one who eventually pinned the portrait as something special.

“We often go in blind on house calls, not knowing what we’ll find,” Veilleux said.

Painted on an oak board, and set in a gold Dutch frame, Veilleux turned the work over and found a neat little tag from the Philidelphia Museum of Art with the word ‘Rembrandt’ on it. It also bore the name of the work, Portrait of a Girl.

Not something you see every day to be sure. While finding masterworks of all sorts hidden in attics and cellars is no strange phenomenon, they’re typically rediscovered in Europe. To find one in Maine was a real shock.

A bit of research uncovered that the work was loaned by a Mr. Cary W. Bok to the museum for an exhibition in 1970. How it ended up in Maine is a mystery.

“Not many painters paint like Rembrandt, for one thing, and one of the trademarks of the Rembrandt paintings and the Dutch masters is what I call a ‘ribbon candy collar,'” Mr. Veilleux, wearing a soft gold waistcoat as part of his auctioneer attire, told local news channel WMTW in a Nick Nolte-like gravelly voice as he gestured to the girl’s lace collar.

It’s the first time he’s auctioned a piece for more than $1 million. He said that most things sell in about 30 seconds, but the Rembrandt sale went on for 10 minutes, with 9 buyers engaging in a telephone bidding war that “could have brought anything.”

But it’s not about the money for Veilleux.

“To me, it’s about bringing this art to light so it’s protected, cared for, and preserved.”

While it hasn’t been authenticated, Veilleux seems convinced, and suggested that $1.4 million is, in fact, a bargain.

Painting Found In Italian Villa Basement Turns Out To Be Original Picasso

— By Andy Corbley | October 9, 2024

Credit, Andrea Lo Rosso, Provided to the Media

A painting that was found in a basement signed with the name “Picasso,” but that was dismissed, thrust into a cheap frame, hung in the family house, and then in a restaurant, has finally been recognized as an authentic piece by the Spanish artist.

The value is already estimated to be $6 million, but if recognized by the Pablo Picasso Foundation in Paris, it could be worth twice or thrice that much.

The painting is believed to be an asymmetrical image of Dora Maar, who was Picasso’s lover at a time when he spent a period on the Italian island of Capri, where in the 1950s, Luigi Lo Rosso, a local pawnbroker who used to comb dumps and abandoned houses for treasure, found it in the basement of an empty villa.

According to the story, reported stateside by CNN, Lo Rosso believed it to be authentic, but his wife was less impressed, and so Luigi stuck it in a frame and gave it to her as a present to her great chagrin.

Luigi’s son, Andrea, wasn’t even born at the time. He told CNN that his mother took the Picasso and another canvas covered in dust and lime her husband had found and washed them with detergent as if they were carpets.

In college, the younger Lo Rosso came upon another piece of Picasso’s depicting Dora Maar in an art history textbook, and learned he was in Capri at the time when it was made. Coming home, he told his mom they may have something special on their hands.

It took decades, but because Andrea went through the proper channels—namely treating it as if it were stolen and registering it with the patrimony police, more attention was given to it than the experts Andrea had first contracted were willing to offer.

Locked in a police vault in Milan until 2019, the quest for authentication of the work was concluded when Cinzia Altieri, a graphologist for a patrimony court in Milan, worked for several months to authenticate the Picasso signature in the corner—it was 100% real.

Andrea hasn’t stopped at Altieri’s examination, nor on the word of Luca Gentile Canal Marcante, an art expert and honorary president of the Swiss-based art restoration non-profit Arcadia Foundation, who also says it is doubtlessly authentic.

Andrea is seeking the approval of the Picasso Foundation in Paris—something his father always hoped might come to pass.

“I’m happy but let’s wait to toast, there is still one step to take before we consider this incredible story over,” Andrea Lo Rosso said.

“I continue to work as I do every day in the hope that even in Paris they will be convinced of the authenticity of the painting.”

