#place du théâtre

[gentlemanpixelator]

Liège. Place du Théâtre. Panorama.

[delfiore]

—DO YOU THINK I HAVE FORGOTTEN ABOUT YOU?

pairing: leah williamson x reader

synopsis: in the end, what is meant to be will always be. or; leah struggles after the break up.

word count: 4.5k

a/n: this is a continuation of LIKE REAL PEOPLE DO. i just have to make things angsty i’m sry, if i don’t i start gnawing at the bars of my enclosure but worry not, this will turn fluffy in the end :)

EIGHT. Paris.

It took about 45 mins for Leah to decide that she longer wanted to be in this damned opera house.

The red carpet was exhausting enough, but she powered through it, familiar faces like Amelia DiMoldenberg’s making it barely enough to get through.

The dinner had gone into an intermission, and she had a moment to relax from the cameras, being sat at a table not far from the stage. Ever since she first attended the GQ Men of the Year Dinner a few years ago, it had created a lot of buzz around her every year, fans speculating whether she would come again, donning outfits so foreign on her body. Back then, she still had a support system that she looked forward to coming home to. Now, maybe the only positive to this night was that, whatever happened, she would eventually get to go home and sleep by the end of it.

She had to tilt her head all the way up to get a full glimpse of the ceiling. The Royal Opera House wasn’t the oldest building erected in London by far, but it was one of most interesting to look at, if she wasn’t so in love with her club and the look of the Emirates that was. It was grandiose, regal and typical of Baroque architecture, the concave ceiling arching over her, stretching all the way back to the five balconies—generously lit and horse-shoe-shaped seating areas—stacked on top of each other. It looked a little bit like the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris that she got to see when she attended the Ballon d’Or for the first time a couple of years ago. A lot of things can change in two years, and Leah wasn’t sure whether it was for the better or not.

Her agent caught her in the middle of her admiring when he gave her shoulder a light tap, telling her that she was expected at the after-party too. Great, another two hours she’d have to endure as people praise her name for achievements unworthy of praise, just because she was Leah Williamson, captain of the Lionesses. But whatever else he said after that, Leah didn’t register, because her eyes had found a familiar frame standing a few tables away.

You looked dashing in your black nighttime attire, which sparkled every time the limelight happened to sweep past you. A gentle smile adorned your face as you conversed your heart away with a couple of actors whose names were lost on her. When you put your hand on one of them and laughed, your eyed darted over to her for a split second.

Only when those actors had left, did she even think of approaching you, but her feet were planted on the ground.

One, two, three, she counted in her head. One, two, three; come on, Leah . . .

“Hi, you!” There was a residual cheerfulness from your previous conversation in your voice. “It’s been a while.”

“Yeah,” she tried to chuckle away her nerves, wiping the sweat in her hands on her pant legs. “You been okay?”

“Yeah,” you said it so softly that she almost missed it, if she wasn’t watching your lips. “Are you? Beth says you don’t come around her place anymore.”

“You still talk to Beth?”

“Yeah, she’s my friend, Lee. I . . . hope you don’t mind.”

“No! No, that’s . . . it’s great.” Leah said quickly.

You had smiled at her gratefully, and grasped her hand. “It’s good seeing you again.”

“You too.” She had said, robotically, before deciding against it. “Hey, don’t be a stranger, alright?”

You smiled again. This time, you brought her into your chest and wrapped your arms around her neck. “You first,” you said with a glint in your eyes, then you disappeared into the crowd.

And for a few brief moments, Leah Williamson didn’t think about how exhausted she was, only about how much she has missed being held by you. After all, it had been almost two years since she and you broke up, and maybe Leah was never able to move on like she had promised you.

How could she?

NINE. Be My Mistake.

She hated the feeling afterwards. She hated herself for having initiated it, for chasing after the girl like a hungry wolf in that nightclub. Now, Leah couldn’t bear the feeling of her lanky arms and sweaty skin touching her, like the intimacy was warranted, like she had somehow earned it.

Leah knew it was begrudging of her to shove the girl’s arm away so heartlessly and move upright to the edge of the bed, but she didn’t care. She couldn’t bring herself to be intimate with someone else, not yet. Not when every time she felt her skin she imagined yours, soft and scented with your familiar smell; every time she closed her eyes she saw your face like a ghost, refusing to leave her psyche; every time she opened her mouth to let out a noise of pleasure, it took everything in her to hold herself back from uttering Y/N, Y/N, Y/N.

The girl was confused but she was still, no doubt trying to decipher the sudden shift in Leah’s demeanor. She hated her stillness, the way her eyes watched her frame like she was a wounded animal in its enclosure.

“Please leave,” Leah said quietly, begging.

Silence.

“I don’t know what you’re going through, but if . . . you need someone—”

“Thank you, Delaney.” She gritted her teeth. “Please get out.”

Tonight, it was Delaney with the fiery red hair and dimples peppered over her cheekbones. A few nights ago, it was Lisa-Mae with the sultry brown eyes and unforgettable plump lips. Then there might have been an Erin and Hailey and Polly and maybe even a Daniela from when she visited Keira in Barcelona. She hated that she somehow remembered all of their names and kept count. Body upon body, yet she could not forget the one body she was using them all to forget about.

She couldn’t turn to alcohol, couldn’t smoke or do hard drugs because they would affect her performance on the pitch, but God knows she was thinking about it constantly. Anything to take this pain away for a moment, lest she turns into the starving wolf and goes out to hunt at night again. If only the press caught on to what she was doing.

Righteous Lioness turned starving wolf the moment the loneliness becomes a little too much to bare.

But she knew you wouldn’t have judged her. No, you would wrap her in your arms and let her scream, cry, do whatever she wanted to rid herself of the torment. She remembered all the nights you spent on the bathroom floor with her as she battled through her endometriosis, and how you would hold her like the world was about to collapse outside the window.

Leah was on the bathroom floor again, but she was alone this time, and the floor tiles felt colder and harsher than she had remembered.

TEN. Tonight (I Wish I Was Your Boy).

The feeling she got when the three whistles finally blew came to Leah quite rarely. It was one of elation and immense joy that the result of the game was finalized, because she had known half an hour ago that Arsenal would bring home the crucial three points from the match.

She brought her fists in the air as she made her rounds, patting her teammates on the back and shaking hands with opponents. She found Kyra and hoisted her in the air with a tight hug, as her younger teammate managed to score and assist today.

“Thank you, Leah.” Kyra giggled, as she was put down. “Is Y/N here?”

Leah’s smile remained, but she scrunched her eyebrows. “How did you hear about that?”

“How could I not? Y/N Y/L/N, coming to watch us play. I won’t be surprised if social media was buzzing about that rather than the actual match.”

If Kyra knew, that meant the entire team knew. She would endure the endless teasing if it meant getting to see you again, though.

Leah had found where you were sitting right from the start, in the VIP box where her friends and family sat, the usual spot you occupied when you were still together. Back then, she would watch you jog down the stairs with a blinding grin on your face, hop over the barricade and pull her into a bone-crushing hug. It could be a sold-out Emirates Stadium, but the only thing she wanted to watch was you. She still wanted to.

“Hi! Great game today.” You didn’t hug her, but did something far worse. You swung your arm and gave her bicep a quick pat, like a friend would.

“Thanks,” she said. “Should have scored that header though.”

“Hey, don’t put yourself down like that. You were great.” Somehow, your words made her feel worse about herself, and she just wanted to crawl into a hole and never come out again. They felt patronizing.

Not far away, Beth’s joyful laughter cut through her sulking. Turning to look at the woman, she saw Beth wrapping her arms tightly around Viv’s neck and the Dutch spinning her around gleefully. Viv had managed to score a hat-trick today—her first since returning from her ACL injury—and even if she didn’t celebrate such an important feat, she would be dragged into one because her girlfriend definitely wouldn’t leave it alone.

It reminded her of when she would come home and celebrate her wins with you. She didn’t need any fancy parties or lavish gifts, just being in your company was more than enough. You would always end up buying her gifts though. “Just because”, you would say, the I love you going unspoken, but she knew it was there. She could always feel it hanging in the silence, in the spaces in your home, even when you were half a world away filming. She could always feel it, like a hearth, a palpable warmth flickering in her chest.

