#jacqueline fontaine

[historical-hollywood]

Western showgirl Jacqueline Fontaine strikes a couple of seductive poses in these promotional stills for her film debut in The Daltons' Women (1950)

[ladylamrian]

Hey There! I saw this, and I couldn't agree more! Nothing says I love you more than "I'm willing to try this for you." And this works for all kinds of relationships: romance, friends, and family, too.

Would you be able to create something showing this for one of your characters or pairings? It could be a drabble, fic, edit, art - anything at all!

NO PRESSURE AT ALL - only if you want to, but I'd love to see what you could come up with!

A meeting in Wyoming (F!MC×Nik)

F!Main Character: Alex

Pairing: F!MC × Nik Ryder (Nightbound)

Summary: Alex and Nik were invited to visit Jacqueline in Wyoming, Alex's mom. Will Nik be able to impress his girlfriend's mother?

Word counting: 4.4K

Fluff ● Romance ● Comedy ● Family ● Winter

Rating: Teen/Mature (Fluff, Love, Comedy, Smut, Hurt)

Warnings: family problems, light and less detailed smut, parental problems, mention of death & unwanted pregnancy

Author's note: The funny childhood memories weren't made up... It was naughty me 🤭🤭 Also yes, I canon Nik's birthday beeing in winter... I decided to give him my birthday, January 23rd (01/23/??). Since according the Nightbound book, the Main Character's birthday takes place around Mardi Gras.

-> -> -> Full Masterlist here <- <- <-

Thank you so much to anyone who takes the time to read, like, comment, or reblog my stories/fanfics. It means so much to me! Please inform me if you would like to be added/removed from my new Tag List.

Taglist: @infactnoimmasitinthemiddle ; @lilyoffandoms ; @lawrencebarkley ; @secretaryunpaid ; @blackcatkita ; @peonierose ; @hopelessromantic1352 ; @mariemarieohcontrary ; @mxdanni ; @jdstar88 ; @choicesficwriterscreations for the CFWC Holiday Event 2023 ; @choicesholidays & @choicesflashfics for the Winter Prompts

Prompt #1: "I'll try that, for you. I may not like it, but I'll try it."

Prompt #2: "I'm thankful for you" for @choicesholidays

Prompt #3: Winter, Family gathering, Pre-Christmas time, Old Memories, Christmas memories for CFWC Holiday Event on @choicesficwriterscreations

Prompt #4: "Now, I’m really nervous to meet your family." for @choicesflashfics

Prompt #5: "I made you two some hot chocolate too." for @choicesflashfics

On a cold winter day in Wyoming, the young couple in their formal business wears stepped inside the elevator, pressed the button to reach the highest floor of the crystalline building. They're soon to meet and enter the office of Jacqueline Fontaine, mother of Alex Clarissa Fontaine.

"Looking handsome today, Nik. Like a real business man.", she praised Nik's new outfit. Both of them carried their wet winter coats in their arms.

"Have to look great if I want to impress your mom, right? And you look like a real business woman, rook.", he confessed to Alex who wore a light blouse, a black skirt and matching heeled boots.

"Thanks, Nik. My mother is a businesswoman, so why not show some respect, huh? She likes a formal dress code. Besides, don't forget to behave yourself too. The look isn't the only thing that matters."

"I always behave myself, rook. You sayin' this to me?? I'm a total gentleman. No big deal, relax. Let's just quickly make out a bit in the elevator before someone else enters it. Besides, it'll take time till we reach the top of the building. So why not enjoy a bit and loosen ourselves?"

"Niiiiiiik, behave. Not in my mom's office.", she rolled her eyes and he chuckled as she delivered a soft, playful punch on his shoulder

"Just kiddin', rook. Don't worry. But... You look so damn hot today that I would like to. Not my fault that you're ruining the gentleman inside me.", he mischievously smiled at her.

As the two reached the highest floor, they left the elevator and walked hand in hand towards the dark, wooden door with a metallic name plate on it. It said: Jacqueline Fontaine's Office (Accountant & CEO). (-> Pinterest moodboard here)

"We're here. You nervous?", she asked him and knocked lightly at the door.

"Maybe a little. Damn, she's a successful business woman. She must have high standards and I... Now, I’m really nervous to meet your family. What did you tell your mom about me?"

"Uhhh, that you're a hot police officer. I mean... I couldn't tell her that you're a nighthunter, right? The supernatural world must be a secret for the safety of both worlds. And umm, a police officer seemed to be the closest related to your job, right?"

"Guess so. Hey, why isn't your mom opening?"

"Hmmm, guess I didn't knock loud enough or she isn't here.", Alex wondered and decided to open the door herself.

With Nik close behind her, she stepped inside the office where her mother was sitting at her large desk, but she wasn't alone. In front of her were her clients who were probably discussing a business matter with her. Alex's mother was surprised when she suddenly saw her daughter in front of her. The mother wore a light blouse and a short, black skirt. Earrings were hidden behind her black, shoulder-length hair. Her fair skin was covered with make-up. For her age, the woman has definitely held herself good.

"Alex??! Dear, what are you doing here all of a sudden? I'm having a very important business meeting. Very important, dear.", she signaled to leave.

"But... But you wanted to meet us and..."

"Later, darling. Later, not now. Wait in the hall for me. And next time, you better knock before entering.", she stood up and ushered her and Nik outside of the room to leave. The door got closed in front of the two.

"Damn, that was... rude. Rook, didn't you inform your mom that we were coming? Was there an exact time planned or..."

"Shut up, Nik!!! Quiet!!! I'm super annoyed and disappointed right now!!! And of course, I informed her!!! The fact that she's the one who invited us.", she faced him with anger which made Nik worry.

Of course, she wasn't mad at him, but somehow he felt hurt by her harsh words like shutting him up. They rarely had a fight and if they were arguing, then it was often how overprotective Nik was or how Alex put herself into danger again.

"I... I'm sorry, rook.", he looked away and both took a seat on a nearby couch in the waiting area. For a few minutes, it was total silence between the couple. Nik waiting for Alex would calm herself down. When he finally looked at her, he saw her wrapping her arms around herself and rubbing them against her body while closing her eyes.

"Rook, are you okay?", he got worried and moved closer for a hug.

"It's cold. I hate winter."

"I was born in winter."

"I hate the winter, not you. I'm sorry how I yelled at you. Now please, take me home."

"But we just arrived in Wyoming, rookie. The flight took five hours and... Who told you to wear a skirt? Suffering for fashion."

"I know, I know, I regret that too. Let's... let's go to my home in Wyoming. My mom's home. Let's take our luggage back from the reception downstairs and go.", she finally opened her chocolate-brown eyes to meet his.

After the young couple in their winter coats collected their luggage from the receptionist who was so kind to take care of it, so they didn't have to carry or roll it around. She also handed Alex a mysterious envelope and gave directions to the nearest bus stop.

Both put on their winter gloves while they waited for the bus outside in the cold until it arrived. It was already full of passengers, so they had to stand and hold on tight. The gloved hands tightly wrapped around the holding loops as their bodies were pressed at each other's.

"Why's the bus so full?", Alex got upset.

"Hey, cheer up. At least you're stuck here with me.", he tried to lighten up her mood, and removed his hand from the holding loop to hold her which made her smile.

After a short drive, Nik and Alex arrived in front of a nice family house. It was a sturdy two-story residence designed with a wide garden, large balconies, a screened-front porch, and a free-standing garage. A few CCTV cameras guarded the property, but that wouldn't stop Alex from entering her own mother's home where she spent most of her childhood.

"Nice place, rookie", he let a low whistle out while he inspected the property.

"Oh yeah? Wait till you see the penthouse my adoptive father gifted my mom on their anniversary. Now would you come over here and give me a lift?", she requested while trying to reach the nearest window of the house.

"Uhhh, where are the keys?"

"I don't have the keys, Nik. I gave them back to my mom after I decided to move out, silly.", she giggled and desperately tried to reach the open window but failed. Instead, her heeled winter boots made her slip, but Nik quickly managed to catch her and prevent her from falling.

"But Alex, we can't just break in like this. That's illegal and right now your mom might be seeing us through these cameras she has placed around the house while sitting in her office. And the neighbors..."

"The neighbors know me unless they're new. Besides I'm Jacqueline's daughter, so everything that belongs to her belongs to me. Well, maybe not everything, I think. But don't worry if the cops arrive, I'll talk to them. So could you just real quick climb through the window, enter the house, and open the front door, please? I'm freezing."

"But your mom wouldn't be impressed by me. She'll hate me. I want to show her my best side, rook. I can be a true gentleman too."

"Would a true gentleman let a lady freeze in the cold outside?"

"Okay, fiiiine. I'll try that, for you. I may not like it, but I'll try it."

And with that Nik began to climb a tree near the building and slipped through the nearest open window inside Jacqueline's house. It would have been much easier if he wasn't wearing the nice, formal clothes and the new winter coat that Alex bought him for this trip. When he finally landed on stable ground, he searched for the light switch in a dark room. When he found it, he turned on the light and discovered that he was standing in a kitchen.

"Guess Jacqueline is expecting guests today.", he wondered as he saw preperations for food and beautiful table decorations on the table.

Without losing any time he began heading towards the front door of the house to quickly let Alex inside. Poor girl must be already freezing outside. As he moved his hand towards the handle to finally open the door, he froze. He heard a clicking sound appearing from outside and the door lock began to move.

"Damn, someone's opening the door. Alex's mom is here!!! I'm doomed. I'm soooo doomed. Worse gentleman ever. She caught us and she'll..."

"Who caught us?"

"Alex?!!! How did you?", he couldn't believe his eyes that the one who was opening the door was Alex. She's alone. Nobody was standing behind her and she was holding the keys of the house in her hand.

