#prague is beautiful actually

[zombie-bait]

What if I told you guys I had the chance to visit Prague last year and made it my sole, sacred mission to take photos in front of the Theatre of Vampires filming location

[bee-named-alex]

OMG. ok so IWTV s2 ep8... Finished it like two minutes ago so here are my thoughts. SPOILERS.

Yeah no there's no way I can wait for like two years for the next season. No fucking way.

This episode was amazing. I don't want to say masterpiece (because I'm sure there are flaws that I'm just not observant enough to see) but it is for sure the word I'm thinking.

Lemme try and go somewhat chronologically.

The start, heartbreaking, the speech "the suit changes nothing" oh my hell. The rocks that's fucked no thank you. Armand saving Louis "again" and Louis not even wanting to be alive. The way he talks about it "My rage was denied, my rage killed..." like he was out of his body and acting on autopilot (like he seems to do a lot actually)

His burning down the theater and killing of Santiago filled me with so much joy. They very much deserved it and omg he got them. He was like an angel of revenge (and he looked angelic too, sorry, no I cannpt be normal, he was gorgeous)

Armand's "I'll spend the rest of my life trying to make it up to you" and Louis' "You can't" and yes he cannot but he will try (by erasing your memories i guess lol)

Meeting with Lestat in Magnus' lair hurt. "Here's your death" and the kiss (after not even wanting to be with armand really and just doing it to hurt lestat) and the speech after and we're basically threatning him with loneliness again and it's just so... no words really. Hurtful and tragic for Lestat (especially since he was the one to save him like that's fuckeddd)

Dubai. "That's the end of it" halfway through the episode and their weird happiness like it was obvious something was gonna get fucked and I'm glad it did.

Investigative journalist Daniel Molloy using his powers for good aka making these two vamipires divorce (which he almost did 50 years ago but this time it's on purpose). Love him.

I love how he eases Louis with the little stuff, the discrepancies (that were in the show on purpose they make no mistakes yay), and how with every second Louis doubts everything more and more and how with every second Armand's eyes show a little more fear.

Lestat actually being the one to save Louis wasn't totally unexpected but tbh Armand kinda had me fooled. Not in this really but like I thought he was a passive participant of the trial like he just didn't intervene and not that he was the fucking director??

And now I'm not sure if he just didn't love Louis as much as we thought or if he was actually that much of a coward. Probably the second one tho, given how much he did to secure Louis' love (gaslight, lie, change memories... you know totally normal stuff) and how afraid he is to be losing it now.

Louis fucking Armand up even if it's just a little is great, I have been waiting for it. Go away Armand and think about what you did. (I love you so much but nope rn you're not staying)

And then Louis goes to New Orleans and meets Lestat at his lowest and omg my heart hurts (thank god for "siri pause" it made me laugh)

And their conversation about Louis' turning and Claudia and San Francisco and the hurt and the tears and the little voice cracks and there I was crying too. With every word I wanted to push them together so that they would fucking hug and then they finally did and I know they'll be alright (as alright as one can be in this situation)

Then the tv thing gave me fucking whiplash like lmao. Fictional memoir my ass. Don't you disrespect my boy Daniel like that. Speaking of, Daniel has been turned. OMFG? Like I knew he would eventually and I knew it would be Armand but I didn't expect it now??? And we didn't see it but fingers crossed we get it later.

And there must be something more to it, Armand with his disgust wouldn't turn him just out of anger, so there must've been another reason (Devil's minion or maybe to save his life idk)

Louis in his tower alone (? Lestat is getting ready for tour I hope) and he knows that they are after him. But he owns the night. Powerful shit. He might have a death wish also idk.

I just. Am done. This was something else and there was a lot of it and my mind is still spinning a little.

Everyone who worked on this show deserves the world and the actors even more so and I need the next season like yesterday.

[zweiginator]

riding patrick's thigh like it's the last thing you'll ever do <3

thinking about this w/ stepbro!patrick.

you had met him in may, when the semester ended and he picked you up from your university. and you were good for a few weeks; you kept everything very diplomatic, very moral.

you both knew your desires existed far, far beyond the moral compass you were dead set on following, at first. but you both really thought you could do it, you could quell those desires, that fiery need for each other.

it became harder when patrick's dad and your mom went away for two weeks. it was sudden, but patrick's father decided he wanted to take your mother on a trip. maybe to prague, italy--neither of you remembered. you just remembered the palpable, muggy tension between you and patrick when they sat you down to tell you.

there wasn't that all-encompassing fear of being caught anymore. no extra siblings in the house to add to that fear. just you and patrick and a big, big mansion.

it was immediate, the two of you breaking your untold promises. patrick kept the door open when he was showering the night they left. jerked his cock unabashedly, his hand braced against the side of the shower. you saw his silhouette when you walked past, how his head was thrown back, the daring outline of his cock wrapped in a strong fist. patrick knew you were right there.

you got in the shower with him. you kissed until your lips were bruised and your necks were covered in nibbles and marks that represented weeks of pent up sexual tension, the ineffable desire that comes with something so wrong, so taboo. but that's all you did, kissed. even with the hot water running over you and him, you would only go that far.

two days later, patrick invited his friends over. they drank and played card games and talked about girls and life and future endeavors and you listened to their conversation as you got a cup of water. you pretended like you were going to bed early. his friends whispered about how beautiful you were, asked patrick if you were single. he shrugged. and the primal, boyish desire he had to claim you that night was what fueled him to knock on your bedroom door after his friends left.

you touched each other, felt the heaviness of his cock. his fingers slipped into your cunt, and he came in his shorts as you rocked yourself on them, playing with your own tits, using him as a means to get off.

and every time it was the same thing. breathless oaths to each other.

"we can't do this again--this is the last time."

"this is wrong."

but the useless promises were punctuated by sloppy kisses, pushing a thumb into patrick's mouth, rocking against his length.

he fucked you for the first time the night before they were set to come home. pulled your legs over his shoulders and fucked you hard and deep. your underwear pushed to the side, and his barely pulled down. he dribbled spit into your mouth and rubbed your clit and came as he pulled you up, holding you to his chest as your eyes rolled back.

you both said this was over and didn't acknowledge how hard it would be to stick to those words.

so when they got back, your mood was low. patrick's was too, but he camouflaged it a little better. you both chocked it up to having too much fun, an innuendo that to them alluded to drinking too much and not what actually occurred.

after dinner, it felt like days you spent in limbo, waiting for them to go to bed. when they finally did, you didn't waste time before going to patrick's room. he shook his head at you.

"no." he whispered, stern. he was on his bed, flipping through a tennis magazine. the air conditioning didn't work as well upstairs, so his shirt was off, discarded on the floor. "it's over. we had our fun but we can't."

"we can't what?" you acted stupid. so stupid, because you knew it pissed him off.

it did. "did you not fucking hear me? we said no more once they got back. well, they're back now. i'm not getting my teeth kicked out by my dad when he finds me balls-deep in my fucking stepsister."

his tone made you wet. his words made you wetter. and god, this was so fucked up. but there was nobody you could go to about it--except for patrick.

"then we don't have to do that."

"that's what i said." patrick said, misunderstanding your point.

"i mean, you can fuck me--without really fucking me." you twirled a strand of your hair and patrick was pissed. because he has no fucking control over himself. and you were wearing little pajama shorts that were riding up and a tight tank top with no bra and he knew you knew what this does to him.

"how?" he asked. he got up, quietly shut the door behind you and locked it.

"just sit down, you don't even have to do anything. it's all me." you batted your eyelashes and patrick threw his magazine down.

he sat on the edge of his bed and you mounted his thigh. it was hairy, strong, and oh so sturdy. patrick felt your wetness immediately, and he looked at you, confused.

and then you started rocking on his thigh, your hands braced near his pelvis. you pressed your forehead to his so your lips ghosted over his. the soft whimpers leaving your mouth tickled his bottom lip and he wrapped a hand around your throat.

"shut up, be quiet. you're such a fucking whore."

that made you rock your hips faster. you ran a hand up your torso, played with your tits. your nipples were taut, hard against your fingers, and patrick found it hard to restrain himself. he wanted to roll them between his fingers, suck on them, make you scream his fucking name.

but this was all you. your perverted little fantasy. so he let you fuck yourself on him until your legs shook. the bed squeaked, and the headboard slammed against the wall with the force of your movements. patrick, however, forgot about his former words. he held your hips and talked you through your orgasm. talked himself into one.

the thing about a promise, about telling a lie, is that you can warp the truth, make your own meaning. you can omit some things, and stretch the language to fit your own desires. that's all you were doing.

but you still moaned in each other's mouths as you came:

"this is the last time--we can't do this again."

