#hi i'm excited about this lol

[knifegremliin]

! it's woodpecker!!

[tblsomedoodles]

The Preferable Alternative -Part 20

Start - previous - next (not yet)

:):):):):):):):):)

[tomwambsgans]

greg said actually i wanna take YOU out and I'M gonna pay for it

[fl00mie]

testingggg.. i may post a clearer reference of the character later or, these days

[ying-doodles]

(↑ screenshots by @/A_ram_0_ on twitter)

Character profiles and costumes!

Also note the VAs in the top left corners- 👀

[mastersoftheair]

new stills for episode 4!

[saltpepperbeard]

Better alive than dead.

[comebackali]

for our phantom menace rewatch this week we are doing a “qui gon touch count” to count how many times qui gon (bad) touches anakin

[gunsatthaphan]

~ Monthly BL Breakdown: April 2024 ~ 

🌷 Happy May!!! ☀️

Disclaimer: ALL shows can be streamed here or here, as well as on Youtube and other platforms. For more info on where to watch what, check out this post! 

New breakdowns are coming at the end of every month - feel free to add stuff! -> previous breakdowns

What came out this month? (green = seen/currently watching)

🌟 Love is Like a Cat - April 1st (South Korea / Thailand) 

🌟 We Are - April 3rd (Thailand) ✅

🌟 Memory in the Letter - April 6th (Thailand) 

🌟 Living With Him - April 11th (Japan) 

🌟 Gray Shelter - April 11th (South Korea) 

🌟 Beating Again - April 13th (Thailand)

🌟 Blue Boys - April 15th (South Korea)

🌟 At 25:00 in Alasaka - April 18th (Japan)

🌟 GMMTV2024 Part 2 (lineup event) - April 23rd (Thailand) ✅

🌟 Boys Be Brave - April 25th (South Korea) 

🌟 CHANGE2561 2024 lineup event - April 25th (Thailand) ✅

🌟 My Stand-In - April 26th (Thailand) ✅

🌟 City Boy Log Vol. 3 - April 30th (South Korea)

New series & movie announcements

🎥 The Fridge - Date TBA (Thailand)

🎥 Flavor of Us (starring Benjamin B., Dome W. & others) - Date TBA (Thailand)

🎥 Children's Day - Date TBA (Taiwan)

🎥 Blue Time - Date TBA (China, possibly censored)

🎥 Bad Guy My Boss - Date TBA (Thailand)

🎥 Oriental Magician In The Ent. Circle - Date TBA (Taiwan)

🎥 Under the Oak Tree - Date TBA (Vietnam)

🎥 Invitation - Date TBA (Thailand)

🎥 The Love Matter - Date TBA (Thailand)

🎥 I Saw You in My Dream - Date TBA (Thailand)

🎥 I Wish You the Best - Date TBA (Thailand)

🎥 Impression of Youth - Date TBA (Taiwan)

🎥 Meet You at the Blossom - Date TBA (Taiwan)

Other news from the BL world

❗️ The production company Studio WabiSabi announced that their actors Boun N., Prem W., Santa P., Sammy C., Yacht P. and Stamp P. have terminated their contracts and will no longer be artists under the company on April 15th. Shortly after, GMMTV announced the 6 of them as newly signed artists, along with the disclosure that BounPrem's upcoming BL Vampire Project is now being produced under GMMTV, who now also own all broadcasting rights; WabiSabi will function as a co-producer. New S. stated on Twitter that the decisions had been long in the making, as well as the fact that WabiSabi no longer functions as a management agency for actors and is now a mere production company. He also denied the rumors that the company is shutting down. Shortly after the transfer of the Wabi Sabi actors, actor Fluke Jeeratch (formerly Pongsakorn) joined GMMTV as well.

❗️ The Filipino BL Gameboys is getting a third season. An air date has not been confirmed.

❗️ P Ekkapop and Pan Jirachot, the lead actors from Kiseki Chapter 2, have announced a new project together. Details are unknown.

❗️ Actor Barcode Tinnasit has announced his departure from his agency Be On Cloud.

