#lodger speaks

[yournewlodger]

A post about Edward Nygma and touch.

[ivytwines]

yeah yeah james corden sucks but we have to admit he’s in possibly the most endearing doctor who episode of all time

[wolfcat-hybrid]

Hi if any of my followers like playing COGames go play 'Professor of Magical Studies' it was so fucking good hot damn

[hritika13-tamboli]

Jeon Jungkook Fic Recs List 1...

Series :

Lone blue egg @foxymoxynoona

Summary : Jungkook is a simple man. He goes to work, he hangs out with friends, he worries about finding a mate to take home for his hometown breeding season. Maybe he spends a little more money on cam girls than is fiscally responsible but he has niche tastes. Maybe he feels a bit adrift, but he's a young penguin hybrid, supposedly in his prime, far from his crèche. At least he's good at one thing: taking care of his precious egg. A comfort egg, not a real egg, he's not a real penguin, just a man with penguin DNA and behavioral tendencies. Just like Yoongi isn't actually an owl, even if he does stay up all night and sometimes hoot to fuck with their roommates. But this is a real love story, even if a slightly odd one.

Summer Nights @marginalmadness

Summary : A freak weather anomaly leads to a chance encounter with a rabbit-hybrid, and your kind nature results in you gaining a small, fluffy lodger, who questions your taste in television shows. It’s won’t be for long...will it?

Evocation @bonny-kookoo

Summary : Every year, he joins the old tradition of traveling, where his ancestors have once ruled the skies. Every year, he meets familiar faces and new ones he's never seen before. Every year, he watches how his brothers find their mates, build their families, and introduce new generations to stories as old as time. But this year, something might be different. This year, there's you - a treasure worth more than he could ever offer.

4-7-8 @jiminrings

Summary : you’re secure when it comes to loving jungkook, knowing that your husband loves you beyond words. what you aren’t so secure about is his first love — someone who isn’t you. alternatively, jungkook’s married to you, but he still celebrates his anniversary with his ex out of sentimentality.

Love sewn @jvnghxope

Summary : You’ve never cared about the thin-as-paper walls of your beloved apartment until Jeon Jungkook moved next door. You could hear everything –from his late-night parties on Saturday, to the quality time he spent with his girlfriend in the intimacy of his bedroom. One day, everything ceases. Days turn into weeks, weeks turn into months and you find yourself knocking his door before you can think it twice.

Sweet tooth @bonny-kookoo

Summary : Yoongi and Jimin are each proud owners of hybrids, and these days, slowly falling in love with one another. And everything could be so perfect- if it wasn't for you absolutely resenting Jungkook- for no reason?

Alpha jeon @pbandjk

Summary: You’ve been raised to be a Luna since you were born. You’ve always had an idea of how your future would be, there was little room to imagine anything different. You’d meet your mate and fall madly in love, and the two of you would take over for your parents once they got older. But what happens when a certain wolf comes in and throws all of your plans on their head?

i’d love you to stay but that’s simply insane @taexual

 Summary : jungkook is an uncontrollable lead vocalist of the campus band, and you’re a goal-oriented top student that’s known his rich and complicated family since childhood. you don’t want anything to do with each other, until each other is exactly what you want to do.

Please love me @ahundredtimesover

Summary : As the only unmarried Jeon and Kim children, your families propose a union to symbolize your unbreakable bond that spans generations. But despite developing an affection for Jungkook growing up, he never returned it; he never seemed to like you, actually. You’re okay with the proposal, but surprise surprise, he isn’t.

Rattled @gukslut

Summary : "Jeongguk?" His chin quivers and he bites at his bottom lip, clenching his jaw as his eyes flood with tears, meeting Jin's questioning gaze as he collapses against Jin's broad shoulder, sobbing. Jeongguk struggles to make words come out of his mouth.Jin holds him tightly, not speaking, just waiting, trying to put the mess of puzzle pieces together in a way that might make sense. Finally, Jeongguk sucks in a heaving breath."I had a baby," he sputters out. "That's my baby.""I didn't know this baby existed eight hours ago," he chokes out, sniffling.

Lacrymaria olor @bonny-kookoo

Summary : In which you've survived on this foreign planet for more than two years until you're caught and brought to the King, who will decide your fate.

Bitchin @kinktae

Summary : The 80s were a time of choices. Which perm was right for you? What color neon would you wear next? None of these choices, however, were more questionable than a certain deal you made with Jeon Jungkook.

Under your skin @armpirate

Summary : You were awful on anything related to flirting, guys and sex. He was the perfect ladies man. You wanted to get rid of your virginity. And he was there to help you with everything you needed. You didn't have the best start, but that didn't mean you wouldn't have the best of the endings.

Unstable @bonny-kookoo

Summary : Wrong place, wrong time, wrong everything. And yet, maybe it's not as bad as you thought.

One-shot :

Idealizations concerning real life relations @venusiangguk

Summary : jungkook loves to be loved, but he doesn’t love in return.

Night After Night @brown-bi-beautiful

Summary : "Show you what devotion is, deeper than the ocean is".... You broke up with your boyfriend because he couldn't let go of his fuckboy antiques now he's gonna win you back whatever it takes.

If i told you || two-shots || @gukyi

Summary : in order to pay for university, jeon jungkook decides to market his most valuable asset to the wealthy socialites of campus: himself. donning a suit and tie, tousled hair, and glasses (to look smarter), he becomes every rich daughter’s dream: the perfect boyfriend to bring to balls, dinners, and business gatherings. all while you watch from the sidelines, only able to dream of having that much money to buy yourself what you really want: him.

Scattered stars || two-shots || @taegularities

Summary : “And with that, a picture of Jungkook flashed into your mind, his fingertips caressing your cheek and his gentle and affectionate smile sending shivers down your spine as you admitted to yourself that yes - you wanted him.“

Welcome to the heartbreak show @numinousher

Summary : you’re in love with your partner in class that everyone fears (and loves) due to his stoic facial expression and the way he rejects girls rather harshly. as you get to know him, will he be able to handle your heart that you so willingly gave him to care for or, will he break it due to his hatred for people who are in love with him?

In which she's done with him @minstrivia

Summary : Jungkook angst/fluff where he always pushes oc away (who confesses her feelings but was cruelly rejected) and insults her but she always comes back to take care of him when he’s drunk or picks him up from his one night stands and she finally decides to leave him alone !! happy ending!

Angel in the marble @venusjeon

Summary : after you fail to pickpocket him, the famous yet arrogant artist Jeon Jungkook takes you off the streets to make you his servant, and the more you know him, the more you realise he's not as detestable as everyone claims he is.

i can't wait to tell you, "i told ya'." @serendipitous-seven

Summary: Jeon Jungkook is a successful realtor with a big house, a nice car, colorful dating life, and a spunky 7-year-old daughter to boot…he’s also your best friend who you used to be in love with. Of course, he was never made aware because you swear it’s all in the past…until it isn’t. But going on a cruise with Jungkook and his daughter whom you adore should be harmless. Absolutely nothing can go wrong…Right?

Los Angeles Laker @xpeachesncream

Summery : being one of the most popular players in the nba, jungkook takes absolutely no shit from anybody. he could give a fuck about the press, what people think about him, serious relationships. it’s a personal hell getting wrapped up with jeon jungkook— and you can’t help but fall into the same trap as every other woman who crosses paths with him. the more you fall, the more you realize that you will never be able to change a man who doesn’t want to change his ways.

[lgbtpopcult]

What cool WLW projects do we know are coming in 2024?

Drive-Away Dolls

Arguably the most important representation of the year comes from a movie directed by one of the Coen brothers. Ethan Coen directs this wacky comedy that is very much in style for him.

Synopsis:

This comedy caper follows Jamie, an uninhibited free spirit bemoaning yet another breakup with a girlfriend, and her demure friend Marian who desperately needs to loosen up. In search of a fresh start, the two embark on an impromptu road trip to Tallahassee, but things quickly go awry when they cross paths with a group of inept criminals along the way.

Lost Records: Bloom and Rage

A game had to be added to this list and here it is, the best one. From the creators who gave us Life is strange. Lost Records: Bloom and Rage tells the story of four friends who experience a transformative summer in 1995. After 27 years of no contact, Nora, Swann, Autumn, and Kat are reunited by fate and forced to confront the long-buried secret that made them agree to never speak again all those years ago. From the teaser alone it is obvious at least two of them dated.

