#the only way for a woman to feel like a queen is to start behaving like royalty as often as possible

[namitha]

Press your feet firmly into the earth. Eat ripe fruit. Massage your body with the oil. Bath slowly. Treat yourself like royalty.

.

[igotanidea]

Not enough: Anthony Bridgerton x reader

(Part 2 to too much)

„I am so terribly sorry for the inconvenience I might have brought on you with my sudden appearance-” she started while walking inside the place of her destination or, to put it more bluntly, after fleeting from her own house upon not-so-subtle fight with her still-husband.

„Y/n! Nonsense my dear, your presence is always welcomed here.” she heard in response and for the first time since the argument she managed to look into the eyes of another person as well as take in the scene in front of her.

Oh dear lord!

Her timing couldn’t be more wrong.

Apparently the only person who was missing from the widow viscountess Bridgerton household was the queen herself, since not only the lady of the house alongside with all her unmarried daughters were enjoying the afternoon tea, but - to Y/N’s very well hidden terror - the duchess and lady Danburry were present as well.

„duchess.” Y/N bowed in the most polite manner she could even though her knees were shaking „lady Danburry.”

Act like nothing happened.

Behave like a lady and not like a little kid, who came her to pour all her worries and tell on her husband who happened to be mean. The last thing she needed was for everyone to talk about her nervousness and giddiness. None of those ladies would be easily fooled and most definitely not lady Danburry with her nosy nature and piercing gaze.

The point was to visit her favourite sister-in-law Eloise who- luckily - were free of any marriage troubles and gain some perspective but that scenario flew away with the gentle summer breeze faster than Y/N could think.

And now she would be kindly invited to join the tea and the respect for widower viscountess alongside with the obligation to the higher positioned duchess (even if family) would forbid her from declining.

„Y/N.” Daphne sent her that tiny, quite shy smile that didn’t calm the nerves even in the slightest. Yes, the duchess was one of the most polite and subtle person in the society, but she was also happily married with another baby on the way.

„Viscountess Bridgerton.” the oldest, lady Danburry on the opposite was known from her sharp tongue and straightforward attitude. That one did not pull her punches.

„My dearest Y/N.” Violet Bridgerton, the mother in law stood up from her place and hugged the girl close. Obviously she was the most open one with her emotions. And the simple warm welcome made Y/n feel a bit strengthened to the point when she even gave a little smile. Tiniest, but honest and still visible.

„Is Anthony with you my dear?’

„Unfortunately my husband is absorbed with the matter of the household today.” Y/N explained, taking a seat next to Violet. „I was rather confused with all the men’s affairs, which brought me here.”

„confused?” Eloise, of whose presence everyone seemed to forget scoffed from her book „You are way smarter that Anthony is, Y/n!”

„Eloise!” her mother friendly scolded her second daughter

„It’s true mama!”

„Even though-’

„Did you come baring notices by any chance, viscountess?" lady Agatha cut into the family exchange innocently taking a sip of her tea, those sharp eyes of a predator glistening

„Notices?”

„Yes viscountess, notices. It;s been a fair amount of time since the marriage, surely something should happen soon between two people who are lucky enough to be in love as much as yo and the viscount?”

Oh...

Oh, she meant that kind of notices.

„May this be so, Y/n?” Daphne asked seeming uncharacteristically brisk. „shall we expect?”

„I certainly hope she won’t be burdened with the heir to the title any time soon--”

‘Eloise!”

„Is it the only purpose of a woman to be obedient to a man and give him children?!”

All the four older woman in the room went quiet and Eloise realised she might have had said a little bit too much. Not only for the lady but in general.

„I suppose our dearest Y/N would love to become a mother and bless us with the little boy or girl, am I correct?”

Of course I would love to, Violet.

I would love to.

Unfortunately so it happens your oldest son refuses to even speak or look at me, let alone performing his so-called marital duty. Which is even more tragic, since I became one to him. Here is the essence of my existence - forever being reminded of the burden I put on his shoulder with storming into his life.

Obviously those thoughts were something the newest viscountess Bridgerton could not form out loud.

„I shall send the regards to my husband ladies. Certainly will not omit to inform him of the expectation placed upon us both.” was the only thing she managed to say with confidence before her voice broke and she covered the sudden wavering by reaching for the sweet placed on the nearby platter.

„Oh my dearest Y/N, it’s no obligation!” Violet seemed quite hurt by the words spoken by her daughter-in-law „Regardless - a child is always a miracle that-”

„Maybe Y/N wouldn’t have to worry about it, if Anthony were taking more interest in her rather than spending time with Benny and Colin.”

„Eloise!”

„It’s just a simple observation! Benedict and Colin are still bachelors, even though the ladies of kind are sharpening their claws for them both, considering the fact the viscountess title is not longer available. Nonetheless, neither of them seem to be interested in taking in marriage-”

‘Eloise!” Violet called upon her daughter once more

„Perhaps if they weren’t spending their times in the club, effectively convincing Anthony to go with them--”

‘Enough, young lady!”

„But-”

„Enough Eloise.”

Y/N went pale at all the words spoken. Not because of their truthfulness, but due to the fact that the word already got out. This was a calamity she was trying her best to cover up and now her favourite member of the family announced them to the world, not thinking about the possible consequences of aforementioned action.

„Y/N, are you quite all right?” Daphne was the first one to take some action „that sudden pallor cannot be good for you. Shall we take a walk?”

Naturally the little stroll around the room will be something to make her feel better. Luckily the most perceptive Eloise noticed the torpid expression on the viscountess face and, not giving her sister any chance to press the matter further, vigorously explained that Daphne certainty meant an actual promenade outside on the manor grounds and that was something y/n was more than delighted to engage in.

Presenting a perfect opportunity to actually indulge in a meaningful conversation not regarding children and submission due to a woman.

***

On the other side of the city Anthony didn’t even notice his wife’s actual absence.

How could he, when she was always present and vivid in his mind, leaving him with her image in front of his eyes even when she was away from him.

Y/N’s face and silhouette, her smile and her resonant, joyful laughter were forever carved in his mind, ever since the day she laughed at him at the lake upon their first meeting, through the first moment of stolen forbidden intimacy, up to the moment looked into her eyes while vowing to love and to cherish her.

His beautiful bride.

His beautiful wife.

Strong willed, hot headed, always having an opinion of her own and doing things her own way, capable to charm everyone with the cheerful character and most natural humor and intelligence.

All the traits that could not be bought by any of the obedient, quiet and shy ladies from high society.

All the traits that put him under her spell and made him want to spend the rest of his life with Y/n.

Only with her.

And he didn’t want to fight, he wanted the same kind of marriage his own parents were joyful to share.

It was all so perfect, until the moment those bright memories got covered with storm clouds of how he behave towards her.  

Not that the viscount gave them much thoughts, too lost in his own meaningless settlements that were not due till the fore-coming month.

It was easier this way.

Forgetting about all the words he said int he moment of anger and of fear (if not mere terror) of his own emotions.

Emotions that, unfortunately, refused to be closed in a hard shell of harsh, obsessive behaviour and being ignored.

Once let out, they wanted to run free.

And oh, so they did, causing the viscount to feel dizzy and giving him palpitations.

All the marriages had their bad moments.

It was impossible to continue for years keeping the same flame that started years ago.

The wife was supposed to be obedient and comply with her husband wishes, especially not bothering him with her presence and whimsical needs or fairy-tell beliefs.

A lady was a diamond in the crown but a wife became a part of the estate, of the livestock. Forever in her husband’s hand to rule.

He was the the man.

He was the viscount and before he met her she was just another long-forgotten by admirers débutante desperate to--

No.

No this was not true and as much as it would be comfortable for Anthony to dwell in all those thoughts, his heart was still in the right place giving him a very clear signal it was time to stop justifying his previous action. Those were the foundation for a very unstable and fragile house that could be blown away easily.

Maybe it wasn’t that his emotions were too much. Maybe it was that his heart capacity was not enough to contain the amount of affection he held for his one and only.

His Y/N.

And he couldn’t have that.

He had to find her wherever she might have been.

He had to fight for her and make it all right.

Even if that meant getting back on his knees, making a scene straight out of those unrealistic romance novels ladies loved and putting it into practice.

„Where on earth is my wife?!” he yelled to the servants, opening the door to his office, his voice loud enough to make the walls shake.

I’m coming for you, my viscountess.

My love.

***

It's not over yet!

Edit: part 3 : almost there

@pietrawebster @chrissisheadisinclouds @fuzzym4m4

@gloomysel @urfavnoirette @dd122004dd @milkbummm

@bevstofu @taniasethi @syraxnyra @cat-lockwood @pr3ttyfac3jaelyn

[aemondfairy]

Consideration

summary: Aegon can never control himself, embarassing you yet again. Aemond helps put you at ease.

pairing: Aemond x Sister!Reader

word count: 586

warnings: Explicit smut, fingering, incest, infidelity 18+ MDNI

note: Idk if this sucks... Just a quick lil thing because I have targcest brainrot & we get to see our man tmrw!!! Feedback is appreciated! Feel free to send me requests!

You watched in disgust as your husband leaned in closer to one of the young serving girls, his glossy eyes sparkled with excitement. Your hand clenched so tightly around your goblet of wine that your knuckles were white. As if throwing a feast to celebrate the death of your own nephew wasn’t bad enough, Aegon had to humiliate his wife in the process.

You forced a smile on your face, but your grip on the goblet only tightened.

From across the table your brother Aemond had been made aware of your frustration, and after a few glares at Aegon he put two and two together.

“Would you like to get some air?” He asked, already helping you out of your seat.

“I would like nothing more.”

He linked his arm with yours two of you excused yourselves from the table and made your way out to the gardens.

“Gods, what a nightmare,” you groaned as you felt the weight of Aemond’s body behind you.

“I thought you did not care about our brother’s endeavors?” He questioned curiously, his hot breath fanning over the shell of your ear.

“I don’t,” you swallowed thickly, “but to behave so shamelessly in front of the entire court? I wish he would spare me the humiliation.”

A low hum emerged from Aemond’s throat.

“Mmm. I say, let him prove himself to be the fool we all know he is.“

He carefully moved your hair away from your neck, providing him access to your delicate flesh. He peppered small kisses from under your earlobe down to your collarbone.