Artwork Painted By Picasso Discovered In A Closet in Maine After A Half Century

— By Andy Corbley | Jul 12, 2021

John McInnis Auctioneers

While it sounds like the height of absurdity to say, one could never imagine how often it happens that paintings by art’s great masters are found in people’s attics.

In recent years, GNN has reported on a possible Da Vinci being found tucked away in a Scottish farmhouse. Then there was the case of a Fra Angelico Renaissance masterpiece being discovered in a modest house in the middle of England.

Now, a recent auction in Massachusetts featuring rare pieces of art collected from estates around the north-east has seen a previously unknown painting by Pablo Picasso being sold for $150,000.

Depicting Spanish well-to-dos attending the bull fighting arena, it is thought to be a preparatory sketch for a stage curtain as part of a 1919 Ballets Russes production (it’s still to be officially authenticated by the Picasso estate).

It was found tucked away with other paintings in the closet of a house belonging to a New England man’s recently deceased relative.

It would not be the first time a Picasso has turned up where one wouldn’t expect: A decade ago, GNN reported that hundreds of Picasso’s works, collected by a French electrician, had been received by a museum as a gift.

According to a statement by the anonymous seller on the auction house website, the Maine home in which the sketch work was found belonged to the man’s great aunt—she had studied in Europe, enjoyed bringing things back to the States, and generally lived an exciting life.

Then man came to own the house when his father inherited it after the great aunt passed away.

The 16×16 image on paper is believed to be a preliminary mock-up for the curtain that would act as the backdrop to Le Tricorne, which debuted at the Alhambra Theater in London after World War I.

The actual curtain which Picasso would later make is 20 feet by 19 feet, and is currently located in the New York Historical Society after spending 55 years on the wall in the Four Seasons restaurant. Picasso also designed the sets and the costumes for the play.

[lilacnlavender01]

Married Life Gossip (Preview I & II)

So what do you do when you don't have the means to cater to the elites but you must achieve a semblance of success? You stick to appearances. That's right. There was this atelier turned studio in Toronto owned by a French painter who decorated the place as if it were an art exhibition, very avant-garde and presumptuous.  Leave it to the French to gather all kinds of trinkets and think of themselves as Midas! Anyway, Pierre was willing to lease his miniature Palace of Versailles for a small fortune. It was a lot less than what Michael would have to spend buying a property but still, the price was outrageous! 

He tried to bargain, of course. When a counteroffer didn't work, Michael turned his attention to the art pieces. Did they want to keep the authentic Persian rug? Yes, the elites went crazy over meticulous craftsmanship. What about the two Dutch paintings? Most people couldn't differentiate between a Rembrandt and a Vermeer to save their lives. One would be more than enough. Then, there was one Degas, one Monet, two Delacroix, one French rococo style mahogany and brass chest in pristine condition, two vintage mid-century leather armchairs, a baroque console from the 18th century in pure gold with a marble top, one Victorian maple and walnut writing desk (that they had no use for to begin with) and a custom-made three tier chandelier in Swarovski crystal and gilt brass. At least Pierre did a kindness and kept the walls painted white so as to not contrast with the red velvet curtains.

It was deeply disconcerting to Michael to feel more overwhelmed by the painter than his odd eccentricities. Finally, after a lot of back and forth, they reached a consensus. They relinquished the majority of the antiques, replacing them with modern furniture. Realizing they were dealing with a south-facing studio, they disposed of the curtains. Natural light came burgeoning, offering softness and warmth to a now lighter environment. They worked around the space provided, changing the placement of the armchairs - facing each other instead of being at the back of the room - purchased some pop art decorative objects, small pieces that could visually engage the audience when the interviews didn't provide enough entertainment. 

And before they knew it, playing house was over. 

It was now time for phase two: select the athletes. Michael, being an enthusiastic devotee of hockey, wanted to make his big debut with Damianos Vallis and Auguste Devere interviewing each other. 

"You're the GOAT, man." He says now to Damianos, nodding his head in approval. "I've never seen anyone play the way you do. It's like you were born for this."