Pluto

A Thai gl from GMMTV, known for its successful Thai dramas. The story is the telenovela cliche we've always wanted. Two girls in love. One gets in an accident and her twin takes her place to find out who was behind her accident, the other girl is blind. The twin has to fake being the real one so has to be in a relationship with the blind girl and of course falls in love with her. Match made in fanfic heaven.

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

It was announced so long ago people are getting frustrated. However, with both a writer and a director now attached to the project, and the strikes over, we have every reason to believe we will finally get to see the hit novel, that centers the love story between two closeted Hollywood actresses, come to life. Whether you loved the novel or were indifferent and didn't see what the fuss was about, it is a very successful wlw romance and we want to see it on screen!

The Paying Guests

The director that brought us Carol adapting a book by the author of Fingersmith? Yes please!

Speaking to Indiewire, Haynes revealed he’s developing an adaptation of Sarah Waters’ 2014 novel The Paying Guests. “It’s a three-part limited series that would need to be a British production, but it’s a really great novel.” Set in post-WWI London, the drama is part lesbian love story and part murder mystery following a down-and-out widow and her daughter, the latter taking up a relationship with one of their lodgers. Waters also wrote Fingersmith, which was adapted into The Handmaiden by Park Chan-wook.

NCIS Hawaii season 3

One of our favorite pairings of last year, Kate and Lucy are the main couple of their show and they carry it well. They look good together, have progress and evolution in their relationship and have fun working together.

The Secret of Us

Thai channel CH3 is expected to hit us strong with this Thai gl. CH3 is big in Thailand so this one is a big deal. The story is the typical exes meet again trope and it's magnificent. It centers Doctor Fahlada, nicknamed Doctor Angel. She is trying to hide the pain after being abandoned by the woman she loved. But then...by chance that woman comes back into her life.

Whisper Me a Love Song

Our resident anime entry has to be Whisper me a love song. Based on a manga it is the story of Himari Kino. On the first day of entering high school, Himari Kino "falls" for her senior, Yori Asanagi, whom she watched singing with a band at the welcome party for new students. When Himari confesses her admiration to Yori, Yori misinterprets Himari's feelings as romantic love. However, before Yori realizes, she comes to fall for Himari anyway, and promises to win her affections for real.

Bad Sisters season 2

Bad Sisters is one of the best reviewed and hilarious shows on this list. Coming back for a season 2 was inevitable. Bibi, the lesbian sister, will keep entertaining us in 2024.

Station 19 season 7

One of the most enduring shows and wlw couples on TV are coming back for a season 7! That is a lot of seasons but Maya and Carina do still have that spark.

About Galaxy The Series

Part of the gl renaissance that is expected to go full force next year, this series is already hugely popular among Asian romance fans.

Synopsis:

‘About Galaxy’ is based on author Zezeho’s yuri of the same name, with a Thai title of “มูลค่าดาวล้านดวง”. The story revolves around Hong Yok, a designer who has a big scar on her face which led her to hide away from the public due to her inferiority complex. But something changed in her life when she met Note, a woman she was measuring clothes, and realized she is the same person who gave her that huge scar! However, despite the incident, she doesn’t outright despise her, and instead… feels safe. What will happen to the two women?

My Ex-Friend's Wedding

Kay Cannon ("Blockers") will direct from a script co-written by Taylor Jenkins Reid? Staring a group of friends trying to stop their friend from getting married? And one of them is queer? We're all in!

Arcane (Season 2)

It seems like forever since we first watched Arcane but we're definitely looking forward to season 2. Needs no introduction.

Dream the Series

We already have enough Asian dramas in this list but we couldn't leave out one of the most anticipated gl, Dream. The story is that of a woman that sees a girl in her dreams every night only to meet her in real life. While in real life they are friends in her dreams they do much more. She thinks her friend doesn't know about that what she doesn't know is that she also remembers everything they do in their dreams.

Harley Quinn the Animated Series season 5

Another season of our favorite criminal duo Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy? Yes please and thank you. These two, and this particular iteration of them, might be the best representation American television has ever given us.

Chaser Game W

Chaser Game W is the first gl produced by TV Tokyo so it has a historic significance for the advancement of representation for queer women in Japan. First episode airs January 8. Based on manga series "Chaser Game" written by Hiroshi Matsuyama & illustrated by Yukitaro Matsuyama

The story:

synopsis: Itsuki has been working in the "Dynamic Dream" game company for five years and is now appointed as the lead for a big Japanese-Chinese collaboration project, which she is fully motivated to work on. However, it turns out the Chinese company team is led by her ex, Fuyu, whom she one-sidedly broke up with back in university! After breaking up with Fuyu, Itsuki never dated anyone else and chose to focus on her work, all while not coming out to her family and coworkers... But when her ex-girlfriend suddenly appeared in front of her, her feelings immediately started to sway. Meanwhile, Fuyu always resented Itsuki for breaking up with her without saying why. She takes charge of the project and pushes impossible tasks onto Itsuki. While Fuyu plots her revenge, Itsuki is rekindling her unrequited love. What will the outcome be for these two opposites?

Vigil season 2

The first couple of episodes of Vigil season 2 will technically be shown in December 2023 (in the UK only) but we'll basically be able to watch it beginning 2024 and we're looking forward to it!

Several upcoming TV shows and movies have cast actors that make it obvious they'll have lesbian and bi characters but until we know whether the representation will be enough to be worth watching we're holding off on making that other, more elaborate, list.

[batboyblog]

Public Domain Notice!

Happy Public Domain Day here in the USA!

today, January 1st 2023 marks the day all works published in the year 1927 enter the public domain! This includes books, movies and music.

Here are a few of the most famous and important works entering public domain today:

The final two Sherlock Holmes stories by Arthur Conan Doyle. You likely have heard something about this, while the character of Sherlock Holmes has been public domain for many years a handful of stories in Conan Doyle's last collection of Holmes stories, The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes, published in 1927 remained under copy right. The famously litigious Conan Doyle Estate Ltd has used it's control of these copyrights to pressure movie, TV, and even authors to pay them when using the public domain character of Sherlock Holmes or adaptations of public domain stories. Well finally the last of their copyrights have finally run out and you can publish a collection of all 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories (and 4 novels) if you want, or use elements from these final stories in your own Sherlock Holmes story and the Conan Doyle Estate Ltd can finally go fuck itself.

speaking of detectives, the first 3 Hardy Boys novels, The Tower Treasure, The House on the Cliff, and The Secret of the Old Mill are also entering public domain, as such you are free to include Frank and Joe Hardy in your own work of fictions, but be careful to stick to their characterization from these first 3 books.

other exciting books entering the public domain today are, To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf, Men Without Women (a short story collection) by Ernest Hemingway, The Big Four by Agatha Christie (big year for detectives huh?) Mosquitoes by William Faulkner, Twilight Sleep by Edith Wharton, The Gangs of New York by Herbert Asbury, Der Steppenwolf by Hermann Hesse, Amerika by Franz Kafka

in terms of movies one of the most famous silent films ever made and one of the most visually iconic, Metropolis directed by Fritz Lang will reenter the Public Domain, The American copyright lapsed in 1953 making the film widely available and allowing for versions with material that had been cut from the 1927 version to be published in the 1970s and 80s. However under an international copyright agreement the film was returned to copyrighted status in 1996. But Today it's back back back again in the Public Domain!

Other exciting films entering the public domain are The Jazz Singer the very first "Talkie", Wings the very first Academy Award for best picture (or "outstanding picture" as it was then) The King of Kings directed by Cecil B. DeMille, Sunrise directed by F.W. Murnau (his first American film!) and The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog first first thriller directed by legendary director Alfred Hitchcock

the musical Show Boat by Oscar Hammerstein II will also enter the public domain with songs like Ol’ Man River, the musical Funny Face, and Good News with songs like Funny Face and The Best Things in Life Are Free, stand alone songs (I Scream You Scream, We All Scream for) Ice Cream, Puttin’ on the Ritz, Potato Head Blues, Gully Low Blues, East St. Louis Toodle-O, and Mississippi Mud will all be free to the public today

Finally a piece of Disney history is entering the public domain. Oswald The Lucky Rabbit first appeared in 1927 and will be free to appear in works of fiction this year, a year ahead of his younger brother Mickey Mouse

[currently-tired]

Tgs, but Jekyll doesn’t know he’s Hyde

Aka Jekyll is a alchemical blackout drunk.

