#the survivor's club

[tytocatus]

“How easy it is to dismiss the outer packaging without an inkling that one is thereby missing the precious beauty within.” ― Mary Balogh, Only Enchanting Landscape at Hacking, Emil Jakob Schindler. Austrian (1842 - 1892)

[ladyknightellen]

Re: Accessibility Is Not A Romantic Gesture

I don’t know if I believe in fate, but sometimes things just happen in a particular way and it definitely feels like fate. I never would have thought that in almost the same week that I wrote my post about the trope of ‘accessibility as a romantic gesture’ (linked above) I would come across a book that illustrates a near perfect example of how to do this trope in a way that isn’t stigmatizing and harmful. And when I say ‘come across’ I really do mean that. I was perusing at the library and grabbed a book essentially at random and there it was!

The book in question in ‘The Arrangement’ by Mary Balogh, and it’s the second in her ‘Survivor’s Club’ series. It’s a Regency romance series that centers around a group of people who were injured in the Napoleonic wars and spent several years recovering together and began calling themselves ‘The Survivor’s Club’ and continued to meet once a year after leaving the estate where they all recovered together.

The Arrangement, the second book in the series, is about a young man who was blinded in his first ever battle. The book begins just as Vincent has arrived home after the yearly gathering of the Survivors. His mother and grandmother and sisters are all trying to make him marry and to rule his life without ever asking him what he wants. Feeling suffocated and infantilized, he runs away in the middle of the night and goes to the town where he grew up, which is where he meets Sophia.

When they first meet, Vincent and Sophia both talk about their dreams for the future and discover that their dreams are actually very similar. They both dream of freedom. Vincent dreams of freedom from the people who only see him as a helpless invalid who needs someone to guide his every step. Sophia dreams of freedom from being shuffled around to relatives who don’t want her and wants to live on her own without needing to rely on anyone.

Sophia ends up getting thrown out of her aunt and uncle's house and Vincent offers to marry her to save her from destitution. Sophia is afraid that their relationship is incongruous because she doesn't believe she is bringing anything to the relationship while Vincent is giving her literally everything. So, Sophia sets out to do everything she can to make Vincent's dream of living his life as independently as possible come true. This is the part where the story very easily could have strayed into that abled savior trope, but amazingly, it didn't.

At first glance, you might read the story and not realize what makes it different from the situations I was describing in the original post. Sophia takes one look at Middleberry Park and immediately begins coming up with ideas about how to make it more accessible for Vincent and more ways for him to navigate the estate safely. This is where it could have strayed into problematic territory, but it didn't. The key difference, that might seem small to most, but is actually HUGE, is that Sophia doesn't implement any of her ideas without discussing them with Vincent first.

The difference is that at no point does Sophia take away Vincent's agency. She sees things with the eye of an artist and when she thinks of something that she thinks might be helpful, she asks Vincent if it's something he would find useful. When Gwen tells Sophia about little Lizzie and her dog, she simply passes the story on to Vincent and asks him if he wants to try, and then from there, Vincent is the one who talks to the kennel master about training a dog to guide him.

For contrast: the way this would play out in the types of stories I was talking about in my original post would be that the abled partner would surprise the blind person with the guide dog that was somehow miraculously already trained and ready to go (something that is literally impossible) and the blind person would weep with gratitude or some nonsense and then fall hopelessly and madly in love with the abled person. You can pretty much copy and paste any disability into this scenario, I shit you not, I once read a fic where a character who was an amputee was surprised with a prosthetic leg...I'm genuinely not kidding, but I wish I was.

So basically what I'm getting at is that the problem with the trope is not that an abled partner would help their disabled partner make their world accessible, that's wonderful and lovely actually. The problem is when you remove all agency from the disabled character and use something that should be giving them independence to present them as even more dependent and beholden to the abled partner.

This is why I love the way Sophia is presented in the story. The core of her motivations is always to help Vincent achieve his dream that he told her about when they first met. She does it by giving suggestions and asking questions about what he actually wants and needs, not by just assuming she knows what's best and trying to give him this grand surprise. Even the racing track that is, for a short while, a 'secret project' that she won't tell him about, isn't actually a secret project at all, but just an idea she has. She doesn't have anything built or even planned out until she talks with Martin first because she's worried it might be a silly idea, and then tells Vincent and asks if it's something he would want and then Vincent puts the plans in place himself from there.

It might seem like a near inconsequential difference, but it's actually a monumental distinction and I absolutely adore the way Mary Balogh writes Sophia and Vincent's relationship.

