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dulcewrites · 6 months

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ewan in the saltburn trailer is j sooo giving private school filthy rich aemond i love it

AND YES HE NEEDS HIS POC GF

I have been feeling…. less than inspired lately about hotd tbh but hopefully this will spark something. I know no one asked for this lol. This was inspired by Beyoncé’s Upgrade U. Honestly, I don't think Aemond would be much of a loser in a modern setting. He would be far too elusive and people would find him interesting simply based on that. But I am combining/changing some lore here so he is a #loser in this like I am assuming Ewan's character is Saltburn is.

Upgrade You

Pairing: Aemond Targaryen x rich!reader (wc: 2k)

Summary: You have always enjoyed having a project to build or fix up and Aemond Targaryen is no different

You flick a spoolie brush over your brows as you finished up your makeup. The lights from your vanity mirror illuminating you as you put the last touches on your face.

"I don't get it," Melanie sighed as she hugged one of your pillows to her chest. She sat crossed legged on your California king bed. "You're like the smartest person I know. Why do you need to be tutored?"

"Everyone can improve themselves, no matter what someone's specialty may be. Remember that."

Melanie nodded enthusiastically. Sweet girl, you think. A little daft at times but nothing some time under your guidance cannot fix.

She tilts her head curiously. "You are pretty dressed up for a library meeting too."

"Another lesson," you fluff your curls then turn from the mirror to her. "Do not let anyone tell you that you are overdressed. Does the library have a dress code?"

Melanie shakes her head slowly.

"So, who is going to tell me to change?"

"... No one?"

"Exactly."

Melanie chews on her lip in thought as if she is taking mental notes in her head. Though she is not wrong you are quite dressed up just to be studying. But your advice was also not wrong; any moment to be noticed should be taken and made the most of. If are to come into contact with any of your peers, why not make the best impression possible. You also do not have in it in you to tell your new pupil about the real reason as to why you were making this little trip. Best move through life with your cards close to your chest as your mother tells you. You can only imagine how wide Melanie's hazel eyes would get if you told her what you had up your sleeve.

Much like how you help the girls around you cultivate their futures, you must look out for your own as well. Your phone dings, and you smile when you check the notification.

Aemond Targaryen.

Archaic, some would say. Sending the feminist movement back 50 years, many could argue. Being realistic is more how you would put it. You have money, sure. Your parents have afforded you all the opportunities they wanted you to have, and for that you are grateful. But you are not naive; this is still very much a man's world. No matter how much money you have, there will be people who will look at you and hate you for having the gall to want more. For having ideas and wanting to express them. For looking the way, you do - for using the way you look against them.

You may not be able to have a seat at the table... but you can have someone build another for you.

Your family may have resources and money. But they do not have 'my father can use company family buy his way into politics; my mom has ancestry that traces back to French royalty' reach.

Luckily for you, there is someone who does have that access.

A little rough around the edges, but nothing some TLC cannot fix. It was one of your best traits: finding the diamonds in the rough and polishing them off so they shine brighter than before.

You go over to your closet and open the double doors. As your eyes search over the different handbags, you call out back to Melanie.

"Watercolor Dior saddle or creme Bottega Jodie?"

"Dior," she calls back.

You check yourself in the mirror before existing the closet.

"Well," you twirl for Melanie. You run hand over your midi turtleneck dress. You knee length boots clanked around as you moved in a circle.

"Perfect," she beams.

She sees you out to your car. With the window rolled down, she waves you off like a mother seeing their child off for kindergarten.

"Happy studying!"

Sweet and simple, just how you like em.

———

You always thought the best thing about Oxford was how it looked in the fall. The leaves begun to change, sprite green to a blend of red, orange, purple, and brown. Made the most picturesque background. But it seemed like how gently the leaves fell from the trees was the only thing that was coming easily.

Maybe it was naivety on your part, but you thought when you showed up in four-inch patent leather Aquazzura heels and literally no books, Aemond would have got the hint. And yet, here you were talking about the components of stockholder’s equity, as if you cared.

"So," you interrupt him mid rant. "Any fun plans for Winter break? I know it is a while away, but everyone is already taking about what they are doing."

He wrinkles his nose, his glasses being pushes up in the process. "Probably just dinner with the family."

Right. The compound. At least that is what the Targaryen main home looks like. You of course needed to your research.

"Well, there is this crazy Christmas that happens before everyone leaves," you shuffle closer to him, and you hope he gets a whiff of your perfume. "Maybe we can go together?"

Aemond snorts and looks down bit sheepishly. "Highly doubt, I am invited."

You fight the urge to sigh wistfully. Cute, smart, wealthy as fuck... and apparently awfully insecure. Everyone throwing the party should be falling at their knees to have him around. But you have since understood during your time at Oxford that many students here do not understand the opportunities in front of them.

If Aemond had any real confidence, he'd say fuck it because he could buy everyone going if he wanted to. They ignore him because he allows them to. And then you realize he is one of those people; the delusional 'I want to get by on my merit not my name' kind of people.

Oh sweet, silly boy.

"That doesn't matter," you wave him off. "Besides, if anyone says anything, you can just say you're with me. Consider it a thank you for doing this for me."

You let your hand slip on his thigh and squeeze slightly.

"Better yet, let's call it a date."

Rhaenyra would think for the amount of money her family has; they would be able to afford stronger liquor. But she has a feeling that it has nothing to do with money, and more about the 'champagne only' rule Alicent liked.

The expansive backyard was decorated impeccably, as it always is for the annual holiday party that they throw. Twinkly lights in the trees, red and green everywhere, and even a frankly nouveau riche ice sculpture. The affair was black tie, and Rhaenyra could feel the eyes of some guess when she showed up in a red fitted suit. Taking small sips from her glass, she looks around the area. She swears the more years go on, the less she recognizes who is invited to things like this.

"Don't tell me step-mommy has put you in timeout."

She rolls her eyes when she hears a familiar voice. Daemon comes to stand next to her, with a small glass in his hand.

"No, you fucker," Rhaenyra then frowns. "Where did you get the scotch?"

"Why do you think I am in timeout?"

Her uncle always found a way around the rules. Rhaenyra blows air out of her cheeks in annoyance. She looks down at her watch; another rule is that they were required to stay at 2 hours. Only 45 minutes has passed since she arrived.

"Heard you are going to the company retreat this year," Daemon downs the rest of the drink and winces at the burning.

"Someone has to represent the family with dad," she shrugs, a small amount of smugness seeping into her tone. "He asked me to go."

"Hmmm," Daemon smirks at her smugness. "You and Aemond."

Rhaenyra blinks confused. "What?"

"Yup," he leans against the wall. "I suppose Viserys found a new muse."

Rhaenyra snorts at his words but then licks her lips nervously. It sounds cruel to think, but it was never something she ever really worried about - her father preferring her siblings over her. At least not something she worried about in her adulthood. Sure, as a girl, newly off the passing of her mother, seeing her father marry a woman only six years her senior rattled her. Aegon being born shortly after only made things more tense. But, and to his own detriment really, Viserys had made sure she came first.

"I did not know Aemond had an interest in the company in the first place."

"He didn't," Daemon's mouth pinches a little. "Not until... recently."

Rhaenyra follows her uncle's gaze out to where Aemond was standing. He always managed to look more grow up than his sibling, more than Helaena and Aegon. A mimicry that Rhaenyra thinks he picked up from his mother, but something seemed different now.

New haircut, no glasses, new suit. Armani? No, Tom Ford. With a Cartier tie clip and sparking cuff links to match. He is surrounded by some of the lawyers that work at the company.

"Looks like university has done him well," Rhaenyra tries to sound as even keeled as possible. "Good for him."

"No," Daemon sounds bored with her strained pleasantries. "That is what pussy does someone who has never got any before."

Rhaenyra blanches. The last thing she wants to think about is her younger brother having sex. She sets her champagne down in disgust.

"Don't be gross."

Daemon huffs before directing his attention towards the other side of the courtyard. His eyes zero in on Alicent, who tosses her auburn hair over her shoulder as she laughs with a young woman. A pretty young woman.

"Only met this semester and managed to get a holiday party invite, and a seat next to mother dearest. She must some charmer."

"You know," Rhaenyra starts. "Not every woman that is around this family is some sort of ruthless social climber."

"Of course, not every woman. Only the smart ones."

She sighs. That was not just pointed at the girl, but at Alicent too. Even though Alicent grew up with an even cushier life than they did. A type of old money that even the Targaryens had to give credence to. Strangely enough, Daemon seemed to take Viserys remarrying worse than Rhaenyra did. Even Rhaenyra over the years has grown to accept the fate that is their blended family. Accepted it enough to be cordial, albeit sometimes still awkward, with Alicent. They have forever been bonded in having to deal with the moods that come with Viserys Targaryen. But Daemon... it seems like he has never forgiven his brother for the act of moving on. He seemed to only grow more jaded since the divorce from Laena.

"How do you even know this?"

"Aemond told Aegon who told Helaena who told Rhaena who told Baela who told me."

Rhaenyra breaks her gaze from the two women. "Keeping tabs on your nephew that you barely speak to?"

Daemon gave her an empty smile. Almost a little cruel like he would crush her like a bug if it would not so pitiful. "You naive little thing. When you figure things out, let me know."

Rhaenyra wants to ask him what he means by that, but Daemon pushes himself off the wall he was leaning against to leave Rhaenyra alone.

Alone was a feeling she was used to. Rhaenyra often found solace in the loneliness that she found herself stuck in. If she did not find comfort in it, it would swallow her whole. Jaw unhinged and bloodthirsty.

Her eyes went back to the where Alicent and the girl were sitting, but Helaena seemed to replace the girl's place to speak with her mother. Instead of getting chummy with Alicent, the mystery woman had gone over to Aemond. Rhaenyra felt a little queasy watching them. Like watching two little dolls or those silly little cake toppers people get. Picture perfect like the stock photos that came in picture frames.

She shook her head at herself with an internal laugh. Here she was picking apart her baby brother's seemingly first real relationship; she was no better than Daemon if she did that. It was she told herself when she watched one of the wives of the company's lawyers come up to the girl and give her kiss on the cheek. Like they were old family friends.

Rhaenyra suddenly finds herself straightening out her jacket and her heels moving across the outdoor area. Might as well introduce herself... as a kind sister figure, of course.

She has a funny feeling she will be seeing this girl around more often.

#a reader fic? yeah I know lol #this is short but I got this idea #aemond getting the pretty woman treatment lmaoooo #aemond targaryen imagine #aemond targaryen x reader #aemond x reader #aemond targaryen fanfic #aemond targaryen #aemond x you #aemond x fem!reader #hotd fic #hotd angst #black!reader

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petruchio · 3 days

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LEAVING ASIDE the nonsense that was the marketing for these films, how do you feel about the songs Taylor released on the THG soundtrack?

oh i love them!! i actually think eyes open is the superior hunger games song of the two and i think it's a brilliant interpolation of taylor's own relationship with fame projected onto katniss in a way that i think highlights just how incisive the commentary of THG is -- like "everybody's waiting for you to break down/everybody's watching to see the fall out" could easily be on a track like the lucky one and it clearly reflects a lot of taylor's own anxieties about fame and celebrity -- but the fact that it maps so perfectly onto katniss is just like MWAH! perfection. and it's just proof that suzanne collins tapped into a VERY real set of feelings and ideas about fame and living under intense scrutiny. and the hunger games-y lyrics are SO GOOD bc they feel natural but also are so specific and cool: i love "keep your aim locked the night grows dark" like YES LOVE IT.

to expand on that honestly... i think that line eyes open in particular is proof to me that a lot of great songwriting comes out of using stories that are not your own. i think another great example of this is olivia rodrigo. like don't get me wrong: i LOVE deja vu. i think it's a pretty perfect pop song honestly. but "can't catch me now" is SUCH A GOOD SONG. it has imo a some of her best songwriting on it, because i feel like it gave her new metaphors to explore and made the lyrics and the music feel fresh -- like "there's snow falling over the city, you thought that it would wash away the bitter taste of my fury and all of the messes you made" is a BRILLIANT line! like to me, it's leagues above "i used to think i was smart but you made me look so naive" (i could write an essay on my feelings on vampire honestly but that's just one example) (like i really genuinely enjoyed guts a LOT -- but it did start to get repeptitive, only being about heartbreak and insecurity. yeah those feelings are rich and layered! but i also like the song about falling in love with a future fascist dictator and then disappearing into the woods a la wordsworth and exiting in a perpetual state of unreality for the rest of time. like that one was really good too! (another side note is that she has that one unreleased song on her instagram inspired by twilight -- and it's also like, wonderfully written. like yes olivia, free yourself from the need to be a diaristic songwriter and just write insane fandom songs. PLEASE.)) (i felt the same way about "what was i made for?" -- like that song is PERFECTION in the way it maps so perfectly onto the metaphors and images of the barbie movie and yet it stands alone as a great song as well. low key i wished wwimf and ccmn had been released in two dif years because i wanted them both to get the best original song oscar. just incredible work by our gen z pop girlies.)

and to go on and on MORE... all of this is why i think the taylor swift effect in pop music has been like... honestly a net negative for a lot of artists honestly. like music doesn't NEED to be about gossipy personal details to be good! don't get me wrong, i love the way we get to dive into "taylor's diary" and i think it's the reason i still love so many of her personal songs -- bc they feel like various entries into the experience of growing up as a lonely little girl and trying to understand your place in the world. and exploring the evolution of her personal relationships over the years is really cool and makes for a fascinating body of work to dive into and analyze. but also... sometimes songs are still good even when they're NOT intrinsically tied to the personal life of the singer! like nobody cares if "toxic" is about justin timberlake or kevin federline or whatever -- it's just a great fucking song and it doesn't matter that it's britney singing it, except in that her vocal delivery and performance style lends itself to that banger of a track! (AND THIS IS TRUE FOR TAYLOR TOO! i've said often she does her best work when she's fantasizing -- "you belong with me" is inspired by a phone call. "august" is a completely pretend story. "death by a thousand cuts" is about a movie. like those are some of her best songs!! and it's at least in part because they feel expansive and fresh because they're NOT ABOUT HER!)

anyway my point is not to say that diaristic songwriting is bad or that i don't like it -- because i really DO, i love looking at the connections between taylor songs across albums and eras and analyzing how she ties certain images or phrases to certain muses and tracking the evolution of her relationship to life and love over the years. but i also just think she's a good songwriter -- so when she writes songs about other stuff... it's interesting and cool. i wish she'd do more of it haha

#answered #anonymous #taylor swift #probably not what you expected me to say on this topic #buuuuut of course i over explained. what else do we do on petruchio.tumblr.com if not expand far beyond what the original ask was saying

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njmverse · 2 years

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if the shoe fits | nct ‘00 line

a choose your own path series ft. nct ’00 line!

A horrible turn of events puts you jobless, in debt, practically homeless, and right in front of Seoul's most prestigious corporations with an offer that's nothing short of saving grace and a deal straight from the CEO of a high-rise building in this city. What hides under the upper crust of the city's most famous and sought-after family-owned empire, is a mess of unkempt familial relations and an even messy—almost nonexistent—bond between the potential heirs of a real estate share of property worth millions. Oh, and a grandfather who just wants his grandkids to get along and not end up like their fathers (and his sons) did.

“so…you want me to babysit a bunch of young men?”

✧ genre: fluff, angst, some comedy (?)

✧ themes: rich kid!au various aus and tropes included will be specified in the respective fics

✧ warnings/rating: PG-15, swearing, toxic family relations (ig?) more to be added once the stories get posted!

NOTE: this series is inspired by the kdrama series, Cinderella and the four knights! (I have not watched the series at all akebskzj) titles are subjected to change and are not permanent but we'll see how it goes. also the fics aren't exactly connected to one another and can be read as standalones but they're set in the same universe, though you do need to read the preview to understand a few things and what's going on in the story! this basically works like an otome game where you choose ur own story hehe

This is the story where Cinderella has ditched the glass slipper and buckled up with her much more convenient and practical shoes to save a few knights who seem to be in a relatively big mess and also in great distress.

But remember, you've got more than one role to play around here. Which path will you tread into first?

↳ the deal. (preview) to be posted soon

The Untouchable (jaemin's story)

pairing: pilot! jaemin x fem! reader

genre: fluff, angst

themes: fake engagement!au, richkid!au, strangers-to-lovers!au, jaemin is basically mr. perfectly fine here and he does not care...or does he?, I only like you and no one else dynamics

warnings will be added once the story gets posted!