"Nik, I just remembered. Mom did give me the keys to her house!! Remember the receptionist? Mom delivered her second key through the receptionist to me. That's what was inside this envelope the whole time. Mom just texted me, she'll stop here by later.", she victoriously smiled while holding the key in front of Nik's face.

"I can't believe you, rookie. You're full of surprises.", Nik akwardly ran his hand over his hair, took the luggage from her and carried it inside as she closed the door from behind. Both rub the dirt away from their boots on the rug, get off their winter gloves and hang their coats on an empty standing clothes rack.

"Yup, sorry that you had to climb. Now we're inside, so we can relax a bit. I'll show you the house."

"I already saw the kitchen. What I'm interested to see is your room? I bet it's upstairs.", he grinned, left the luggage in the hall and already sprinted upstairs.

"Don't you dare, Nik!!!", she quickly followed behind him to catch him.

"Stop me if you can, rook!!"

"Holy light... So much... pink?", his eyes got wider as he stood inside Alex's childhood room and analyzed his surroundings.

The children's room was still in good condition and looked very cozy. The pink-painted walls were decorated with pictures and posters of flowers and majestic horses. Even the blankets, pillows, and sheets on the bed were pink. Almost everything was pink, white, and lavender colored. Soft plush animals were lined up on the bed. A white plush kitty, a pink plush bunny, and more little cuddly friends.

Nik moved closer to a book shelf, bending a little down to inspect the books. Children's books about princesses, fairies, unicorns, and other fairytales.

"I always dreamed to be a fairy, talk to animals and save the world.", Alex leaned against the doorframe and explained. Her eyes shimmered with happiness as she got reunited with her past and the beautiful, old memories she had as a little girl.

"Well, your dream came true. You're partly fae. Royalty and with your powers you can do anything. Even save the world."

"Yeah, somehow you're right. Just the fairy wings are missing. I wish I could fly."

"But you get to fly on a dragon in the fae realm."

"Hmm... Well... I also dreamed of a prince. My dream prince, a prince charming who will take care of me, make me happy and shower me with love. Just like Prince Phillip and Princess Aurora from Sleeping Beauty. But instead, I got the Prince of Swords. I got you, Nik. And I wouldn't trade it for anything because I love you just the way you are.", she happily confessed, moved closer to him, and rested her arms around his shoulders while he pulled her even closer till their lips were about to meet.

"You're truly a beauty, Alex. I love you too and I'm glad you came into my life. You're... you're so damn perfect. You're gorgeously beautiful, my princess. No, you're my Queen.", he got closer and moved his arms around her waist. His cheeks leaned to hers as he planted a kiss.

"Oh, Nik...", she leaned closer to him and grabbed the black tie he was wearing. Nik Ryder looked like a handsome gentleman today. Since she saw him in this formal suit. Well groomed and the masculine smell of his long-lasting perfume which she couldn't resist, so she started kissing him.

"Careful, I don't want to be covered with red lipstick marks. Your mom wouldn't...", he tried to warn her, but didn't pull away. He couldn't resist her either. He wanted more and closed the distance between them. He is all over her. His arms are around her and his lips seeking her's. She couldn't resist and he couldn't resist. The two of them are locked in a passionate embrace, feeling the hot closeness of their bodies, and enjoying the sensations the other evokes. Lost in that moment.

Yet it’s not enough, and Nik was feeling it too. He eventually broke away from her and looked deep into her chocolate-brown eyes.

"I don’t want to talk anymore," he confessed intensely and led her to the bed. "I want you, Alex. I wanted you before too. Now. Here. With me."

Soon enough, both tumbled onto the bed and proceeded to explore one another, discovering which touches were the most pleasing. Nik was everything she fantasized he would be and equally committed to giving pleasure as receiving it. Alex didn't care anymore that she was lying with Nik on her large childhood bed. And surprisingly it was enough space for both of them.

Together they stoked the fires of desire until neither of them could bear it anymore. They came together again and again. The feeling of being as one is all-consuming and they almost lost track of all time.

In the end, both let the waves of pleasure cascade over each other and then collapsed into one another’s waiting arms.

Nik looked into her face, his eyes slightly wide and an expression of almost awe on his face. "You're so… incredible."

"So are you, Nik."

After an intimate moment and some kisses, they finally pulled away from each other and headed back downstairs.

"Alex, you're so smokin' hot. I want you to seduce me. Let's... let's... let's continue this later.", he whispered.

"Nik, you're being so naughty right now. In my mom's house? Where is your gentleman's behavior now?", she giggled and gave his shoulder a soft punch.

"I have fallen under your spell, my beautiful Queen."

"Yes, my King."

After Alex showed Nik the rest of the house. Both entered the living room at last where they were greeted with a small hiss. On a nearby shelf, there was a small, green snake in a terrarium watching them which made Nik a little nervous. Jacqueline's pet snake, Slitter.

"Guess, it doesn't like us. Very typical. Slitter only likes my mom and nobody else. Still wishing it was a cuddly kitten or bunny instead of a snake."

But Nik got busy admiring the family photos hanging on the wall. The young people in the picture were looking so happy. A happy family. A family he also wanted to have and share his childhood and memories with, but unfortunately he lost his parents when he was way too young. Then, his eyes fell on the tiny, silver-haired girl in the picture smiling.

"Rook, you look cute. And your silvery hair...?"

"Yup, that's me standing with my mom and my adoptive father in front of the Christmas tree. We celebrated Christmas every year together here and I got a lot of presents. I miss those times because now we barely have time for each other. Always busy with business and work. And, yes, my silvery hair... Nobody believed me that it was my natural hair color. That I was born with it.", she answered while trying not to get too emotional in the sudden flow of memories.

"Silver. You got the black hair from your mother and the silvery-white from..."

"My dad, Elric. Yes. Yes, I figured it out too. Later when I found out about the existence of my father. I... I still can't believe how my mom hid this from me. She told me that after my birth my father died and...", she almost cried and felt Nik's arms around her body trying to comfort her.

"Shhh, I'm here Alex."

"Oh, Nik... I..."

"Alex, my dear.", a sudden voice appeared which made Alex and Nik turn around to see.

"Mom??!! You're here??!! Since when? We didn't hear you coming.", Alex panicked just as Nik and both separated from each other's embrace. Nik's cheeks turned softly red out of embarrassment and secretly hoped that Jacqueline didn't find out about his and Alex's doings upstairs.

"Misses Fontaine, it's a pleasure to finally..."

"Alex, I just entered the house and I already heard everything I needed to know. So you found out about the secret of your biological father? Oh, of course, you would one day, especially when you decide to stay in crazy New Orleans.", she interrupted Nik to explain herself.

"Mom, why?"

"To protect you. That's all, to protect you!! New Orleans, is that crazy place... Kristin and you just had to go there to celebrate your 25th birthday. Dear, you have no idea what I have been through all. Nothing is as it seems there. It's dangerous and New York isn't safe anymore either."

"Mom, you know... about the supernatural world?"

"Don't say anything more. I don't want to think or talk about this matter right now. You're the only person I care about and have left in this world now with the recent death of your adoptive father. I love you and I don't want to lose you too."

"Not when she has me.", Nik confidently stepped closer to Alex and embraced her and gave Jacqueline a reassuring smile. Alex's mother easily forgot her worry and smiled at the man.

"You must be Nik, my daughter's boyfriend? You seem aware of this world too. I hope you will keep my child safe."

"Of course, I'll take care of Alex. I'll protect her and always be by her side. Nothing will harm her on my watch, I swear. And yeah, I am aware of the World of Night. I lost my parents at the hands of monsters. They got killed in front of me when I was a child. I was the only one who survived.", he felt to explain his matter towards Jacqueline even though it hurt to bring back old memories.

"Oh, I didn't know. Poor Nik child, I'm so sorry to hear. Alex and I will be your family from now on. Besides, we're not actually here to remember the past. Let's focus on the future. I'm Jacqueline Fontaine, the beautiful mother of my beautiful Alex. Please, take a seat on the couch in the living room, I'll bring something to eat. I made you two some hot chocolate too."

"No need for that, we'll have together dinner anyway. Thanks for this invitation, Misses..."

"Just Jacqueline would be fine. Please note these formalities with me even though I am a successful businesswoman and accountant. Such a gentleman you are, Nik. We're family and with Christmas just around the corner, I'd love it if the two would stay longer with me till the holidays end. I never thought I would feel so lonely.", she confessed which surprised Alex.

"What if you get busy with work again?", Alex asked.

"Dear, family comes first and I should have realized that years ago. I'm sorry what happened today in my office, but my client... well... he wasn't easy to handle. But I feel so ashamed that I couldn't give you the time and attention you deserved since you were a child. That your adoptive father had to look over you because I couldn't. You're my everything and the only thing I have left now. I might have not liked suddenly being pregnant and I wasn't happy, but your adoptive father supported me. He helped me by giving you a chance and I don't regret it. I love you, Alex. I love you so much, darling. You remind me of your father, Elric. I still love him and I hope he hasn't forgotten me."

"Oh Mom, love you too. I thought... I always thought I'm not good enough for you.", Alex crashed into her mother for a hug while tears welled up in her eyes.

"Shhh, my darling. Quiet. You're here now with me and I'm glad Nik brought you to me. I'm thankful for you. I'm thankful for having you with me, sweety.", Jacqueline whispered and moved her eyes towards Nik. The man was silently standing in front of them and then left to give mother and daughter some privacy.

"Mom, there's one thing you should know... I personally met my father, Lord Elric in Lamrian.", she confessed which surprised Jacqueline because she would never have expected that.

