yanamandra-blog

[dogzcats]

I did not expect to see you, sir.

[hotjaneaustenmenpoll]

Semi-Final One

Propaganda...

Colonel Brandon (1995):

Alan Rickman has the sexiest voice. Just listen to him reading poetry to Marianne at the end to witness how hot he is.

Alan Rickman simply embodies the truth of Col. Brandon in a way that no one else every could. It's the perfect merging of actor and role. He brings the perfect combination of honor, decency, sensitivity and passion. He is the ultimate mensch.

Brandon propaganda in which even the film's director agrees that Brandon is sexy.

More Brandon propaganda! This photo could only be published in black and white because it would have been too powerful in color (the original color version is currently being used to provide electricity for a medium sized town in Devon. It's THAT powerful).

The brim of the hat falling over his eye. The casual lean. The hunting rifle slung across his leg. The puppy bestie. The fact you know he could row that boat while you watch and wish you were the boat.

From Emma Thompson's diaries which she kept while they were shooting Sense & Sensibility. Emma Thompson said vote Colonel Brandon.

Mr Darcy (1995):

Colin Firth (1995) is book Darcy brought to life. He uses tiny gestures and looks to communicate with us and Elizabeth… his struggle is so subtle but so palpable. A beautiful asshole with a creamy nougat center. Just perfect.

GIF by sunsetboulevards

Those heart-eyes right up above☝️? Hot!

Passive-agressively drinking tea? Hot!

GIF by jaeausten

The way he rushes over to see Elizabeth at Pemberley on those delicious long legs of his with that slutty wet curl hanging over his forehead? Hot!

GIF by didanagy

Fencing? Hot!

GIF by greengableslover

The way he is so concerned about Elizabeth crying and takes her hand even though he shouldn't? Hot!

GIF by greengableslover

This dimple-y smile of pure joy because he knows he's married to Elizabeth freaking Bennet? Hot!

GIF by didana

Colin Firth Darcy is simultaneously immaculately put together and entirely falling apart internally. The wet shirt scene is so iconic not (only) because ‘oooh almost-shirtless sexy man’, but because it’s a metaphor for how he’s absolutely falling apart!!! This is a private moment, when he doesn’t think anyone can see him. And then he bumps. into. Lizzie. At his house!! And the entire sequence that follows with him rushing out still doing his jacket up to catch her before he leaves. They are both on the back foot and it’s THAT moment of confusion that opens a more honest dialogue between them.

Without Firth in a lake you wouldn’t get Macfadyen in a downpour!

There's a reason why Colin Firth is forever known as Mr. Darcy above all other roles he's had and will have! Even ignoring the wet white shirt, which has become A Thing now, he is so hot with his curly hair and his little half smiles and his intense looks of longing and his legs that go on for milessss.

This cannot be real. My fellow Jane Austen people. Without Colin Firth’s Darcy we wouldn’t have 90% of modern JA content. He opened a door and there was no turning back for modern culture. There would be no MacFadyen standing half undressed in a field at dawn without Firth jumping into a lake first. There would be no hand flex if there hadn’t been Firth doing his best impression of a man undressing Elizabeth Bennet with his eyes and hating himself for liking it. There would be no Bridgerton without Bridget Jones. Let’s face it people. We wouldn’t be here having these arguments if Colin Firth had not been Mr Darcy.

Colin Firth understood Mr. Darcy in a way no other actor ever has. He is awkward as fuck in a way that comes across as snooty and judgmental on a first watch-through, then can be read as awkward and longing on a second time. His performance had such depth while looking extremely shallow at first glance. This man WAS Mr. Darcy. (I love 2005, as well, and I love Matthew McFayden, but he was awkward for awkward sake.) Colin Firth made Darcy's awkward look snooty and aloof.

THE socially awkward Darcy is the 1995 Darcy - look at him coming and sitting in awkward silence with Elizabeth pointedly asking her if she wants to live a long way from her family (to obvious relief) and then abruptly leaving - vote for him please 😭😭😭😭

GIF by my-little-random-world

Colin Firth served so much as Darcy that when they did Bridget Jone's diary, they brought him back.... AS DARCY. The smoulder. The angst. The man is the quintessential Darcy.

“Firthing” is an actual term that is used now to describe someone yearning intensely. It is named after Colin Firth’s Mr Darcy performance.

Colin Firth all the way. He's known in our household as Owl Eyes because in every frame he's mooning over Elizabeth Bennet. Unsurpassable, unmatched, golden television (and some of the worst dancing you've ever seen).

Colin has beautiful, touchable curls.

Link

My high school English teacher was very into using movies to teach alongside literature, which was a great teaching tool. When we read Pride and Prejudice, he used both 2005 and 1995 for various scenes. What stands out to me all these years later was when it got to the part when Lizzy went to help Georgiana after Caroline dropped Mr. Wickham's name and Darcy gives Lizzy this look:

My teacher stopped the film and pointed at Darcy's face and said, "See that? That is THE look. If someone ever looks at you like that, you know they're in love." And what is hotter than that?

Also this teacher had two cats named Lizzy and Darcy. Not relevant to the poll but I wanted you all to know about them.

Colin Firth dazzles and amazes in the nuanced performance that just blows all other attempts away.

The best thing about the Colin Firth wet shirt scene is actually the scene that follows where him and Lizzie are both just dyinggg of embarrassment but Darcy pulls himself together refuses to lose his advantage and runs to get dressed and chase her down before she leaves - just the mix of cringe and hopefulness at seeing her again is so well done and so attractive!!! (this is just the bit where he's running after her but I love it all!)