Head Pilot and newly titled nation’s heartthrob Na Jaemin already has everything he wants and needs in his life: his dream job and an ideal life-work balance. He doesn't want anything to do with the ‘next heir’ shenanigans and fake family bonding time with his cousin brothers that his father is forcing him into, he's only here because he had no other choice. The last thing on his mind and schedule is having to play house with his other brothers while living under one roof with them, but things take an interesting turn when the very existence of his work-life balance is completely flipped over and is in shambles for the whole world to witness. Now, he finds an additional responsibility of someone else's life mixed with his and a ring on his fourth finger that was never meant to be there but alas, you can't always navigate your way in life like you do on an airplane, can you? Jaemin didn't want to test that theory himself, but life seemed to tell him that he was about to. Was someone finally able to snatch the nation's newly found heartthrob and put a ring on him? Or was this all just another tabloid scam? Either way, Jaemin never signed up for this.

The Archer (jeno's story)

pairing: bodyguard! jeno x fem! reader

genre: fluff, angst

themes: strangers-to-lovers!au, yearning, lots of push and pull (literally), yes you can hold my hand or whatever/walks on the side of the road dyamics, denial of feelings, hyuck making jeno’s life harder

warnings: mentions of childhood trauma, more to be added once the story is posted

If ‘a man on a mission’ had a living representative, it'd be Lee Jeno in all his white ironed button up and sleek black coat glory. All his life, Jeno has only ever known to do one thing right; and that was to protect Lee Donghyuck no matter what at all costs and at all times. He's been trained to handle the worst of crazy fans and the most horrendous of airport crowds so that Donghyuck always remains without any harm near his way—or even 5 miles away from him. Jeno knows he has a duty and duty comes above everything else to him, there's nothing else to look forward or past to in his life except for getting up two hours early before Donghyuck does to update him on his schedule, wake him up, get him ready for the day and make sure that he is safe at all times. He always knows about people around him and is trained to think ten steps ahead of every possible situation. He is a man of order and anything out of it makes the alarm in his head blare off, so why does he feel so relaxed around you? Jeno doesn't know why he's so worked up yet the most relaxed he's ever been whenever you're there but what he does know is that he's not about to go and find out why you make him feel like this. Or maybe he already has, who knows? Jeno certainly does not.

The Starlight (donghyuck’s story)

pairing: celebrity! donghyuck x fem! reader

genre: fluff, slight angst

themes: love at first sight au-ish, idiots to lovers! au this is low-key just an idol!au but not really because things are different around here, i can and will make a stupid excuse to hold your hand anytime dyamics, Hyuck is kind of a spoilt brat here, im sorry 😭

warnings: flirting will be mentioned once the fic is posted

Spotlight and the stage are the two things that are constant in Lee Donghyuck’s life, or more popularly nicknamed as Haechan for his bright personality and charisma reflecting that of a dazzling sun. Donghyuck is used to the fame and what comes with it, he knows his way around the industry as a superstar pop sensation but that means he knows very little about the way of life for an ordinary being trying to survive daily life. He can name off top class brands or iconic stages from over a decade but he doesn't know his way around the local market in town—a cost to pay for the life of glamour and having the spotlight shine on you that Donghyuck has to pay. So when the opportunity to actually bond with his brothers with the same bloodline came up, he was ecstatic to be meeting and hanging around them each day. What he didn't expect was the shattering of his rose tinted glass dreams and a harsh slap of reality of the cruel, cruel world he lives in and is a part of, but he can't find it in himself to hate this arrangement as much as he'd want to because of another new constant in his life that he isn't ready to label or let go off yet. And maybe, just maybe, Donghyuck likes this change of events in his schedule more than he'd like to admit.

The Haunted (renjun's story)

pairing: fashion designer! renjun x fem! reader

genre: angst, fluff

themes: rich kid!au, muse!au, mutual pining but both of them are stubborn and refuse to accept it, renjun is a meanie, tsundere!renjun (?) also idiots to lovers but angsty, bane of my existence and the object of my desires dynamics lmfao

warnings will be added once the story is posted

For someone whose life revolves around colour palettes and shades of several bright patterns in colour, Huang Renjun was a man who had opted to live a muted and monochrome life of dull grey colour in plenty. Being one of the most renowned fashion designer across the continent and with an upcoming event that showcases the best of his abilities to the whole world, Renjun had found himself struggling to find the motivation or inspiration to finish off the main showcase design that was his responsibility to create—a huge deal when your design is chosen to be the main thing in a show. Initially, he wanted nothing to do with this family melodrama set up the most out of all the others, but a change of mind and much convincing from Yangyang, he decided that a change of scenery and surroundings might even help him with the spark of inspiration that had been dimmed lately. But what he received in return as soon as he stepped foot into the place was a bad first impression of his extended family and an uninvited guest who keeps getting on his nerves. Renjun wasn't the type of person to associate the colours in his palette with certain feelings, but perhaps it was time he realises how it feels like to witness the world with a whole new pair of tinted glasses he never knew he could. Would he finally find a muse this time around or was this unplanned arrangement going to paint him blue…forever?

The Renegade (yangyang’s story)

pairing: ice skater! yangyang x fem! reader

genre: fluff, angst

themes: slight enemies to lovers!au, yangyang is both frustrated and frustrating here, ice prince yangyang <3, you keep annoying me but I like having you around dynamics

warnings: mentions of injuries, more to be added as the story gets updated

Yangyang has grown up spending half of his life on the ice—it's all he's ever known to do. He always thought that ice skating was his passion, the only thing that kept him going when the going went rougher than one can expect it to, so as he approached the possibility of a retirement in a few years, Yangyang doesn't know how to survive without what he once thought was his only passion in life. Being on the ice satisfied him with a thrill like no other but lately even that rush of the cold prickling at his skin didn't manage to spark the joy it used to within him. With the opportunity to prepare for another tournament being held at Seoul, he accepts the offer and the condition that his parents put in front of him about living with his so-called cousin brothers for a while. Yangyang had no intention to entertain any of their conditions and rules and was fully expecting to spend his time away and out of the house full of his brothers because there's only one person in that house that he would tolerate by will, except he finds all his plans coming undone by some force of nature and a headache that refuses to leave him alone. Was fate trying to test his patience or preparing him for something that he hasn't accepted to confront yet?

The Treacherous (shotaro’s story)

pairing: dance choreographer! shotaro x fem! reader

genre: fluff, some angst oh boy

themes: best friends to lovers!au, i can lie to everyone but you dynamics, so many secrets omg, mutual pining yes, shotaro best boy™

warnings: to be added once the story gets posted

Every wildcard comes with its own special trait that makes it stand out yet blend in with the others without any trouble. Osaki Shotaro was no exception. Coming all the way to Seoul from Tokyo with a mission on his mind to find his origins was something he had planned out all along but the way everything else planted him right inside a messy family gathering arrangement and a place to stay for the rest of his time in the city, he couldn't have asked for more. Except now he has five skeptical eyes on him at all times and a secret that changes everything about the lives of all five people in the house; as long as nobody finds out, he's safe. And that's easier said than done when he finds himself growing fonder for the supposed housekeeper and the newfound best friend he's managed to make. If there's one thing that his mother had taught him, was that lying has never brought any good to anyone in life but does it still apply when you're lying for everyone else's good too? There's only so much time left on his hand before the truth comes out and he finds the answers to all his questions. Lying to your best friend has never gotten this complicated.

header pic used: x

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cboffshore · 1 year

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Keep it in and we'll all get rich. This is "It Will Never Be Enough."

For his first wish: the mortifying ordeal of being known. I'm not even kidding.

Given that this series is just a front for an in-depth Nadakhan character study, there's really no other way to start than with the man himself. This design has been bouncing around my mind for a few years now, actually - it first came to mind before I had the skills to pull it off and has been tapping impatiently on my shoulder ever since. This past fall (yes, this has been in the works for months), that moment arrived. I felt confident enough in my artistic abilities to bring it to life, sparking this series and analysis.

So, back to the tagline: the mortifying ideal of being known and my bold claim that that's the first of Nadakhan's actual, character-defining wishes. It's a desire that becomes apparent early in his life, when he abandons his home to seek a life not defined by his royal heritage. And, somehow, he gets it: he spends decades, if not longer, practically ruling the Endless Sea. Nothing gold can stay, though, leading to his two-hundred-year stint imprisoned and a less-than-glamorous return to existence in Stiix. Shortly after that, though, there's a shocking development: he wants to go home. Generally, going home after a life of adventure is seen as a retreat of sorts, but it means something entirely different for Nadakhan. In episode 57, Flintlocke's the first to express surprise that Nadakhan wants to go back, leading into a telling exchange:

Flintlocke: But you said you'd never be welcomed back there. What about your father?

Nadakhan: Better to live in a world where you are hated than in a world where you are forgotten.

In short: Nadakhan refuses to exist where he won't be seen. No such thing as bad press, right? The sheer ridiculousness of framing teenagers for petty crime, the real possibility of being ostracized by his own home realm - it's all about attention. He's been alone for two hundred years, only to emerge in a world where he can't relive his glory days. Finding out his backup plan of being the resident black sheep in his home realm is off the table, well... that's just saltwater in the wound. That's also the start of his second secret wish, so that's where this chunk of the analysis stops and we get into:

The Outfit Breakdown

Because any Ninjago villain traditionally sets the tone for their season, I chose to go perhaps a little too hard on this design in order to have a pool of motifs to pull from later. It's also meant as a mirror to the quote this look is named after - truly, I could have added so much more to this look. I only stopped out of necessity when my art app started lagging. I still like the effect this gives off, especially in regard to Nadakhan's origin as a character. His existence draws from a dizzying number of tropes and sources, creating an unusual and unforgettable presence. We'll break this one down piece by piece.

Of course, we've got to start somewhere: this is heavily based on Nadakhan's (positively awful) human disguise from the season premiere. Oof, did someone get dressed in the dark or what? Pine jacket, red pants, a hairdo that literally prompts a total rando to call him a bozo - let's be nice and call it a difficult pairing. No drip. Anti-drip. Dry as the Sea of Sand. One of the first pieces of feedback I received on this design was "goth band prep goes to a holiday party," if that tells you anything. It never entirely got away from that, which I'm willing to embrace - it's a loud combination! This is the garb of an attention-seeker! Step into a holiday party in this and immediately trigger several record scratches. I just wanted to do it better, because the original iteration is not it.

Originally conceived as a stereotypical pirate jacket, the brocade silk-lined cape blazer came into its own after the friend who gave me the "goth band prep" feedback suggested amping up the drama. It was an inspired suggestion given that said friend knows nothing about Nadakhan - who was I trying to design a stereotypical pirate jacket to embody his character? A fool, that's who. This blazer features a few nods to his origins, both meta and in-universe: sharp lapels as a nod to the Dracula love story that fueled his arc and rich materials to suggest his royal heritage. The silver dangly sections on the clasp and shoulders are extra pointy to reference the silhouette of his iconic chestplate.

Beneath the jacket lies an emerald-and-silver corset intricately woven with a set of golden body chains. These were initially separate elements, but while I was drafting the choker and chains, I had a thought: what if it was all one piece? Thematically, this ended up making perfect sense - this is the world's most uncomfortable halter top, reflecting how his own rage and desires slowly choke out his relationships with his crew. Zoom in and you'll notice that these body chains permeate nearly every inch of the ensemble: as bracelets and arm chains, a pair of draped garter bracelets in the slits of the slacks, and even wrapped around the boots as anklets. These constitute a twist on the concept of the gilded cage, which I feel Nadakhan both experiences and weaponizes. They're intentionally subtle - as hard as he works to conceal his plans, his tragic greed is an integral part of his character, heightened by the dramatic irony of the audience getting to know him before the rest of his crew appears. That we know just what he wants, but the people closest to him (emotionally and physically) don't?? Beautiful. Give me more of that, please. In addition, silver filigree elements on the corset are meant to mirror Nadakhan's hook hand.

The collared shirt under the corset is purely functional (and designed to be reasonably easy to bring to life because FSM knows the rest of the design would be a nightmare to make) - the peach shade is both a nod at Nadakhan's coloring and a weak attempt to fend off Christmas outfit accusations. The original human outfit uses a white shirt, which doesn't blend in quite as well.

A silver glove on the mannequin's left hand calls to mind Nadakhan's hook hand and brings in a little bit of needed contrast. Despite his association with piracy, gold, and opulence, Nadakhan's canon metallic accents are all silver; this is deliberately overridden to heighten his strangling sense of greed. The glove, modeled after his hook, helps ground the outfit in canon.

Even though I don't think I'll ever bring these designs into the real world, I like to design them with a cosplay runway in mind. Simple as these velvet slacks are, they're meant as a stand-in for Nadakhan's.... lower body? Tail? (What are we calling that, y'all? It's been seven years and we haven't arrived at a consensus. I read a fic that called it his "lower area" once, and we definitely can't use that.) The smoky bit that's always moving? That part. The part that should be legs but isn't legs. Anyway, point is that it has some crimson shading and that it moves. So would these pants with a sassy enough runway walk. Beyond the rebellion implied by slashing massive slits into expensive pants, there's not a lot of symbolism here.

The leather boots are the first of two mirrors to Nadakhan's iconic heirloom weapon, the Sword of Souls (the name Djinn Blade, while entirely canonical, is simply not as cool): sparkling crystal wedge heels and thick leather, with the same hook filigree motif as the corset. After he acquires the Sword of Souls, much of Skybound's plot hinges on how Nadakhan chooses to use it; in the same way, the green crystal wedge heels physically support the entire look.

The second reference to the Sword of Souls is far more overt: a luxury handbag traced directly from the Sword's theatrical hilt. Made of pale leather and gleaming gold blades and chains, this handbag doesn't quite coordinate with the rest of the outfit. Instead, it's forced to work out of necessity in the same way that Nadakhan feels he has no choice but to wreak havoc with the blade. Asymmetrical blue crystal accents on both the handbag and the statement earrings are a twofold callback: both to the shattered Realm Crystal that reveals his realm's fate and to the mirror he manipulates in "The Last Resort".

Exhausted yet? I hope not - we're just getting started. As a reward for making it to the end, behold the duality of my art skills: this meme I made months ago, somewhere in the middle of designing this outfit, after a heated Ninjago-themed round of Skribblio where I was tasked with actually drawing Nadakhan. Safe to say, that's not where my skills lie:

#ninjago #ninjago skybound #ninjago couture #Yours To Keep: Rethinking Skybound Through Fashion #ninjago nadakhan #ninjago fanart #fashion design

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whimsicaldragonette · 1 year

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Blog Blitz and Arc Review: A Love by Design by Elizabeth Everett (The Secret Scientists of London #3)

Welcome to my stop on the A Love by Design Blog Blitz with Berkley Publishing. (This is also posted on my Wordpress book review blog Whimsical Dragonette.)

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Publication Date: January 17, 2023

Synopsis:

You couldn't design a better hero than the very eligible and extremely charming Earl Grantham. Unless, of course, you are Margaret Gault, who wants nothing to do with the man who broke her youthful heart. Widowed and determined, Margaret Gault has returned to Athena's Retreat and the welcoming arms of her fellow secret scientists with an ambitious plan in mind: to establish England's first woman-owned engineering firm. But from the moment she sets foot in London her plans are threatened by greedy investors and--at literally every turn--the irritatingly attractive Earl Grantham, a man she can never forgive. George Willis, the Earl Grantham, is thrilled that the woman he has loved since childhood has returned to London. Not as thrilling, however, is her decision to undertake an engineering commission from his political archnemesis. When Margaret's future and Grantham's parliamentary reforms come into conflict, Grantham must use every ounce of charm he possesses--along with his stunning good looks and flawless physique, of course--to win Margaret over to his cause. Facing obstacles seemingly too large to dismantle, will Grantham and Margaret remain forever disconnected or can they find a way to bridge their differences, rekindle the passion of their youth, and construct a love built to last?

*Author info, My rating and review, Favorite Quotes, and Excerpt below the cut.

About the Author:

Photo of Elizabeth Everett from her Goodreads profile

Elizabeth Everett lives in upstate New York with her family. She likes going for long walks or (very) short runs to nearby sites that figure prominently in the history of civil rights and women's suffrage. Her series is inspired by her admiration for rule breakers and belief in the power of love to change the world.

My Rating: ★★★★

My Review:

I loved many things about this novel. First would have to be the characters. It was fun to revisit the characters of Athena's Retreat, and I loved seeing George and Arthur "fighting" (in other words: expressing best-friendship) about George's increasingly ridiculous gifts for Violet & Arthur's baby. I loved George as a character in general - he was so sweet and funny and had an absolute heart of gold. He cared and was trying to do good with the title he'd never wanted. I loved Margaret as well, though she was a bit pricklier and also incredibly stubborn. If she'd let people in and asked for help earlier in the novel I wouldn't have been so frustrated at her decisions… though it also would have meant there would be less story. She is strong and bold and determined and yes, stubborn. I also loved the bit we get of Sam, who I remember loving in the previous book.

This novel really drove home the 'rich and powerful men want to control and dominate women and will do anything to undermine them and keep them from succeeding and keep the status quo' point from previous books -- a point which really hits close to home after watching the events of the past few years unfolding. Much like the real-world events, the events of the novel were infuriating and had me rooting for Maragaret and her friends to prove themselves.

