#( & isabella 001 )

[courtneyxblake]

Who: @isabellacastrc and Courtney

Where: Kismet Harbor dog park

When: October 2024

"Hey you," Courtney said with a smile as she along with Seymour her dog, had approached Isabella and her own dog. "Seymour was looking forward to his okay date," she said with a chuckle and looked down at her dog who was sniffing Honey while his tag was wagging a mile a minute. "How are ya?" She asked as she bent down to ubclip the leash from her dog's collar.

[fullscoreshenanigans]

Oh how I very much love how the anime decided to alter that second line and have it end on a shot of Ray.

(read: I am in agony)

[ofwrxth]

+ ISABELLA OLYMPIA, OUTREACH OFFICES

"Okay...good news or bad news?" Ophelia says, taking a seat on the floor opposite Bella in their joint office, hands resting on her thighs as she sighs. "Actually, don't answer – we'll do bad news first." It's best to rip the bandaid off. "Callista Calder reached out for a meeting to discuss her sponsorship for the educational programs." Fee grimaces a bit. "Which I think means she's leaning to pull out. Something about not wanting to seem like she sponsoring Ascend scholars. And that sponsoring education opportunities makes it seem like that's what she's doing." Even if it's not. And they went over it numerous times before she'd signed off. That sponsoring education programs simply means helping provide better access to educational resources and instructors in The Wards. Not ensuring entry to the Ascend program. "I think that her family got to her. They were always against her working with us." Fee exhales. "So...that's not great. Maybe it's not the case but...gut feeling, you know?

"But." She brightens at her sister, shifting from feet tucked beneath her to a cross-legged position. "I did get an interesting Star Link from Nadia Belcourt." A pause and a hopeful smile. "She wants to discuss potential opportunities for the Alexandrian Society on Equinox. Not exactly The Wards but...maybe if she can see what we're trying to do...it's just crazy that most people in The Wards don't even know about the society? Or about our history. I'm sure there's going to be a lot of red tape but...that's still something, right?" They'd known going into this that establishing Outreach wasn't going to be a moonwalk. If anything, it's felt like they've been in the gravity well lately. But any news is good news at this point, and she thinks there's some real promise. "So I was thinking we could work on a proposal to present. And Felix knows her, right? Maybe he could give some insight?" @rviner

[willowswriting]

for @itsrogersandco continued from here

"I don't think that I want to screw him anymore." Seleste admitted, voice low with her eyes looking to the ceiling as Isabella dabbed underneath them. There had been a time that Seleste had wanted to save this marriage against all odds but lately her husband had turned into someone that she could no longer stand. "But what options do I have Izzy?" she questioned "I have nothing without him." she spoke, tears starting to form once again where her friend had already dabbed the old ones away.

[st4rburster]

" you know, sometimes i wonder if you ever think about me the way i think about you. " / @testdrves

[manybcdthings]

grand gala

felix ranstrom and isabella westwood @rviner

The red carpet was a spectacle Felix wanted no part of tonight, a gaudy display of superficiality that, despite his profession, always set his teeth on edge. He opted for the secluded entrance, watching while he was ushered in the right direction by staff as if he had no idea what a fucking door looked like. But, once he was inside, a long exhale of relief escaped as the noise muffled beyond the closed door. Felix followed the sound of the gala happening further along the corridor, the conversations that had already started up, the clinking glasses and a drone of music. But, then he saw Isabella ahead and a grin tugged at the corner of his mouth at how she had the same idea, avoiding the chaos outside, preferring the quiet over a media frenzy.

Without thinking, Felix quickened his pace to reach her side, his hand brushing lightly against the small of her back. The touch was brief, almost imperceptible, but enough to let her know he was there, close, without drawing attention. "That's us not hired for the sequel if we both avoid the chance of a free promo." he quipped, looking down to her with a grin. The movie that had thrown them together was on the brink of release, and a red carpet would be a wonderful opportunity for the final push of promotion. "You look beautiful." Felix's voice slipped into sincerity, his voice steady as his eyes traced the lines of her dress, appreciating the elegance she carried so effortlessly. "Never thought you'd be much of a gambler, though." he added, a grin returning to his lips.