“You are the most beautiful woman in that room,” he purred, “Aegon knows it, I know it, the entire court knows it. He is simply unworthy of you.”

You let out a sigh at his words, your cheeks flushed at his compliments.

His large hand skimmed up your ribcage over your right breast. You let out a small moan as he squeezed it harshly, kneading at the flesh. Anticipation pooled in your belly.

You let out a gasp as his two large hands gripped your waist, spinning you around so that your back faced the garden wall.

After he hitched your dress up over your waist and pulled your smallclothes down, leaving you no time to protest; Aemond worked not one, but two fingers inside of you. Quickly finding your most sensitive spots. Your body trembled as familiar heat started to bloom within you.

Adrenaline rushed through your veins. The thrill of possibly getting caught added an exciting edge to it all, heightening your senses and making every touch more intense. With each thrust of his fingers, fire burned within you.

As his slender fingers worked their magic, pleasure radiated through your body, causing your breath to hitch and your toes to curl. Your mind went blank as you surrendered to the intense sensation, reveling in the pleasure brought on by your brother.

You moaned loudly as your orgasm ripped through you. Aemond watched intently, his own jaw slack as you clamped down around his fingers, soaking them in your release as you did so.

“Feeling better?“ he asked, placing a chaste kiss on your forehead.

“Yes,“ you giggled shyly, as he pulled his fingers from your core, “thank you.“

“Good,“ he replied, as he brought his digits to his lips, sucking your release off of them.

“Now, we are going to go back inside and you are going to sit with your head held high like the queen that I know you are.”

[haechvn]

Stop Trying

Pairing: Shuri x F!Reader

Warning: Prepare to get your heart ripped out. Shuri did. The angstiest angst I feel like I’ve ever written.

Word Count: 1.5k+

Summary/Request: Shuri and reader getting into an argument cuz Shuri has been in the lab for a while (2 or 4 days idk) angst ending please

Author’s Note: I wrote this on the plane back from Thanksgiving. I did something like this before but this is more realistic to me and we need Shuri to be held accountable for her actions. The reader is always black in my head y’all. Part 2 is here! Enjoy!!

Taglist: @melodykisses @blackhottie25 @tonakings @coalmistyy @szalipcombo @prettyluhlaiiii @yelenabelovasgf @callmeoncette @clqrosmgc @beautybyfire @theblacksuccubus @cherios @killmongerskeeper @shuris-whore @nut4shuri

“My love. Please reconsider this,” Shuri whispered, hands desperately reaching to grab onto yours with every step you took back. Her shoulders fall when she sees how easily you start to reject her, her body unfamiliar with such obscene behavior. She had never fathomed that there would be a time that you’d ever resist her touch. “Don’t give me space. That’s the last thing I need from you.”

It had become less lonely but more disrespectful at this point. Sure, Queen Shuri has many responsibilities since taking on the title as the new sovereign leader of Wakanda but that does not excuse her from halting communication with her partner. The two of you have been together for the last three years so you are overdue an explanation as to why your partner has not answered any calls or text messages. She never even reached out to you once.

Upon discovering from Okoye that it was simply due to her being glued to her science work and her desk in her lab, you decided enough was enough. You are Shuri’s number one cheerleader and you have been since the day you met. Never once did you overstep her boundaries and all you always wanted to make sure she felt heard and seen especially when it comes to her work. But for her to have put her technological achievements over the precious bond the two of you have built, something needs to be done. You didn’t like where your mind went.

It started when she missed dinner with you. Aneka would always try to assure you that “Nothing is wrong my Queen. The Queen will be back soon. Please don’t worry. This too shall pass.”

You continued to find yourself on your own in the excruciatingly large dining hall, eating in silence and scraping your utensils on your plate in annoyance. The Dora had been more present in your life recently than your own lover.

Then one dinner became four and then slowly turned into lonely, sleepless nights. On the fourth night, you found yourself imagining what it felt like to have her arms around you again, lips caressing your collarbone and fingers dipping languidly into your cunt. Then you snapped out of it. As two grown and fully functioning women, there is no reason why Shuri could not have just sent you a quick message to let you know her whereabouts. Constantly reaching out and receiving nothing in return to only stop by her office and find it empty triggered thoughts in your mind you have never had for the entirety of your relationship. Separation. Moving forward without her.

You aren’t some insecure little girl who is going to put up with her time being wasted and have it thrown to the back burner. You are a woman of grace, poise and elegance but you are also a woman with sense and self-respect. Thoughts of infidelity never crossed your mind as you knew Shuri adored you too much to behave in that way but she clearly didn’t adore you enough if giving you radio silence for the third time in a row was something she didn’t mind serving you.

And that’s what lead to Shuri kneeling down in front of you, hands shaking with tears pouring out of her eyes as she tried to come to terms with what you were insinuating. Take a break? Breakup? This is one equation that she can’t seem to find the solution for. Her heart felt as though it would implode on itself as she tried to steady her breathing with no avail. Her mind never anticipated that the more she worked on her scientific experiments, the results would lead her to neglecting to put you first. Her Queen.

Everything she does is for the goodness of you and your well-being but none of that matters if she couldn’t even find herself to appreciate what was standing right in front of her.

“Shuri,” you called, knowing that referring to her by her first name brings nothing but discomfort and hurt to her heart,”How long will this go on for? When you were planning on returning to me? We can’t keep playing this—“

“You… you never had a problem with this before. W-with me working long hours and I don’t—-“

“That was before when you actually communicated with me. Your partner. Now,” you seethe, nose flaring and eyebrows creasing in annoyance, ”you just decide when it’s convenient for you to show up in my life. We are not young, dumb and in love anymore Shuri!” Your blood was boiling and the pent up anger was taking control of your words instead of your logical mind.

“How long do we need to be together for you to know this type of behavior will not fly with me?! If I had spent even one day not letting you know where I am or what I was doing, you would literally shut down the entire country just to find me.”

She knew you were right. Every word spilling from your beautiful lips she craved to feel on hers was correct. Yes, the world needs her technological advancements and efforts but what happened to you being her world? When did that change? It’s not as if she was burying herself in work due to grief. She had always been able to open up to you and visit her therapist when it all became too much to bare but this. She had no explanation whatsoever.

That’s why her vision was blurred beyond measure. Her purpose wants to leave her. You want to leave her and she can hardly even find the words to comfort you the way she knows you deserve.

Shaking the tresses of curls that lay on the top of her head, she began to slowly crawl on her knees towards you again, having repeated this action about five times already. The only thing her mind told her to do was to hold her, knowing that that is what she longed for and that would may make you melt. She forced her head onto your lower stomach with her arms wrapped so tightly around the back of your legs, body vibrating and unable to stay still as heavy sobs racked through her chest. All she could do was cry. The very last thing that has been keeping her sane in the midst of her crazy life— no. She cannot lose you.

Though your words and tone was sharper than her panther claws, you stood your ground. You value yourself too much to deal with this sort of nonsense, even if it was from the fellow Queen of Wakanda.

“Shuri, I’m tired. I’m tired of your lack of empathy for how I feel. I’m tired of having to have these conversations over and over again with you and most importantly,” you ran your hand through her hair grasping on it harshly, causing Shuri to whimper at the sudden feeling of discomfort. You forced her head up so she could see the hurt in your eyes, with yours being met with bloodshot irises and rivers of tears flowing down her face.

“I am tired of you. Get off of me right now. We are done.” You lowly growled, using all your might to push her away from you, sending her backwards and landing on her backside.

Her eyes widen, arms stretched out on the sides of her body with her mouth ajar in disbelief. The way you used those sweet lips to dismiss her like she was nothing. Ironically, that’s what she loved about you. She adored how you always put yourself first in every situation because you had a strong belief that if you weren’t at peace and things didn’t serve you, it is your responsibility for you to cut them out for your well-being.

She’s being cut out. I’m being cut out. I’m being cut out. I’m being cut—

You spun on your heels, exhausted from this exchange with your now ex partner, exiting her lab before slamming your kimoyo bead bracelet and kiyomo engagement ring to the ground. Using all of your might, you found yourself jumping in the air just to crashing down on the pieces of jewelry, both under your shoes and wanting nothing more to do with Shuri or any of the technology she held above you.

“Don’t you dare reach out to me or try to find me. I already changed my number.” And with that, you disappeared from the lab.

Silence suffocated the room. All of the oxygen had been sucked out of the lab the moment you slammed the door shut. Shuri’s eyes hadn’t left the reminants of the destroyed handcrafted jewelry she’d made for you two anniversaries ago. Her heart resembled the broken shards of material that laid before her. She grabbed a fistful of her top where her heart lays beneath the cloth and let out a blood curdling cry. She screamed and cried. Over and over. Begged you to come back. Spoke to the ghost of you that remained in the room with her. She felt as though she shed more tears now than when her mother passed, with past memories of the two of you littering her mind at the most agonizing moment of her life.

“I’m alone,” she whispered to herself, barely able to get the words out and not believing any of the events that occurred mere seconds ago, “I’m all alone once again.”

[tumblingxelian]

If I may ask with an open enough mind, might I hear out your thoughts on the character of Chloe Bourgeois? I don't expect an answer right out the gate so don't rush on my account. I'm merely trying to collect varying perspectives over what's become a uniquely controversial character.

Oh my that is a doozy of a question, I've debated no less than three separate videos on the topic and multiple essays to boot. Still, she's on my mind and the thing I am working on is obstructing me from modelling or writing but quires breaks to let stuff load so I have time for a longer ask:

So, what are my thoughts on Chloe Bourgeois?

Exactly where to start is rather tricky, so forgive any digressions or rambles.

Chloe is thematically the everyday reality of an Akumatized person.

What I mean by this is that Akuma victims are people in states of emotional distress, tribulation or trouble. Who thanks to the enabling of a power greater than themselves are both encouraged and enabled to lash out at others with borrowed power.

These people are meant to be sympathetic, their emotional tribulation taken advantage of, their situation, methods and thought process untenable. But they do need to be stopped from doing harm, and then healing needs to begin, with some effort made to redress the issue that led to them lashing out in the first place.