The romance was sweet and one of my favorite kinds -- a second-chance romance between childhood friends / crushes. It was easy to get behind it because George was so very gone on Margaret. He was so in awe of her engineering brain and determined spirit and it was so refreshing, with all the terrible men in the story. They all wanted to crush her beneath their boots for the audacity of being a woman with ideas, and he just wanted to worship her for it. It was clear that Margaret loved him as well -- she just had to get past her stubborn self-reliant independence.

The one thing I could have done without was the sex scenes. There weren't too many -- three, I think? -- but they were very… detailed. Luckily they weren't vital and I could skim them (slowing down to read the dialogue in case it advanced the plot, which it occasionally did). And for me, three sex scenes is three too many. I know I'm in the minority here, and in fact I saw some reviewers lamenting that there weren't enough sex scenes -- which, how? -- so I'm going to chalk it up to just the average romance reader apparently liking to read about sex a lot more than I do and not let it impact my rating.

Margaret also dragged the stubborn independence thing on a liiiiiiittle bit too long, in my opinion, and it bogged down the middle 40% of the book. I think some tightening of the plot there would go a long way toward making this flow better and feel more consistent.

Overall though I really loved it. I love stories with smart women and men with hearts of gold, and this delivered that beautifully.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Berkeley for providing an early copy for review.

Favorite Quotes:

The work came first. She mustn’t ever forget when everyone abandoned her, the work was always there.

---

As the sun battled to punch through the haze of coal smut hanging in the damp London air, Grantham sat in shadows, jealous of the lone shaft of light that fell through the window and landed on Margaret’s left cheek.

---

Everything would be fine if you do the work. Do not aim too high, do not set yourself out to be noticed. If you were a woman in a man’s world, moving forward meant bending to their desires or just doing the work.

---

Yes, and imagine what they would think if Margaret failed? If they learned she spent every day unsure of her talents and worried about exposure? Shouldn’t she feel like a role model if she was going to be one?

---

“I have always loved her,” he said. “I breathe her and bleed her, and if you open me up, my heart is the shape of Margaret Gault. I have loved her from the moment she knocked me to the ground; a blow from which I have never tried to recover. Of course I love her.”

---

Whether that step leads you to where you were always meant to be depends on how you define courage. Is it the tenacity to forge ahead no matter the obstacles, or the ability to ask for help when those obstacles seem insurmountable? Or is it both?

Excerpt:

A LOVE BY DESIGN by Elizabeth Everett

Berkley Romance Trade Paperback Original | On sale January 17, 2023

Excerpt

Maggie had returned. Of course, she was now known as Madame Margaret Gault. Try as he might, Grantham could never twist his tongue around the name. Almost his whole life, he'd called her Maggie. His Maggie. From upside down, he watched as she turned the corner of the carriage house, the wind unfurling the hem of her simple bronze pelisse. A brown capelet hung about her shoulders, and a matching muff hid her hands. Catching sight of him, she paused, tilting her head so he caught a glimpse of lush auburn curls peeking out from beneath her tea-colored bonnet trimmed with bright red berries. Margaret's fair skin showed no hint of the freckles that had once plagued her every summer, and thick brown lashes shielded her hazel eyes. She was unusually tall for a woman; nevertheless, she moved with effortless grace, and not even the blazing clash of colors adorning Violet next to her could detract from her beauty. For she was a beauty, Margaret Gault. Once wild and graceless, she'd bloomed into a woman of elegant refinement. A woman who was more than met the eye. A woman who would rather feast on glass than give him the time of day. For eleven years, the first day of summer meant Margaret would be waiting for him beneath the willow where they first met. She and Violet attended the Yorkshire Academy for the Education of Exceptional Young Women together. While Violet came home to her large, affectionate-and very loud-family, Margaret had no one waiting for her at home. Her father had died of a stroke when she was ten and her mother had little interest in Margaret's whereabouts or well-being. Violet and Grantham had been Margaret's family. The three of them had been the best of friends until one hot afternoon when Margaret had smiled a certain way and the ground went out beneath his feet. A year later he was soldiering in Canada and Margaret lived in Paris and their summers together were nothing but a memory he pulled around himself like a blanket on cold lonely nights. "Good afternoon, Grantham," Violet greeted him, seemingly unaffected by his headfirst dive into her rosebushes. She wore a shocking yellow day dress beneath a burgundy velvet paletot and atop her head sat a garish blue bonnet topped with a life-sized stuffed parrot. Swallowing a barrelful of curses, Grantham tried wriggling out of the bushes, every single thorn piercing his flesh a hundredfold as Margaret stared without saying a word. "Ahem." He cleared his throat as he managed to get to his feet despite being trapped in the center of one of the bushes. As he pulled a branch from his hair, a shower of wrinkled brown rose petals drifted down his shoulders. "You are especially . . . vibrant today, Violet. I brought this for Baby Georgie." He thrust the torn, dirtied rabbit at Violet, who received it with a bemused air. One of the buttons had come off and the silk was stained green and brown. "Madame Gault," he said, bowing to Margaret. "So lovely to see you again." No matter how strongly Grantham willed it, Margaret did not speak to him in return. Instead, she bent her knee a scant inch in a desultory curtsey, her lush mouth twisted like the clasp of a coin purse, no doubt to hold inside the names she was calling him in her head. He had a good idea what some of them were, considering he most likely had taught them to her. Grantham hadn't seen Margaret for thirteen years until their reunion-if one could call it that-a year and a half ago in the small parlor of Athena's Retreat. He hadn't exactly met the moment then, either-although to be fair, there'd been a hedgehog involved. The handful of times he encountered her since, she'd avoided meeting his eyes with her own, as though he were an inconsequential shadow cast by their past. Someone to be dismissed. Someone who had broken her heart and whom she would never forgive. "See who is come to live in England for good." Violet linked her arm with Margaret's and beamed at her friend. This was news.

When Margaret had come to stay at Athena's Retreat a year and half ago to complete an engineering project for her father-in-law's firm, Grantham had hoped she'd stay but she returned to Paris after three months. He'd asked Violet if Margaret might ever return, but Violet had doubted it. "She's one of the only women engineers in Europe with an excellent reputation. Why give up a dream hard fought to come back to England and fight all over again?" Violet had asked. Something had changed, however, and now Margaret was home. His heart leapt in his chest and the bitter orange flavor of hope flooded his mouth. "Clean yourself up and come inside for tea," Violet said to him now. Margaret did not echo the invitation. Instead, she tightened her hold on a stylish carpet bag and accompanied Violet and Arthur into the building. There are moments in life when the world shifts as though a door has opened somewhere out of sight. Whether a person runs toward that opened door or not depends on how fast they're stuck in place. Grantham considered for a moment how painful it would be to get himself unstuck. Although the tangle of branches in front of him twisted menacingly, he pulled a deep breath of resolution into his lungs alongside the scents of rosehips and crushed greenery. Gritting his teeth, he made his way through the thorns toward the open door.

#berkeley #elizabeth everett #a love by design #the secret scientists of london #historical romance #regency romance #romance #a smart ambitious woman #and the man who worships her #netgalley #arc review #shilo reads #book review #blog blitz #blog tour

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bokettochild · 3 years

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Apples the Pink Bunny

Did someone ask for this?

No.

Did I have an anxiety/emotionally overloaded evening?

Yes.

For this reason I am awake at 2:44 am on a school night to write myself a 13 page comfort fic. So, enjoy or don’t enjoy, but here’s Legend being a soft bunny with the chain for 6,268 words.

(Inspired by this and this.)

There is a bunny on the edge of camp.

It crouches in the shadows, eyes glinting gold and red in the firelight, nose twitching as it watches them.

Wind watches it back.

He doesn’t think that the others have seen t, no one’s said anything, and they all know how Warriors hates rabbits. So, he doesn’t say anything, not to them, he only wanders around the camp casually before settling down close-ish to where the bunny hides.

There aren’t many wild animals in his Hyrule, aren’t many animals at all, but Four’s taught him how to convey that he’s friendly to the minish and some of the forest life, so he tries to employ that knowledge now. He doesn’t look the rabbit directly in the eye, but he does force his ears forwards towards it, letting them flick away here and again, fingers rubbing softly as he glances casually as velvety pink paws.

He waits until he can see the rabbit watching him before he begins to whisper soft and quiet. “Hello, hello there lil’ guy.”

There’s a huff from the bunny, but it takes a single agonizingly slow step forwards, body stretched out and nose twitching as it watches him, ears pricked up curiously. When Wind doesn’t do anything different, just keeps speaking low and soft, the bunny lops its way over, ears up and attentive as it stops beside him, eyes turned up to stare into his own with a surprising amount of boldness for a creature close enough for him to smash in one blow.

“Hello.” Wind murmurs softly, moving slowly as he raises his hand over the rabbit, only to find himself starting as the bunny simply stares at him with the most unimpressed expression on it’s fuzzy face. Even Wolfie, who is strangely intelligent even for a dog, or so he’s heard has never looked so unimpressed with something, and the sailor finds himself lowering his hand sheepishly as if scolded, meeting the rabbit’s eyes and starting when it doesn’t flinch away, instead watching him intently with shivering nose and twitching ears.

“Hey Wind, watcha got there?” The rancher calls over, drawing the attention of the rest of the camp and making the sailor’s heart race.

The bunny’s going to be startled! It’s going to run away! All that work to get it to come over and he won’t even get to touch it!

But the rabbit doesn’t move, or rather, it doesn’t bolt away. Soft lavender eyes stare across the camp, unusual in their shade but lovely to gaze into as Wind finds himself transfixed with watching the silky sheen of the petal-pink fur and the glimmer of stars in lavender and golden eyes.

“Wind?” The rancher’s voice rings with concern, and the sailor snaps bac to attention, a warm smile easily falling over his face as he turns to the camp. “It’s a rabbit.” He says quietly, careful not to startle the beast. “Twi, do you think it’ll let me pet it?”

The rancher’s brows furrow as he looks over, markings shifting with the rest of his face as he stares at the rabbit warily.

To their surprise, and apparently the rabbit’s too, the tiny animal freezes in place for all of a second only to have the slight tilt of Twilight’s head sending it diving into Wind’s lap, startling the sailor enough for his to blink in surprise, but not so badly that his hands don’t instantly bury themselves in the pink fur.

And oh! It’s softer than he thought it would be! It’s nothing like Wolfie’s rough pelt or the feathers on Wild’s winter gear. The bunny’s fur is like fine down, or maybe silk, or- He runs his hands through it again, eyes widening with every stroke as the rodent shivers in his lap, eyes fixed on Twilight and ears pressed low as he huddles in the space left between the sailor’s legs as he sits criss-cross on the ground.

“I guess that’s a yes.” Twilight chuckles, low and deep. It’s a sound that makes warmth flow through Wind’s chest, but the rabbit only shivers, huddling lower the longer Twilight’s gaze rests on it.

“I think you’re scaring him.” The sailor hums softly, gently pulling the rabbit into his arms with an ease that comes from years of cradling his baby sister when she was small. The rabbit nestles close, eyes still on Twilight as it seems to shake itself, bt its doesn’t struggle against him, and Wind takes that as his cue to pull himself gently to his feet and cross the camp towards where Time and Wild sit playing a card game.

The champion is explaining the rules for the nth time as Time chuckles low and soft, purposefully asking questions that Wild’s already answered and earning pointed stares in return. The sailor’s approach lands just as Wild looks instants from pulling out his hair, and instantly cornflower blues are locking onto him with a strained smile, the champion apparently desperate to escape the game he’d asked for in the first place. “Hey, Wind, watcha have there.”

“A rabbit.” He replies, moving one arm to let lavender eyes peek out and stare at the champion, who’s eyes fall open in awe as his cards spill from his hands.

“It’s...you’re...” Wild’s eyes sparkle with awe as he looks from Wind to the rabbit in his arms. “How did you catch it?”

The rabbit shuffles closer to Wind’s chest as the words are spoken, and the sailor has to settle a hand on it’s back to calm it again as it edges away from the cook’s glimemring eyes.

“It was on the edge of camp.” Caution leaks into the pirate-hero's voice as he scrunches up his nose. “You better not ask if you can cook it.”

Blue eyes shoot wide as Wild shakes his head violently, earning a soft laugh from Time as his apparent orrer at the idea. “No! It’s-” Wild’s fingers twitch. “I couldn’t- Can I hold it?” The second-youngest's eyes travel up to stare up into Time’s leadingly, wide and innocent and so terribly like Aryll’s face when she’s asking Granny for another bowl of soup or piece of bread that Wind can’t help but giggle as he gently scritches the rabbit’s ears.

“That’s up to Wind.” Time answers gently. “But I don’t see why not.”

Softly glowing blue turns to meet his own as Wild stare up, pleading, at him. “May I?”

“Sure” He giggles, crouching low in front of the champion. “Have you ever held a baby?” Wild’s brow furrows, considering for a moment before shaking his head. “Okay, how about a kitten? A pup?”

The champion only shakes his head, and Wind finds himself frowning as he looks first at the bunny in his arms and then up at Wild, who’s face is quickly falling to one of disappointment.

“Here,” Time offers, gently arranging Wild’s arms properly. “It’s like this.”

Between the two of them, they get the bunny situated in Wild’s thin arms, and within seconds the champion’s free hand is dragging through plush fur as awe shines across his face, Time and Wind both laughing fondly as they watch and occasionally reaching out themselves to scritch the rabbit’s long ears.

Between them, there are eight heroes, and as of late, a rabbit has joined the mix, slung easily in Sky’s sailcloth as they travel.

The creature didn’t seem keen on leaving, and while it’s in no way fond of Twilight, the others find that they can’t resist sneaking to the back of the group to gently scritch it’s ears, or laugh as it hops about exploring the land around them when they stop for a break.

The Hyrule they’re in isn’t one that anyone recognizes, the forests strangely rich and the land both better kept than Wild’s while still more wild than the others. Fights in this world are intense, and only their two wanderers seem to be able to battle the insane variety and numbers of monsters with anything resembling ease.

It’s strange too, having to hide the rabbit whenever battle comes, but the creature is smart, darting away when battles come, a scowl in its fuzzy face as it burrows beneath tree roots or into the brush, waiting until the battle is over to re-emerge, hopping slowly across the blood soaked ground without trepidation, not once blinking at the blood and grit that gets in its fur as it hops from one hero to the other, eyes flickering between violet and lavender as it analyzes them, chirring angrily at any of them when they try to hide wounds, and nestling in the laps of the younger hero’s with a put upon look when Warrior’s has to stitch something up.

...

“He needs a name.” Wind declares after the second battle, his good hand petting the rabbit’s long ears while Sky helps to wrap the sprain in his wrist.

“Isn’t bunny enough?” Warriors eyes the rabbit disdainfully. “You didn’t give the wolf anything fancy.”

“He’s not just a bunny though!” Wind protests with a well-placed pout. “He’s our bunny-friend!”

“And the wolf isn’t your wolf-friend?” Twilight cocks a brow, something like hurt flashing through his eyes before he actually winces, hissing softly as Warriors continues to stitch him up.

“The wolf comes and goes. Besides, he’s a wild thing, so it’d be wrong to name him like a common dog.” Wind explains, shrugging lightly but stopping when Sky pushes his shoulder back down with a whispered reprimand for moving. “The bunny stays with us though,” Wind continues, holding still this time save for the hand that continues along the bunny’s pelt. “He needs a real name.”

“Agreed.” Wild sounds, shuffling over with a leafy vegetable in his hands that their rabbit friend takes with a pleased chirr, glancing up at the champion appreciatively before setting his sharp teeth to the plant, earning a smile from the champion.

“Any ideas?” Time starts, glancing around camp and earning a flick on the ear from Hyrule, who’s still trying to clean a wound on the man’s face.

“Seriously Time?” Warriors protests, but it’s too late, the others are already musing quietly and beginning to consider ideas.

“Petal?” Sky tries, glancing down at the rabbit in Wind’s arms. “Like, cherry blossom petals?”

“Cherry!” Wild gasps, eyes glimmering hopefully.

“Pinky.” Warriors snorts distastefully, earning an angry chitter from the rabbit, but the captain only glares back at the animal, as if it had just insulted him, mimicking the chitter pathetically and drawing laughs from the others.

“It’s a boy, right?” Twilight questions, cocking a brow, and the others exchange looks. “I think so? I’m not sure I want to check....”

“Nothing too feminine then.” Sky nods slowly.

“Floor.” Four suggests solemnly. “Floof the Poof.”

Eight sets of eyes, including the rabbits, turn to stare at the smithy disbelievingly. Red glimmers in his eyes for all of a second before he starts and flushes. “Sorry,” The smith rubs at his neck nervously, red blooming over his face and down his neck. “I was thinking aloud, Intrusive thoughts, you know?”

“What about Apple, for apple-blossom?” Time speaks slowly, eyes still on the smithy as he speaks, concern but fondness in his eyes.