Just seconds later, they emerged into the main event. A stark contrast to the sense of ease that was beginning to settle over him as he walked with Bella. It was like stepping into a fairground, but dressed up to seem sophisticated. Less childish. Felix took a brief moment to survey the mingling guests, a slight frown replacing his grin. He had to remind himself to take a step aside from Bella, maintaining a respectable and inconspicuous distance. "Don't worry, I won't embarrass you." he quipped, but didn't intend for his voice to carry with a hint of bitterness. However, their current placement meant that now was not the time nor place. "I was kidding. I know you didn't say that." Felix cleared his throat, offering a slight smirk to Isabella. "Not in so many words, anyways."

[dxrkenedheights]

where: beekman hotel

with: oskar ranstrom and isabella belcourt @rviner

★・・・・・・★

Despite social pleasantries threatening to drown his patience, Oskar can navigate such events with practiced ease. He loathes them entirely yet finds himself swept into a group conversation, only to watch it fragment over passing moments until it leaves just Isabella Belcourt at his side. A nod acknowledges her presence, and the fact that now the two of them are caught in a moment where it would be too impolite to simply walk away. Their only commonality is Felix, and it hangs in the air until Oskar waves a delicate gesture to the small witch. "I would say it will be nice to see you at our Friday dinners again, but..." he trails off, glancing through the room with a wry smirk. There's a level of discomfort he finds, simply with the fact that Isabella is privy to his family's dynamics...but only from Felix whispering his skewed perspective in her ear. He's certain she's well aware of the limited, practically non existent, contact between brothers. "I doubt that will be happening any time soon." Oskar finally adds with a glance to the Belcourt and a gesture towards Felix in the distance. "None of us were aware until tonight." he admits, referring to the subtle exchanges the rest of his family witnessed between his brother and Bella. "Brave of you." Oskar then muses with a sharp and assessing tone "I believe there's a sacred rule in psychology about keeping therapy out of personal matters, but maybe I am wrong. It's been a while..." since he's paid any attention to that nonsense, the words are said loud enough in his own mind to bring a smirk to Oskar's lips.

[ofmythsandfables]

@wrldofmyown asked: ❛  are  you  free  tonight ?  ❜ (from Isa for Selina 😌)

A smirk tugs at full red lips as her gaze meets the most beautiful shade of blue. Selina took a small sip of her drink before placing it down and letting her fingertips glide along the rim. “That depends. Did you have in mind something specific you wanted to do..?”

[eddiexcastro]

closed starter for @isabella-castro location: Isabella's place

Eddie knew being away from their family this time of year was kinda hard and while this was the first year he wasn't seeing his parents since he was in the Navy, he wanted to make it special for his sister. So he made the treats their abuela usually made and he brought them over in a container for her. Knocking on the door, he waited for her to answer. "Bells, come on! Open up."

[hyperenor]

who?: @healerswanford where?: the office

❇💎❇

Eyes closed in the shadows of this unfamiliar clinic office, Hyperenor could see the conflict he set up play out clearly in his mind. The destruction of the room was a ruse meant to both unsettle his target and help conceal the placement of his crafted witch-bone binding talisman. She wouldn't be able to leave this room before he did, a tactical choice considering how slippery some bloodsuckers could be. The board was set, all Hyperenor needed to do was stay hidden and wait. He was dormant in the dark, focused solely on keeping his body primed for the opening gambit. The door opened, light streamed in, she entered, and before she could even process the mess of her office he was on her in a flash. In one motion, Hyperenor slammed her into the door to lock them in and had his hand shoved right into her ribcage.

"Don't move. I'm faster. I'll kill you before you can go poof." The subsequent rumbling from his chest proved how he enjoyed having her unbeating heart in his hand. It took all his willpower to not pluck it out as he'd done so many times already to her sycophantic brethren. However, he resisted the urge. She would be far more valuable alive, for now. "Remember this feeling. Remember what it feels like to have your heart trapped in my grasp. Remember it well, because if you disappoint me it will be the last sensation you have before I kill you," Hyperenor promises with the calmness of a person who wasn't wrist-deep in a vampire's chest cavity. With measured slowness he withdraws, freeing her from his hold only to grab her jaw with his bloodied hand. "You'll give me what I want when I want it. Compliance is all that's allowed from you, understood?"

[brightclara]

Time: Post plot drop stuff Location: In Isabella’s Clinic Characters: @healerswanford & @brightclara

"Dr. Swanford?” Clara extended a hand to greet her, then shook the woman’s tightly and eagerly. When it came to supernaturals in Rome, Clara was now becoming well-versed and it had been easy enough to find a fellow healthcare professional. She wanted to start something new, something she’d never done before in this modern age. She figured she might as well do it with a hopeful friend. “My name is Dr. Clara Samson, I used to work at the San Giovanni Addolorata Hospital. I heard a lot about you, and I just wanted to talk for a bit if you have a moment?”