It made her envious watching Beth and Viv that they had what she once did.

“Y/N! You made it!” Beth’s voice tore Leah from her thoughts.

Despite her sentimental predicament, a chuckle made its way onto her lips as she watched you embrace Beth like two schoolgirls finally united again after the summer holidays.

“How long are you staying in London?” Beth asked.

“I don’t know, really,” you replied. “I’m doing a thing with Stella McCartney, so it might take a while.”

Leah couldn’t help but perk up at that. She could feel Viv glancing at her from the corner of her eyes.

“No way! Look at ya. Moving on to the fashion world already!” Beth exclaimed and gave your shoulder a light shove.

Only when you and Beth had walked away happily chatting did Vivianne elbow her gently.

“They seem happy,” the Dutch said.

“Yeah,” Leah pursed her lips. “That’s good.”

“And you? Are you happy?”

Leah knew that the both of them knew she wasn’t, but that wasn’t the right answer. She would not admit to something that she has been working for two years to get over, because it would mean that her woes were all for nothing.

“I am,” she nodded. “I’m glad they’re happy.”

If anything, Leah still loved you enough to admit that.

ELEVEN. Me.

Leah didn’t sleep much these days. She never really did—adrenaline being her biggest enemy—but she would find herself crying in frustration at four in the morning, unable to fall asleep.

It would be during those torturous hours that she would reminisce on the conversation in which she pulled the plug on your relationship.

It was a slippery slope of miscommunication, both of you were to blame, but she was the one who decided to run away instead of trying to work it out. She still kept the ring in a drawer somewhere, but the memory of your rejection made it to painful to look at.

In hindsight, she could have said it a bit differently, but she was close to exploding the previous days that all of it came flooding out of her.

She replayed the conversation often, like a broken record in her head, swapping out things that she could have said or you could have said that would have lead to a different outcome, maybe one in which she wasn’t so miserable two years on.

It was 1:43am, and she was wide awake yet again. You’d always had an irregular sleep pattern, and she wondered whether you were awake too.

She knew it was a mistake, and that she would regret it in the morning, but she texted you anyway.

hey are u awake?

Slamming her phone on the other side of the bed, Leah curled in on herself, burying her face in the pillows trying not to cry. If she hadn’t looked up in time, she would almost miss the incoming call on her screen. It was you.

“Hey,” she picked up after sniffling her tears away.

“Hey, you,” your voice was soft and lulling. “What an odd time for a footballer to be awake. Shouldn’t you be getting your beauty sleep?”

This made her chuckle. “If I did get all of my beauty sleep, you lot would have no chance.”

“Watch out, everyone. Leah Williamson’s ego is inflating, try not get crushed by it.”

As Leah’s laughter died down, she felt an awkwardness settled over the line. A silence once so comfortable now felt forced, straining under the pull between what once was and the ruins of it. The heavy weight of unspoken words curled on the tip of her tongue, the broken record of her mistake playing ever louder in her head.

“I didn’t expect to hear from you,” you finally broke the silence, your voice teetering between caution and curiosity.

“Yeah, well, insomnia makes one do questionable things.”

Leah wondered if she had accidentally revealed too much, and whether it was appropriate to do so. You two weren’t intimate anymore, you were barely friends nowadays, the finest thread of your acquaintance lied solely on your hangouts with Beth. How strange it was, you were half of her soul. Now you were almost like passersby on the street.

“Is everything okay?” You asked, a sense of concern in your tone.

“Um,” she hummed, trying to pull herself together. “Not really. I-I haven’t been doing too well.”

“Leah,” you said. “I-I know we’re not as close as we were before, but I wasn’t lying when I said I still want us to be friendly at least. I’m here for you. You know that, right?”

“I know.” She said, her voice wavering. She wouldn’t be able to hide her feelings from you, never you. “I know. I’m sorry I didn’t reach out sooner.”

“It’s okay, Lee. It hurt me a lot, not gonna lie, but I understand where you were coming from.”

Leah couldn’t hold it in anymore, and squeezed her eyes shut, her tears wetting the pillow she lay on. “I can’t be your friend, Y/N. I can’t just pretend like the last five years didn’t happen.”

There was a brief silence once more before you spoke. “I know. Might be selfish of me to wish things were different.”

“Then I’m selfish too,” she said, almost a whisper.

There was a pause, in which Leah bit the inside of her cheeks so hard they might start bleeding.

“Are you coming to Beth’s thing on Friday?” You asked.

“I think I’m expected to be there. Why?”

“Good, I’ll be there too. We’ll talk then.”

“Okay,” Leah said dumbly.

“Now, go to sleep.”

She giggled. “You first.”

TWELVE. Sincerity Is Scary.

Leah’s teammates have teased her many times throughout the evening, stating her unnecessary brooding was actually unnecessary this time and that she should liven up. She really couldn’t. Just thinking about seeing you again tonight made her want to have a heart attack and end her misery right there.

But the moment she heard your voice as you stepped into Beth and Viv’s house, a bottle of wine in hand and a bright smile on your lips, Leah felt her anxiety dissipate into oblivion, scolding herself for ever feeling nervous.

After all, it was you.

She waited patiently with a soft smile, her arms folded behind her back as she waited for all the girls to swoon over you. She had all night to keep you company, she was in no rush.

“Hey,” you found her after all the canoodling. Extending an arm, you awaited a hug which she gladly accepted.

“Hi,” she offered to take your jacket and hung it on the rack by the door. “You got here alright?”

“Man, the traffic at rush hour,” you sighed exasperatedly. “That’s the one thing I’ll never get used to. Almost makes me miss you being my personal chauffeur.”

She laughed. “That’s the only thing I was good for, was it?”

You narrowed your eyes at her teasingly. “Not just that.”

Leah wasn’t sure what you meant entirely with We’ll talk then, but seeing as she was the one who stupidly broke up with you, the balls were entirely in your court. She was just happy you were still willing to talk to her after she called you at 2am to blabber her insomniac nonsense.

She wasn’t courageous enough to sit directly next to you at the dinner table, but rather took the seat next to Katie who sat in front of you. Courage wasn’t something Leah felt much lately, and it took seeing you again for her to admit that. Perhaps she was never brave, but you always made her feel like it anyway.

Everyone loved you, the movie star that graced her team’s humble dinner. She couldn’t help but watch in awe as you managed to charm the pants off of everyone at the table with your witty remarks and crazy anecdotes. You had a presence that made everyone want to be your friend; it made her uncharacteristically shy at trying to get you to notice her, that she resorted to watching you from afar. And the few times you would make eye-contact with her, she could only look away, bashful that she had been caught staring, as her courage dwindling with each gaze.

Later in the night, when everyone was scattered around the house chatting, she found you sitting alone on the patio. Upon closer look, she could make out a smaller, fluffy unit in the form of Myle, Beth and Viv’s little pup, prancing around in front of you, waiting for you to throw the tennis ball in your hand.

The constant sound of the girls’ conversations died down the moment she stepped out in the backyard, now lit with rows of incandescent lights overhead. Myle barked once with excitement as she spotted Leah approaching.

“I think she wants you to throw it,” you handed her the ball.

She grinned and took it. “No one beats Auntie Leah.”

Little Myle was quick to launch herself across the yard on a mission to retrieve her precious artifact.

“I wanted a dog really bad, the first year we started dating.” You said, pulling your knees to your chest as a gust of wind pulled at your hair. “I wanted a little corgi or an Italian greyhound. I spent hours looking for one to adopt and researched food, bills, insurance and stuff.”

“Why didn’t you get one?” Leah asked.

“We haven’t even moved in together at that point. Plus, I was still bouncing around, you knew that.”

She did. You were shooting a movie in Canada the few first months you and her started talking. Then, you were hopping around Spain, Portugal and various parts of the UK for another project. It wasn’t ideal, but still much closer than Canada. You would fly out every other weekend to watch her play, and she would do the same and visit you on-set, moving most things aside for a couple days with you.

“I would have loved a dog, I don’t know about you.”

“I’m sure you would have. You’d probably love it more than me,” you laughed.

“No,” Leah shook her head softly. “Never.”