Akuma victims are the supernatural theme, Chloe is the reality.

Of course, some might claim she has no reason to have issues but...

Her mother is negligent and largely absent. The time they spent together prior to Queen Wasp, consisted of Chloe praising, giving gifts and trying to please Audrey. Only to be torn down, ignored, rejected or have her efforts disparaged. The woman doesn't even get her name right and the only means by which she earned even a scrap of approval was through being cruel. Something explicitly encouraged by the show's main character which is ???. 

Though it seems Audrey got bored with her fairly quickly regardless.

Audrey is unrelentingly hostile, selfish and cruel and encourages these traits in others and only avoids turning them on a person if they are sufficiently useful, or a match for her in viciousness. You are either her victim, her tool, or a conspirator. This is a hilariously awful parent, the damage she can do limited only by her sheer lack of interest.

Andre is somehow worse.

I am going to ignore the reading undertones of subtext into things but suffice to say that ratchets him up from just a bad parent to kill him with fire parent.

What we see with Andre is a man who explicitly taught Chloe to lie, cheat, intimidate, extort and bribe people to get what she wants. She is fourteen, and has been doing this since before she was in double digits. She's not bad because there's something innately wrong with her, she behaves badly because she's been explicitly taught that was the proper way to conduct herself.

We know full well Andre is capable of reigning Chloe in, be it gently in the Christa episode or with disciplinary action in Kung Food. However he only does this when it suits him, or her actions might cause him problems. For all his alleged affection for her, or her alleged influence on him, Chloe's always on the end of a leash Andre can and will tug back on the moment he feels like it.

This isn't just bad because it's so blatantly hypocritical and self serving. It's bad, because it means he enables Chloe's most self destructive and harmful traits so long as they don't impact 'him'. Given also that he is the one who, to put it charitably, raised her, that means the consequences and fallout of her actions should fall on him.

The fact he is presumably the one who encouraged Chloe to impersonate his wife, given Audrey didn't start rewarding that behavior until Queen Wasp, is also bad parenting. Like even if you ignore the disgust factor, its just fucking awful parenting and like everything else he taught her. It contributed to the fact Chloe is a social pariah hated by most people she has to spend time around.

Because let's get to the next stage, subversions!

In most shows like ML, Chloe as "The mean girl" would be popular, or at least feared, able to pose a threat in a social context, and is usually insulated from the more magical issues.

None of this applies to Chloe.

Even if we don't treat Origins as the shows starting point, she's already only tangentially involved in class stuff. Her fathers hotels own doorman outright says she has no friends, extremely out of pocket of him. & Origins sees one of the first things said to him being that Chloe is a brat and he halfway ditches her before 24 hours are up, and keeps her at nominal arms length for the rest of the series.

We can talk about how there's reasons for this, sure, but the thing that's interesting here is the subversion.

Chloe's mean-ness has not won her friends or influence as it does other mean girls in fiction, such as Heathers or Mean Girls.

Instead, it's made her barely tolerated by her peers and this only grows worse for her as the show goes on leading to her ensuing isolation which only worsens her condition and attitude. This is something Chloe is even varying shades of aware of, as she tearfully confessed to Ladybug when hiding from her Akumatized father. She knows something is wrong, but doing things differently goes against everything her parents taught her or exemplified, so it's not a shock she struggles.

Similarly, compare how Bonnie from Kim Possible could actually out-compete Kim for the role of cheer captain. 

Can Chloe beat Marinette in anything?

No, not really, or least the narrative never lets her do so even when she does have the skills for it, such as 8 years of ballet losing to nice vibes.

This is much less interesting than the previous point because it's basically just the writers using Chloe as a speed bump which gets boring after a while.

Then consider how Totally Spies own Mean Girl, Mandy is rarely tied to the actual adventures save maybe in a way other civilians are; leaving altercations with Clover as civilian affairs.

Does this apply to Chloe?

Fuck no XD

Chloe's frequently targeted by AKuma, even when she either shouldn't be singled out, (Ivan, everyone was scared) or for comparatively minor transgressions (Nathanial, his teacher screamed at, insulted & shook him) or outright targeted by the main villain of the show. (One who has known her since she was an infant!) 

Even before she had a Miraculous, Chloe was a frequent target of violent murder attempts. But this is largely treated as neutral, or even as comeuppance for bad behaviour. The issue is, the sheer scale of what she's being targeted with is so completely disportionate to what she did, assuming she even did things wrong, that it comes off as more unfair than anything else, & liable to give trauma. 

Especially as the show has double standards at times.

I think often-times the writers neglected to actually think through their karmic punishments for Chloe.

Take Pixelator, 

Chloe is the one who recognized Jagged, helped her father, and actually did her fucking job, but is the only student not rewarded with a concert ticket despite having done nothing to piss Jagged off.

Or how when her locker was broken into she's largely dismissed and needs to threaten the principal with her father to get a response. One might say this is abusing her power, but A, it's her dads power and B, we see with Lila later that the principle will basically just bow to whoever can make the bigger fuss. This isn't a Chloe issue it's a Damocles issue and I think being upset people broke into her locker isn't exactly unfair.

Similarly, I noted above how Chloe loses to Marinette even when she shouldn't logically do so. 

A bigger example of the narrative short hand delivered is the fact we see other characters do stuff Chloe does and get free rides.

IE, Kagami can dramatically strut into a fencing hall talking the most boastful shit, actually lose more or less legitimately, Akumatize and still be treated with sympathy and become a hero.

Chloe boastfully auditions to be Ladybug for a music video, but actually is the best audition scene, but loses out to positive vibes, gets angry & through her father lashes out, gets punished & no one gives a shit about her side of the story. 

To be clear, I like Kagami, I find this comparison interesting, I just don't think the show realized that it did this or does stuff like this a lot. 

That whole episode also demonstrates what I said at the start, about Chloe embodying the thematic of Akuma, IE, anger or distress, powerful sponsor, lashing out, ETC. 

So the double standard in how she's framed and treated VS Kagami is framed and treated becomes a weakness of the writing and show. 

We also see this with stuff like her & Marinette sabotaging Kagami, but Marinette largely getting portrayed sympathetically for doing so while Chloe isn't. 

This creates the impression the problem isn't Chloe's bad behavior, it's with her mere existence.

IE, she's the audience and writer's punching bag/designated target, so it feels like the writers just kind of don't bother a lot of the time actually making her wrong or thinking through the implications of their story beats with her, or other characters' behaviour. 

This stuff is present in Season 1, much more overt in season 2 and basically caps off season 3 which is where I stopped watching.

Cos like, the villain who's known her since forever has been actively trying to utilize her through the seasons, who explicitly aimed to puther in a state of severe emotional distress, ambushed her in her own home & had her parents in his grasp.

Right after the show's hero blatantly walked back a previous ruling that kept Chloe from being Queen Bee, (& did so for selfish and if one considered HK targeting known heroes, incredibly callous reasons)

But we're meant to hate the 14 year old for responding badly?

I would also argue stuff like this is a large part of what makes Chloe such an ensemble dark horde to the fandom. Not just because one can read into things about her history and character, but because the author's hand is so heavy it actively hurts and hinders its own narrative in order to harm Chloe and so feels unfair.

Some final notes I couldn't place elsewhere:

Akuma don't usually harm their loved one's. Chloe's mother tried to kill her on sight & then kept looking for excuses to do so & finally did. Andre turned the powerful & willful Audrey into a simpering hanger on and wanted to do the same with Chloe, which again, yikes.

When fused together they declared her incapable of loving anyone but herself. A fact blatantly disproven already but even in the episode itself with her demanding their release in exchange for helping Hawk Moth. & then tried to fucking EAT HER.

Her butler, school friend and teacher seemingly love her more than her own parents.

As an aside, Sabrina's explicitly encouraged to work for Chloe by her father as it makes her "Useful" which has loads of implications. But at least one can't blame Chloe for Sabrina's character.

Madame Bustier, when Akumatized uses having "Taken care" of her father as a lure to try and get Chloe to come to her. So again, yikes if one wants to read into it as it means even as an Akuma who was upset by Chloe, Bustier perceives Andre as the threat/problem to her.

Chloe by all accounts seems to live alone in a hotel suite, not even one of the fancier, super suites but like... The walls are 50% glass with no curtains, that lead to publicly exposed areas (as we see interviews with Jagged being conducted in them) and there's almost nothing to identify it as a space she lives in. Hell, the pictures on the wall are often blank and it seems she's lived here alone since she was a toddler.

That would have calamitous impacts on a Child's psyche & development! 

Despite her portrayal, Chloe was shown to be extremely good at being Queen Bee in many respects.

She almost soloed Mayura.

She is the first person shown able to resist Akuma, got civilians out of an Akuma infested train cart & protected Sabrina during the second red Akuma swarm.

She was able to quickly and easily keep up with Ladybug on the roof tops and using a similar weapon & travel style creates a visual parallel between the two which carries implications of them being counterparts. 

But most especially Chloe proved herself a skilled and heroic combatant during Heroes Day; covering for the other heroes without orders, doing so easily & needing to be targeted by multiple villains all with personal ties to her to be brought down, while protecting other heroes.

But that never really gets acknowledged.

So much like with "Nearly being brutally murdered for being kind of a dick" this sense of narrative imbalance engendered sympathy from those who notice.

I also find it fascinating that Chloe is, despite spending her life surrounded by abusers and enablers both, that she, without any real guidance, managed to soften their behaviors on her own.

Yes she buys Sabrina presents in luew of saying sorry, but she also spends time with her and does fun stuff, Andre just buys her off. She wants Adrien at her side and the like, but she doesn't actually try to stop him from befriending people she hates, Gabriel tries to keep him locked up. She doesn't like losing, but compares her relatively mild huffiness or brief theatrics to Audrey's violent response to merely being snubbed.

She's already doing better than all of them despite explicitly being taught or demonstrated, or victimized with all the wrong lessons and is fourteen.

Chloe also obviously has a deeply unhealthy understanding of relationships as seenin in how she recreates her parents awful dynamic with everyone around her. 

