#this better be good i don't want P's potential goes to waste

[hobbydrawer]

🙏

With polarizing reactions based on the demo... no, it’s not gonna be P’s voice but his combat algorithm/gameplay the ‘make-it-or-break-it’ factor. By worst case scenario, not even his pretty face can save the game... I’m realllyyyyyyy sitting on the fence with this and pray for the best  🙏 🙏 🙏

[disdaidal]

Giving you a character: Billy, of course. :p

Of course, Billy Hargrove was to be expected :D

How I feel about this character: I have strong and complicated feelings about this character. He's a bad boy, the kind of guy I would have absolutely hated in high school but also the kinda guy who would not be boring at least. :D He's loud and obnoxious and parties like an animal, but his taste in music is impeccable (I love rock and metal and music from the 80's and I will not take criticism for that). He's got pretty eyes (that curly mullet is... well, let's say, H&M did it better <3), a nice body and a great fashion sense (denim-on-denim and leather jackets ftw) and he drives a Chevrolet Camaro from '79 like a madman. He can also be pretty funny when he wants to be, ridiculous even. So, what's not to like really? :P

All the people I ship romantically with this character: I mostly ship him with Steve, Eddie and Argyle (the last two are totally crack and fanon but who gives). I think Billy and Heather could've been hot, more than friends, maybe even friends-with-benefits if not an actual couple. Just sayin'. I've seen some great headcanons, maybe even fanart of Billy and Chrissy and I think, you know, the princess and metalhead setting could've worked with them, too.

As for my most 'problematic' Billy ship, I actually really like Billy and Hopper. There's this whole daddy kink thing involved I suppose. Lowkey my favorite crackship Ted and Billy as well. :P I'm also very supportive of Billy and El in general, I think the actors had great chemistry in s3 and I can see why some ship them, so I suppose I lowkey ship them (in spirit), too.

My non-romantic OTP for this character: Though I ship Billy and Heather romantically, I also love seeing them as 'gay besties', supporting each other and protecting each other. It's one of my favorite headcanons in this fandom. Same goes for Chrissy I suppose, if not romantically involved.

Though Billy had his issues with Max, maybe even than beyond just normal 'sibling-ship', I still enjoyed their relationship a lot. It's clear that they spent a lot of time together (whether they actually hated it or not), and that they deeply cared for each other.

My unpopular opinion about this character: The majority of the fandom seems to think (or at least acts like) Billy is the worst character in the show and at least used to actively bully and harass Billy fans and shippers (his actor got his fair share of that also I hear). Though Billy was definitely not the nicest character or even particularly 'goody-good' (he was a bully and quite shitty at times actually), acting like he's worse than Dr. Brenner, for example, is bullshit. We clearly did not watch the same show.

Also, for other Billy fans... He might be your baby, but he's not an actual baby. He's not really your son or child and you don't need to 'protect' him from the haters who can't separate fiction from reality (just block them) or tw/anti Karen or any other character you don't like in favor of Billy (you're no better). Billy can also be shipped with characters other than Steve (male or female, older and younger, even self-inserts) and just because you don't like it, doesn't make the ship automatically 'problematic'. It just means there are people out there who like different things than you and you need to learn to suck it up and look away. It's for the best.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon. That Billy wouldn't have faced such gruesome death. He wasn't a good guy, but he didn't deserve to die, especially so young. I also wish we could've seen what really happened between him and Max between seasons 2 & 3 because clearly their relationship improved there. Such wasted potential.

[fonulyn]

1, 3, and 18.

I can't imagine what your answers will be for the first 2 :P

1. if you could save one character from their demise (consequences to the plot be damned) who would it be? 

lmao this is cheating you know the answer :'D everyone who's followed me for more than two minutes knows the answer. there's no other option! this is just. obviously it's Piers. he deserved so much better. I'd save him in a heartbeat, everyone else be damned.

3. any characters you feel were done absolutely DIRTY by capcom? are they victims of wasted potential or character assassination or what?

Piers. first and foremost. there was no fucking reason to kill him. assholes. urghhhh. wasted everything. i will go to my grave bitter about this. i can't even elaborate any more because I'm already upset thinking about it. they friggin' had alternate endings in the first damn game, they could've at least given us the option to save him. even if it would've been the "non-canonical" ending. pffth.

Jake. he is such a good character. he's fun and witty, and although he's also a bit of a dick he has a giant heart. not to mention how he's already tied to the franchise like... there would be so much to explore with how he's Wesker's son and how he struggles with that, how he doesn't want to be defined by his father but how it also obviously affects him, and how he has such conflicting feelings about it. it would've been so interesting. they could've made him work with Chris (and Jill, tbh), which would've been even more interesting considering what happened with Wesker in the past. and they wasted all of that. for what??? i'm so mad :'D

also Sherry, tbh, to a degree. I would've loved to see more of her, after we got her back in re6. she's a compelling, interesting character, also with ties to the original early games.

also Sheva and Jill. Sheva was only an one-off character but there's no reason they couldn't have brought her back. and what's up with Jill just disappearing off the face of the earth after re5???

ALSO Krauser. the dynamic between him and Leon, the way he was cast aside and struggled and went from a good guy to a villain? I would've loved to get more of that. i keep saying this but why can't they make more Revelations-games, to give us all those good stories from between the main games??? PLEASE CAPCOMMMM.