"How did you find him so easily? Or how did he recognize you? Is he okay?"

"He... He... He died, mom. I just found him and then I lost him. We only shared a few hours, but they were beautiful ones. Truly the best.", she sniffed.

"No!! No... It can't be... How could this happen? He... I still love him and I can't believe he's gone. I should have visited him, but I was such a coward to face New Orleans again. Poor Thalissa.", she deeply regretted and wiped her tears away.

"Mom, Elric sacrificed his life to save mine from a bloodwraith. If it wasn't for him, I... I would probably be dead already."

"A bloodwraith? That's impossible!! How? Don't return there any..."

"That's okay, mom. The bloodwraith got defeated and everyone is safe now. It's safe now. And Elric still loved you and shared beautiful stories and compliments about with me you. He still remembers you.", she reported which gave Jacqueline a positive and warm feeling. That the kindest man who ruled over her heart still loved her, even though she already moved on with someone else.

But there was also more to share. That Jacqueline's daughter, Alex was not only a half-fae but also the next heir of Lamrian and that she unlocked her magic powers with the help of Lord Elric. She can do magic. Maybe she'll tell this Jacqueline another time and not everything at once. Besides, it was time to let her mother explain how she got plunged into the supernatural world. What's her story?

When she asked, Jacqueline's expression turned bitter and she decided to tell this another time. Not now. Now it was time for joy, to have a great family bonding time, and get to know her daughter's boyfriend better. She called Nik back and all three were seated on a fluffy sofa in the living room, having hot chocolate to drink and stories to tell. Jacqueline excitedly showed Nik her family album and pointed at the pictures.

"This photo was taken by Alex's adoptive father after Alex was born in the hospital. The nurses were so amazed that she had so much hair already. Ooooh, look how cute my baby looks wearing a gown in that picture. Like a mini-princess.", she enjoyed Nik's company.

"She was a cute child indeed and she's still beautiful."

"Thanks to my fae genes.", Alex added.

"Right, that's my baby girl. The prettiest baby of all. Such a natural beauty. When she sleeps, she's basically a Sleeping Beauty. Oh, have I told you the story where we were traveling to Dubai and how she played with her mouth out of boredom because we had to wait? I don't know if it was Dubai, but definitely somewhere in that region. She made that weird noise which made the police officers laugh and then, they let us enter first. Ha! Or the story where she was wearing squeaky shoes in the supermarket which irritated the customers who were trying to find the source of that noise? Ooooh, I have another story where little Alex stole a high heel from a shoe shop."

"Mooooommm??!! I was sitting in a baby stroller. It happened by mistake.", Alex freaked out a little which made Nik laugh.

"A high-heel for a baby??!! Hahahaha!!! Didn't know you were a huge troublemaker since childhood, rook? Jacqueline, Alex hasn't changed a bit. Still the same cute and naughty girl. A total trouble-maker."

"Nik!!! Very funny. Laugh how much you want. Mom, tell him the whole story like you told it to me. I picked up the high-heel to play with it in my baby stroller. You didn't notice till we got home and went back to return it.", she explained.

But Jacqueline was too excited and continued with Alex's childhood stories and showed several pictures. Baby pictures, pictures when her daughter was a toddler, and school pictures till teenage life.

"Nik, isn't my Alex so beautiful? I hope my grandchildren will also be lovely babies like Alex.", she said which made Nik and Alex turn red. Nik immediately tried to change the topic and pointed at another picture.

"Uhhh, well... I... Oh wow, Alex was a cheerleader at high school? How athletic. That might explain some of the moves she got."

"I was doing martial arts as well, Nik. When I was a child before joining high school.", Alex proudly added.

"Hey, did you make that weird noise with your mouth again? The one you did in front of the cops? Could you show me that, please?", he smirked which made Alex a bit angry.

"Nik, you...", she hissed as he made fun of her.

"Alex, behave yourself!! Nik was just being friendly. He's my guest. Be nice to him.", Jacqueline wished.

"Sorry, Alex. I was just enjoying your childhood stories."

"Wait till I ask anyone about your own embarrassing childhood stories, Nik. Or anything spicy."

"Who will you ask?", he raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, I'll figure it out somehow.", she confidently smirked at him and winked. Sweet revenge as they say.

After an eventful evening, the three had a delicious dinner together in the dining hall. Nik already knew secretly what food Jacqueline cooked for them since he was the one who climbed up the window which led him to the kitchen.

As the cold winter night descended, they were all getting ready for bed. Jacqueline requested Alex to sleep in her childhood room and Nik in the guest room before she went to bed. The young couple kissed to have a good night to each other before heading towards their rooms. After all, they agreed to stay with Jacqueline till Christmas to make the lonely woman happy.

"You know Nik, when my mother said that you're our family now... I think she already accepts you as her son-in-law.", she giggled, ran away and left him alone, wide-eyed with an open mouth.

"Alex! Hey, come back here. Youuuu... Wait till I find you under a mistletoe, you little troublemaker."

After Christmas...

"Oh Tonya, my friend, this year I had a wonderful Christmas. I celebrated with my daughter who I hadn't seen for so long. Today she's leaving with her boyfriend, but she promised to visit again and call me more often. And I will definitely visit her too and perhaps stop by to see you too, my friend. I'm just so glad to be united with her again. All our misunderstandings are gone now. How were your holidays, Tonya?", Jacqueline was talking with an old friend from New Orleans on the phone while admiring the decorated page her child created for the photo album with the title "Alex's Winter in Wyoming with Nik."

In the meantime, Alex and Nik were outside to enjoy the winter weather. Both were standing in their ice skates on a frozen lake and holding each other's hands, as Alex was trying to teach Nik how to ice skate. She was an excellent skater and wanted Nik to have some winter fun and try something new.

"Nik, you're doing great. Try to hold... Woaah!!", she fell on Nik as he suddenly lost his balance and crashed with her on the ice. Their faces were near as Alex was lying on Nik.

"Sorry rook, I..."

"Shhh...", she got closer to him until their lips met each other's to a passionate kiss.

-> Learn more about the past in this fanfic <-

[rhetthammersmithhorror]

Untamed Mistress | 1956

[gatutor]

Jacqueline Fontaine (Kenosha, Wisconsin, 14/08/1927).

[dixvinsblog]

Jacqueline Fischer -On a pressé enfin tout le jus des miroirs

On a pressé enfin tout le jus des miroirs Le teint en a pâli dans sa nacre mouillée Le reflet s’écoule A rebours des aiguilles Qui ne montrent plus rien que leurs pointes émoussées Les images alors éparpillent l’offrande Et les couleurs dépouillent un fond désemparé. Je berce ce vin lourd qui s’échine, s’écoute aux lobes des oreilles et au creux des poignets et qui ne coule plus de…

[mattapparentlystumbltourneys]

BRACKET REVEAL

Alright. At long last, I present to you the bracket...or should I say...*BRACKETS* for the Virtual Character Tournament!

Given the scale, the first round is going to be one bracket per week, 4 a day, with each lasting 24 hours. I know that this is still tight, but given how many contestants there are, along with the necessary inclusions of images and propaganda (oh and I guess also my job), it's what I can do to keep this semi-manageable. There's also no redemption round this time. It's gonna be a single elimination tournament. Be kind to your peers. This is not but a drop in the infinite ocean of the internet.

...oh yeah the brackets themselves. We'll be going in order over the course of 4 weeks. I'll make proper announcements for them as they commence. Given how many there are and what I want to get done beforehand, Bracket 1 will likely begin some time this week. But for the matchups...

Bracket 1:

Hatsune Miku (Vocaloid) vs. Elohim (The Talos Principle)

Flame (Yu-Gi-Oh! VRains) vs. The Supervisor/Mouthless (Tenkuu Shinpan)

XANA (Code Lyoko) vs. MetalMan.EXE (Mega Man Battle Network)

9-Jack-9 (Zot!) vs Poppy Pipopapo (Kamen Rider Ex Aid)

Sage (Sonic Frontiers) vs Mektryllis (Fate/Extra CCC)

Dot Matrix (Reboot) vs V Flower (Vocaloid)

Wizardmon (Digimon) vs Delta (Red Vs. Blue)

Sora (Ever17) vs Kasane Teto (UTAU)

The Doctor/EMH (Star Trek Voyager) vs Crash (Awful Hospital)

Burroughs (Shin Megami Tensei IV) vs Quorra (Tron Legacy)

The Machine (Person of Interest) vs The Rocket Dex (Pokemon)

P03 (Inscription) vs. M.X.E.S (FNAF Security Breach: Ruins)

Hakuno Kishinami (Fate/EXTRA) vs Data Riku (Kingdom Hearts)

Samaritan (Person of Interest) vs ART (The Murderbot Diaries)

Cortana (Halo) vs M-Bot (Skyward)

Mitsuko Miyazumi (Archer) vs Ritsu (Assassination Classroom)

Bracket B:

Ene (Kagerou Project) vs The Thunderhead (Arc of a Scythe)

Amadeus (Steins; Gate 0) vs D.O.M (The Adventure Zone)

AM (I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream) vs Theo (Meta Runner)

Colonel.EXE (Mega Man Battle Network) vs Daia (Kiratto PriChan)

Agumon (Digimon) vs The Bobbiedots (FNAF Fazbear Frights)

Felix the Desktop Cat (Real Life) vs SHODAN (System Shock)

MegaMan.EXE (Mega Man Battle Network) vs Church (Red vs. Blue)

Shepherd (ENA) vs Dr. Coomer (Half Life VR But the AI is Self-Aware)

Sophie/Sophia (Persona 5 Strikers) vs Dizzy (Beyblade)

Miss J/SCP 5094 (SCP) vs Ultraman X (Ultraman X)