[freyito]

Can you write something where the Smoke's s/o talked him into going to Smoke's hometown together?

yall got me doing so much research for this man, and i love it!!! turns out his hometown is Prague, which i dont know why but i didnt expect. but hey, beautiful city to fit a beautiful man. man now i really wanna go to prague, yall got me ON SOMETHING. update yall when i do lmfaooo

cw: fluff, thats really all, sweet ol' tomas, gn reader, proofread

-𝙎𝙈𝙊𝙆𝙀 𝙍𝙀𝙏𝙐𝙍𝙉𝙎 𝙏𝙊 𝙋𝙍𝘼𝙂𝙐𝙀

At first, Tomas was apprehensive about returning to Prague. It had been a while since he had seen the city. Truth be told, he was a little afraid of change.

But he gives in, especially to you. He figures if he's stayed connected to his Czechian culture, it'd be a wasted opportunity to not go back to Prague.

He admits, his Czech isn't on par with locals anymore, either. Yes, he's studied it and has made it a point to use it, but especially with the Lin Kuei, his English and Chinese out-weigh his Czech. Lucky for you two, about 50% of the population in Prague speaks English, especially waiters. And Tomas is able to cover for the remaining 50%.

Bonus points, if you speak Russian, you get to roughly understand 74% of that 50% of Czech. If you speak Polish, however, you'll only be able to roughly understand about 36%.

Tomas loves the idea of you learning Czech, too. He'll absolutely help, he thinks that it is a really good bonding experience, and it definitely brings you two closer.

Some of the things Tomas is interested in doing when you two end up in Prague is going to the Lobkowicz Palace, an art museum. He definitely wants to explore every little place, but out of the popular tourist attractions, that's the first that caught his eye. He'd also love to see the castle, just out of fascination.

He also takes you to Old Town at night, simply because he thinks it's beautiful. And it shows just a little bit of what he remembered. He isn't much of a pub crawler, but he will follow you if you wish. And if you just want to go to a club to dance, he's down too.

Speaking of clubs, Tomas seems particularly interested in going to the Jazz Dock, as surprising as it may be. He looooves dancing with you, even surrounded by strangers.

To be honest, he just really enjoys the night scene. Not surprising, really. But he loves how the city lights offer a subtle glow against your figure, he thinks it compliments you as a whole.

Tomas will always treat you to dinner, too. He'll take you to some of the more popular, tourist spots if you so wish, but he prefers the smaller local cafés and diners. His favorite has to be the Bella Vida café, while not small or local by any means, he loves the river view and just the coziness of the café.

Another bonus, if you go down there during St Wenceslas Day (Today, actually, September 28th, as I'm writing), Tomas won't mind participating. More of, he'll observe, since he likes to be in-tune with his Czech history, especially since this day is about Czechian history.

© freyito, 2024 | masterlist | queue | kofi DO NOT REPOST AS YOUR OWN OR USE FOR AI/AI CHATBOTS.

[statelysapphic]

Made for Me

Alex Blake x Reader

Summary: After risking your life to save a victim, Alex shows you the comfort you need. Soulmate AU. Covers a square for @prentiss-theorem’s bingo!

Warnings: Typical BAU case talk, mentions of violence. Hurt/comfort. Slight angst.

A/N: I just thought Alex Blake deserved her own Soulmate AU, so I wrote one. I’d absolutely love to know what yinz think because I got SO carried away while writing this. But, I am happy with how it turned out. As always, feedback is always appreciated! Thank you<3

Word Count: 3k

Ao3 Link

“What were you thinking?” Hotch gritted through his teeth, clearly trying not to lose his temper entirely. You knew he was more frustrated than angry, and you supposed he had every right to be. Instead of heading back to the precinct to wrap up an excruciating case, you were sitting on the back bumper of an ambulance, nursing a fresh oxygen tank, drenched and freezing. “Well?”

“Oh, that wasn’t rhetorical?” You quipped, moving the mask away from your face. “Figured it was a nice evening for a swim,” dripping in sarcasm.

“This isn’t the time.” Hotch snapped, rolled his eyes, and shot you a stern look. You weren’t having it, though, wishing until you were at least dry to reprimand you. You looked at him, disgust washing over you.

“Well, I was thinking about the unconscious, tied-up, redhead Nichols tossed off the dock, when none of the women in the county missing reports had red hair! He abducted her this morning, Hotch, she hadn’t even been missing long enough to file a report!”

“You unnecessarily risked your own life to ‘rescue’ a dead body from fourty degree water,” he barks back, not thrilled with your response. “The ME said she won’t be able to verify it until the autopsy, but she’s almost certain the victim was dead before she hit the water. Your decision was reckless and uncalc-”

“And what if she hadn’t been?” You interrupt. “What if she had still been alive and she drowned, huh? What then?” You knew you shouldn’t have been pushing his buttons like you were, but then again, he came in swinging. “I watched him toss her in the river and reach for his gun, Blake and I fired, and when he went down, I dove in after her. You may disagree, but I would do it again without hesitation.” You stood firm, reminding him that you were not the inexperienced agent you once were.

“I’d rather have river rescue only looking for one body as opposed to two. Get some rest. Wheels up at 8.”

You watched Hotch as he walked away and stopped to talk to Alex. Alex. She witnessed everything. She was still somewhat new on the team, but the two of you clicked instantly. You could listen to her talk about everything and nothing, for hours on end, and be simply enthralled every second. And though she was older than you, you had a lot of mutual interests. You also thought she was beautiful. For a moment, you wondered if she could be your soulmate, but that thought was quickly forgotten when you reminded yourself that she was married, and that almost no one actually finds their soul mate. You knew you weren’t lucky enough to be the one in a million. Besides, you and Alex had been working in tandem for the past month, and though you can’t recall specifics, you’re certain the two of you have touched at some point in passing, and you lacked a soulmark.

Dylan Nichols, the unsub, had been one of the lucky ones. His luck, however, ran out when his soulmate had an affair, left him, married the other man a few months later, and moved to Prague. Heartbroken and enraged, Nichols began abducting and murdering surrogates. Six of his seven victims had similar physical features to his estranged soulmate. The seventh woman, Anna, fell victim to his very rapid and extreme escalation. It was an exhausting case, and though you don’t enjoy having to play the role of executioner, you knew this was probably the best outcome.

“You look cold,” Alex said, catching your attention and breaking your train of thought, raking her eyes over your visibly shivering figure. Without another word, she held up a blanket, unfolded it, and wrapped it around your shoulders. “Here, I found this in the back of the SUV. It won’t dry your clothes, but it should help keep the wind off you until we get back to the hotel.” She smoothed out the blanket where it was lying on your shoulders, allowing her hands to linger for just a moment. She would be lying if she said she wasn’t struck with terror when you jumped into the river to save the victim. Even though it was spring, the water temperature was still near freezing. It was close to midnight if that hadn’t been enough, meaning the ordinarily murky water was pitch black.

“Thanks,” you said, grinning, trying not to focus too hard on Alex’s lingering hands. She was gentle, but firm. Possessive, almost. You examined her face as she took a seat beside you. She was trying to hide the worry, but you could see right through her. “You think I’m an idiot, don’t you?” You asked, preparing for her to lecture you just like Hotch.

“I think your dedication to your job is admirable,” she said, her gentle tone did not falter, “Just don’t make a habit of scaring me like that, okay?” She grinned, one hand still on your shoulder. Whether or not Alex would admit it, the physical contact was grounding her after the intense showdown with the unsub. She cared about you, she reminded herself that you were okay. “I’m going to go start the SUV, get it warmed up for you. Finish up with the paramedics and we can head back to the hotel.”

“You’re too good to me, Blake,” your chuckled, cracking a small grin, “Thank you, seriously. I’ll be there soon.” She smiled at you for a few seconds longer before she stood up and made her way to the car. You smiled as you covered your face with the oxygen mask, thinking only of the warm SUV (and Alex Blake) that awaited you.

~

The paramedics released you shortly thereafter. Alex drove you back to the hotel, but not before she stopped at the convenience store a few blocks away. You had been so lost in your own thoughts that you hadn’t realized you stopped. You didn’t even realize the car was in park until Alex closed her car door and walked into the store without a word. When Alex returned, she placed two small, styrofoam cups in your respective cup holders.

