#[ reply ;; irene ]

[seullovesme]

welp, hi. any irene thoughts?🎀 irene cuddling reader to sleep because the reader had a long day...☹️☹️ oh god I need some floof🥲🥲I'm so overwhelmed these days lmao. Sorry for ranting, btw I love ur stories!!!😍

hihi, im sorry to hear that you're overwhelmed and i hope this helps you even a little bit 😖

cuddles w/ bae irene

irene is always very observant. she can tell when you're happy, sad, angry, frustrated, it's like reading a book for her. so when you come home with a wrinkle between your brows, she can tell somethings up. irene asks how your day was, receiving a grumble that you're fine.

usually you always tell her what the issue is when you're upset like this, so she was caught off guard by you kinda pushing her away. she lets you know you can talk to her and that she leaves for your bedroom, waiting for you to show up. an hour or two later, you're still not there. she gets up to check and finds you laying on the couch, arms shielding your face from the kitchen light.

obviously, irene wouldn't let you sleep on the couch, let alone leave you to drown in whatever thoughts that made you so down. she goes straight up to you, pulling your arms off your face to see your exhausted state and the way your eyes look so drained. she picked you up off the couch and walked you to the bed.

laying you down, she tucked you in before getting in the sheets right beside you. she scooted in towards you and brought you into her, placing a hand on your head to press into into her chest. you listened to her heart beat as she played with the tips of your hair, the even thumps bringing you to a relaxed state of mind. irene's hand slowly traveled the your upper back, drawing little hearts into your shoulder blades.

she waited til she felt all the tension in your body drift away as you went limp in her arms, completely molded into her body. she kissed the top of your head and held you tightly, knowing you just needed to be in her arms before you could talk about what was wrong. with her arms wrapped around you in such a protective manner, you were lulled to sleep, the last thing heard a small 'i love you' as your eyes shut.

irene knew you like the back of her hand. she knew you just needed some love to make your head forget about such a tiring day.

[ingravinoveritas]

Long time reader/lurker, first time writer. Have you seen the article Michael wrote for the mirror published on 15/8/2024? it won’t let me link it here, but it’s titled “Theatre changed my life“ and it’s a wonderful piece - I felt very sad to hear him speak of his father’s struggle with Alzheimer’s, but it always warms my heart to see all the good he’s doing with his charity work. It reminded me of hearing him speak so passionately about his charitable works on the Table Manners podcast

anyway- thanks for all you do in the fandom- I always enjoy your thoughtful and (sometimes racy) posts!

Hi there! Oh, it's so lovely to hear from a longtime reader/lurker. I appreciate you writing in! I did indeed see the article Michael wrote for The Mirror this past week. I'll post the link below, for folks who haven't gotten a chance to see it:

I didn't know that Michael's dad has Alzheimer's, and was so saddened to read about this and to imagine the pain his family must be feeling. One of the things that made me first fall in love with Michael is that he is such a brilliant storyteller, but in particular when he talks about people he really loves. He brings those people so completely to life because he wants you to know who they are. Meyrick has always seemed like such an almost larger-than-life character, and it felt like we knew him, in a way, from Michael's stories--especially the ones about his work as a Jack Nicholson lookalike. So it breaks my heart to know that Michael is having to see the threads of who his father is slowly slipping away.

I agree with you as well that it was lovely to read about Michael talking about his charity work. None of it felt braggadocios in the slightest--rather, it seemed like it was Michael saying, "I've done all these things, but there is still so much more to do, so many more people who need help." It seems like he doesn't even necessarily think of it as "charity work," but as essential efforts to create change. Things that should already be happening, but that for one reason or another aren't.

Michael never seems content, in that way, to rest on his laurels, and that may be why he is always keeping himself busy with film work, charity work, and so on. I love as well that he started Mab Gwalia to fund endeavors that he himself is unable to personally helm, but still supports and champions (ASD Rainbows and A Writing Chance are particularly close to my heart as a writer who also happens to be an autistic woman). I just hope he isn't overextending himself by trying to do too much, especially after spending the first half of this year playing Nye Bevan, which was so physically and mentally demanding on its own.

I also wanted to thank you for the kind words you said at the close of your message. There are times where it's difficult for me to tell what sort of presence I have in the fandom, or if I'm just shouting into the void (though I suppose we all are, in a way). So I am very glad to know that you are enjoying my posts (even if I do tend to overthink everything). My heartfelt gratitude to you for writing in! x

[anghraine]

your blog is great, and you talk about your interests in such a compelling way! out of curiosity, who would you say are your top 10 fictional characters of all time? also, do you use twitter?