18. favorite quotes?

oh my gosh we're gonna be here all day... there are so many. I could list like, every single thing Leon says in RE4 :'D and in RE6... and a lot of what he says in Damnation or Vendetta lmao. but I'm gonna try to limit myself.

from Leon, my serious faves are

the speech he makes outside Kendo's, most notably the: “I want to find out what’s happening here. And stop whoever’s behind it. Helping people like them, that’s why I joined the force.”

the talk with Jason in ID, especially: "You cannot save a country if you don't give a damn about the people in it!" and "There were people alive in there. There were families alive in there. And they didn't even try to get them out. So, tough call my ass!"

in RE6, as small as it is, the "We're making the time."

those all speak of his character so much and I wanna weeeeeeep.

the funny faves are, among others, "Chew on that, you overgrown son of a bitch!" and "Where's everyone going? Bingo?" and "I don't ever remember being a part of your crappy script." and "Your right hand comes off?" and "There was no one at the controls. Zombie express." like. classics :'D

I also love how he tells Jake "Welcome to the club. You get used to it."

(this is more a translation thing but I love how when he says in Vendetta that "Careful you don't scare the locals. Your stealth's for shit." it's translated into finnish basically as "Careful you don't scare the locals. You sneak like hippos." :'D aside from that, almost everything Leon says at the bar in Vendetta makes me want to cry)

and from OTHERS, I love when Piers goes "Nobody's expendable." he is so good. also it always makes me laugh when he says "I'm the best driver the BSAA got!" because I certainly am not and I keep driving him into the walls. "I'M THE BEST DRIVER //crashes into a wall" :'D

oh oh oh and Piers and Jake in the elevator things??? "Jesus Christ, do you ever shut up? What, are you trying to piss me off?" "I don't trust you, and I don't like you." like. babies :'D

i also love when Jake goes "You better put a leash on that puppy." but I love even more when he speaks of his father and how it now makes sense how messed up he is, and Sherry goes "You can blame your father all you want, but at some point, you need to take responsibility for your own actions." like tell him girl!

...i'm sure i'm forgetting like a million things and I am so so sorry for how rambly this got :'D

-

for the RE ask game!

[beevean]

Ok just to give everyone an idea at the disparity:

Try giving both IDW Sonic and Netflixvania overall scores:P

If you wish you could also specify certain elements,like writing, art, characters etc

I don't even know where to start...

Well, generally speaking, I like this chart:

And following this guideline, NFCV would get a 2/10 and IDW a 3/10. Even NFCV has redeeming qualities and some nice potential, but, well, you know how much it has hurt me :') IDW doesn't have those genuinely offensive bits, the worst it ever got was with the Whispangle drama, so in that it's a little better.

If I wanted to break them down...

Story: NFCV starts off as a relatively passable adaptation of CV3 + the CoD mangas, before crashing sideways and trying to focus on too many plotlines, resulting in things like Isaac getting all the best scenes while you might as well remove the Trevor&Sypha bits from S3. IDW is still ongoing, doesn't even try to adapt the games (although the first arc has similarities with Heroes lol), and it really depends on the arc: the best ones are the fluffier ones like the Chao Race Arc, but it has some real stinkers such as the Metal Virus Arc and the Imposter Syndrome arc, with the former having some of the worst character moments in the series and a disappointing ending, and the latter wasting away all of its cool potential for angst reasons. Speaking from a purely structural standpoint, NFCV is overall stronger, although I don't know how fair it is to compare a show with a comic.

Art: NFCV wins again, by the benefit of some impressive animation, and a much more consistent artstyle. IDW used to look good, great even, but before it had many different artists working on it which caused a wildly inconsistent (:P) artstyle, and now only two people are working on it and while Stanley is pretty good, ABT is clearly doing the bare minimum.

Characters: dear mother of god.

I hate them :( I hate them all :( every character is OOC or straight up an OC in all but name :(

What do I choose: an adaptation that swears up and down to be canon, or an adaptation that doesn't even care to be faithful, but gets called as such?

Hell they even have the same problem of characters simply not reacting like real people do in similar situations D:

... fuck it. Point goes to IDW for only one reason: it may disrespect some of the characters, such as Eggman and to a lesser extent Tails (hell, even the OCs aren't spared, just ask Starline and Surge), but it never reaches the levels of outright malice of NFCV.

Villains: IDW wins. Its villains range from tolerable (Rough and Tumble) to dripping with potential (Starline, he should have stayed a simp :( ) to seriously annoying (Surge). Oh, and then all the other ones are forgettable. Eggman doesn't count because the comic sure as shit doesn't count him.

NFCV has Dracula, who is pretty cool and tragic in S1 but then becomes That Depressed Guy in S2... and he's the best one. What's next? Carmilla the #girlboss? Death the Redditor? St. Germain the incel? Lenore???? :^)

Morals: IDW. IDW WINS. FUCK IT IT WINS SO MUCH.