[lemonadeslice]

siblings in horror: ride-or-die edition

the strangers: prey at night | nope | house of wax | the lost boys

codependent | blood-soaked | haunted

[headmaster-merle-ambrose]

I shed a tear for my fallen friends.

[clickbaitcowboy]

The happy couples first dance!

I’ve never really drawn Nora and Avery together 🥹

[bullet-clubs-bitch]

Older

Inspired by Older by Isabel LaRosa

Cm Punk X fem reader Word Count: 1300

Summary: Cm Punk was always jealous of the relationship between Y/n and Wardlow, he never understood their relationship. Sure he and Y/n had an 18-year age gap but he knew he would treat her so much better. When Wardlow cheats Punk knows now is his only chance to get with Y/n. “I can be your new Daddy” 

MAIN MASTERLIST CM PUNK Masterlist

Die For You (Pt 2) Obsessed (Part 3)

I knew it was wrong, everything about this was wrong. Y/n was young, way younger than I, 18 years to be exact but I couldn't help the feelings I had for her. I was jealous of the guys that spoke to her, they were head over heels in love with her and I couldn't blame them, she was the most gorgeous thing I had ever laid my eyes on. She was delicate like a flower, yet wrapped in barbed wire. She had a sensitive soul yet she hid it from the world, building walls around her years ago. I watched as the blond girl ran past me with tears in her eyes and I knew something was wrong. I walked to catering and noticed Wardlow trying to run after her. 

“What the fuck did you do?” I yelled walking up to the large man, stopping him in his tracks 

“It’s none of your damn business Punk” He spat, shoving me out of the way. Without realizing it I went to swing at the man when I felt someone grab me from behind. 

“Woah there big guy, he’s not worth it” I turned to find Cash and Dax, both having concerned looks on their faces. 

“What’s going on?” I asked the two men in front of me

“He cheated on her” Dax replied 

“What a jerk!-” I yelled

“Okay man, I love you but you are causing a scene” Cash interrupted me “Let’s talk somewhere else” I looked to see everyone looking at the three of us like we were madmen. 

We walked down a few halls to the private locker rooms and passed Wardlow pounding on Y/n’s door. “Y/n, I’m sorry, okay. Open the door” I gave him a nasty look before heading into my locker room. 

“Okay, what really happened?” I asked Cash and Dax, closing the door behind us

“Do you remember how she was upset after he had that fit at Revolution?” Cash said 

“No-” 

“Oh that’s right you weren't there” I gave him a nasty look. “My bad, so anyways he lost the TNT title, blew a fit and left right before Y/n won the title”

“What an asshole” I muttered under my breath

“So apparently when he left, he got with some groupie. Fucked up right, worst part is after she finally forgave him and everything because he was literally begging on his hands and knees for her to take him back he kept sleeping with randos in each town we went to” 

I said nothing, I just sat in shock, trying to comprehend what I just heard. I never understood the relationship between the two of them, she was too good to be with someone like him. Their relationship always seemed weird, like something was always off, but I could never place it. I was lost in my thoughts when I was interrupted by a loud knock on the door. 

Cash and Dax exchanged a confused look before opening the door, revealing a quite angry Wardlow. “What the fuck do you want?!” I asked the man who now stood in front of me. 

Sure the four of us were friends but for some reason I never quite liked Wardlow. I was always civil with him but maybe it was my jealousy that made me secretly despise him. 

“Can you get her to open up?” He asked, referring to Y/n who had understandably locked herself in her private locker room. “Why should we help you?” Cash asked, “Your just going to cheat on her again” I spat “You have no idea what you are talking about Punk” Wardlow spat back “This is none of your business” “Well it sure seems like my business if you are out here asking for our help” “Tell us why we should help you?” Cash asked, not buying a thing coming out of wardlows mouth. “She’s mentally unstable, she is literally crazy. I’m scared she is going hurt herself in there” I could tell his words were sincere, however, I did not buy the fact that Y/n was mentally insatiable. Sure her whole gimmick was being a hardcore Barbie but I knew deep down she wasn’t really crazy, or was she? 

We agreed not to help Wardlow but to help get inside Y/n’s locker room. “You two stay with him, I will check on her,” I told Cash and Dax, not trusting Wardlow within a square inch of Y/n. 