Summer was approaching. She could feel it in the mildness despite the breeze. For a while, the soft murmur of the wind caressing the trees was all she could hear, and Myle’s occasional huff as she impatiently waited for the ball to be tossed again.

You both sat there watching her, fantasizing of a different life, a dream that never materialized, another fragment of memories again tainted by what-ifs. Leah bit her lip, trying to calm her spiraling thoughts. She felt her courage slipping away again.

“I’m sorry I called you the other day,” she pursed her lips. “That wasn’t very appropriate. I should have asked to talk to you properly.”

“Don’t worry. Wasn’t the worst thing you could’ve done.” She heard you chuckle next to her. “I’ve had some time to think about us. Admittedly, I didn’t want to think about it at all the first few months, but my therapist told me I had to face it one way or another.”

Leah held her breath. This was the part where you tell her that you’d moved on and that she should stop pestering you. One of her knees started bouncing up and down as she waited for you to talk.

“I had to face the fact that you’re the love of my life, and that night I met you and we danced to Hozier together—on the first night we met no less—was the second best night of my life. The best was when you told me you loved me. And the worst night of my life was when you broke up with me.”

“I’m sorry,” Leah whispered, feeling her throat tighten at your confession.

“No,” you said, moving closer. “I don’t regret it. I wasn’t ready when you proposed, and that was my truth. But Leah, I’d be lying if I said that I’d be okay with letting you go again.”

“I should’ve talked to you about marriage before I asked you to marry me. It wasn’t fair on you.” Leah offered you a tearful smile.

“I want to try again. I would do it again for you.” You reached out and wiped away the tears that had silently rolled down her cheeks as she listened to you.

“I thought I’d lost my chance,” she said. “I thought you’d moved on.”

“Oh, baby,” your thumb brushed over her cheek softly. “How could you think I’d ever be able to forget about you?”

She let out a soft cry of relief. Her heart was pounding in her chest, and there was only one thing she thought of doing.

So she leaned in, never minding her wet cheeks. The last thing she saw was you closing your eyes too.

“Oh—sorry!”

The two of you jumped apart at the voice behind you. Leah turned around with a visible scowl on her face, seeing Beth grimace sheepishly as she called for Myle.

“It’s her dinner time. Come, little one, you hungry?” Beth attempted to explain herself, as Myle sprinted inside. “Alright then. As you were.”

The moment the door closed, you burst into laughter, making her break out of her frown and smile with you. “I can’t believe that just happened,” you said, laughing into her shoulder.

“I’m going to kill her,” she shook her head and placed a chaste kiss on your cheek.

She didn’t mind it too much, because she got to take you home later and make up for the last two years until the early hours of the morning. You and her would laugh about it years later.

THIRTEEN. About You.

Your lover never backed down from a challenge.

That was her way, and that was what made her one of the best in her sport, her unrelenting spirit.

Yet, her legs felt like they would turn to jelly the moment she laid her eyes on you at the end of the aisle, umber dirt covered in white rose petals. She felt like drowning in her emotions which had all risen to the surface, and the waves would only plunge her further into itself until she was completely immobilized by it. But she knew once she was able to pull herself together and walk to you on the other end of that path, heaven would be waiting for her.

The officiate went on and on about love, life, and promises of forever, but she had made that promise to you long before this day. She kissed you fervently the moment she was able to.

It only seemed fitting that the first chapter of your story began with a dance, and the most important one to also end with a dance. She offered you a hand, and you gladly took it, a childish giggle bubbling in your throat. The song you danced to the first night you met rang out in the venue, a soft and folksy tune the backdrop of your falling in love.

“It’s not so bad, is it?” She said with a teasing grin.

You gazed into her eyes like they held the world. You had no idea that her heart beat for you, how her soul yearned for yours, how her life will not forever be intertwined with yours.

You closed your eyes and hummed, swaying with her slowly, just like you’d practiced at home a couple of weeks ago, only that instead of the four walls of your shared home baring witness to this dance, it was all your friends and families.

Memories of the first night you met, and the one in which she promised you her heart bubbled as she saw the serene look in your face. You both have come so far.

You placed your head on her chest for all to see, the way you do when you are tired after long hours of work in front of the camera, when all you wanted was the magic and warmth of her company.

Leah smiled; she couldn’t stop smiling. She smiled and smiled until her cheeks ached, even beyond then, until forever.

“No,” you mumbled. “Not bad at all.”

a/n: happy holidays to everyone :)

[reystenius-01]

The Ugly Green Emotion

Part One

In which: Swedish!Reader has a killer season for club and country, getting herself nominated for the Ballon D’or. As Stina wasn’t nominated and since she and R are still keeping things on the hush, she doesn’t go as R’s plus one.

When she sees the way R’s ex looks at her, a certain ugly green emotion begins to form.

—-

Stina settled in bed with her laptop and a warm cup of tea. North London, despite its flaws, had been having some great weather recently. She was in one of your sweaters. Everything was perfect. 

The only thing missing was you.

But there was no reason for her to be down about it. Her eyes were glued to her screen as she loaded up the Ballon D’or stream, her laptop screen immediately displaying nominees arriving at the Théâtre Du Châtelet in Paris. She sought you out, trying to see if you and your Barca teammates had arrived yet.

Stina caught more glimpses of other players before she even caught one of you, her anticipation growing as to what your outfit would look like. You had teasingly refused to show her over Facetime, and even during the little international break that you had, you had always managed to sweet-talk your way into talking about something else. It was infuriating, but in the best way possible.

As the stream continued, Stina's heart skipped a beat when she finally caught a glimpse of you, her breath catching in her throat at the sight of your radiant smile. You looked stunning, as always, your hair styled elegantly and your dress fitting you like a glove. Stina couldn't tear her eyes away from the screen, her heart swelling with pride as she watched you step out of the car, surrounded by your Barcelona teammates.

“Fuck, she looks incredible,” Stina murmured to herself, a fond smile tugging at the corners of her lips as she admired you from afar. She couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy as she spotted Aitana by your side, the two of you sharing a brief exchange before making your way into the theatre. Her heart clenched at the sight of your ex-girlfriend, but she pushed aside her insecurities, reminding herself that you had ended things amicably.

Stina took a sip of her tea, her eyes never leaving the screen as she watched the ceremony unfold. She knew that the Ballon d'Or was a significant moment for you, and she was determined to support you from afar, even if it meant battling her own jealousy. She would’ve loved to come with you, keep her hand on the small of your back, looking at you admiringly whenever you were interviewed. You were both private people, and always valued your privacy, even when you were still playing for Arsenal.

At Arsenal, only one other teammate knew that the two of you were dating, Stina's Norwegian best friend, Frida Maanum. It had been completely unintentional, the way she found out. She and her girlfriend, Emma, had come over to surprise you two for dinner.

Only to find the two of you getting up to some… sinful stuff on Stina's couch.

As Aitana was announced as the winner of the Ballon d'Or, Stina's heart sank a little, despite literally being told by you beforehand that you were placing in the top 5, but she managed to keep a supportive smile on her face. She watched Aitana make her way up to the stage to accept the award. Her gaze shifted back and forth between Aitana and you, noticing the way Aitana's eyes kept drifting over to where you were sitting. She couldn't help but feel a pang of irritation as she watched Aitana give her thank-you speech, her eyes lingering on you for just a little too long.

And when the camera panned over to you, giving Aitana a thumbs up, Stina's jealousy flared up even more. She clenched her fists, trying to push aside the ugly green monster that threatened to consume her.

“Damn it,” Stina muttered under her breath, her frustration bubbling to the surface. She knew she had no reason to feel jealous, but seeing Aitana's lingering looks and your friendly gesture only served to fuel her insecurity.

But as she took another sip of her tea, Stina forced herself to take a deep breath, reminding herself that you had chosen her. She tried to push aside her negative emotions and focus on the bigger picture. She knew that you loved her, that you were hers as equally as she was yours, but that didn't stop the green-eyed monster from rearing its ugly head.

After the women’s section was over, Stina swapped over to a Netflix show, deciding to occupy herself for a while until you texted that you were back at the hotel in Paris. Unbeknownst to her, you would be back in her arms by tomorrow night.

