#'i'm saddled with him.' yes. yes you are Michael

[ingravinoveritas]

Michael talking about David on the death podcast: "I'm saddled with him."

David:

[tgrailwar-zero]

Look, Rider, I have been listening, I just feel guilty about summoning someone only to drive them out. Yes, we shouldn't have summoned her in the first place, but we did.

Also, I am starting to feel worse every time she acts like a kid if I am honest...

Are we really doing the right thing by killing her? I mean it's probably in part because she looks like a little kid that I am having such trouble. It's hard when it's directly in front of you.

CONSTANTINE: "…Right. The Beast has bewitched you with it's appearance, and you deign to pity it. I understand. Heroic Spirits cannot be children. Nor is the Whore of Babylon a mere child. That thing does not deserve 'guilt', we must…"

He stopped, before crossing his arms with a sigh.

CONSTANTINE: "…Nevermind. Continue your talks with the Beast."

A moment of long, dejected silence hung before PRETENDER sidled up to him, watching as the Emperor gave another attempt to tug his blade free from the sheath to run through DRACO, only to be met with the resistance of the Command Spell.

PRETENDER: "Oho. With that sigh, I'm sure that means you've heard a lot of apologies and not much agreement. Now, I get that we're technically enemies- as you're the Rider of Red..."

PRETENDER: "...Though you're not much of a 'Rider of Red' anymore, are you? Your allies are now your enemies, and everything you say gets brushed off by your current allies. You want to be a hero, but you're tasked with a different part. I mean, if I were you, I'd be furious. I mean, if my enemy openly wished to behead me, I'd want my Masters to do everything to support me- and yet here they are now, with nothing but excuses..."

CONSTANTINE: "There's no reason to be furious. Besides..."

PRETENDER: "Ooh. Want to mark that ego blow, or should I? I'm sure you expected your Masters to rally behind you against evil, not saddle you with performance art and baby the demon, right?"

With an airy laugh, PRETENDER leaned in closer.

PRETENDER: "Listen, you seem like a stand-up guy. But that still doesn't change the fact that your Masters are giving more courtesy to a Beast than to you. Maybe they're already enthralled by it. The power, the opportunity… I can understand you're the type to 'turn the other cheek', but sometimes you need to just do the right thing. You know… like slaying a dragon."

The PRETENDER-Class snapped his fingers, as CONSTANTINE felt a surge of magical energy rush through his body. Compounding his innate magical ability, the resistance to magic blessed upon him increasing exponentially.

He drew his sword. Smoothly, simply, easily. His eyes widened, as he turned back to look at the PRETENDER- who returned the Emperor's surprise with a coy smile and a wink. CONSTANTINE turned to look at the Beast.

Slay a dragon. Like the great Saint Georgios.

He began to walk forward, slowly. The Beast wasn't paying him any mind. Arrogance, made manifest. He felt a myriad of things- guilt, anger, frustration… mostly towards himself. He was given an order, and he was disobeying. Even if it was the right thing, he made an agreement. This was treachery, but…

He began quietly praying to himself.

CONSTANTINE: "Remit, pardon and forgive, O God, our sins committed voluntarily and involuntarily…"

This was the right thing. He could ask forgiveness later, if needed. He shook his head- why feel shame for enacting justice?

By Saint Mary. Saint Martha. Saint Peter. Saint Paul. Saint Michael, who had boldly fought the Dragon in order to bring peace to the world, as prophesied by Saint John. This Beast must be laid low. Destroyed, completely and utterly.

He continued quietly praying to himself as he marched silently onward.

CONSTANTINE: "…By word and deed, knowingly and in ignorance, by thought and purpose, by day and night…"

Closer. Closer. Step by step. Moment by moment.

He raised his blade.

CONSTANTINE: "…forgive all these... for You are gracious and love mankind."

[newtonsheffield]

Molly! I know you have your faceclaim for Goose but I saw that moodboard of Royals and couldn't help but find his vibes very akin to those of one Simon Lewis!

But yes, I would kill for Francheal's story in Royals but also Greg and Lucy's since you are at it!

Well if it isn't the co-creator of the Royals universe! (Though I'm sure this isn't what you had in mind when you asked for it)

Okay, My Dudes, That's the vibe!. (I have had to put in a cut because this got very long)

Do y'all know how hard it is to find a wholesome looking dude with a man bun and glasses??? It took me a solid 75 minutes.

All the Man Bun's are too hot! Which don't get me wrong, I definitely want for our girl, but in a very wholesome way! He is bringing Edwina back to the palace by 8:45pm! But also, imagine Edwina doing his hair before work every day. Matthew has a really big surgery? Oh she better braid that for him so it doesn't fall out of hi scrub cap!