Based off of this post; https://www.tumblr.com/ja9-animations/741619471611985920/tgs-but-all-the-lodgers-know-that-jekyll-and-hyde

@ja9-animations

“Are you sure I cannot meet Hyde?”

Lavender paled. “No, you can’t!” She burst out quickly, with wide open eyes.

Bird elbowed her sharply.

“Erm, ‘m sorry Jekyll, but you can’t. We don’t know when ‘ey show up, and-“ He began, but soon stalled, clearly unsure of what to say.

Archer picked up after him.

“They’re such a strange person. Trust me, you’ll know them if you see them. But we can’t make them appear on command.”

“Is he a sodomite? I’ve never heard of a singular person using they instead of he…” Jekyll asked softly, with a wrinkled brow.

Lavender stuttered over her response. Bird coughed, and Archer twitched nervously.

Jekyll’s eyes opened widely and he paled almost as white as a sheet; as if he never meant to say that comment aloud…

“That was profoundly impolite, and none of my business. I apologize.” Jekyll looked numb as he said these words. Same light voice as before when he had been asking about Hyde, but an uncharacteristically pinched expression on his face.

Unseen to the group of lodgers, his hands were fidgeting at his sides.

“And if he is?” Archer questioned, with a (unconvincing) impression of lightness on his face

A bitter smile instantly spread across Jekyll’s face. “As much as London’s high class officially has a problem with sodomites, I can assure you that to most, unofficially they do not…”

“Hypocrites!-” Henry hissed angrily, just quietly enough not to be heard.

Damned hypocrites who went to the [unofficial] sodomite’s bar, and fucked men just like the rest of them! It made them want to growl, and-

[How did he even know this?!- Jekyll hadn’t been to those sorts of places since university; he had seen gentlemen (in training) there, yes…

But not the ones that came to their mind. Hazy faces they he somehow recognized, memories distorted as if seeing them through a thickly frosted glass…

Jekyll packed the thoughts down to inspect later, in the quiet of their office. Preferably with a glass or three of wine…]

He continued out loud, in a louder voice.

“To me personally, it is not a problem at all. I don’t see the obsession over policing others, especially for things they cannot control. Alas, this is the society we exist in…” Henry said bitterly, trailing off with a deep frown.

Lavender gaped at him, absolutely shocked. (Henry didn’t notice, as he was too busy glaring a hole through the wood flooring…)

As soon as she recovered her composure, she began to speak.

“Okay then!…” Lavender replied quickly, trying to draw attention away from the topic.

She began talking about her newest studies into the void, and her ideas on its composition. Jekyll noticed the clear diversion, but followed along with it, distantly replying to her comments and ideas. [What was that mental slip of sorts earlier? It sounded like him. It was his own voice!- But somehow not… The thoughts were familiar; sourced from that deep seated anger he tried oh so desperately to suppress. But why were those memories so distant and hazy? How did he even have them in the first place?!-]

Archer then began to talk about his newest type of plant. A crawling vine that he said Hyde brought him from blackfog.

At the passing mention of Hyde, Bird stomped Archers foot loudly. Archer hissed in pain, and quickly moved on from the topic. (But not before flicking Bird back harshly, with his mechanical arm.)

At that point Jekyll had seen enough. Clearly whoever Hyde was, he was not going to find out from these lodgers. For whatever reason they were completely dead set on not telling him a single thing about Hyde!

The other lodgers were similar. The ones more skilled with social interaction brushed off his questions or changed topics skillfully. (It would’ve fooled most other people. But not Jekyll. That was Henry’s wheelhouse, and he recognized the exact same tactics that he himself used to deflect criticisms against the ‘mad’ scientists.)

The less experienced ones told him off more frankly, or refused the question.

Griffin flat out told him to fuck off. (Ouch! Especially since he was the one funding his experiments! Jekyll didn’t expect ass kissing from anyone, but a little bit of tact went a long way!…)

To make things even worse, Hastie was absolutely clueless, and no help at all. He told him rumors he had heard, but nothing else. (Which was something, he supposed. But Jekyll himself knew how greatly exaggerated rumors in that city were, based on what they said about him personally...)

The other person he’d usually ask, and trust to tell him the complete and utter truth was Rachel. She was less clueless; Henry knew that for sure… But she also refused to tell him a thing about Edward!

It was so unusual!-

Henry wanted to stay a little longer to try to pry just a bit more. He should know who was frequenting his own building, right?

But Jekyll knew he wouldn’t get anything voluntary. And accidental confessions were always full of annoyingly large holes that people usually never filled until they were ready to.

So Jekyll slipped away back to his office, citing the finances, with a small smile on his face. (Even if he was feeling anything but, the smile was always plastered on his face. It had to remain there, convincing and shiny…)

He slid into his chair, and instead of doing accounting, promptly drank down an entire glass of wine like a shot.

As he swirled around his second drink in his glass, he thought over what he knew about Edward Hyde.

Hyde was shorter than most people at the society, even Lavender. That would put him at around 4’9, perhaps shorter. Hyde had blonde hair with brown roots. They(?) fought viciously, and had a horrible reputation that made its way up to Lanyon in several ways somehow. (Friend of a friend’s cousin for one certain incident? Hell if Henry knew…)

They liked the color green, carried a cane that was rumored to have a long knife inside, and had a Scottish accent. (To what intensity, Henry did not know.)

And up until that day, that was all Henry knew.

His recently gained knowledge was that they [Henry did not understand that pronoun. Both its significance, and what it was even used for. But for whatever reason, Hyde was referred to by it...] were (was?) some sort of sodomite.

That was mildly unhelpful though.

The use of sodomite was broad enough to be classifying, but far too broad to really be helpful, which annoyed Henry.

The term sodomite could refer to the men who dressed up as women, the ‘men’ who were actually women, men who enjoyed the company of other men, those who engaged in bestiality, (Henry desperately hoped that Hyde did not engage in that…) and/or a million other things deemed evil or sinful by society.

Unmentionable things, that did not even deserve a term attached to them, other than the label of S. I. N…

And so, Henry was at a loss.

He was unhappy about his pitiful level of knowledge on the man who frequented the society. (He had labored far too hard, worked far too much for it all to be torn down by some unknown that he could never account for!) However, there wasn’t much he could do, barring searching London’s underworld himself. (And the ‘Good Doctor’ could not do that. Besides, even then he may not see Hyde after all...)

And so he resigned himself to filling out paperwork, wondering about that strange person in between scratches of his pen.

At the chime of nine in the night, Henry put down his pen, capped his ink, collected his papers into a neatly organized pile, and got up and stretched with a groan, stiff bones creaking.

He went into a certain cabinet, and pulled out a pre measured quantity of salt and a beaker.

Then combined a couple of substances together that formed into a noxious looking bright potion, calmly watching the viscous blue green solution swirl around the flask, and wispy smoke pouring off of it and into his face, as if it was perfectly normal.

And to Jekyll, he supposed it was.

Henry had been taking the serum for years, off and on throughout the week.

He never remembered what happened during or after they took it, except for an almost addictive deep seated contentment flowing through his veins and a peace he could find from nothing else flowing through him for hours after he came back in the morning.

The potion must’ve done something, especially with the great change it inspired in him during his darkest moments… Perhaps split off the evil? Maybe it had been separated from him entirely, or shoved off to the side to languish.

Perhaps he even vanquished it… [But why then, was he still sinful, and full of desires he knew he couldn’t have? Why did he still have a short temper, and an even sharper tongue that he had to choke down almost daily?]

Those things were not terribly good. But they were not terribly evil either.

And so, that led him to believe that he didn’t actually separate good from evil…

But whatever truly had happened, Jekyll did not know. (Or care enough to investigate, to be fully honest.)

It helped him suppress those pesky desires that plagued his mind like nothing else in his life had before. Not copious amounts of wine, or prayer and church, or hobbies he dumped after a week from sheer inability of effort, or self harm.