When her phone began to buzz, she reached for it immediately. A smile immediately graced her lips as she saw your name pop up on her phone screen, the screensaver of her hand pinching your cheeks with your eyes scrunched closed adorably making her chuckle a little, as it always did whenever she saw it.

“Hey, love,” Stina greeted warmly as she answered the call, her voice soft and affectionate.

“Hey, babe,” you replied, your voice warm with affection. “Just wanted to let you know that I made it back to the hotel safe and sound.”

Stina's smile widened at the sound of your voice, her heart skipping a beat at the thought of you being so close. “I'm glad to hear that,” she said, her voice filled with genuine relief. “How was the ceremony? Did you have a good time?”

“Yeah, it was amazing,” you replied, excitement evident in your voice. “And guess what? I got to catch up with Amanda. It was really nice seeing her.” You sighed, leaning back into the very comfy pillows on your hotel bed. “Anyway, I just… really wanted to hear your voice before I went to bed.”

Stina's heart fluttered at the sound of your voice, her worries and insecurities momentarily forgotten. “I was just thinking about you,” she admitted, a hint of longing in her tone.

“Yeah?” you replied, the smile evident in your voice. “What were you thinking about, älskling?”

Stina hesitated for a moment, unsure if she should mention her feelings from earlier. But then she decided to be honest with you, knowing that you deserved nothing less. “I was thinking about the Ballon d'Or ceremony,” she confessed. “And… about Aitana.”

There was a brief pause on the other end of the line, and Stina held her breath, waiting for your response.

“Yeah, I get it,” you said finally, your voice gentle and understanding. “I'm sorry if seeing her there made you feel a little uncomfortable.”

Stina let out a sigh of relief, grateful for your understanding. “It's okay,” she said softly. “I trust you, you know that.”

“I know,” you replied, your voice filled with warmth. “And I love you for it.”

Stina felt a rush of emotion at your words, her heart swelling with love for you. “I love you too,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.

There was a moment of comfortable silence between them, before you spoke up again, your tone teasing. “So, what are you wearing right now?” you asked, a hint of mischief in your voice.

Stina's cheeks flushed pink at the question, but she couldn't help but giggle at your playful tone. “Just one of your sweaters,” she admitted, her voice tinged with amusement.

“Ah, my favourite,” you replied, your voice dropping to a husky whisper. “I can't wait to see you in it. Just as much as I can’t wait to see you out of it.”

Stina's heart raced at the suggestion, her mind immediately wandering to more intimate thoughts. “You know,” she said coyly, “you could always come to London a day early… “

A playful chuckle escaped your lips, followed by a soft sigh. “Oh, trust me, lovely, I wish I could,” you said, your voice laced with longing. “But unfortunately, I'm stuck here for one more night.”

Stina's heart sank at the thought of another night without you by her side, but she refused to let her disappointment show. “Well, I guess I'll just have to make do with your sweater for now,” she replied, her tone teasing. “But I expect you to make it up to me when you get back.”

A mischievous glint danced in your eyes as you replied, “Oh, I plan to, believe me. I'll make it up to you in ways you can't even imagine, min kärlek.”

Stina's breath hitched at your words, a shiver running down her spine as she imagined all the ways you could possibly make it up to her. “I can't wait,” she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. “I miss you so much.”

“I miss you too, Stin.” You sighed. “God, I've been thinking about you all night. Your hands all over me.”

Stina's heart skipped a beat at the mention of your longing for her touch. “I wish I could feel you right now,” she confessed, her voice filled with yearning.

A soft chuckle escaped your lips, the sound sending a thrill down Stina's spine. “Soon, love,” you reassured her, your voice laced with anticipation. “I promise, we'll be together soon.”

Stina's cheeks flushed as she listened to your words, her heart racing at the thought of being in your arms again. “Please,” she whimpered softly, “don't tease me like this. I need you.”

A soft chuckle escaped your lips at Stina's plea, the sound sending a shiver of desire coursing through her veins. “Oh, but älskling,” you replied teasingly, “where's the fun in giving away all my secrets? You'll just have to wait and see.”

Stina let out a frustrated groan, her desire mounting with each passing second. She whined, her voice tinged with desperation, “I want to imagine you in that dress, all for me.” Her voice trailed off in a whisper. “Just for me.”

She imagined you before her, her mind conjuring up vivid images of you in the dress. “You'll look so beautiful,” she murmured, her voice thick with desire. “And I can't wait to make you mine.”

“I’m already yours, min kärlek.”

Stina's heart swelled at your words, a surge of warmth flooding through her, “I know,” she whispered softly, her voice filled with tenderness. “But there's something about seeing you in that dress, knowing it's just for me... It's enough to drive me crazy.”

“I want to make you feel so good,” she continued, her voice low and husky with desire. “To give you everything you've ever wanted.”

A soft sigh escaped her lips as she imagined the feel of your skin beneath her fingertips, the taste of your lips against hers. “I can't wait to have you in my arms again,” she admitted, her voice trembling with longing. “To show you just how much I love you.”

You chuckled softly, the sound sending a shiver of anticipation down Stina's spine. “Well, lucky for you, you won't have to wait much longer,” you teased, your voice laced with desire. “I'll be home soon, and then you can have me all to yourself.”

A playful glint danced in Stina's eyes as she heard the promise in your words, “I'll hold you to that,” she replied, her voice filled with excitement. “And believe me, I have plenty of plans for when you get here.”

With a soft laugh, you leaned closer to the phone. It was like Stina could feel your breath warm against her skin as you whispered, “I can't wait to see what you have in store for me, älskling.” -------------- part two coming up soon! based off of an ask :) [yes smut incoming in the next part]

[chic-a-gigot]

La Mode nationale, no. 5, 5 février 1898, Paris. No. 9. — Groupe de chapeaux. Bibliothèque nationale de France

(1) Béret en velours rubis, garni de 6 plumes noires formant éventail, retenues au centre par une boucle en strass et tombant devant sur le bord du chapeau.

(1) Ruby velvet beret, garnished with 6 black feathers forming a fan, held in the center by a rhinestone buckle and falling in front on the edge of the hat.

—

(2) Chapeau de jeune fille, en drap gris, garni de plumes assorties retenues au pied par un chou de velours de la même teinte.

(2) Young girl's hat, in gray cloth, trimmed with matching feathers held at the foot by a velvet collar of the same shade.

—

(3) Petite toque de théâtre en velours bleu turquoise, garnie de touffes de violettes et d'un motif de strass.

(3) Small theater hat in turquoise blue velvet, garnished with tufts of violets and a rhinestone motif.

—

(4) Chapeau rond très relevé de côté, en velours vert, tout coulissé, garni de dentelle blanche mélangée à un nœud de satin blanc et de velours vert dans lequel sont placées 2 aigrettes en paradis noir. Nœud de satin posant sur les cheveux.

(4) Round hat very raised on the side, in green velvet, all slid, trimmed with white lace mixed with a bow of white satin and green velvet in which are placed 2 egrets in black paradise. Satin bow posing on the hair.

—

(5) Capote pour jeune femme, toute en paillettes d'argent, garnie d'un panache de plumes et d'une aigrette blanches au pied desquelles est posé un gros chou de velours violet.

(5) Hood for a young woman, all in silver sequins, garnished with a plume of feathers and a white egret at the foot of which is placed a large purple velvet cabbage.

—

(6) Petit chapeau en velours coulissé bleu de roi, garni de 3 plumes et d'une aigrette blanches posées de côté.

(6) Small hat in royal blue drawstring velvet, garnished with 3 white feathers and an egret placed on the side.

—

(7) Béret pour jeune femme, en taffetas rouge entièrement coulissé en forme de choux, dans lesquels on place une fantaisie en strass.

(7) Beret for young women, in red taffeta, entirely slid in the shape of cabbages, in which a rhinestone decoration is placed.

—

(8) Chapeau rond en feutre gris. La calotte est en taffetas bouillonné gris, une grande amazone noire est posée de côté, retenue au pied par une grande boucle en cailloux du Rhin.

(8) Round gray felt hat. The cap is made of gray bubbled taffeta, a large black Amazon is placed on the side, held at the foot by a large loop of Rhine pebbles.

—

(9) Chapeau rond en feutre blanc, très relevé de côté. Torsade de velours orange entourant la passe et panache de plumes noires garnissant le côté.