THERE IS NO RAPE APOLOGISM IN IDW SO IT AUTOMATICALLY WINS

OH YES SONIC IS AN ABHORRENT BASTARD WHO'D RATHER GASLIGHT AND GUILT TRIP HIS FRIENDS THAN ADMIT HE'S WRONG, AND SERIOUSLY THINKS THAT BRAIN DAMAGE SHOWS YOUR TRUE MORALS

BUT THE STORY DOESN'T SHIP A PRISONER WITH THEIR ENSLAVER

fucking hell i will never get over this, how isn't the whole lenore plotline treated as the equivalent of bella attempting suicide i will never understand

[beebubb]

William grossman: becoming a pasta

(also i mention my OC amari here but they're just friends and roommates here. No romantic things)(also this might be kinda long and I mention some stuff about my creepypasta AU so if you don't wanna be confused you can check it out!)

Like I mentioned in an old post, will and LJ went on a lot of self discovery adventures for Will.

It was always will's dream to become a popular killer like Jeff but sense he couldn't actually bring himself to kill someone, he would doubt himself a lot and would sometimes just be so upset or angry at himself

Will: maybe coming to the underworld was a mistake.. I shouldn't have come here...

LJ: come on bud! There's gotta be something here you're good at!

They had literally tried many things.

Will worked for a surgeon for literally a day before he got fired. He couldn't bring himself to dissect someone. Yes he had seen dead bodies before out on the street but he couldn't bring himself to be the one to actually commit to doing it

He also tried to be a bounty hunter/hitman but, ended up quitting immediately after he was told to kill a family

He even worked at a black market that was hiring someone to just care for the oragans they sold. It was going pretty well but, lets say it was will's first time seeing an actual beating human heart

Will: what else could I be good at?!? Everything here involves killing! And I can't even kill someone if it depended on my damn life...

LJ: you could still try for your dream of being a slender proxy!

Will: but being a proxy involves killing! Maybe I should just go back to the human world... I don't even have my mark! I didn't get a permanent smile like Jeff or red bleeding eyes like ben!

Amari: I don't have any cool marks either!

Will: but atleast you got skulls shapes on your eyes! I didn't get anything! Maybe I just wasn't meant to be here...

Amari hated seeing will so upset. She knew his dream was to work for slenderman, and obviously, she wanted him to achieve it. She got lucky and worked for him from time to time, so she was sure she could talk to slender and see if will had a chance.

How he met slenderman

Amari went to see her boss a few days later. AKA slenderman. She explained to him his situation and, he actually wanted to meet him!

Slenderman isn't judgemental like many in the underworld think he is. He can see potential in someone even at their lowest.

She obviously went to the apartment to tell will the good news

Amari: will! You aren't going to believe this but i talked to slenderman about you and....he wants to see you!

Will: what?!? Are you serious?!

Amari: yep!

Will: holy shit!! Let me take a quick shower then!

Will took a shower and once he was ready he followed amari to the slender mansion.

Once they got there, masky did the regular check for weapons on him (it's normal for them to check new people that go into slenderman's meeting room just to make sure of any weapons or suspicious items)

Will was calm but was holding in his inner fanboy.

"I can't believe I'm seeing slender's most valuable proxy!!! Holy shit!!!"

LJ wasn't all that excited sense he already knew pretty much every pasta and knew what it was like living in the mansion/manor.

LJ: "what a hassle...."

LJ wasn't really aware of all the dangers the proxies tried to prevent. He just saw it as a way to show off their wealth and to think they were better than others

Once they were clear, masky took them to the meeting room

Even if will wasn't sure if he could get a chance working with slenderman, there was one thing he was definetly certain of.

Get their autographs

No way he was gonna waste his visit to the slender mansion and NOT get their autographs.

Masky: you may go inside

Will: um....could i get your autograph please?

Masky: oh, yes

Will: yes!! *takes out a scrapbook he made* here!

Masky: *signs in* there

Will: thank you so much!!!

LJ: come on! You look like a dork!

Will: ok ok! And I'm not gonna waste my visit and not get their autographs *goes into the meeting room*

Once they got in they were immediately greeted by slenderman

"Glad you came here william, please, take a seat"

William was so excited by seeing slenderman in person but was also terrified about what he would think of him.

Will became really shy and nervous while talking

Slenderman: so i heard you were interested in working with me later on but you had a few doubts on your own abilities, could you tell me more?

Will: i um....*fidgeting with his fingers*

LJ: he wants to be a proxy but he has trouble actually killing someone. So we wanna know his chances of actually becoming one

Slenderman: ah I see, well I'll have to look at some other assets, do you have any school documents?

Will: *nods and takes out a folder with his school papers*

These kind of meetings were actually pretty common so slenderman already knew what to look for in school documents

Will's grades weren't that good tbh

He had many subjects he struggled with. On his report cards, pretty much every subject had D's and C's, and the occasional F's. Only is P. E he had a B.

Slenderman usually looked for atleast a B average

Though the only straight A's that will got, were in chemistry

Slenderman: I see you're proficient in chemistry, how come that's the only subject you get A's in?

Will: well um.... It's pretty much the only subject that I like....

Slenderman: may I ask what your under realm mark you for when you arrived here?

Will: i didn't get anything...

Slender seemed kinda surprised at his answer.

He opened up a locked drawer on his desk and took out a heavy book and went through the pages and stopped at one with a picture of a hand with lines

Slenderman: may I see your hand?