[fulltimecatwitch]

we are not talking enough about how they gave Qimir the ✨️slutty Mr. Darcy white shirt✨️ in the latest episode

[iloveb1ur]

I will be adding Guildford Dudley to my list of period drama crushes after watching My Lady Jane

something about period drama men just hits different I DONT MAKE THE RULES OKAY.

DONT EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THE SLUTTY WHITE SHIRTS - literally the 18th century compression top but better.

so after completing my lady jane ( and recording a whole podcast episode with my friend Rose the link is above!) i had no choice but to conclude that once again i had developed a crush on a period drama man.

this list now includes but is not limited to:

Anthony Bridgerton (loml sorry Kate)

Benedict Bridgerton

The Duke (from season 1)

Mr Darcy

Laurie (from Little Women)

Guildford Dudley! (obviously)

if you like me develop insane crushes on fictional characters you might like my podcast - its called The Confession Club and each Saturday me and my best friend Rose sit down to talk about all things media, society and culture! This week we did a My Lady Jane episode in which discussed Guildford and Janes INSANE OFF THE CHARTS CHEMISTRY, our thoughts on the show and 16th century situationships (Mary and Seymour).

There's a link at the top of this post to the podcast on spotify but it is also on Apple Podcasts (link below) and amazon podcasts!

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-confession-club/id1754630226

and finally for all my fellow period drama lovers we have another episode about little women, are releasing a season 3 bridgerton episode this week and have plans to do a pride and prejudice episode soon!

[abyssal-ali]

RelationShip of Theseus

Pairing: Jason Todd x Stephanie Brown

Rating: M (mdni)

WC: 4.6k

Summary:

The Ship of Theseus is a thought experiment about whether an object which has had all of its original components replaced remains the same object. --Wikipedia Jason and Steph team up to go undercover at a Halloween party. They've been friends with benefits for a while, but lately...things have been changing. Maybe this Halloween they'll finally settle some things between them. For once Bruce's Bruce-ness doesn't completely mess things up!

Written for @jaystephevents JaySteph Halloween event!

Ao3 Masterlist

A/N: Thanks to @sarcasticbambi for doing a wonderful job beta'ing and making me cry from laughter with her comments<3 and to @boldlyanxious for sending me the prompts till I wrote this<3 Yes I am proud of this title I hope y'all apprecaite my genius

Jason's costume is 1995 BBC Colin Firth's Mr. Darcy's outfit that he wears when he emerges from the lake. Steph's costume is 2021 Immortal Wonder Woman's outfit.

CW: PiV Sex, Oral Sex, Dubious Use of Accessories, FWB to Lovers, mentions of drugs and alcohol, kidnapping and interrogating a criminal, Bruce isn't a good dad but he's trying...somewhat...

~~~~~&~~~~~

“Almost done!” Steph’s voice echoed from the bathroom down the hall to Jason’s living room, where he was reading on the couch, waiting for Steph to be finished with her primping.

He turned the page in his book, knowing that ‘almost done’ could mean twenty seconds or twenty more minutes.

A shadow fell over his page and he looked up, his jaw dropping slightly as he took in the sight before his eyes.

“Whatcha think?” Steph twirled, the star-hemmed blue panels of her skirt flaring out from her hips.

Jason cleared his throat, suddenly desperate for a drink of water.  “You look amazing, Steph,” he told her seriously. “Better than the real deal.”

She scoffed, but her cheeks hinted at a pleased blush. “You don’t look too shabby yourself.” She circled him, admiring his costume. “The equivalent of a slutty dress; I approve.”

“Thanks. Gotta fit in, right?” He tore his gaze from the very well-fitting gold-and-red top to scan her head-to-toe. “You’re missing something, though.”

“Hm? Oh, right.” Steph headed back to the bathroom and returned, a gold cord rope hanging off her left hip. “Ta da!”

She crossed her arms in front of her chest in an ‘X’, copying Wonder Woman’s signature pose.

Jason coughed again.

“Are you coming down with something?” she scanned him again, worriedly this time. “I can go to the party by myself, you know. If you need to stay home…” “I’m fine. If I’m staying home, so are you,” he replied, crossing the floor in three strides and kissing her hungrily. 

~~~

He pulled away, leaving her knees weak and his lips shiny with her now-ruined lipgloss. 

“What?”

“Ready to go?” he repeated.

“Oh, uh, yeah. One sec.” Steph practically ran to the bathroom to fix her smudged lips and collect her sanity. Surely she’d left it here somewhere…or maybe it fled the apartment completely when she’d exited his bathroom and saw him sitting there in his open v-neck white shirt and brown pants, the sleeves rolled up to expose his forearms as he read. 

Swiping a fresh coat of red lipstick on and blowing herself a kiss in the mirror, she shook her head firmly and made sure her cash was tucked in between her bracelets and skin. 

Growing up in Gotham, and the Narrows at that, you never knew when you or another unfortunate soul would need an emergency Uber or bribe. 

She grabbed her coat from the tree by the door and belted it firmly against the October chill. She didn’t know how the real Wonder Woman did it…she sighed, jealous of Diana’s Amazonian blood. 

Jason grabbed his leather jacket and zipped it up halfway, ignoring Steph’s side eye. Stupid Lazarus Pit. He was also always ridiculously warm; he liked to joke it was the Pit Rage keeping him full of hot air, but she preferred to think it was from how big his heart was, so full of love for everyone. It had to be proportional to his unfairly broad chest, after all.

Jason unlocked his car and held the door for her.

“Thanks.”

He leaned in, his mouth right by her ear and his neck in front of her nose, where she could smell his smokey, spicy scent. “You’re coming back with me after this mission.”