❗️ After some confusion, the Korean production company Studio X+U announced that their upcoming series Fragile - which was initially advertized as a Korean SKAM remake - is in fact not connected to the Norwegian web series and is instead a standalone series, which focuses on the life of a group of teenagers. According to ZUM News, there was supposed to be a Korean SKAM remake based on the Norwegian original, which was however cancelled due to unknown reasons. Fragile was created as a substitution.

❗️ GMMTV held their 2024 part 2 event on April 23rd. The following BL projects were announced:

The Heart Killers (starring FirstKhao & JoongDunk)

Perfect10 Liners (starring ForceBook, PerthChimon, JuniorMark)

Heart That Skips a Beat (starring EstWilliam)

Revamp (starring BounPrem, formerly known as Vampire Project)

Sweet Tooth, Good Dentist (starring MarkOhm)

The Ex-Morning (starring KristSingto)

❗️ The production company CHANGE2561 held their 2024 lineup event on April 25th. The following BL projects were announced:

This Love Doesn't Have Long Beans (starring SailubPon)

Goddess Bless You From Death (starring PavelPooh)

I’m The Most Beautiful Count (starring PingSupanut)

Pit Babe Season 2

Upcoming series & movies for May

👉🏻 You Made My Day (starring Tar A. and Bom T. from I Will Knock You) - May 3rd (Thailand)

👉🏻 Inverse Identity / Upside Down - Mary 3rd (China)

👉🏻 Wandee Goodday - May 4th (Thailand)

👉🏻 A Balloon's Landing - May 10th (Taiwan)

👉🏻 City of Stars: Special Episode - May 10th (Thailand, cinema release)

👉🏻 The Time of Fever (Unintentional Love Story spinoff) - May 15th (South Korea)

👉🏻 Blossom Campus - May 16th (South Korea)

👉🏻 OMG! Vampire - May 19th (Thailand)

👉🏻 Manji Reverse - May 24th (Japan)

👉🏻 My Biker 2 - May 28th (Thailand)

[swiftcast-selene]

ELEZEN EAR BLUSHY REAL!!!!!

[monodramatic-cannibal]

I LOVE DOG CODED CROSS TOO! I always see him as that dog that survived so much and now that he can rest and receive affection, he doesn't know how to let his guard down, how to know which hand will be gentle and which will be aggressive. I like his silly side too, but THIS side, he's just very special to me.

PLEASE TALK MORE ABOU HIM

Losing my mind rn. Cross to me has neglected shelter dog rizz, he just wants to sit on the couch and watch tv with someone. Is that too much for him to ask. (Also this is going to be all over the place, me just throwing thoughts out there to see what sticks. Also me talking about this can be taken romantic or platonic routes, I don't mind how anyone sees it. Also throwing in a bit of weapon coded Cross in there as a treat.)

I love the concept of feral dog coded turning into guard dog coded. Like Cross has been through so much, I think he deserves to bite people. As a treat.

I know Cross has canon fangs, but I also like to imagine he has claws too. Just I want him to be sharp. Also this is OOC, but I don't care I'm having fun.

____

I imagine Cross has a very specific type of fear he shows, it's the equivalent of a cornered pray animal that has nowhere to go and nothing to do but fight for his life.

Given all that has happened to him, especially later on into his life, him becoming like a fighting dog to protect himself. Being alert and lashing, snarling, clawing at anything that moves too quickly or is too loud. Not even trusting those who approach slowly and quietly, seeing them as people who want something from him or assuming they only want to get close to him to hurt him. Which leads him to especially snap at those people, wanting to hurt those that get too close.

He's basically become a walking weapon, something sharp that stabs and slashes, tears and scratches. Now wondering around without anyone to wield him as a weapon. Now having no use, no purpose.

____

(me talking about a build up of someone trying to get to know Cross)

Him not knowing why someone would approach him, being so confused when they don't make an effort to come too close, the other quietly sitting down a bit away from him trying to show they're not a threat, while also giving Cross his space. Cross not liking this and walking away every time, but this other person is persistent.