It kept him sane, and smiling perfectly, with a straight back and a distant but somehow still friendly posture that made young gentlemen weep.

And so, he kept drinking it, despite the total blackouts.

…A little bit of indulgence in the unknown would not damage him too much, right?

And so, without further pretense, Jekyll drank the bitter sulphorous solution, choking a bit. (He had never fully gotten used to the syrupy and somehow still liquid texture, even four years later…)

Within thirty seconds, like clockwork, they began to transform into… something else. [Exactly what it was, he had never found out…]

Bones began to move into different places, and crack open with a horrific sound. Other changes occurred, that he was too far gone to even attempt to understand what was happening. And like always, thankfully, after the pain became too great, Jekyll faded away.

And twenty minutes later Edward Hyde emerged from their own office, fully dressed.

Hyde snickered loudly at their own incompetence. Of course that potion didn’t split them into two entities! Good and evil were not distinct things! They were commingled in each man’s personality forever; from birth to death.

No fully evil entity existed. No fully good entity existed. (And it would always be that way, for all of eternity!)

However, Jekyll never remembered their second life as Hyde.

He didn’t know the revelations they’d had, both about the world, and about themself.

He didn’t know the way they laughed; freely and insanely for the first damn time in their entire life! Able to express all they were forced to repress.

He didn’t know their face.

Their absolute delight and wonder, every single time they ran a hand over their face, and felt facial hair! (Something that they were never lucky enough to find a potion to fix in the past...)

The all consuming joy that overcame him even from first look, when he realized that finally, the evil streak that they had felt inside of them their entire life shone through. Laughing wildly at those who shuddered at the sight of their face, as if subconsciously.

The way people stepped away, and were scared. Scared for once, instead of far too friendly and comfortable with someone who was practically a stranger. [“You have an honest face!” An old noblewoman at a party crooned, patting their head, after saying something far too revealing. Jekyll was briefly tempted to bite her hand. Scream at her to fuck off! Grab her hand firmly, and throw it off of his head.

But the smile stayed firmly on his face and he excused himself politely but firmly to go speak [bitch] to Hastie again. Others, who he revealed nothing to, did not trust, or did not like much, but had spoken to for months, revealed deeply intimate things to him, some practically sobbing on his shoulder.

(That damned earnest face!-)

Jekyll tried to comfort them. He disliked others being sad. He knew just how hard that hit, and how deeply it hurt.

But in the end, it just ended up being just another secret to lock away in his mind forever. One more thing to pack away, and try not to think about the next time he saw them…]

Henry didn’t know their unrelentless joy for an infinite amount of reasons. (The world was beautiful! The moon gleaming and hanging low in the sky, the smog framing the air like a gorgeous painting. The biting chill of the air stinging their reddened cheeks, and the freshness of it. Even the things he usually disliked took on a new tinge of enjoyment!)

The joy they felt at having the freedom to be and do what they wanted.

(Who gave a fuck about who or what they used to be? Who they decided to fuck? Everyone was far too busy with their own business and problems for that. It was a welcome change from bored busybodies who had nothing better to do than to gossip…)

That complete and utter anonymity they enjoyed at first, and a delightful infamy later that made them laugh, and laugh, and laugh!-

But what he did know, is that he had holes in his memory after he took the potion. He knew the way he felt contented in the morning.

(Not flooded with pleasure like he was as Hyde. More like the echoes of it. Filtered through layers of flesh and bone, long blonde hair returned to short brown, blue-green dripping tears, and whatever the mind was comprised of.)

The way he was just slightly sore; but in a pleasant way he delighted in, even without knowing the source.

And most importantly, the fact that his strict facade became easier to maintain. As if a small vent had been slit on something that was about to burst.

He reaped some of the benefits of the potion, without even knowing what it did.

He was like a blackout drunkard. Despite having no clue what happened, he returned to his vice night after night.

Edward Hyde was Henry Jekyll. (Through and through, with every single one of his memories and experiences belonging to them.)

But Henry Jekyll was somehow not Edward Hyde. (How could he be, with only the tiniest hint of their memories and experiences? Only the slightest peak from behind an iron mental curtain?…)

Hyde was Jekyll in the way a Phoenix was ashes. The pieces of what he used to be and was just hours ago, reborn again into something completely different. (Glorious to them. Perhaps more of an annoyance at best to others. Several slurs at worst. That made it even better! Jekyll tried to be the best person he could be. Tried to do right by everyone, in the best way that he could.

But after spending a whole day being frustrated, and suppressing violence even against the stupidest inconveniences, they adored inconveniencing others! Making them feel at least the tiniest bit as shit as he had, just hours earlier. [The fact that misery truly does love company, was something that Hyde had soon found out…])

And Jekyll? He was completely ignorant and unknowing. Occasionally, Hyde wondered if this all would’ve been easier if it wasn’t so…

[That (beloved? damned? incredible? painful?) potion flicked that invisible mental switch, that let all of the memories of their life as Hyde rush back to them. How? Why? Why not let them keep these memories as Jekyll? Why must he have been ignorant? Confused about their own actions, that he didn’t know were theirs?]

How much of a person’s identity relied on their memories?

[Jekyll and Hyde were effectively two entirely different people, despite living the exact same life at times. At most times, actually… How much did their memories, or the lack of them affect that?]

How much of Hyde’s identity was completely new, or something spurred by their new mindset but already there, and how much was old; some sort of leftovers from Jekyll?

How much of it was preexisting, but mutated drastically until it truly fit them?

Was it a combination of all? What about a-

Hyde stopped themself.

These were thoughts for being piss ass drunk, rambling to some faceless stranger, (Or more safely, and thus commonly a lodger if any of them were so inclined.)

Not thoughts for being sober…

And so, Hyde quickly did their rounds around the society.

Nothing was on fire so far.

All plants were under control, and certain labs were slightly cleaner than usual! What a pleasant surprise!

Griffin’s cat got loose again, and he was bitching about it. At a flat annoyed glare from Hyde, he shut up instantly, and said he’d find it.

“You’d better...” Hyde snapped annoyedly.

(That thing escaped practically every other day! And Edward was not particularly keen on it, especially after it clawed up both of their arms and bit them, leaving them bloody and pissed, pouring antiseptic down their arms..)

Doddle was asleep, but all of his materials were neatly put up; both flours and baking supplies, and chemicals and more alchemical components, neatly shelved from first look. Nothing smelt burnt when Hyde peaked their head through the doorframe, so they let it be and moved on.

Ito was requesting some more lab equipment. Hyde told her to write it down and slide it under their door.

Cantilupe was more than a little annoyed at surplus of invisible animals nosing around the society and getting into her and Lavender’s research and skeletons. The rodents in particular were a large issue, as they’d gnaw on anything even remotely close to the ground. Again, Hyde told her to write it down, making sure that she stressed the fact that the rats harmed her and Lavender’s research, and said they’d deal with it in the morning.

(…Maybe not them in particular, but Jekyll would.)

Hyde finished up their rounds, and paused to think…

Okay, Good! Everything was calm in the society! No situations, no questions, and no issues. That meant Hyde was free to leave, and get on with their night.

But before Hyde could slip out the back door of the society, they were tapped on the shoulder.

They spun around extra dramatically, and saw Archer, Bird, and Lavender gathered next to each other in a group, looking nervous. They talked to each other quietly, nodding, or shaking their heads.

Oh come on!

Hyde didn’t do any of that ‘waiting around for people to be ready’ bullshit! They had better things to be doing than standing there, still and waiting!-

“Spit it out.” Hyde snapped more than said at them shortly, with a hiss. An externally bored expression, with a tapping foot.

(Internally, their panic mounted. They looked so stressed! Oh God, they hoped something didn’t happen! Everything had been so calm and good just five minutes prior!)

Archer poked Bird and said something quietly to him that Edward couldn’t hear. Finally, Bird groaned loudly, but spoke.

“Jekyll ‘as asking about ya again.” Bird said, with an awkward sort of shift to his body.

Hyde’s panic deflated instantly, with a relieved outtake of breath.

Then after a moment, they rolled their eyes. Was that seriously all?! They were so stressed about that tiny little thing? (To be fully honest, it didn’t concern them at all...)