She considered licking his neck. Down, girl. Not yet. “Was I not going to?” she batted her lashes at him and he smirked. 

“Right answer.”

He crossed in front of the car and got in. “Let’s hope this is an in-and-out mission.”

~~~

The mission tonight was to investigate a possible new drug dealer on Jason’s turf, which included Gotham U. Apparently the students were getting their drugs from this new player, not one of Jason’s men, and he didn’t like that.

One of Steph’s classmates was throwing a Hallowe’en-Eve-Eve party (because any self-respecting Gothamite knew the last couple days in October were some of the most dangerous days of the year), and she suspected the new player would be there for a prime opportunity to move their product.

The party was in full swing by the time they arrived, lights flashing, music blaring, drinks and other substances being passed around, but nothing from the newbie yet.

Jason and Steph split up to make the most of their time there.

Steph headed to a group of girls laughing. She was pretty sure she’d seen them passing something other than notes one day, and figured they were as good a place to start as any. 

“Hiiiiiii! I love your outfit!!!” she gushed, pretending to be a little tipsy already. “Daenerys, right??”

The girl nodded. “You look hot as Wonder Woman.”

“Thanks! She’s my boyfriend’s favourite hero, and let’s be real,” she lowered her voice a notch, conspiratorially, “every girl has a girl-crush on her.”

The group nodded vigorously.

“So, do you have any ideas on how to make my surprise for my guy better ?” she wiggled her eyebrows knowingly. “Maybe a li’l something to heighten the experience ?”

The girl dressed up as what Steph was pretty sure was Layla from Genshin Impact leaned a little closer, and Steph held her breath, ready for a nod to a possible dealer. “What about using your accessories?”

Steph blinked.

“Y’know,” ‘Layla’ nodded meaningfully at Steph’s lower half, and she looked down, confused. “Your lasso.”

Her wide eyes looked from the lasso to ‘Layla’ to Jason, who was across the room, disappearing into a back room. She nodded thoughtfully.

“You are a genius,” she gushed. “I gotta try this now!” she ditzed away, keeping an eye on the room Jason was in. 

A few minutes later, she heard a crash from inside the room and some muffled yelling.

Jason poked his head out a moment later and caught her eye. “Baby! He’s a bit drunk and tripped. Think you can help me get him home?”

Smirking, she slipped inside the room and locked the door, eyeing Jason’s slightly disheveled hair. She could do a better job at that…but later.

“Need something?”

He eyed her, his tongue licking his bottom lip slowly. “Yeah, found a lead. Can ya help me get him out to the rendezvous for questioning later?”

“Sure.”

Jason hauled the half-unconscious guy crumpled on the floor up and wrapped his arm behind his neck. “Taking our drunk friend home, huh?”

Steph nodded, poured her Solo cup of undrunk, warm beer down the guy’s shirt, and pulled his free arm over her neck.

“Let’s do this.”

~~~

They hauled The Guy out of the car and into the warehouse. He groaned and raised his head weakly, looking around.

When he realized what was happening, he stiffened, making carrying his weight that much more irritating, and started thrashing. “Aw hell nah!”

“Oh shut up, you’ll be fine…if you tell my boss what he wants,” Steph elbowed him gently. 

“Who’s your boss?!”

“You’ll find out soon enough,” she said cheerfully.

Jason plopped The Guy on the chair bolted to the floor. “He just has some questions for you. Answer truthfully and you’ll be fine. Answer un truthfully…” he let the unspoken threat hang heavily in the air.

With a panicked yelp, The Guy leapt up and headed for the door of the warehouse.

Steph unhooked her lasso, swung it, and watched as it floated gently over him…

And watched as it flopped on the floor. Sue her, it wasn’t like she’d ever used a lasso as a weapon before.

The Guy’s foot caught in the loop and she yanked on instinct.

He tumbled face first, bracing his hands for the fall, and she winced in sympathy. Clearly no one had taught him how to safely break a fall with minimum damage.

Jason produced a package of zip ties and dragged him back to the chair, zip tying him in place.

“If you were innocent you wouldn’t have evaded my questions earlier or tried to escape now. Want me to get my boss?”

The Guy’s frightened eyes turned to Steph, hoping her feminine sensibilities would make her more sympathetic to his plight. “Who’s his boss?” he stage whispered.

“Who runs the drugs in this city?” she shrugged, watching curiously as his face paled.

“R-red Hood?”

She nodded. “Bingo! Try continuing your streak of good luck by keeping your fingers intact and answering my colleague’s questions, huh?”

She sashayed over to her lasso, lying limply on the floor, and bent to pick it up, making sure Jason was the only one seeing her backside. She half-turned and winked, blowing him a kiss. “I’ll be waiting, handsome. The girls I talked to at the party were so helpful.”

His eyes darkened and his gaze swept over her hotly. “I won’t be long.”

He turned back to The Guy, leaning over him menacingly.

“You’re going to give me everything I want so I can get back to my girl stat, got it?”

~~~

Steph slipped out of the warehouse and drove back to Jason’s apartment, humming the snippets of the pop song from the party that had wormed into her head.

He’d called her his girl, and ‘Baby’ earlier at the party. Of course, it was probably for show, but it still made her heart warm and her panties wet.

She couldn’t wait for him to get back so they could resolve the tension that had simmered between them all evening.

~~~

Jason parked his motorbike and headed up to his apartment, his mind wandering to Steph, as it usually did when he wasn’t on a job (and even when he was on a job, sometimes). Would she still be in her costume when he arrived? Maybe naked in his bed? In the shower? 

He took the stairs two at a time and let himself in, quickly bypassing all the security.