“What’s this?” You asked, picking up the cup and soaking in its warmth.

“I figured we could use some hot chocolate. You especially. It’s shitty convenience store hot chocolate, but it’s what I have to offer at the moment,” she said, “When we get back to Virginia, I’ll make you the best coco you’ve ever had.”

“Be careful, Blake,” you joked, “You may end up stuck with me at this rate. Thank you, I didn’t realize you were a world class hot chocolate chef.” Not that that was the worst thought in the world, spending the rest of your days with Alex. You imagined they would be filled with domesticity: Sunday grocery store trips, evenings in bed reading the same book (you’d buy two copies, of course) and comparing notes along the way, and people watching on the front porch together while you had your morning coffee. It felt easy, existing with Alex. She brought you a peace that only existed with her, and it was unlike anything you had ever known. Such a stark contrast from the day to day chaos of your job.

“You think I’d mind?” She asked, raising an eyebrow and smirking. “And I have to keep you on your toes somehow. The recipe is from my mother-in-law. Apparently James used to love it as a kid, but lost the taste for it as he grew older.” James. Right. The husband. Jealousy washed over you, and you quickly reminded yourself that she wasn’t yours. You didn’t understand how you formed such a connection with Alex in the month she had been with the BAU, but you felt drawn to her from the moment she walked into the bullpen. She was, undoubtedly, the most beautiful woman you had ever seen, and when you heard her voice, you thought you had died and gone to heaven. You wouldn’t say you were in love with Alex, but you were falling for her. There was no denying that.

You wondered if James was her soulmate, if she had a soulmark that beautifly painted her skin. It wasn’t something people talked about very often, many not even believing in such a thing, because of it’s rarity. You weren’t sure if it was appropriate to ask either, so you opted to stay quiet.

The ride back to the hotel was silent. You were too lost in your own thoughts to hold a conversation, and Alex could tell. This was a behavior you hadn’t exhibited before. She hoped you were just exhausted and that you hadn’t been traumatized by the evenings events, though she knew it was fueling your thoughts. She didn’t want to pry, but she was worried, so she parked the car and spoke up. “What’s on your mind, Agent?” She lightly teased, hoping it would help you open up, “And you can’t tell me nothing, because I can tell it’s something.”

“I guess,” you paused, wanting to provide a coherent thought while still being vague, “It’s the whole soulmate thing. I guess I just think it’s a little fucked up the universe handcrafted the perfect other half for every single person on Earth but couldn’t even make the bond between them unbreakable.”

“I supposed I’d have to agree with you,” she replied, pulling into the hotel parking lot “I also think it’s a bit cruel that the chances of finding ones soulmate is as low as it is. At least give people a chance.” You chuckled at her sentiment.

“Is James your soulmate?” The words are out of your mouth before you can even begin to debate asking her. Your eyes go wide and your stomach twists into a knot. Panicking, you manage, “Fuck, you don’t have to answer that. That’s super personal and I shouldn’t have asked.” Alex didn’t seem to be phased by your question, though.

“No, he’s not. And that’s okay,” she smiled, “But, secretly, there is a part of me that hopes I do someday.”

“Me too,” you replied, “Ever since I was little. I’ve always remained realistic about the odds of it actually happening, but I allow myself to dream a little.” You chuckled for a moment before lifting your styrofoam cup and pushing it towards Alex, “Here’s to dreaming, cheers.” Alex lifted her cup, bumping it into yours with a laugh.

“Cheers.” You both take hefty swigs of your now lukewarm hot chocolate before heading into the hotel for the night.

~

Conveniently, you had been bunked up with Alex for this case, so she was able to ensure you made it to bed safely. She walked you into the hotel room, her hand at your lower back, guiding you forward.

“Go take a warm shower and get out of those wet clothes. You’ll feel much better, trust me.” She took the blanket from you as you unwrapped yourself, and placed some fresh towels in your hand. You felt your eyes begin to well up and burn; the care she was showing you was unlike any you’ve received before. You felt safe and loved. You quickly turned your head to try and hide your emotion and made your way to the bathroom.

“Thank you again, Alex. I hope you know how much I appreciate your kindness.” you said before closing the bathroom door and clicking the lock.

Finally.

You were alone. Tears began to stream down your face as you looked at your reflection in the oversized bathroom mirror. You looked like hell. You were damp, muddy, and cold to the touch. Your lips, though returning to their normal pink, were still a light shade of blue around portions of their perimeter. All in another days work you think to yourself. You open the door to the walk-in shower and turn the water on to let it heat up. You inhaled deeply and closed your eyes as you began to remove your soiled clothes. Once your shirt and slacks were off, you made your way back over to the mirror to check for any cuts or bruises. Amongst your dirty form, however, sat two golden yellow and orange hand prints on either shoulder.

It can’t be. You stop dead in your tracks, unsure of what to do next. Instinctually, you rubbed your hand over your shoulder, trying to clean the print off, but it wasn’t working. Then you jumped into the shower, thinking the hot water and cheap hotel soap might do the trick. Of course that didn’t work, ruining your hopes it was just a sick prank or some sort. They were your soulmarks, and Alex was your soulmate. You knew instantly, remembering how she covered you up earlier. There was no denying it. Now you were faced with the task of telling her. You know it isn’t something you can hide forever. Panic takes over you. You know she wants to know who her soulmate is, and she deserved that, but you also know that she wouldn’t choose you. She said it herself, James wasn’t her soulmate, but she was okay with it. A knock at the door grabbed your attention.

“Everything okay in there?” She yelled,” You’ve been a while. I just started to worry, that’s all.” You hadn’t realized how long you had been in the shower, and now you felt guilty for keeping Alex up so late.

“All good, sorry, I’ll be out in a few.” You quickly turned the shower off and grabbed a towel to dry off. As you walked from the shower to the bathroom sink, you realized you forgot to grab your pajamas, so you were going to have to face this head on and nude. “Fuck,” you whisper to yourself. You looked back at your now clean reflection, admiring the marks on your shoulders. You couldn’t help but smile. Though you knew it would hurt like hell, you knew Alex deserved to know the truth. You took a deep breath and made your way into the room.

Alex was sat on her bed, hair pulled back in a clip, glasses hanging low on her nose, reading the book she usually saves for the plane ride home. She looked beautiful. You enjoyed this image of Alex for a moment longer. “Alex?” You said softly, drawing her attention away from her novel. She looked up at you and smiled. Her eyes flickered to each of your shoulders and then back to your eyes. Wordlessly, she placed her book on the nightstand, followed by her glasses, and stood from the bed. She slowly made her way over to you, never breaking eye contact. You were frozen in place, thoroughly studying her face. She didn’t seem to be upset in any capacity, nor was her emotion negative. She seemed curious and, dare you say, excited? The tightness in your chest loosened and your face flushed red.

Once in front of you, she paused for a moment before slowly raising her hands and placing them on your shoulders, perfectly covering your soulmarks.

“I knew it,” She whispered, smiling softly as tears prickled her eyes. “I knew you were made for me.” She moved one hand to cup your cheek, while the other remained on your mark. Alex had thought once or twice that you might have been her soulmate. There was no denying the connection she had with you, nor the attraction she felt towards you. And though she didn’t talk about it, she knew her marriage to James was over before she even started at the BAU. She cared about James, yes, but the two had grown apart over the years. She loved him, but she was no longer in love with him. You, however.

“I’m not sure what to say,” you replied, your smile wavering slightly. She was everything you wanted, but she was a married woman and your colleague, no less. You knew what you wanted, but you weren’t sure she would want the same. Would she think you were worth it? Alex noticed your hesitation, and pulled you closer. Her grip on you was possessive, as if she feared you would vanish from her arms.

“Tell me what you’re thinking, sweetheart.” You melted at the sweetness in her voice

and her choice of nickname. You would do anything she told you to, and that was a fact. “I need to know what’s going on in your head so that I can help.” She was so gentle. You knew if she rejected you it was going to hurt like hell and you didn’t want to risk losing a great friend.

“I don’t want to lose you, Alex. I know this changes things, but you’re too good of a friend to risk losing. You don’t even have to tell James. If you don’t have a soulmark already, I just won’t touch you and it’ll all be okay. But, I would be lying if I told you it wouldn’t hurt me. I care about you so much.” As you choked out your thoughts, you felt yourself begin to cry, but you didn’t stop yourself. Alex felt her heart breaking. “I wasn’t even going to tell you. I was going to try and hide it, but then I remembered what you told me in the car, and I didn’t think it would be right. I’m so sorry, Alex.”