"Thank you." Discreetly, Damen checks his watch. Laurent's flight got delayed by forty minutes, which is the least concerning issue out of all the worst possible outcomes but the problem is that as soon as he arrived at the scheduled time, Michael made a beeline for him and hasn't let him go since. Without his agreement and at length, Damen has been briefed on AoA's lore. And there was more to come.

"I was so bummed when the network told me they couldn't afford you. I mean, not like that!" He says, head thrown back in laughter. "We couldn't pay as well as we do now and the interview would've taken precious time out of your schedule... It's fine, it's fine. I get it. I would've done the same thing, no worries.

"I..have no idea what you're talking about."

"What do you mean? You have no idea..." This time Michael's laughter comes out sounding a little less genuine. 

"This was the first time I've received an invitation to be on the show." Damen says matter-of-factly. "I accepted it immediately, as you know. And it was never about the money. I like the concept.”

“Thank you?” But he keeps looking at Damen as if suddenly he has sprouted a second head. Damen holds his gaze, unapologetic in his honesty. “I’m sorry, I’m not calling you a liar I swear, but that doesn’t make sense. I was there when our staff contacted your team. Your manager asked a bunch of questions, the first being how much money we were willing to pay for your ‘cameo’. They scoffed at the given amount and then proposed an astronomical figure. We were disheartened by the whole ordeal.”

@saveahorserideacowboy commented: Don’t give a rat’s ass about the rumor thing but seeing the way they look at each other and talk to each other it’s quite obvious that there’s something going on between them. Call it sexual tension, mutual attraction or whatever else, they’re interested in each other. And I sincerely hope that the ring Laurent was flaunting around is a gift from Damen cause if not… the cheating allegations will hit them so hard I don’t even know. 

@GK001 commented: Can you imagine Laurent’s partner listening to his man say Damianos is very attractive and always smells good (on GOD) and if that wasn’t bad enough, that they spent the night together watching a horror movie? I’m all about healthy relationships and trusting your significant other but this is insane lol. Divorce baby, divorce. 

@hmmnoidea replied to @GK001: Bro, he didn’t say Damianos always smells good. It 's worse. He said he likes the way Damianos smells. I just know those sheets were the catalyst to a strong Pavlovian response. Not showering for three days because he smelled like him, you bet. And I don’t think he’s dating someone else. They’re too much into each other to entertain thoughts of being with other people. 

@lulu123 commented: Yo, why aren’t yall screaming about the ring??? That’s a freaking wedding ring!!! Forget about dating, he’s literally married!! And do I have to remind yall who mentioned - very recently, mind you - finding the right person and thinking about marriage? Damianos. Freaking Damianos Vallis. He went ahead and married Laurent when everyone was speculating about them dating AHAHAHAHAHAHAH genius move, if you ask me. They look so good together! And can we talk about that size difference? Laurent always avoided the ‘What’s your type?’ question like the plague but I knew he would never disappoint me. He literally locked in the sexiest man alive and called it a day. Teach me your ways, sir OTL 

@Nikswife commented: I’m having major déjá vu thinking about that podcast ep. with Damianos and Lazar. A lot of things make sense now. That comment about the family function, him asking how Damianos’ mother reacted when she met his partner (because Lazar and Laurent are both French), him saying ‘Damen is so much better at dealing with him, believe me. If there’s someone who can make it happen for you, it’s him.’ Right, of course because he’s MARRIED to Laurent Devere. *facepalms* Eva Wilde will watch this interview and start screaming, crying, throwing up for 3 hours straight. Your married life gossip show might come true, girl.

Hey, guys! So, this is a small preview of what chapter II will entail before I drop the full chapter. (It's another big one so editing it's taking a bit of time but it's going smoothly 😋)

In the meantime, if you haven't already and are interested in checking out, please read chapter I here:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/66101017/chapters/170347924

Seen you soon!