The other slowly starting to talk after the first few times in a soft tone, telling Cross about themselves, not worrying if Cross is even listening. Just wanting him to get used to their voice and company.

After a while the other starts to give Cross little offerings, such as food or ways to entertain him, trying to inch Cross closer with each coming day. Cross would lash out at these gifts at first, thinking they'd expect something in return, or seeing these gifts as a threat, like what happens if the food is poisoned, he wasn't about to take that chance. Him lashing out throwing things back, snarling and hissing. Him even daring to get close enough to try to take a swipe at the other. But after the other offers him chocolate he just can't resist but have it. Slowly opening up to the idea of their gifts.

Asking the other what the point of all this is. And the other just smiling at him. Looking at him like he means something to the world again. And he wants to cry, he wants to scream and lash out. But all he can do is stare back for a few seconds before fleeing away. The look scaring him half to death. How can someone look at him like that. With so much kindness, no malice, don't they know the things he's done, he's tried to hurt them. And yet they still looked at him like that.

After a while of this back and forth of spending time with Cross and giving him things now and then Cross will start to sit closer, just over an arm's length away, shooting the other unsure glances always having his body angled in such a way he can defend himself if needed.

The other person one day lifting and offering their hand to Cross. Doing a little bit too quickly for Cross's taste leading to him lashing out at the hand, digging his claws into their wrist and latching his teeth onto the hand.

Which 100% would lead into the story you wrote of Cross biting. (I love that short story sm, once I found it I couldn't stop going back and reading it over and over again).

____

Him now realizing he may have someone he can trust, he's hurt them a lot and yet they've continued to work with him. Him now realizing he can at least trust their touch, even if its only for short periods of time. Them always offering up their hand and him always reluctantly shoving his head into their palm, closing his eyes tight and nuzzling, sometimes a light whine coming from him. Always nuzzling the hand, the hand that now has a permanent mark of his worry and anger. But the other always uses their thumb to softly rub his cheek to comfort him.

It would take him a while to get closer than the arm's length, only being able to do it minutes at a time any longer, and he'd start to panic, still being unsure on letting himself fully trust the other.

Just him not being able to process any of the kindness given to him. It's something now foreign to him, he still has his moments where he gets too anxiety ridden and lashes, but he's quick to back himself up to shoot the other sympathetic glances and whines.

Then one day it's like a switch got flipped in his head, he's quick to approach the other on their next visit to him, waiting for them to sit before he sits next to them then suddenly leans his head on them, shoving himself into them in an effort to get any sort of attention, either it be positive or negative, he didn't care at that moment in time.

He doesn't know what to think of this feeling, but also doesn't want it to go. Unsure if all of it will be taken away from him. But then quickly realizing he doesn't want this feeling to go, so clings and claws at the other in a desperate attempt to get them to stay.

A sort of 'bite the hand that feeds' sort of situation as he is still unsure on what any of it means so cannot process the kindness given to him as kindness. He's still partly stuck in the mindset that the other must want something. But all the other does is softly pet the back of his skull, quietly talking to him, trying to comfort him. Something in him breaks, and he becomes a sobbing mess. shuddering and whining. Being physically unable to control his emotions, now understanding the other is here for him not for anything else.

____

The other has dedicated so much time to befriending Cross that they now have a very loyal guard dog that wants to go everywhere with them, always at their side like a thorn in skin.

He's devoted to them, and craves any sort of praise or physical affection from them. Despite all the work put into him, there's still such a long way to go with him. He will still sometimes go on edge when the other moves too quickly. Or he's too nervous to get attention most of the time out of fear of upsetting them or coming across as too needy.

Seems like the type of guy to shake/shiver if the other was to touch him, either it be out of anticipation of waiting for the other to hurt him in some way, or finally getting the softness and validation he craves. Him quietly hanging out in the same room as the other person, giving them side glaces. Wanting to approach but being unsure, but deciding a possible reward outweighs the risk and just walking over looking like a kicked puppy. Settling himself down next to the other and resting his head on them eyes closes, praying that he will receive a soft touch rather than a hit.