“Sweetheart,” she says, interrupting your rambling, “Hold me.”

“What?” You weren’t sure you heard her correctly.

“I said,” she enunciated, closing the already small gap between the two of you, “Hold me. Please.” She grabbed ahold of your wrists and slowly wrapped your arms around her body. Your hands settled on her back knowing her soulmark would appear, and you pulled her close anyway, not that she could get much closer. You relaxed at her touch, as her hands returned to your shoulders and she rested her forehead against yours. “I want this,” she said, “Us. You and I against the world.”

“Alex,” you paused, “Are you sure? You have a husband and a stable life. I’m just me. This doesn’t have to mean anything if you don’t want it to.”

“I’ve been falling for you since the first case we worked on together.” she jumped in before you could get another word out, “I don’t think I’ve been more sure of anything. Besides, only an idiot would pass up a life with their other half.” She smiled and you followed suit. You were shocked that she felt the same, considering it seemed all odds were against you. The two of you stood in each others arms there for a few minutes, basking in the love and excitement of the moment, before you broke the silence.

“Alex?” You asked.

“Yes, sweetheart?”

“Kiss me,” You said. And without hesitation, Alex cupped your face and her lips were on yours. They were soft, like the fluffiest pillows money could buy. You fit perfectly together. No other kiss had ever felt anything like it, and you could tell Alex was pouring her heart and soul into it. You knew she was trying to tell you that this was real for her. You didn’t need much convincing though. Breaking the kiss, you smiled at Alex, and she smiled back.

“Let’s get some rest,” she whispered. And you did, better than you probably ever had before, thanks to Alex. She had fallen asleep laying on your chest with an arm around your waist. When you woke up the next morning, she was still in the same spot. You felt whole knowing that you had she wanted you just as you wanted her. Though you didn’t like to think about the future too much, in that moment, you knew there wasn’t anything you couldn’t do with Alex by your side.

[dreamgrlarchive]

Nicki Minaj’s The Pinkprint Era (+No Frauds)

#PrettyHeiressDiaries: Eras Edition 🎀

this is my first #PrettyHeiressDiaries post. as i’ve previously stated, this series is going to be me diving into my fav muses and celebs and dissecting what i can take from these lovely ladies. this blog will focus on Nicki Minaj’s branding from 2014-2017 roughly. + a few Queen era looks.

The Pinkprint Era Style Elements:

the pinkprint was alter ego free, and a return to hiphop and r&b for nicki. meaning she was highly stripped of the campy pop rap star we had come to know. it was chic DOWN. think collector barbie vs the harajuku barbie. don’t mistake me though, onika was still very in touch with her cutesy girly side. there was a balance of sexy and chic with a few drops of cute. and this is why the pinkprint era is my absolute favorite, with her looks being a standard i follow for a lot of my looks.

nicki’s cute mirrors 🎀

nicki’s iconic black barbie insta selfies, wearing real hair or natural extensions(often textured ponytails and blowouts), minimal makeup and natural beats 🎀

lots of black and neutrals, statement purses (often times chanel) 🎀

nicki makes a return to the harajuku barbie aesthetic during the pinkprint tour 🎀 +

prissy pink looks i loved from this era 🎀

No Frauds Era Style Elements:

after the pinkprint era was dying down and nicki had become the victim of “the nicki hate train,” her style was still reminiscent of pinkprint. but i would say her branding shifted from the demure somewhat sweetheart to more of an unapologetically bad bitch. this is marked as the “no frauds era” (the time between pinkprint and queen)

glamorous gowns, grandiose blingy bodysuits and adornments, continuing from the pinkprint aesthetic, she’s still wearing natural glams and hairstyles 🎀 +

latex catsuits, lacey looks, pink as seen in the paper magazine cover and the motorsport video 🎀

literally queen couture (tiaras, headpieces, and maximalist furs), the subtle return of the barbie chain, 40 inch “you b*tches can’t even spell prague” naomi/cher hair 🎀

My Fav Queen Era Looks:

ex. tusa videoshoot, harpers bazaar vietnam cover, 2018 vma look, chun li cover art look, 2018 harpers bazaar look 🎀

So What Can We Learn?

Nicki’s style has never been anything short of ultra femme and makes it clear she’s not afraid to take up space and your attention.

As her branding and look shifts through these eras, it’s as if she’s becoming more aggressive with the her fashion to speak to the public.

During The Pinkprint Era, she said “Look, I can put the pink wigs and rainbow paint away and still capture attention while making quality work. Respect me.”

The No Frauds Era saw her evolve into a more flashy Nicki while taking hints of her past looks to say “I AM the greatest, you will NEVER top me, and I can remind you who I am.” Note the Barbie chain while also dressing like modern day royalty.

Nicki Minaj is a highly polarizing figure in pop culture but that should not stop us from acknowledging the cultural resets she’s delivered us in the fashion and beauty industry. When she said “I got all these girls wantin’ to be Barbie Dollz,” it wasn’t just a line, ITS TRUE. So many influential girls on instagram look like either Nicki, Kim K, or Madison Beer, just to name a few. The girls have taken a heavy note from the colored hair, bussdown middle part inches, bulky chains, all while trying to maintain an untouchable level of HYPERFEMININITY. An actual BLACK BARBIE.

-PrettyHeiressDiaries 🎀

credits: nathyyy and blessing mukosha via youtube, @thevirgodoll and @babyphat05’s breakdowns on femmes in the culture on the respective personal blogs.

[palacholic]

one thing i really love about prague (or actually every bigger city) is the amount of alternative dressed people you encounter almost everywhere. going grocery shopping? say hi to the emo/scene kids with their monster energy drinks. visiting a graveyard? maybe you can spot the occasional goth or emo wandering among the graves. on public transport? i get so happy each time i see someone who looks cool. walking around the city? beautiful alt people everywhere. in every bigger university lecture there's some of them and sometimes we sit next to each other and chat. i've got and given so many compliments over hair styles, outfits, band merch, diy stuff...it's so nice to meet people who like the same things as you, who dress the way they want and feel confident doing so. to you all, alt people of prague and the world: you are so beautiful and i love you all so much

[cheriedies]

Naoki Urasawa's Monster in real life

So, I spent my holidays in Czechia and realized it would be a good opportunity to try and find the real life references and inspirations for one of my favourite anime series - Monster (haven't gotten my hands on the manga yET). After a bit of research I found that @fuckyeahjohanliebert has already done this almost a decade ago and their account has been extremely helpful. I also used the websites that I've linked at the very end of the post and you should definitely check them out as I didn't get the chance to visit every single location. It is honestly incredible how much work this person has put into their research. With that being said, here is what these places look like as of January 2023, alongside some tips I wanted to share in case you decide to visit them during your stay in Prague!

Let's start with the easiest location: Charles Bridge. It is probably the most visited place in Prague and so it can be quite crowded, especially around NYE.

Next, we have a shot of a tram in front of what today is the Palladium, a large shopping mall. Location: Nám. Republiky 1078/1, 110 00 Petrská čtvrť, Czechia

Okay, this one was a bit tricky because I wasn't able to find the exact reference for the Tri Zaba (Three Toads) sign. Most sources pointed me towards Hotel U Tri Pstrosu (Three Ostriches) which is right besides the Charles Bridge. However, a reddit user posted a picture from U Tri Capu hotel (Three Herons), and someone mentioned it being a possible inspiration in the replies. Therefore, I took pictures of both and upon looking at them closely I honestly cannot be certain about which of the two served as the main inspiration, maybe it was a mixture of both? Looking purely at the shape of the sign the Three Herons (Far Right) seems to be the closest. The positioning of the three ostriches on the other hand (Middle) is more similar to the way the toads are positioned. If you have any sources I've missed pls link them!