[devilsons]

who: isabella espinar ( @gravefed​ ) where: the bad monkey bar + nightclub when: sometime after the city has begun to evolve for the night, the sound of heels hitting the pavement turning to drunken staggers, the neons casting the only solid light aside from few flickering street lamps.

the bass in the bar keeps booming regardless of the empty dance floor. 

despite the money laundering nature of the building, its owner loves it unconditionally; the rotting floorboards, the grimy back bathroom stalls, the ripped faux brown leather of the bar stools showing white between creases. perhaps its not the building itself, not the promise of rowdy patrons or even the fully stocked bar, but the way archibald sits on the bar top when the whole place is desolate and looks over the poorly-kept mess of an establishment and thinks, ‘ this is mine. ‘ the bar is in the worst shape. the apartment in the basement, while not pristine, refrains from being disastrous, some piles of documents and the closet is a mess of clothes but overall he took a lot of care to make it a nice space. 

upstairs, however, had other funding. 

behind a locked door in the back is a staircase up to the hanging man’s offices and meeting space, sleek white walls and grand wooden desks, safes and reinforced steel. everything ties back to them, sleeping where he eats; there is no going home after a long day, but some sacrifices can be made without hesitation. this is the life he chose, and what it gave him can only be repaid in blood; so blood it is, caked under fingernails or stained on his psyche, he can never unsee the things he’s seen, undo the things he’s done, but this is the flavor of survival, and it tastes just sweet enough on his tongue that he’s hooked to hell and back.

he sits on a bar stool with papers laid out in front of him and a drink in his right hand, cheap whiskey and a splash of coke, the left writing something along the margins. it was information uncovered from a recent job he was sent on, likely a dead end if they were trusting him with it, but he appreciated the busy work. when the city got quiet there was never much for him to do. he took it seriously, even despite the little picture he’d drawn of a vampire in the corner when his mind starting wandering. the pencil tapped against the wood of the bar top, eyes skimming the pages over and over again without taking in much information. he’d been at it for a few hours and it was all beginning to blur. 

the music was still so loud he hadn’t heard the footsteps on the stairs or the opening of the back door. it was a moment before he caught sight of her in his peripheral and his eyes shot up, blinking away the haze. “isabella.” he says, but her name is lost under the music so he fumbles around for the remote and turns it off, the silence slamming over them all at once, almost eerie after the nonstop cacophony that had muted his hearing. everything was muffled, he shifted in his seat, the creaking too quiet, the air still. it made him just the tiniest bit uncomfortable until his gaze fell back to her, eyes doing a quick once over, head to toe, that he tries to cover by glancing back down at the papers for a moment. she looks great as usual, it’s expected, but still his heartrate rises just a little, that weird little feeling in his chest and stomach that made him feel incredibly young. he should probably stop drinking. 

he finishes his drink in one sip. “isabella.” he says again when he puts the glass down on the bar top, the back of his sleeve coming to wipe at his mouth, the picture of class, “late night?”

[fullscoreshenanigans]

Imagine a AU where everything would have been the same except that, when the demon attack the children at the end, it's Jemima who fall while trying to run and Ray who jumps to protect her and Isabella is fatally wounded by protecting them (him).

Yeah it's "how mess even more with Ray's emotions about her"

I think it's great that she do that for Emma, but if she did that for Ray it would have been more intense.

But it would be a interesing callback to their discussion when he was 6 and that he realized that she would sacrify him for live longer, that she would ship him, that she sees her life as more important than him, her son (and realizing that had broke his little heart). And now, 7 years later, she decides that his life is more important than her life. She sacrify herself so he would live longer.

The reverse of the situation of the day of their deal.

Ray would be destroyed, even more than in canon. Because that's a thing that she want to apologize on her "deadbed", it's another that she did it atfer have saved his life, have have showed him that she changed and sees him as important for her.

(And if she had survived, he would have been the little ball of stress about her because she wouldn't want to rest and would want ot help to find Emma. "mum you have been stabbed" "it was 3 days ago Ray" "MUM")

I'm of two minds on this because there is the poetic beauty of adding more to their tumultuous relationship than what we got after all that was left unsaid about their interactions during their time together pre-escape, but I'm opposed to it on the grounds of ceding any focus from Emma in such a crucial moment with how centered her relationship with her mother was in the escape arc, in addition to the ending of generational female trauma after Isabella was so deadset in her belief that perpetuating it was the best future she could offer her beloved daughter.