I'd also like to think, despite all the trust and work, he will always still bite and scratch, but it won't nearly be as bad, more so a warning nip of his teeth, a light warning telling the other how fragile this trust is.

Cross now finding a purpose with this person, even if he sees his purpose in an unhealthy light, seeing himself as a weapon for this person to use as they please. He will always need work and praise, he will always need someone to tell him he isn't a weapon.

____

oh whoops wrote a bit there.

I don't know if any of this can be seen as dog coded, but I did attempt to write it as such. Also I'm not much of a writer so forgive my style of writing.

[majimasleftasscheek]

this passed like 2 weeks ago lol but might as well share the prototype art for the yakuza nenderoids coming outttttt sometime™

[beldaroot]

murai yakumo: using guilt to grieve

i find it so interesting how inukai-sensei implied that yakumo treating survivor's guilt like a luxury and using his classic big canvases weren't a proper way in handling the theme of guilt.

because in the later chapters we learn that yakumo himself has survivor's guilt over sanada's death. and while he claims sanada's death was "likely an accident" he probably feels like he had a hand in it since he didn't go shopping with her that night because he was annoyed at how effortlessly good she was at art so he wanted to paint instead. he's had to live with the guilt of surviving as well as the guilt of possibly being able to have prevented her death plus the guilt of resenting her for her artistic talent. that's why he always refers to sanada being "killed" as if he played a role in killing her.

but then momo says that sanada wasn't killed. sure, there are multiple "what-ifs" that could be said like "what if that man didn't call out to sanada and shock her into falling in the sea?" or "what if yakumo did go shopping with sanada that night?" or "what if the ledge wasn't so icy and the water so cold?" or "what if sanada wasn't so curious?" - but it's all a guessing game because the reality of it is that in the end, sanada still ended up dead and they all have to live with that. i think momo is reflecting inukai-sensei's previous argument against yakumo that guilt isn't something fortunate. that's why she calls yakumo a "brat" about sanada's death because he's treating it like some luxury of being alive instead of properly coping.

it's been three years since sanada's death but yakumo is still in the denial stage of grief. he's been in arguments with hacchan about how he moved on too fast after sanada's death and he hasn't even talked with momo about it at all. he's likely just scared that those feelings of guilt that he had when she died are slowly fading. yakumo knows that he's childish and he has been trying to grow-up and move on, but i like that he also uses his naiveté as a source of inspiration and drive to complete his art of japan piece. through his art, i think he can finally say his goodbye to sanada. and i'm curious if this piece will allow him to let go of notion that survivor's guilt is something luxurious.

[lylahammar]

I've been rewatching the first two seasons of The Bear so I can watch the third season that just came out and man the character writing in this show makes me froth at the mouth it's like some of the best arcs I've ever seen in a TV series

[mx-myth]

Okay so I've had some meta thoughts about Laurence's amnesia and how it relates to his relationship with Tharkay sitting in my drafts for like over a year now so I figured I'd finally clean it up and post it. Heads up it's really long.

Laurence finally consciously realises that he loves Tharkay (or is in love with him, whatever nuance you'd like) after "knew him, and knew himself." But at this point he's completely in pieces as a person (more on this next paragraph). Post-amnesia, he's an entirely different man. Pre-Temeraire Laurence is the harshest, strictest version both of and with himself. He follows the rules to the letter, basically takes Temeraire only out of duty in the beginning, and even keeps the promise between him and Edith despite there being no formal arrangement at all. Post-Temeraire but pre-amnesia Laurence has softened. He's putting less emphasis on the rules and more on his morals (see: treason). He has more leeway but still carries that honor/duty/order with himself.