Jekyll didn’t remember or know Hyde, so he was a completely unknown variable. And as Jekyll, they did not like anything to be unknown. (Hyde understood it, they supposed. Unknown things could lead to disaster, and in their past they had frequently. But as Hyde, they had taken to enjoying those surprises. Something unknown meant an opportunity to work out a new strategy on the spot, which was always entertaining, even if they lost and got their teeth kicked in. They took it as an opportunity to innovate, and be clever. Hyde took it as fun, not a chore.

Unlike Jekyll, they did not view it as random error, or an unexpected variable they couldn’t control in an experiment, to exaggerate his thinking…)

They remembered asking that question a couple hours before well enough. The flood of confusion in their (his, at that moment) mind.

He was stressed about the unknown man that all the lodgers consistently lied to him about so staunchly, refusing to give up even singular crumbs.

Well, Hyde was touched by the concern and dedication the lodgers had for them! The loyalty!

…But they had to admit they were getting tired of this all.

Hyde was just about to write a letter to himself! This was getting too far out of hand!… [Why the fuck were they (was he?) so stressed about themself? Henry’s stress was their stress! And that same stress he felt at that time affected them when they were like this too!]

(It hurt Edward’s head when they thought about it for too long...)

So maybe it was time to switch up their strategy. The old one of asking the lodgers not to tell Jekyll about his second life he didn’t know about in the hopes of getting himself to keep taking the potion without any hesitation was getting headache inducing.

(And Edward was getting sick and tired of additional headaches…)

“I see. And what’d he say?” They asked, acting as if they did not remember a thing.

…Hyde may have ‘forgotten’ to discourage and maybe even mildly perpetuated a perhaps… ‘Morally incorrect’ idea about the nature of their relationship with Jekyll to the lodgers…

[It was for a decent reason, they swore!..]

The lodgers all had these preconceived notions about what Hyde was to Jekyll. That they were the ghost lurking in the back of Jekyll’s saintly [HA!-] mind.

Some sort of demon that had stalked Jekyll for his entire life, finally let loose with chemical interference. (Correct general idea… It was wildly off track though.)

Hyde thought these assumptions were mostly because they couldn’t believe that Jekyll would ever act this way by himself. (Or, of his own accord.) Because he was a gentleman, cream of the crop. Elegant, and perfect. Not sinful, or sexual, or perverse in any way at all… [Well, if only they knew!]

Edward never corrected them. That assumption was incredibly helpful to both of their lives.

They didn’t have to spend hours trying to verbalize, and then explain the subtleties of their relationship with themself.

This also meant that they viewed Edward and Henry separately, treating them entirely differently. (Which was good. They would have a heart attack as Henry if all the lodgers shifted from their previously static and predictable behavior, to a close friendly relationship. [Something that he did not remember forming.] That wild shift would make him paranoid, and them even more stressed.)

And they were already stressed enough in both states of mind.

…And did they really deserve the truth anyway?

Hyde hadn’t even meant to reveal themself!

Ito had cracked the door open with a gentle knock one night, to ask for advice with a reaction involving the feathers of a Phoenix.

Having the door open unexpectedly let their pained mid transformation screams escape into the society; shrill and warping wildly from the ongoing change from Jekyll’s deep vocal cords to Hyde’s high, almost whiny voice.

The soundproofing in their office had became entirely useless, with that one simple action.

[FUCK! He should’ve remembered to lock the damned door! He screamed at themself afterwards, as soon as they gained awareness.]

The entire society (barring Rachel, who was visiting her brother) ran up to the room. [To watch what had happened and take notes? To help? Hyde did not know.] But whatever reason they had came for, the result was the same. They all witnessed the tail end of their transformation.

Hyde shook on the ground, and panted with the aftershocks of the transformation; unwanted thoughts that stressed them screaming in their ear at the buzzing of unexpected voices, and the air from the wide open door hitting their scalp.

[They shouldn’t be here. I’m damned. They’ll report me for insanity. The asylum. Bethlam! I’ll rot. Never see the moon, the rising of the sun. They’ll kill me. Never drink another glass of wine. Get railed again. I won’t survive. Ever see Lanyon again. Kiss his face. Beg him for forgiveness for my uncaring facade.

I’ll die alone and presumed insane!- I’ll be remembered for something I’m not! My grave will not be my own! Who will take care of Zosi? I’ll be tortured for hours on end, in the name of ‘medicine.’ I’ll die!-

They went on and on and on, in a hysterical loop, as they shook on the ground.]

As they were breaking down, Ito told them all what she had just seen, with a shaking wavering voice, and a shocked hunch to her posture.

Hyde heard her and paled, staring ahead with wide open eyes that were swirling that same green-blue color as that godforsaken potion, and a wild pant, heart racing so hard it felt like they had just ran an entire marathon, at the calls of their usual name, and not the name of the body they were currently inhabiting.

And slowly, with over a dozen stares aimed at them that felt weightier than a massive boulder on each shoulder, they began a bare bones explanation with a shaking voice and fully Scottish accent.

(So truly, it was entirely their faults for intruding in their office! They did NOT want that revealed! Jekyll had the right to lie to them!)

[Right?]

Bird answered, much calmer at Hyde’s uncaring reaction. (Completely unaware of their inner turmoil. Perhaps they were still good at hiding it…)

“He asked if you were a sodomite.” He replied.

Hyde’s eyes snapped to his face, pretending to have been paying rapt attention the entire time.

“I see. Then what?” Hyde asked back, with a slight tilt of their head.

“He said he supported sodomy, in a roundabout way.” Lavender chimed in.

“I never would’ve pegged him to be that sort of person.” She frowned in thought, humming quietly.

(Well, he certainly was…)

“Well, I’m sure Jekyll subscribes to the art of desiring both men and women” Hyde ventured, commenting lightly.

Archer laughed out loudly!

“Jekyll can’t be bent! He’s so gentlemanly and regal!“ He said incredulously, choking on laughter as he spoke

Hyde cackled out loud.

They intimately knew how that meant dogshit! Some of the most celebrated men (some even holy!) frequented the exact same bars they did, to find other ‘bent’ people.

They had even fucked a couple of them, when they were bored enough and curious. They were far too normal to hold Hyde’s interest for long, however, so they soon left them alone to their daily dose of sin.

Still, Hyde catalogued this quietly in the back of their mind.

“You’d be surprised.” They murmured, staring straight ahead at the wall, spacing out a little bit. (Sometimes they wished being gentlemanly really did mean they were normal! It would’ve made their entire life so much easier!..)

Hyde soon snapped out of it at Bird’s awkward cough.

“Anything else you’d like from me? Leader duties, or otherwise.” Edward offered, fingers drumming against their thigh.

“No.” They all replied, practically at the same time, with a shake of her head (Lavender) a tilted head (Archer) and a blink (Bird).

Satisfied with these responses, Hyde made a slight movement towards the door, telegraphing it to be as obvious as possible.

An easy non verbal way of saying they were getting tired of talking. Time was ticking, and night was bleeding away! They didn’t have forever!

At this, Archer promptly stepped forward with a friendly grin and offered a handshake that Edward took immediately, shaking his hand firmly and wildly, arm swinging. They smiled widely as Archer shook back forcefully, pushing their smaller frame around.

This turned into a friendly hug. Hyde laughed joyfully from inside of his arms, and squeezed him tightly.

Archer took a step back.

“I may meet you later, depending on how this experiment goes.” He said with that same happy smile.

(Hyde liked Archer. A nice friend, who was fun to go drinking with.)

“This the one with those magic vines I got you?”

Archer nodded.

“That’s fine.” Hyde replied lightly.

“Ask around when or if you’re ready. I’m sure you’ll find where I’ve gone...” They said, with a slightly sinister laugh, full of joy.

(Christ, they loved being Hyde.)

Archer nodded and rushed away as quickly as possible, with stumbling feet, presumably to prevent the plant from growing all over the lab. (The vendor did say it had a bad tendency to grow uncontrollably after it had been watered sufficiently.)

What a shame. Their room actually looked organized, for once. (Mostly clean floors, that weren’t flooded with clock pieces, dirt, and leaves!)

To Lavender and Bird, Hyde bowed deeply and thanked them for their concern. They told them that they didn’t mind Jekyll knowing more about them anymore, and asked them to please inform the others of that shift in preference.