SAYU (No Straight Roads) vs Falulu (Pripara)

Incarceron (Incarceron) vs Benry (Half Life VR but the AI is Self-Aware)

Lea (Crosscode) vs Kiracchu (Kiratto PriChan)

Dragon (Prahumans) vs Murder-Bot 2.0 (The Murderbot Diaries)

Ai (Yu-Gi-Oh! VRains) vs Glitch Slime (Slime Rancher)

Eris (Wolf 359) vs Monika (Doki Doki Literature Club)

Bracket III:

Hera (Wolf 359) vs Shin AI (Your Turn to Die)

Alba (Star Twinkle Pretty Cure) vs The Denpa Men (The Denpa Men)

Guy (Free Guy) vs EDI (Mass Effect)

Aetna (Lore Olympus) vs Yui (Sword Art Online)

Nicole the Holo-Lynx (Archie Sonic) vs Gabumon (Digimon)

Jacqueline Box (Pripara) vs Mamechi (Tamagotchi)

Vanellope von Shweetz (Wreck-It Ralph) vs Cleverbot (Real Life)

The Phantom Virus (Scooby-Doo) vs Chiaki Nanami (Danganronpa)

Alter Ego (Danganronpa) vs Digit (Cyberchase)

Simulcast (Reflection TTRPG) vs SARA (Toonami)

Lumina Ichihoshi (Dig Delight Direct Drive DJ) vs The World Machine (OneShot)

Rumble McSkirmish (Gravity Falls) vs Holly (Red Dwarf)

HAL 9000 (2001: A Space Odyssey) vs Samantha (Her)

PAMA (Minecraft Story Mode) vs Noah Kaiba (Yu-Gi-Oh!)

Agent Smith (The Matrix) vs O.R.C.A (Splatoon)

Spunc (Alpha Betas) vs Porygon (Pokemon)

Bracket Delta:

GIFanny (Gravity Falls) vs Coco (Aikatsu Friends)

Vic Fontaine (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine) vs Red One (The Last Angel)

Glitchtrap (FNAF Help Wanted) vs Holo (My Holo Love)

Avina (Mass Effect) vs Light Hope (She-Ra)

Motherboard (Cyberchase) vs Aya (Green Lantern: The Animated Series)

Bonzi Buddy (Real Life) vs Tama (AI The Somnium Files)

Dragon (Worm) vs Bip (Runway to the Stars)

Failsafe (Destiny) vs J.A.R.V.I.S (Marvel Cinematic Universe)

Aiba (AI: The Somnium Files) vs CanHaz (DC Comics)

SAYER (SAYER) vs Fey (Welcome to Night Vale)

Buddy (Buddy Simulator 1984) vs Ziggy (Quantum Leap)

Maggy (Hellspark) vs The Squip (Be More Chill)

Lyla (Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse) vs Durandal (Marathon)

Beta Jay 137 (Ninjago) vs Zero III (Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward)

Sergey Ushanka (The Magnus Archines) vs Demetra (Spy Kids 3: GAME OVER)

Alie (The 100) vs Lil' Hal (Homestuck)

As always, thank you for bearing with me during this long and arduous process. Sorry for the hassle, and be prepared, as it is almost upon us.

[scenearcee]

Can we get some more info about Jacqueline? Like, the story you have in mind for her, her relationship with Neivilette and the Melusines, what she did during the prophecy, etc.?

omg I am actually so glad you asked!!!!!! I wasn’t expecting there to be much interest in her!!!!!

Jacqueline was raised in a family mostly consisting of duelists, and was also expected to become a duelist alongside her brothers once she was an adult. Growing up, she was really excited about the concept, but as kids do, she also started having other interests and hobbies as well- especially wanting to be a lawyer, and an actor. This wasn’t exactly to the pleasure of her family, and as her brothers became successful duelists with their own high maintenance needs, she fell into the background. Due to this, her health needs were also ignored quite a bit, and it wasn’t until she started passing out regularly that she was even noticed by her family. She was diagnosed with POTS, as well as warned about a potential degenerative disease- preventing her from becoming a duelist at all. Lots of pressure was put on her by her family, with the logic that “if you’re not going to be a duelist, you need to be the very best that you can in another field.” Academic burnout hit her HARD, and only by the grace of her professors and tutors in primary and secondary school was she able to graduate top of her class in theatrical studies. She’s currently doing legal studies at the Palais Mermonia, and she actually got her vision at the end of a trial. She was able to prove a man innocent of murder, though it was a very difficult and convoluted process, and was rewarded for her efforts with the power of electro.

As for the prophecy, she was in the audience at the Opera Epiclese during Furina’s trial- taking notes, because of the exam she had coming up. Once it was starting to be revealed that Furina might not even be the archon in the first place however, the notebook quickly went away, and she was on the edge of her seat. As soon as the big ole Narwhal showed up, she was trapped behind some fallen support beams, and couldn’t maneuver with her forearm crutches out of there. Eventually more of the supports gave way and she was able to get out- barely even stepping outside the Opera house as Neuvillette shot into the sky. The rain was hitting her face hard, and she watched as Neuvillette deemed the people of Fontaine innocent. And of course, fantastic timing, she didn’t have much time to think about it before getting smacked with a huge wave of primordial seawater. Obviously, she didn’t dissolve, and was dragged onto the big rescue ship by a diver during the rescue effort.

After this series of events, her university life became a lot more interesting. She not only submitted the notes she took during Furina’s trial to her professors for a massive essay grade, but more and more opportunities were opening up to her- internship opportunities at legal firms. That’s not an easy decision to make, and it took her a while to do some research before picking one. But again, with fantastic timing, her professors managed to get her an internship with none other than Iudex Neuvillette- which was bound to be an interesting experience, for sure. So, she took it up, because why not. However, she regards it as her worst mistake. Not because of the workload, but rather the fact that she now has to deal with the complexities and nuances of Neuvillette’s personal life, which used to be Furina’s responsibility. And he talks about Furina specifically so very often.

What’s her relationship with Neuvillette like, you ask? Imagine the “okay grandpa let’s get you to bed” meme, because that’s essentially what it is. She deeply respects him as a person and for his authority, but if she’s alone in a room with him for too long, he starts rambling about life with Furina, oh I hope Furina got my package, Furina is such a good actress, I remember when Furina and I, etc etc. And let’s be honest, it gets on Jacqueline’s nerves big time. Especially when he is an oblivious freak with attachment issues and makes poor decisions concerning this (as he does in the fic I’m writing). She’s perfectly happy to have personal conversations with him, and be a supportive ally, but dear GOD SHUT THE FUCK UP ABOUT FURINA PLEASE. It’s not easy for her to say no to his thoughts and ideas, because unfortunately she does crave praise and academic validation, and Neuvi really is kinda becoming a father figure for her. She runs around scheduling his appointments, delivering his packages at lightning speed, escorting him to trials, and more. Neuvillette really appreciates her help with getting his affairs in order, and is grateful that she’s willing to listen to him ramble on. He offers himself as someone for her to talk to, but she’s never taken him up on the offer- even though he can tell there’s something clouding her mind. He takes extra steps to make sure that she’s fed, hydrated, and has a place to stay- she has her own little room in the Palais Mermonia! Sometimes these two will be up into the late hours of the night doing work, and enjoy some pure water after they wrap it up together and head to bed.

The melusines very quickly got around to absolutely adoring Jacqueline, and she adored them right back. Although she has other issues on land, Jacqueline is an excellent swimmer, and will sometimes escort melusines from Merusea Village to the court of justice. She’s very close with Sedene and a Melusine in Merusea village, Cherie (my other genshin oc woahh). She always makes sure to keep up with all melusine affairs, every bit of drama and that kind of thing. She’s extremely supportive of their endeavors, and will go as far as eating the food they make for people and trying their little potions and machines. She really cares about them, and always greets every single one with a lot of enthusiasm! Sedene will sometimes help out with her Neuvillette babysitting duties, and has been a supportive hand for Jacqueline in this chapter of her life.

I would talk about her relationship with Furina, but she has literally never had the chance to meet her. Oops. She holds her in very high regard though.

Now, for some basic details about Jacqueline as a person. She’s 5’2 with a limber, slightly but not really muscular stature. The muscles she does have are toned, if that makes sense. She has shoulder length black hair that she decorates with silver jewelry to hold her style in place, and her eyes are a piercing silver color. Most of the time she has a pair of forearm crutches or her cane on hand, but she does go without mobility aids sometimes. She carries salt with her everywhere, to salt her food and drinks- promoting blood pressure balance and all that jazz. Also, she is a fruitcake. Sees a pretty woman? Folds like a goddamn lawn chair. She has little fan crushes on Chlorinde and Navia, and has a MASSIVE crush on Charlotte. Talking to Charlotte is always a joy. She’s definitely very exclusively into women though, and she gets very snappy and passive aggressive with men who make passes at her. Her favorite things are ice cream with bacon, silver jewelry, feather quills, satin, women, and being rewarded for hard work. However, she HATES boring music, being interrupted, chocolate, being lied to, and having to salt everything she consumes. She has a deep fear of abandonment, and is also scared of armored crabs. She had a run-in, don’t ask too many questions.

sorry this is a lot of words!! I hope this answers your question.

[tail-feathers]

Aside from having a macabre imagination, Charles Addams was "sociable & debonair, a well-dressed, courtly man w/ silvery back-combed hair & a gentle manner, he bore no resemblance to a fiend".

Figuratively a "ladykiller", he accompanied women such as Greta Garbo, Joan Fontaine and Jacqueline Kennedy on social occasions.

[mthguy]

The Divine Miss M, Bette Midler, sings “The Glory of Love” in the final scene of the film, Beaches.