I also found this detailing you can spot if you are walking by the Vltava River. A thing to note: I could find this specific fencing only of the side of the river that is next to the Ministerstvo průmyslu a obchodu, If your cross the bridge the design is completely different. Location: Petrská čtvrť, 110 00 Prague 1, Czechia

Now onto the Red Rose Mansion. Fans figured out that the Břevnovský klášter (Brevnov Monastery) served as the main inspiration for the Red Rose Mansion. Unfortunately, the monk that is responsible for the visits was sick during my stay in Prague, and would not be coming back until after I left. You can see the exact room that was referenced for the murder scene in the websites I've linked below. I was a bit sad that I wasn't able to see it with my own eyes but I hope he has a speedy recovery. After all, this gives me a reason to visit this wonderful city again! Tip: Don't be an oblivious zoomer like me and bring cash with you to leave a small donation at the Bazilika svaté Markéty Antiochijské (Basilica of St. Margaret of Antioch). You can get a postcard with the picture of the monastery for about 10 koruna and I'm sure it helps with the maintenance of this beautiful place. Also, there is a small, cozy cafe on the territory and they have really tasty Medovnik cake!

The Rose Garden at the Mansion actually has no roses! It is actually a Cherry Garden, and can be visited at the Orangerie right behind the Monastery (tip: as far as I know it is only open on weekends and closes at 8pm). During this time of year it is obviously not blossoming however it was nice to visit nonetheless and walking in between the tall shrubs made me feel like I was Nina :p

As a bonus I wanted to add this picture of a hanging Sigmund Freud that absolutely startled me on my first day in Prague. Many fans have speculated that the character of Franz Bonaparta was inspired by him, given their similar looks and involvement with Psychology

I hope this was enjoyable and I hope you visit these amazing places if you ever happen to be in Prague! Once again, I'd like to highlight how grateful I am for the research fans have done and as mentioned above here are some of the websites I used:

[yellowbluemoonshine]

Naoki Urasawa's manga "Monster" Interview;

Naoki Urasawa is one of the most successful manga artists in Japan, having not only been awarded the most important prizes in Japan, but also in Germany. He celebrated his international breakthrough with the thriller series "Monster", which he drew in the 90s. It's about a Japanese neurosurgeon in Düsseldorf who saves the life of a boy and gives up his career to do it - actually he should have operated on the mayor instead of the boy - and then gets into real trouble because he is involved in a series of serial murders and a conspiracy device. Andrea Heinze : How did you come up with the idea for the series? Naoki Urasawa: The drama “Monster” was created because I really liked the novel “Frankenstein”. That really interested me and I thought about whether I could bring the story into today. The second aspect was that at that time in the USA there was this film with Harrison Ford, “The Fugitive”. It was about a doctor whose wife was killed and I really liked it. And then I thought, I have to do something that involves a doctor who is being chased and has to solve a mystery. And then I was interested in “Frankenstein,” this old Gothic landscape, and I wanted to bring the two together somehow. And then we somehow came across Germany. Blonde boy as a contrast to evil Germany

I heard that people saying Johan was inspired by Hannibal and other psychopathic characters etc but it never make sense to me. (Maybe some characteristic sides makes sense but generally no, he is different). It makes sense that Monster is inspired by Frankenstein story because Johan is portrayed as more like someone who became the way he is because of his past. He is the monster created by the real monster. (Mostly its Franz Bonaparta who stole his and many others name, biggest sin a person can do). Its really combined between two stories because Tenma wasnt/isnt wrong to save Johan.

Heinze: And what does Germany have to do with it? Urasawa: I wanted to do something dark. And I don't want to say that Germany is the root of all evil. But if you look at the Second World War - and this is present in Japan, also because Japan was an ally of Germany at the time - there were a lot of dark stories in Germany and also in Japan. A lot has been clarified. But some things don't. I also came up with this beautiful, blonde, blue-eyed boy as a character. I think that's a good contrast to contrast with this dark, bad thing. And the more you delve into history, the more clear it becomes that the roots of the conflicts lie in the Second World War. If you add all of that up, the manga could only take place in Germany.

I am glad that real life stories was brought up but its really sad that this actually happenned somewhere.

Heinze: How did you research the story for “Monster”? Urasawa : I watched a lot of documentaries. In the 1990s there were also reports of neo-Nazi attacks on houses where Turks lived. I've seen things like that and they've also found their way into my story. I made up the rest. For example, the boy, Johann. He is raised in a children's home where many human experiments take place. And shortly before I finished my work "Monster," there was a documentary on Japanese television about the end of the Nazi era, and it also reported on a camp in which blonde, blue-eyed young people were herded together and essentially had to undergo elite training . And this boy who was depicted there was also called Johannes. I was then asked if I had known all of this before - but that wasn't true, it was all in my imagination. A person becomes a monster

This is insane....chills. Its so ironic that a lot of people remember Johan's character as some evil psychopath but not only he isnt written that way in story but also, his origin is literally coming from actual victim, a child. Intentional or unconciously or maybe coincidence but still, wow.

Heinze: How is it that Prague also became the setting for the story? Urasawa: Because everything that was east of Germany, all the Eastern European countries, was not even known in Japan in the 1990s. It's completely different today, but back then people hardly knew everything that lay east of Germany. While on the other hand, Germany and everything further west was already developed for tourism. And Eastern Europe had never been featured in the manga until then. It also fascinated and really attracted me as an illustrator. If you go to Germany or France, it is much brighter in the evenings. But if you go further east, in my case it was Prague, it was much darker on the streets in the evenings in the mid-90s. And I wanted to explore this darkness, this night, for myself.

No wonder story feels so real, with both its characters and places.

Heinze: What does the manga “Monster” have to do with Mary Shelly’s novel “Frankenstein”? Urasawa : Frankenstein is about a scientist who created a monster, and it's also about human responsibility. There are certainly things that humans are allowed to do and that they perhaps shouldn't be able to do. These thoughts can certainly be taken further, and that's what I did in the "Monster" series. It's about the Japanese doctor who saved a boy, and later the boy becomes a monster, a murderer. And then the doctor asks himself whether he is not responsible for the fact that this boy has become a murderer. This is a different conflict than in "Frankenstein", but the question of responsibility for one's own actions is also an issue in "Monster". Dostoyevsky novel using the means of manga

Though, story is inspired by Frankeinstein, Tenma is clearly right to save kid's life. He isnt the 'evil' doctor who is responsible for the monster. He is the real doctor who saves this boy from destruction at the end.

Heinze : For me, this doctor is an ideal example of the good in people. He even saves this boy against the wishes of the clinic management, who would much rather use their best surgeon to operate on the mayor. Urasawa: Every good person has places somewhere in their hearts that are perhaps not so good, and it was the same with Doctor Hämmer - in the hospital there were also some disagreements with the management, where he also thought: "Preferably I would like it if everyone were dead." And later Johann also tells him: "I have fulfilled what you wished for." Then the idea came to him that he had also caused all of this and was to blame for it. And I wanted to show in my work that there is something good and something bad in every person, and that is just human nature. Also, what I didn't mention: There is the classic manga "Astroboy" by Osamu Tezuka in Japan. There is a scientist whose son died and he then creates a robot that looks like his son and that also has feelings. But somehow he says: "You are not my son." At some point he neglects this robot. This scientist is basically Doctor Tenma. So “Frankenstein” and “Astro Boy” are the two sides that belong closely together. I especially consider the artist Tezuka with his classic “Astro Boy” to be my roots.

Here's the real message of Monster, that noone is just a monster and every person has monster in them and that story, Tenma is being parallels with father who neglects his son...I wonder is it him realizing that he was never supposed to kill Johan (the son), he was right to save him, trying to kill him is the neglect/him failing to understand him and end up saving him. Maybe i am reaching but its makes more sense that way. Btw i love how Tenma visits Johan even at the end. Despite everything, they really give that father-son energy.

Heinze: Osamu Tezuka is considered the founder of modern manga, what do you like about him? Urasawa: It's hard to say in one word. Maybe you can describe it like this: The manga were initially comics for children. But Tezuka did it differently, he practically wrote something like a Dostoyevsky novel, but using the means of manga. Something much deeper, and ultimately it's not about justice winning, but it goes even deeper, practically conveying the feeling that even winning can bring with it something sad and empty. This is something deeper. And he was able to convey that in the beginning of the manga. Statements made by our conversation partners reflect their own views. Deutschlandfunk does not adopt statements made by its interlocutors in interviews and discussions.

Its really deep story.

This is the source of this interview, i really wanted to make comment/analyze about it.

[suikamelon6]

So yesterday, @moderndaylestat and I attended the Newsreader S2 premiere event and got to meet Sam Reid in the flesh.

It was surreal because first I didn't know until the day before that Sam wasn't in Prague. I thought the premiere would be attended by Newsreader Melbournian' actors. We got confirmed tickets after midday so before that it was unsure that we would even get in.