(9) Round white felt hat, raised high on the side. Twist of orange velvet surrounding the pass and plume of black feathers garnishing the side.

—

(10) Petit tricorne en paillettes d'argent, garni de plumes noires dans lesquelles se pose une agrafe en strass. Torsade de velours rouge sur les cheveux.

(10) Small tricorn in silver sequins, garnished with black feathers in which a rhinestone clasp is placed. Red velvet twist on hair.

—

(11) Chapeau forme amazone, relevé des deux côtés, en velours vert d'eau, le bord est coulissé et se termine devant apr un nœud en velours. Nœud de satin vert d'eau sur le côté, dans lequel est posé un oiseau vert à aigrettes noires.

(11) Amazon-shaped hat, raised on both sides, in sea green velvet, the brim is slid and ends in front with a velvet bow. Water green satin bow on the side, in which is placed a green bird with black egrets.

—

(12) Béret coulissé en drap gris perle, garni de côté de trois plumes noires en touffe, au pied desquelles sont posés un chou de velours noir avec une boucle de jais et un autre chou en velours orange.

(12) Drawn beret in pearl gray cloth, garnished on the side with three black feathers in a tuft, at the foot of which are placed a black velvet cabbage with a jet curl and another orange velvet cabbage.

—

(13) Petit capote en velours rubis, garnie sur le côté d'un gros oiseau noir.

(13) Small ruby velvet hood, garnished on the side with a large black bird.

—

(14) Chapeau rond, en feutre gris, garni de deux plumes grises formant couronne, retenues devant par un chou en velours mauve dans lequel on met un motif en cailloux du Rhin.

(14) Round hat, in gray felt, garnished with two gray feathers forming a crown, held in front by a mauve velvet collar in which a pattern of Rhine pebbles is placed.

—

(15) Petit chapeau en satin coulissé bleu ciel, fond mou en velours beige, presque blanc, piqeon blanc posé de côté, piquet de roses posant sur les cheveux.

(15) Small sky blue sliding satin hat, soft beige, almost white velvet base, white peg placed on the side, peg of roses resting on the hair.

—

(16) Chapeau forme toque en velours noir, relevé des deux côtés. Le bord est en tulle pailleté avec un coulissé de velours noir formant tête. Plumes noires posées de côté retenues par des choux de velours vieux rose.

(16) Toque-shaped hat in black velvet, raised on both sides. The edge is in glittery tulle with a black velvet drawstring forming the head. Black feathers placed aside held by old pink velvet puffs.

[lionofchaeronea]

Place du Théâtre Français, Paris: Rain, Camille Pissarro, 1898

[comtessezouboff]

La Galerie des Cotelles Set

A retexture by La Comtesse Zouboff — Original Mesh by @thejim07

At the very moment when Louis XIV wrote the first version of 《Manière de montre les jardins de Versailles》, he expressed his desire to recreate his words as images.

In 1688, he comissioned an outstanding set of 24 paintings describing the different groves in gardens with mythological allegories to be placed in the galerie at the Trianon de Marbre.

The ornamentation of the gallery linking Trianon to Trianon-sous-bois was entrusted to three painters between 1688 and 1689: Jean Cotelle painted twenty-one of the twenty-four canvases hung in this room, Etienne Allegrain two others, and Jean-Baptiste Martin.

This gallery, decorated around 1690, bears the name of the author of most of the paintings which appear there and which represent views of the groves of Versailles and Trianon, embellished with mythological figures.

This set remained in place until the First Empire. Napoleon I considered replacing them with paintings to his glory. The works will return to their original location in 1913 after being restored to 《La Colection Royale》 by Louis Philippe and can be seen there to this day.

-------------------------------------------------------

This set contains 24 paintings with the original frame swatches, fully recolourable. They are:

View of the Amphitheater of the Grove of the Théâtre d'Eau with the Toilette of Psyche.

View of the Bassin du Dragon and the Gutter of the Neptune Fountain with Apollo Slaying the Serpent Python.

View of the Colonnade Grove with Apollo Served by the Nymphs.

View of the Entrance of the Labyrinth Grove with Nymphs and Cupid Catching Birds in their Nets.

View of the Fountain of the Fifty-Two Jets, or Plat-Fond at the Trianon with Mars and Venus.

View of the Grove of l'Encelade with Jupiter Slaying Enceladus the Giant with the Feast of Lycaon.

View of the Grove of L'Étoile or la Montagne d'Eau with Diana Saving Arethusa from Alpheus.

View of the Grove of the Arc de Triomphe Towards the Fountain of La France Triomphante with Nymphs Chaining Captives.

View of the Grove of the Arc de Triomphe with Venus and Adonis on a Chariot Driven by Cupid.

View of the Grove of the Baths of Apollo or des Dômes with Diana and her Nymphs.

View of the Grove of the Labyrinth Showing the Fountain of the Fight of the Animals and the Two Fountains of the Fox and the Crane with Diana and the Nymphs.

View of the Grove of the Salle de Bal with Armide Crowning Renaud.

View of the Grove of the Théâtre d'Eau with the Toilette of Psyche.

View of the Marais or Chêne-Vert Grove with Nymphs Playing Various Games.

View of the Neptune Fountain, the Bassin du Dragon and the Allée d'Eau with the Judgement of Paris.

View of the Orangerie and the Palace from the Pièce d'Eau des Suisses with the Abduction of Helen of Troy.

View of the Orangerie of Versailles and the Pièce d'Eau des Suisses with Vertumnus and Pomona.

View of the Parterre d'Eau with the Apotheosis of Venus.

View of the Parterres of the Trianon de Marbre with Zephyrus and Sleeping Flora

View of the Trois-Fontaines Grove with Garden Loves.

View of the Trois-Fontaines Grove with Venus and the Nymphs.

View of the Feast or Council Room Grove in the Palace of Versailles.

View of the Grove of the Miroir d'Eau Fountain and the Île-Royale in the Palace of Versailles.

Perspective view of the Grove of the Galerie des Antiques.

Found under decor > paintings for 1.850§

(you can just search for "Cotelle" using the catalog search mod to find the entire ser much easier!)

Retextured from:"The virgin of the Rosary" found here

Disclaimer!

All of the paintings shown here aren't as blurry as in the screenshots and its colors are more vibrant in-game!

Cc shown here:

Walls, door and bench by @thejim07

Floor by @martassimsbookcc

Windows by @missyzim

Chandelier and garland by @hydrangeachainsaw

Pediment by Mutske (TSR)

Consoles by ShinoKCR (TSR)

Drive

(Sims3Pack | Package)

(Useful tags below)

@joojconverts @ts3history @ts3historicalccfinds @deniisu-sims @katsujiiccfinds @gifappels-stuff

-------------------------------------------------------

[k-hippie]

CHAMPIGNAC ... FEW LAST DETAILS :)

And of course, we have some mistakes in the links and in the cc content we are currently correcting ... What is a good Sims 3 World without a little headache ? :D And because we love difficulties, we are currently updating our own website ( which is a mess ) ... What else ? Nothing, everything is fine under the sun of this hot summer :D

The General Hospital is a Maxis one, but from Riverview. @nornities ( thanks A LOT for his/her patience to check Champignac ) pointed to us different things : missing mostly. so, somes of you may not see the Hospital ( Hopital des Bleuets ) in their game.