Will: uh... Sure? *shows him his hand*

Slenderman seemed really intrigued with will's hand.

LJ and Amari were extremely confused.

Amari knew pretty much the process of these type of meetings but when she was applying as an apprentice for slenderman, slender didn't ask to see her hand like he did with will

Once slender was done checking will's hand, he looked through more of his records

LJ: um.... So what do you think? He has a bit of potential right?

Slenderman seemed lost in though for a second but replied

"William, have you ever took any.... Magic classes or considered taking one?"

The three of them were surprised.

Like, magic? They knew that magic existed in the underworld but why would he think will would Want to study it?

Magic is a really complicated subject and depending on what element you were granted or want to control, it takes a lot of discipline and training and it is rarely recommended to the top students at the institution sense it was pretty much college level

LJ: why do you ask that?

Will: yeah I mean... I'm barely passing and I don't know if my grades are even good enough for me to graduate this year.

Slenderman: well i don't know how you didn't see this before but, look

Slenderman turned the book to their direction

LJ and amari were shocked

LJ: will you?!?

Will: *looking at the book and at his hand* wait....holy shi-i mean oh my god! I have powers?!

Slenderman: i looked through your records and i see you're part of the grossman family.

LJ: uh yeah he had a great grandpa but how does that explain this? He never had any sort of contact with magic

Slenderman: maybe not him exactly but, she did

Slenderman pulled out a picture from isaac's record folder (all demons and rulers from hell and the under realm have a record of their citizens) and pulled out the picture of a woman

Slenderman: she's ida grossman. Isaac grossman's great grandmother. She was killed for practising witchcraft. It would explain why will was granted magic here in the under realm.

LJ: sense he has this power, how come i never saw it before? I've been with him ever sense he was born!

Slenderman: well his power is still undeveloped sense he never had any proper training or took any classes. He has the mark on his hand but if he wants to actually use his abilities, he'll need to start practicing.

LJ now understood, and was happy for will

LJ: how can he start?

Slenderman: well,i have a proxy named sherry that knows about this, she could be will's tutor. Also I have been really interested in getting an apprentice with magical abilities but it has been difficult finding one, but if will wants to work with me then..

Slenderman took out an apprentice application

Slenderman: I could take him in as my personal sorcerer

LJ: well, what do ya say bud? Do you wan-

Will: yes!!!!!

Will didn't even think twice on his answer. Of course he wanted to work as slenderman's apprentice in magic.

He felt like his life had literally no direction but now everything was changing. He felt more confident than ever

LJ: do these classes have a price or somethin'?

Slenderman: it's usually 50 per class in a normal school but it depends if my proxy wants to charge for them or not sense she teaches them individually.

Will: oh....

Amari: ah don't worry i can pay for them!

Will: you don't gotta do that!

Amari: it's fine! You're my friend, we should help each other out

Slenderman: so I'm guessing that it's settled then?

Will: yeah!

Slenderman: alright then, I'll just need a signature of your parent or guardian on the application

LJ gave his signature

Slenderman: thank you. Well you're ready to go. All you need to do now is finish your last month at the institution and once you're done, I'll have amari bring you here again to start your training.

Will: yes! Thank you! Um one more thing, could I get your autograph sir?

Slenderman: oh yes of course!

Once slenderman signed his notebook they thanked him and were free to go

Who knew that will was more special than many thought he was.

I hope you guys liked this! I'll be making more parts!

Also i know will wasn't really developed in the Creeps comic so I kinda let myself create his character more.

Also this was inspired by a headcanon I saw where will was granted powers so I wanted to include that into his character.

[punkscowardschampions]