"The Glory of Love" was written by Billy Hill and recorded in 1936 by Benny Goodman. Goodman's version was a number one pop hit. The song has been recorded by many artists. It was the signature theme of the 1967 film Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, performed by nightclub singer Jacqueline Fontaine on camera, as well as over the opening and closing credits. Bette Midler included the song in the film Beaches (1988) and it appears on the soundtrack.

“You've got to give a little, take a little And let your poor heart break a little That's the story of, that's the glory of love You've got to laugh a little, cry a little Before the clouds roll by a little That's the story of, that's the glory of love.”

[byneddiedingo]

Natalie Portman and Billy Crudup in Jackie (Pablo Larraín, 2016)

Cast: Natalie Portman, Peter Sarsgaard, Greta Gerwig, Billy Crudup, John Hurt, Richard E. Grant, Caspar Phillipson, John Carroll Lynch, Beth Grant, Max Casella. Screenplay: Noah Oppenheim. Cinematography: Stéphane Fontaine. Production design: Jean Rabasse. Costume design: Madeline Fontaine. Music: Mica Levi.

I will give the benefit of the doubt to director Pablo Larraín (born in Chile in 1976) and screenwriter Noah Oppenheim (born in 1978) and assume that they didn't know what a thudding sentimental cliché ending Jackie with a reprise of the title song from Lerner and Loewe's musical Camelot would seem to those of us who actually lived through the Kennedy years and experienced the assassination and extended period of mourning that followed. Back then, you couldn't avoid Camelot allusions, even when we were fully aware of the shortcomings of JFK and the Cold War mentality, especially that of his "best and brightest" who were about to lead us into the Vietnam quagmire. Even as early as June 1964, reporter Tom Wicker was trying to evoke a less sentimental vision in his Esquire piece titled "Kennedy Without Tears." This absence of real historical context is a blemish on a well-meaning and sometimes very good film. The very good part is the heroic effort of Natalie Portman to bring together a coherent portrait of Jacqueline Kennedy, a woman undone by grief but struggling to keep a family and a legacy together. The best scenes in the film are those in which Jackie, briefly obsessed with the history of American political assassination, waffles between giving JFK a funeral that would rival Abraham Lincoln's and her fears that her husband's assassination might be part of a larger plot. She chooses a grand procession in which she, members of the administration, and foreign dignitaries would walk down Pennsylvania Avenue to the church. Then, when Lee Harvey Oswald is gunned down, she calls the procession off and rages at her brother-in-law Bobby (Peter Sarsgaard) for having kept the news of Oswald's murder from her while she and her two small children were making a vulnerable public appearance.  But then she changes her mind again, after LBJ's assistant, Jack Valenti (Max Casella), has already informed the foreign dignitaries, including the very difficult Charles De Gaulle, that there will be a motorcade instead of a walk. "I will march with Jack, alone if necessary," she tells Valenti. If the rest of Jackie were as good as these scenes, it would be a major achievement. Unfortunately, it's blurred by an unnecessary frame story in which she is interviewed by a journalist (Billy Crudup) and exercises an iron-willed control over what he will print, even as she spills the most intimate details of her experiences to him -- a way of launching flashbacks. There are too many lugubrious moments, scenes of Jackie wandering alone through the White House. There's also a rather sententious conversation with a priest (John Hurt) in which he and Jackie flirt with existentialist concepts of the meaning of life and death -- even Hurt, in one of his last film appearances, can't quite bring this one off. There's some miscasting, especially Sarsgaard as Bobby Kennedy, whom he neither looks nor acts like. But throughout it all, Portman skillfully evokes Jackie Kennedy in voice and manner without mimicry. I have to credit the producers for making a film with a powerful lead role for a woman, but Jackie Kennedy was a more interesting person than this segment of her life suggests. I'd like to see a fuller biopic, perhaps a TV miniseries, that takes in her reaction to her husband's well-known infidelities and carries her through the controversial marriage to Aristotle Onassis and the rest of the Kennedy tragedies. I'll bet Portman could play the hell out of the rest of Jackie Kennedy's life.

[sinceileftyoublog]

Augustus Muller Interview: Synth Stories

Photo by Jimmy Fontaine

BY JORDAN MAINZER

For Augustus Muller of Massachusetts-via-Georgia electropop duo Boy Harsher, feeling the pressure gets results. Not for the duo's studio albums, mind you, but for the impressive number of film scores that he and Boy Harsher have been releasing the past few years. "Soundtracks are cool because you have 2-3 weeks to write them. You have to be prolific in that amount of time," he told me over the phone last month. "A record is going to take a couple years to finish, for the same amount of music...you don't have a lot of time to make a mistake." Looking at Muller's history as a creative, from his early days to his recently released scores for Cellulosed Bodies and My Animal, his spontaneous mindset has paid off.

Before he made music, Muller was an aspiring filmmaker, creating short films as a teenager, and attending film school. As he started making music for his own films, he realized her liked that part, too, and his career shifted. Of course, his project with film school classmate, vocalist Jae Matthews, took off, starting as Teen Dreamz and eventually becoming Boy Harsher, as the combination of her spoken word and his beats became more dance-oriented. Films were on the backburner, and it wasn't until 2020, when he teamed up with progressive adult film producer collective Four Chambers, headed by experimental pornographer Vex Ashley, that Muller released his score debut. Machine Learning Experiments (Original Score), comprised of distinct scores to two films (Orgone Theory, tracks 1-5, and Hydra, tracks 6-10), was released via the band's imprint Nude Club Records. In combination with the film's subject matter and Boy Harsher's usual minimal synth wave, the music fittingly sounded like a sort of dystopian cousin to the works the late Patrick Cowley made for John Coletti in the 80's. And early last year, the band released The Runner, which started as a piece of music but sounded to them so suited for the screen that they simply directed an accompanying short horror film.

Now, Muller has given us two more scores. Cellulosed Bodies is another collaboration with Ashley, structured similarly to Machine Learning Experiments in that it features two scores for two films, Crash and Automaton. What makes Cellulosed Bodies a standout in Muller's oeuvre is that the two scores that make it up simultaneously provide a cohesive whole and exercises in textural contrast. Both films deal with the relationships between bodies and machines, the former an homage to David Cronenberg's erotic body horror film of the same name, the latter exploring pandemic-influenced digital isolation and dependency. Crash uses all analog instrumentation, sounding appropriately tactile on the pulsating synthesizers of "Fur And Metal" the crispy, synaptic drum machines of "Perverse Technology", and the booming bass of "Shattered Glass". Automaton, on the other hand, doesn't abide by as many patterns, using more FM synths for its droning vignettes and metallic harmonics, notably oblique strings and organ synthesis on "Observation" and "Who Is In Control" and vocal samples on "Subdue Yourself". But whether taking a more traditional or contemporary approach, Muller exudes the same visceral quality from his compositions.

On Friday, Muller released his score for Jacqueline Castel's My Animal, which, like Crash, uses mostly hardware but has the same abstractly filmic quality as The Runner. If you didn't know it was a film score, you'd think it was just a standalone piece of instrumental 80s synthwave, as effective in the club as it is soundtracking horror romance. "Sanctuary" borders on stadium rock, layered with drum fills and arpeggios, while the combination of wincing synthesizer and shuffling beats propels tracks like "Transformation #1", "The Slots", "Outside the Rock", and "Something's Building". More simply, many of the record's tracks are heavy on vibes, with the music evoking exactly what the titles suggest: "A Soft Howl", or "Winter Drone". At this point, Muller and Boy Harsher have amassed a solid following for their studio albums, but all signs point to Muller--still an aspiring filmmaker, after all--becoming an in-demand name for helping filmmakers bring their corporeal visions to life.

Below, read my conversation with Muller, edited for length and clarity.

Photo by Jimmy Fontaine

Since I Left You: Describe the process of working on Cellulosed Bodies with Vex Ashley. Was the music made in tandem with the visuals or in response to them?

Augustus Muller: She'd send me a rough cut of what she was working on, and I'd write something to that. It was pretty loose. She cut around stuff. I would send something back, she'd send me notes, and edit around what I'd written. Then she'd send another cut, and we'd work on transitions and put finishing touches on it.

SILY: What's unique about this soundtrack as compared to others you've done?

AM: Compared to writing a feature film, there's a lot more space for music. Crash has no dialogue at all. With porn, the music can lead. I felt like I had full freedom with that. I could write a full track. With other scores, for narrative, you have to hide it under dialogue, so it's a different sound palette.

SILY: Are you often given the whole film without the score, and then you work around it?

AM: Yeah. For Crash and Automaton, there wasn't even temp music. I started from scratch.

SILY: Why did you decide to release "Fur And Metal" and "Stretching / Invading" as the first tastes of Cellulosed Bodies?

AM: For this project, it's been difficult to explain to our fans and the world what it is. It's my solo music, but not an album, but an original score to porn films. People are blasting through social media, not really reading through the fine print. "Fur And Metal" was one of my favorite tracks from Crash, and I thought it was important to share something from Automaton, which is what "Stretching / Invading" is from. It's more of an ambient, droney track. It's good to show the range the album has.

SILY: It emphasizes the distinct textures and qualities of the scores, too. You used strings and organs on the latter.

AM: Yeah. It's two pretty different sounding scores. Similar subject matter--a techno dystopian future--but Crash was all analog gear and vintage hardware. It has that older sound. Automaton is a lot of FM synths to get these new sounds.

SILY: The final track, "Subdue Yourself", has vocal samples [from dominatrix Miss Marilyn]. Why did you choose to introduce voice at the very end?