Bad links are currently corrected and both CC sims3packs folder and CC packages folder updated to include few missing stuff, including the Fresco Market items and the Skylight Studio roof elements we used + the Riverview Hospital :) HERE

The Open Swimming pool ( Champignac Bains Romains ) has lost its border texture ... don't worry : just replace with a one you like :)

The School is not the good one : too many missing stuff there, so we are currently uploading a new Champignac save game which should correct the little mistakes here and there HERE

Our Carpets Rabbit Holes folder had to be updated to get the Bistro RH : it is currently done ! But, you have to re-download the Rabbit Holes HERE

Our apologizes for this ! Really ... Anyway, we'll upload in the next hours a folder with ALL Community Lots and another one with ALL the residential Lots :) Just in case ... And here the 2 listings :

CHAMPIGNAC COMMUNITY LOTS

Small Park : Monticule funéraire oublié - Colline des Celtes Small Park : Petit Fleuriste Small Park : La Vieille Tour no1 Small Park : La Vieille Tour no2 Small Park : Place Olivier Magnolia Horse Training Grounds : Elevage Pégase Junkyard : Neo Casse Stadium : Football Club Fire Station : Pompiers Volants Pool : Piscine Municipale Pool : Bains Romains de Champignac Diner : Brasserie du Cercle Gym : Gymnase Club Visitor Allowed : Boulangerie DeNimes Elixir Shop : Boutique d’élixirs : Elixirs et Reliques Theatre : Théâtre & Opéra Cemetary : Cimetière Civil Hospital : Hôpital des Bleuets Bookstore : Le Kiosque no5 Library : Bibliothèque V. Hugo Café : Café Catane Military Base : Bureau des Armées Police Station : Police Municipale Grocery Store : Epicerie des Halles Market : Marché Bio City Hall : Nouvelle Mairie Art Gallery: Villa Medicis Fishing Spot : Lac des Collines Criminal Hideout : Cyber Crime Beach : La Petite Plage Gypsy Wagon : Oeil d’Irma Science Lab : Bio Sciences Supernatural Hangout : Taverne du Nain Business & Journalism : Centre d’Affaires Consignment Store : Boutique & Brocante Bistro : Bistro Gastronomie Nectary : Le Monastère School : Ecole Municipale Vampire Bar & Cocktail : Midnight Lounge

CHAMPIGNAC RESIDENTIAL LOTS

Maison Familiale : 1 double bed + 2 single bed Maison Bleu Indigo : 1 double bed Maison des Pensées : 2 double bed + 2 single bed Maison des Prés : 3 double bed + 1 single bed Maison Ensoleillée : 1 double bed + 1 single bed Maison des Colocs : 2 double bed Maison Élégante : 2 double bed + 2 single bed Maison Tournesol : 1 double bed + 1 single bed Maison Biscornue : 2 double bed + 1 single bed Maison des Haies : 1 double bed + 2 single bed Maison Neo Rustique : 1 double bed + 1 single bed Maison du Mardi : 1 double bed + 1 single bed Maison du Chanoine : 1 double bed + 1 single bed Maison de la Vieille Tour de Garde : 1 double bed Maison des Gardiens : 1 double bed + 1 single bed Maison des Roses : 1 double bed + 2 single bed Maison des Chardons : 1 double bed + 1 single bed Maison Nénuphars : 1 double bed + 1 single bed Maison du Bonjour : 1 double bed Maison en Coin : 1 double bed + 1 single bed Maison du Thym : 1 double bed + 2 single bed Maison Fougères : 1 double bed + 2 single bed Maison des Collines : 1 double bed + 1 single bed Maison du Coquelicot : 2 double bed Maison du Ginkgo : 1 double bed + 1 single bed Manoir Central : 2 double bed + 2 single bed Manoir Chapelle : 1 double bed + 1 single bed Mas des Vignes : 1 double bed + 1 single bed Ferme des Tortues : 2 double bed + 2 single bed Ancien Lavoir : 1 double bed + 2 single bed Ancienne Ferme : 1 double bed Intro de Qualité : 1 single bed Le Camp des Hippies : 1 double bed Le Bosquet de Gardenias : 1 double bed Champignac Starter no1 : 1 single bed Champignac Starter no2 : 1 single bed

We have carefully furnished all the houses of Champignac to avoid half empty houses when visiting your Sims friends in town but not too much to avoid useless weight ;)

Do you know the origin of the name Champignac ?

We'll ... Champignac is a village from Spirou & Fantasio which is one of the most popular classic Franco-Belgian comics. The series, which has been running since 1938, shares many characteristics with other European humorous adventure comics like The Adventures of Tintin and Asterix. It has been written and drawn by a succession of artists ... Spirou and Fantasio are the series' main characters, two adventurous journalists who run into fantastic adventures, aided by Spirou's pet squirrel Spip, the Marsipulami, and their inventor friend the Count of Champignac ... :D

Once again, sorry for the inconvenient. All files should be ok now, and oh ! one last detail ... Have Fun ! \o/

Blackgryffin

[warningsine]

Exquisitely twisted and perversely romantic, Interview with the Vampire returns with another feast of juicy melodrama.

Once again the story unfolds over multiple timeframes, structured around the titular interview with 145-year-old vampire Louis de Pointe du Lac (Jacob Anderson). Speaking to journalist Daniel Molloy (Eric Bogosian), he narrates a gothic memoir of love, betrayal, self-loathing, and inhuman morality. Part interrogation, part therapy, these interview scenes see Daniel attempt to dissect Louis' curated recollections of the past.

It's not surprising to learn that several of IWTV's writers are playwrights. Anchored by Jacob Anderson's multifaceted performance, the show switches back and forth between maximalist emotion and tense psychodrama, backed by a sumptuous orchestral score by Daniel Hart. The characters often seem to be performing for an audience, whether it's literally on stage, or in a persona crafted for someone else's benefit. These self-absorbed monsters simply love to create drama.

Season 1 ended with a one-two punch of plot twists, as Louis recounted the bloody end of his relationship with Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid) and revealed that his human assistant "Rashid" is actually his 514-year-old vampire lover, Armand (Assad Zaman). No wonder Daniel snidely compares Louis' life to a telenovela.

Keeping Armand on the backburner for an entire season was a thrillingly bold move, upending the power dynamics of the interview and giving Daniel a second source as we delve into Louis and Armand's first meeting in 1940s Paris.

After disposing of Lestat, Louis and Claudia (Delainey Hayles) travel through war-torn Europe in search of other vampires. Previously acting as father and daughter, they're now more like siblings, with Claudia dragging Louis along in her search for a vampiric family. Her quest leads them to the Théâtre des Vampires, a theater troupe who use gory cabaret to attract their human prey. Armand is their director, a subdued figure compared to showboating performers like the Théâtre's lead actor Santiago, a sexy egomaniac played to the hilt by the marvelous Ben Daniels. 

Replacing Claudia's original actor, Bailey Bass, Delainey Hayles reintroduces Claudia in a more mature role. Fearless but still yearning for recognition, she forges a new life while grappling with old, unsolvable problems. Immortality has trapped her in perpetual adolescence, a taboo in vampire culture. Intriguingly, her most interesting new relationship this season is with a human woman (Roxane Duran).

Louis, meanwhile, still struggles with his identity as a vampire. Wandering on the outskirts of human society, he becomes a compulsive photographer, trying to figure out his place in a world without Lestat. 

This season's biggest challenge is retaining the show's momentum without Sam Reid at center stage. His Lestat is the role of a lifetime: a magnetic tyrant whose powerhouse emotions balance out Jacob Anderson's more naturalistic performance. Their chemistry cemented IWTV as must-watch television, and you can't just throw that away. With Lestat unavoidably absent for this chunk of Louis' memories, the solution is to bring him back as a hallucinatory ghost, haunting Louis' blossoming romance with Armand. 

In yet another miraculous piece of casting, Assad Zaman is equally convincing as a steely vampiric leader and as a doe-eyed Renaissance muse. Surveying the world with a mournful, heavy-lidded gaze, his resting expression is haughty and serene. It's a serenity born of meticulous control, which Daniel Molloy threatens to disrupt.

Scorning Louis and Armand's cutesy displays as a happy couple, Daniel is now doubly motivated to find discrepancies in their story. His vampire hosts may hold all the physical power, but perhaps they made a mistake by inviting an investigative journalist over the threshold. 

Interview with the Vampire revels in the idea of subjective, unreliable narrators: redacted journals, emotional bias, supernatural hypnosis. Louis wants to take charge of his own story, narrating the historical flashbacks in a poetic, practiced monologue. He's probably been rehearsing this conversation for decades, keen to revise his first interview with Daniel in 1973 — a meeting that Daniel recalls with a suspicious lack of clarity. Behind this floats the specter of Armand-as-Rashid, sitting quietly in the corner of Louis' "solo" interview scenes last season. Armand wants to shape the narrative too.