Afterthoughts about Sam and the event:

I've not been in big indoor gathering for a long time (health related). So I had a mask on, CO2 monitor in my bag etc… and was glad I went. It felt safe and as for Sam related content, it couldn't have gone any better honestly. I've never met a celeb before. And never was motivated to go meet one. Nervous, shy… Would most of you know what I'm talking about?

The Newsreader Q&A was very interesting! Emma Freeman & Sam are like best buddies. Sam really appreciates how she was like an encyclopedia of what everyday of the shoot gonna look like. All the info kept in her head. I feel so excited for Emma's IWTV S2's! We are so lucky!

I got Emma to sign my manky old copy of IWTV book. She was so nice and surprised that I wanted her signature. So I said you are gonna give us two full episodes of IWTV S2! Of course I want your signature. She said she's so excited about that. And will go to Prague soon with Sam and crew members. (I don't know together or not). Sam and Emma seem to be such good mates, giggling on stage a lot!

Then it was our turn to talk to Sam. He asked if we liked the ep 1 of S2 of The Newsreader. Of course! Then he signed my old book, which he flipped around appreciating that it's a 20 yo yellowing copy!

I gave him 3 printed arts one of them of Lestat and Amel (like below but in the art print version it didn't have the speech bubble). He asked, "Is this book Armand?" I said "No, it's Amel actually." And he was like "OH! Amel!" Like happily surprised, didn't expect that.

I love him for being the biggest VC nerd who needs no explanation who Amel is!!! And I know he knows which books these scenes are from as well. We got so lucky to have Sam as Lestat. He really loves VC.

I said my wish is to see all these scenes with him in them. He said "That'll be a few years yet." So I said, "Yes, good luck with S2 and keep going!" I don't know what I was saying honestly.

#SamReid smiles a lot. When he knows it's your turn, waits and looks at you to come over with these deep blue eyes, talks to you like he's not in a hurry, looks he's elated that a single fan likes his work. His voice makes you relaxed.

And #SamReid is so polite and doesn't come too close or initiate hand shake or hug unless you do. A gentleman. Says thanks and nice meeting you like he means it. Takes photo without fuss. A dream of celeb. I don't know what others are like but he's so sweet.

Looking back, I wished I ask him why he looked so sad in that giant poster! I hope when the IWTVTWT moots here get to meet Sam and the boys, you have the intelligence and sense to write down your questions first!

After Sam left, @moderndaylestat and I had fun talking about writing fics and how it sucks 6 hours of our lives or the whole weekend without noticing… how beautiful it is in your head, but to get it on paper is something else.

Also we talked about Helen, Dale and ____'s possible threesome? Obviously good behaviour didn't last. We talked about top/bottom and totally makes sense for Helen/Dale/___ poly relationship!

Sorry about the incoherent thought vomit, hope some of this make sense.

[enbycrip]

ID: a black and white photo and caption from a newspaper showing a young white trans man with light hair wearing a tweed jacket and high collar smiling at a young white woman in a pale dress as he brushes her mid-length dark hair. She is smiling at him from the slightly complex angle as he brushes her hair. The photo is faded and not great quality but their faces are clear.

The headline over the photo is “Here’s How I Used To Do It!”

The caption below reads “An expert at women's coiffures although not a hairdresser, Zdenek Koubek proves himself as he combs the locks of Cinda Glenn, New York night club beauty. Koubek knows all about coiffures from experience, since they were of concern to him when he was the foremost girl athlete of Czechoslovakia, prior to a sex-change.”

Zdenek Koubek was born in Paskov, Czechoslovakia (at the time) in December 1913, one of eight siblings, and competed as an athlete. With minimal formal training, he began running at age 17, decided to pursue it formally aged 19, and broke two world records at the 1934 world olympics.

Because queer and gender-diverse history is complex, I’m genuinely unsure if Zdenek was intersex. He seems to have been pretty gender-nonconforming when read as a woman in his early life and seems to have retired from athletics because he was harassed by people wanting him to undergo invasive “gender checks” after his gold medals at the 1934 Olympics.

Apparently the current obsession with “defining gender in sport” has roots back to the 1930s. Athletes competing in female athletics have been forced to undergo a variety of examinations for the purpose of declaring them “female enough”. They seem to have never been pleasant, appropriate, or anything other than invasive and dehumanising, and they seem to have always focused on a) defining gender by physicality b) defined that physicality in fairly arbitrary ways that are actually incredibly difficult to relate to anything objective, despite a veneer of scientific objectivity.

I can entirely see why the threat of such harassment would have caused Zdenek to decide an athletic or adjacent career wasn’t worth undergoing it, whether he personally believed himself to be intersex or whether we would recognise him as such today. The term “intersex” has many definitions, and is often challenged by medical professionals if it could potentially cover too many people - e.g. medical professionals have repeatedly challenged the term when used by AFAB people with PCOS, which can cause fertility issues, hirstutism etc, purely on the grounds of “that would make around 10% of women intersex”. Zdenek simply publicly stated “I was wrongly assigned as female at birth” without giving any other details - as he had *every* right to. Some historians have characterised him as intersex based on this, and others simply as trans; he appears, very reasonably, to have preferred to preserve his privacy on the details.

Zdenek went on a lecture tour of the US talking about his life and transitioned in 1936. At the time of this photo, he was pursuing a career in cabaret in the US. He seems to have been reasonably successful but never settled there, returning home and marrying a cis woman with whom he lived happily for the rest of his life, dying in Prague aged 72 in 1986.

He joined a local rugby team along with his brother Jaroslov after WWII and seems to have been an enthusiastic amateur player. I hope he got a lot of joy out of it, which he does seem to have.

Like so many queer and trans histories, Zdenek’s is somewhat obscured because so much of what has been written about him is always skewed by the writer’s own perspectives about gender and transness. Including the drive to impose a false binary on trans experience - which I as a nonbinary person know is certainly not universally present.

There are, of course, *absolutely* trans people who always have a strong feeling of gender equating to “knowing they are a boy/girl from an early age”, and I in no way wish to erase them or their experiences, but it must also be noted and acknowledged there are plenty of us with different experiences. There are people like me who feel “wrong” in our assigned gender from pretty early in life, all the way down to having quite strong dysphoria in puberty and afterwards, but don’t strongly ID as the “opposite” binary gender either. There are people who rub along fine in their assigned gender, or who have many issues with it but don’t know what they equate to, until they have some experience presenting otherwise and suddenly experience strong gender euphoria for the first time in their lives. There are people who never feel anything much at all about gender and only ever do any identifying purely as a matter of convenience because a very binary society requires it.

Cis people seem to find the “always knew/born in the wrong body” narrative the easiest to relate to, and I can only assume that is because it is the narrative that allows them to challenge our society’s gender-essentialist, binarist worldview the *least*. It is considerably easier, and requires much less thought and critical attention, to say “I guess sometimes the occasional person is just mistakenly assigned to the wrong category” than to question those categories, why they exist, what they actually are, how they are imposed, and whether they actually mean anything at all in an objective sense.

I have no idea where Zdenek fell on any of this, or if his experience was very different in another way.

I posted this to, as ever, note that we are not a new phenomenon. Trans people are part of human history. We have always existed. We have always contributed. The way the society we lived in perceived us *and* how the societies our stories have passed through perceived us affect how our stories are told today, and those things can make it complex to uncover the lived experience of the trans person behind all of that. Queer and trans history must always be about acknowledging those facts and uncertainties while doing our best to find out as much as possible about the actual lived experiences of our siblings in the past.

[reflections-in-a-critical-eye]

Hi M, how are you? Coming after the high of Shogun's yesterday's win at the Emmy's made me wonder if you have a favourite historical movie or tv show that is underrated or in the category more-people-should-watch-this? Hopefully you indulge in this type of movie. 😊

For example, for me, one such movie is "Master and Commander: The Far side of the World" :brilliant ensemble cast all across the board, good chemistry between the main leads, engaging story, very good soundtrack, fx that still hold, 99% hystorically accurate 😂 but despite this not many have heard or watched this movie.

Have a nice day!

P.S. can't believe that tomorrow the last episode of AYS will air 😭.

Hi @shimako! Sorry for answering your question late, but I postponed it because I kept trying to think of a list. And honestly, I saw the words historical drama and forgot the underrated part so this is a bit of a disaster, but I'll make it work. Let's just say this is an incomplete list of tv shows that had an impact on me at the time and ages that I had when I watched them. And you'll see that I barely remember the plot, but I sort of know how I felt.