The rabbit in Wind’s lap looks up, staring at Time and munching in a way that almost looks considering, violet eyes fixed on the eldest hero’s single one, the two locking gazes, neither blinking until Warriors sighs and snaps his fingers, startling them both.

“Aaaand, that’s a yes for Apples.” Warriors rolls his eyes. “No angry chitter, no arguments against.” The captain’s gaze levels them all. “Unless anyone has any objections?”

“Nope!”

“I think it sound’s cute?” Sky chuckles, patting Wind’s arm to signal that he’s finished and scratching the newly named Apples behind the ears. The rabbit huffs in his rabbit way, but they've all grown too used to the grouchiness of the animal to do anything other than laugh at it.

...

Apples is a wonder, and they are so very happy to have him.

There is nothing so convincing to make Sky finally relax than to have a pink mess of fur barrel into his lap and force heavy eyes to close under the soothing feeling of fur on his fingers and a small warm body pressed against his own.

Sky’s restless sleep and eternal exhaustion ease with every night and Wind giggles as each evening after dinner the bunny climbs resolutely into Sky’s lap, glaring pointedly up at the Skyloftian until long fingers are dragging through his fur and crystal blue eyes are falling shut contently.

When Sky shoots awake at night, there's a rabbit there that presses tiny paws to his chest, dark eyes staring up into his face in the darkness as ears flick and a tiny nose twitch, worry in the rabbit's expression as Sky sighs, a light smile on his face as he raises a hand to run through long fur. “I’m good, Apples, it was just a dream.”

The rabbit always snorts, scowling lightly and buffeting Sky’s chest with its head, but the Skyloftian only chuckles lightly, wrapping the bunny in his arms and shifting to lie on his side, the rabbit held close as he fades back into sleep.

...

When Time broods, brows low and frown lines pulling at his features and aging him by decades, most of the others know not to disturb him. They let each other have their space and they never press. Wolfie will, at time, curl up at the old man’s feet or sit at his side, allowing callused fingers to run through his thick fur as Time sits and stares at the ground, mind a world away where none of them ever wish to see, if the pain and sorrow in his gaze is to be read properly.

Perhaps a rabbit cannot be expected to understand this law of privacy though, even if he is unusually intelligent.

Time’s hair falls into his face as he perches on a stone on the edge of camp, gaze fixed on Lake Hylia below them as his elbows rest on his knees, face downcast and frowning as pain glimmers in his single blue eye.

Apples, who had been stretching his legs after being carried in Sky’s arms during their traveling that day, pauses, ears flicking up and towards the old man, paws freezing just off the ground as he watches, nose twitching.

The heroes watch, Wind darting up worriedly as the bunny lops closer to Time, but he freezes when the pink ball of fur pulls himself up next to Time with surprising agility, head butting carefully against their leader’s armored thigh as a soft squeak break through the air. Time doesn’t stir, not at first, but then the rabbit settles next to him, one paw on the old man’s leg, eyes following Time’s down to Lake Hylia.

Scarred hands twitch before finally landing in silky pink, pulling through the long fur as tension bleeds from Time’s shoulders, a breathy sigh escaping their leader before a soft tune begins to drift through the air.

The rabbit gently settles down, head resting beside his paws as Apple allows Time to pet him slowly.

The others are to far to understand the words, but Time’s soft murmurs break the silence, Apple’s ears twitching while an intelligent bunny face stares up at the tear-streaked face of the hero of Time.

When Time rejoins the rest of them for dinner, it’s with Apples nestled in his arms, a sad sort of peace in the hero’s gaze as he settles down to join in the meal, never once releasing Apples while they eat and joke, and by the time the meal is finished, the pink bunny is soundly asleep in Time’s arms.

...

It’s Four that seems the most curious about their little friend, and while the rabbit doesn’t seem particularly playful, the smith will occasionally catch up the animal, laughing s Apples sighs in an almost reluctant manner, and carry him off into the woods near where they are.

The Minish love Apples, and Four himself delights in diving amidst the pink fur or the first time while the bunny looks at him in utter shock.

Air enough, it was unlikely that Apples had ever seen a Hylian shift into a Minish before. But at this size, Four can enjoy Apples’ fur far better than as a Hylian, and it’s delightful to lead the rabbit around, chattering lightly as Apples lops along behind him, ears pricked and nose shivering as they move through Minish towns and groves, exploring the tiniest nooks and crannies they can find and having all sors of adventures.

Of course, there are dangers to being smaller than a rabbit, and the first time a spider attacks them, freakishly big and easily big enough to rip off Four’s head, it’s Apples that darts to his rescue, chirping and scolding in his rabbit way as he thumps his feet and pins back his ears in a strange imitation of Wolfie’s growl.

The spider is in no ways eager to give up her prey, and Four finds that, despite killing monsters on the daily, he has to turn away in disgust as Apples tears the spider apart, eyes flashing with gold as the seemingly harmless pink rabbit unleashes mass destruction on not only the one spider, but also her sisters that emerge from the burrow beside them. Long legs and venomous maws stretch over the top of him, reaching out to grab the Minish Hero, only to have a rabbit dart over, teeth flashing and harsh chatters sounding as legs and bodies are torn asunder.

When the spiders stop emerging, the small patch of grass is full of the remains of spiders, and Apples is rubbing at his nose and sneezing softly, absolutely covered in the remains of the monstrous insects.

“Thank you...” Is all the smithy can breathe out as Apples’ eyes meet his own.

He’s replied to with a sneeze.

Four shifts back as soon as possible, carrying his bunny savior back to camp and carefully helping to clean the rabbits long fur, murmuring softly and thankfully all the while. And if he shares a but about his previous adventures, and Ezlo, who while being a hat shared some things in common with the grouchy rabbit, well, it’s not like Apples will be able to tell anyone!

...

It’s Wild that seems the most enraptured with their new little companion. Always asking the older hero’s questions as he sorts through his inventory, offering all sorts of foods and treats to the rabbit and cooing in delight each time something is accepted. No one knows what it is exactly what it is about watching Apples eat has Wild so happy, but there’s no denying that the easy grin that steals over his face is better than the solemn frown and sad thoughtfulness that takes over on occasion.

The first time they see Wild go into a memory, it’s Apples that catches their attention, the rabbit shrieking worriedly as he bumps against the champion’s still hand, concern filling his violet eyes as he stares up at the champion, paws raised to press against the hero’s stomach while ears and nose twitch and shiver worriedly.

Apples doesn’t even panic when Twilight steps over, although he does shrink back, wary as the rancher gently shakes Wild’s shoulder before sighing and sitting next to him. The rabbit mimics the motion, but on the other side, eyes flicking from Twilight to Wild with nervous concern and wariness, but when neither move he contents himself with gently rubbing against the champion’s limp hand.

When Wild blinks awake again, eyes darting too and fro to take in his surrounds and breathing harsh, Apples jumps up, paws settling on the kid’s thigh and catching his attention, making the young hero still and stare. Tears well in cornflower blue eyes, and the rabbit doesn’t even sigh when Wild scoops him up, burying his face in Apples’ fur and sobbing quietly.

Were their hearts not aching for their brother, soft chuckles would have sounded around camp when Apples had freed a paw to gently pat the champion’s cheek.

...

After the first few weeks and a few more switches, Sky will come to find Apples every time that bedtime draws near, scooping the bunny out of the lap of another hero with a chipper “My turn now!” as he almost skips over to his bedroll, bundling both himself and his emotional support bunny into his sailcloth with a smile as Apples rolls his rabbit eyes and presses his paws to Sky’s own blue eyes, pushing them closed before settling against the Skyloftian’s chest. The Chosen Hero is always asleep within minutes, sleepily singing Zelda’s lullaby between snores as Apples’ violet eyes watch the rest of the camp.

When Time need space, the rabbit will follow, gently resting a paw on his leg and sitting with him, eyes filled with an understanding that is ridiculous in a rabbit, but somehow believable as Time’s callused fingers work through pink fur, songs and stories drifting from tired lips as long ears twitch ever so slightly to catch the words.

When Wind is playful, he’ll dart up and after the rabbit, who will always sigh in his rabbit way and either dart away or give chase, running the youngest hero ragged until Wind collapses, giggling and breathless, with Apples hopping up on his chest to bat at his face, as if to say “I win, I beat you, you lost so give me pets” and Wind does, eventually hauling himself up, and inevitably knocking Apples over before administering thankful ear scratches and pets until Apples springs free and continues going about his rabbit business.

Hyrule, though quiet, will often be found with the rabbit beside him, sometimes with Apple’s pushing his nose against the traveler’s hands and guiding them to better hold a knife while he’s carving, or a needle while he sews. It’s strange to see a bunny of all things unroll a bandage and offer it to the healor, but be it Hyrule or someone else that’s injured (provided it’s not Twilight) the rabbit will be springing over with his bunny brows furrowed as he scolds and fusses, nudging things over to Hyrule before the traveler can even ask someone for them, and climbing into bags and pulling out potions when the Hyrule’s healing glow begins to fade.

Sleeves are tugged at when the Traveler is exhausted, unreleased until Hyrule agrees to rest, and when they eat the bunny will chitter and fuss and kick up a riot until Hyrule will humbly ask for seconds or Wild will offer them, stern indigo eyes following the travel’s movements until his bowl or plate is empty.

When Wild is cooking, the rabbit will sit at his side, watching the process and chittering or nipping when the champion goes to add something dubious to the food, or begins to spice it too much for the younger ones to handle. Wild only ever laughs, offering bits and bobs of food as he works, and chuckling with delight when the bunny accepts them, Apple’s sharp teeth working away at leafy greens as stern violet eyes watch the young hero work.

And when memories strike, harsh and horrid and often sad, the bunny climbs his way into Wild’s lap and sits until the hero stirs again. Apples’ fur is drenched time and again with tears, and every time, without fail, tiny paws gently pat the Wild’s head, lavender in normally violet eyes as a tiny nose nuzzles against a reddened and drooping ear.

Four delights in exploring with Apples, and whether it be carrying the bunny off with him and chattering, or shrinking down and riding on Apples’ back, the two never fail to find something interesting to do.

Through all of it, Twilight will gaze sadly at the rabbit who avoids him like death, and Warriors will scoff and roll his eyes, although fondly, as the younger heroes all fuss over their new friend.

It’s only so much time before the captain breaks.

It’s a nightmare, blood and blades and shrieks of two little boys and many trusted friends echoing in the captain’s mind, making him start awake with tears in his eyes. Warriors shivers in the night air, drawing his scarf around his neck and wrapping himself in his arms as he moves towards the fire.

To his surprise, Apples sits before the flames as well, ears flicking towards the captain’s movements but gaze fixed on the flames with an almost sad air.

The captain merely snorts and dismissed the rabbit in his mind, but with ever second the world around him presses closer and Warriors becomes more and more agitated. And still, the rabbit doesn't move, doesn’t look at him, Apples only sighs deeply as he stares into the fire, and when Warriors shoots the rabbit a confused look he starts when he sees what looks to be tears in lavender eyes.

“You too huh?” Exhaustion loosens his tongue as he hunches before the fire, watching the flames dance. “Bad hunt? Lost mate?” The rabbit chitters something unintelligible, tiny body stiffening almost like Twilight’s does when he gets defensive. It draws a laugh from the captain’s throat, barking and bitter as his gaze rests on the burning remains of a log. “I feel you there, didn’t expect a rabbit to have trauma though.”

An unimpressed glare is leveled his way, this time drawing a genuine but startled laugh from the captain. “So it’s like that huh? Too tough to talk about it?”

One ear twitches Apples wrinkling his tiny nose before stomping one of his feet agitatedly and huffing a short and sharp little breath at the flames.

“I hear you.” Warriors laughs, a little broken and a little teary, eyes returning to the coals, shimmering with the ghosts of memories as screams echo in ears too used to their calls.

Apples twitches, hesitant, ears flickering and feet stomping grouchily for a moment, before Warriors finds himself with a lap full of rabbit as the pink bunny pushes his head into Warriors’ hand, nearly demanding to be pet.

“Oh,” Warriors scoffs, voice wet and harsh. “That’s how it is, huh? All your other Hylian’s are asleep, so because I’m awake from nightmares and goddess darned trauma, you figured I was available to pet you?”

Another insistent nudge, and Warriors is rolling his eyes, pushing his hands through long fur with a sigh.

It’s like silk, he muses to himself, blinking in surprise and running his hands through again. Like the finest of fabrics in the castle, like Artemis’ dresses that she wore when the war was over and they celebrated with dances and feasting and speeches of honor to the dead. Apples’ fur is like glinting red hair, oiled and brushed every night before bed. It’s like baby’s hair, impossibly soft and delicate.

There’s a small body curled in his lap, and Warriors’ hands run over it curiously, stroking impossibly soft fur as he becomes lost in the wonder of the color, in the texture. Screams and blood fly from his mind as the captain’s fingers trail through the fluff, and warmth floods trough his chest when he takes Apples’ face in his hands and rubs at the rabbits' cheeks, laughter bubbling in his chest, warm and bright as the bunny scowls up at him.

The next morning, when the heroes awake, its to find Sky shaking his head as he looks down at his usual sleeping companion held tight in Warriors’ arms, a blissful smile on the captain’s tearstained face. Apples scowls up at them, but he’s curled close to the man’s chest, with ample room to escape, and no one believes for a minute that he’s there against his will.

The jabs and eye rolls continue from both parties, but on long nights, when the others are asleep and rabbit and soldier both find themselves awake, Warriors will scoop the bunny into his lap, losing himself in Apples’ fur before drifting off again.

Wild has the pictures to prove it.

...

Twilight sulks the entire time, the sadness in his eyes turning into a full-blown pout as he tries time and again to win Apples’ affection, earning teasing from all parties, but especially Wars.

“I didn’t even want the thing, and he insists on climbing all over me!” The captain jests. “Yet you court him with more care than a knight with a lady he favors and he still rejects you!”

The rancher’s scowl and accompanying growl always sends Apples closer to whatever other hero is nearest, the rancher’s eyes narrowing as he huffs out retorts that go from being teasing to being genuinely hurt. The captain stops after a time, apologizing, but Twilight blows him off, excusing it as teasing while clearly looking hurt.

No matter what he tries though, food, cuddles, gentle words and careful movements, nothing will win the rabbit over, and when they again land in a world that none of them recognize, it’s too late to keep trying.

...

Ravio blinks down in surprise as the rabbit that sits in his living room. It’s raining wildly outside, and the animal is positively soaked, so he can hardly deny it access, but even so, it’s not every day that woodland creatures are entering the house.

…..Alright, not anymore. Not with Mr. Hero having gone missing.

Only Sheerow flies about the house, chirping and singing as he helps Ravio with the housework and keeps the merchant comfortable, and while he doesn’t ind in the least being with only his bird friend, he does rather miss the constant presence of birds outside the windows and deer wandering in from the forest to graze in the front yard. Mr. Hero never minded them, claiming that the beasts kept the grass short, but Ravio knows his friend, and he’s seen Mr. Hero dozing while surrounded by woodland creature enough times to know that the affection the animals feel for his friend is mutual.

Even so, Mr. Hero isn’t here, so there really shouldn’t be any forest creatures flocking into his house, especially not one that’s going through his things.

“Hey! Stop!” The merchant protests, darting forwards and scooping up the creature in his arms, only to be met with familiar violet and golden eyes staring back at him. “Mr....Hero?”

The bunny squeaks something that sounds like it might be in the affirmative, and Ravio stares.

“How did you...” He’s leveled with an unimpressed stare that is all he needs to see to know for sure it’s his friend. “Were you cursed?”

There’s a firm nod in return, and concern bubbles in his heart as the merchant holds his friend a bit tighter. “Can you reverse it?”

Violet eyes roll, but Mr. Hero isn’t panicking, and he even points towards the chest in the corner where he keeps most of his adventuring things, which itself is enough reassurance that one of his many items (some of which are Ravio’s own handiwork) will do the trick to turn him back.

“Oh good.” Ravio sighs, sagging in place and taking In his friend properly. Again, Mr. Rabbit Hero points at the chest, and he’s getting the idea that his friend wants him to let him go so he can change back but...

Soft fur rubs at his fingers and the feeling of a small body held in his hands is just so pleasant!

“One minute, please? Just one?” He pleads, turning on all the power he can as he aims a sorrowful look at his friend. “Your fur is so soft and I- can't I pet you for just a little bit, before you change back?”

Mr. Bunny Hero sighs, but the huff and nod are easy to read and Ravio clutches his friend to his chest with a cheer. “Thank you Mr. Hero!”

...

“Apples? Apples?” Wind’s voice is breaking by now as he calls out into the underbrush. The last switch had them all separated, and while the heroes have successfully regrouped, they’ve failed to be able to locate their fuzzy ninth member.

“He’s got to be here somewhere!” Wild whispers, scratching at his scars worriedly and prompting his mentor to gently push his hands back down again, it does no good, the habit that died with fur to play with reappears in its absence, and Twilight’s pelt is too cumbersome and heavy to be carried and stroked while they walk.