Kate's a little bemused like "This is what we're into is it? The bun and the glasses and the little dimples?"

And Edwina's nodding eagerly. "Yes, Yes! His hair is so damn soft!"

And Kate's just like "Huh, wouldn't have pegged you for liking the whole Thor thing, no shade, I'm married to the biggest idiot alive."

And Anthony's just like "Hey!"

We definitely need to see Michael and Frankie growing closer and closer, him catching her in the foyer before she leaves just wanting to spend a little more time with her. And her, eventually, a week before the wedding saying

"Michael, please. You're getting married on Saturday, It's not fair."

But also! Imagine sweet baby Greg. Who's just 13 and maybe has a tiny crush on Anthony's new girlfriend. You know, The Queen. He met Kate about five weeks after they started dating, and Gregory was really nervous. He knew that Princess Katharine was going to be at Anthony's this afternoon and he wanted to make a good impression so he'd worn is best Shirt and tie (The one with little Marios on the back) and he walked into Anthony's house past a very intimidating security guard at the door "Hey Steve!" Anthony greeted as Gregory was wanded down. And there she was, just sitting on the couch reading a magazine with her own face on the front, chuckling to herself.

"Did You know apparently you and Michael had a duel over me! Thrilling! You los though I'm afraid." She said to Anthony, her eyes lighting up when she caught sight of Gregory and Gregory had never seen a more beautiful woman in his entire life. He stumbled a little Bow and managed to stammer out

"Your Majesty." Before she smiled gently.

"You can call me Kate, Greg. And aren't you handsome? Take off that tie though before I decide I've saddled myself t the wrong Bridgerton."

And Gregory was pretty sure he fell in love when she said "Oh It's got little Marios on!"

He awkwardly asked Anthony if maybe he would be able to get him a set of the special coronation stamps that were being released. Because he loved collecting stamps, but he was also pretty sure Kate was going to look really pretty on them. Anthony chuckled when he asked with a smirk and said

"Sure bud, I'll even ask her to give them a little kiss for you."

Gregory looks like a beetroot but manages to stammer out "I just respect her politics!"

And he keeps having a wild little crush on the Queen, his brother's fiancé until, three days before their wedding, Princess Edwina drops by his table at dinner smiles brightly and says

"Greg? Have you met our cousin Lady Lucinda Abernathy?" And Gregory looks up at the most beautiful girl he's ever seen. Dark hair falling down her back, almond eyes rolling at her cousin.

"You know I hate being called Lucinda."

"Propriety, Lucy." Edwina quipped, though they were both grinning, and the name seemed to echo right through him Lucy

"I'm Greg!" He said a little too loudly, stumbling to his feet to do his awkward bow, cursing himself as his cheeks burned. "Gregory Bridgerton, um, Lord Bridgerton is my brother."

Lucy smiled a little curiously at him, "Well it's nice to meet you, Greg." Holding out her hand for him to shake and her hand in his feels like electricity.

"So um... Anthony?" gregory says as casually as he can manage when he stands next to his brother currently fighting his way into their ceremonial dress for the wedding, sabre swinging around wildly in the struggle. "Do you know much about Lucy?"

Anthony turns towards him with with his eyebrow raised, a little too knowingly "She's the Queen regent's cousin. Very nice girl."

Gregory had nodded and tried to pluck up the courage to ask her to dance later. He didn't.

They spent the next 4 years of their lives locked together in the room at state functions, talking about everything and nothing, school, and gymnastics and horse riding, and opinions on Star Wars and Marvel and DC. Kate has taken to leaving a note in Gregory's invitation for events Yes, Lucy has promised to be at this one just so he no longer has to ask.

And finally, at Princess Edwina's wedding as she's getting spun around the dance floor Gregory plucks up all his courage and says

"Lucy do you want to dance with me?!" and it comes out as a shout so loud it attracts the attention of several people nearby, his mother included and before he could stop himself the rest as come out too "And maybe we could date!"

Lucy's eyebrows raise as she holds out her hand to him, "I've been waiting for you to ask me forever. You can pick me up at 6 tomorrow."

And Gregory has to hold in the urge to scream.