1. Rome

Is this underrated? Hell no! But perhaps in today's age of tv, a lot of people have forgotten about that show. Only two seasons, but it was among the first batch of prestige tv in the middle of the 2000s. I liked it so much that it made go to the bookstore and buy a book about Caesar. If I went through my Egypt phase in middle school, then my Ancient Rome period came in high school.

2. The Borgias

At the time of its runtime, I think it was pretty big. Although I don't think it won many awards. I also remember it being used as an example on scholarly papers about Hollywood using Eastern and Central European studios because of cheap labor and good locations. Budapest and Prague can replace Florence, lol.

The Borgias was naughty. And it had Jeremy Irons who is a fantastic actor in my opinion. Eventually they actually leaned heavily into the siblings relationship which I thought was daring. They went there 👀. And the costumes were so beautiful!.

3. The Tudors

I remember this show through the eyes of a 13-14 year old that developed a massive crush on the actor portraying Henry the VIII. This was like the rock'n'roll version of the story. And it was sexy. A bit over the top. A stepping stone for some actors that would become a lot more famous in the years to come. I think it was on HBO so probably not underrated at the time, but mostly forgotten nowadays.

4. Versailles

I can't remember if it's French or they talk in English. But it was lots of fun. And really gay. They didn't stay away from that. That's all I remember, but give it a try.

5. Taboo

This is that show with a really brooding Tom Hardy who remains like that throughout the story. But if you're interested in 1800s London and England's imperialist plan and its effects on colonized territories, this might be it.

6. Babylon Berlin

I don't know if this fits into the list, but it is a great portrayal of 1920s Berlin. A period in which artistic freedom and experimentation was at its height, but also juxtaposed with political unrest, creating this environment that would lay the ground for the rise of the fascist party. It's a german show, an HBO production and I like that it's not glamourized. You can see it in their clothes, their hygiene habits, their visible sweat and run down outfits they wear in clubs. It feels real.

7. Black Sails

I first heard of this when I wanted to watch more Toby Stephens movies/series but I almost stayed away because it was a Michael Bay production. Black Sails is so smart. At first, it might lure in the wrong audience, even based on the first trailer. It looks like a pirate show full of action sequences and machismo. And then you actually watch it and it flips that exact narrative. It is a direct critique of imperialism. It is also such a good case for any film and gender & queer studies analysis. But more than that, what really sealed the deal for me in what is considered a grade B series with grade B actors, is the meta-textual discourse on storytelling. It's about creating those pirate legends, of creating narratives to protect themselves against the empire. And all that is unfolded through brilliant lines of dialogue. It still remains a 10/10 tv show for me and the actual underrated one.

[xxgoblin-dumplingxx]

Joining in with the group excited about oddduck! - maybe Bruce asking Clark’s permission to take reader to a gala that’s sponsoring something she’s interested in just as a thank you Clark it’s not a date stop looking at me like that

"Hey," Clark said, frowning at the sounds of glasses clinking and people laughing over classical music, "Lois and I were wondering if you were free tonight?"

"I'm a little busy-"

"Oh is the school doing a thing? We could-"

"I'm in Prague, actually."

"Oh with- why?" His frown deepens. Over the phone he can hear your heart kick up and you sound tense.

"I-"

"Y/N?" the deep voice calling your name made Clark freeze for just a second and he almost dropped the phone. "Everything okay?"

"I've gotta go," you tell him, putting your phone back in your bag, "I'll text you."

And when the line goes dead, Clark growls to himself. "That son of a bit-"

"Clark? Is Y/N coming or-"

"She's in Prague," Clark growled, "With Bruce Wayne."

"Oh I hope she wore the red Velvet dress- she looks so pretty in it-"

"Lois."

"Clark," she snorted. "She's a doctor. She's your age. If she wants to go to Prague with a Billionaire who probably read all of her books this week and hangs on her every word... What's it hurt?"

"It's not- he's not-"

"Jesus Christ, Smallville," Lois snorted. "You're not her dad. She doesn't even know her dad-"

"But-"

"If he breaks her heart, you can hold him while I hit him. Until then let her live. What's the worst that could happen? He pays for her to bounce around and follow rabbits down holes to her heart's content? You gotta watch them kiss sometimes? She gets to be loved like she deserves?" Lois smiled a little. "She's stronger than you think she is Clark. And Bruce won't let her get hurt."

__________

"Everything Alright?" Bruce asked, offering you his jacket against the chill.

"Fine," you answer, smiling a little, "I- Clark called and it's usually better to answer. He worries."

"Can't imagine why," Bruce chuckled, "Hard to see what trouble you could get into-"

"Depends," you answer, "I did sprain my ankle at Versailles once and gave myself an appalling cold researching at a castle in Bavaria when I got caught in the rain-"

"Harrowing ordeals indeed-"

"And then there was once where I got kidnapped in Berlin and the time I nearly got arrested in Istanbul. And the Time I did get arrested in London-"

"How?" Bruce asked incredulously, chuckling in disbelief.

"I'm very accident-prone," you tell him, nodding earnestly. "Except for the kidnapping it was mostly just a series of misunderstandings."

Bruce smiled and started to lead you back inside, snagging you a glass of champagne, "I'll have to keep an eye on you then. I'd hate for something to happen before I get to read your next book-"

"You read-"

"Of course I did," he said, cheeks darkening. "Your research and narrative flow really- I mean. I'm just ashamed I didn't read them sooner."

"I- oh- um-"

"How do you do it?" he asked, "make all that so easy to understand?"

You look down, feeling flustered. Embarrassed. And take a deep breath, hoping he wouldn't laugh. "I just tell the stories I wanted to read when I was little." And when he doesn't laugh. When a gentle hand tucks a lock of hair back behind your ear, back out of your eyes, you look up slowly.

"Beautiful and brilliant," Bruce hummed. "Lucky me."

[lisatelramor]

(Not So) Temporary

“It’s funny,” Chikage said, “how people think you have class.” She ran her fingers through Toichi’s hair as she laid beside him.

Toichi laughed against her chest. “You did,” he said, looking at her through his eyelashes.

“For all of five minutes until we had an actual conversation,” Chikage said. She tugged his hair lightly. Toichi grinned at her, smug as ever. “Your class is as much an illusion as any of your tricks.”

“Harsh. How ever shall my heart recover from such a scathing review.” He pretended to swoon even though he was already lying down.

Sometimes Chikage wondered why she humored him. He was ridiculous. She tugged his hair again, a bit harsher, and he snuggled into it like a friendly dog.

“You like my classlessness.”

“Hm.” For a while there, she’d thought they hadn’t had anything in common, just a vapid surface attraction. A bit of whirlwind romance, a little unwise horizontal tangoing, and then she fully expected him to be out of her system. Unfortunately, he’d charmed her against her better judgment.

“If I asked you to marry me, milady?” Toichi asked, catching her hand just to kiss the back of it. Like he’d done the week before. And the week before that.

He was as persistent as he was dramatic. Chikage should tell him no. Instead, she tugged her hand free. “I’d tell you to ask again another time. Maybe then your luck would be better.”

“Ah, but I will have to charm Lady Luck herself at this rate,” Toichi teased. He gave a kiss to the closest bit of skin, which happened to be her breast.

Chikage unceremoniously shoved him off. Afterglow was over, back to business. “I wish you all the good fortune in trying,” she said as she looked for her underwear.

Toichi watched her shamelessly, a half-smile on his lips. “Shall we head to Prague next? There’s a nice theater there I can perform at.”

“And Prague has nothing to do with a recently bought moonstone pendant,” Chikage said.

“Well, I imagined it might catch your interest.”

“Our interest.” He seemed intent on becoming a thief as well. Sometimes she wondered if he was romancing her just to steal all her skills. Still, if that was the case, he didn’t need to ask for marriage every other week. Sometimes she truly didn’t understand him. “Prague sounds nice.”

Toichi grinned, open and joyful. It made him much more attractive than the suave mystery he kept going for. Honestly, if she were to ever say that, she bet he’d be too embarrassed to show his real emotions to her face again.

Chikage really should cut him off and go back to her life alone.

If only he wasn’t so good in bed.

A warm arm caught her round the middle as she tried to get her bra back on. “If we’re headed in the same direction, we could just share a room…”

“Not today, Romeo. Put your pants on.” His underwear were shoved into his face unrepentantly. Chikage enjoyed his sputtering.