IE,

Andre fawns on Audrey, who is domineering, never satisfied and harsh at best. Chloe acts accordingly with Sabrina, while fawning on her mother and Ladybug who are much the same though  for different reasons. She's internalized this deeply unhealthy dynamic and applies it to herself as much as she does to anyone else.

This is just one element of the fact she honestly seems deeply troubled on a social level. I mentioned earlier that Chloe seems to know "Something" is wrong with everyone hating her & is clearly unhappy about it. But also seems unsure how to fix it, or what the source of the problem is.

The fact she often doesn't seem to get social cues, even from people she's treating like a peer, such as Ala or Adrien, gives off the sense that her problems go deeper than just "Being a brat".

This is further emphasized by the fact that so much of her daily persona seen is her doing an impression of her mother. Or otherwise putting on a show to try and get her dad or Kim, or the principle ETC, to do something.

Because when she's "upset" it's all theatrical prancing and squeals of daddy and then it's over.

But when she's actually upset, like panicking over losing Adrien upset, or breaking down cos Ladybug chose another hero with a known identity over her (Said by Kagami in the episode so we can't pretend it's not true). Chloe usually builds up to a brief explosion followed by a collapse, or just collapses outright into a panicked, curled up state. One that in one instance seemed to be intentionally drawing comparisons to an infant, but again give what we know that says less about her & more about Andre.

Basically, Chloe's life is a performance, we rarely see the real her, because she's always trying to play a role she thinks she's meant to, in order to be liked and successful & is confused, hurt and lonely because it's not working the way her family promises or demonstrated it would.

I also think it's interesting how Marinette & Kagami both firmly instruct her to stop bothering about seating arrangements. Like, we see he react to insults and anger with anger back, but those firm instructions seemed to make her actually inclined to listen, or at least intimidate rather than rile her up.

Also on the insults front, I think it's notable with the pariah angle that Chloe did basically become an open target. No, she doesn't do herself any favors, but her efforts to do video assignments, or participate in art class getting naught but degrading insults. Or her simply not participating in Madame Bustier's birthday causing the class to collectively tear into her says a lot.

Also much like with Damocles, Chloe getting away with mean-ness is not a Chloe thing, the other students get away with it too. At most getting a mild "Well that was kind of mean" which gets shrugged off.

So again we are back into one rule for Chloe another rule for everyone else, which engenders sympathy or frustration in many of the audience. 

Also I find her & Adrien's friendship conceptually fascinating. because like... Adrien outright admits that he totally understands sabotaging a train to try and win a parents love. Meaning he both can likely imagine himself doing the same and also does not grasp how fucked up it is to think one has to go to such insane lengths for someone who treats them like trash.

Am I speaking about Audrey or Gabriel?

Trick question, it's both!

As a sort of final cap off, I quite enjoy the fact that Chloe's so aggressively defiant. Yes she can get scared & panic, but like. She spent 95% of her Stoneheart kidnapping oscillating between bored, pissed off and irritated.

One can say it's a fight based trauma response and I agree, but it's also just a fun dynamic to have for a character who'd normally be relegated solely to screaming damsel.

So yeah, I think she's a fascinating character in concept and at times execution. Who subverts, twists and breaks expected tropes tied to her archetype in fascinating ways but who's handling leaves me wanting, I hope this was useful! 

@princess-of-the-corner @generalluxun @maestro04yayyy you might like this post too!

MAJOR EDIT!

I can't believe I went through Chloe's entire persona section & neglected to mention the fact that her efforts to flirt with guys always come off as so awkward and in-genuine compared to her enthusiastic adoration of Ladybug.

[hauntingsofhouses]

the tale of the ronin and the bride really changed the entire premise and promise of the show. because mizu really could've been happy. she WAS! she was happy. she fell in love and found peace and she was about to accept all of herself and openly be all of herself but then it was robbed from her.

and not to push my taimizu agenda again (sorry) but for taigen to behave the same way mikio did from the inevitable gender reveal would be so redundant in my opinion. it would be different if mikio didn't exist and that whole storyline didn't exist, but it does. so taigen won't need to play that role of "guy falls in love with mizu, only to find out mizu is a woman* who's insanely good at fighting, and then lashes out at her and destroys their relationship" anymore. someone already did that before him.

like! i was thinking about how taigen's reaction might mirror that of avigdor in yentl, which is the movie that inspired the love triangle in BES. so if you haven't watched yentl, basically it's about a woman named yentl who crossdresses as a man so she can study and go to school. at the school she befriends avigdor, who is just as passionate about her studies as she is and they basically become best friends who bond over their debates of rabbinic literature. yentl falls in love with him, and it's implied that avigdor also starts feeling that way for yentl, despite believing her to be a man. at the end of the story, yentl reveals herself to avigdor, and he lashes out at her for having "tainted" everything and for having made him a "sinner." he gets angry, there's an argument as he demands to know why she did it and why she is exposing herself now, and yentl ends up breaking down crying, confessing that she loves him. avigdor holds her and comforts her, confessing his mutual feelings towards her, and they kiss. and then they talk about running away together and eloping, but in avigdor's plans, yentl would have to be his wife and thus would no longer be able to do what she loves (study). so they end up parting ways and yentl leaves aboard a ship to find her own freedom.

so anyway, the parallels of yentl=mizu and avigdor=taigen are clear, but to me, it would be rather redundant if taigen were to try to force mizu into this role of a docile wife again. because that's what mikio tried to do! and mizu had done it, and was about to do it again. for a year she lived as a submissive wife and even began to enjoy it. and after sparring with mikio and him rejecting her masculine side, she put on her bridal robes and her makeup in hopes to apologise.

so whatever taigen's reaction will be, i think will definitely be a parallel to mikio's, but i think will end up contrasting it in the end (see: my taigen and mikio are narrative foils post)

i mean, definitely there will be conflict and drama though, about that there is no doubt. especially cuz we all know taigen is a huge drama queen, there's no way he WON'T make a big deal out of it—and this would be the case even IF he grows enough to be able to deal with all his conflicting feelings internally instead of lashing out. regardless, he won't be so accepting immediately, but i don't think he will outright betray her and be an antagonist again.

idk idk. i'm just having lots of thoughts about this now.

[ofsappho]

Treehouse Ask: I hope you are doing well this holiday season? My ask regards Morpheus' proposal of marriage to Reader. How does she feel about becoming his wife? She's currently adjusting to becoming his queen, but how does she feel about the idea of tying her mortal self to him in holy matrimony?

Hi!!! Thank you sm for resending this ask and I hope you’re doing well too.

Yesterday I had a surgical procedure where they stuck some really big needles into my spinal column while I was under anesthesia to inject steroids. Still feeling pretty achy and not great, but big needles will do that to you lol.

Anyways on to the good stuff.

I’m going to start with getting into Morpheus and then Reader’s perspectives, to add context.

I’ve mentioned before about how I’m approaching Morpheus as a very old fashioned/proper being used to a specific standard and protocol when it comes to interpersonal relationships of all kinds. Not only is he a royal king, but he’s also an ancient god who follows ancient rules (for the most part). As a king and a god, he wouldn’t be beholden to any of his partners or feel a sense of accountability from them. They just weren’t equals. He could do as he pleased and demand what he wanted and they couldn’t. His past marriage with Calliope and past romances with Nada, Killala, and Alianora reflect this. (I also want to emphasize that the reason why Morpheus behaved this way in the past in treehouse is because that’s simply the way he learned how to behave in relationships. That was custom, both in the Waking world, which affects the dreaming, and the custom when it comes to royalty and people in power in general. And he was/is a selfish being so this feeds into that for him.)

He does truly love Reader and want to marry her, but the only way he knows how to love her is how he loved people in the past, which was dysfunctional/neglectful/toxic. Morpheus never learned how to be another way.

But he wants Reader more than he’s ever wanted anyone else and is like, if I can obtain her and secure her to me, everything else will fall into place! A lil delulu lol, but he’s not the god of thinking shit through.

On the other hand, Reader is a modern woman. Not just a modern woman, a modern woman who walked into this relationship with the expectation of modern treatment. Being treated equitably, being mutually responsible and accountable towards one another. Complete trust, honesty, and respect.

She’s not truly opposed to marrying him, but she’s less concerned with the “marriage” part of this equation as she is about the parts of a relationship that make a marriage successful. Can she trust him, will he remain true to her, will he protect her and not mistreat her, will he remain obsessed with her and not grow distant or bored. That’s where Morpheus’s one track mind and her clash.

She wants this relationship but on her terms, not solely his, from a position that can be negotiated from.

While Reader clearly isn’t secure in their relationship at the moment, she’s secure enough in herself that she isn’t afraid to hold Morpheus accountable even if it might jeopardize their future.

Spoiler alert - she does eventually agree to marry him and they have a fairy tale wedding before the baby is born and I’m sooo excited hehe.

But right now they’re essentially going through marriage negotiations, as royalty once arranged marriages. But they’re not negotiating over alliances or land or titles, Morpheus finally has met his match who wants something much more important than those things.

And every time she refuses Morpheus, he comes back with a better offer, so to speak. He’s already learned he can’t dazzle her with jewels and gold and things. He has to actually change for the better as a person to keep her. (More Hades and Persephone influences!)

(The way I see it, Calliope’s royal father, King Zeus, would have done all of the negotiating with Morpheus over their marriage. That’s what was done in Ancient Greece and what was/is done all over the world. Negotiating over the possession of Calliope, taking her from her father’s house and adding her to Morpheus’s house (aka family). This is a scenario that naturally lent itself to objectifying Calliope, placing her on a lower status to her husband.)

Reader is a very very special character to me. Not only does she represent me and how I view the world and how I view other people, she also represents the person I wish I could be and the strength/courage/bravery I wish for all people. By giving her her happy ending that she acquired on her own merits and strengths, not by compromising who she was but because she stuck to her guns, I hope to give us all a future where we love and are loved for who we are, not in spite of it.

[stardustprompts]

the empire of gold   (  the daevabad trilogy book 3 )  part 2  -   s. a. chakraborty change tenses/pronouns as needed !!  some lines have been edited for clarity / length / ease of roleplaying  /  part one found  here. tw ;  death , war ,  violence

‘you are an exceedingly frustrating person to talk to.’

‘she scared me, and I am not a woman who frightens easily.’