[This could either go really well- acclimating Jekyll to the idea of Hyde, and eventually the truth, or horribly- make Jekyll hate themself. Only time would tell, they supposed…]

Lavender and Bird nodded, and went back to whatever it was they were doing before they came to speak with Hyde, walking away.

How would Jekyll react to that idea? Knowing all they knew at that point in time, they couldn’t really judge his own reaction properly. Would he-

Oh! Forget about it!-

That was a worry for tomorrow. (Or whatever night this frame of mind was released on next.) They had things they preferred to do tonight.

So finally, they slipped outside with a smile so wide that it hurt their face, and a folk song from their childhood on their tongue, that they whistled gleefully.

How could they be stressed? Worried or sad? The world was gorgeous! The people, and the things inside of it were too!

And at that very moment in time they were Edward Hyde! Free, and unrestrained!

How could they be depressed, with pleasure singing through their thoughts and mind, and an infinite pulse of energy just underneath their skin?

With the moon shining above them, delicately floating lanterns gleaming, and the smell of rain in the air, how could negativity overwhelm them?

How could they be anything but overjoyed when London, with all its good and evil, wrong and right, moral and immoral awaited them with the widest of open arms!

[randomperson0k]

the evil thoughts got me fucked up and shit

OH forgot to mention: top 2 images are the final 'redesign', 2 images below are concept sketches i made for the 'redesigns'

tgs jekyll and hyde but they got evaporated by my evil headcanon beam and stitched back together by somebody who has no experience with using a needle and thread to the point where theyre more just like a seperate character

im sorry for my sins

PLEASE HEAR ME OUT BEFORE BITING A CHUNK OUT OF MY ARM. if anybody wants to read about my evil headcanon world all the stuff is below. wasnt really exaggerating when i said i ripped their character apart and stitched them back together though.

i do have a google doc full of everything i headcanon for tgs but some of that is embarrassing as hell so im just slapping the important stuff here

most of these 'headcanons' are here more because they make me happy than to actually make any sense. as a warning.

smokes fat blunt puffs it in your face anyways uh trans henry jekyll yeah (gets shot) ty person from the j&h community i was messaging that dragged me to the dark side and introduced me to the world of embracing my j&h trans headcanons. a true angel.

i really like more book inspired takes on j&h than the musical ones soo uhh.. yeah theyre the same person fully no j&h arguing thing. im soooorrrrryyy its just my preference for adaptations and i find it a lot more fun to play with story wise. also some other reasons but i wont get into those

polyamorous and bisexual (bi because... obvious reasons. poly because of that one couple they meet up with in the comic every now and then. my favourite ... ship (i think thats the right term?) in the comic. i love them.)

gas mask because it looks cool + chemical shenanigans ("oh but those didnt exist" shh. shhhhh.")

speaking of chemicals! they are much more into science. mostly does science-y stuff when theyre hyde though. they like to break into lodgers rooms and contribute to experiments.

facial hair. thats it. no further reasoning will be given

tried making jekyll in the concept redesign of him look older. failed SO bad im sorry i know its horrible.

hyde has pointy ears + pointer teeth (and green tongue because potion goop) + slit pupils because i am incapable of designing a human hyde. i have no idea why but i just cant.

earrings because 1: i have a bad habit of giving designs earrings and 2: i remember seeing a few headcanons of j&h with earrings and they were so tasty to look at so i had to do my own

bandage scarf thing from the beta tgs hyde design + newer tgs design that only shows up in the mind... world.... thing.

added the uhhh goggles from the old design too.

red and green hat because i couldnt decide if i wanted hyde to have the red hat from the old design of tgs hyde or the green hat from the current design. ripped it in half and chose both. great decision making i know

chunks of brown hair in hydes because why not. also red ring around one eye as like a weird variant of half heterchomia.

hyde has weird patches of green colored skin idk it just looked cool when i was fiddling with colors so i kept it

hyde has red scales in certain spots of the design. no further explanation

gave hyde black gloves to contrast jekylls white gloves + cmon. hyde probably touches the most gross revolting shit with the places they go to. they deserve some gloves.

changed their body type a litttttle bit just a smudge

i was going to give jekyll a cravat around the neck (a really bad designing habit of mine is to give characters cravats. not my fault they look so cool) both as a fancy thing + to hide lack of a adams apple buuttt the design felt way too clumped so im scrapping that. ignore the cravat in the drawing. grrr bARKBAKRABK

actually does sparkle visually/not just as a non-existent visual effect and people can actually see it. lanyon always swats them away because the sparkles get in his face.

hyde is more shorter than shown in the comic, more like book hydes height. like a foot or more shorter than jekyll. jekyll stays around the same height though. hydes probably the shortest one in the society.

permanent eyebags. does not sleep but cmon we all already knew that

hyde has a strong scottish accent instead of the other accent he fakes in the comic that i always forget the name of

has a cane like the og book. its a sword cane.... yeah i have a addiction, im sorry. (like half my own personal characters have sword canes)

i suck so bad at drawing shoes so hydes shoes look like ass but theyre supposed to be big boots since this guy probably walks through yucky mucky areas and stuff

i would totally write some oneshots or something like that of these guys going on adventures doing experiments and stuff yknow . (stuff like lodgers content and interactions, lanyon and hyde interactions because i enjoy secret identity and person said secret identity personal knows outside of their secret identity interactions, that one couple i talked about before interactions with jekyll/hyde and just in general random oneshots that make no sense) if i actually had any literacy skill

anyways im done my ramble. now you guys can shoot me

[amypihcs]

Hello! As late as usual and a bit more frozen than usual! Let's see today's story!

Holmes just wants to do his scrapbooking! He doesn't want a case now! Leave him ALONE!

heyheyhey! This is playing DIRTY!

Holmes being quite a bit vain (and this we already knew) and also very very kind. Lol, the comment of not being seen for weeks! Mrs Hudson only sees him on an almost daily basis because she's FAMILY and adopted him! And worries if he doesn't eat his dinner. Well, what's the MATTER with this lodger?

Ah, the landlady is anxious, how to find any fault in it! And who wouldn't be calmed by staring into Holmes' eyes? lol. Bet that Watson speaks also for personal experience (when he has nightmares), for exemple.

Now remember, EVEN THE TINIEST DETAIL!

This smells a lot of Mafia, tbh. And usually there is fire when there's smoke. mmmhn we'll see. What about the food? Watson stop glaring

W-why printing? (also guess that printing means not writing in cursive?) This is an actually weird way of communication. Well, the idea of concealing the handwriting is good, tbh but again, WHY. Also, short messages and apparently the lodger seems very cautious. How did he look? this lodger, i mean...

Oh this smells SO MUCH of mafia...

Well, you MUST enter the room in the morning? can't do otherwise!

WATSON STOP GLARING! Looks after himself? WEIRD.

AH! Something to observe, finally!

H: He has a beard... but he can't have smoked these! Watson, even with your pretty modest mustache it wouldn't be possible! It would be singed, and it would be such a pity... W: Holmes, stop staring at my mouth, you'll have your kisses. Later H: Alright, alright, spoilsport.

The landlady goes away, Holmes gets his kisses and then back to the analysis!

This lodger might not be the bearded man who took the keys! It's an idea. But WHY?

WELL, we can always look in the AGONY COLUMNS! scrapbooking for win! I love how Granada Holmes has his whole little art attack project with the agony columns! He's cute!

AND THEY FIND THE MESSAGES! yahoo! Maybe in the following day's gazette....

THE MANTLEPIECE POSE! YES! only, Holmes should be happier, but it's alright! Holmes is feeling very satisfied of himself and HEY! CLIENT? What? Hey, they kidnapped her husband... and then let him go? He's shoked? oh damn!

Nice, time to see this guy! Ah you say you can give us a hiding place? NICE! we'll be there!

Uuuuh! Here's the house of the last ad on the paper! Ah, is the hideout ready? yay

W-what? Oke, the substitution, but... WITH A WOMAN? WOW. And such a woman to impress HOLMES! Stuff to meditate on!

Oh, come on, Watson! I have made a cute deduction! Well, probably she's entangled or well, she and her man are entangled in a matter of life or death! -vibing holmes noises-

-Holmes is vibing HARDER- While he tells Watson that it's of course l'art pour l'art! (This passage sounds soooo early case! later Watson would know already!)