Edie & Liam

Edie: [Okay, so a school trip moment for Edie for Politics and Society where they've gone down to the local courts to probably watch the most boring cases of people paying parking fines etc lol so have fun with that babe] Liam: got the hots for any criminals? Edie: the dude refusing to pay his child support is just my type Liam: pity I don't have any 👶 I've binned off for you Liam: all I've got going for me is how willing I am to catch a charge Edie: We're gonna snatch one, already decided Edie: daddy issues withstanding, no one here is as interesting as you Liam: when I find one with 👀 like yours Edie: 🥺🥺🥺 Edie: I'll make one for you Liam: would you? Edie: I'd do anything for you Liam: I'm just testing you, baby Edie: Test away Edie: my brain is dribbling out my ears over here Liam: don't lose it, we need it Edie: I need you Edie: what are we doing later to bring back my will to live? Liam: anything you want Edie: I might have something Liam: am I guessing or are you telling? Edie: I don't wanna get your hopes up Edie: but I heard rumours, some kid in my year reckons he's found an empty Edie: and that his brother and his mates are gonna squat in it Edie: but it's in a really fuck off big house in a decent part of town, so idk if it's bullshit or what Edie: but it'd be fun to trash if it isn't Liam: we could kick them out, stay for a while before we do Edie: yeah? Edie: play 🏡 with me Liam: somewhere nice to take the 👶 to Edie: Wonder how many rooms there are Edie: can have a playroom and everything Edie: lucky bastard Liam: do you think there's a garden? Edie: even if it's really in town, they'll still have a perfectly landscaped backyard, patio, room for a swing Liam: sandpit for our buried treasure Edie: and the dogs 🦴s Liam: great idea to blame the dog 💀🦴 Edie: I think so Edie: failing that, the previous owners Edie: clearly left in a hurry because the body count got out of control Liam: won't look suss that all the little pussies from your class who are looking at you now when they shouldn't be are in there Edie: I can think of a thousand reasons they deserve to die Edie: yours is the best though Liam: it's the most important one Edie: I don't want anyone else to look at me Liam: put your jacket on Edie: [stealth selfie 'cos p sure you are not meant to have a phone in court lol] Liam: you'll feel better now Edie: 🤏 Edie: what lesson are you in? Liam: maths Liam: about to stick a pencil through my own eye Edie: save one for me Edie: I love your eyes too Liam: right or left? Edie: left Edie: it's the side the tattoo is on Liam: 👌 Liam: [a selfie that he's edited to get rid of an eye] Edie: my cyclops Edie: still hot Liam: eye patch isn't as useful as a fake leg but I knew you'd be into it Edie: you can stash some in the socket Edie: or a 💎 Edie: can't bury all the treasure Liam: 💍 Edie: 🥰 Liam: when can you get out? Edie: when do you want me? Liam: I wanna find the house & make it nice for you first Edie: [screenshot of this kid in her year going off about it/inviting her with the address etc] Liam: I'll go now Edie: I'll pretend the cases have upset me and ask to be excused when I get the chance Edie: then I can go into town and steal all the stuff we'll need for the house Liam: don't forget the 👶 Edie: I'll look in all the prams for the bluest eyes Liam: has to be a girl though Edie: they're always decked out in all the pink Edie: even if I've left some of my brain on the seats Liam: get some clothes too then Edie: your babies would be so beautiful Edie: not like pink screaming blobs Liam: if she looks like you I don't mind her screaming, can do whatever she wants Edie: I'm in love with you Liam: I know you are Liam: & you know how I feel about you Edie: yeah Edie: you take care of me Liam: I'm trying to Edie: you are Liam: I want this to work Edie: then it will Edie: I'll do whatever you need me to Edie: be what you need Liam: you're perfect Liam: he knows that's why he invited you there Edie: but I'm going to be with you instead Liam: who is he? Edie: dunno, he's barely in any of my classes Edie: Craig something, his brother is called Sean, you've probably seen him at shit, even though he's been out of school time Liam: yeah, previous raves & shit Edie: right Edie: just think he knows I go to that shit too Liam: I just need to broadcast a bit louder that I'm with you now, everywhere Edie: How do you wanna do that? Liam: can't let you out of my sight if it means you're in theirs Edie: I'm not mad about that Edie: I want to be with you all day every day Edie: but I'll stab my eyes out before I look at anyone else Edie: you know that Liam: it's not you I don't trust Edie: if anyone touches me, you'll kill them Edie: and we'll bury them in our sandpit Liam: I test you, they test me Edie: you can handle anyone, you're so above them, everyone Liam: I don't know what I'd do if things changed Edie: things will only change if you want them to Edie: I'm not going anywhere without you Liam: tell your ma you're staying at mine, I don't want her trying to get you back Edie: okay, I will Edie: you're the only one who's allowed to tell me what to do Liam: it'll be home until we don't want it, barely a lie Edie: it doesn't matter Edie: I'm never safer than when I'm with you Liam: you can stay at mine too, any time you want Edie: I can? Liam: yeah Edie: 😄😄😄 Edie: I'm now leaving Edie: very, very devastated about the lady driving without insurance 💔 Liam: who can afford that shit, heartbreaking isn't far off Edie: it's a scam Edie: speaking of, how am I gonna liberate some sleeping bags 🤔🤔 Liam: 🤰 Edie: 💡 Edie: pram would actually be perfect Liam: didn't leave any of your brain behind Edie: don't wanna live that young mum stereotype too hard or I'll be right back in that place and I've only just escaped Liam: you won't Liam: the baby won't need to steal it from you, it'll be smart & talented & beautiful in its own right Edie: and you'll love it Edie: and always look after it too