He’d added Steph’s biometrics ages ago, when their one-night stand had become a regular, friends-with-benefits thing, which became a stay-with-me-since-it’s-late-and-this-is-Gotham, which had turned into stay-you’re-injured-and-your-mom-is-working-and-someone-needs-to-make-sure-you’re-not-concussed, which had become Steph having two drawers in his closet and bathroom each, which had become stay-when-you-have-nightmares-and-need-someone-even-if-I’m-not-here-you-can-come-and-steal-my-hoodie, which became….

He sighed, kicking off his shoes and socks and hanging his jacket up.

He wasn’t sure what they had become. A sort of ship of Theseus situation, maybe, constantly changing their relationship but never redefining it?

The glow from his bedroom lamp beckoned and he pushed all thoughts of their relationship, whatever it was, from his head, calling forth the memory of her smoking hot appearance as his favourite hero.

Steph was still in it, standing at his window and looking out at Gotham’s nightscape, though she’d taken the black wig off and was back to her natural blonde.

“Hi.” He pressed a soft kiss to the nape of her neck.

“Hi.” She turned and kissed his jawline, her hands coming up to loosen the ties at the neck of his shirt. “How’d it go?”

“Fine. He’s still alive. Just a lackey for the head guy. I got some names to check out later.” He ran his hands down her back to squeeze her butt. “You said you got some helpful info from some girls?”

He could feel her devious smirk against his neck.

“Up to try something new?”

“Always.”

Steph pushed away, a mischievous glint in her eye. “Get on the bed.”

He did so, watching her curiously. 

She crawled up to straddle him, undoing the rest of his shirt ties and opening the shirt to its fullest extent. He pulled it over his head.

She wrapped her lasso around his wrists and wrapped the loose ends around his headboard, pulling his hands above his head.

“Do you trust me?”

Of course, he did. He’d told her his actual address, not a safehouse like he gave the other Bats. He’d added her to his security. He’d told her some things no one else knew, not even Roy.

He’d never explicitly said so, though.

He met her eyes steadily. “I trust you, Steph.”

She let out a little sigh and kissed him, tugging at his lip. “Lemme know if it’s too rough.”

He raised an eyebrow at that. “You think tying me up is too rough after some of the things we did?”

She rolled her eyes. “I meant if the rope was too rough against your skin.”

“...again, too rough, after some of the situations I’ve been in?”

She gently whacked his chest. “Stop being a smartass and just let me know, okay? You’d want me to do the same, right?”

Oh, now there were some ideas to explore later…

”You have a point.”

“I often do,” she said archly, sliding down a bit to undo his pants.

With a swift, practiced yank, his pants and underwear were off in one fell swoop. She wrapped her hand around his length, the calluses from lifting weights and practicing with her escrima sliding up and down as she pumped him.

He caught his lip between his teeth as she bent to teasingly lick at the head.

“Ste-eph.”

“Ja-ay.”

She took him farther in her mouth this time, sucking just like he liked before she raised her head again.

“Why did you want to start our…arrangement?” she asked.

He blinked, nonplussed. Why did she have to ask that question now ?

“The lasso of truth knows when you’re lying,” she said warningly.

He huffed inwardly. “You’re hot, you were single, you looked like you needed a good orgasm or three.”

She narrowed her eyes at him, but returned to the blowjob.

“When did you start thinking I was hot?”

He groaned, not in pleasure, but frustration. He was right there .

“When I saw you sass B on top of the BatBurger last year and didn’t let his whole Bat-lecture faze you.”

She hummed, pleased with his answer, and he groaned (in pleasure this time). “I’m close.”

She grinned evilly. “Too bad. Why did-”

He slipped the knot ‘holding’ his wrists and wrapped his legs around her middle, flipping her under him.

“How about you have a little session with the lasso of truth, hm?”

He lifted her arms above her head, slipping them through loops in the rope and tugging firmly. Her bracelets would protect her from any rope burn.

She squirmed as he kissed his way down to the metal part of her top covering her cleavage.

“First question: how do you get this thing off?”

“Side zipper,” she nodded.

The zip sounded loud in the quiet room, the near-silent hiss from the electricity in the lamp and the slightly louder ASMR of their synchronized heartbeats and heavy breathing filling the air.

Jason peeled the top off and unclasped the belt holding the  pleated skirt up, tossing it to the foot of the bed.

~~~

Clad only in her black underwear, which were practically useless with how soaked they were by now, she could feel all the tiny air currents tickling her skin as Jason moved over her, the warmer breeze over her neck from his breath and the heat from his body warming her.

Steph really wanted to wrap her arms around his neck, but the rope prevented her from doing so. She tugged at it with a halfhearted huff as he tugged her nipple between his teeth, his large hands skimming up her bent legs to open her thighs wider.

His finger rubbed at her through her underwear, providing only the lightest touch.

She moved her hips against his hand, trying to obtain more friction.

He chuckled. “Not going to ask like a good girl?”

His hot mouth closed over her other nipple, the cool air now hitting the first one, the delicious juxtaposition making her shiver. Her panties slid down her legs to join her skirt and Jason’s thumb circled her bare clit, causing more wetness to escape her.

“More. Please.”

He moved down her torso, kissing her scars as he went until he reached her soaked slit.

“Hmm, you like being a good girl?”

“Only for my bad boy,” she sighed breathily as his tongue circled her clit expertly.

She really wished she was untied; the feeling of Jason’s curls in her fingers as he ate her out was one of the best feelings.

His shadow of stubble rubbed against her inner thighs, the tiny prickles adding to the experience. Jason’s tongue circled her dripping entrance, then slipped in as his thumb took over stimulating her clit, driving her closer and closer to the edge of climax.

He pulled away and she almost kicked him.

He licked his lips, grinning evilly. “Not so fun being on the receiving end, is it?”

Luckily for him, he replaced his tongue with his cock almost immediately, thrusting slow and hard.