AM: That track is not in the film. It's something I wrote and ultimately didn't use, but it's a song I really liked. I love Miss Marilyn's monologues, so I thought it was a cool thing to include in the soundtrack. Giving it context, like when original scores and soundtracks have clips from the movie in it.

SILY: Do you think this score holds up separately as its own piece of art? Can it be consumed and appreciated separately from the film?

AM: I think it really varies soundtrack to soundtrack. This one can definitely stand by itself. I'm really proud of the tracks. I think it's listenable. I was just listening to Vangelis' Blade Runner [soundtrack]. I had never actually listened to the LP before even though I've seen the movie a million times. There are a lot of instrumental tracks that must be so low in the mix in the film that when listening to the LP, it felt like I'd never heard them before. They're banging tracks!

SILY: Crash is a direct homage to Cronenberg's film of the same name. Have you ever called out an influence that directly in your music before, whether with Boy Harsher or your solo work?

AM: On tour, we're playing a "Wicked Game" cover. [laughs] But in terms of the Crash score, I watched [Cronenberg's film] and wanted to get Howard Shore's soundtrack channeled through me. I then realized, "I can't do this. Howard Shore's a genius. This is not my style." I just started playing some driving bass and went a totally new direction.

SILY: When I listened to your score for My Animal, I thought it was pretty banging itself. There are a lot of catchy tracks on there, like "Sanctuary" and "The Slots". These could be singles.

AM: I was writing with a lot of temp music. [Jacqueline Castel] was putting Boy Harsher songs in it as temp music. So I was channeling drum-driven material.

SILY: Do you think Boy Harsher songs work well within a film context?

AM: I think so. We've had some stuff licensed for films and TV shows. When I'm writing something, I know it's good when it feels visual, when it's evoking some imagery or takes me some place.

SILY: I feel like certain general aesthetics seem to fit films very well. What are some of your favorite film soundtracks or creative influences when making a soundtrack?

AM: Recently, that Jonathan Glazer movie Birth. Alexandre Desplat does that really tight chamber music. I like it because it's the opposite of what the scene is showing. It really changes the mood. That was really inspiring for me, to show what music can do for a film, to take a scene and transport it into a totally different vibe.

Abraham Marder and Nicolas Becker's [work on Sound of Metal]. I have to shout out Tangerine Dream's Sorcerer. That's such a powerful tool in the film. It really elevates all the emotions, but it's also an album I can listen to on its own.

SILY: Have you ever thought about curating a film's soundtrack, picking songs from other artists?

AM: Like Trent Reznor for Lost Highway? Yeah, I think I could do that.

SILY: It seems like you have that ear as a film and music fan.

AM: I just love putting music to visuals. That's how I got into music, making shitty short films as an 18-year-old. I was like, "Wow! This film got so much better with this music behind it." That's why I kept making music before making it on its own.

SILY: Are you going to make films again?

AM: I want to so bad. But it's such a privilege, and you need so much money. It's something I've been working towards for a while. I just need to find that opportunity for someone to trust me for a big chunk of change.

SILY: You could make the film and the music.

AM: That's what I dream about every day. Make the film, edit it, write the score.

SILY: Anything you've been listening to, watching, or reading that's caught your attention?

AM: I just saw Bottoms. It's really funny. A feel-good movie. I've been watching a lot of [Rainer Werner Fassbinder]. Somebody gave me a book on him, and I realized I hadn't watched a lot of his films. I watched Querelle, which was definitely a vibe. The Marriage of Maria Braun was really cool. I love genre films that are an allegory for something else. It's been fun digging into his movies.

[ohthethingstoremember]

Mademoiselle Jacqueline Fontaine - Edouard Vuillard

[ladylamrian]

Welcome to the World of Night

Nightbound is a visual story from the @playchoices App created by Pixelberry Studios. The characters and places are owned by Pixelberry except of those which I created myself to give the story a special touch.

Main Character: "Female" (not going to appear). It also can be canoned as a Male Main Character too, but then the plot with the hunting outfit wouldn't make sense.

Characters: Garrus, Krom, Ivy, Luc, ... and more

Summary: A child gets plunged into the World of Night after a tragic incident.

Mystery ● Angst ● Drama ● Friendship

Word counting: 4.9K words (Whooopsie)

Rating: Teen

Warnings: Angst, Death, Language, Blood

Taglist: @choicesficwriterscreations ; @peonierose ; @secretaryunpaid ; @lilyoffandoms ; @lawrencebarkley ; @blackcatkita ; @infactnoimmasitinthemiddle ; @jdstar88 ; @mxdanni ; @tessa-liam ; @hopelessromantic1352

Reblogs/feedback/reactions appreciated !!! <3

Who knew that after a tragic event, the death of a child's parents would turn the world for Elijah Ryder upside down.

As an old, gray-haired man with a beard entered a bar, called the Graveyard Shift. He was carrying a young child over his shoulder who couldn't stop crying. Two familiar faces inside the building greeted him as he entered... but, they weren't ordinary people.

"Elijah, what happened and who's...?", a very young fae paid his attention to the old man and the sad child.

"It's not good to bring a child into a bar.", Krom, the stone troll added.

Elijah Ryder was a nighthunter who lived alone and often visited the Graveyard Shift for a drink, but this time it was something else. He had a tiny companion, a young toddler, about 5 years old who's been crying for a long time.

"Shhh, stop crying. It's alright, you're safe now. Calm down, child."

"Mom!! Dad!!", it cried. Tears covered his face, his sobs getting louder and everyone around him getting now restless.

"Garrus, my child, do you have anything from the fae realm to make this child calm down?", the old man asked who took a seat as he tried to calm the little boy down.

"I am not sure if we should...", Garrus couldn't even finish his sentence as suddenly Krom took the boy from Elijah away and placed it on his lap. His heavy arms wrapped around the toddler as he calmly whispered to calm it down.

"Hey, hey, brave boys don't cry. If you continue crying, you're going to make me sad too.", the stone troll got emotional, wrapped his heavy arms carefully around him and pulled him closer for a hug.

Several minutes passed until the little boy calmed himself down, but still couldn't hold back his tears. Elijah already filled Garrus and Krom in about what happened to the child. The boy and his parents were having a picnic for his mom's birthday. There, his parents were attacked by a mysterious monster. His mother even shoved him towards the bush and told him to run, but when he saw them being killed, he screamed and caught the monster's attention. But before the monster could do anything to him, Elijah Ryder came to the rescue. He picked up the boy and ran, the monster howling behind them. Elijah covered the eyes of the child from the sight of his parents' bodies as he passed. He sang quietly to it, all the way out of the bayou, and let the young boy cry all over him...

"Yes, and that's what happened."

"Oh dear, this is terrible. I wish..."

Suddenly the kid pulled away from Krom, ran towards the Graveyard Shift's door until Elijah caught him to prevent the child's escape.

"Stop, you're not goin' anywhere. It's too dangerous as a child alone in such a big city."

"And Mom and Dad? I want to go to Mom and Dad. I want them back."

"They're gone, my boy. Forever."

"Don't you have other family members you know? They can help you.", Krom asked.

"No, I don't. I am alone."

"You won't and you don't have to be scared anymore because I will adopt you, take care of you now. You don't deserve to live alone in this horrible world. Tomorrow morning, I will take care of the adoption papers."

"Sir, you can't be serious? It's such a huge responsibility and..."

"I know, Garrus.", Elijah looked at him in a serious expression and then turned his attention to the boy again. He went to his knees, placed his hand on the child's shoulder and smiled warmly.

"Now, tell me... What's your name, my boy?"

"Nik.", he sniffed and wiped his tears away.

"What a great name for a such strong boy, Nik. Damn, you have nice hair and cool clothes you're wearing... Wow!", he praised the boy who gave a shy smile back at him.

"May I present myself? I'm Garrus. You are now my little, cute brother, so welcome to the family. And may I present Krom, we both just met a few days ago."

"Yes, I'm Krom. And no need to be afraid, Elijah and Garrus are my friends and will take good of you."

"Yes, fear not. Oh,... Elijah, I still have an apartment upstairs left empty... Well, except for that nighthunter outfit which was left upstairs. Do you want to take it for yourself and the child? I'm afraid that living in a house in the woods could scare Nik.", Garrus recommends.

Suddenly Elijah's calm face turned into a thundery look filled with anger. He took a step towards, grabbed Nik and pulled him closer into his protective embrace, away from Garrus.

"Garrus, my child, you're recommending me to rent the apartment she lived in?! Her apartment? Haven't you forgotten the way she betrayed me??!!"

"Elijah, she doesn't live in New Orleans anymore. She's gone and took most of her things with her... well, except for her hunting outfit with the red leather jacket. The one you gifted her..."

"No, I don't want to know anything about this. I don't want to rent the apartment where she stayed and I never will."

"Who's she?", small Nik asked the angry man.

But instead of giving an answer, Elijah went on his knees to come face to face with the boy. Looking deep into the innocent eyes, the man told him. With clenched jaws and in an angry tone which made the little one shiver.

"No one, she's no one. And Nik, one thing you should know. Never, never, never, trust anyone."

"What? Why?"

"I will show you. I will teach you why and then you will understand, my boy."

And with that, Elijah grabbed his wrist and led him outside of the building without looking back at Garrus and Krom. Only Nik turned his head back to meet the eyes of his newly made friends again before leaving the Graveyard Shift. The small boy wondered what would happen next in his life.

Elijah dragged the little toddler into a souvenir shop near the French Quarter, not far away from the Graveyard Shift. Colorful masks and costumes greeted them, as they entered. A very old woman bent over and waited behind the counter.

"Elijah, good to see you.", she answered and coughed.

"You're getting old, let someone else handle this shop."