Liam: everyone says there's nothing like it, I'd have to feel something Liam: you know that's all I want Edie: I think even if you don't love your kid Edie: you must still be scared for them Edie: and for your own life, how they'll save it or destroy it Edie: that's something Liam: we could be a family, it's been so long since I had one of them Edie: all we'd need would be us three Liam: if my ma won't let us make my sister's room into one for the baby then we'll find our own place Edie: there's room at mine Edie: well, we could make it Edie: with her track record, that's the one thing she can't not be cool on Liam: mine's not cool on fucking anything, but pretend I didn't say that or you'll never wanna come over Edie: she won't like me Edie: but I'll still come Edie: and I'll try to be more what a ma would like Edie: in front of her anyway Liam: she's up for me having a girlfriend, in her words finally Edie: better not disappoint then Edie: what's she like? Liam: she's a lot but she's been through a lot Liam: maybe that's where all the shit I'm supposed to feel went to Edie: maybe Edie: that's the kind of thing a mum would do Edie: take it all on, for good or bad Liam: she does do that, since both the baby daddys she picked turned out to be losers Edie: same with mine Edie: the only person who helped her out was another chick but she died and then there was another kid to take in so Edie: I'd hate to live like that Liam: you won't Edie: I can't Liam: we've got a plan, yeah? Liam: stay with me Edie: we can be different Edie: we are Edie: don't you feel it, around everyone, all the time Liam: yeah, I do Liam: I used to hate it Edie: it's lonely Edie: was Liam: I wanted to be more like my sister, everyone knew her & liked her Liam: but she got lonely too, in the end Edie: people are selfish Edie: they couldn't deal with her pain, even though it was hers to go through Liam: she used to beg me to stay with her & I did but we weren't in the same place Liam: I couldn't go there Edie: you weren't dying Edie: that's lonely Edie: people waste their time alive being alone and not doing what they want whilst they can and for what Liam: they don't wanna live too hard in case it kills them Edie: at least that way is quick Edie: you don't have time to think about it, or wait in that place Liam: yeah Edie: it's bullshit, all of it Edie: what happened to your sister, your mum, you Edie: we'll live by our own rules and it won't be like that Liam: it was bullshit, everyone acting like there's peace & acceptance & she'd feel super chill Liam: she was angry & lonely & fucking terrified of falling off the edge Liam: exhausted from fighting to stay on Edie: why would there be, or should she be Edie: it isn't okay Edie: kids with everything ahead of them shouldn't fucking die Liam: I should've Liam: before I met you Liam: instead of her Edie: you would've if you could've Edie: the universe doesn't do trades and that's another fucked thing about it Liam: I need you to help me fix it Liam: nothing's how it's supposed to be Edie: Okay Edie: let's do it Liam: you'll really do anything for me Edie: I swear Edie: it's right Edie: it's what I'm meant to do Liam: how do you know? Edie: because I want to Edie: and if the universe is pure random, chaotic chance Edie: then you have to follow the right strings Edie: or it goes wrong, like you said Liam: & this is right Liam: the only way I have Edie: is it? Edie: for you Liam: you're all that's left Liam: I can't do anything else Liam: if this doesn't work, nothing will Edie: then it's settled Liam: you're gonna love this 🏠 Edie: what's it like? Liam: huge Liam: bigger than the one my ma rents for real Edie: no way Edie: can't believe he wasn't lying Edie: let's keep it Liam: baby, there's so much space Liam: haven't hit my head either Edie: 😱 Edie: let's stay forever Edie: we'll deal with any estate agents or potential renters who come Liam: under the floorboards Edie: bet they have loads of unnecessary storage we can use too Edie: wine cellars and pantries Liam: 👶 do have a lot of shit they need though Edie: how many bedrooms are there Liam: 4 Edie: it can have a playroom and so can we Liam: you'll be able to finish that song about me Edie: I'll write whole albums Liam: you can write one for the 👶 every milestone, like a less shit Adele Edie: 😂 Edie: I will Edie: 👶 will feel so loved Liam: I want it for my birthday Edie: have you done the maths? Liam: not in that lesson any more, give me a sec Edie: 🤞 you've not given me an impossible task 😿 Liam: [does the maths even though we don't know when his bday is or what time of year it is rn but pretend we do] Edie: okay Edie: we'll have to get moving Edie: I'll put these condoms back Liam: give them to that lad, he don't need to be having any kids Edie: seriously Edie: his brother already has some he doesn't see, right Edie: gross Liam: I got some 💊 off him that didn't do fuck all Liam: waster in every way Edie: such a loser Liam: we're gonna have to be clean Edie: me at least, when it's cooking Liam: I'm not gonna keep going without you Edie: serious? Liam: you're willing to do anything for me, I can stop taking 💊 for you Edie: I love you Liam: hurry up, you have to see this place Edie: Okay, okay Edie: there's a lot of stuff this baby needs too Liam: I need you here Edie: then I'll run Liam: you can lie down as soon you've made it home Edie: I got us dinner Liam: gutted I don't have a real 💍 in my eye socket Edie: I'll have to use a ring pull Liam: it'll work for now Edie: were your parents married? Liam: nah, but she married my sister's dad Liam: she liked him better all round Edie: that makes sense Edie: same with mine and the others dad Edie: hence she went back to him Liam: dunno what your ma was thinking but in fairness to mine he was less of a twat for a while Edie: can't help who you love Edie: some people are unlucky with that too Liam: yeah Liam: & some people never get to be in love Edie: some people don't let