Which is why post-amnesia Laurence is the version of himself that discovers that he loves Tharkay. In the wake of losing his memories and then regaining them he's lost and unmoored. Both of his past selves are so different and therefore so distant. They're both true but it's too jarring for him - especially in his current circumstances, much less the overall war - so Laurence becomes a new person. This is Laurence at his most vulnerable, his most unguarded, who smiles more often now because he doesn't really know that he didn't smile that much before. He has two major tethers to his personhood: Temeraire and Tharkay (I hesitate to say only tethers, simply because Laurence's life isn't that small, but repeatedly these two are the ones who have had the biggest impact on his life, who have kept him going). Obviously he loves Temeraire, he's never going to stop loving Temeraire, he just isn't capable of it, but seeing Temeraire didn't bring back his memories (I can't imagine how Temeraire must have felt, meeting a version of Laurence who had never met him). Laurence loves Temeraire in the most unconditional, selfless way - to be very Greek about it, his philia. But I think when he finally comprehends how Tharkay was the catalyst behind this radical change of his self he dives into his memories again and goes over them in excruciating detail (and he was definitely doing that already, but now he's doing it with a lens exclusively focused on Tharkay). At some point he comes to the realisation that Tharkay loves him, and that he loves him, and that he's been unconsciously shoving it down every time it's surfaced (past-Laurence was saying no homo while actively homo-ing). And with the benefit of being an new version of the same person (and also some hindsight, finally), this Laurence says, I've committed treason. My country sees me as a traitor but they still need me to serve them as a tool. I lost myself once in a war (see: "what are you doing?") that's still being fought. Time is short and there's no guarantee I won't lose my memories again, that I will still be the person I am right now. What do I have to lose?

(And on some level, this Laurence thinks, what can stop me?)

He begins giving to Tharkay what Tharkay always had given to him. His acts of devotions start small (relative to Tharkay's; transporting too many ferals is obviously a little outside of what Laurence can feasibly do). He cares for Tharkay once he wakes ("have you noticed the top of your head appears likely to come off?"), he helps him eat and drink, he massages his hands once they heal, he stays with him through the nightmares that come to haunt him. And he continues doing these little things for Tharkay, hoping that he understands (he's willing to wait, Tharkay waited for him after all, and Laurence doesn't want to push him, especially as he's healing). But I think the act that hits Tharkay like, oh, it's different this time is when Laurence bargains his freedom to Napoleon. I feel like that carries unspeakable meaning for Tharkay, who was ostracized growing up and ended up never having a "permanent" home since he travelled so much. I can't imagine that he hasn't been in a similar situation before, but he's probably always been expected to weasel his way out of it without any outside help. He's trained himself out of expecting someone to help him, to care enough about him to save him. Yet part of the man who turned to treason simply so the dragons of France wouldn't die in pain lives on in this Laurence. Pre-Temeraire Laurence is rules and post-Temeraire pre-amnesia Laurence is morals, but post-amnesia Laurence is all heart. There was never a way he was going to leave Tharkay behind.

So Tharkay starts watching him. He watches Laurence continue to devote himself to him, again and again. He brings him his coat on cold days. When it rains and their scars ache he curls around his hands and rubs lotion into them. When he goes into town he always brings Tharkay back a little gift. He starts growing vegetables in the garden and he learns how to cook non-wartime foods and how to knit (because he is a man forged by war and what does one even do during peacetime when one's dragon is busy reforming the government, anyway?) and suddenly he's providing for Tharkay like never before. He looked away for one moment and suddenly Laurence's prescence and all that he does has made the manor a home.

Yet Tharkay, for years, has told himself so many times that Laurence is off-limits, untouchable, that he can love him but that there's no chance that Laurence will love him back. The only way he can love Laurence is silently, nearly from afar, and so he tried to do that. But he can't just stand by and so every time he finds himself committing a deux ex Tharkay (see: ferals, again). He understands that there's some shit Laurence needs to learn himself (and god is this series very good about character development for Laurence) but he's not going to do nothing when the man in about to die. For him it's about caring and providing for Laurence even if he doesn't know it. He learns to content himself with the knowledge that, even if nothing comes of it, he can still be by Laurence's side.