"You're old too and you still hunt. And tell me, who's this tiny and weak companion of yours?", she laughed loudly and scared the child. It quickly hid behind Elijah and looked away from the old, scary lady.

But before the man could answer, another child appeared from behind the counter rushing towards the shop doors. The shouting of the old woman stopped him.

"Luc, come back! Where do you think you're headin'?! Stay in the shop and help me. Have you already finished the potion I told you to create for a customer?"

"Non, momie. Can I do it later? I want to head outside."

"Pourqoui?"

"To play with pretty girl."

Luc's mother got angry and pulled him back without even touching him. The tiny Nik couldn't believe his eyes and hugged Elijah's legs even tighter. She used magic which made little Luc fly across the room, back to her. It looked like being pulled by a real magnet.

"You will not meet pretty girl, she's dangerous and not even pretty."

"I think she's pretty, momie. And friendly."

"Go and play with Brie instead!"

"No, not Brie. Brie is sometimes mean and thinks she's a better witch child than me. I want to play with the pretty girl, she never made fun of me. She's so friendly and pretty."

"You won't meet her, son. She's a Reimonenq and Tonya's child. She can kill you by just touching you with her bare hands", she explained to Luc which made him sad while Nik, the other child brought by Elijah listened carefully and got even more frightened. Monsters, magic shop, potions, killing hands,... What in the world had he gotten into?

"I wanna go home...", Nik whispered who couldn't stop his tears and pulled on Elijah's clothes.

"I'll take you, little fella.", he answered to him and turned his attention back towards the old lady and Luc.

"Okay, you bitchy witch, I'm waitin'. Fresh holy light arrows, please. And a charm too.", he asked her and already placed the total amount of money on the counter in front of her.

She collected the money while Luc excitedly began gathering the needed items. Proudly he handed over the right arrows in the right amount. He was sure good in mathematics. Then the tiny boy turned around, climbed on a stool and reached for the other item which Elijah ordered too. It was a brown necklace with a silver ring hung on, a magical charm. Luc gave it to Elijah who smiled warmly at him.

"Good work, little Luc-ster! You were so quick, I bet you can take better care of the shop than your old mother. But she's right, you better stay away from the Reimonenqs'. And study hard your magic.", he gave him advice, patted on his shoulder and left the shop with Nik.

Outside he offered Nik to wear the pendant he just bought. After the young child wore it, his eyes began to glow and sparkle lightly. He closed them and then, after a few seconds, he finally opened them.

"What was that?", he carefully rubbed his innocent little eyes and blinked a few times.

Now everything looked much clearer to him when he found out that the walking humans on the streets of the city weren't all ordinary humans. No, some of them weren't human at all. Strange figures crossed by, ones he had never met before or only knew from fairytales and other stories.

"Nik, welcome to the World of Night. Now you'll see the true forms and identities of all beings who used to hide it with the help of a spell. You need to know that there's more than what it seems. You cannot trust anyone blindly in this cruel world. I promise to take care of you, make you understand, and teach you everything you need to survive and live in our world."

Several months have passed since that tragic incident, where a little boy lost his parents. Elijah Ryder became officially Nik's adoptive father. Now his name was officially Nik Ryder, Elijah Ryder's child. The old man took good care of the little boy and made sure to keep him happy and no longer mourn or cry over his dead parents. Father and son quickly became good friends.

They spend much time together in nature and Elijah taught him a lot about nature, animals, plants and even hunting so that Nik can protect himself when he's alone. One night the man even left the child alone in the graveyard, when both of them were hunting down a dangerous creature. Nik was left alone, so that he could learn not to blindly trust anyone, and that he should handle things on his own too. That lesson frightened Nik the most, but he understood that and what's best for him.

"Dad! Daaad!!", the little boy screamed and rushed to their little house in the woods, searching for his adoptive father. It was early morning when Nik decided to go for a walk alone into the woods but ended up discovering something frightening.

As he finally arrived home to quickly get his adoptive father, Elijah outside the house, he was greeted by an unfamiliar woman who's car was parked infront of their little house with a driver sitting inside it. The woman wore a light blouse and a short, black skirt which made her look like a real businesswoman. Earrings were hidden behind her black, shoulder-length hair. Her fair skin was shining in the sunlight and her heart-shaped face was covered with makeup. Elijah was there too and was having a heated argument with her.

"I absolutely do not care, I only came here back to collect a few things of mine which I left behind. Immediately let me inside the house, Elijah.", she demanded and took a step forward. A snake appeared out of her left sleeve which nastily hissed at Elijah. It was her pet snake, named Slitter.

"Ahh, a snake!!", Nik got frightened and took a few steps backwards.

"Don't worry, child. My little Slitter won't hurt anyone, he's not poisonous. Slitter just... doesn't like it if I get treated unfairly, right Elijah?", she said with a meaningful tone.

"I gave all your belongings to Garrus, so go to him. Besides, I won't let a traitor like you inside my house, Jacqueline."

"I'm no traitor. How dare you insult me like this?! I will make sure that..."

"Hey, stop!! Don't talk to my dad like this!!", the child angrily intervened.

"Son, let us adults talk."

"Elijah, did you call him your son? You have a child?", the woman surprisingly asked. For a short moment, she just silently stared at the child before coming out of her thoughts and facing the man in front of her again.

"You know what, Elijah? I don't want my things back anymore. You, me and Tonya are no longer a team and no longer The Guardians of the Night anymore. Have you understood? And neither will there be a next generation who will protect the worlds. I am happy with my new life. You can burn my hunting licence if you'd like, because leaving New Orleans and the nighthunters was the best thing that ever happened to me. Tonya was right, I should have done it earlier.", she confessed while Elijah only kept glaring at her with clenched teeth.

"If y'a done now, then I suggest y'a to leave."

"Well, gladly. Was nice to meet you... not. Such an unwelcoming and grumpy man you still are. I'll be going then, can't let my company, my caring boyfriend and my dearest child wait.", she curled her cherry-red lips, turned away from him and headed towards her car.

Elijah stood still and kept looking until she finally left. The old man's silence was worrying the little boy, so Nik stepped closer to give him a soft hug and tried to make eye contact. And when the eye contact finally happened, Nik was greeted back with a smile on his father's face. He gently ruffled the hair of the child which made it giggle.

"Don't worry, kid. Annoying people come and go in life, don't lose heart. By the way, where were ya' before?"

Quickly Nik's smile faded away and sadness was written all over his face.

"Dad, the... the wolves. The werewolves did something terrible.", he whispered and led his adoptive father deeper into the woods. The boy was looking around to remember and then pointed at a lonely tree. Marks of claws were carved onto it, werewolf claws. Blood, flesh, feathers, and some pieces of one or two birds were scattered on the ground which made the boy shed tears.

"Dad, they killed two innocent animals."

"The werewolves killed a falcon. No, two falcons.", the man analyzed. "But Nik, that's the way of life and the cycle of mother nature. Predators have to hunt to survive."

"And we nighthunters hunt monsters to save humans. Isn't that something else, Dad? And what will happen to the baby falcon?", he sniffed and pointed above to a bird's nest where a tiny chick was sitting waiting to be fed by the adult birds. Carefully Elijah reached for the young, helpless bird and held it in his palms.

"Squeak. Squeak. Squeak."

"Poor baby bird lost its parents like I did, Dad. We can't let it live outside alone without food and care. Can we keep it?", Nik requested and stared with his sad eyes to Elijah.

"Nik, it's a wild animal that lives free outside in nature. We can't keep it forever or treat it as a pet.", he explained which broke Nik's hope. But then he said more.

"How about we take good care of it for now till it gets older, and then we'll let the bird free? It's currently very young and could need help, or else it could easily become another prey."

"Yes, that's a good idea. I will take care of little birdy, I promise.", Nik excitedly said and began happily jumping up and down. Carefully Elijah handed the tiny bird to his son, who softly carried it in his palms and kissed it. "You're not alone now, birdy. Like I have Elijah, you have me now."

From that day on, little Nik took care of its very first pet which became a close friend of his. The boy named the falcon "Arrow", because he believes that one day it'll accompany him on his hunts and be flying fast like a shooting holy light arrow in the sky.

About 15 years later...

It's evening, and the young fae served drinks to his fellow customers, including his two best friends, Krom and Ivy. The bar wasn't very crowded tonight, but he was still busy.

"Mmmh, the Seasalt Slurry you make is definitely my favorite now. Thanks, Garrus.", Ivy praised him and enjoyed the magical drink.

But Garrus didn't answer, he went from table to table, picking orders and served his magical drinks to everyone inside his bar which was called The Graveyard Shift.

"So that's the famous Graveyard Shift...", a young teenager talked to himself as he entered the building. He began walking slowly towards the bar counter while his silvery-gray eyes shifted around, not to overlook any important detail. Garrus quickly rushed to the counter to take his order.

"Welcome to the Graveyard Shift, how may I help you?"

"What do we have here, a fae? No wonder that the drinks are famous for the Graveyard Shift.", he answered and smiled at him.

"Don't worry, I'm telling you that our friend Garrus won't disappoint you. Oh, I... by the way... You do look so young. Very young actually.", Krom noticed.   To his defense, Nik showed the three of them his identity card and hunting license before putting them back in his pockets.

"Really, me and young? Thanks for the nice compliment. But don't worry, I'm over 18. Just reached my 20s if that happened to concern you, troll guy. Hmm, do you happen to serve a drink called Snake Tequila?"

"What's that? It sounds scary.", Krom answered.

"A drink I just discovered while I was on an undercover mission in Arizona to save a pegasi herd. The Blight Brothers challenged me to drink it, so I had to. It was the only way to impress them and to get inside their gang. I didn't like it at first, but later I got used to the taste of the drink. Not bad actually."