[chynandri]

thoughts on code:realize so far. i really love the found family/friendship in this game. it doesn't feel like these guys are all your love interests but genuine friends who are written to show so much consideration toward mc. and mc has a pretty active role in the story. overall, i feel a good sense of equality between mc and the guys. I chose van helsing’s route first (I have some sort of accidental talent for choosing the most intense characters first lmao)

while i feel the pacing is a bit slow to actually get On to a guy's route, i can appreciate that they wanted to properly flesh out the story and each character to you and how they relate to mc. it's more of a slow burn with the aim of natural relationship progression i think.

van helsing's route (junichi suwabe <3) definitely made me cry a few times lol. van's life is... utterly miserable!! lol there really is a very thin thread between him living and just killing himself cuz god I WOULD if i had to do all the horrible things he did. but i think what this route does well is highlight the cruelty and immorality of the british royal government behind its veneer of sophistication and elegance which is - not too far off from reality. delacroix II is not usually the kind of character i like but, perhaps it's because aventurine is recent in my mind you can't help but feel so bad for the 'last of my kind' characters. they really got across how this is a deeply traumatized child trying to preserve what remains of his people, and a similarly traumatized adult who was forced to commit a massacre of that child's race and lost his own family too. god. they're both victims of the government and their only reason to live is for revenge otherwise there's nothing left... except for each other, and their new found family.

i didn't expect code:realize to get so dark but, this is the best part about otome games so far. the unexpected themes and depth is what i'm here for

But… the reveal that aleister was orchestrating all of van’s misery does kinda detract from possible commentary. He’s just some really messed up guy, also traumatized which probably broke him but like in all the wrong ways. I guess he too is a victim but it’s never really explained? First he said he killed his own family after the massacre, then he cites what sounds like an earlier incident of his family dying as what made him love despair? I’m a bit confused here. While it did add even higher stakes and angst, the lack of explicit explanation/logic for aleister being the twist villain does make the story weaker to me imo.

So in the end I’m not sure how well this sensitive topic is handled? Though van’s frustrating personality and trauma seems realistic even if it makes mc and van’s interactions a bit repetitive. And to me, within the story, it feels fair and most constructive that van lives on to atone for what he did by directly helping the vampire-human relations. And I think Delacroix’s conflicting feelings of wanting him to both die and live is understandable. Considering the vampire race are peaceful in this game, that seems in line with the ideals his father probably upheld.

I’m going on impey’s route now bc the types of characters that appeal to me truly are on two ends of a intensity spectrum lol. Silly guy or extreme suffering guy I like them all. But van’s route being overall so compelling and relevant to mc I do miss him a lot already lol 😔

[elsalouisa]

"The visit of the Czar and Czarina in 1901 gives rise to even more riotous celebrations. It is the peak of the Franco-Russian alliance. The band of the First Regiment of the Imperial Guard—the Preobrazhensky Regiment—is in town giving concerts. Russian uniforms are everywhere; you scarcely ever hear the “Marseillaise” without hearing immediately afterward “Bozhe Tzaria Khrani’; “Vive la France!” is followed by “Vive la Russie!” Beneath the crossed flags—the tricolor and double eagle—on the streets bearded Russians and wiry French tush into each other’s arms and kiss and, to make it more Russian, three times on each cheek. A Cossack almost gives his life for the jubilee celebrating the Franco-Russian accord when he is mobbed by the affection of the crowds as a member of Their Majesties’ retinue. The entente cordiale is constantly more cordial.

Then comes the Ballet Russe of Sergei Pavlovich Diaghilev. It is madness. The colors of the costumes of Léon Bakst are bright and strange. Nijinsky’s fantastic leaps draw cheers. The incomparable Anna Pavlova is an ethereal swan. The inspired dancing of Mordkin, Massine and Karsavina to the music of Stravinsky, Debussy and Ravel drives Parisians wild! People start to pick up Russian words, to change ‘their apartments and be delighted if “c’est trés Russe.” Paris is embarked on a Russian craze—women affect la maniére Russe, wearing Caucasian blouses, Cossack boots, Ukrainian hats as stylized by the French modistes. Coats are tcherkeskas, kaftans, poddevkas —broad in the shoulders, wide in the skirt, with braided belts catching up wasp waists. It’s very chic. I must get one, two, three of everything...