[janiedean]

hi lavi, could i ask who your favourite films and/or directors are? i'm a bit bored, and i really watch all genres. thank you

aw sure XD well okay this is complicated because a lot of my favorite directors haven’t made movies that would automatically make it into my top ten and some movies in my top ten aren’t by my favorite directors but I’ll just give you the top ten movies + top ten directors and movies I like best from each XD

movies:

blade runner (scott is a v. good director tho lately he’s meh, I’d recommend his old stuff up until gladiator not including it tbh tho it’s not bad I just don’t really like it, esp. alien and thelma and louise, plus black hawk down and the martian are the two best post-gladiator)

casablanca (best curtiz movie tbh)

some like it hot (more on wilder later but ANYTHING of his is gold)

a perfect world (more on clint eastwood later same as above)

the man who shot liberty valance (more john ford later ^^^)

last tango in paris (I KNOW IT’S CONTROVERSIAL AND I KNOW EVERYTHING BUT IT’S STILL A REALLY GREAT MOVIE separate art and artist please guys /o\)

rashomon (more on kurosawa later)

nosferatu (the original silent movie by murnau please check anything murnau did his silent movies are The Best)

der himmel uber berlin/wings of desire (wenders is like a director I love a lot but he’s not for all tastes so I’ll just recommend the american friend here too)

merry christmas mr. lawrence (oshima is usually great but this one is just My Fave TM)

FIFTEEN FAVE DIRECTORS (not in any particular order)

billy wilder: GUYS WILDER IS AMAZING I LOVE WILDER SFM ANY WILDER MOVIE IS GOLD my faves other than some like it hot which is perfect, flawless and virtually not reachable by anything are the apartment, sabrina, the lost weekend, sunset boulevard, ace in the hole, one two three!, irma la douce, front page and the private life of sherlock holmes (BEST HOLMES MOVIE EVER) but like anything of his is amazing

stanley kubrick: guys are we serious like every kubrick movie is a gem, my faves are paths of glory, full metal jacket, 2001: a space odyssey and the shining but really watch everything

clint eastwood: guys I really love eastwood bear with me. EVERYTHING is recommended other than the above movie which is his best imo, but other than that, unforgiven, the bridges of madison county, million dollar baby, gran torino, bird and mystic river are masterpieces but if you love yourself watch the iwo jima movies both flags of our fathers and letters from iwo jima, and when it comes to good shit starring eastwood that he didn’t direct, ALL THE LEONE MOVIES HE MADE WITH HIM ALL OF THEM, plus the don siegel ones - dirty harry and the beguiled (ESPECIALLY THE BEGUILED) are gems okay. yes, dirty harry is a gem for its genre fight me.

john ford: guys ford was a genius okay i love everything he chose to do even if I didn’t agree with his politics I guess, but anyway, other than liberty valance: STAGECOACH (TOTAL MASTERPIECE I WILL FIC ONE DAY), the searchers, the last hurrah, THE GRAPES OF WRATH (PLS WATCH THE GRAPES OF WRATH) and the quiet man.

michael cimino: GUYS PLS WATCH CIMINO MOVIES I LOVE CIMINO SFM WATCH ALL OF THEM tho the best is the deer hunter, but thunderbolt and lightfoot is also excellent, and gates of heaven and the year of the dragon are some of my faves slkdgjkldsgj GUYS I REALLY LOVE CIMINO LOVE YOURSELF WATCH THE DEER HUNTER

akira kurosawa: kurosawa is The Best, no like The Best, and prob. your best choice if you want to try out japanese film because he has a very approachable style - my fave’s rashomon because I’m obvious and not original, but other recommendation are seven samurai, ran, throne of blood, the hidden fortress (which was taken as an inspiration for star wars too!), the lower depths, YOJIMBO and sanjuro (its sequel) and also drunken angel, and ikiru. lOVE YOURSELF WATCH KUROSAWA

terry gilliam: okay gilliam is really my jam and I love everything his head chooses to go for. my uber fave forever is the fisher king (I LOVE THE FISHER KING TO PIECES IT’S MY ULTIMATE COMFORT MOVIE), but try also 12 monkeys, BRAZIL AKA THE BEST 1984 ADAPTATION EVER and the monty python movies ofc

roman polanski: guys I know it’s controversial people but he does very good movies. should you choose to engage: the pianist, fearless vampire killers, rosemary’s baby and chinatown are movies you really wanna see

frank capra: it’s a wonderful life ruined me forever, but then there’s it happened one night, arsenic and old lace and mr smith goes to washington which will forever have my heart ;____;

quentin tarantino: …. tarantino might be my jam. like. a lot. everything is recommended tbh esp. the two kill bills, inglorious basterds, pulp fiction and reservoir dogs but really, everything tarantino is

alfred hitchcock: SOME CLASSIC SUSPENSE HERE GUYS. north by northwest, psycho, NOTORIUS, spellbound, rope, the man who knew too much, rear window, to catch a thief and the birds are your friends too

mario bava: GUYS LOVE YOURSELF WATCH GOOD ITALIAN HORROR EVERYONE COPIED FROM. black sunday is the best but also black sabbath (where did the group take their name from :PPP), the whip and the body (BDSM christopher lee!), chain reaction and operation: fear are total excellent shit

fritz lang: LANG IS THE BEST LANG IS A GENIUS watch M, metropolis, the dr. mabuse movies, the woman in the window, rancho notorius, the big heat and while the city sleeps to start with but all his shit is amazing

francois truffaut: for some a+++ french cinema, the 400 blows, jules et jim, fahrenheit 451, the green room and the last metro

for my fave comedy director, go with mel brooks. YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN

also: I had recommended an anon a bunch of movies from different genres here plus some directors I regrettably didn’t mention here (ORSON WELLES) so here you go :D if you want more specific stuff ie just italian movies or whatever I’m glad to provide :D