‘it’s supposed to be the mark of a wise leader, right? the willingness to make sacrifices for a greater good? but nobody ever asks those ‘sacrifices’ if they’re willing— they get no say in whether or not their kids die for some supposed greater good.’

‘we die, and we bleed, and it’s a debt that the powerful never repay. I don’t want to be part of that.’

‘I have made my loyalty clear.’

‘I find I can get a more accurate measure of a man when he’s not aware he’s being appraised.’

‘you have a very long way to go to earn my trust.’

‘i’m not tossing away (name’s) legacy. i’m completing it.’

‘it feels like you’re keeping all these secrets, like you still don’t trust me.’

‘oh, (name). what have you done?’

‘you court death with far too much persistence.’

‘I do not wish to leave. I am very content here with you.’

‘I want you dead and I want your city destroyed.’

‘the ___ do not deserve your loyalty. no one in the world does.’

‘they are poisoned. they are infected. and you are the disease.’

‘I need to go. there is no other way.’

‘I won’t lose you. not again.’

‘you and I are not the worst of our ancestors. they don’t own us. they don’t own our heritage.’

‘it’s a shame you hate politics. you’d be a very good queen.’

‘do you want me to stop?’

‘it’s like you’re in a competition with yourself over picking the worst time to say something.’

‘look me in the eye and tell me the truth. you promised no more lies.’

‘if saving ___ had meant likely killing me, would you have done it?’

‘so you plan to mock me as I bleed to death? that sounds like terrible bedside manner.’

‘don’t be stupid or reckless or proud. give her what she wants and come back to me.’

‘promise me. promise me you’ll come back.’

‘i’m not here to stop you. everything in my blood screams at me to, but I know I can’t.’

‘there is nothing I wouldn’t give for you.’

‘I am so sorry for the words I spoke before, but I won’t burden you with my regrets or my grief.’

‘I was starting to believe in you, in all these things you’ve been saying about a new ___ and equality for my people.’

‘you made me think it might be possible. that if I ever went home, it’d be as some kind of hero, and maybe all the other things I’ve done wouldn’t matter.’

‘i’m helping you. the right fucking thing to do and all that.’

‘there’s no helping me. i’m not getting out of this. all you’ll do is get yourself killed.’

‘I didn’t ask your permission. and I’m not doing this for you.’

‘(name) said you were coming in peace. the face you are making does not indicate peace.’

‘do you not understand? you have lost. save yourself and what is left of your people before their blood is on your hands.’

‘you’ve gone too far, and I’m trying to bring you back!’

‘you keep doing that. making that face like I’m an enemy you have to guard yourself against. i’m not.’

‘you’re not the only one whose had to pretend to be different. whose had to smile politely when people with power insult the parts of you that you never get to wear openly.’

‘I wish you had trusted me. but more than that, I wish I had behaved in a way that would have encouraged you to trust me.’

‘do you have to do that? sound all reasonable and kind?’

‘I have a lot of experience in loving frustrating people.’

‘if you make me cry, I’m going to stab you.’

‘we need to be able to trust each other if we’re going to fight back.’

‘it was the worst thing I’ve ever done in my life, and I didn’t blink an eye.’

‘I know how hard it is to think clearly when someone you love is in danger.’

‘I feared even thinking about the things that would make me happy would destroy them. and it does.’

‘we do not interfere. we seek to avert the greatest harm, to listen to the warnings of the heavens when it’s laws are about to be broken.’

‘you said your people had a proposal for me. so why don’t you state it? clearly, if that’s even possible for you.’

‘let’s not pretend you care about justice when it comes to the internecine squabbles of my people.’

‘please understand. i’ve lost everyone I’ve dared to love. I can’t lose you. not you.’

‘you’re not alone anymore. you don’t have to do this all by yourself!’

‘we can do this together. I don’t need you to save me!’

‘I am not a good man. I am a weapon.’

‘was any of it ever real between us?’

‘I hate you. I hate that I ever had feelings for you.’

‘I offered you mercy once, and you threw it in my face. don’t make that mistake again.’

‘i’m not looking for your mercy. i’m here to save our people.’

‘do you hear yourself? do you have any idea how naïve you sound?’

‘you think I had a choice? I had no one and nothing!’

‘I did not want this violence. it will haunt me to the end of my days, but I will be damned if it was for nothing.’

‘surrender. you cannot defeat her. it will be easier.’

‘oh, (name). you always did underestimate me.’

‘i’m sorry you and I didn’t grow up in a time of peace, where we could have lived happily together.’

‘I mourn, truly, the kind of relationship we could have had.’

(name) didn’t break me. you won’t either.’

(name) didn’t break me. you won’t either. I will never surrender to you.’

‘you have your mother’s/father’s spirit. it got her/him killed too.’

‘i’m not going to hurt you. I would never hurt you.’

‘you have hurt me. you left me.’

‘my entire life is a lie.’

‘you were all I wanted. I dreamed of seeing you again every night.’

‘I do not believe you. because I know you. and you are a liar. a thief.’

‘talk to me. tell me how to fix you.’

‘if you are looking for absolution, you won’t find it from me.’

‘I genuinely believe she wanted better for her people and her city. she just got very, very lost.’

‘I wish I had more time with her. I had so much I wanted to say.’

‘you may have to battle with words and with your very beliefs. but it it worth it. your life is worth it.’

‘your life is worth it. don’t let it be made into fodder for those who will never be in the trenches.’

‘you rip me apart. I was ready to kill you. and then you had to go and do the right thing.’

‘if I could go back … it breaks my heart to think of the different path we might have taken.’

‘you have earned your happy ending. let me do the same.’

‘you don’t get to make me laugh while you’re breaking my heart.’

‘find your happiness. steal it and do not ever let it go.’

‘I am sorry to be such a disappointment.’

‘you say you trust me. so trust me.’

[sarahowritesostucky]

im craving some steve/bucky/reader!

will you ever add to Worth The Wait? pleeese??🌷or maybe write a mfm fic that's set in the mcu? I'm dying for a good stucky/reader endgame fix it, and you write the best m/f sex scenes! 😳

Hi! I will add to Worth the Wait, one day. I have a lot of rotating projects and I'll admit that one isn't at the top of the list.

And I was brainstorming some kind of Endgame fix-it fic idea with an ofc/reader x Stucky pairing, and here's what I came up with:

I wanted to write a fic with more canon elements of the MCU (as I realized that I write very few canon-set fics and almost exclusively AUs). I wanted to write an ofc/reader with a super unique backstory, and hoo-boy, did I ever! I took a lot of inspiration from the galaxy as depicted in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies. This fic will be posted as a one-shot fic, whenever I get around to writing it.

A Stucky x Reader fic, set in the MCU during and after the events of Endgame:

Reader is from another planet - yes, literally.

You're a refugee from a planet that didn't want you (The Sovereign--Aka "the gold people" from Guardians 2.)

Long story short, those people disdain sexual (aka uncontrolled) reproduction. Your Mother was banished for becoming naturally pregnant by an inferior genetic (a Xandarian)

You have mixed genes: slightly gold skin from your Sovereign genes, and blue eyes and brown hair from your Xandarian father. (And since the Sovereign control reproduction strictly, there are no other mixed race Sovereign people like you in existance)

You narrowly escape Thanos' destruction of Xandar, and wind up hitching a ride, post-blip, with Nebula and rocket on the Milano. They take you to Terra to meet their friends after completing one of their post-blip scouting missions.

There you meet Steve, a Terran, and the two of you become friends. He suggests that you consider staying, as you have no real homeworld. You accept.

Eventually, you develop romantic feelings for each other. You decide to be brave and you walk up to him one day, asking if he wants to mate.

"Uh ... do you mean date?" he stutters. Then when you repeat yourself, the two of you proceed to have a long conversation about male-female relationships in Terran culture.

There's a lot to learn about the differences between Terrans and your own kind. For instance: Terrans don't have genders! ("gender" means something completely different on Terra).

Steve has to learn all about what it means for him, as the boyfriend of an omega-gendered woman. (update: he's a fast learner😉)

Steve loves that you're omega. Your nesting and scenting and purring instincts always make him smile. He loves how submissive and touch-focused you are with him, that he can make you melt into a puddle just by gripping your neck.

And he loves your heats. He's fascinated by the way your body changes and the way you start behaving. You can tell it turns him on, to see you getting needy and aroused, and he is very good at helping you through your heat.

He doesn't have a knot, but aside from that part of anatomy, his genitals are a very pleasing size compared to the Xandarian males you've been with in the past. Plus: he has the serum, so he's able to keep pace with the demands of your heat!

When you were at the peak of your heat that first time, half-delirious and begging for a knot, Steve got creative and tried the only thing he could think of: his hand! (fun fact: it's bigger than a knot😉). You now joke that you're a "size queen" in every sense of the word

Your romance with Steve is going well, when Steve and the others figure out a way to potentially reverse the blip: time travel.

You're conflicted, because it's all very dangerous and you're scared of losing Steve and the family and home you've found on Terra. But you know they have to try.

It works. And after the final battle, after you've been scraped out of the wreckage and laid Tony Stark to rest, you finally get to meet the man you've heard so much about: Bucky Barnes.

You can see the change in Steve, with his best friend back. He's happier, lighter, his full self in a way he wasn't before.

Over the course of a few months, you become close friends with Bucky as well. You and Steve don't even have to have a discussion about where Bucky will be staying: It's with you.

The three of you decide to go to Wakanda for a time. You're excited because you hear that the African Terrans' culture is very different from the Terrans in New York.

In Wakanda, you grow even closer with Bucky, and you decide to bring up the idea of partnering with Bucky at dinner one night.

Bucky just about spits his mouthful of wine across the table.

Apparently, three-way relationships are not the norm in Terran culture. Bucky and Steve get very pink in the cheeks at first about it (something you've learned means they are aroused, embarrassed, or both).

Steve splutters and stumbles a lot, but once Bucky shrugs and suggests that the three of you spend a night in bed together, Steve gets very quiet and won't stop looking at Bucky for a long time. (You grin, because you think he looks at Bucky like he want to mate him😉)

Later, after the three of you spend your first (amazing) night together, Bucky privately explains to you that he and Steve have never been intimate before, and that back in "their time" two males weren't allowed to be together like that.