I glimpse the Czar of all the Russias and the Czarina for the first time this summer at an immense reception at the Palais de l'Elysée, where a beaming President Faure receives Their Majesties. Nicholas II charms everyone. He is short, broad-shouldered, stands straight and looks at the crowd from patient dark gray-blue eyes. He is earnest, the living image of his mother, and appears as a rule in a simple uniform, often that of a colonel of one of his favorite regiments. The Empress, Her Majesty Alexandra, a little German Princess of Hesse, is taller and holds herself proudly. Her coiffure, just a small tight lump of blond hair, is the despair of Delacroix, the court hairdresser. She is usually in white and wearing jewels, mostly pearls and diamonds, from ears to waist. She wears them without joy. She does not inspire the spontaneous French. “Oh, la la! Elle a une figure d’enterrement!” I hear on the streets. (She has the expression of one who follows a funeral.) When I am first presented to her this sadness is thought to be because she is a mother only of girls. Always she asks when a matron is presented to her, “Have you children?” And looks sadder than ever if the lady, plunging in a deep reverence, answers, “A son, Your Majesty.”

Marguerite Cassini "Never a dull moment"

[surelenore]

" some call her 'sister of the moon' some say illusions are her game they like to wrap her in velvet does anyone know her name ? "

basic information:

character name: Lenore Desiree Turei-Delacroix

nickname(s): N/A

face claim: Simone Kessell

mutation status: Gen I

birthday: January 18th, 2026

sexuality: bisexual + biromantic

moral alignment: true neutral

occupation: philosopher

work sector: sector five

affiliation: leader of moonscar

3 positive traits: confident, decisive, diligent

3 negative traits: self-serving, materialistic, fixated

biography (optional): will be linked soon! brief overview while i work up the energy to finish writing it: was in a disconnected town (that would probs better be referred to as a settlement) in NZ that basically worshipped the moon, almost everyone there survived the meteors but became mutants, a lot of in-fighting until the cure but yk they killed the first round of people who came in with the cure, became targets after they were cured bc of that. lenore and friend used lenore's ritual magic to like idk basically kill intruders and turn them into zombies (the obeying type) but eventually learned that that also kept them semi-immortal! turned it into a ritual and brought visible mutants who were on the run in to keep them safe. would draw straws for the sacrifice to keep things fair (unless someone wanted to volunteer). friend volunteered eventually and lenore's inability to let go of her was really homoerotic but eventually she had to! moonscar was found and attacked again. with lenore as the only person left from the original moonscar, she made the executive decision that they would relocate to sol city - the settlement was nearby enough + accepted mutants. upon arrival, with their newfound safety, moonscar became more of a... drink wine with the girlies but also occasionally commit atrocities in the name of everlasting life and whatever it is that the other girlies need! <3

questionnaire:

how do they feel about living in sol city? have they always lived there or did they travel from another settlement? She has not always lived in Sol City and sees it as nothing more than a means to survive. Her previous settlement was constantly under attack by anti-mutant humans soon after the cure, so it eventually got to the point that... when she was basically the only person left who had been part of all that history, she was like 'okay guys, we're moving.' That occurred ~20yrs ago.

do they trust the council’s leadership? why or why not? Not really, but she's never paid them too much mind. Human beings are so temporary!

if they chose their sector and profession, why did they make that choice? if they didn’t, why not? were they happy with their assignment or not? She didn't choose either. Really, she had not been Working™ working for so long that she did not care Where she was put... like, for the most part. Janitor? No thank you. Waste disposal? No thank you. Test subject? No thank you. But, for the most part...? Anyway, philosopher has been working out!

what’s one object that they always keep on their person? A necklace with a moon pendant. (While it is not the cause of her mutation, it does amplify its power... even if only psychosomatically...)