Thank you very much! It's hard to be entirely accurate about my personal top ten, but I still enjoyed thinking about it rather than about being sick and miserable, lol, so here's my attempt to come up with a Faves of Ultimate Destiny list.

(This isn't necessarily about evaluating their worth as characters or even as people, but just how much raw affection I feel. It's also not ranked, just the order in which I thought of them!)

Fitzwilliam Darcy from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice (the book character specifically) — I know, nobody is surprised. He actually is my #1 choice.

Luke Skywalker from the Star Wars original trilogy — it's always hard for me to choose between him, his father, and his sister, but ultimately, I feel the most powerfully about Luke. I'm not here for soft, sunshiny fanon Luke, but I am super here for a Luke whose personal kindness, strength, and powerful loyalties mingle with his struggle against rage, fear, even hatred, and an inclination to idealize martial violence and solve his problems with it, yet who comes out the other side as the kind of Jedi that Anakin might have been rather than the authorities around Luke succeeding in forging him into something alien to his true nature.

Faramir from JRR Tolkien's Lord of the Rings (very definitely the book character specifically) — again, I'm not super into soft and accommodating mundane guy Faramir, but very into the interplay of his basic compassion and gentleness with the repeated descriptions of him as stern, commanding, willful, and just really fucking strange. I love others a lot but no one can take his crown. (He may be uncrowned in canon but not in my heart!)

Gwen Thackeray from Guild Wars: Prophecies and Guild Wars: Eye of the North, games which most of you haven't played and I suspect would not enjoy for dated mechanics reasons, but which won my heart in the original tutorial zone. I have an explanation about Gwen's greatness here.

Attolia Irene from Megan Whalen Turner's The Queen's Thief books, but especially The Queen of Attolia. She's so precisely tailored to my tastes in female characters that I was kind of astounded, even though I read the books specifically for her based on my friends' TQT blogging. I mostly don't talk about her on this blog, but my feelings are really strong!

Aravis Tarkheena from CS Lewis's The Horse and His Boy. I know everything wrong with Narnia and specifically with THHB, but Aravis, what an icon.

Tarrlok from Avatar: The Legend of Korra. This is another close competition (with his brother Noatak/Amon along with both members of my beloved OTP, Korra/Kuvira), but if I'm being honest, he's the one who scrapes into the fave Avatar character slot. I've loved a lot of tragic villains, but he's really top tier.

Annabella from John Ford's seventeenth-century revenge tragedy 'Tis Pity She's a Whore. The title is quasi-ironic; it comes from a dismissive description of her by a super corrupt Catholic cardinal. Both the title and subject matter (murder, consensual sibling incest, a ton of misogyny) can make it a difficult play for some. But for me, Annabella is really what makes the play succeed on its own terms and outshine its Shakespearean inspiration.

Cesare Borgia from Showtime's The Borgias. In my heart this slot goes to both him and his sister Lucrezia (where #8 is definitely Annabella's alone, although I like Giovanni; if only S1 existed this slot would be rightfully Lucrezia's). But if I have to choose between them in the context of the show, I felt his arc was smoother and more coherent and satisfying throughout the show as a whole, so my love for him is less impeded by frustration.

I wasn't actively trying to only choose one character per canon, though it's wound out that way, but here's the exception: Cassian Andor from the 2016 Star Wars film Rogue One (and only that film—I'm not here for the novelization or other EU depictions or Andor or anything except what's in the movie). He's a gift of a character I never expected Star Wars to provide, and half of the only romance in SW that seriously matters to me.

Honorable "rewired my brain" mentions: Moiraine Damodred from Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time (also in the show!), Sandrilene fa Toren from Tamora Pierce's Emelan books, and Lessa from Anne McCaffrey's Pern books were all deeply formative.

As for Twitter:

I definitely don't use it any more. I used to have multiple accounts, though I wasn't super active outside of academia/chatting with RL friends and the occasional random scholar who deigned to notice me. Twitter wasn't really the natural platform for my preferred "LJ fandom expat" style of online writing, and was mostly stuff like this:

[Damn, I had no idea what was coming with "AI" ... anyway.]

I was deciding whether to keep using Twitter as the Elon purchase was going down, and then he immediately did an antisemitism and I immediately cut all use of it. I later got around to locking down all three accounts; I only maintain them to control the usernames. Most of the people I knew on Twitter joined Bluesky around the same time as me, or can be more easily reached on Discord now. I mostly use Bluesky when I feel like microblogging, but it's not a feeling that often besets me.