themselves Liam: like we said earlier about not living Edie: yeah Edie: I guess it is scary but what's the alternative Liam: I used to properly feel things you know Edie: before your sister died Liam: if it was there before, it could be again Edie: definitely Edie: I know it Edie: we'll work it out Liam: you'll be happy here Liam: [a pic of the cute shit he's been doing in her absence trying to make this place nice for her] Edie: 🥺🥺 Edie: it says I'm nearly there Liam: I'll come out so I can carry you in 👰 Edie: you know I'd die to make you happy Liam: but that isn't what I want Liam: I'd prefer if you lived forever Edie: then I'll do that Edie: we can have hundreds of babies if that's what you need Edie: or do all the drugs in the world Edie: or go on the longest killing spree Liam: I think that'd take a huge toll on you physically, which I don't want either Liam: I'm not trying to ruin you Edie: you might make me actually cry Liam: stay beautiful, that's what I need Edie: Come get me Liam: [does] Edie: [lowkey laden down with all the essentials be careful boy] Liam: [literally take a sec to imagine them going from room to room planning their lives like adorable nerds] Edie: [this is all so bittersweet we're so mean] Liam: [I'm totally fine and not gonna sob] Edie: [I think if they made it look lived in, it'd make the squatters go away, so then it's just when the landlord/estate agent moment shows up eventually, but I think that would give them a bit of time to do it, even if it's like a week] Liam: [there's just something so pure about this, like it really reminds me how young and broken they are, casually playing pretend like little kids here] Edie: [mhmm, like because she's technically smart everyone expects her to be cynical and realistic but she can't be and is like genuinely if we try hard enough this will all work and be real] Liam: [just reminding me of my pure baby angel Carly in a way I did not expect to be hit by, excuse me] Edie: [when you're more like her and Billie is more like Ali don't mind me] Liam: [I don't know why I love that so much but I do] Edie: [just live your best lives huns, all the ridiculous things you've got for this home moment, also some kind of baby doll 'cos we didn't steal a real child] Liam: [we don't need either of you getting in that much trouble when the fams are gonna be annoyed as is, they should totally film something with it during this week because those hoes] Edie: [creepy, cryptic video in response to where you are like soz for scaring you all half to death it's just our brand] Liam: [and she should practice tattoo designs on it for him like do you like this one or nah] Edie: [definitely covered in biro] Liam: [put your treasure in it's eye socket] Edie: [there's so many sick designs tbh] Liam: [are we saying they still go to school or purely hole up] Edie: [probably hole up 'cos 1 why not but 2 at least you'd know they were together even if not where lol] Liam: [it adds to the vibe of their own little world so I'm here for it] Edie: [like truly why would you go to school, maybe when you're pregnant and we need to win people 'round lmao] Liam: [he wouldn't stalk Rio all week that means #proudofyouboy] Edie: [we're all thrilled] Liam: [actual progress for real because he's been doing it for years and he didn't force Edie to go to school so he could] Edie: [it truly is, when you're just having fun gah] Liam: [proud of you for living real life again boy, speaking of, we know the vibe but is there anything you wanna write down here as defs happening this week other than what we've said?] Edie: [hmm, so let's recap real quick and then we can add anything if we think of it, we've got homey things and he's made it cute and we're playing house so the squatters don't come and wreck it, which is so cute, we're planning our family and life like this is absolutely nbd, doing all the biro tattoos, making our ARG and making a weird/scary vid for the fam lollollol soz, just clearly getting to know each other intensely and bonding and cementing this plan] Liam: [do write some songs gal but I also think they should try whatever drugs they want to that they haven't before they get clean for this pregnancy moment because adds to the bonding that they don't even throw a party they just do it together] Edie: [i vibe that because it isn't about the party of it all, it's the feeling things, so it makes feelsy sense] Liam: [yeah I felt it, and it's so cute that they're doing all these domestic things while sometimes high af] Edie: [like you said, we don't need to be saints 'cos who is even when they have a child but it's very noble that you're like okay let's get it out of the way lol] Liam: [literally ruster are still living lavish and partying with their champagne and coke when they have theirs, tell me I'm wrong] Edie: [mhmm, y'all are very sweet actually it's pure] Liam: [neither of them seem like they would be so sweet and pure and that's why I stan it] Edie: [maybe they can do things they'll do when they have the bub like the park etc so like normal childhood things which he probably didn't get to do much] Liam: [boo how dare you, that's so cute] Edie: [like again, bittersweet but also childlike vibes again and he can enjoy it] Liam: [also I vote he gets on this roof and shouts about his feelings like he said he was gonna on the school roof] Edie: [a mood, and you can be a bit destructive inside, just got to keep it looking respectable so every loser in town doesn't crash your fun] Liam: [OMG but what if that's towards the end of the week and he says he loves her then because he has not like literally shout it from the rooftops but genuinely] Edie: [need that tbh 'cos as in this as she is and not turning back, she's obvs noticed he hasn't like she knows she's still out here trying to make him feel not like oh yes, I have succeeded lol] Liam: [it just is real like when you're pissing about at first but then the feels carry you along] Edie: [oh you two]