(mutant only section)

what is your character’s ability (or abilities)? Ritual Magic

are they gen i or gen ii? Gen I

what can your character do? what are their strengths? Lenore is capable of... pretty much anything magical! The only caveat is that it must be done through some kind of ritual or another, hence the name. However, even without ritual, she can purify evil, gain control over someone (if so desired) by speaking their name, and gain power from prayer and worship. She has semi-immortality -- an immortality that is dependent on her ability to provide sacrifices -- and werecat physiology on certain days of the month. On those days of the month, she has advanced senses and possesses the powers that go along with feline physiology.

what can’t they do? what are their weaknesses? For the most part, it's not a 'wave your hand and it happens' type of magic, there are steps Lenore must take for most of the magic. She can do some cool shit! Raise the dead, possess people, bestow powers... she just needs to complete a ritual for most of it. She will also, without fail, turn into a werecat every Harvest moon. Of course, that's less concerning now that the environment and the Earth's relationship to the sun and moon... is the way it is, but... In addition, while she may be perceived as immortal, she is not. Every month, she must provide one 'human' sacrifice (mutants are accepted, but... mutants are superior -- if they can get a human, they're gonna get a human). When given the option, Lenore (and Moonscar as a whole) will pick a human who's just shitty, but if that option doesn't arise, there has to either be a volunteer or they have to draw straws... and, as the leader, Lenore has become exempt because she's terrified of death.

is there anything else you’d like to specify about them? 1) On the physiology side, as a Gen I mutant, she, of course, has some visible qualities. None are too glaring -- golden eyes with slit pupils, a light tabby-esque striping, sharp canine teeth and nails -- but... ya know, when she's a werecat, please do picture the werecats from Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island (which is also where the name Moonscar originated from <3). If they were live action, Simone and/or Lena would have been her secondary FC! 2) I will be writing an in-depth blurb on Moonscar because it has a RICH history that will be covered A LOT in her official intro, but... just some quick basics: has been in action since the 1800s and started as more of a settlement, shit got real after the meteor when there was a total massacre, recruited various visible mutants as a way to protect them with Ritual Magic, they were found again, they moved the base to Sol City to fly under the radar and things have gotten a lot chiller since then and also... a lot less extreme since they are not constantly under threat... more 'wine with the girlies' now, but still... any ritual, however disturbing, needed for [XYZ] -- that's what they're there for!

[sociavoidance]

Tableau Vivant in Ateez's Guerrilla

An Overview "Guerilla" refers to a small, often politically motivated group opposing a larger armed force. The term was used thoughtfully in the song by rappers Hongjoong and Mingi from ATEEZ, a South Korean group, to inspire action and resistance against suppression. The accompanying music video depicts ATEEZ as rebels in a dystopian society where creativity and individuality are "banned". They infiltrate and break into government centers to spread a message of freedom, urging citizens to resist the oppressive system.

Elements of Tableau Vivant

The music video, featuring an anthemic rock-influenced beat, is rich in symbolism and references to historic artwork. One notable scene bears a striking resemblance to French artist Eugène Delacroix’s 1830 painting, Liberty Leading the People, which symbolized the French Revolution's unity among all social classes (peasants to elites). This echoes ATEEZ's message of unity and common purpose in their track.

Additionally, the scene evokes Joe Rosenthal's iconic photo, Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima, capturing the planting of the U.S. flag during World War II. This photo symbolizes the resilience of the U.S. Marines. Similarly, ATEEZ's stance in the scene reflects strength and resilience, resonating with the bravery of endurance in the face of adversity.

Final Thoughts

In "Guerilla," what really stands out to me is how they effectively depict the presence of the opposing armed force that the guerrillas are against. It's fascinating how they utilize imagery such as airships hovering ominously in the sky, symbolizing a pervasive surveillance, as well as dynamic camera movements that pan from above to below to highlight the contrast between the two opposing groups. Additionally, their use of symbolic elements such as the anarchy symbol and the Metropolis cityscape serve to emphasize the overarching theme of power dynamics at play.