It also feels poignant given how this is the first narrative train of thought we hear from Emma in the manga:

It's so important that even though the anime did away with internal monologues, they made sure to have Don emphatically express the sentiment in her place in episode 1.

She abused and wronged Ray in a unique way due to their biological relationship, but it shouldn't take precedence in a moment where she's meant to act as a true guardian to all her children after walking dozens of them off to slaughter.

(And if she had survived, he would have been the little ball of stress about her because she wouldn't want to rest and would want to help to find Emma. "mum you have been stabbed" "it was 3 days ago Ray" "MUM")

While I'm all about Ray lowkey fretting over his younger family members in ways he might have inherited from her:

(Chapter 8 | Chapter 15 | Chapter 22 | Chapter 116 | Chapter 181.4)

This scenario is a bit too sitcom-ish for me after all the suffering he went through under her care. I can't imagine him expressing anything beyond neutrality or flares of irritation toward her when they would interact for some time.

He would not act cruelly toward her because one of his earliest defining character moments shows that isn't how he operates after seeing dozens of his siblings shipped out over the years.

(Chapter 11; while harm is unavoidable in his escape plan with the children he would sacrifice so Emma and Norman could live, he is adamant about not adding an iota more of cruelty than he has to. There's been enough pain in his short life already.)

And he would not want to rob her of the opportunity to reconcile with her other children and walk further along the path of redemption because he wouldn't be there right now if his family hadn't given him the chance to do the same. Likewise, he wouldn't want to deny his siblings the opportunity to know their mother in a world that's kinder to all of them.

(Chapter 174)

But for himself, it's hard to let go of years of hypervigilance, constantly on edge to not show a hint of vulnerability lest it foil his plan, and knowing what he represented to her after he shattered the blissful delusion she'd fallen into at Grace Field for five years. That would stay with him to some degree forever and always color their relationship, even if they were both working toward reconciliation.

Up until the day of their reunion, he didn't hesitate to call her a monster after nearly two years of probably assuming she was dead because of the note he wrote as bait to get her in trouble with headquarters, a wry smile playing on his lips at the thought of her being considered a "good parent."

(Chapter 169)

She had a two-year headstart on actively working to better herself and help aid the children in dismantling the farm system. He had less than twenty-four hours to attempt to sort through his cavalcade of emotions after helping overthrow a corrupt governing body and rushing off to save his kidnapped friends and family from slaughter, and now they're dealing with Emma's disappearance. I don't think he'd be ready to work toward reconciling with her for some time, even though he could acknowledge being willing to risk her life after sacrificing lives for so long is a large shift in her perspective and he encouraged her to take care of her regrets in the human world so she could build a life she would be proud of.

[ofwrxth]

+ ISABELLA / BELCOURT CABIN / NOV. 16

The small space is a nest of maps and discarded papers. It's a war room with Nadiya presiding as general at the center of it all. She twists and turns, exchanging lists of names for lists of places, scrawling meticulously in the margins of map and over different territories, towns and regions. There's a precise rapidity to her motions – not a single note made without due consideration, but not a single moment wasted by prolonged internal debate. She is a surgeon in the operating room. Her focus is completely absorbed by her task. By her search.

But her concentration wanes at the sound of the door, even though her gaze doesn't stray from the map in hand. The storm had damaged records, but the seekers had maps stored safely, much to her relief. "Isabella?" She calls to her middle child, whose footsteps are lighter than her oldest's, and less hurried than her youngest's.

The very thought of her youngest causes Nadiya's hands tighten on the edge of the map. It's been 246 days since they took Primrose. 246 days for Nadiya to comb over every map she can get her hands on, searching for every possible lead. "Remind me of the last run you were on?" She asks by way of greeting her daughter, only looking up once Bella's entered he room. "Sicamous or Mara?" The idea that seekers can't actively participate on runs right now is ludicrous to Nadiya. But given the restrictions she's facing, she makes a concerted effort to compile as much information as she can in the meantime. @rviner

[temptedfates]