[booksandwords]

One Summer in Paris by Sarah Morgan

Read time: 3 Days Rating: 5/5

The quote: You know what I've always said a man is icing on the cake that's all. And with all the new research on the dangers of sugar, maybe you're better off without. — Mimi (p.93)

One Summer in Paris was an enjoyable fairly fast read, building on female friendship, hurt and similar histories. The leading characters Audrey and Grace are at very different points in their lives but have exactly what the other needs. Confidence, knowledge, honesty and friendship. Audrey 'Audie' Hackett is an 18-year-old British girl travelling to France to get away from her alcoholic mother and figure out what she wants to do with her life. Audie is fiercely independent, dyslexic and doesn't speak a word of French. As far as travelling in France, Paris specifically, goes it's a mixed bag. Her way of making money since she was in her early teens was by washing hair in hairdressers. In contrast, Grace Porter is the mother of a 17-year-old, married for 25-year and American. She is travelling on her own after her husband, David, told her at their 25th-anniversary dinner that he is having an affair. Grace and Audrey meet when Audrey goes all badass and stops a guy from stealing Grace's bag days after Grace arrives in Paris. Their friendship develops from there as Grace starts to realise exactly how much Audrey needs her and Audrey realises Grace also needs her for that little push.

There are surprisingly limited cast and settings but somehow that feels advantageous to the story. The reader becomes comfortable in the locations. It makes it easier to visualise the locations when there are so few of them to remember. Mimi... Mimi's intro had some of the best lines in the whole book. "Maybe it's time to stop dancing. You might lose your balance." "If I'm going to fall, I'd rather do it while I'm dancing. Unless I fall out of bed having sex. That would also be acceptable—although unlikely, unless the men around here get their act together." (Mimi and Grace, p.18) Mimi is Grace's French grandmother only ever referred to as Mimi. She has spent her whole life defying the stereotypes, including being a single mother. Her eccentricity shines and her advice makes me laugh. I came to a realisation quite late in the book that Mimi is a female version of Philippe.

Etienne, Philippe and David are almost a study in contrasts. Or perhaps Etienne is the middle ground between Philippe and David. A sign of the potential improvements in the next generation, the potential Audrey has to have a happier life than Grace did. Sophie, I was perfectly fine with right up until her self-absorbed Mom and Daddy get back together b*llsh*t (b*tch you're 18, welcome to reality). David is written poorly maybe. He's written as a bit of an oaf. He's saving the stereotypical divorce with the much younger woman and is just dumb enough to leave his wife for her. It could also be said that it may be good writing, with Grace being an unreliable narrator.

Dot point comments and quotes

The formatting/language doesn't appear to be quite as clever as Annika Martin and Joanna Chambers' Enemies Like You which remains for me the best use of language I've ever seen. Ignoring the relationship dynamics, Kit and Will and Audrey and Grace have similar language dynamics. Kit and Audrey are British, Will and Grace American. Whereas Martin and Chambers make that language adjustment at all times, spoken words and thoughts, Morgan doesn't appear to. She seems to only adjust it for some spoken words. But this is why Enemies Like You is one of my fave books.

It is written in alternating perspectives primarily switching between Grace and Audrey. There is the occasional Mimi sprinkled in for details and interest.

Sophie is a brilliant protector to Grace in the immediate aftermath of the divorce. She is quite a lot like Mimi in that respect.

There was a moment where I felt something was truly off about Etienne. You don't abandon a girl at a party when she is clearly wasted and doesn't speak the language. There are some age discrepancies in the party guests and turns of phrase that made Audrey (and me) uncomfortable. His reasons helped but still felt offputting.

"Get out of here, and if you come near Meena again I swear I'll hurt you." "You and whose army?" "I don't need an army. I'm my own army. Now fuck off back to wherever you came from, which is probably the sewer." — Meena is Audrey's best friend, this is in the earliest Audrey chapter. We see her as the fierce defender she is here. (Audrey and Rhonda, p.49)

"Now stop letting them get to. Be mad, not scared. And if you can't actually be mad, then ace mad. You need to be meaner than you are. You to be meaner-Meena" — This is the best piece of advice a girl can receive. Boys too. But girls are societally conditioned to be less aggressive. (Audrey, p.50)

• "A career is within your control. I am going to work my butt off in college and get a brilliant job. I am going to shatter glass ceilings into so many pieces that all the men around me will cut their feet on the shards." — This is from a pissed off hurt daughter. Honesty it works so well. (Sophie, p.82)

Grace tumbled through the door into her arms, and Mimi almost staggered. It was as if grief had made her heavier. — I appreciate this physical manifestation of grief. (Mimi, p.90)

She slid the key into her pocket, feeling grown-up. Maybe that was all it took. A key. A place of your own. The ability to decide what you did with your day. To make choices that weren't driven by compensating for other people's mistakes. — I adore this as another idea of manifestation. Because Audrey is probably right about this whole idea. (Audrey, p.105)

"Friends and family all have opinions and feel they have to fix things, and somethings all you want is someone to listen." — The truth to this is undeniable. I'm guessing this is why counsellors make so much money. Audrey learnt her listing skills in the hairdressers, they too are used just so people can get information off their chest. (Audrey, p.121)

"No offence, Grace, but you're not looking that married from where I'm sitting. It takes more than a ring and a piece of paper. It takes the man to be present. He isn't present, and that is his biggest flaw." "Good point. Brutal, but good." — (Audrey and Grace, p.173)

Philippe had always had a book under his arm, the pages marked, corners turned in. They'd argued about whether it was right to defile books. He'd believed that a book should live a life, show signs of age and use. Battered was good because it meant someone had read and read. Best of all were notes, above the text and in the margins. — Oh my librarian self and my book-loving soul is so torn on this quote and the thoughts behind it but to each their own. (Grace, p.219)

My Goodreads review has a longish discussion of the conclusion here. I needed to talk about it. While I do have issues with the ending I was left with the overwhelming feeling that Sarah Morgan was telling us that each generation has it just a bit better. Have hope.

Despite my reservations about the ending, I do recommend this. It is a powerful female friendship done well, it shows the power of a shared path across generations and to a degree how time is changing social issues. I appreciate Sarah Morgan's writing, the way she can make things feel quite physical almost visceral when needed. The plot isn't all that complicated but to me, it is more about Grace and Audrey's friendship than the broader plot.