~~~

Steph wrapped her legs around his waist, moving her hips to meet his. 

“You looked hot as sin tonight, Steph,” he panted in her ear, kissing down her jawline.

In retaliation, she licked up his neck like she’d wanted to do earlier, simultaneously tightening around him and causing him to groan, low and deep. “You really want to be done soon, don’t you?”

“I’d take it as a compliment, hot stuff.”

He moved faster, taking her challenge.

In retaliation, she tightened around him again.

He watched for the flush in her cheeks to spread down her chest, her breathing to quicken, and her legs to loosen around him before his final harshest thrusts.

She came with a cry of his name, her mouth dropping open and her muscles quivering, setting off his own orgasm.

Jason made sure to collapse beside her, not on her, reaching up to loosen the loops in the rope and free Steph’s hands. 

He kissed her swollen lips gently, pulling away only to softly reclaim them.

She curled closer, sliding her arms around his chest to gently run her nails up and down his back and comb through his messed-up hair.

"You're so warm," she murmured.

He kissed the top of her head her forehead, the tip of her nose. "Just for you."

~~~

Jason woke when Steph slipped put of bed, but decided to stay put for now.

He faintly heard the sounds of her showering, then drifted off again to the clangs from the kitchen as she rummaged through his cupboards for some breakfast.

He woke for a second time when he heard the door open and then shut, as if Steph was trying to sneak out.

She'd never done that before, so he immediately jumped out of bed, pulled his discarded pants on, and headed after her.

He jerked the door open and paused at the sight of Steph and Bruce at the foot of the stairs.

They didn't appear to notice him yet, so he quietly pulled the door shut and snuck closer, using the first stairs to hide.

"...here?" Said Bruce.

"None of your business," Steph crossed her arms over the shirt she was wearing–a Gotham Knights tee from his closet– and raised her chin. Between her wearing a shirt two sizes too big, her wild hair, and the marks visible on her neck and chest, he was pretty sure the so-called World's Greatest Detective could make a guess as to Steph’s reason for being outside his apartment. "Why are you here?"

"I was making sure you both were safe after the party last night."

"Oh, so now you're stalking us?"

Bruce grunted. "You two have been partnered on missions often this past while. It was unusual."

"Oh for goodness' sake, B, just come out and say you've lost whatever trust you had for me, and that you still don't trust your own son !" 

"This is not about trust, Stephanie, it's about making sure you're both still safe and not compromised."

Jason could practically hear Steph roll her eyes.

"That is trust, Bruce. Trust us to tell you if we're unsafe or in trouble. We have enough contingencies for if we're compromised in any way. Our only interactions are with you for our night shifts; you have no right and no need to snoop around our life if we don't share things with you. If we're a team, you have to trust us to do our part in informing you if anything inconveniences our job. We have to trust you to do your part, which is to trust us, and to have some work-life balance! Maybe if you actually trusted us and let us work as a functioning, non-codependent team, it would work and your protégés wouldn't die."

Steph's finger was jabbed firmly into a Bruce's designer suit at the end of her rant.

"Now, if you absolutely must know, I'm in love with your son and what we do outside of our working hours is none of your business. The mission last night went smoothly and there is nothing to report. Everything is under control. Go get your overpriced black coffee and maybe use that to down a chill pill while you're at it."

Steph turned and stomped back up the stairs, just missing Jason duck back inside his apartment.

He looked up from the kitchen counter where he was whisking eggs, pretending to be surprised to see her.

"Oh, you're back."

Steph huffed and leaned against the counter, watching him pour the eggs into a pan.

"Bruce knows something is up with us, and he found out about this apartment somehow."

Jason added some sliced sausages to the eggs.

"Okay."

She stared at him in confusion. "That's all?"

"I'm planning on visiting him later. We can hash it out then."

He flipped the omelet and poured two glasses of milk, sliding one over for Steph and taking a sip of the other.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Of course. You?"

"Yup."

Steph sipped her milk in silence, watching him cook.

He slid a plate with toast, omelet, and fruit over to her. "Bon appetit."

~~~

Jason knocked on the open door as he strolled into Bruce's office in Wayne Manor, dropping into the chair in front of his giant desk.

Compensating for something, Bruce?

"You and Stephanie?" Bruce asked.

"Steph and me."

Bruce looked him over consideringly. 

There was a long silence, finally broken by Bruce's sigh. "I hope neither of you get hurt."

Jason blinked. Was that a hint of caring?

He stood and headed for the door, pausing in the doorway.

"How'd you find the apartment?"

Bruce looked up. "Cass saw your car returning from the party last night when she was on patrol." He hesitated, then added, "She said you both looked happy and told me she'd followed you to the apartment. I wanted to see for myself, so I came by this morning and met Steph in the stairwell. She told me to trust you both more and that she loves you."