But then the amnesia plot happens (which he only learns of after all of it goes down) and suddenly there is a half-stranger wearing the skin of the man he loves (loved, he tells himself) looking at him with those familiar blue eyes filled with a completely unfamiliar emotion. He's relieved that Laurence remembers but he's said that his Laurence is gone that he's even thinking of it like that (Tharkay has a lot of anger, both at himself and others and the world). Laurence is right in front of him, he's not gone at all, but he's gone in a way that matters. But also this new Laurence is by his side all the time. He's feeding him and helping him drink and dress and he sleeps on the floor by his bedside. Tharkay is so confused because this has to be some kind of fantasy dream he's having. He must still be in the cave (and it's believable that he is, because he returns there every night in his dreams). But he isn't and he has to struggle to come to terms with this new Laurence.

So every time Laurence does something even remotely nice he hyper-analyses it and rationalizes it to himself. He deludes himself into thinking that this is normal for Laurence now. It's normal for Laurence to fuss and hen over him now; it's normal for him to smile at him with that emotion written plainly on his face that Tharkay still hasn't (refuses) to decipher. And he does this well into post-canon.

For that reason he only gets with the program when Laurence has to leave the manor (leave home) for a long while (probably with Temeraire) and suddenly Tharkay is all alone in this huge manor. He's wearing the socks Laurence knitted for him and eating food Laurence grew and walking into rooms and seeing little parts of him scattered everywhere. There's a novel he's reading left on the table by the chair he prefers in the library. There's a cookbook in the kitchen in which he's bookmarked recipes he thinks he might like. Tharkay finds a handwritten list of things they need to buy in town left out for him. He left his pillows on Tharkay's bed because he knows he likes sleeping with a ton of pillows (and they smell like him, and Tharkay pretends he doesn't bury his face in him, that he doesn't miss him while he's gone). When Tharkay wakes up in the morning he makes two cups of tea and waits for Laurence to come in from talking with Temeraire before remembering that neither of them are here (home). He expects Laurence to appear in the evenings to ask if he wants to go on a walk through the grounds with him (and he always ends up saying yes). Tharkay learns that the manor is too big for one man who has always been a little too lonely in his life.

So until Laurence returns home he plots and plans and agonizes. After a week once Laurence has come home (and the first thing he had said to him was welcome home, and Laurence had beamed at him, and it was so unbelievably natural to say it) Tharkay begins his attempts at reciprocating. He wakes up earlier so that he can brew Laurence tea so he can take it out to sit with Temeraire. He says that he cooked some of the recipes from Laurence's cookbook and insists on making them for Laurence (he had to figure out his system of marking which recipes were Laurence's favourites). He gifts him a sturdy, functional, and beautifully crafted knife to wear around the house for daily use; he specifically makes sure the knife is up to Temeraire's standards. In fact, Tharkay talks to Temeraire about everything, and Temeraire tells him, with no minced words while completely drawing his own conclusions, that it's very nice that Tharkay is asking him for his blessing, but does he really need it at this point? Haven't they been courting long enough? He's always approved of Tharkay, because he makes Laurence happy.

That's how Tharkay realises he and Laurence have been dancing around each other like shy birds, both of them subtly showing off but not making the first move. And maybe he realises that Laurence is thinking how he used to think - that it's okay as long as he can be by his side, that he doesn't need his love reciprocated (it's a very long chain of Tharkay loving Laurence, Laurence knowing Tharkay loves him and loving him back, and Tharkay loving Laurence and knowing he knows he loves him and loves him back). And of course Tharkay wasn't going to make the first move back then, and if Laurence hasn't by now, then maybe he should borrow some of Temeraire's courage.

It's something small. The words come later, given how action-forward both Laurence and Tharkay are. They don't even need words. Maybe Tharkay takes Laurence's hand during dinner and intertwines their fingers, maybe he touches Laurence's cheek after he's braided his hair as their eyes meet in the mirror, maybe as they pack away the port and piquet he kisses him good night. Whatever it is, they look at each other and simply know. Tharkay sees Laurence slowly start to smile, a huge one that spreads across his entire face, one that he's only seen on Laurence when he thinks he's alone with Temeraire. He seems to brighten, almost radiating light.