You're astounded by these things about Terran culture and history that you're constantly learning, but you have two very good teachers in your mates boyfriends Bucky and Steve.

Terrans can't bond, but they do hold ceremonies to commit to life partners. So, after a year of living in Wakanda together, you, Steve and Bucky decide to have a "wedding." You are mated married on the palace's grand terrace, under the Wakandan sunset.

That night, you consummate the marriage, and that's the first time that you take both Bucky and Steve inside of your body at the same time. (spoiler: it's amazing😉)

You've already told them about bonding. They don't have glands in their neck like you do, but they've agreed to honor your traditions as well, and they both bite you that night.

You thought it would be purely symbolic, since they're both Terran, but it turns out that Terrans do have pheromones to some degree, and so shockingly, you can feel a euphoric rush when it happens.

You experience that intense closeness and intimacy of a bond with them, and even though it's not the same for them, over time, both Bucky and Steve confide that they feel a change as well.

Maybe it's a bond, and maybe it isn't. Who knows? Who cares? It's love, of that much you're certain. And that's all you need to know.

Yeah, so. This'll get written somewhere down the line. Hope it wasn't too far out there for ya 😆

[shewhotellsstories]

It’s crazy ironic how you go on and on about how “Penelope stans call Eloise a white feminist/criticise her/etc to bring up their fav (Penelope)” when literally all u do is criticise Penelope as a half baked attempt at defending Eloise.

Let me be clear - I am not a Penelope fan. I do not like her, and I fully agree with your criticisms of her. That said, it’s ridiculous how pretty much ur only method of responding to Eloise crit is by bringing up things Penelope has done. Like, they are two different people. Penelope’s bad behaviour does not in fact have any bearing on how Eloise should be examined.

And all this while constantly complaining about the same damn thing u urself are doing ??? Insane levels of hypocrisy honestly

You know, I went a good chunk of the summer without getting any obnoxious anon messages. But all good things must come to an end, and of course, the peace would end over Regency Era Perez Hilton. So let's get into this anon.

If you've read my blog you'll see that my issues with Penelope Featherington pre-date her falling out with Eloise. I've said I think she punches down quite a lot. I've said I find it wildly unethical that her stans call what she does "reporting" because reporters have ethics, editors, a responsibility to fact-check, and ways of being held accountable if/when we get something wrong. When you're hiding behind a pseudonym and printing whispers and rumors as fact, with no way of verifying if it's truth that's just not happening. Additionally, at the end of season one after the reveal I posted that I didn't think Penelope's hurt feelings over an unrequited crush were as serious as the threat facing Marina as an unmarried pregnant girl (google fallen women, they tend not to live long). I don't think that Colin deserved to be tricked, but given the alternatives of a lifetime of poverty or being married off to a creep twice your age who approaches an engagement the same way a person purchases a horse, I understand why the desperate 17-year-old pursued the boy her own age who she knew would at least treat her well. Not only that, but I said I found it gross that she was smiling in Marina's face while having exposed her secret in the cruelest way possible.

Here's another Eloise-free critique of Penelope, she's the worst kind of mean girl, the kind with a victim complex who wants to do nasty things while still being seen as an angel who can do no wrong. Do you want another criticism of Penelope that has nothing to do with Eloise? I think it's icky that she mocked Kate for being a spinster and called one of the few Indian women on this show a beast. I heard that was in the books too, but fun fact, Black and brown people being compared to or flat-out called animals has a racist history and present. Despite the "Penelope woman of the working class people" song and dance, I pointed out that she's trying to stay in Madame Delacroix’s good graces because she can blow the whistle on her.

I've said, it annoys me that people behave as if Penelope's crush being unrequited is a terrible hardship that justifies all her misdeeds, when Colin has never been cruel to her about romantic feelings he doesn't know are there. Contrary to Penelope stans version of history he hasn't tried to lead her on or hurt her, he treats her like a friend and nothing more. In Queen Charlotte, I said it was a dick move to needle the Queen about her lack of heirs during her granddaughter's funeral.

Now, you're saying that I only use Eloise to criticize Penelope, but not only is that untrue it's devoid of context. I only started comparing Eloise and Penelope because after their falling out Penelope's stans started saying that Eloise was a privileged white feminist as a reason that Penelope's actions weren't wrong and why she had no right to feel betrayed. Eloise's feminism is flawed, there's a lot she hasn't considered because she's been sheltered. ICYMI, I pointed out that she failed to understand that due to their class differences, Theo was in more danger than she was because he didn't have a rich family nor the protection that comes with her surname. I even agreed with Theo getting frustrated with her because due to class he is vulnerable in a way she is not. Furthermore, when Penelope stans say Eloise is an entitled white feminist it's not really about what Eloise has done, it's said in service of absolving Penelope of any wrongdoing. I've pointed out that it's said as if in comparison Penelope is Audre Lorde and hasn't been almost as privileged as Eloise up until her father died.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Who acts like more of an entitled white feminist. The girl who is ignorant or the girl slut shaming other women and notably hurting women of color for her own selfish gain? Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony would be proud. Sure, it's despicable that they used racism to gain support for women's suffrage and threw Fredrick Douglas under the bus, still wanting voting rights is less selfish than wanting the high and financial gain that comes with running an anonymous burn book.

Call me a hypocrite if you want but I've got the receipts to show I started criticizing Penelope way before she fell out with Eloise. And frankly, it's hypocritical of you not to realize that my Eloise and Penelope comparisons are a response to the "Eloise crit" that are just thinly layered Penelope apologism and revisionist history.

Have the day you deserve anon.

[animereaderinsertwriter]

tags/warnings: sexual themes, coercion but not in the direction you might think, fem!reader, restraints, consideration of non-con impregnation but ending left ambiguous , incubus!Dabi, witch!reader

Dabi lunges against ever-tightening chains, teeth bared and snapping as he strains uselessly towards his target. 

He’s bound on a soft queen-sized mattress, his ankles and wrists manacles to the head and footboard, awkwardly forcing out his chest. Enchained also is his neck, the end of it held like a leash by his would-be victim.

She is beautiful— too beautiful, he realizes belatedly, to be mere mortal. Her smile is sharp like thorns on a rose, and her eyes are bright with triumphant wickedness; with a delicate hand, she yanks the chain circling his neck even tighter, and he bares his fangs in protest. 

"Gotcha," she says with a sultry little wink, and he hisses in pain as metal glowing crimson with holy heat presses against his decidedly unholy flesh. 

"Release me."

He means it as a bitter, furious command— but it comes out more like a plea, breathy and nearly fearful, betraying the panic he feels clawing within his breast. 

His words only earn him tighter bonds, and he howls against the pain of them. 

"Did you really think I would let you go so easily?" she asks with a hint of a giggle, as though something about this were entertaining. "How long have you been lurking, creature? How long have you watched, waited by my window for this very night?"

So long, he thinks. So very, very long. 

He thinks it started when he watched her as she tended her garden in the springtime. He watched as her hands sifted through rich earth, planting wolfsbane, mandrake root, pretty little posies, and all manner of herbs and spices; at the time, all he could think was what this human might grow for him, and what he could plant in her garden, as it were. 

Now, in autumn's dying breath, he wonders if she will bother to bury the ashes of his corporeal form in her flowerbed, or if she'll scatter him to the wind without a care in the world for his resting place. By the way she's looking at him now, Dabi doesn't think he wants to know. 

"You know what? I don't want to know," she says casually, twisting the chain over her hand, drawing it taut as she closes the distance between them. "After all, it doesn't matter. I know all I need to know about you."

Fiercely, she jerks the chain again, and suddenly she's close enough for him to kiss or to kill. 

"I know you want me," she says, "and if you behave, I'm willing to let you have me."

Everything stops. 

Dabi's heart hammers in his chest— did he hear her right? —and then she's touching him, her soft hand coming to press against his exposed, ever-persistent bulge, his insatiable need. She grips him tightly— too tight, but desperately pleasing— and he whines against the motion, utterly unused to being actively touched by an intended victim. 

"I don't want a baby," she tells him gently, her nose nearly touching his. "You can fuck me, take your pleasure from my body— you can even be rough, violent without fear of waking a sleeping victim— but I won't procreate. That's my one condition."

Dabi blinks at her, puzzled— then melts once he realizes the implications of what she's just said. 

"But— but I want one," he whines. "The procreating— that's the fun of it, I want a— nngh!"

The fiendish, evil woman jerks the chain so that he literally chokes on his final words.

"No baby," she says, and her tone is final. "You'll make that deal with me— a binding deal— and that's the only way you get to fuck me."

She strokes him as she says it, dry and painful, and Dabi knows he's been had.

"Y-yes," he pleads, his hips rising to meet her strokes, precum leaking from his head. "Please— please—"

Her hand is gone, traveling farther upwards. With one sharp nail, she slices a shallow wound on his chest— over his heart— and she speaks words that shock him to his core.

"I bind you, Todoroki Touya—" she knows his name, how the hell can she know his true name?— "I bind you this night to my will. An even trade we make, an even trade then done, and you will quit this place or else be cursed forever mine. Mine ever to own, mine ever to keep, mine ever to bind. Finite."

She releases his chains, and he pounces. 

A flimsy, snow-white chemise is all that stands between her naked body and his— Dabi rips it off and immediately presses into her flesh, rutting senselessly against her just to gain some relief. As his body takes over, kissing her, caressing her as he grinds against her, his mind wanders to what might happen if he should break the binding between them. He wants a baby, he wants to see this woman swell and grow with little demon spawn; he wants to watch as it toddles and grows fur on its legs, and he wants to keep it for himself, leaving her with another one to grow in her belly, over and over again until—

A high-pitched whine escapes him, and Dabi realizes he's come already just from rutting against her. 

"Good boy," she murmurs, reaching between them to stroke him, his cock never softening— his blessing, his curse— and he throws his head back as she kisses him gently, too gently.

If he were to do what he was thinking, it would mean being bound to such a wicked creature for eternity— or, at least until she died, and with it her magic… but witches can live a very long time. Can he really take the risk?

As he watches the woman climb up onto the bed, her ass up and her legs spread for him, he thinks maybe he can— maybe he should. 