"I'm aware. Thanks, B."

~~~

"How'd it go?" Steph paused Gilmore Girls when Jason came home.

"He told me Cass saw us and said we looked happy, so he came to see for himself. He also told me the gist of what you lectured him on this morning."

"Oh?"

"He didn't need to, 'cause I heard it all myself."

" Oh ?"

Her voice was a bit higher now.

He crossed the floor and crouched in front of her, wrapping the discarded lasso of truth around her wrists and taking her hands in his.

"When did you fall in love with me?"

"The night I had that nightmare about Black Mask and came over, and I called you on my way and you immediately dropped your patrol to come comfort me. When I got here and waited for you, and the lock let me in. That was the moment I knew I was in love with you, but I'd been falling since before we slept together the first time. Probably since you got me Pentabux on our second patrol together." She sniffed and brought her hands up to wipe the tear spilling from her eyes, but Jason beat her to it, cupping her cheek in his hand and wiping the tear away with his thumb.

He unwrapped the rope and looped it around his wrists, yanking it with his teeth and placing his hand in hers. "Ask me."

She took a deep breath and sniffed again.

"Do you love me?"

He met her hopeful gaze steadily. "I love you, Stephanie Brown."

"When did you fall in love with me?" She gritted, biting her tongue to stall a new batch of tears.

"When I saw you comforting Damian in Batcow's stall last year; October 21st. But like you, I'd been falling for months before that. That was just the moment I knew I'd love you until the day I die."

His eyes were getting a little moist too, and Steph yanked the rope off his wrists and pulled his face to hers, mixing their tears as they kissed.

He lifted her into his arms, her legs instinctually wrapping around him as they moved down the hallway to his room. 

~~~

She barely felt her back hit the bed, consumed by his kisses and heat between them.

He peeled her shirt over her head, pushing her back against the mattress and leaning down to trail kisses down her neck.

Her nails hooked under his shirt and she yanked on it till he took it off. His nimble fingers headed for her bra; next, her underwear and sweats were jerked off in one fell swoop, then his followed.

He kissed his way up her legs, sending trails of heat rushing through her veins to pool at her centre.

Steph tugged at his hair till he came up to press his soft lips to hers, to work his way back down her body.

He nipped at a hickey from the night before, pressing his thigh between hers for her to grind against as his calloused fingers tugged at her nipples.

He bit her pulse point gently before moving up to her mouth, claiming it with his. "I love you, Steph."

"I love you," she gasped, feeling her climax building rapidly as she rode his thigh, still sensitive from the previous night. "I love you I love you I love you- Jason!"

He would never get tired of that view, Steph flushed and panting, relaxed and satisfied and looking at him with eyes full of so much love .

He pushed in slowly, closing his eyes at the feeling of her tight, welcoming heat. He moved slowly, lightly, pressing kisses to her face and neck.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, keeping him close enough to her that he could hear her heart beating in time with his.

He slid his hand down her curves to her clit, rubbing steadily until she reached her peak, where he followed immediately after.

“I love you.”

“I love you too. So much.” She traced the lines of his face with her index finger, her touch feather-light.

“Bruce said he hoped neither of us got hurt. I think he might like you a bit more than you think.”

Steph wiggled up to be eye-to-eye to him on the pillow. “Really?”

“Yep. That’s all he said. I expected a bit more threatening or maybe a reminder of both of our screw-ups, but I think maybe what you said to him earlier got to him. I’m proud of you for standing up to him and maybe even knocking a bit of sense into him,” he squeezed his arms tighter around her.

“Thank you,” she said quietly, hooking her leg over his and sighing contentedly. “Let’s just stay like this for a bit.”

“Sounds good to me,” Jason agreed, closing his eyes and breathing in the smell of her lime shampoo. 