For his part, Laurence reciprocates. He squeezes Tharkay's hand, he turns his cheek into Tharkay's touch, he pulls him in for another kiss. He watches as something seems to drop from Tharkay, something that he hadn't even known he was carrying. He becomes loose and relaxed, his body language more open as he looks at Laurence with one of his little smiles, a bit of shyness that he's never seen before evident on his face. He tells Tharkay that he's the most beautiful person he's ever seen.

[shalomniscient]

sevchino req!!! wanna see protective arle to the children please,,,,,,father in action raahhhh

you and me BOTH anon 🥺🥺🥺 ......................

protective || sevchino

cw. none (?)

notes. yeah i like bullying pantalone (and not in a fun way like a bully rahu). sue me. also super self indulgent with no consistent pov dshjjdfhk

"My, my. What's a little girl like you doing in a place like this, hm?"

Estelle hugs the little bear closer to her chest. Her father had told her to stay in the office, but she was taking so long, and it was starting to get lonely...

She lifts her eyes up from the ground to look at the man crouched before her. He has long, dark hair that reminds her of her father's with how soft it looks. He has a polite smile on his face, but it doesn't reach his eyes. And his eyes—something about them made her nervous.

"I'm here with my father," she answers quietly, squeezing her toy. "I was supposed to stay in the office, but..."

The man clicks his tongue. "Tsk. Poor little thing, did your father leave you behind?"

Estelle bites her lip. Should she answer him? Father always told her not to speak with strangers, but it's been so long, and she wants to go home. She knows she'd begged her father to let her tag along, but now, all she wants to do is go home to her mother and Noé.

So she nods, looking back down at the ground. The man sighs, and rises back to his full height. He's tall, towering over her, and the way the lights backlight his form makes Estelle reflexively take a step back. He looks down at her down the bridge of his nose, the silver rim of his glasses glinting.

"Then how about I help you find her, hm?" he asks. "I think I know exactly who your father is."

Despite her apprehension, Estelle brightens. "Really?"

"Really," he nods. His white cloak parts, and he extends a gloved hand to her. But before he can take her smaller hand in his own, an arc of pure, blistering flame snakes around the girls feet, creating a protective, blazing wall. But around the girl, the fires cool, warm and comforting instead of threatening.

Footsteps echo like thunder down the hall, and the man tucks his hand back into his cloak, those dangerous eyes turning sharp, and a venomous grin creeping onto his face.

"We meet again, Knave," he sneers. Estelle turns, and standing behind her, expression twisted into a level of fury she's never seen before, is her father. A blood-red wing pulses over her left shoulder, flickering and shifting in the light. In her father's hand is a mean-looking red scythe, radiating a furious, hungry aura.

"Stay away from my daughter, Regrator," Arlecchino snarls, practically vibrating with rage. She keeps her eyes trained on the other Harbinger as she kneels down, and Estelle runs into her waiting arm. Pantalone watches it all with a deceptively placid smile.

"You know," he hums, "she has her eyes."

Arlecchino glares at him with enough fury to kill a normal man. But as much as she loathes the waste of breath before her, he is still a Harbinger, and Harbingers have always been far from normal.

"Do not speak of my wife," she says lowly, dangerously, cradling Estelle against her chest. Estelle tucks her head beneath her father's chin, one small hand winding tight in her father's jacket and the other clutching her bear plushie. The little thing's fur is slightly singed. Then, her father's gaze shifts from the man and to her, and her eyes soften. "Are you alright, starshine?"

Estelle nods, snuggling closer against her father's warmth. Arlecchino presses a soft kiss to her forehead, then turns back to Pantalone. She dispels her scythe, but it does not make her any less deadly. She considers, briefly, ripping the man before her to shreds; but Estelle takes priority, and she'd hate for her daughter to have to witness such violence, so she turns on her heel and walks away instead.

She will ensure the Regrator understands that her family is off limits in other ways.