“Apples?” Sky chokes out, staring at the path before them, but nothing can be seen except a lone traveler who stalks along stiffly towards them.

“We’ll ask this traveler.” Time sighs, eyes heavy with worry as he pushes to the front of the group, raising a hand in greeting. “Ho there.”

“Ho.” The traveler returns, sharp violet eyes staring at them all from under pink and rose-gold bangs that peek out from beneath a blue cap. “What brings fighters like you into these parts?”

“we’re looking for a rabbit.” The captain says, taking no consideration for how ridiculous he sounds. “Normal size, but as pink as a cherry tree, you can’t miss him.”

Hopeful gazes turn to the stranger, who’s gaze darts away for a brief moment. “Sounds like my boarder’s pet.” There’s a strain to the man’s- or is he a boy?- voice as he speaks. “He disagreed a few months back and only came back yesterday. His-His owner was delighted.” The stranger speaks slowly, flushing slightly as he meets their eyes with an awkward attempt at a smile.

“He...he already had a family?” Wind and Wild both droop, and the other’s all sigh in collective disappointment as the stranger shifts before them, the light catching in the hilt of the sword on his back.

“Yeah... Sorry if you got attached.” The stranger winces, incredibly awkward as his eyes dart over them all, as if desperate to find anything else to talk about. “Why so heavily armed, just to look for a bunny?”

“Monsters.” Sky answers softly, eyes downturned as he twists his cloth in his fingers.

“Aren’t those for heroes and soldiers to bother with? Not common folk?”

“We aren’t exactly common.” Time explains. “Monster fighting is sort of our job.”

“Uh huh.” The stranger shifts back on his heels. “Last I checked, the only person the royal family was hiring to get rid of monsters was me, and I don’t recall hearing any changes about that recently.”

“Why you?” Wild tilts his head to one side, curiosity mingling with his sadness as he takes in the stranger.

“Hero’s duty.” The other drawls,, scowling slightly as his nose scrunches up, wiggling the tiniest bit in distaste.

“You’re a hero?” Warriors deadpanned, disbelief tainting his voice as he looked from pegasus boot clad feet up to red and green tunics, fluffy golden hair and sharp violet eyes. Said eyes stared back with an intensity that was strangely familiar, irritation glinting in their depths.

“Unfortunately, yes.”

And just like that, the Hero of Legend joined their group.

...

BONUS

Twilight blinked down at the pink rabbit in front of him in shock. “Apples?”

Apples- Legend? -The pink bunny- shuffled his feet, ears twitching as violet eyes flickered from the rancher's blue eyes and back down to the ground. “Um...chances that this is kept a secret?”

Disbelief pained the Ordonian’s face. “Do you know how much they’ve missed you?”

“I was right there.”

“And you never told them?”

“Well, you never owned up to being Wolfie, not last time I checked!” The bunny hero shot back, nose shivering in frustration.

“They don’t need to know about that,” The rancher dismissed. “That sort of power isn’t something I feel comfortable sharing.”

“Well newsflash,” Legend scowled. “I didn’t either. And it’s not like I could change back to prove myself or something, I was cursed! Anyways, can you imagine how absolutely off the hook crazy I’d sound if I just waltzed up to you and said ‘hey I’m the Hero of Legend and I’m also the bunny that’s been with you for the last two months. was cursed but now I’m not, want me to join?’”

Twilight scowled. “Fine. Valid. One question first.”

“Deal.” Legend groaned.

“Why did you never let me pet you?”

“I’m sorry, what?” Violet blinked up at the rancher in confusion.

“Why did you never let me pet you.” Twilight repeated simply.

The veteran bunny stared up at him, blinking slowly. “You are a freaking wolf. Did you not notice? I may not have known it at the time, but do you think a rabbit can look at a wolf and go ‘hey look! New friend’?” At the wolf shifter’s silence, Legend scoffed. “Yeah. That’s why.”

“Okay, valid.” Twilight nodded. “But one last thing, why didn’t you never talk?”

“Cursed.” legend rolled his eyes. “The nature of this one is different, I’m just my soul's reflection, not an actual animal, there’s a difference, and it’s one I’d like to not have to worry about for much longer. Now, how do I change back?”

“Well,” The rancher offered a weak smile. “We’re gonna have to ask Sky for help.”

That night, rather than sitting by the fire until he drifted off, Sky settled down next to Legend, pulling the hero into his arms happily as the vet had put up token protests before snuggling against him. Sky hadn’t slept as well in months, and Twilight took no small amount of joy in being able to play with the vet’s silky hair all through his watch.

#bunny legend #linked universe #linkeduniverse #lu legend #lu time #lu twilight #lu wind #lu wild #lu warriors #lu sky #lu hyrule #lu four #lu ravio #bunny legend my beloved!#fluffics #cuz I'm sad so I love on Legend #defensive legend #idiot writes fluff #hugs legenda

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a-man-for-hire-and-his-archives · 2 years

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INTERVIEW - Actor Toby Stephens, who plays Damian Cray on Alex Rider: "Fortunately, people need entertainment. I'm very lucky to be able to make a career out of it."

BUCHAREST, Written by News.ro

Actor Toby Stephens, who plays Damian Cray, a tech mogul, in the series "Alex Rider", talks in an exclusive interview with News.co.uk about "extremely interesting espionage, by nature secretive", how series writer Anthony Horowitz created a "more complicated and nuanced version of what it means to be a teenager" and what it was like to film.

Season two of the spy thriller "Alex Rider" airs every Monday night at 10pm on AXN.

The series follows the story of Alex Rider, a London teenager who has been unknowingly trained for the dangerous world of espionage since childhood. After the death of his uncle and the near-death mission to destroy the Point Blanc boarding school in the first season, Alex is eager to put the past behind him, resume his normal teenage life and heal his trauma by enlisting the help of a therapist.

His plans to put his life back together are turned upside down when a close friend is the target of a horrific attack. So Alex finds himself drawn back into the world of covert missions, where he must stop a sinister plan afoot that aims to destroy the US defense system.

"Alex Rider" is produced by Eleventh Hour Films and Sony Pictures Television. Otto Farrant ("The White Queen"), Brennock O'Conner ("Game of Thrones"), Vicky McClure ("Line of Duty"), Ronkẹ Adékọluẹjọ ("Doctor Who"), Marli Siu ("Dixi") and Stephen Dillane ("Game of Thrones") reprise their roles, while Toby Stephens ("Die Another Day"), Rakie Ayola ("Harry Potter and the Cursed Child") and Charithra Chandran ("Bridgerton") join the cast for season two.

Toby Stephens is Damian Cray, a tech business mogul and the main villain in the new adventure in the young spy's life. Damian has created hugely popular online games that have made him rich. With a strong motivation rooted in a trauma he experienced when he was the same age as Alex, Damian is, in fact, a lonely person who sets out on a desperate search for his own catharsis.

Why did you accept to be part of this project?

Toby Stephens: My son is a big fan of the books and I know Anthony quite well through Jill, his wife, who I've worked with several times. It was nice to do something that my son enjoys. I also played a level-headed, solid dad on Lost in Space for three seasons and found it fun to play a sociopath.

When is it not fun?

T.S: Well, yes! He's a misunderstood sociopath. It just seemed like a fun thing to do. And also, I had spent a lot of time working away from home and it was really nice to do something here.

Why do you think books are so popular too?

T.S: They're pure action. The plots are complex, but not over the top. They're very, very gripping. I would have loved it if I was a kid. I mean, I enjoyed reading them as an adult. I like that Anthony Horowitz ups the stakes and builds the villains quite truthfully. There are real stakes and people die. Alex Rider's uncle died and there are moral ambiguities and complexities there. I think a lot of books in the children's fiction area go in that direction. It's not a super clean, sterile, kid-friendly world. It's slightly edgy and paints a picture of a violent and morally complicated world, but without it being too adult. It's like a half-way nice house.

The fact that we see Alex doing therapy seems like a very modern way of looking at teenagers.

T.S: It's definitely contemporary. We live in a very complicated age for young people. It's great to show kids that this is okay, that it's part of life and that you can reach out and get help for things. If Alex Rider can do it, then anyone can. Anthony Horowitz has created an inspirational guy rather than a stoic man. He's a more complicated and nuanced version of what it means to be a teenager.

Tell me a bit more about the character you play in this show. Who is he?

T.S: Damian Cray is a tech mogul. He has created online games that are extremely popular and has made a huge amount of money from them. Hyper-intelligent and incredibly driven, obviously. He draws his strength from a tragedy that happened to him when he was 17, around the age of Alex Rider, and that shaped his world. He was a pretty lonely kid; his parents were pretty absent. This tragedy then leads him on a search for catharsis.

How does Alex get to meet Damian Cray?

T.S: Alex gets to know this journalist who is injured in Cornwall and realizes that he was writing an expose on Damian Cray. Alex tries to find out what Cray is doing and whether he was, in fact, responsible for the journalist's injury. Cray doesn't really know who this kid is and mistakenly thinks he's the world's best player, an anonymous player named K7.

How did you find working with Otto, Brenock and Marli?

T.S: I loved it. It made me feel very old though! I love working with young people, it keeps you in touch with things. Actually, they are much more mature than me, more "together". I love doing this job, period. It's so much fun. I feel very lucky at this point to be working in this climate. Fortunately, people need entertainment. I'm very fortunate to be able to make a career out of it at the best of times, but even more so at this time.

How do you prepare to play a billionaire, do you draw inspiration from real life?

T.S: I didn't want to build it based on anyone specific, but yes, the way he dresses, the way he is, there's a kind of - not arrogance, but the assumption that everyone works for you. It's about control. These people have massive control issues. Part of it is assuming that everyone is there for your benefit, to be used by you, and that everyone is a tool that you can use. There's a very specific mindset you have to have to be that successful, and when they lose control, it's huge for them. It's devastating. So I didn't want to mimic the physical aspects, but rather what drives them, what gives you solid ground to work on.

Have you played any video games to understand this world?

T.S: My son plays a lot and I like to observe him. It's incredible stuff. However, I don't think Cray spends that much time playing games. He designs them all, but they're there for a greater purpose. He wants The Feathered Serpent to be the best in the world, but I don't think he spends a lot of time playing it. Other people do that for him.

In terms of it being an action show, did you personally get involved in any of the scenes?

T.S: Cray is simply telling people what to do, being extremely bossy and obsessed with being in control! Towards the end of the show I have a big action scene, and I've done that in other productions, but my body is less forgiving than it used to be. It certainly pleased me that I didn't have too much action in this production!

Why do you think the spy genre productions still remain so popular?

T.S: It's interesting because all these professions like detective, spy, doctor, have a built-in drama. In real life, there's probably a lot of boredom, so obviously these are romanticized versions of what really happens. But espionage is extremely interesting, because of the secretive nature, because of these shadowy organizations, these powerful villains. All of that creates these very compelling worlds. It's fantasy, but it's also fun. Violence, suggested violence or danger is always great when you're sitting by a fireplace, reading a book. It's the same with crime novels, Agatha Christie or whatever. It's that slightly tame version of something that is, in fact, horrible. It's somehow safe in the pages of these books, so you can curl up and discover it. They're great stories, especially since they tend to be quite labyrinthine.

Would you make a good spy, Toby?

T.S: I'd be terrible. I just couldn't keep any secrets. "Don't tell anyone, but I'm on this secret mission!". I guess I could carry off the disguise part or pretend to be someone else. Otherwise, I'd be terrible.

Translated via DeepL Translator from News.ro

#toby stephens #alex rider #alex rider tv #damian cray #interview

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yurimother · 3 years

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LGBTQ Light Novel Review – I'm in Love with the Villainess Vol. 2

A Defining and Relentlessly Queer Work in the Next Era of Yuri

I have backed myself into a corner and see no way out of it. For I have already awarded Inori's I'm in Love with the Villainess a perfect 10/10 score for its stellar first outing. And then, upon seeing what Inori did in the second book, I regret my choice because I have no way to raise the bar on perfection as Inori did in her light novel. Indeed, it has taken me far too long to write this review. My mind is thoroughly exhausted after pondering what I read and accepting the honest truth: that that may very well become a defining work in the next generation of Yuri. For as much time as I spend diving into the Sapphic news of the day, I devote even more to looking to the next big movement of Yuri. If I'm in Love with the Villainess Vol. 2 is a signal of what Yuri's future holds, then we are entering an extraordinary queer era.

The story takes off shortly after the first book. At least for the moment, the commoner revolt is quelled, and Rae continues schooling alongside her beloved Claire. Storylines include a new transfer student rivaling Rae for Claire's affection and the girls going on vacation to visit their families. However, the story takes a pretty dramatic and welcome turn halfway through the book. Through a combination of luck and her expect negotiation tactics, a fruit of her intimate knowledge of Revolution's world and inhabitants, Rae is tasked with investigating corrupt nobles. This change allows Inori to take the world and characters further than in the previous book. While the first volume did an excellent job establishing the world inside the school, this entry ventures beyond the academy's borders into international relationships, the church's role and goals, and the dealings of various factions and political parties. It is appropriate progression and one that lends to the story's main arc well.

While all of these events occur, Rae continues her mission of protecting Claire from the inevitable new order. By the time the finale rolls around, it is so immensely satisfying to see all of her plans and strategies pay off. It carefully balances rewarding the reader's attention and keeping them engaged with new twists and revelations. As the story develops, Claire is exposed to more of the reality of common life through Rae and comes to appreciate her privilege and understand the realities of socioeconomic inequality, evolving from the arrogant young woman we initially met. This path has two effects on the story; first, it allows Inori to explore real-world economic disparity issues while still worldbuilding. Second, it ultimately continues the story of Rae's plan, as she wants Claire to be in the commoner's good graces.

These elements make for a fantastic story in a rich, developed fantasy world. However, I adore I'm in Love with the VIllainess not for its intricate magic system but because of the phenomenal LGBTQ+ representation. I was floored by a frank, open, and wonderfully thoughtful discussion of queer representation in the first volume. Few, if any, Yuri works have done anything similar, and it was honestly an inspiration for me, so much so that I awarded it a perfect score almost solely for that passage. However, Inori once again usurps her own throne, taking this forthright and deliberate queer content and turning it up to eleven!

It is almost easier to count the number of main characters not confirmed as members of the LGBTQ community. Figures big and small have their identities explored and revealed during this novel. Some began believing themselves to be straight and exploring their sexuality further. In contrast, others are comforted by Rae's fierce, outspoken, and brazen support and pride in her identity to come forward. One particular scene that comes to mind is when she scolds a pair of nuns for using religion to justify their homophobia. This moment was particularly satisfying to return to after the Catholic Church's recent disavowing of same-sex marriage.

The series even has a character struggling with gender dysphoria who is liberated from society's expectations thanks to a rather ingenious plan of Rae's and her friends, new and old. While not exactly an example of authentic transgender representation as we consider it, as the character's struggles with gender result from a magical curse, but the parallel is clear. Speaking of reality though, the volume grants some glimpses into Ohashi Rei's life, the woman that would one day wake up as Rae.

Rae's experiences with LGBTQ+ identity, set in the real world, are powerful and pull few punches. It is perhaps here that Inori gets most honest and tragic, as Rae painfully describing the ostracization and suffering faced by queer people, culminating in a trans man's suicide (the author thankfully does not describe the actual death). However, Inori balances this pain with the thrill and joy of discovery and accepting oneself, and finding kinship. It is writing that could only come from an author who had experienced these feelings herself, and they will be immediately understood and have a visceral effect on queer readers. I love these moments so much for their vulnerability and relatability. But my favorite part has to be the ending (skip to the final paragraph if you want to avoid spoilers and somehow have not seen the cover of Volume 3).

We finally come to the big queer happy homosexual ending, which is also gay, and my great Yuri goddess, it is perfect! After wading through a revolution and enough surprise revelation to last a lifetime, Claire and Rae settle down into their new life together. Although they cannot legally get married, despite their best efforts, they are absolutely wives. Their families support them, they love each other, and they even have kids! Yes, this unexpected and blissful development, the final gift of this volume, comes in the form of adopted children May and Aleah.

As I exclaimed upon the reveal of Vol. 3's cover, which features the mothers and children, "WE DID IT!! YURI FAMILY!! In Yuri, there are virtually NO stories about queer women raising a family with children together. It is a long dream of mine, the YuriMother, to promote such stories. To have one of the most profound and explicitly queer Yuri stories end in such a happy and new way brought me to happy tears. Except, this is not the end! There are two more volumes beyond this one that continue the story of Claire, Rae, and their children! There is even a very sweet and wonderfully sappy, tear-jerking, bonus chapter of the mother's bonding with the children and helping them recover from their traumatic past. And even become TEACHERS; I could just die happy in this Yuri paradise!

'We need to show we are prepared to live happily ever after, as a family of four. So, I swear to God: I will always love May, Aleah, and Rae.' When Claire said this, she broke out into a tremendous smile and I found myself once more overflowing with love for her. I held her close without saying anything.