Soon the only noise heard through the apartment were two soft, rhythmic snores.

~~~~~FIN~~~~~

Curious about or a fan of JaySteph? Come join our 18+ JaySteph Discord Server! @jaysteph-server

[uglypastels]

EDDIE IN REGENT LONDON OMG

I want to have him in Mr. Darcy's clothes in my head, please and thank you for all your hard work, here cookies and tea and coffee

🍪🍪🍪☕🍵🫖

i've also gotten a lot of people saying they want to read the pirate fic first, and i do have a bit more written of that so i think pirate!eddie will be the next one to be posted eventually, but do not fear, there will be plenty of slutty and flowy white shirts.

[cinemaocd]

Victorian undergarments: a guide for Terror fans

AKA the truth about men’s corsets, leather gear, garters, over the knee stockings, drop front versus front fly trousers and More Terror Shit Shirt Posting

My hot mess of a shirt post continues to get notes. I continue to get lovely asks and pms, so I’m going to bring you more shirt information as well as more info about other articles of historic clothing worn in the Terror. My hope is that this will be useful for fic writers and artists as well as giving fans a deep dive into one of my favorite obsessions: historical dress.

The style of shirt that Francis wears was an all purpose undergarment. It was almost always white, or unbleached linen (though cotton was used for shirts at that point in the 19th century). It was cut with a very full sleeve (up to twenty inches) to allow ease of movement and long tails which were tucked under the groin to form a protective layer between the body and trousers. The shirt was not a button down as we know it, but had a pullover V-neck with two buttons at the throat as on this extant example:

One of the things that interesting about this shirt was how little it changed over the years. This cut of shirt had a 150+ year reign. It was a practical design that provided a washable layer next to the body. The generous sleeve allowed for a variety of clothing to be worn with it. It had the downside of requiring a lot of fabric (more than 3 yards of linen for each shirt) and as such patterns could be a complex patchwork of sewn together squares that helped avoid waste.

By the 1840s men’s shirts were changing. The front was often decorated with pintucking, the fabric was lighter weight cotton, rather than linen, but the full sleeves and long tails were still in evidence.

Those would gradually be lost over the next decades as the popularity of knitted drawers, union suits and other types of underwear came into being and as sewing machines made mass production of shirts possible.

But obviously our Francis cares nothing for these modern shirts and wears his old favorite that he has owned forever, possibly made by a family member, as was common in the period especially for officers in the military. Mind you, it doesn’t really matter most of the time that his shirt is very old as it was never meant to be seen. One of the worst costume fantasies that has been perpetrated in so many period films is the gentleman walking around in his shirt. At least Andrew Davies Mr. Darcy had the good sense to be embarrassed to be caught in his shirt. Joe Wright’s Darcy actually goes a courtin half dressed...but I digress. We only see Crozier in his shirt sleeves after they’ve left the ship, have been hauling for a few days and during the mutiny. I like to think that Crozier realizes that wearing his old shirt will help the men identify with him more. 

If you were an officer in the military you would be provided with a steward or valet to assist in your dressing. This man would also help to keep your uniform clean and and in good repair. (Honestly one of the best relationships in all of fiction is the one between Captain Jack Aubrey and his steward, Killick, who lives in a state of constant paranoia about Aubrey’s uniforms.) An officer would have several shirts so that they could have a clean one at all times and they would probably keep a best one for dress. (Maybe Francis has a cotton shirt with pintucking, folded away in a trunk somewhere, guarded feverishly by Jopson) The sailors who had no access to regular laundry would have a few as well, though they might be made of cheaper, rougher cloth, with ticking or striped patterns on them, like the one Hickey wears during his trail.

Again, Francis appearing hauling alongside the men in his shirt is his way of signaling to them that he is one of them. Mr. Goodsir, also appears in his shirtsleeves after the mutiny, a sign that his civilized veneer is scraped away along with his outer uniform.

Drops and drawers

Well into the 19th century both men and women had no such thing as drawers, pants, underpants, knickers etc. as a rule. For men, the long shirt tails were tucked under the groin, front and back and created a little, er..nest for their equipage. For women, the shift, just a long shirt really, provided a layer of protection between menstrual blood and valuable gowns and stays, as well as protecting less washable layers from sweat and grime.

But for the men of the Terror, there was layer of knitted wool underwear, that may have been either two pieces or one suit, with buttons running the length of the body. There are very few examples of these garments, but we do know they existed thanks to the Maritime Museum saving Lord Nelson’s stuff.:

Interesting that this shirt has the long tails for tucking. But by the time of Franklin expedition, knitted long drawers would have been available as well. The full long underwear suit wasn’t patented until the 1860s in America (where it’s use by soldiers in the Civil War earned it the moniker “union suit.”) However that doesn’t mean some kind of full suit of long underwear wasn’t available in England at the time of the expedition. My guess is that Francis has a separate shirt, the top of which is visible during the crisis over Mr. Morfin, and woolen or cotton “drawers” which he mentions to Jopson on the morning after Morfin’s death like these from 1840s made by John Smedley:

Hickey is shown in his underwear after Irving’s murder and then after the mutiny he adopts it as a sort of uniform (complete with stolen boots and great coat) of the new regime. It’s such a wonderful little detail that this BASE creature is wearing only a BASE layer.

Garters, Stockings, Corsets and other Kinkwear from Military history

Men’s and women’s stocking differed very little in the 19th century. Over the knee stockings of embroidered silk would have been kept for dress, but every day socks of cotton and wool with embroidery near the top or “clocking” (because the pattern was often of a clock) were worn by all.

Lord Nelson’s stockings had a crown insignia instead of a clock, which I just think is neat. (His undershirt has the same insignia at the neck...whether it was Emma Hamilton or Lady Nelson doing this embroidery, we’ll leave to Terrence Rattigan to decide...)

Officers would have had dress socks that were held up by sock garters (elastic garters for men and women were patented in the 1820s.) Given that their shirt tails were cut to mid thigh and their socks were over the knee, it’s fairly plausible that they used a double ended garter which clipped at one end to the shirt tail and the other to the top of the stocking. If all of this is sounding like some of the racier James Fitzjames fanart that is not my fault. Blame history!

Speaking of which, did you know that men sometimes wore corsets to make their uniforms fit better?  This 1830s Royal Marines uniform at the Maritime Museum is specified to have required a corset for proper fit. Sadly the corset didn’t survive! (If anyone wants to draw Tozier, Pilkington or Hedges in a corset, I would very much like to see that.)

As if all of that weren’t kinky enough, there is this leather and rope jock strap, which was attached to a corset, also from the very naughty nautical museum in slutty, slutty Greenwich. The less said about the white crust on the jock strap the better.