[shesnake]

I need to tell you that my partner and me were in a mood to start an anime and because I saw it recommended on your blog I suggested Moriarty the Patriot (I knew nothing about it except that you deemed it a worthwhile Sherlock adaptation and since my partner loved Elementary as well I guessed that this show would be a fit too). I expected a traditional Sherlock adaptation with the flair of anime sprinkled on top. Well color me surprised when I discovered Comrade Moriarty...... immediately my favorite Moriarty I've seen. I assume the high of the first episodes will have to be tempered as Sherlock comes into the picture but it was so surprising and so fun to be taken by surprise by the twist of the premise. It was funny because literally as the opening played I told my partner 'I wish there would be an adaptation where Moriarty is the protagonist so we can enjoy the antics with Sherlock without all the copaganda'. And lo and behold............

COMRADE MORIARTY MY BELOVED!!!!! also dw about Holmes entering the picture later I loooove so much the conflicting-but-not-really ideals between them. be prepared for a lot of "wait what?" moments because the anime skips a lot of details from the manga which I think were necessary but overall it still turns out great for me. glad you're having fun! thanks for telling me 🤗

[consult-sherlockholmes]

Happy Sherlock Holmes day (No, I don't know why it exists either, but it isn't a bad idea) -IA

Much obliged, Irene. Maybe it exists because my existence and achievements are worth a whole day to commemorate. Although I think people usually get their own dedicated days after their death. But technically I was dead so that checks out too. Still wondering why it's today of all days. Maybe I solved an important case on that day in the past. I can't remember anything significant concerning this day, but maybe I deleted it.

[inevitably-johnlocked]

Hi, Steph!

One thing about this show has been bothering me and I can't find a meta on it.

Why does Sherlock keep Irene's personalised text alert on his phone? Why doesn't he change it throughout the show?

I've been trying to think of an explanation that might fit with the johnlock reading. But I don't know. Could you help?

Hey Nonny! *HUGS*

Ooof, honestly I don't think I have anything at all either other than MAYBE mentions of it in my Phones and Hearts tag? Subtextually though, I believe that it has a lot to do with the fact that Irene is a Mirror for Sherlock and his libido. She often shows up in the show to symbolize Sherlock's desire for John, and I think in S4 when it does pop off again (heh), Sherlock is vulnerable and lonely.

I recommend you check out the links in the last two posts there, because many of the meta echo my own thoughts as to why Irene even exists in the series post ASiB in the first place.

Basically: Anytime Sherlock is horny or longing for John, Irene shows up. It's no accident that her text tone is so lewd, because essentially just thinking of John gets Sherlock off, LOL.

Seriously though, if anyone has additional meta they'd like to add, please do.

[clubwnderland]

⤷⋆⋆ 𝑯𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒚 𝑩𝒊𝒓𝒕𝒉𝒅𝒂𝒚 ♡

cw: food

⤷⋆⋆ 생일 축하합니다, 생일 축하합니다, 사랑하는 종인아, 생일 축하합니다!!!! ♡

⤷ So, nobody actually knows how old our lovely Queen is but one thing is for sure, she’s pretty old~ so we’ve decided to all put in and give her a well deserved pamper day! She treats everyone else to such special gifts so why not give her the same?

⤷ I still reckon we just let her be kidnapped for the day, he works out all the kinks, right?

⤷ Ah, little rascal! Go get the candles for her cake!

[irxne]

Irene leaving (which, if true, honestly good for her, f*ck SM) doesn't necessarily mean the disbandment, right? Half of SNSD left and they still did stuff together? Is this delusion and wishful thinking or logic? Or is it altogether not true, just SM's evil doing to make her stay? They just had their anniversary and talked about the new album etc etc? I kinda feel as if I've been hit over the head with a hammer so thinking at all is hard

The timing is odd. Lets' just get that out of the way because not even last month was published an article praising Seulgi for her "loyalty" to the company midst the whole Baekhyun debacle. Not to mention they have been talking about recording for RV3 since the anniversary live. Irene, herself, has been teasing on bubble by saying that "we'll meet soon". This is a very obvious media play from SM into further smearing her brand/reputation by putting the blame of future activities not happening or disbandment if she doesn't renew. Which is STUPID. Like you said they did it for SNSD, albeit very mismanaged in true SM fashion but they did it. As per previous instances she can leave and the group can still go on. The article also has no statement from SM and claims that the contract period for the girls' are all different based on when they joined the company. It was also pretty ambiguous and with the further claims it makes, it leaves lots of room for speculation. Regardless of her choice, to stay or leave, I hope she truly chooses what she thinks it's best for her. I'm in this Reveluv shit for LIFE.