In Season 1, Armand's ever-present iPad felt like an affectation of his secretarial persona. Now we recognize it as a facet of his controlling personality, constantly taking notes and managing his business at a distance. Back in the 1940s, this trait made itself known in his role as a theater director, watching from the rafters and scribbling in the margins of the company's scripts. Armand even takes his iPad to bed, a location that noticeably lacks the carnality of Louis' relationship with Lestat. 

Contrasting with Lestat's volatile passions, Armand presents himself as a civilized and caring partner. He's diligent and soft-spoken. He and Louis finish each other's sentences, mirroring their body language in coordinated outfits. Yet the absent Lestat still has immense gravitational pull in Louis' psyche. Driven by feverish desires and snarling fits of rage, his love was possessive, all-encompassing, and addictive. 

In a gothic romance, there's no escape and no happily-ever-after. Louis can't let go of Lestat, and Armand can't ignore Lestat's lingering presence in his lover's memories. Every permutation of this love triangle is toxic in its own way. Louis claims that Armand is the love of his life, but really he just exchanged one unhealthy relationship for another. You get the impression that Armand has spent decades troubleshooting the best way to keep Louis by his side, resulting in a soft, solicitous attitude with an undertone of Munchausen's by proxy. 

Armand's controlling influence extends to the architecture of their minimalist Dubai penthouse, a sort of luxury terrarium built to keep Louis contained. Once upon a time he visited jazz bars and rubbed shoulders with humanity. Now he's completely isolated from the outside world, cloistered away in a tax haven for business tycoons.

A set of decorative bars frame their bedroom like a cage, and the apartment's floor-to-ceiling windows represent a potential death trap for Louis. Unlike Armand, he's still young enough to be vulnerable to sunlight. Their household library is similarly tailored to Armand's superhuman powers, shelved in midair where Armand can fly up and peruse their collection but Louis — still stuck on the ground with the humans — faces a physical barrier to entry. 

Amid all this, you may find yourself hoping that this purse-mouthed little control freak gets what's coming to him. And that's the magic of Interview with the Vampire, because really, who are we kidding? Is Armand really the bad guy here? No! Everyone's the bad guy!

By any reasonable metric, all of the vampire characters are serial killers. At one point Armand and Louis have a flirty little chat while their pals massacre an entire mansion of partygoers in the background. It's absurd to analyze their story from a moralizing perspective. Claudia is probably the most sympathetic character of all, and she'd happily tear out throats from dusk till dawn. As for Lestat, we want him to return because he makes for good television, not because he's good for Louis.

This embrace of emotion over logic and ethics is what makes IWTV so compelling. Current pop culture isn't comfortable with melodrama, keeping it at arm's length with uncomfortable laughter and derogatory comparisons to soap opera. But Interview with the Vampire has no interest in irony or restraint. Its humor lies in the overlap between comedy and horror, and its central performances hinge on total commitment. Rarely do we see such a clever, creative work of adaptation, mining classic vampire tropes for a deliciously energizing take on the genre.

[photos-de-france]

Théâtre Sarah Bernhardt sur la Place du Châtelet, Paris.

[gentlemanpixelator]

Liège. Place du Théâtre.

[chicinsilk]

US Vogue April 1, 1953

Mary Jane Russell wears a small white straw scallop adorned with white roses – exactly the right amount of hat for any hat occasion taking place after five o'clock. And you can keep it in the theater: that's why the roses are placed low in the back. By Tatiana du Plessix; ready to wear.

Mary Jane Russell porte un petit pétoncle de paille blanche orné de roses blanches – exactement la bonne quantité de chapeau pour toute occasion de chapeau ayant lieu après cinq heures. Et vous pouvez le garder au théâtre : c'est pourquoi les roses sont placées bas dans le dos. Par Tatiana du Plessix ; prêt à porter.

Photo Frances McLaughlin vogue archive

[notsatyr]

btw the Théâtre des Vampires is historically accurate and based on a real theatre if anyone cares!! I was so so excited about the whole recreation lol I felt like such a nerd. This might already be established fact amongst long term book fans but allow me to nerd out about theatre history while I procastinate on my exams anyways <3

So if you ask me, it's entirely based on Le Théâtre du Grand-Guignol, a Parisian horror theatre that operated from 1897 to 1962 which alligns with the timeline. It is even placed in Pigalle, the same street as it's real life counterpart.

Much like we see in the show, the theater would put on a handful of smaller plays, alternating between plays of brutal violence and comedic plays in a pattern they called "hot and cold showers". The plays were generally about anything and everything taboo and often about the outcasts of society. Murder, insanity, incest, street urchins, you name it. The plays used a varity of over-the-top special effects to achieve it's gore.

The theatre attracted a wide varity of audience looking for a varity of experiences. In the middel war days, it would even see royalty and celebrities among it's audience. It was just as common for people to faint and need medical attention (something they hired doctors for, partially as a marketing trick) as it was for peopel to get so aroused that they had rentable boxes formerly used by nuns for... privacy. Right did I mention this all happened in a former chapel? this was in a former chapel. Which they also include in the shows version with stained glass doors, gothic wood carvings, and confessionals.

They also comment in the show on how the theatre had become "passe" following the war, which is also true; the theatre would see dwindling audience numbers from the end of the war untill it's closure in 1962. It's speculated that the horrors of the war had rendered their material less shocking; everyones ideas of what sort of violence humans where capable of had been changed for good.

ok. I need to go back to studying lmao but I might update with some pictures comparing Le Théâtre du Grand-Guignol to the Théâtre des Vampires depicted in the show + some more details later. Sufficient to say, the theatre nerd in me is very very excited about the commitment they put into depicting this little piece of theatre history.

[chic-a-gigot]

Le Petit écho de la mode, no. 51, vol. 18, 20 décembre 1896, Paris. 1. (1) Éventail à 4 fr. 95. — (2) Toilettes de bal ou de théâtre. Modèles de Mme de Mirebourg, 18, rue Papillon. Ville de Paris / Bibliothèque Forney

(1) Toilette en soie brochée. — Jupe toute unie montée à fronces derrière, le corsage froncé devant et dans le dos est rentré dans la jupe sous une haute ceinture terminée derrière, par un large nœud retenu par une boucle en strass, le haut du corsage décolleté en rond est entouré de petites pattes de velours bordées de dentelle, volant de dentelle formant manche, gants longs en suède, collier de perles et dentelle.

(1) Brochée silk ensemble. — Plain skirt fitted with gathers at the back, the gathered bodice at the front and back is tucked into the skirt under a high belt ending at the back, with a large bow held in place by a rhinestone buckle, the top of the round neckline bodice is surrounded by small velvet tabs edged with lace, lace flounce forming the sleeve, long suede gloves, pearl and lace necklace.

Matériaux: 13 mètres tissu.

—

(2) Toilette en soie Liberty. — Jupe unie froncée derrière, corsage froncé aux épaules légèrement partant des dessous de bras, retenus sur la poitrine par deux nœuds retenus par des boucles, manche formée par plusieurs rangs de plissé de mousseline de soie, gants longs en suède, collier de perles, aigrette dans les cheveux.

(2) Liberty silk ensemble. — Plain skirt gathered at the back, gathered bodice at the shoulders slightly extending from the underarms, held on the chest by two knots held in place by buckles, sleeve formed by several rows of pleated silk muslin, long suede gloves, pearl necklace, egret in the hair.

Matériaux: 14 mètres de soie.

[ecnerual]

Place du grand théâtre

Bordeaux

Luminescence 2023

[chloetrojan]

On est le dimanche 17 septembre, il est minuit 44 et cette aventure des concours d’entrée aux conservatoires de théâtre se termine pour moi. Cela fait maintenant plus de deux mois que je me prépare à ces examens. En me lançant dans ce long chemin semé d’embuches, je ne pensais pas vivre autant de choses et surtout j’ai appris à mieux me connaître. 