After all, how bad could it be to be bound to someone clever enough to trap him and cold enough to use him? She seemed so much like himself, and if their tastes aligned, well— such a binding might be more advantageous than it had first appeared.

[lightning-bringer]

This is for a friend but can you do hcs Renata Glasc X Fox! S/O? Like it looks similar to Ahri? Can you also make nsfw hcs as well? Thanks!

Okay so before I start I want to explain something. Usually I separate the SFW and NSFW parts of the request, to make it easy for people that just want to read one of them, but for this one I won’t because I think Renata’s relationship with a partner would be intrinsically a BDSM kind of relationship (dom x sub dynamics), and though not every aspect of BDSM is sexual, it’s still a NSFW topic. I will leave the actual sexual headcanons to the end, but I won’t disitnguishe between them

Okay so we know that canonically, Renata Glasc was kind of Viktor’s sugar mommy when he went back to Zaun, so that is exactly the relationship she’d have with her partner, but less business wise lol

They are a vastaya, and Renata would absolutely love to parade them around the Barons of Zaun, giving her SO any and all the money they want to pretty themselves up for her

She’d make sure they have everything they want, and if they were born in Ionia and not Zaun, and wanted or needed something from their homeland, Renata would make sure they have it

And Renata would absolutely - and I mean absolutely, for sure, no doubt, I’d bet money on this - be into collaring, SPECIALLY with a partner who has literal with fox ears

I believe she would be respectful if they didn’t want to do it, be it either arranged since the beginning of their relationship or something they decided they didn’t want anymore later on, but it would anger her a little, because it’s one of the things she wants and likes the most

Now, it’s not pet play, she would be clear about it, but the image of her partner walking beside her with a pretty collar, with a tag written “Glasc’s property” in it... She would feel SO good about it

Though no one would be allowed to threat them badly for being a vastaya. She will allow comments about how pretty her sub is, but that's it

Renata would be so nonchalant about the wildest kinds of PDA, she would nearly demand her SO sits on her lap while she's in a meeting as she strokes their fluffy tail and talk to a possible new business partner

(She would also absolutely and often demand to have her SO sit at her feet while she works, stroking their fluffy ears)

I already said she would give her SO anything they want, but she would also not let them any do any kind of "hard work"

Want to buy something? No need to get up someone will fetch it for you. Oh you want to visit a friend? The driver's gonna take you in a minute

It can be quite claustrophobic honestly, so her partner would have to make it very clear when they want her (and ger money/power) to step away (but she wouldn't be very happy about it)

Renata would love to touch her partner's ears and tail, both in a sexual or non-sexual way. She'd make them wear shibari under their clothes quite often and she'd love to make beautiful designs on their back to make their tail shine even more

Renata is a very dominating woman, clearly, and that would also extend to sex so her SO would have to expect to be bossed around quite a lot lol

She likes to have full control and she's a sadist, but she's also generous and always rewards her partner with as many orgasm as they want if they behave properly

And with her fox vastaya partner... Renata would love to merciless tease their tail. Pull the base both to hurt and to pleasure them, then petting it so soothingly during aftercare

Oh there's that, she's the Queen of after cara, only the best salves and creams for rope or impact wounds, all the food anyone would possibly want, warm baths in huge bathtubs

Glasc also really likes branding so maybe she would ask her partner to get a few piercings in their fluffy ears, so she knows they have her mark there always

(When she's feeling particularly mean but not really sadistic she'd want to grind against her partner's tail until she comes and have them only watch, forbidden from touching themselves or her)

Renata would not be much into titles, but to be called Baroness in public and mistress in bed would be a huge turn on for her

And to have her tits played with it. They're huge. And she likes to have her partner sucking on them

All her partner would have to do is moan "I'm so sorry Mistress", twitch their adorable ears and lick her nipples and all wrong doings are forgiven

(Oh also Renata is into brats. Super into brats. Mostly if her partner, being a vastaya, uses magic to run away from her or deny her things. It gives her that much more satisfaction once she gets them)

She wouldn't mind be called Mommy when it comes to her being a literal sugar mommy but she'd make it clear that's not supposed to happen in bed, she doesn't like it

Also because she's older, she's very settled on what she likes and dislikes. She would be a demanding and not really into trying new things, but she's also very weak for her SO (which Renata would never admit), so all it takes is nice lingerie and a swipe of fluffy tail... and she'd relent

[larabiatasstuff]

Sooo......I may have been the one who asked you about the character vs character question, thank you for answering that by the way. And I love your choices! Especially taligaro! How would you feel about writing a story where they fight over you? I bet taligaro would beat the knave hands down! Xxx

Oh I really like that request. I'll absolutely write that for you🖤 I'm glad you liked my character choice. 🙏

Being the first female instructor for the royal army was amazing. It took a little time until I got the respect I earned but now, nobody questioned my decisions anymore. It was a sunny afternoon when I taught my soldiers how to parry enemy attacks when suddenly queen Mirana approached us. "My queen, is there anything I can help you with?" "Oh Y/N, there's no need for formalities. I was just taking a walk and thought it would be interesting for you to hear that the general and Stayne are fighting each other in the courtyard." "Excuse me, they do what?" I asked. "Oh yes and I heard your name very often. Would you be so kind and go check on them before someone gets hurt?" "Of course my queen." then I turned to my soldiers "You are dismissed, we see each other tomorrow." with that I ran over to the courtyard where Tal and Stayne were having a heated argument. "What on earth are you doing? Queen Mirana said she saw you fighting, what is this all about?" I said and turned their attention to me. Stayne took a few steps towards me, giving me a friendly smile. "First of all it's lovely to see you Y/N the general and I were talking about the upcoming festivities and of course I told him that you should definitely go with someone who knows manners and how to behave, someone like me." "Bullshit Y/N and I know each other since we were kids. She'll choose me of course." Tal said. "Stop it both of you! So you want to tell me that all this drama is just about who I'm going to the ball with? Have you even considered asking me for a second?" they both looked at each other. "I take that as a no. Really guys this is so unnecessary." I said shaking my head. "Of course I thought about having a word with you Y/N but the heart of a lovely woman like you deserves to be captured by a real man, so I challenge you general Taligaro to a duell for the hand of the lovely Y/N!" "Oh yeah? Well you can have that Stayne I'll kick your ass so hard your grandchildren won't be able to sit properly." Tal said holding out his sword.I sighed "Alright listen if this is the only way for you to solve this, so be it. But please don't hurt each other we have to train the new recruits. Alright get in fighting stance aaaand go." As soon as I gave them the signal they both started lunging at each other and the sound of metal clashing on metal echoed through the courtyard. Stayne was a giant compared to Tal and it looked like he had the upper hand but Tal was fast and agile. He managed to block most of his attacks and landed a few hits himself. He was so fast that Stayne lost his focus, stumbled and fell to the ground. Taligaro standing above him holding his sword to his throat. "Okay that's enough, Tal you won. Come take my hand Stayne I help you up." I said pulling him to his feet "Soooo does that mean we're going to the ball together?" Tal asked wearing a huge smile. I rolled my eyes at him. "Yes Tal that means we're going to the ball under one condition, you two will behave and at least try to get along alright? You cost me a whole training session today. So if you'd excuse me I have to be somewhere else." with that I made my way to the quarters wearing a smile on my face, I mean who could say that two handsome men are fighting each other because of you.

[iheartbookbran]

yeah ita with everything you said! imo the major difference between a show like breaking bad is that the writers were always fully aware of how horrible walt was, and his actions were never excused or whitewashed by the narrative. whereas on hotd the writers are determined to find every excuse in the book to whitewash the greens and make them look like victims of circumstance. and i completely agree with you that the both-sidesing of the greens and the blacks is incredibly fucking annoying! like i’m sorry but the notion that the greens and the blacks are equally bad is ridiculous! i’m not saying that the blacks are perfect or that they’ve never done anything wrong, but the greens are the ones who START THE WAR IN THE FIRST PLACE!!! like the greens literally START A CIVIL WAR DUE TO MISOGYNY and and we’re supposed to think these two sides are equally in the wrong??? i mean i could go into all of the ways that the team green is worse than team black, but i feel like the fact that the greens initiated this due to their opposition to a woman on the throne is the most crucial thing. the “both sides are equally bad” take is apologism for misogyny and it pisses me off to no end.

Like I get the need to flesh out the greens and not making them as outright villains as they are in the book. I get it. But I also think there’s ways to do that without taking away their bite? I mean in asoiaf the Lannisters are very obviously the villains, they are presented to us from the very beginning as the bad guys but they’re still allowed to be sympathetic and fleshed out and even, dare I say, characters the readers can find themselves rooting for.

And yeah, the Dance is a conflict in which everyone does bad things at the end but the greens still end up coming off as worse because at least the blacks get to have characters on their side who are always portrayed as wholly heroic, like Jace, Baela, Addam, and of course the rest of the squad that includes Good Guy Houses such as the Starks, the Tullys and the Blackwoods—no seriously the biggest indicator we get that the blacks are supposed to be the heroes is the fact that the Blackwoods are supporting them, that’s GRRM’s default Manic Pixie Cool House lmfao.

Even Daemon, who orchestrated what’s arguably the worst thing that happens in the Dance (B&C), is still presented as heroic during his lasts moments, maybe he’s undeserving of that heroism but that’s the direction the story takes.

Funnily enough, f&b as a source is heavily biased against Rhaenyra, and I think that’s a deliberate choice on GRRM’s part because he still manages to make Rhaenyra come off as sympathetic and likable at times, even if she does her fair share of war crimes. She, of course, gets the brunt of the criticism out of all the characters on her side, mainly because she doesn’t behave as a “good woman” ought to lbr. People love to bring up the fact that she’s called Maegor with teats in universe as a gotcha for how terrible she was as a ruler without realizing that A) they’re falling into the same misogynistic propaganda that was used against Rhaenyra to hurt her reputation and B) how fucking disrespectful that is towards Maegor. I mean he didn’t kill and torture his own teenaged nephews, kidnaped and forcibly married several women, almost single-handedly annihilated a religion, and brutally murdered anyone who opposed him, only for y’all to claim Rhaenyra was just as bad as him? She fed one (1) guy to her dragon, ordered the execution of a few people and failed to carry it through, and raised some taxes on KL. Being like Maegor? PLEASE, she doesn’t have the flair nor the commitment to be Maegor.