Inori's I'm in Love with the Villainess Vol. 2 is precisely what an excellent sequel should be and everything I have ever wanted from a Yuri story. It appropriately raised the stakes in every way, expanding the world, flushing out its many factions and conflicts, and setting a new bar for queer representation and discussion in Yuri. Everything Inori writes feels so perfectly slotted together. Each set piece adds to the character development; each queer issue and identity showcased helps build towards the satisfying and exceptionally gay finale. It is a superlative weaving and integration of the priceless artifacts into an absolute masterclass of LGBTQ+ storytelling. I suspect that this is one of the opening works in Yuri's next era, and I cannot wait to see what follows.

Ratings: Story – 10 Characters – 10 Art – 4 LGBTQ – 10 Sexual Content – 2 Final – 10

Check out I'm in Love with the Villainess Vol. 2 digitally and in paperback today: https://amzn.to/39gE664

Review copy provided by Seven Seas Entertainment

My sincere thanks to Jenn Yamazaki, Nibedita Sen, E.M. Candon, and the rest of the team at Seven Seas Entertainment for translating and adapting this light novel.

#Reviews #yuri #anime #manga #books #literature #lgbt #lgbtq #lgbtq+#queer #gay #lesbian #lesbians #girls love #gl #wlw #trans

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shippingdragons · 2 years

Text

Actor Toby Stephens, who plays Damian Cray on Alex Rider: “Fortunately, people need entertainment. I’m very lucky to be able to make a career out of it.”

Actor Toby Stephens, who plays Damian Cray, a tech mogul, in the series “Alex Rider”, talks in an exclusive interview with News.co.uk about “extremely interesting espionage, by nature secretive”, how series writer Anthony Horowitz created a “more complicated and nuanced version of what it means to be a teenager” and what it was like to film.

Season two of the spy thriller “Alex Rider” airs every Monday night at 10pm on AXN.

“Alex Rider” is produced by Eleventh Hour Films and Sony Pictures Television. Otto Farrant (“The White Queen”), Brennock O'Conner (“Game of Thrones”), Vicky McClure (“Line of Duty”), Ronkẹ Adékọluẹjọ (“Doctor Who”), Marli Siu (“Dixi”) and Stephen Dillane (“Game of Thrones”) reprise their roles, while Toby Stephens (“Die Another Day”), Rakie Ayola (“Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”) and Charithra Chandran (“Bridgerton”) join the cast for season two.

Toby Stephens is Damian Cray, a tech business mogul and the main villain in the new adventure in the young spy’s life. Damian has created hugely popular online games that have made him rich. With a strong motivation rooted in a trauma he experienced when he was the same age as Alex, Damian is, in fact, a lonely person who sets out on a desperate search for his own catharsis.

Why did you accept to be part of this project?

Toby Stephens: My son is a big fan of the books and I know Anthony quite well through Jill, his wife, who I’ve worked with several times. It was nice to do something that my son enjoys. I also played a level-headed, solid dad on Lost in Space for three seasons and found it fun to play a sociopath.

When is it not fun?

T.S: Well, yes! He’s a misunderstood sociopath. It just seemed like a fun thing to do. And also, I had spent a lot of time working away from home and it was really nice to do something here.

Why do you think books are so popular too?

T.S: They’re pure action. The plots are complex, but not over the top. They’re very, very gripping. I would have loved it if I was a kid. I mean, I enjoyed reading them as an adult. I like that Anthony Horowitz ups the stakes and builds the villains quite truthfully. There are real stakes and people die. Alex Rider’s uncle died and there are moral ambiguities and complexities there. I think a lot of books in the children’s fiction area go in that direction. It’s not a super clean, sterile, kid-friendly world. It’s slightly edgy and paints a picture of a violent and morally complicated world, but without it being too adult. It’s like a half-way nice house.

The fact that we see Alex doing therapy seems like a very modern way of looking at teenagers.

T.S: It’s definitely contemporary. We live in a very complicated age for young people. It’s great to show kids that this is okay, that it’s part of life and that you can reach out and get help for things. If Alex Rider can do it, then anyone can. Anthony Horowitz has created an inspirational guy rather than a stoic man. He’s a more complicated and nuanced version of what it means to be a teenager.

Tell me a bit more about the character you play in this show. Who is he?

How does Alex get to meet Damian Cray?

T.S: Alex gets to know this journalist who is injured in Cornwall and realizes that he was writing an expose on Damian Cray. Alex tries to find out what Cray is doing and whether he was, in fact, responsible for the journalist’s injury. Cray doesn’t really know who this kid is and mistakenly thinks he’s the world’s best player, an anonymous player named K7.

How did you find working with Otto, Brenock and Marli?

T.S: I loved it. It made me feel very old though! I love working with young people, it keeps you in touch with things. Actually, they are much more mature than me, more “together”. I love doing this job, period. It’s so much fun. I feel very lucky at this point to be working in this climate. Fortunately, people need entertainment. I’m very fortunate to be able to make a career out of it at the best of times, but even more so at this time.

How do you prepare to play a billionaire, do you draw inspiration from real life?

T.S: I didn’t want to build it based on anyone specific, but yes, the way he dresses, the way he is, there’s a kind of - not arrogance, but the assumption that everyone works for you. It’s about control. These people have massive control issues. Part of it is assuming that everyone is there for your benefit, to be used by you, and that everyone is a tool that you can use. There’s a very specific mindset you have to have to be that successful, and when they lose control, it’s huge for them. It’s devastating. So I didn’t want to mimic the physical aspects, but rather what drives them, what gives you solid ground to work on.

Have you played any video games to understand this world?

T.S: My son plays a lot and I like to observe him. It’s incredible stuff. However, I don’t think Cray spends that much time playing games. He designs them all, but they’re there for a greater purpose. He wants The Feathered Serpent to be the best in the world, but I don’t think he spends a lot of time playing it. Other people do that for him.

In terms of it being an action show, did you personally get involved in any of the scenes?

T.S: Cray is simply telling people what to do, being extremely bossy and obsessed with being in control! Towards the end of the show I have a big action scene, and I’ve done that in other productions, but my body is less forgiving than it used to be. It certainly pleased me that I didn’t have too much action in this production!

Why do you think the spy genre productions still remain so popular?

T.S: It’s interesting because all these professions like detective, spy, doctor, have a built-in drama. In real life, there’s probably a lot of boredom, so obviously these are romanticized versions of what really happens. But espionage is extremely interesting, because of the secretive nature, because of these shadowy organizations, these powerful villains. All of that creates these very compelling worlds. It’s fantasy, but it’s also fun. Violence, suggested violence or danger is always great when you’re sitting by a fireplace, reading a book. It’s the same with crime novels, Agatha Christie or whatever. It’s that slightly tame version of something that is, in fact, horrible. It’s somehow safe in the pages of these books, so you can curl up and discover it. They’re great stories, especially since they tend to be quite labyrinthine.

Would you make a good spy, Toby?

T.S: I’d be terrible. I just couldn’t keep any secrets. “Don’t tell anyone, but I’m on this secret mission!”. I guess I could carry off the disguise part or pretend to be someone else. Otherwise, I’d be terrible.

News.ro April 2 2022

#Toby Stephens #Alex Rider #Alex Rider TV #Anthony Horowitz #James Bond #Black Sails #Lost in Space

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princeescaluswords · 2 years

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Been thinking nonstop about what you said about the ways fandom chooses to include werewolf authorities and how it solely exists to maintain the status of quo with white men on top. But how interesting of a story could there be if they got involved during the Paige tragedy? They might already be in the vicinity due to tensions between hunters and packs, so when she's bitten and dies, Talia still tells Derek about his eyes being different but still beautiful like canon... but the mood shifts when the agents arrive, see him clutching a girl's body after her body clearly rejected the bite. What might they do with Derek in this situation? And Peter and Ennis and Talia (cuz she helped cover it up)? We *could* still have "Alive Hale Family" if they take them into custody and the Hales seemingly leave town. Mainly, I'd want attention be given to Paige's grieving parents, because dear God, their world has been devastated. Derek's storyline could be about actually taking accountability and learning about consequences.

Unfortunately, they probably wouldn't do anything to Derek nor would they do anything for Paige's grieving parents.

One of the lessons we can draw from the real world is that enforcement agencies are, by the act of their creation, designed to protect the interests of their constituencies. That's why police rectification is a necessity, whatever form it takes, because while police tout insuring order and safety, their organization and internal culture manifest these goals by protecting property and the status quo, to the point of valuing them over some human lives.

I see nothing in the Teen Wolf universe to think that it would be any different.

Given the attitude of all the non-McCall werewolves in the world of the production, any Werewolf Authority would be dedicated primarily to the security of werewolves and the supernatural, which means they would, by necessity, value secrecy and stability over full disclosure. Not a single traditional werewolf blinked twice over the concept of 'animal attacks' as a blanket explanation for wholesale murder.

Remember Peter's glib description of Paige's death as "another in a long line of Beacon Hills animal attacks." This was before the various Hale-inspired murder sprees on the show. So the Hales were familiar with the concept of passing off murder by werewolf as something else. Peter knew where to take the body and how to stage it. He made it sound like it was common knowledge. As if it were no big deal.

Any Werewolf Authority created and ran by werewolves would be created by people like the influential and rich Talia Hale, and we see her attitude toward the death of Paige Kraiskeva.

Yes, I've actually praised Talia's words as a gesture of love from a mother to a son, and it is a good thing when looking at it from this angle. But, on the other hand, covering up Paige's unlawful death as they did sets a terrible precedent that werewolf lives are more important than human lives.

If you don't believe me, let's ask the Boyd and Reyes families. Or the families of Peter's, Matt's, or Jennifer's victims.

And I don't think that an organization created by humans to supervise werewolves would eventually fare any better, because do you want Argents? That's how you get Argents. We saw that when first established, it was in reaction to one particular werewolf, the Beast, and his horrific murder spree, but 250 years later, the Argents had descended into seeing all werewolves as potential murderers. "Ever seen a rabid dog?"

Now, I know this may be a little deeper than the production intended (Cue Jeff Davis leading a choir in a stirring rendition of "I Didn't Want to be an Issues Show.") But it wasn't ignored either, because if we talk about the Hale's use of authority to protect their own asses, we have to talk about Noah Stilinski.

The ambivalence of Noah Stilinski towards ethical law enforcement has been well-documented, but when he does toss it out the window, it's always in favor of his own constituency. In any show like this with teenager heroes, adult authorities have to be more flexible simply so every episode doesn't have the same "how do we sneak past our parents" montage. Granted. But this production had certain scenes that either they didn't think through or they didn't care about the ramifications. The Sheriff interfered in the federal investigation of Katashi's murder to help his son. He watched Peter Hale murder the Mute. He got his son out of 17 parking tickets. He recruited a werewolf to hunt down a criminal who personally threatened him in one episode and then turned around the next episode and screamed about procedures he had to follow. He ordered the arrest of Kira on the flimsiest of evidences and then let Theo walk away after he confessed to involuntary manslaughter.

It could be bad writing, or it could be that Noah Stilinski is another in a long line of characters with authority on the show who use that to protect what they want to protect, and the devil take everyone else.

You know who doesn't? I'm sure you do.

For all that fandom moans and whines and bitches that Scott doesn't use his power to kill those in the wrong and protect only those in the right, it's a noticeable difference that he cares about those who aren't on his side, even if he fails to protect them from those who would kill them. After all, as he told Monroe. "Fine. Okay. I'll beg. I'll, I'll do whatever you want. Just tell me that we don't have to kill each other. That we can find a way to make peace."

Because Scott's goal is to protect everyone, even villains like Peter Hale ("You know, I bet you still think that there's something about him that can be saved." "Maybe."). That universalism, that belief that everyone has a right to live, is part of what elevates him. Maybe there's a bit of an issue show here, after all.

#scott mccall #scott mccall defense squad #teen wolf meta #cw: police

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thesimperiuscurse · 3 years

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08.04

It’s The Kingston Legacy’s sixth anniversary, so here’s a throwback post to celebrate! Last month I forced myself to reread the entire legacy, and while I stopped, clicked off the tab, and emitted a soundless scream of pure cringe numerous times (I wish I was kidding)—the past generations are actually not as terrible as I remember. I think enough time has passed for me to detach myself from the childish storytelling and look back in nostalgia.

Thank you to my fellow Wordpress writers who have come along the journey, some for many years now, through every high and low. It’s astounding how much has changed in the legacy from when I was 15, and 21. Follow me down the (very) long memory lane, as I reminiscence about each story and my perspective on them now ❤

Generation 1 — Fern (2015)

To my shock, I found myself genuinely enjoying Fern’s story. I think this was because the first generation was purely me commentating on gameplay, and not trying to write a story (that’s when the cringe began). I was inspired by one of the original stories, Alice and Kev, to make a homeless sim and document her struggle for a better life: Fern, a snobby aspiring writer. Reading this, a huge wave of nostalgia hit me, and it reminded me of how wonderful Sims 3 gameplay is. Although I’m long past it now, there’s real heart and life in the design. I think it speaks about the rich personalities and quirks that I could write a whole life story off it. It was super fun making Fern camp out at Old Pier Beach, stealing from townie picnics and roasting apples on the fire, finding little ways to scrounge money, giving her a makeover in the salon, watching the townie dramas unfold around her. Although she faced homelessness two times and a shitty first husband (yeah, fuck off, Xander), Fern grew into a strong and independent yet sweet and gentle character, in love with the ocean like her great-granddaughter comes to be.

I never actually addressed this, but she (and her love Christopher) passed away in the story between the end of Gen 3 and start of Gen 4. It just felt weird to make it a big deal because they never died in game—still ‘alive’ and well, scattered across different backup saves and the bin.

Generation 2 — Briar (2015)

Briar’s story was strange, because it was half gameplay and half story, which meant that there were things that just did not... make... sense. She was quite an ‘unreliable’ character to follow because of her Insane trait. The plot revolved around her as a fresh detective, investigating supernatural phenomena in Sunset Valley. Her character arc was almost the opposite to her mother’s: a naive, optimistic, silly girl hardening through trauma into a cold and ruthless police chief. Ash’s death was the one moment I felt true sadness in this legacy, because he did really die. Imagine me actually getting emotional over my characters, lmao. Wild.

Also, Max is OP. To this day he is one of the best male characters in my legacy, a healthy and supportive best friend (to husband) in stark contrast to the following generation.

Fallen Angels — Cherry (2016-2019)

Yes. It’s this generation. Square the fuck up, Cherry. I will fight her any day. Old readers will know of my pure hatred for this story. It’s been about two years since it thankfully ended. My verdict now?

It’s not quite as horrifically shitty, Gabriel and Lilith being a lot nicer than I remembered (Gabriel’s only a bit of a dick at the start), but it still has glaring problems, such as the pacing and clumsy handling of sensitive topics. The story would have been far nicer if it focused less on Cherry and Luc’s relationship and their respective issues, more on the found family and her relationship with Gabriel (which was rushed due to me despising the story by that point). During the first chapters, I was cringing spectacularly at the combination of Luc’s initial jackass behaviour and Cherry’s whining. Toxic as FUCK. I had to skip 3.8 and 3.9 entirely. These two (because of my own shameful mistake) tainted the generation in my eyes, and even though all of the characters grew from their toxicity, I can’t really see past that guilt to the better parts of the story.

Jade has been telling me for years that this story isn’t all bad, and upon forcing myself to reread, I can see what you mean. I’m sorry LOL. Something that pleasantly surprised me was the writing quality (just the prose, not the actual story mechanics... lmfao), and Raphael, who made me smile every time he appeared. Every single careless, sarcastic line of his was a banger. The pictures are something else I like, too. Many of them stand up to the best ones in En Pointe—the fiery, gritty, industrial tones of Bridgeport just hits different. The world was rich and immersive, which is missing at the moment in En Pointe because of me being too lazy to build a proper Los Angeles world, but Act III is set in Boroughsburg so I’m excited to get back into the city scenes. 17 year old me wasn’t mature enough to tackle dark themes, but at least the visuals for them were nice, I guess. The atmosphere of the story I really enjoy. It’s just the toxic characters and way-too-angsty moments that ruin the whole thing for me.

En Pointe — Evangeline (2019-)

And here we are now! The early chapters are kinda painful to read because 1) Mako looked so ugly and 2) the dialogue was so clumsy and generic. I sighed in relief when Chapter 5 came around, because it was then both of those aspects really began to improve. Eva’s voice was simple, with her punchy remarks, much less romantic and descriptive than Cherry, so it was interesting to see her voice becoming more complex and layered as I more understood her character. Also, me visibly struggling with the natural lighting and only getting a handle on it 7 chapters later has me shaking my head.