[rosiehrs]

any smau ideas next?

tears building rn. there are a few urmm issues w the smau i was planning to put out next, i'm getting help from some ates on here to try and figure out what to do. HOWEVER. i hv an idea for an irene smau.. so if anyone would be into that😚

[cathymee]

Kakegurui chapter! (Ye, El Fili chapter 11)

I love how Padre irene is just... smiling

Camorra losing like a kid LOL (Padre Irene still smiling... creepy)

Diamonds and "values"? BET

Oh my goodness SIMOUN, OF ALL PEOPLE

Part 2 later

aaaaa sorry this had sat too long on my inbox my friend!! i haven't been doing well for the past few weeks BUT i have also gathered enough brain cells to reread some of el fili to familiarize myself again with the events as i've told last time - it has been a while but here i am still ready to beat the shit out of simoun-

everyone in this chapter is very strangle-material ^^ these bitches do nothing but sip tea, gossip and lie to each other's faces. it's incredible. in wednesdays they wear pink

and i love how their personalities shine through in this scene of them playing cards alone lmao - padre irene with his goody-two shoes act, padre sibyla generally not giving a shit, padre camorra (ew) being a goofster (albeit unintentionally this time) and the general being such a doormat (and his poor secretary who just wants to do his job)

AND YEAH LMAO need camorra to play the rampant online combat games we have now can you imagine the way he'd shit talk his enemies

gaah simoun's propositions…ngl kinda chilling! padre sibyla about to drop banger lines and this man's just like "ok if i win u'd say dumb shit that would go against what your religion literally stands for just to further demonstrate the power you all hold against these people under you rule" and THEN "i'd also get to commit literal violations of human rights. as a little treat for myself. :)" like bro???? chill man jesus

and the thing with him being like "we are also tulisans but we're not declaring ourselves to be; that's why these people won't rebel against us" fucks. so hard. and tbh fits so well with our administration rn lmfao because who are they even fooling. literally we're being robbed of our resources but the people that have been blinded by their propaganda wouldn't believe them to be doing anything heinous as long as they're spouting their 'bagong Pilipinas' bullshit. absolutely wild that even these little details can still be paralleled to the happenings of today

AAAA ANYWAY going over to part 2 now!!

[seullovesme]

may i kindly, respectfully, politely, reverently, demurely, mindfully, cutesy, request for some gf texts with sub irene to keep us sane? 😓 👉🏻👈🏻

gf texts w/ irene bae

of courseee 🫶 i only made a couple but i can always make more for you guys

[z-paladin]

Ah so Araki's wild ass designs existed pre-jojo...

Y U P

[anghraine]

Please please please tell me more Queen's Thief thoughts! (What was the fic premise?)

I read both The Thief and The Queen of Attolia not long ago and I'm trying to restrain myself from obsessing over Irene/Eugenides and the perfect proportions of sweet to wtf amidst a fantastic setting and cast. The fic was just a brief one about him having fractured dreams of her after their marriage. I'm resisting the urge to trawl AO3, out of fear of spoilers, but I really want more QoA-era fic ;_;

[consult-sherlockholmes]

Ahh

@twireneadler is this you? It sounds like you. Maybe you are wishing me a happy Valentine's Day in your own words.

[inevitably-johnlocked]

Hi, am I the only one who didn't like Irene Adler and her episode? Wasn't it stupid and out of character for Sherlock? I mean.. he despises when people hurts others and have fun in it so how can he get intrigued by her. Irene is creepy on the same level as magnessun (I think I misspelled) but no one talks of it. Also saving her with a sword from a terrorist camp who has ak 47 and stuff was absolutely a marvel Avengers or DC film. Nothing like Sherlock Holmes. Am I the only one who disliked it?

Hey Nonny!

Ah, no, many people don't like it... I actually didn't like it at ALL when I first watched it, and only through fandom interpretations and learning about meta did I come to like it "a bit". But after the gong show of S4, I just really think Mofftiss has a "hurting Ben" kink, I dunno.

Like, don't get me wrong, everyone, I love theorizing about Her and Sherlock being mirrors and it makes the episode a lot more tolerable, but I dislike the disrespect to her canon character in ASiB. I dunno, I don't really like her at all as a character in BBC Sherlock, but all the characters in the series get raked over the coals eventually.

[ficsforeren]

AHHHHHH YES! ITS A SUPER SUPUERRR CUTE COSTUME!!

https://www.tiktok.com/@scottish.bible/video/7134988772491529478?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1&lang=en

i'm melting omg so cute 🥺

LINK

AWWWWWWW LMAO THAT'S SO CUTE HAHAHAHA