Waistcoat Discourse

Well this will probably be a bit pedestrian after that section, but I think it’s worth talking about waistcoats as well. In the flashback scenes Francis wears a fancy silk waistcoat that has the same cut as the other wool one he wears.

Again this is Francis’ practical nature. Navy uniform patterns were sent out in 1843 with changes to the uniform, including a different waistcoat, so he’s having his man make the waistcoat off the same pattern, saving him money. An interesting footnote was that the Lieutenants uniform in 1843 had a bunch of additional gold braiding and there were many complaints to the admiralty about the cost of these additions. There was also a thriving second hand market in used uniform jackets.

Fitzjames has a white waistcoat cut from the same pattern.

Which is based off of the portrait of real life Fitzjames.

Wool flannel would have been the fabric of choice for arctic explorers. It’s a nice little detail, that The Real Mr. Hickey had a plaid flannel waistcoat in the flashback scene:

That striped shirt looks familiar! I wonder if the imposter Hickey took his clothes after he dabbed him?!

And finally: STOCKS

In the 18th and 19th centuries men went so far as to cover the collar of the shirt with a stock (think of it as a cumberbund for the neck) so that their collar wasn’t peaking out from their tie. It also helped to make for the appearance of a long, graceful neck. I mean scroll back up and check out the giraffe neck on historical JFJ. Stocks have generally fallen into the vast pit of forgotten fashion and it’s the rare historical costume nerd that even knows what they are, yet for almost 200 years they were considered essential kit for men. Officers in the military HAD to wear a stock as part of their uniform, and it was often uncomfortable (the base of the stock was made of leather, horsehair or WOOD) and covered with fabric. It buckled in the back, requiring a servant to help put it on. Here is a 1845 silk and leather stock from the Maritime Museum:

Though it isn’t exactly undergear, trouser fronts were in flux during this period. Here is the 1843 uniform with the fall front trouser opening. But in the world outside the navy, fly front trousers are starting to pop up around 1840ish.You are welcome to my JFJ has newfangled fly front trousers head canon...

[hotjaneaustenmenpoll]

Quarter Final One

Propaganda...

Edward Ferrars (1995) :

Edward gets a bad rap because he's quiet and the whole lucy steele situation but he doesn't get enough credit for how honourable he is! It's easy to have honour when it costs you nothing he knows he'll be miserable with lucy but he knows it's the right thing and to do so he sticks to his guns and does it anyway despite the opposition from his family and to me that is hot! Also yes he makes mistakes but his family are vile - he grew up with Fanny and Robert and is still a good man! Also he looks like hugh grant and plays fun games with Margaret and he understands Elinor in a way no one else does - Hot!Hot!Hot!

Mr Darcy (1995) :

Colin Firth (1995) is book Darcy brought to life. He uses tiny gestures and looks to communicate with us and Elizabeth… his struggle is so subtle but so palpable. A beautiful asshole with a creamy nougat center. Just perfect.

GIF by sunsetboulevards

Those heart-eyes right up above☝️? Hot!

Passive-agressively drinking tea? Hot!

GIF by jaeausten

The way he rushes over to see Elizabeth at Pemberley on those delicious long legs of his with that slutty wet curl hanging over his forehead? Hot!

GIF by didanagy

Fencing? Hot!

GIF by greengableslover

The way he is so concerned about Elizabeth crying and takes her hand even though he shouldn't? Hot!

GIF by greengableslover

This dimple-y smile of pure joy because he knows he's married to Elizabeth freaking Bennet? Hot!

GIF by didana

Colin Firth Darcy is simultaneously immaculately put together and entirely falling apart internally. The wet shirt scene is so iconic not (only) because ‘oooh almost-shirtless sexy man’, but because it’s a metaphor for how he’s absolutely falling apart!!! This is a private moment, when he doesn’t think anyone can see him. And then he bumps. into. Lizzie. At his house!! And the entire sequence that follows with him rushing out still doing his jacket up to catch her before he leaves. They are both on the back foot and it’s THAT moment of confusion that opens a more honest dialogue between them.

Without Firth in a lake you wouldn’t get Macfadyen in a downpour!

There's a reason why Colin Firth is forever known as Mr. Darcy above all other roles he's had and will have! Even ignoring the wet white shirt, which has become A Thing now, he is so hot with his curly hair and his little half smiles and his intense looks of longing and his legs that go on for milessss.

This cannot be real. My fellow Jane Austen people. Without Colin Firth’s Darcy we wouldn’t have 90% of modern JA content. He opened a door and there was no turning back for modern culture. There would be no MacFadyen standing half undressed in a field at dawn without Firth jumping into a lake first. There would be no hand flex if there hadn’t been Firth doing his best impression of a man undressing Elizabeth Bennet with his eyes and hating himself for liking it. There would be no Bridgerton without Bridget Jones. Let’s face it people. We wouldn’t be here having these arguments if Colin Firth had not been Mr Darcy.

Colin Firth understood Mr. Darcy in a way no other actor ever has. He is awkward as fuck in a way that comes across as snooty and judgmental on a first watch-through, then can be read as awkward and longing on a second time. His performance had such depth while looking extremely shallow at first glance. This man WAS Mr. Darcy. (I love 2005, as well, and I love Matthew McFayden, but he was awkward for awkward sake.) Colin Firth made Darcy's awkward look snooty and aloof.

THE socially awkward Darcy is the 1995 Darcy - look at him coming and sitting in awkward silence with Elizabeth pointedly asking her if she wants to live a long way from her family (to obvious relief) and then abruptly leaving - vote for him please 😭😭😭😭

Colin Firth served so much as Darcy that when they did Bridget Jone's diary, they brought him back.... AS DARCY. The smoulder. The angst. The man is the quintessential Darcy.

“Firthing” is an actual term that is used now to describe someone yearning intensely. It is named after Colin Firth’s Mr Darcy performance.

Colin Firth all the way. He's known in our household as Owl Eyes because in every frame he's mooning over Elizabeth Bennet. Unsurpassable, unmatched, golden television (and some of the worst dancing you've ever seen).

Colin has beautiful, touchable curls.

Link

My high school English teacher was very into using movies to teach alongside literature, which was a great teaching tool. When we read Pride and Prejudice, he used both 2005 and 1995 for various scenes. What stands out to me all these years later was when it got to the part when Lizzy went to help Georgiana after Caroline dropped Mr. Wickham's name and Darcy gives Lizzy this look:

My teacher stopped the film and pointed at Darcy's face and said, "See that? That is THE look. If someone ever looks at you like that, you know they're in love." And what is hotter than that?

Also this teacher had two cats named Lizzy and Darcy. Not relevant to the poll but I wanted you all to know about them.

The best thing about the Colin Firth wet shirt scene is actually the scene that follows where him and Lizzie are both just dyinggg of embarrassment but Darcy pulls himself together refuses to lose his advantage and runs to get dressed and chase her down before she leaves - just the mix of cringe and hopefulness at seeing her again is so well done and so attractive!!! (this is just the bit where he's running after her but I love it all!)