I’m already beginning to identify issues with the story, mostly with character arcs and pacing. It’s a strange combination of fast pacing (spanning half a year in 8 chapters) and Eva becoming surprisingly comfortable with Mako’s touch due to their unusual pas de deux circumstances. It’s curious how real life time actually played into the pacing of the story—because of the slow publishing schedule, less time has passed in the story as real life, so it’s almost as if the time jumps were made up by real life time, making the jumps feel not too strange. Reading consecutively, however, Evako’s relationship growth doesn’t feel slow burn... a little underdeveloped, in a way, despite their lengthy conversations. I think that’s because of Mako being such a reserved and mysterious character, and that I’ve unconsciously come to rely on Tumblr to give more depth to the characters/relationships. Luckily, pretty much everyone who comments on the story also follows me here, so this dual-platform storytelling is okay, I suppose. I want to post more of #Mishako since there just isn’t enough time to explore their bromance in the story!

At the moment I’m not happy with the story, but it’s fine. I’m learning. There’s more than half the story to go, which means plenty of time to reflect upon the issues and improve. I’m really looking forward to Eva and Mako’s character arcs in Act III. At the moment their relationship is based on their natural chemistry and respect for each other, and since they are yet to face trials their bond isn’t super deep, but Evako are still my favourite couple in the legacy thus far, and feel much more real than any character I’ve written before. It’s been very interesting for my aro ass (and being way more logical than emotional) to figure out a dynamic that is actually compelling to me, because most of the time when I look at romance I’m just like 😐🤨 I’m liking it so far but we shall see how everything unfolds, because I have barely any idea what’s going to happen beyond Act II, lmfao.

That’s it for my incredibly long throwback! I hope it was at least nice for the OG readers, and interesting for anyone else who managed to battle through this essay, haha. This family has been an integral part of me growing up, as a person and writer and artist (what I’ve developed in visuals I apply to architecture), learning a great deal of awareness about real life through story research, which is pretty cool now that I think about it. I’m aiming to finish En Pointe by the end of 2022. I’m excited for what unexpected changes are to come!

#wordpress is being annoying like tumblr right now #they're trying to sneakily integrate the new site design into the old #pretty sure a lot of people don't like the new one #why can't i view media by month #now i have to scroll through a million pictures to find old ones #why is it selecting several when i just want to open one pic #fuck youuu #anyway #very busy week #lilaremonn #thesimperiuscurse

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lis-likes-fics · 3 years

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Hey! Can you please do where Lucille gets somehow injured and y/n takes care of her? Maybe it all leads to them making out and confessing love?