The point about Rhaenyra is that we simply don’t know how she would be as ruler, without the war and the trauma she underwent and affected every single decision she took as queen. Maybe she wouldn’t have been great at the job, but we can summarize Aegon wouldn’t have been any better. It doesn’t matter because that was never the point, and I’m aware I sound like a broken record but idgaf: the Dance was never a conflict in which both sides were equally in the wrong, even if both sides do terrible things, merely because the circumstances that lead to it were a woman being usurped and betrayed on account of simply being a woman. Rhaenyra may not be a perfect victim to some but that doesn’t mean she isn’t one, she doesn’t need to be an enlightened third wave feminist for us to understand that the patriarchy was weaponized against her in order to undermine her, that she was shamed for her sexual liberation and attacked at every turn and made to feel as if she was the irrational one for not peacefully giving up her power to her shitty little brother.

Honestly it’s self-parody at this point because the Venn diagram between people who claim that slaver lives matter and Dany is a monster for wanting to end the practice while not being nice about it, and the people who try to justify the greens’ every action because Rhaenyra started it all by having sex outside of marriage, is almost a complete circle. And they will bend over backwards to try to poor mew mewify Aegon, who in the show is a child r*pist who enjoys watching kids fight to the death, and say that Rhaenyra is just as bad for having children outside the sanctity of marriage with the blessing of her own gay husband who loves and claims those children as his own anyways. Ok.

[nanidoesthings]

Thaw With Me

A Prince Hans x OC Fanfic

Chapter 1 2 - The Morning Paper

Linnea was not the Duke’s firstborn- oh no- that achievement went to her darling brother Erik. Nor was she the second, or the third. Not even the sixth. Yet with how she behaved one would assume she was meant to be the next Duchess of Weselton. She presented herself as a competitive, poised, business minded woman with a stride in her step that demanded power.

It had been at the breakfast table when she had heard the news. Linnea had bustled into the dining hall, her tone changed the moment she walked in. Two of her brothers- the twins Niklaus and Johann- had been whispering amongst themselves. The elder of the two giving Linnea a look she could only tell meant trouble.

She also ended up more often than not being the one to clean up after the family mistakes.

“What did you do?” The red headed woman crossed her arms, her brow arching. She carried the tone of an annoyed parent who had just caught their child in the act. Johann- the younger twin- raised his arms to the air, shaking his head with ferocity. Linnea then tilted her head and looked at Niklaus.

“Don’t look at us! Honestly,” Niklaus’s tone grew defensive, tossing the paper that had been in his hand onto the table before his baby sister. Linnea scooped it up quickly. “Something weird happened over in Arendelle. Apparently the fjord got frozen. No one could get in or out!”

Linnea took her seat at the table, fixated on the printed text. With the paper in one hand she supported her chin with the other.

“That explains why they haven't been back. They would have arrived days ago,” she puts the paper down. Arendelle had been only a 3 day trip from Weselton and the Duke had already confided in his children he would stay there an extra day to consult the queen on old and new business. Linnea’s brain started whirring. Arrangements needed to be made, events rescheduled or reassigned.

“I’m sure you’re already buzzing with ideas on how to fix things.” Johann snatched a piece of bacon from her plate. Linnea used to this behavior from him by now started to tap her cheek with her fingers, still looking pensive. Her brow was furrowed as she switched to the next page of the paper. An article on business catching her eye.

“Believe it or not, she can’t fix the weather. She’s not a witch.” Niklaus teased, procuring a wicked cackle.

“No, clearly that’s the new queen of Arendelle. Suddenly those rumors that she had been born green make sense.” Linnea spoke with a deadpan. She had heard rumors of Arendelle’s royal family, especially after the incident a few years back involving Queen Idunna and King Agnarr. Their cryptic ways of business had always interested her and father had insisted he would get down to the brunt of just why.

“There can be two witches. Arendelle is to the east of us.” Johann reached for Linnea’s breakfast again. The woman who had kept her eyes on the paper grabbed his hand mid action. “That would make you the Wicked Witch of the West.” He winces, feeling his sister grip a little tighter. “Okay. Okay. I fold.” Linnea released him, and in turn reached for the food he attempted to steal.

“Like I was saying,” there was an annoyance in her voice, “I cannot control the weather. How in the Hel did she freeze the Fjord anyways? It’s not like she’s some fairytale character. M-Magic like this isn’t real!” Linnea flipped back to the report on the coronation and read it again. going to heavily affect our engagement schedule until they’re home. Dad was supposed to handle the-.”

“Yes, yes. He was going to have been home yesterday, spend the day catching up, then today be dealing with the business involving the Jensen alliance. We know Lin.” Johann interrupted. “Since Dad isn’t here I’m sure Oslo can handle it.”

“What is it I’m handling?” Speak of the devil. Oslo had been the third eldest son and didn’t take his position as seriously as some thought he should have. The short man pulled back his regular seat and slumped into it.

“The Malstrüm-Jensen alliance. Between Weselton and Barovia.” Linnea repeated, watching her brother throw his feet up on the table.

“Oh yeah. Don’t worry. Took care of it,” Oslo grabbed a strawberry from the table and dipped it into a bowl of cream. “The Marquess was fairly easy to convince. If you get what I mean.” He had a teasing tone to him as he started eating.

“What?” Linnea turned her head quickly towards Oslo. Watching how he suckled the cream off the strawberry a look of realization hit her. “Oh my god. You did not.”

“Oh I did. 3 times.” He held out 3 fingers. “We’ll sign the paperwork and finalize it this afternoon.”

“Well, Well, Well, look at you,” Johann laughed, high-fiving Oslo.

“What can I say, I love to entertain.” Linnea groaned, folded the paper and rolled her eyes at her brother’s notcomments.

“I suppose that’s one way to get things done. But until any of them are back, Oslo is regrettably the stand in.” Annoyance dripped from her voice as she stood from her chair.

“And yet you’re the one giving the orders,” Niklaus returned her glare. His tone changed as he watched his sister roll up the paper and raise it above her head, preparing a good smack. “Linny. Lin. Linnea Agneta Malstrüm don’t you da- ow!” At this point he was getting smacked over multiple times with the paper. He laughed a little as he rose his hands in defense.

“Yes. Because dad let anyone he had past Erik and Francis just live off the family money. You think you can sleep your way through any problem,” Linnea pointed the rolled up paper at Oslo, “and you two act like children,” she pointed at the twins.

“Honestly, would it kill you to turn off your brain for a moment?” Johann used two fingers to push the newspaper away from his face. “You’re always so wrapped up in everything. Acting like if you put all this effort in dad’s going to put you above us in the hierarchy. Oslo may not have done something how you would but he settled our problem with Barovia! Without having to take orders from you for once.”

Linnea sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. Would she admit that Johann made a good point? No. Instead she tucked the paper under her arm and stood from her seat.

“Fine. Fine. If that’s what you insist,” she grumbled, walking out of the room. “I’ll leave you to it.”

It was a few seconds later when a shout could be heard from the hallway.

“AND WHERE THE HELL IS ALEXANDER?”

[thenightling]

Interview with the vampire episode 5 review:

No wonder I don’t like this version of Claudia. They merged her with Baby Jenks. And I always found Baby Jenks a bit insulting.  That character actually was fourteen-years-old and very vapid.  When I first read the novel Queen of the Damned I was fourteen and characters like Baby Jenks in The Queen of The Damned and Mona Mayfair in the Lives of the Mayfair Witches both insulted me.

  Now we have Bruce AKA Killer with his motorcycle and talking about The Fang Gang.  I never expected Claudia to be merged with Baby Jenks. 

Claudia’s questioning of if she’ll always be a virgin because she heals down there is right out of True Blood. This isn’t Claudia.  It’s Jessica from True Blood merged with Baby Jenks.  

Louis somehow psychically triggered a serious Parkinson’s tremor in Daniel and got a well-deserved slap for it. Claudia is being abused by Bruce.  There’s no elegance in this.  It’s cynical and rather mean spirited and that’s saying something when it’s a vampire story.  There’s no charm, no Gothic poetry.  It’s so... shallow. They even off-handedly tell you Lestat’s not a reader. That he reads the first ten or eleven pages of books to seem “cultured.”  Lestat loved to read in the novels.

 Yet again all the characters say that Claudia’s emotional state is the result of perpetual puberty so it’s dismissive. Lestat nearly killed Louis because he was going to leave him.  WTF?!  That is literally the opposite of his character in the books!    This version of Lestat behaves more like Armand, it’s insane. Having Claudia want to kill Lestat because he’s physically abusive to Louis really, really bothers me. They amplified Lestat’s abandonment issues to make him a violent and self-absorbed asshole.   

Even hearing the audio preview for the next episode with Daniel mockingly saying “He only beat me the one time, officer.” really bothers me.  It’s cynical and dismissive of cycles of abuse for the sake of plot drama that wasn’t even in the book! 

This show runner is awful.   He’s just an awful human being.   His commentary on the behind the scenes video of episode 5 shows his nature.  This is a terrible person running this show.  He trivializes and even seems to mock domestic violence and abuse.   The fact that they added physical and sexual abuse really rubs me the wrong way.  How are we ever supposed to potentially sympathize with Lestat later when he’s portrayed like this?   He would never, ever, ever have harmed Louis in the books, no matter what he did. Something that bugs me is the showrunner actually behaves as if Claudia being raped by Bruce / Killer was some sort of righteous punishment to make her realize her homelife isn’t that bad.  It’s victim blaming for any vulnerable person, especially runaway, or homeless, child who gets sexually assaulted.  And it really rubs me the wrong way.  It’s like the guy hates teenagers, especially girls.  It’s agist and misogynistic and I’m saying this as a forty-year-old woman.   This show is cynical, mean-spirited, unsubtle, in-your-face, blatant, exploitive, and crass. This episode in particular, with its blatant use of modern domestic abuse, and implied sexual abuse, is just mean spirited and it feels exploitive.  I went from disliking this show to starting to feel disgusted by it.