She wasn’t going to say yes to his proposals. Not anytime soon anyway. He was persistent and annoying and flattering and terrible all at the same time. It would be stupid to go for him, especially when he didn’t have much to give in return. He was a magician, famous, yes, but not old money. Not something stable and safe and sane to choose if she ever gave up her life as a thief.

“One more kiss for the road?” Toichi asked, already taking a kiss at the knob of her spine between her shoulder blades.

Chikage elbowed him for the presumptuousness. “I have packing to do,” she said. “And so do you if you’re serious about Prague.” She turned around and flicked him between the eyebrows. He pouted like a child. He probably could have wrapped adults around his fingers as a child. Pick pockets while no one would even suspect the wide-eyed, beautiful child right in front of them. Chikage would know; she used that sort of thing to her advantage before. “Goodnight, Toichi.”

“Goodnight, My Lady,” he said, letting go.

At least he respected when she was serious. She’d have cut him out already by now if he didn’t, good in bed or not. If he was using her to learn her skills, she supposed she could use him right back. A magician’s skillset would go well with what she already had in her arsenal. Chikage knew better than to fall for someone who piled mask upon mask to make themselves bigger and brighter and nicer than they really were, just like she did. She’d just let this play a bit further. Until it stopped being fun. That was surely fine, right?

(She gets pregnant two months later. Chikage had a choice then. She made it. And Phantom Lady had a quiet retirement)

[hatredmadeofgold]

Your fanfic pushed me to set up a trip to Prague. I'm going soon, and I'm really excited.

Hey anon! Honestly this blew my mind when I found your message in my inbox last night because I didn't expect someone to actually get so interested in travelling to Prague from just reading Sing to Me but omg I hope you're having tons of fun there!

I sat down and made you a list on google maps for all the locations mentioned in Chapter 5 and 6 together with notes where what exactly happened + some locations from the Eastern Europe Chapter of MGS4, in case you want to check these places out yourself.

I do recommend walking or taking public transport instead of a taxi or car to explore the city, Prague is extremely walkable and all these locations are within walking distance from each other. Yes, I walked to all of them when I first went back in 2021, but for someone who isn't used to walking much it might be a little more. Luckily I was in Prague as well back in March this year together with @cyborgdumptruck and took tons of photos and videos for the revisions of those chapters that I still got on my to do list and I thought I could share some with you :]

From left to right:

Náměstí Míru Metro station (Line A)

Bazilika sv. Ludmily at Náměstí Míru (Peace Square) that Sam wanted to take a photo of but Raiden didn't let him, saying that they weren't in Prague for sightseeing

Arkada Hotel, the hotel that they were staying at which is just a few hundred meters walking distance away from the square

I didn't mention the exact location of the restaurant that Sam ordered himself some dinner while Raiden just waited impatiently for him to finish eating, but I imagined it being somewhere near Staroměstské náměstí (Old Town Square) where you can also find the famous Pražský orloj (Astronomical Clock). The restaurant in that scene I made up because honestly the area is a very popular tourist spot and therefore the prices are ridiculous compared to other places in Prague where you could get something to eat. This is also why I wrote in the current version of Chapter 5 that it's a less busy street near the square and not directly at it, but it's also a point that I have on my revision list of things that will be changed about the chapter. They definitely walked through this place though, and Raiden gets annoyed at Sam wanting to take photos of the area since it's overall a nice spot with beautiful old buildings that even have hand painted walls.

Popular tourist spot aside, it's absolutely possible to get good photos and videos of the clock and the area overall and we were there during warm weather on a sunny day around Easter, so it was quite packed with people already.

Karlův most (Charles Bridge) with Pražský hrad (Prague Castle) in the background. Raiden took Sam across this bridge to show him around the Malá Strana (Lesser Town) district, but then started to heavily dissociate on their way there and began 'acting strange' in Sam's eyes.

This is, by the way, also close to the location where Liquid Ocelot massacred all the joint army-marines unit trying to stop him at the end of the Eastern Europe Chapter in MGS4, and also where EVA (Big Mama) died.

Maybe you'll get an idea now why Raiden might have dissociated so heavily when they crossed the bridge, although he wasn't present at those events... it's not because of those, but they're connected (¬‿¬)

This is Kellyxír! (Maps Link) The bar that Raiden dragged Sam into, and then got shitfaced right in front of him. I also took Sam's diary with me that I got last year to take a photo for the @mgsr-sing-to-me blog that ended up becoming a GIF instead (I love the Live Photo function of iPhones ngl). I had also ordered the same drink that Raiden had, The Breath of Uroboros, the Dragon (costs 333 Kč which would be around 14 USD). Sadly I had to crop the video because I am not comfortable sharing my face on Tumblr for now.

I have to say that in the revision of Chapter 5, I'll try to make that scene a little more elegant than it currently is.

On their way back to the hotel, Raiden nearly pukes on Sam from having absolutely overdone it with alcohol at the bar. I imagined this happening when they just reached Malostranské náměstí where they could take a tram back to Náměstí Míru to get back to the hotel.

Fun fact, when I was checking the locations that I mentioned in my fic, we coincidentally found the church in which Solid Snake (Old Snake) met EVA (Big Mama) in MGS4 and it's literally around the corner to Malostranské náměstí. And yes I am pretty sure that it was that exact church given the photos on Maps showing the insides of it. Unfortunately we didn't manage to go inside due to it only being open for visitors for an hour per day.

This is a really funny coincidence if you ask me, I was in tears when I noticed it 😂

The agreed rendezvous point with their client Tomáš Růžička in Chapter 6 is the Bazilika svatého Petra a Pavla located inside the Vyšehrad fortress. Getting up there takes a little while, especially when you're getting there from the Vyšehrad Metro Station (Line C), you'll be walking at least 20 minutes when you aren't familiar with the area 😅 But it is a really nice walk! Also there is a beer garden (Na Hrádbach) at the fortress where you can get something to eat and drink without paying tons of money. Just please take cash in CZK with you just in case, I am very unsure if they let you pay with card.

Lastly, here are some photos of Magistrát hlavního města Prahy (Prague City Hall). Sadly the building had construction work done when we went back in March, so those aren't the prettiest pictures. I will change the scene in revision of Chapter 6 where they get here because I am not really happy with it ಠ╭╮ಠ Getting to the place though helped a lot with making decisions for what exactly will be changed.

Anyway, hope you're having tons of fun in Prague and thank you so much for letting me know that you're reading my fic and got inspired to travelling there because of it. It really made my day :3

[old-long-john]

Also, those bloopers and other little jam things from sdcc are making the jam insanity pretty strong as well, so another question would be: what are your personal favorite jam moments? :)

Sorry it's taken me so long to reply to this! I got your other ask too and I will definitely talk about that reunion scene! Oh Jam, my beloveds. Where to start?

There’s the 'greatest creative partnership in my life' moment from the S1 press, the slightly awkward payback hickey conversation, Sam's genuinely insane 'watching IT as a small child had a positive impact on me' story and Jacob's reaction to it, this photo which did irreparable damage to my brain:

Jacob saying in the softest voice that what was said in the reunion scene would only ever be known by him and Sam, Jacob saying in one interview that he kind of kept himself separate from the coven cast when they weren't filming and Sam saying in another interview that they ate dinner together in the same restaurant in Prague every night, and then Sam saying that his last meal would be what he always ordered in that restaurant...

I'm unwell, obviously.

And then this interview happened yesterday and I just... 'Sticker play' Sam? Followed by, 'Care to elaborate?', 'Make it up'??? The vibe of this whole interview is so chaotic and I still don't know how to process that particular little bit of insanity. Like, I know people joke that Assad's an RPF scholar while Jacob and Sam are blissfully unaware, but I feel like Mr Chronically Offline was purposefully shit-stirring with that one, because what.

But honestly the Jam moments that actually get me are the little glimpses of how much they actually care about each other. Like Jacob rubbing Sam's back when he was obviously nervous about the SDCC audience seeing whatever trailer was played in 2022, and telling him he was doing great when he apologised for a long rambling answer because he was jetlagged. And all the stories of Sam being on set even when he wasn't filming just to support Jacob during S2. There's just something about seeing two people who could so easily have never even met, because they're from opposite sides of the world, finding each other by chance and becoming best friends that gives me vicarious joy. It's so incredibly sweet. I know what it feels like to have a best friend who really, truly Sees you, and it's something that makes life a whole lot easier to live. It's really beautiful that they have something that special too.