Pairing: Lucille Sharpe x Reader

Warning: Injuries

Author's Note: I was too lazy to go to my computer to post this, so enjoy the set up ig. Also, thank you for the request! I hope you enjoy. There are a couple lines inspired by an episode of Lucifer because I just watched it yesterday. Enjoy!

~~~

You always had your beliefs in ghosts. You also had your fair share of them. You met kind ones, sorrowful ones, malevolent ones. But most of them were full of pain and fear, and it pained you to see.

But never had you been in a house so full of haunted spirits that roamed the corridors of Allerdale Hall. They seemed to be some of the saddest spirits you had ever met. It took time at first for you to grow used to them, but the spirits slowly learned that you did not fear them. They grew used to you and you learned to live in the house with your dear friend, Lucille Sharpe.

The way you met Lucille had changed your life. You were a part of a rich family who cared only for wealth. You lived with an abusive mother and no father, he had died when you were young and it turned your mother's heart to ice. Lucille had met you only a few months before it happened. You had quickly grown close and were able to call her your friend.

You once asked about her family, if she had one. She had told you that she had been abandoned by her brother when he ran off with his wife, leaving her alone in an empty mansion. She had come in search of funds to keep her old family's home supported. You were able to convince your mother to lend her some money.

Lucille stood by you for quite a while in your home, she was living in your own mansion as a guest. In doing so, she got a front row seat in your home treatment and she was quick to oppose.

She questioned you, why did you live here in this hell hole? Why did you put up with such punishment? Your answer? It was the only place you had. But one night an accident happened while your mother was out. You had gotten word later that night that she had been killed in an accident with the carriage. The horses had been spooked while pulling the carriage and ran wild. It had caused the carriage to crash and it killed your mother and the driver.

The family fortune went to you as her heir. But you could not stay in that house any longer. Lucille offered to allow you a stay in her own home. It would be lonely without company, so she offered you hers and her, yours. You accepted her offer with a smile.

That was how you came to live in Allerdale Hall, also known as Crimson Peak.

You and Lucille only grew closer. But there was an aspect of the mansion you couldn't quite put to rest. The secrets of the house. Why were there so many ghosts, and why were they so terribly haunted?

You learned of the ghosts and how they died. You gathered the information as you approached the ghosts. They knew you didn't fear them, and they yearned to give you the answers you sought.

Lucille knew what you were doing after a while and tried to figure out what to do. If you knew the truth, you would leave her. This house was too big and too haunted to live here on her own - it was one of the real reasons she had come to you and your town. She didn't want to be alone in that house.

But the more she fought to figure out what to do, the more she realized something. Everyone in this house falls to ruins over time. Everyone finds out, one way or another, that this house brought only death.

Over her life, she was never bothered by the death of anyone except her brother. But then you showed up and showed her care and hope. You gave her this strange feeling. A feeling not even Thomas had given to her. She couldn't place it, though she felt it was obvious.

But she feared your death more than anything in the world. She could not lose you, she would not. So she did what she could to assure you lived.

"Y/N, it's time for you to go," Lucille told you once during tea. She had been acting strangely all day - all week even. She was distant, almost scared and sad.

You stared at her in shock and disbelief, before slowly sinking into fear.

"What? Why?" you asked quickly, a flurry of words escaping your mouth at once, "Did I do something wrong? Why do I have to go?"

Lucille winced at your questions. She didn't know why it was so hard to tell you to leave. She couldn't understand what was tethering you so tightly to her. "You've done nothing wrong… but I feel it is time for us to move on. You've been in this house for so long and… I fear it will not end well if you should stay."

"But why, Lucille? I don't want to go, I don't want to leave you," you told her, tears springing to your eyes as you pleaded with her, "Please, don't make me go."

You weren't budging. Lucille didn't want to, but the only way to get you to leave was to force you out. She would rather push you away than lose you to death.

"I know you have been snooping around the house. You have been invading in my privacy and secrets, and that is something I cannot allow. So it is time for you to leave." She stood and began walking off in the direction of the grand stairs.

You stood and followed her, "I'm sorry. I just… I was curious and it was wrong of me to invade. Please don't make me go. I'll do better."

You didn't want to leave her. She was so good to you and the alternative was to return home to your family who cared so little.

At the center of the stairs, she turned on you then. There were tears in her own eyes as she spoke, "Y/N, don't you see? You have to leave. You can't stay here. I know you've been trying to uncover the secrets in the house - I know you have already. So you know by now that this house brings nothing but darkness. Death. I can't risk losing you and in doing so, you must leave."

You shook your head, "I'm not leaving you, Lucille. Do not push me away, I can't lose the only friend I've had."

"But you must," she said, turning away from you, "it is not safe here and I will not put you in any more danger. You may not fear the ghosts, but you should fear me."

You knew what she had done, everything. The scams she created and executed with her brother. The murder of her mother and the poisoning of the other women her brother had married for the scam. How her brother had fallen in love with the last woman she had conned and left with her, abandoning his sister. He didn't want to leave her - he begged her to come with. But she refused.

Because of all of this, you knew you should have feared her, run away from her. But you could not. No matter what she had done, you couldn't leave her.

"I don't care what you've done, Lucille. No matter what, I will be here for you. That's what friends do. It's what I'm willing to do because I don't want to lose you."

"Y/N," she whispered, "Please, don't make this any harder than it has to be." She looked up at you, a deep frown set on her face and tears in her eyes.

You stood your ground, looking her deep in those chaotically beautiful eyes and shaking your head, "I'm not leaving you."

"Then I'll make you," she said, taking a step back to turn around. Your eyes widened as she lost her balance, unknowing that she had taken a step back at the edge of the stairs. You rushed over to help her before she fell backwards, but she had already gone tumbling down.

"Lucille!" you yelled as she rolled down. You rushed down to get her. She landed at the bottom of the stairs, unmoving on the floor as she was knocked unconscious.

You got to the bottom, your vision blurry with tears. "Lucille, wake up," you said, moving her head to your lap. You examined her quickly for any wounds as you panicked. "Lucille!"

It had been two days since the accident. Lucille was in the bed, still unconscious. You'd brought tea to her room like you had been since she fell down the stairs. You tended to her wounds - a broken arm and cuts and bruises all over her. She had a nasty gash on the side of her forehead from a hit. You were surprised she had made it through, but overwhelmingly relieved. You thought you lost her.

You read aloud next to Lucille's bed, it was her favorite book. As you read, she was slowly waking up, her eyes fluttering as she looked around the room. Your voice finally reached her as she made sense of your words. She interrupted as she spoke, speaking into the room that would have otherwise been silent, "That's my favorite."

You turned to her quickly, setting the book down as you offered a small smile. "I know, that's why I chose it."

She fought off a smile before going to sit up, groaning quickly as the pain caught up with her, her aching body protesting her movements.

"Hey, hey, hey. Careful," you eased her back into the bed, propping her up against some pillows, "You were very badly hurt. Your arm is broken and you've got a concussion."

She reached her hand up to her head, feeling the gash that you stitched up after the fall. She winced at the cut and you gave her a sad frown. "How are you feeling?"

She sighed, "Better… Thank you."

You nodded and sighed. There was a question that had been nagging at you since the argument, but you didn't want to bring that up. You were scared she would still make you leave.

Lucille seemed to notice this as she asked, "What is it?"

You sighed, thinking of how to ask. "Lucille…why do you think I should stay away from you?"

She looked down at her arm wrapped in a cast, sighing as she tried to find the words. "Y/N," she said hesitantly, "I have darkness in me."

You told her gently, taking one of her hands in yours, "Everyone has darkness in them."

She nodded a little, "Yes, but… mine is different. It's deeper. It makes me do bad things, terrible things. It makes me a bad person."

You gave her a soft smile and brought her hand to your lips, kissing it gently, "The darker the darkness, the brighter the light. And you, Lucille, are the brightest shine I have ever seen."

She watched you, searching you for any kind of lie. When she saw none in your eyes, she questioned, "Why are you saying these things?"

"Because they're true. I would never lie to you, Lucille. I can't. I…" you trailed off, not exactly knowing what you're going to say.

You sighed, looking back up at her. She asked, "You what?"

You shrugged, "I don't know."

She took her hand from your grasp and moved it to your face. You looked at her, into her eyes with a deep sigh. "You really believe I'm good."

You nodded, "It doesn't matter how much darkness you have, Lucille. Your heart is good."

She smiled at you, it was a smile that made your heart flutter. You glanced at her lips, unable to control yourself as you kissed her then. You immediately pulled back, covering your mouth with the back of your hand as you apologized profusely. "I'm so sorry. I don't know what-"

She stopped you before you could go on a tangent and kissed you again. You sunk into her, your eyes closing as you tasted her lips. It was the best you had ever felt.

You kissed her a little while longer before pulling back for air.

You breathed each other in as you stayed like that. She broke the silence, "Don't go."

You smiled, kissing her again, "I would never… I think…"

"What?" she asked, opening her eyes to look at you. You looked back at her and smiled gently again, "I think I've fallen in love with you."

Lucille smiled this time, unable to hold it back as she responded, "I think I've fallen in love with you, too."

You kissed her again, promising her that you would never leave.

#lucille sharpe x reader #lucille sharpe #crimson peak #crimson peak fanfiction #lucille sharpe fanfiction #fanfiction #request

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rodeoxqueen · 3 years

Text

Of Lacking Spectacle(s)-Vergil/Reader

Summary: Vergil is a lot of things. Vergil is the Dark Slayer, The Alpha and The Omega, and the eldest son of Sparda. Vergil is also….in need of glasses?

Tags/Warnings: Suggestive Ending, Gender-Neutral Reader, Dante Read The Lord Of The Flies, Inspired By Vergil’s Buddy Holly Glasses Mod

Read It On AO3

Thank you @drusoona for sending me the pictures of Vergil that inspired this. The title is a reference to Gus Dapperton’s song Of Lacking Spectacle.

-Rodeo

(Picture Credits: @drusoona)

Vergil was always so precise and capable, sensing demons from distances away and predicting attacks with pinpoint accuracy.

He was intense, his eyes purely focused on the task ahead of himself. A man of pure drive and prowess. And he was your man.

It came gradually, something he tried to ignore. A few sentences of blurred lines would quickly flicker back to clarity. A small pain that flashed behind his eyes after reading in a room too dark.

It didn’t look obvious to anyone. Even to his ever-doting beloved. He was the son of Sparda, a demon that surpassed Death multiple times. There was no way he could have failing vision. Impossible, he would scoff to himself as he rubbed his eyes.

This statement soon turned from ignorance to denial of a very real problem Vergil avoided showing. His always narrowed stare hid it quite well.

An anthill turned into a mountain he could no longer stamp down. And his beloved had already watched it build up for some time, waiting for the stubborn devil to say something about it.

Which he didn’t.

So when you were cooking some mac and cheese from a recipe you found from a friend who knew a friend who knew a friend who asked her son for the recipe, you decided to strike up the question.

“Vergil.”

“That is my name, yes,” Vergil said from the couch, enraptured in a new book you bought him. You rolled your eyes at him.

“Are you having vision problems?”

“Of course not.” Hand on your hip, you pointed your rue-covered spatula at him.

“Then why is your nose literally in that book?” Vergil used to always be found with his book at arms-length as he would silently recite the words.

He stilled. He quickly readjusted himself and coughed.

Jackpot.

“I haven’t a clue what you mean.”

“Don’t lie to me in front of my macaroni.” You threaten, stirring the pot. He sighs.

“My vision is just fine.” Vergil insists, squinting at the blurred words.

“Vergil, I think you have vision problems.”

“That’s foolishness.”

“Why so?”

“My father was a powerful demon, bad vision should not run in our family-”

“Didn’t your dad wear a monocle?”

His mouth dries and his eyes widen in realization. Oh god it was genetic. You have won the tirade and you puff your chest out.

“How about I take you to the eye doctor? I can call later and set up an appointment.” Vergil has closed the book and chosen instead to look at you.

The macaroni is boiling, a u-shaped pasta you are rather fond of. Your apron is speckled with flour and you twiddle the spoon in your hand.

“Come on, it’ll be super quick. Just read some letters off a wall.” You say as you add burrata into the cheese blend. Vergil always liked that kind of cheese.

When you went grocery shopping, he really thought you wouldn’t notice him taking more than three samples of it when no one was looking before walking off like a successful sample thief.

Upon the sound of a bag of his favorite cheese opening, Vergil got up. You smile. You go to offer him a bit before quickly snatching it away from his hand. He tuts at you.

“You can have some if you agree.”

“Agree to what?” You sigh.

“Eye doctor.”

“No need. I am fine.”

You turn to stir the pot of delicious pasta before going back to lecturing this stubborn devil.

“I’ve noticed you’ve been squinting more and having headaches.” You state. Vergil scolds himself, thinking he was much more hidden about his new problem.

He is quiet as he stares off into the pot of macaroni.

“Please? I don’t want you to be uncomfortable.” You put your other hand on his cheek. He looks at you finally, ice-blue glaciers warming at your loving and concerned expression.

God, his mate was so soft. He pulls your non-occupied hand to his other cheek-

And snatches the bit of burrata out of your fingers with his mouth. You make an offended noise at his trickery.

“Very well.” He muses.

You call up a local eye doctor after a hearty bowl of mac and cheese.

Taking Vergil to the doctor was like taking a cat to the vet. He sat in the waiting room with his arms crossed and eyes intensely out-alphaing everyone in his general proximity.

When they finally call your names, the ice was broken and people finally felt safe to breathe in his absence.

The eye doctor guides Vergil to the examination room. Vergil does not like it already. Why would you do this to him?

He waits at the door, waiting for you to come in with him.

“Sir, this is more of a personal test.” You shrug and blow him a kiss as he is ushered into the room

“How long has it been since you’ve had an eye test?” The doctor asks, Vergil taking a seat with a strange contraption before him.

“I have never had an eye test.” Vergil declares. The doctor laughs and swings the phoropter down. Vergil flinches slightly.

“Whoa now. Just set your chin here and look into the eye holes. This isn’t some medieval torture device.” He growls at the humiliation before doing so.

A series of lenses swiping through and the repeating question “which one looks clearer” later, Vergil is liberated from the examination room. He is greeted to you sitting and waiting for him.

“It wasn’t too bad, right?” You ask. Vergil nods. You turn to the doctor.

“So how is his vision?” The doctor flips through a few notes.

“Well, the letter Z was on the board and I asked him what he saw and he said triangle.” The doctor flips through a few notes.

“Your husband is in dire need of glasses.” Vergil raises an eyebrow at that statement.

Your husband, he likes that. You don’t even correct him.

Luckily, this clinic also sold frames and Vergil is able to pick out a few while you do the paperwork.

You remember Vergil has no taste and quickly go to help him.

“No, no, well maybe, no, ew.” You respond as Vergil swaps various frames about.

“My love, I simply need the lenses. These materials mean nothing.” He argues as you deny the tenth pair of frames.

“Well, you’re very handsome and I’d like you to get a nice pair that matches.” You say. You go to make a smug face at him when you realize he has finally walked away to pick out his own.

You immediately drop the frames you were holding when Vergil places a certain pair of thick black-colored glasses upon his nose.

“We’ll take them.”

Several weeks later, Vergil is bestowed his new reading glasses. He finds his problem vanishes quickly and he can now read at a decent distance away. You seem to greatly appreciate them. Strange. On jobs, he usually takes them off and stores them in the little case he was given.

He thought of it as weakness. If his own body was failing to maintain 20/20 vision, he should be ashamed. In the demon world, any bit of weakness meant imminent death.

Yet, he told himself he wasn’t in Hell anymore. He was having breakfast with his beloved and he was safe. And he was privileged to be allowed for his body to take a break and age as it should have, his vision waning as a normal man would have at his age.

You kiss him goodbye for another day of work and you push his glasses up as they tip slightly down. His nose does the little scrunch you love so much. So much, you kiss him on the bridge of the nose. He purrs and promptly cuts a portal to work.

He walks into Devil May Cry to work with his brother. Dante is upstairs, the sounds of a shower happening.

Vergil takes to the paperwork his brother has ditched doing once more, typing on a clunky keyboard. You had insisted to pay extra for blue-light protection and he finds it is so much easier to see the computer screen.

Finally, the water is shut off. His idiot brother is done wasting work hours. Well, when is he not?

Vergil continues looking through yellowed documents as Dante passes by, smelling like strawberry soap marketed for children.

Dante walks forward but then puts himself in reverse to see Vergil with glasses on again.

“Yes?” Vergil grits his teeth.

“Those are glasses.” Dante starts.

“Yes, yes they are.”

Dante snorts and points at him.

“Buddy Holly looking ass bitch.” Vergil stops and glares at his brother.

“I don’t even know who that is.”

Dante wheezes at he keeps looking at Vergil.

“Of course you don’t, you bag of bones! You look like a college RA.”

“Dante, get to work-”

“What are you going to do? Tell the dean on me? Is that why you were gone a couple weeks ago?”

“I had an appointment-”

“I hAd aN aPpOiNtMeNt.” Dante mocks.

“That’s rich coming from someone without insurance coverage-”

His spectacles are snatched from his face. Dante puts them on.

“How do you see with these on? Damn, you’re legally blind.”

“That’s why they’re mine-hand them over!”

“You sound like Piggy from Lord of the Flies. My specs! My specs!” Dante mocks in a terrible English accent.

Vergil growls in anger.

When Vergil comes home with his glasses off, you wonder why. The blue devil comes behind you while you make some soup, hands on your waist and breathing in the scent of your shampoo.

He’s quiet and in a way that is not his usual silence. He seems to have something on his mind. This time, you choose not to push it and let him be.

It isn’t until you’re both in bed, the lamp on as Vergil goes to take out a new novel. He hesitates when he reaches for his black glasses.

“My love?”

“Yes, Vergil?”

“Who’s Buddy Holly?”

Weird question but okay.

You search up the name on your phone and show him a picture. He puts on his glasses.

“Why would Dante think I look like that?” He asks himself with a frown. Upon realization, you put your hand on your mouth and fight back a laugh.

“Did Dante say that?” Vergil rolls his eyes.

“Of course he did, amongst other things.”

“Well, I think you look very nice. Like a very sexy college professor.” Vergil smugly looks at your bedroom eyes. The novel is long abandoned on the table.

Before he can pounce on you, he goes to take off his spectacles. You snatch them and place them back on his face.

“Keep them on this time.” You bite your bottom lip teasingly.

Vergil purrs.

He might get used to this.

[More Photos Of Vergil’s Mod-Credited To @drusoona]

#vergil x reader #vergil sparda #vergil imagines #devil may cry imagines #devil may cry imagine #dmc vergil #vergil #fluff #devil may cry #devil may cry vergil #gender neutral reader #rodeo used butcherknives' recipe for this fic #rodeo is lactose intolerant and a bite of mac and cheese will vibe check her straight to hell #drusoona's pictures

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thecharlestonroyalfamily · 3 years

Text

Here’s the thing about the royal simblr drama..

So I feel like I’m a fairly neutral party in the middle of all this drama (kinda fitting considering that’s what I build my nation as as well). I know and have worked on my story both with the people accused and those who haven’t. All of them are lovely people who I’ve enjoyed working with and who gave me no hard time. Now sadly I’ve found out that this isn't the case for everyone. However as I too care about this community I want to help and make it a better place.

Here are some points of observation from someone with years of studying and first hand experience in psychology about the situation: (It’s a long post)

1. The “cliques”. Now we as humans naturally tend to form “cliques”; groups of like minded people who we share interests with. This is completely normal and nothing to be ashamed off. And we as people also tend to not get along with everyone. This too is also fine and completely normal. It is completely okay and acceptable to vent about people/things/concepts you don’t like or find annoying to your friends. We all do it. Yes, even as adults, cause guess what we don’t all get along and that is fine. Is this an excuse to treat someone like shit? No and that’s where the problem begins.

2. Power corrupts. Shortly when we as humans are placed in a position of power aka a situation where we feel we have the upper hand or are in some form “above” others it gets to our heads (take the 1971 Stanford Prison Experiment as an example). Now I’m not saying that these people necessarily think themselves better, I’m saying that with bigger follower number and more influence your behavior might change. Maybe they don’t even consider themselves being mean or gatekeeping.

3. Original ideas. There is no such thing as an original idea. All of us have had our stories inspired by other stories, real or fiction, to some extend. However this does NOT mean you can flat out copy someone else’s storyline. But what is counted as copying? If you take another creators scene, plotline, etc. and add it your story without making any or barely any changes THEN you’re copying. “But I have a scene just like XXX and now I’m being blamed for copying.” If you didn’t intentionally do it, it’s not malicious copying and you can still fix it. If you’re unsure talk it over with the other blog and/or just re-take the pictures from a different angle or re-write dialogue. Being inspired by others if fine! Just know and learn the difference between inspiration and copying.

4. Gatekeeping. Now this is a tad tricky. You see those who first started telling royal simblr stories, and in doing so created this community, might have had or might still have ideas and wishes for what this community looks like. However since this community is this large it’s simply impossible to have those wished granted. We all have different sets of skills and amount of time to put into our stories. While to some this is like making their own book or tv show, others just want to take pretty pictures of sims in grand palaces and tiaras. Both of these approaches are fine and valid! The problem is that when you hold something in high value to yourself and see someone else just “mess around” with it you feel hurt. How can they not take this seriously?! But the thing is they are, just as you. They just have a different set of goals and motivation for their story. Not every book is a bestseller and that is okay.

5. False positivity. False positivity helps no one however there’s a difference between being falsely positive and being supportive. The main difference? What you wanted out of the conversation. A person looking for criticism to improve their work does not want or benefit from just supportive comments alone! If that’s all they get they’ll get frustrated and that’s where bad feeling towards other start. Same thing other other side, a person looking for encouragement does not want criticism! What they need is your thumbs up emojis and a few positive words. If they get unasked for critique they don’t receive it as such, to them it’s easily just bullying.

How to fix the situation:

Now please note that these are just MY individual ideas. There’s no simple solution to this and it surely doesn’t happen over night but change can be made.

1. Make two separate channels on the server; CONSTRUCTIVE CRITISISM and ENGOURAGEMENT. Those looking for support can choose which variety they want and need. Now this also means that if you go to the criticism channel that’s what you’ll get! Everyone needs to take personal responsibility on this and not go on the channels they don’t want. If you don’t want criticism from complete strangers DM a friend, or ask a specific creator if they’d have the time to give you critique.

2. Own what you’ve said, and apologize. Those that have said mean words need to own up to them, apologize from the individuals affected and stop. Private messages shared between friends is fine (it’s human nature), however if your discussions revolve around judging and/or belittling others you might want to reconsider. Also if you’re not directly involved or asked keep your opinions to yourself. No one likes unsolicited comments.

3. NO MORE GATEKEEPING! Now this is should be obvious to everyone. This is a community which means people are going to do things differently. Don’t follow blogs who’s stories you’re not interested in. Don’t send anon hate cause you don’t like what they do. Unlearn the idea that there’s only one way to tell a royal simblr story. If you can’t do that, grow up.

4. Say no. If you don’t want to collab with someone say no. Seriously. Going around this will only create more behind the scenes trash talking. And if you’re told no, accept it. Most of us are adults, we can or at least should be able to handle a no. It sucks when the other person doesn’t share our enthusiasm for an idea but that happens. With so many stories out there sadly not all of them are going to align. Luckily we’re a big community so the odds that someone out there likes your idea is quite large! Which brings me to the last point 5. Keep an open mind. As said we’re a big community of different people from all over the world. We come from multiple ethnicities, religions and countries, we’re individuals of different sexualities and genders. We all have our own set of ideals and ideas we’d like to see. We’re storytellers and readers, weavers of massive intricate worlds, or people who just like to keep it simple. Our difference is a richness. You might not like every idea but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad idea. Let people be and do their thing.

So that’s it for me. I hope I didn’t cross any lines with this. Thank you for taking the time to read what has been the longest Ani’s rambling ever. Let’s work towards a more healthy and welcoming community. My asks and anons are on.

Love, Ani

#royal simblr #ani's ramblings

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wroteclassicaly · 3 years

Note

If you want to or feel inspired how about “35. “You could’ve left! You could’ve run away with me!” And/or “78. “Seven billion people in the world and I got put in a room with you. Either I’m cursed or God likes playing house with us.” For Andy from the angst prompts! If you like. No pressure though!!

First off, thanks so much for sending this in! I definitely needed this to work on, and I miss my favorite dramatic daddy! ^_^ I hope you like what I’ve created here? I combined each number!❤️

I think this became more than a prompt, lol... Also, Andy is a total dick in this!

~*~

35. “You could’ve left! You could’ve run away with me!”

78. “Seven billion people in the world and I got put in a room with you. Either I’m cursed or God likes playing house with us.”

The scenery looks ever persistent in its unchanging beauty, you note, manicured nails tapping the glass as you pass by your favorite row of cherry blossom trees.

We must be getting close to home...

That sickening sucker punching dread drowns your insides, liquefying your bones. It’s enough to have you rolling down the window to outstretch your hand and wave your fingers through the whipping, crisp air. Your hair fans out with each rough breeze, creating a spread blanket to shield your left side view. And that is good enough for you right now. You attempt to ignore his rejected sigh.

Your right hand joins your left inside the car, thumb pad attempting to swipe the absent ring where your wedding band used to be out of a nervous habit.

“You gonna do that pitiful ex - wife act all the way to the house, Y/N? We both know I’m the actor in this relationship.” His deep voice, once comforting, is now snide and cruel, a speciality he has taken to reserving for you.

You don’t fight your instincts anymore, knowing you have no need. It’s over anyways, why try to tip toe around your ex - husband that chose everything besides you? When your head falls back against the seat you are wearing a saddened smile, eyes warm and threatening tears, yet they never fall. He looks briefly caught off guard that you aren’t taking your normal “bitch of a high road” and ignoring him.

“You’re exactly right, Andy. You are the one who’s been acting in our marriage.” It’s not a question, but a stating fact that you leave yourself on, batting at his cigarette smoke that he blows in your direction.

You don’t see the tremble his lower lip can’t control, you don’t feel the way his guts swoop into a massive tangle, heart ramming his rib cage with the lashes your words cause. He does what he can do best, one of the deciding behavioral factors that helped destroy your union. He becomes a total asshole.

“Your useless cunt used to get soaked just watching me smoke one of these. When did you get to be such an uptight bitch?” You hear his fingers snap together when he flicks the butt out and closes his side of the window.

You close your eyes and manage your therapeutic breathing ritual before you speak. Though you can’t close off the jagged way your air comes to the surface.

“The night that you left, dumb ass.” You’re not shy with the bitter concert your tone is doling out.

And Andy explodes. You hear him slam his duffel that separates you two in the backseat - onto the floor, his body shifting towards your sought solitude

“You could’ve left! You could’ve run away with me!”

You let him get it out, squeezing white - knuckled around the seatbelt across your chest. Andy slides so fast across the leather and grips a few inches of the belt below where your hand is, reminding you so much of a predator caging its prey. You know he won’t hit you, but that doesn’t mean you’re ready to be this close to him again, not when you know you’re hours away from losing him forever. Gone is the last name Dolan, replaced with who you were before this man came into your life and changed things permanently. Andy noses your jaw until he gets your neck to incline towards him, his nose smashing atop your own.

He’s like a snarling beast. When you attempt to raise your other hand, he tries catch it with his fingers, apparently unprepared for your biting hit across his cheek. You shove him away from you so hard that he falls back into his seat.

Fuck, I could just straddle him and ride him into the seat right now...

The car comes to a stop and prevents your soon to be ex - husband from further acting out his emotions. You gather your handbag and suitcase, heading into the house and meeting the lawyer and former staff at the front doors. You don’t want to see their faux sadness. You give them your bags, moving into what used to be the dining room, now set up into a makeshift lawyer’s quarters. You grip the curved doorknob behind you, jiggling its non-working inadequacies, another habit you’ll never get used to not doing any longer.

Along the fancy marble table, you see places set for a sadness that has your jaw twitching to keep yourself in check. Folders and pens are stacked and ready to go in front of the seats where you and Andy used to set. You have to move your shoulders against the onslaught of memories this room holds. Hell, even the furniture. Fitting that he ate your pussy out and then dropped to one knee with a diamond ring, but an even bigger, priceless sparkle in his eyes when he asked you to marry him.

You’d kissed his slick cum - covered lips and accepted. Then you saw more of him and less of this distant darkness that welcomes in. The very same table you’d became engaged at is the one where you’ll sign off on the ending that is your marriage, your life, and your ties to Andy Dolan. You’re broken from your grieving reverie, Andy striding in behind you and slamming the door closed. You wipe a hand across your mouth and move to a safe distance as to not let him read you. He’s pretty damned good at that.

“Motherfuckers all headed back into town. They forgot some of the files. Did you mail in all the shit that my lawyers discussed on the phone with you?” He’s accusatory, perturbed, seeming as if he’s having to bother with just being here with you.

“Yes, Andy. Unlike you, I’m not high 24/7, and can remember how to converse like a decent human being.” The hell if he’s going to place blame on you.

He snorts and runs a hand through his unkept brown curls, then paths it with a follow through across his delicious bearded stubble.

One last time I could feel that on my thighs if I just sit down in that seat...

“Then I’m not staying in here with you.” You realize, unsure why he even bothered if no one will be back for the hour.

The second your hand hits the door handle and twists you know you’re fucked. You’d forgotten this was one of the many things that never got fixed. And like a fucking cliche, you’re locked in your old dining room with your ex. You rest your head against the door and begin to laugh, your legs shaking uncontrollably as you fold into your old seat anyways, those tears disguised as pain and anguish in one with the humor. Andy is oblivious to your comedy, trying the door himself and taking a second to follow you.

“MOTHERFUCKER! This has got to be some kind of attempt to —“ Andy starts.

“If you accuse me of being the delusional ex - wife, so fucking help me...“ You trail off, warning him.

“Seven billion people in the world and I got put in a room with you. Either I’m cursed or God likes playing house with us.”

“Or you just fucking forgot that this door doesn’t work, a lot like you’ve forgotten every other damn thing that I tell you. Fucking bitch!” You say acidly in his direct direction.

“Oh? Oh, I’m the bitch? That’s so fucking rich, Y/N. Real comedy right there! My hat is off to you!”

He doesn’t jerk on the door, doesn’t attempt to maneuver it. He knows there’s no point from your prior shared experiences locked in here when the staff is in bed, and you two were kept inside for a late night snack or work. It always resulted in you both fucking each other on the floor, Andy pounding you into the door, or bending you over the table until you collapsed in a naked heap, waiting for daylight to be discovered and let out. Andy stands over you, that cocky walk up making you feel the familiar drenching ache. Great...

Angst Prompts

Andy babes tag list : @dark-mei-rose @sojournmichael @fckinsupreme @littledemondani @xavierplympton @xavier-plymptons @codyfernuk @jimmason @infernwetrust @ferndolan @plymptxn-reborn @9layerdevilfoodcake @instinctsxbaby @icylangdon @lovelylangdonx @langdxn @bloodcoatedeclipse @celestialrequiem @ritualmichael

#asks #kristenwrites #andy dolan fanfiction #andy dolan fic #andy dolan x you #andy dolan x reader #andy dolan #eden fanfiction #eden #prompts

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