Évidement je me faisais un tas de scénarios dans ma tête pour je le pense me rassurer, car je plongeais dans l’inconnu. Je me suis donc préparé avec acharnement pendant les deux mois de vacances, j’ai choisi mes textes, je les ai décortiqués et je les ai appris par cœur, mais quand je dis par cœur c’est qu’ils me trottent dans la tête nuits et jours. Bien sûr ces deux mois n’ont pas toujours été de tout repos, j’ai beaucoup douté et j’ai rencontré le syndrome de l’imposteur. C’est ce sentiment de ne pas être à sa place, j’avais l’impression de me lancer dans un monde qui n’était pas le mien, mais je me suis accroché, j’ai persévéré et je lui ai dit adieu. Le 30 août j’ai passé le concours du Conservatoire royal de Bruxelles, j’étais impatiente, j’avais envie de m’amuser et de montrer cette flamme et cette envie d’être là. 

Je n’avais pas la crainte de l’inconnu, car le 28 août j’étais passé devant le jury en tant que réplique, d’ailleurs le jury m’avait demandé si ils allaient me revoir, ce qui était bon signe. 

Mon audition c’est très bien passée je me suis amusé, je n’ai pas eu de trou dans mes textes, ils m’ont demandé ma scène classique ( les Femmes Savantes, acte 1, scène 1), ma scène contemporaine ( Réunification des deux Corées, la scène amitié de Joël Pommerat), mon texte non dramatique( le discours des droits de la femme et de la citoyenne d’Olympe de Gouges) et ma chanson ( le paradis blanc de Michel Berger). Le lendemain je passe l’examen de l’INSAS, on a 45min pour apprendre et travailler un texte avec un candidat qu’on ne connait pas, on passe devant le jury, on joue la scène et ensuite on présente un solo de 2min top chrono. Pour mon solo j’ai expliqué l’histoire du Nichon et du Starbucks avec les photos des discussions et de mon gobelet. Le vendredi 1er septembre à 19h09 je recevais le mail du Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles me disant que j’étais prise au second tour. 

J’ai donc appris le dialogue et le texte non dramatique pendant le week-end. Le lundi matin à 9h commençait le second tour, on apprend qu’on était 300 candidats au premier tour et 52 sélectionnés au second tour sachant qu’ils allaient en prendre entre 20 et 25.   

Ces trois jours de second tour étaient extraordinaires, j’ai appris tellement de choses et surtout je me suis projeté et je me suis donné la liberté de rêver. Le matin du vendredi 8 septembre, j’apprenais que je n’étais pas prise au second tour de l’INSAS, je m’y attendais et je savais que je n’avais pas le profil pour cette école, mais ce fut une expérience. Le soir je me suis rendue au Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles pour la proclamation des élus et mon nom n'a pas été prononcé, je suis triste, des larmes coulent sur mon visage je vois autour de moi des larmes de joie et des larmes de tristesse pour ma part c’est des larmes de tristesse j’ai la gorge serrée, mon espoir s’écroule, je prends le temps de me poser, je parle avec ceux qui sont pris et d’autre qui ne sont pas pris, je fume une cigarette et elle a le goût de l’échec. Je vais voir les profs, la première chose qu’ils me disent est « Félicitations, tu n’as que 18 ans et un an de théâtre à ton actif et tu as été prise au second tour. » Ensuite ils me disent que je dois travailler ma palette d’émotions et mon expression corporelle, je le sais c’est des choses que je dois travailler, ils m’encouragent pour la suite et espèrent me revoir l’année prochaine. Je prends mon téléphone et j’appelle mes parents, j’ai envie de me faire toute petite, j’ai honte, tellement honte, je sens qu’ils sont déçus pour moi, mais me félicitent pour mon parcours, j’ai réussi à ne pas pleurer, je me montre forte devant eux. Je quitte le Conservatoire, je suis sur mon vélo et les larmes coulent, je pédale jusqu’à mon baby sitting, je sonne à la porte et je me montre souriante, confiante et heureuse même si en réalité c’est tout le contraire. Le lendemain matin ça va mieux je n’ai pas le temps de m’apitoyer sur mon sort, j’ai encore deux concours à passer, je dois rester concentré pas que pour moi, mais également pour ma réplique. Le dimanche 10 septembre, je me lève à 5h pour me rendre au Conservatoire de Liège, je ne souhaite pas rentrer dans cette école, car la pédagogie ne me convient pas et je le dis clairement dans mon dossier, mais c’est une expérience en plus, car ce concours est public. Je m’éclate sur scène. Lors de la proclamation le directeur ne prononce pas mon nom, mais en sortant du Conservatoire un prof vient me voir et me dit, qu’ils ont lu mon dossier et que si je n’avais pas noté que je ne voulais pas allez dans cette école, j’aurais été prise au second tour. Sans regret, je prends le train et je rentre sur Bruxelles, Liège ce n’est pas pour moi, Mons non plus d’ailleurs. J’apprends le 16 septembre à 23h45 que je ne suis pas prise pour le second tour de Mons. Je suis déçue, mais en même temps rassuré je me sens trop fatigué pour un second tour. Les concours c’est finis pour cette année. Lundi à 8h30 je serai à l’université pour des études de communication et de journalisme. 

Cette année je vais avoir le temps de me cultiver, je vais lire des pièces de théâtre, je vais encore plus aller au théâtre et au cinéma, je vais continuer les cours de théâtre et je vais faire des stages pour me représenter avec plus de matière au concours l’année prochaine et surtout je ne vais pas lâcher ce rêve ! Je n’aurais jamais pensé vivre autant de choses à 18 ans, mais je ne regrette rien je suis fière de moi et de mon parcours, toutes ces étapes franchies n’ont fait que confirmer cette envie qui bouillonne en moi.

Chloé Trojan.

[aloysiusrpg]

MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE (forum camping/low fantasy)

inspiration the white lotus, hsmtmts, the odyssee, gossip girl.

CONTEXTE.

“lundi, c’est aquabike,

mardi, c’est randonnée dans les bois,

mercredi, c’est bronzette sur la plage,

jeudi, c’est cours de poterie avec les amis,

vendredi, c’est initiation au tai-chi

samedi, c’est soirée au camping,

dimanche, c’est pic-nic avec les voisins

et après ?

et après c’est la même chose,

lundi, c’est tournoi de volley-ball,

mardi, c’est veillée autour d’un feu de camp à faire griller les chamallows

mais on repart quand ?

pourquoi tu veux repartir ? on est pas bien là,

on est bien là, oui”

tel un cirque itinéraire, le campus du lotus blanc s’était installé ici-là pour une durée de quelques mois. Il attirait les foules, offrant un complexe et des infrastructures sans pareilles et les gens restaient, sans trop savoir pourquoi, goûtant les mets les plus somptueux à base de lotus. et puis lorsqu’il y en avait plus, c’était la fin des vacances, tous pliaient bagages et reprenaient leur vie jusqu’à ce que le lotus blanc apparaisse à un autre endroit du globe.

Le camping, c’est le théâtre de la découverte de soi, de la découverte des autres, des rencontres amicales ou amoureuses, des drames soudains, du divertissement sans borne, des limites franchies allant jusqu’aux plus noires envies.

vous aussi, rejoignez le lotus blanc parce qu’on sait pas jusqu’’à quand ça durera, ni où ça nous mènera.

PRESENTATION DU FORUM.

MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE (MIAB) est un forum de type camping se voulant être éphémère, c’est-à-dire qui dure entre 4/5 mois et après ? si ça marche, l’endroit, le décor, tout change, vous pourrez conserver vos personnages ou en changer car le lotus blanc se veut être itinérant.

c’est aussi un forum qui se veut être chill, pas de mots ou de lignes exigées, on répond quand on veut, à son rythme. Les rps courts sont plutôt privilégiés, en plus des différents moyens de communication qui seront mis en place. Des animations inrp seront là pour satisfaire à la fois celleux qui n’ont pas trop le temps de se consacrer au forum ainsi que celleux qui veulent s’investir à fond. le but (même si c’est toujours une douce utopie) c’est que chacun.e y trouve son compte.

A CE STADE

Je lance l’idée, je suis seul à bord avec mon petit imaginaire et mes petites mains pour écrire, évidemment, je cherche un à deux compères qui seraient partant.e.s pour se lancer dans l’aventure (à savoir que je vise personnellement une ouverture fin avril). Je cherche aussi quelqu’un qui serait prêt à coder/grapher, sans forcément être dans le staff s’iel ne veut pas. évidemment avoir déjà administrer est un plus et se montrer communicatif aide aussi.

bref si ça vous intéresse, go go go et mpottez moi.