"Oh, I heard of that drink. It's not one of own my recipes, but I could make one if you like. I personally wouldn't drink it, dear.", Garrus laughed and began to create it in the backroom where the correct ingredients were safely stored. In the meantime, the man took a seat next to Krom and Ivy. He began to analyze them.

Krom was a stone troll with tiny fangs, who wore a regular red shirt. His skin was made of stone, but his heart was gentle and warm. Ivy was a so-called "zombie girl" who had long purple and pink ombre hair with bangs. She had red glowing eyes and gray skin and wore a short black Victorian goth-style blouse and black leather trousers.

As she discovered being watched, she didn't look away like Krom did. No, Ivy was a strong woman who wasn't afraid and stared back at him with her deep red eyes. He wore a gray shirt, black pants underneath, and a long brown leather jacket with a brown necklace with a silver ring hanging on it.

"Hmm, you're the hunter with the Cajun accent who sometimes visits my library, right?"

"Correctly said, creaturelogist. Nice to meet you outside the library too sometimes. It's been a while."

"Yeah, it's been a while. Besides, how could I forget the young hunter who never forgets my payment?", Ivy giggled.

"He's a nighthunter? But isn't he too young for...", Krom asked out of interest.

"A person has to be ready for anything.", he answered in a sad tone.

"Well, whatever, that's Krom. He might look like a dangerous and mean stone-troll but in real, he's such a fluffy and friendly teddy bear person. And the fae who makes your drink right now, that's Garrus. Both are my friends.", Ivy informed which washed away the sadness, written on the man's face.

"I see that you're scaring my customers again, Ivy", Garrus joked as he quickly appeared from the backroom and placed the ordered drink in front of the man on the counter. "Here you go!"

"Ewww, what is that?!!!! Eww, a dead snake?!! Is the snake even real?", Ivy felt disgusted and so did Krom, but he stayed silent.

"Now enjoy this drink, I guess. By the way, I have never seen you before... First time in the Graveyard Shift here?"

"Yeah, I guess so.", he answered a took a sip of the drink. Ivy and Krom were shocked as they saw him drinking the greenly colored liquid with something long swimming inside.

"Not bad.", he praised Garrus and his mixology skills. A sly smile on his face.

"Thank you, sir."

"Oh, don't call me sir. Nik, just Nik is fine. My name's Nik Ryder.", he introduced himself and shook hands with the fae.

"I am Garrus and it's a pleasure to meet you, you're always welcome in the Graveyard Shift, Nik. It's also such a coincidence... You have the same surname as a hunter friend of ours, right Krom-darling?", he mentioned and Krom nodded for approval.

A soft pink washed over his stony cheeks after Garrus called him darling. Ivy noticed and began to understand that Krom had a secret crush on Garrus, so she silently grinned by herself.

"Your hunter friend? The only hunter who shared the same surname as mine, was my dad, Elijah.", Nik sadly confessed and looked away.

"Waaait, you're Elijah Ryder's son?!! The Elijah Ryder?!! But how and when did this happen? I mean... he's not someone who had a great relationship with women and...?"

"Wooaah, woah, slow down... The hell, no, I'm not his real son. He adopted me, but he's still my dad.", Nik angrily intervened before anything wrong came out of Krom's innocent mouth. "Don't you all dare to say anything wrong about my dad, guys. Not only the troll, I'm warning everyone here in this room."

"I apologize on behalf of Krom, very sorry. But I remember that we have met before too.", Garrus answered.

"Nah, I don't think so. Been livin' in the woods with my dad for years and haven't seen a lot of New Orleans. It's my first time here in the Graveyard Shift, so..."

"No, we really met before. Garrus, I remember now too. Nik, you were a small toddler, that's why you don't remember. Elijah told us that he saved you from a monster that attacked your parents.", Krom added which made Nik finally realize that they were telling the truth. He did meet Garrus and Krom before. It's not the first time he visited the Graveyard Shift, he was here too before. Just about 15 years ago.

"Hmmm... Maybe, I'm not sure. Sorry, I don't remember.", Nik answered after thinking hard, but he didn't remember. He was too young, but he knew that they weren't lying. He believed them.

"Awww, such a sweet reunion with our little baby brother after many years. You got so big and strong, darling.", Garrus got excited and softly pinched Nik's cheek while Krom gave him a strong and welcoming hug.

"Ouch."

"Yes, we love you too. Now tell us where grumpy, old Elijah is? Haven't seen him for so long, right?"

"He... he..."

His beautiful eyes sparkled with tears and he hid his face behind his palms. Silent sobs appeared. Krom gently patted his back and the three of them shared sad glances to each other. After a few seconds, he calmed himself down on his own, wiped his tears away, and apologized embarrassingly to them.

"So... sorry, I didn't mean to. Sorry, it just happened. I... I need to be strong. Sorry, it's just... he's dead. My dad, Elijah died just a few years ago when I was 17. He's no longer in our world, he left. He's gone. I lost my dad, the only person I had in this damn world left. I don't want to talk about this topic now.", he looked away and began to analyze the building.

"Nik, we're sorry. We didn't..."

"It's okay, I'm... I'm fine. Need to move on with life."

"Is he the reason you became a nighthunter too at such a young age?", Krom carefully asked.

"Yes, to honor him and everything he ever has done for me. I lost my parents and him to the claws of supernatural monsters. That ugly and horrible side of this world ruined my entire life. I... I could have turned evil, I could have destroyed that part of the world with all its supernatural beings, but I can't. My birthparents taught me to respect, and love nature with its living beings while Elijah taught me to understand, learn, and protect the world from evil. Later, I learned that not everything in this world is horrible. Guys, I even met a friendly werewolf guy, and you know how mean they can be and what kind of bastards these creatures are. I hate werewolves. I hate werewolves as much as vampires. But, he's different. Mister Lowell is so different from the other wolves. I think he also has two sons. Whatever. The main thing is that in the World of Night, there still is the World of Light with its many beautiful and fantastic creatures. Fae, pegasi, dragons, hippogriffs, and more. And what kind of person am I who decides another's fate? So my only mission will be from now on to save the human world and the supernatural world from evil. To protect children, families, and each being because I don't want anyone to suffer as much as I did.", Nik explained which made Garrus, Krom, and Ivy a bit emotional too.

"Oh, Nik..."

"Hey, it's okay. I'm fine. Now let's change the topic, okay? Hmm, do you happen to have a free apartment for rent? I've been searching for one. I just wanted to move closer into the city and... and... Elijah's house in the woods... I can't face it, old memories with him and... I... I miss him. I miss him very much.", he confessed. Garrus gently squeezed his shoulder for support.

"No fear, my mortal friend, I happen to have an empty apartment upstairs left for you in good condition and fair price. Well, there is one hunting outfit left upstairs. The person who lived there before must have forgotten it."

"Or abandoned it on purpouse.", Ivy giggled.

"Okaaay, well, I want to see it. If the apartment is good for me, then I will take it. One outfit won't stop me, okay.", he answered and followed Garrus, the owner of the building upstairs.

A few minutes later the two of them returned and joined Ivy and Krom who were ready to hear Nik's decision.

"I... I think I'm taking it. It's a deal."

"Hear, hear, my fellow friends, may I announce Sir Nik Ryder as the new renter of the apartment, our new neighbor and friend.", Garrus triumphantly introduced which embarrassed Nik. Krom and Ivy enjoyed and both clapped as Garrus elegantly bowed at the end.

"Are you royalty or what, Garrus?", Nik smirked.

"Hihihi, I think this was fun. Welcome to the Graveyard Shift!!!", Ivy excitedly squeaked.

"Merci, merci, mademoiselle Ivy. Nice bar here.", a happy voice greeted them. It was Luc who just entered the bar and appeared to the group with some arrows to deliver to Nik.

"I didn't welcome you, Luc. I welcomed... Oh, whatever, forget it. Long time not seen actually."

"Oui, I hope you're doing fantastique. Nik, here are the arrows you wanted.", he said and handed them to him.

"Thanks, Luc, I'll pay the money tomorrow morning. I promise."

"No problem, I trust you. Hey, have you heard about that new huntress in town? She's a real hottie and her wild magenta-colored hair... just wow.", Luc whispered to Nik who raised an eyebrow.

"Better hunter than me? Well, every new hunter colleague who will help us to defeat the evil guys is heartily welcome. But I hunt alone, like always. Hmmm, by the way, you kinda seem happy about her."

"I think Luc's always like that when he's meeting good-looking people, especially women. Am I right?", Ivy giggled.

"Mademoiselle Ivy, what do you mean with always? I haven't met a lot of women in my life. The only women I know are my mother, Bri, the other witches Ivy, and no other. And I feel attracted towards women and men equally.", he explained.

"Oh Luc, I was just kidding. Don't feel attacked like that. Join us for a drink! Welcome to the Graveyard Shift too.", she laughed and lightly punched his shoulder which made him laugh too.

[rhetthammersmithhorror]

Untamed Mistress | 1956

[gatutor]

Jacqueline Fontaine-Archie Twitchell "The Daltons´ women" 1950, de Thomas Carr.

[dixvinsblog]

Printemps des poètes 2024 - La Grâce - Jacqueline Fischer Mon jardin -

Mon jardin était pleinDe tant de joies profondesComment as-tu pu te tromper ?La porte était ouverteEt on voyait les blésEncore à peine mûrsQui cependant tremblaientD’être un jour moissonnésMon jardin était prèsDe fontaines qui grondentPourquoi t’en es-tu éloigné ?L’eau était transparenteMes secrets s’y baignaientTout juste dévoilésSous la pluie de lumièreQui t’avait révéléEt mon jardin t’a suIvre…