Evening and they're at the landlady's again! -i'll be very italian now-

A CODE A CODE A CODE! Eh, Holmes! You should practice your italian a bit more! 'Attenta' means a lot of stuff, as you are freaking out she is understanding (Also the proof that us Italian women as so cool that we even manage to impress Sherlock Holmes uwu) Meanwhile, Holmes sclerandone (sardinian way of speaking) and Watson proposing a cipher and in fact...

AAAAH! You remember your italian at last! HEY! more messages!

Holmes going 'WTF's happening now?', freaking out a bit more but no Watson, stay with me! (Yes, Holmes 'pericolo' means 'danger', glad you remember your lessons) We're going to investigate now!

And we'll see their discoveries in the next story!

Vibing a lot with the last part in italian! yes!

[aita-blorbos]

AITA for expecting my son to contribute to the family?

I (56M) have been retired from my career for years due to health issues. In the meantime, our family has been relying on my son (27M) to earn money for us. He has been working as a traveling salesman for several years and, until recently, always did very well at his job and it was looking like he might get a promotion.

All that changed recently when he became a monstrous vermin. I understand that he doesn't know how awful he smells or looks, but since he took this route he's stopped working. We tried taking in lodgers in the spare room to make ends meet, but they moved out as soon as they saw the terrible sight of my son.

Now I, a chronically ill elder, am forced to go back to work at a bank just to make enough to get by, while my poor daughter (19F) has to clean the awful residue my son leaves in his room. My wife (49F) can't even stand to be in there anymore. There's nothing we can do!

My son can't speak anymore, but it seems like he's upset with me for some reason. AITA?

[mariana-oconnor]

The Red Circle pt 1

What is the red circle? Who is the red circle? Why is the red circle?

“Well, Mrs. Warren, I cannot see that you have any particular cause for uneasiness, nor do I understand why I, whose time is of some value, should interfere in the matter. I really have other things to engage me.” So spoke Sherlock Holmes and turned back to the great scrapbook in which he was arranging and indexing some of his recent material.

I might be wrong, but I think this is the first time in the stories we've seen Holmes be dismissive and kind of rude to a client without having seen them give him a reason. And we can't even say that Mrs Warren hasn't given him a reason at this point, because the story starts in the middle of the conversation. She might have been a right arsehole prior to this.

But this story does start out with far more of the vibe of adaptations than I'm used to.

Scrapbooking is vitally important, though. Not to be interrupted.

But the landlady had the pertinacity and also the cunning of her sex.

Watson ensuring that we are reminded that sexism exists.

The following little speech Mrs Warren gives doesn't indicate that she was being terrible before this story started, so I guess Holmes really was just Like That here.

"Why, bless you, Mrs. Warren, if I were your lodger you often would not see me for weeks on end.” “No doubt, sir; but this is different. It frightens me, Mr. Holmes. I can't sleep for fright. To hear his quick step moving here and moving there from early morning to late at night, and yet never to catch so much as a glimpse of him—it's more than I can stand."

No, that's exactly what it would be like to have Holmes as a lodger. Only punctuated with strange people running up and down the stairs and with the occasional threat of violence against your property.

But maybe this guy is just a ghost. Ghosts deserve privacy, too.

“He asked my terms, sir. I said fifty shillings a week. There is a small sitting-room and bedroom, and all complete, at the top of the house.” “Well?” “He said, ‘I'll pay you five pounds a week if I can have it on my own terms.’

Alright, now I'm suspicious. 50 shillings a week is £250, roughly. And £5 is twice that. Anyone who is willing to pay double for something is automatically suspicious. He's just handing out the equivalent of £100 in cash every fortnight. It's like the Copper Beeches all over again.

“It was his particular direction that we should always, when he rang, leave his meal upon a chair, outside his door. Then he rings again when he has finished, and we take it down from the same chair. If he wants anything else he prints it on a slip of paper and leaves it.”

OK... I've got to assume at this point that the man in the rooms is not the man who rented the rooms. He went out, other guy came back. There's no other reason that no one would have seen him at all. Someone's hiding from something up there.

"What can it matter to him that his landlady should have a word of his writing? Still, it may be as you say. Then, again, why such laconic messages?”

Doesn't speak English and his first language is not written in the Roman alphabet, I'd guess. Single words mean not needing to construct sentences, printing would be easier for someone not used to the alphabet. This coupled with the title of the story makes me think Russia.

“But surely you or the girl enter his room of a morning?” “No, sir; he looks after himself entirely.” “Dear me! that is certainly remarkable."

What? A man who can look after himself?

The sexism, it cuts both ways!

"But, dear me! this cigarette stub is certainly remarkable. The gentleman was bearded and moustached, you say?” “Yes, sir.” “I don't understand that. I should say that only a clean-shaven man could have smoked this."

So it is a different man - or woman, I guess.

or he shaved.

"Why, Watson, even your modest moustache would have been singed.”

This feels like shade. Like something you'd say to your friend if he was doing Movember and couldn't grow a moustache to save his life, but you were actually a Victorian gentleman. It's just got such a tone of 'even your moustache, Watson. Even yours.'

Drag him, Sherlock.

"We have no excuse for an intrusion upon his privacy until we have some reason to think that there is a guilty reason for it."

What a revolutionary concept! I wonder if the modern world could learn anything from this. Probably not.

"I can imagine that the word was taken out of a dictionary, which would give the noun but not the plural."

Rubbish dictionary.

"‘Surely Jimmy will not break his mother's heart’—that appears to be irrelevant."

I beg to differ. I need to know if Jimmy broke his mother's heart. How could you Jimmy? You should be ashamed of yourself. Your poor mother worried half to death and you're out there requiring her to take out ads in the newspaper to try to reach you. Callus boy! Cruel boy!

"‘Be patient. Will find some sure means of communications. Meanwhile, this column. G.’"

That is significantly less cryptic than I thought it would be. Do these conspirators have no sense of style. Why doesn't the caged whale know nothing of the mighty deeps? Does the ill-built tower not tremble mightily at the butterfly's passage? Can no one say hooray hooray for the spinster's sister's daughter these days? Pathetic. Put some effort into your clandestine communications.

"‘The path is clearing. If I find chance signal message remember code agreed—One A, two B, and so on. You will hear soon. G.’"

Seriously, you're going to publish your code in the paper. Not that it even matters. You're doing a simple substitution encryption of numbers for letters, and you're not even offsetting the numbers at all. These people are very obviously not professional spies. I am ashamed for them.

Willing to bet there is a significant number of people in London who have been following these ads with glee like an Edwardian soap opera, eagerly awaiting the next instalment. There's no way no one has been paying attention to this.

"Mr. Warren is a timekeeper at Morton and Waylight's, in Tottenham Court Road. He has to be out of the house before seven. Well, this morning he had not gone ten paces down the road when two men came up behind him, threw a coat over his head, and bundled him into a cab that was beside the curb. They drove him an hour, and then opened the door and shot him out."

Did not expect the husband to be involved.

In Mystery Lodger's defence, there's nothing connecting them to this abduction. Although the coincidence seems unlikely. Why would they need the husband out of the way, though? Unless they thought the husband was the person hiding?

"What I did not foresee is that we should find a woman, and no ordinary woman, Watson.”

Gender prejudices causing problems again. I did foresee that, which is why I've been trying to use gender neutral terms for the replacement.

What does Holmes mean by 'no ordinary woman' though? I don't understand that.

Also, this makes the people mistaking Mr Warren for her even less believable. I doubt they look very alike, particularly given the fashions of the time and the stricter adherence to expected gender 'norms'.

"The printed messages, as is now evident, were to prevent her sex being discovered by her writing."

"The attack upon Mr. Warren further shows that the enemy, whoever they are, are themselves not aware of the substitution of the female lodger for the male."

Oh, we're actually addressing that? Thank you. It made no sense. But it does make things more convoluted. So only Holmes and Watson know that the woman has replaced the man.

“Education never ends, Watson. It is a series of lessons with the greatest for the last."

Does he mean death? Is the implication that as you die you think 'well, this was an important lesson for me to learn. Now I know that if I do that, then I die. 😵"

Is she on the run from family? A cruel husband? A cruel would-be husband? A gang? A government?