* ✦  ゜。closed starter : for @feralghostwrites pairing : aoife moreira & isabella gusman

walking the aisles of the tiny grocery store , draped over the handlebar of a cart , aoife dragged her feet a little. it was around four in the morning so they were one of the only people in the establishment. the chill from the air conditioning caused goosebumps to rise on her skin and a shiver to periodically run down her spine. straightening , aoife tossed a box of sugary cereal into her cart. after a long night at work , it was sugar and carbs that they wanted to stuff their face with. passing the chocolate bars , aoife discreetly slipped couple into her bra , making use of the fact that the cashier seemed to be zoning out instead of watching her. it wasn't necessarily that they couldn't afford a couple of chocolate bars , more so that they didn't understand why they had to splurge on the overpriced candy. with the amount that she shopped at this particular store , she should practically have an employee discount.

picking up speed a little to combat her boredom and the sleep that was demanding she lay her head down on the floor and pass out , aoife sped the cart around the corner of an aisle , assuming that there was no one on the other side. when the end of the cart rammed into someone , aoife was both shocked and a little annoyed. ❝ fuck , sorry about that , ❞ the words were practically monotone , having only said them because it was expected in a situation like this. dark brown eyes looked up to meet the gaze of the other person who had interrupted her early morning shopping spree. it was the face of the person that made aoife take pause to appreciate their features. while giving them a once over , they leaned over the handle bar once more , not bothering to pick up the items they'd dropped on the ground with their carelessness. ❝ it's four in the morning , don't you think you ought to be home or something ? ❞

[manybcdthings]

"Oh, really? Thank you for enlightening me, then. That didn't sound like a convenient twist of words at all." Felix grinned, shooting Bella a quick glance that was full of amusement. He quickly realized, quite a while ago, that no matter the topic of their conversations, she always brought a certain brightness. It was impossible for him to ignore, but even mentions of the looming meeting with his father no longer irked at him the way they would have before. Before her.

Felix even laughed, watching Bella as she bestowed a string of amusing compliments. "Right. Well, I'll keep that in mind. I'll just talk about numbers...or anything if I want to distract someone." his grin widened even if he didn't fully believe that his father would appreciate the tricky game Felix planned for the following week. "We'll see. I might get fired, so, here comes the real test if you love me even without my money." he quipped, tone soft with the teasing.

He could feel Bella's eyes on him, kissing the top of her head once she flopped against his arm. It was as if she was expecting him to suddenly leap for joy, and Felix couldn't fight his grin. There would be no leaping but the challenge of regurgitating information was the same thing. He peered down at her with a dutiful nod. "Oh, you can start timing because-" he didn't need much encouragement. "Yes, water spouts but those gargoyles are also a spiritual representation of guarding the cathedral, but they have twisted, evil looking faces. They could be representations of chaos or the unruly aspects of existence, which can be philosophically interpreted as humanity's struggle with its darker impulses." he held her a little tighter as they reached the architecture, glancing it over. "And, apparently the Gothic era loved to play with light and shadows...which is a pretty obvious metaphor. But, look at this-"

END.

Bella's eyes glint with a spark of mischief, her laughter lifting brightly. "Okay, I did say that but having each other's back is also different to holding each other accountable. Just so you know." she teases. Her fingers tighten around his, her thumb brushing lightly over his knuckles. A gesture as natural as breathing by now. Paris stretches before them, but Bella is less concerned with the empty streets and more focused on the way Felix is, the way he tries to keep his excitement at bay. She notices how his grin widening just a little when he thinks she's not looking. But she is. Always.

"I didn't mean it like that!" she laughs out, holding tighter to his arm and flopping her head against it. "But, you are hot when you talk about numbers. Distracting. Actually, you're hot when you talk about most things." she squeezes his arm. "But, I think even if your dad doesn't outright say so, he's going to be impressed with the work you've put in." she's reminding Felix of something he already knows but rarely admits to himself. He's brilliant, and there's a quiet pride in her voice as she says it.

Finally, Felix lets himself relax to the moment. She can feel his dimples form against her lips when he smiles as she kisses him, her laughter bubbling up. Bella is practically bouncing with excitement, enough for the two of them and she moves with him to the looming spires of Notre Damn. She doesn't notice the stillness until Felix mentions it, her head swiveling almost before landing back to him with a shrug. "I kinda like it. It means we have the whole city to ourselves."

With an encouraging knock, she peers up at him, eyes wide with an eager look. "Okay so...Everything you know about Notre Dame. I can time you if you want?" Bella grins, but the excitement she feels is purely because she knows how much this means to Felix. Even if she can see that he's still not letting himself fully immerse into the moment. "I already know about the gargoyles for rainwater, I remember that from school. But that's about it, so." she waves a hand as they reach the cathedral, her steps slowing as she leans back to study over the architecture. "Wow...this is so beautiful."