I carefully knocked on Y/n’s door, waiting for a response. “Go Away!” She yelled through the door “It’s just me” “What do you want Punk? I’m not talking to him” “This has nothing to do with Wardlow, I just wanted to see if you are alright. I saw what happened.” Y/n opened the door and let me inside. “So everyone saw,” she said as the tears began to reform in her eyes. “Don’t worry about them” I told her sincerely, joining her on the small couch which sat in the middle of the locker room. “So what happened love?” “I don’t wanna talk about it” I know I shouldn’t be asking such an invasive question but I just had to know “What do you see in him?” “What?” “Wardlow? What do you see in him? He is a big idiot with big muscles and probably a big dick” Y/n laughed at my comments, which made me happy to see her smile. “So you’re only interested in his dick?” I asked playfully “No” “Then what is it?!” “I dunno, he made me feel safe. I know that sounds stupid but it’s true. He’s huge, he kept all the creeps away, and the sex was a nice bonus” I mean it made sense. When they were first an item I noticed how protective he was of her, I wonder what happened. “I could take better care of you. I know I’m not as tall as him or as muscular but the difference between the two of us is that Wardlow is a boy and I am a man. I bet I could make you feel just as good as he did. I would do anything and everything for you.” Y/n said nothing, I knew she was shocked at my words. I knew I was better for her, I would spoil her with expensive gifts, and praise her every day. I knew she was into older guys, she and Wardlow had an eight-year age gap, the only thing the two of us would have was eighteen years. 

“I mean it,” I told Y/n softly as I carefully lifted her chin so she could look at me. “I will give you the world. You will never have to worry about a single thing. I know you Y/n, you act all tough, you live for violence, love the taste of copper on your tongue. Fuck, I’ve seen your matches the title of ‘The Queen of Hardcore’ serves you well but I know that’s an act to hide who you really are. All you want is to be cared for. You like being with older men, the way they protect you, the way they love you better, the way they spoil you. You kill yourself in that ring to have someone like me put you back together, hold you close when you cry, love you to death. Tell me when I’m telling lies” I could tell by the look on her face that she knew I was right 

“Forget about Wardlow, I can be your new daddy” 

[sihirbazi]

im essily tempted by memes

[d-one-in-the-dirty-trench-coat]

no, I do know what to do with my life, I just think going clueing looks with my best mate in modern london isn't rentable nowadays

[all-7ghostfaces]

Nuke at the club 💯💯💯💯

[deadassjsawhitegirl]

sometimes i come to the realization that ive been through alot of absolute shit in my life and i just kinda have to go lie down cause what the fuck.

[incorrect-losers]

Bev: This is for everyone who died because of It

Bev: This is for Stan, Georgie, Betty Ripsom, Eddie Corcoran, Adrian Mellon and... Patrick Hockstetter who I don’t really care about but i’ll throw him in there too

[pyromaniacblujay]

they might be stupid

[smeraldo-heart]

Cal Kestis in Jedi: Survivor:

What Cal would have really looked like at that age:

[grits-galraisedinthesouth]

From one CHAMPION to another CHAMPION: Novak Djokovic's lovely statement about the Princess of Wales:

"It's wonderful to have that kind of support from the royal family."

After a brutal loss, The Daily Express (of course 🙄) came to Novak's press conference just to gather information about Catherine. Nole, being All Around Amazing, handled the question like a true Champion:

Q: What did it mean to have the Princess of Wales here today because obviously it was the first time we've seen her in Wimbledon given she's got this health battle and I just wondered what you said to her and what she said to you because obviously you've spoken so many times in the past...

AAA Novak: Yes it was of course a privilege to be in her presence again and I said to her that it is very nice to see her in good health. She seems to be in good health so that's obviously very positive news for everyone in this country, but also for Wimbledon--- for championships---- to have Her Royal Highness here of course with her family members. It's amazing. It's incredible support that they've been giving over the years to this tournament and I know that she and her sister (PIPPA 🎾) have played tennis for a very long time and so they TRULY respect and admire the game, and they also understand tennis which is great to have. It's wonderful to have that kind of support from the royal family.

Novak's Press Conference

Presentations

Thank you Charles, William & KP for sister's day in the royal box +1 surprise (a mini Pippa)

Healing is very slow. Thank you AAA Catherine for taking it slow & steady. 👑

Thank you Catherine's sister Pippa 🎾 for helping your sister. I was worried that Catherine wouldn't have someone to look after her at this engagement. We truly appreciate you and your entire family!

Thank you to the sweet little Princess for her signature 🎀 and yet another Middleton master class in SHADEs

Thank you Victoria Beckham for designing Kate's favorite (Wimbledon) handbag

[painfullyprickedandticked]

remember stolitz nation that in an alternate universe we're crying over verosika and stella's breakup and apology tour

[boileddemon69]

No one can convince me James and Charlie were NOT exes. James was his toxic ex and he's dumv and I hate him