"A single flash—that is A, surely. Now, then. How many did you make it? Twenty. Do did In. That should mean T."

The substitution cypher is with flashing lights?

That's a terrible idea. That's the worst idea I've ever seen. What if she blinks? What if she loses count? There are twenty six letters. If I had to sit and count twenty six flashes I would go mad. T is one of the most common letters and, as you said, that's 20. This is the least efficient way of doing anything. Morse code exists, and I bet you could get a little printed guide for it that the woman could have had. Or you could have written it down for her. And then you wouldn't have needed to spell it out in the newspaper.

This is the worst. I hate it.

They came more rapidly than before—so rapid that it was hard to follow them.

And by hard you mean fucking impossible. WORST CODE EVER.

P is already 16 flashes, and that's the first letter you've got. Then you've got an R in there? Why? This is torture. I bet the guy was cut off by someone who wanted to put him out of his misery. You know why he was cut off mid word? BECAUSE IT TOOK HIM FIFTEEN MINUTES TO SAY ONE WORD.

Flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash [BREAK] Flash-flash-flash-flash-flash [BREAK] Flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash [BREAK] Flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash [BREAK] Flash-flash-flash [BREAK] Flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash [BREAK] Flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash [BREAK] Flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash

So for that one word, that's 93 flashes. I cannot be arsed counting that long. I'm sorry. I can't. Guess I'm just going to die or whatever then.

eta: just realised that the 'man who looks after himself? Impossible!' thing is a clue. Oh boy. Of course it's a woman, a man would never be able to cope on his own. 🙄

[yournewlodger]

I'm doing an episode bracket for Doctor Who! The highest ranking episodes will be put up against each other! I'll probably have to split up the results in half, but we will see how it turns out!

[theinternetarchivist]

TGS Gravity Falls crossover headcanons

-Jasper and the mystery twins would get along great. Dipper would probably be fascinated by Jasper’s- werewolfness, and Mabel would just love the whole werewolf part to it all… she can completely relate to Rachel in that aspect.

-Speaking of which, Rachel loves the mystery twins. Absolutely adores them, their sibling dynamic may or may not bring a tear to her eyes not that she would ever show that.

-I’d I’m honest, most of the lodgers would like the mystery twins, and that feeling would be mutual on both sides. I mean, an entire building dedicated to REAL mysteries and ‘magic’ (science)??? Oh Mabel and Dipper couldn’t get enough of it.

-The twins often find themselves exploring every corner of the society, fascinated on how it is about 100x bigger on the inside.

-Lanyon… just wants to get them home. He’s kind of indifferent to them, and is more so worried about Jekyll taking in two rambunctious young teenagers even if temporarily. He’s of course not actively mean to them, in fact he rarely sees them.

-Jekyll likes them both, he appreciates their fascination for rogue science, but he must admit he is a bit worried on how persistent they are in discovering all the secrets the society holds… he realizes he has to keep them at a distance. Thankfully, the lodgers seem to be doing a great job at distracting them.

-I have a headcanon that Hyde would sound a bit like Bill Cipher but… not so much of a double voice. So going with this headcanon, the twins meeting Hyde was definitely a jumpscare. Some blonde guy calling himself ‘the spirit of London at night’ with a taste for chaos… yeah they’re kinda scared of him. Hyde on the other hand finds the twins very funny, and he is rather amused in the theories they’ve made about Hyde.

-Dipper or Mabel probably off-handedly mentioned possession or something of the sorts in relation to Jekyll & Hyde. Jekyll probably heard and had a minor heart attack.

[yourfavouritefighter]

*leans in* Pray tell, what is this "dead man walking au" you speak of?

so i’m not sure how to answer this without spoiling the premise, but jekyll and hyde are split into separate bodies due to some lodger shenanigans, and chaos ensues.

i am currently working on the plot so i can write it though so stay tuned (im like mostly there (???))

oh yeah don’t mind the title… nothing bad is going to ever happen in this au….

[quimble]

Short bit of News Years Eve + Day headcanons whilst I'm still writing all the other stories. :)

The Lodgers go all out for new years eve. They make so many fireworks with the help of Luckett and Sinnett and Rachel and Doddle make so much good food. Everyone tries to pitch in with throwing a party in the society, using the common room to set everything up in.

Henry has approved of the idea and is very much looking forward to it.

The one person who wasn't expecting an invite is Lanyon. But when a letter arrives at his door, detailing the time and place to come over and join the party, he holds it in his hands for a second with a soft breath.

Maybe he isn't really one for parties, especially not the ones that his father drags him along to, but.. he just might try this one. Henry will be there at least. He won't be entirely lonely.

The party goes well. Whilst people are getting a little drunk, it isn't passing any points that would make anyone uncomfortable, just make people a bit more bubbly and brings more laughter to vthe room.

When the time finally comes to light up the fireworks, the Lodgers all come outside, Sinnett and Luckett making sure the fireworks aren't going to set fire to anything. They've already made sure the cartridges of empty fireworks left behind won't be rubbish to clean up.

As the fireworks start, everyone is gazing up to the sky.

Jasper keeps wincing at the loud noises, ears pressing right back against his head. Rachel sees this, pulling off her woollen hat and putting it over his ears, putting her own hands over his ears as well. When Jasper looks up at her, she simply smiles, leaning down to kiss his furred forehead.

His tail starts to wag against the floor. The sound isn't completely gone, but the fuzzy butterflies in his chest can make it worth it.

Henry is also shying away from the loud noise. Lanyon had tried to convince him that he didn't need to go outside to see the lights, that he could stay inside to watch them instead.

Jekyll, obviously, didn't listen. And he's starting to regret it, the flashing lights hurting his head and the sudden noises rattling in his ears.

So when Lanyon looks over, seeing Henry's hands near his ears, he makes the decision for him, tugging on his arm to get him to follow and dragging him inside.

When they're alone, he takes his hand to comfort him, taking them to his office first. Robert checks around all the drawers, humming softly in thought.

Then he pulls out Henry's old science goggles. They helped him look at the fire before, surely they'd help with the fireworks this time?

So he gently passes them over, helping Henry put them on. The entire time, he's speaking gentle words, trying to calm him every time he startles at the newest bang.

Soon they're both sat in the front window, Henry lent up against the wall and watching the fireworks with his chin in his hands. Robert's there to soothe him when the banging happens again, keeping him safe.

Because that's a totally normal thing to do, right? See your friends are in trouble and help them out?

And if his hand slips into Henry's to comfort him, that's.. totally normal too.

[bizarre-blorbo-bracket]

Round 1 poll 22: Leonardo the Robot from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology vs The Lodger from Knock-Knock

Propaganda under the cut:

Leonardo

Leonardo is a social robot who was created by MIT in the early 2000’s. He is designed to be accessible and user-friendly for people who want to work with robots but may be inexperienced. He can learn and perform tasks on par with what a toddler is capable of. He’s designed to be cute so you’ll want to bond with him. He has a whole visual tracking system to respond to emotional cues and even mimic expressions the same way a pet dog or cat might mirror you to bond with you. He can emote with a great deal of complexity while responding to human interaction and the stimuli around him. One day I was bored and thumbing through my college psych textbook that I way overpaid for because we barely used it. I ended up on a page about Leonardo, found him fascinating, and had to learn more. And then there was a sentence that absolutely floored me. It might be slightly inaccurate because this was years ago but in essence it said: “Leonardo will never know love.” Something in me died that day and I started crying over a robot. To be so complex, years ahead of its time for the advancement of technology and robotics in the early aughts. To be purposefully engineered to be endearing, and for humans to pack bond and want to form connections with it. To even be intelligent enough to distinguish between itself and other beings, to help humans with tasks while accounting for human error, and to even understand the difference between intention and action. Feats of engineering and innovation that remain impressive over 20 years after its creation. And yet. The soul-crushing pathos that Leonardo will never be able to give nor receive love. It’s a lot. It’s all deeply heavy, but also deeply fascinating. He’s definitely hit blorbo status for me, he’s such a little guy who I just have very intense emotions about.

The Lodger

Aside from the fact that the fandom has like 5 people in it, this odd little man looks slightly akin to a weird baby and speaks in nothing but nonsense as he walks around his house. And I would do anything for him.