[emotionalsupportshelby]

5x3 time

Fuck these fucking nuns,

I hate them so fucking much

I love this scene and the power it holds

If they those to keep polly alive and don't have her story being she's gone after all the evil nuns in the world... Imma be pissed

"45 and still breaking hearts eh?" you'd know Cillian 😂

"you can smile... You... Don't smile" Arthur and Michael summed up tbh

The fact Lizzie went to find a solicitor is suspicious as fuck...

Linda deserves to have a relationship with the new guy and find happiness

"I used to fuck several men a day now I'm learning how to ride a horse side saddle" yes because Tommy has gotten you out of that life so fucking appreciate him

"you don't get what you deserve, you get what you take" Lizzie what are you on about

"there's good, and there's evil" "and then there's both mixed.... He's making up his mind" TOMMY IS TRYING TO PROTECT ALL OF YALL AND HIS FAMILY, he's been through so much trauma, he's doing stupid/bad things but to a good end and means well

Gina be nice to Ada please, she's just tryna look out for you

Karl you apologise to Ben dammit, I get missing Freddie but stop being a dickhead

The Aberama x Polly relationship was cute as fuck

I wish we got to see more of Aberama's background

Michael stop being a shit around Ben

But well done for suggesting Tommy goes to therapy because he fucking needs it

Younger was pure as fuck and I love him so much 🥰

Johnny having sex in Tommy's office is

📢SUSPICIOUS AS FUCK PEOPLE 📢

Like who in their right mind would do that specially when they're 'injured'

Polly deserves to be with Michael's daughter dammit

Anya and Helen are incredible on screen together

Drunk Tommy in the meeting with Jessie is hilarious yet sad at the same time

Tommy using champagne to explain politics will always make me laugh, what a dumb smart shit

GRACE IT'S NOT THE TIME FOR THIS

The entire bedroom scene with Lizzie is some of the hottest TV and I won't hear different... Its my fucking sexuality.

"you belong to me, my property, no one touches my property" sir that should not be so fucking hot

Arthur leave Linda's friend alone dammit

"you marry a shelby, you stay fucking married" yes, sir 💍💍

Arthur baby this wasn't needed

You're a good man but you need fucking therapy and to be less possessive

Curly asking how many hand grenades Arthur wants then Charlies "fuck sake, it's like it's normal"... Class

SCOTLAND 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 going there at the end of the month 😍😍

Go on Ab, finish them off

Mosley dont start Tommy off on war talk.. Its not a good idea

Billy Boys, still have a catchy theme/band, they're awful but they're catchy

"so Tommy Shelby, it's war you want, its war you shall have"

[ingravinoveritas]

hi! how's it going? I am gonna be honest, this morning I was going to you a message saying that, if maybe I don't believe that David and Michael have a relationship or they are in love, I love your blog and I enjoy so much your posts and theories and I really hope that will be true. But then, I watched a video on instagram about Staged and David is saying how he ride michael and... Well... That was quite impressive. I love your work and I enjoy it a lot! Greeting from Spain!

Hello and Buenos días! Aww, well thank you so much for the kind words...I'm truly floored to have readers from all over the world on my blog, and that you have enjoyed what I am writing so much that it made you want to send in this Ask.

Ah, Staged. I know the moment you are talking about very well, and what a day in the fandom it was when that season came out and we all saw that scene...

I think what spun my head the most about this is that I randomly wrote something nearly identical to this (about Michael putting a saddle on his back and having David ride him) on my blog six months before Staged 2 came out. I am definitely not deluded enough to think that any of these people have poked around on my Tumblr (although Michael was doing some serious hardcore lurking in 2019/2020), but I cannot tell you how weird it is to see something you wrote turn up in a TV show--especially something like that.

(Not just any TV show, either...fan fiction that Simon wrote about Michael and David and that they agreed to act in...for whatever reason.)

So yes, "I'm gonna ride you all the way to America, boy" continues to live rent-free in my head even now. This is just one of the countless times Michael and David have fanned the flames of suggestion since 2019, and I highly, highly suspect it will not be the last...