#Captain Chesterfield

[its-to-the-death]

Battle of the Gingers Wave 1 Preliminary Round #51

Whoever gets the most votes moves onto the next wave

[avengerscompound]

Shared Experience - Chapter 16

Shared Experience - A Captain America Fanfic

Masterlist PREVIOUS //

Rating:  E

Warnings:  nothing really

Pairing: Steve Rogers x OFC Rose Astor

Word Count: 1931

Summary:  Rose Astor met her end in 1920, joining the ranks of the living dead two years after the birth of Steve Rogers.  A century later the two meet in battle - a beacon of light clashing with a creature of the night.  Despite their differences, the two bond over their shared life experiences.  Can a vampire become an Avenger?  Can two such different beings create a life together?

Chapter 16

Steve and Rose followed Elsa down the stairs into the cellar of an old stone house at the edge of the town.  Steve and Elsa had pulled their coats tight around them and each breath they exhaled came out in a puff of condensation.  Rose felt bad for them.  It had to be difficult to be that cold, but if either of them were uncomfortable, they weren’t saying it.

The cellar was dimly lit and sparsely furnished.  A group of five vampires, two men, two women, and one that looked like she must have been turned when she was twelve, were sitting on four brown leather Chesterfields surrounding a large square hardwood coffee table.  A sixth lounged on a wingback chair, one leg swung over the arm.  He wore leather pants and his black silk shirt was unbuttoned low, like he got his style from Vegas shock magicians.

Each member of the group was wearing a matching amulet around their neck.  It looked like a flower made of red stones.  The Lightbender Amulet.

Rose was struck by how tired the group looked.  Not hungry.  Not worn out.  Tired - like they’d been woken up recently from actual sleep.

“What did you wake us up for, Bloodstone?” the Vegas vampire asked.

“Calm down, Raizo,” Elsa scolded. “No one is impressed.”

The child Vampire stood up suddenly and pointed at Steve. “Captain America,” she said, pointing at him.

The other vampires all shifted suddenly, some sitting up straight, one standing, Raizo stood and walked around the back of the couches toward Steve, Elsa, and Rose.

“This is why I woke you all up,” Elsa said.  “Children, this is Captain America.  Captain America, these guys.”

Raizo offered Steve his hand.  “I’m Raizo, this is Eliza, Sebastian, Narcissa, Laurant, and Cristina.  What brings you to Romania?”

Sebastian and Laurant rolled their eyes as they watched the interaction, and Rose resisted the urge to do the same.

“This is my friend, Rose,” Steve said, shaking his hand. “We were told by the Moon Knight that you had an amulet that would help her walk in the day and suppress her cravings.”

Razio looked back at the others and then approached Rose, he walked around her, his eyes gliding up and down her body, before looking at Elsa. “Are we sure he’s not compelled?”

“You can see for yourself,” Elsa said.  “But he’s fine.”

“I can’t compel him anyway.  You can try.  Something about the Super Serum makes him immune to it,” she said.

“And why did you want to compel him?” Razio asked suspiciously.

“So he’d forget I existed,” she said. “Like I’d been trained by my maker.  Not because I was trying to feed off him.”

He looked Steve up and down too then returned his gaze to Rose.  “You must be fighting those urges of yours very well if an Avenger is here to vouch for you.”

“She’s not just fighting them, she’s out doing good.  She’s part of the team.  She’s helped save the world,” he said.

Razio raised an eyebrow.  “Well, well, well...”

“Enough, Razio,” Laurant said with a thick French accent.  “She clearly meets the criteria.  Give her the amulet and let them be on their way.  I want to go back to bed.”

Razio huffed and went to the far end of the room, pressing on a brick.  The wall shifted in and slid to the side revealing a safe, and he began spinning the combination wheel.

“Who was your maker, Rose?” Narcissa asked.

“Marcellus Lakatos,” Rose said.  “When he was in New York at the turn of last century.”

Eliza, the child vampire stiffened and sat forward in her chair.  “Rose Astor?”

Rose startled.  “Yes.  Do you know me?”

“Oh, darling,” Narcissa said. “Eliza is your little sister.”

Rose was reeling.  It felt like she’d been slapped.  Guilt and anger came bubbling up like bile in her throat.  The monster that had turned her and tortured her had gone from her to someone even younger.  It was Rose’s fault that Eliza had been turned and god knows what else he’d done to her.

“What?” she asked.

“When you sent him away, he returned here but grabbed me on the way.  I think I was supposed to be a snack, but…” Eliza shrugged.  Rose didn’t need more than that.  She was here, he’d decided to keep her because he was a sadist who liked torturing girls.

“I’m so sorry,” Rose said.  “I should have…”

Eliza shook her head. “What?  Kept him there so he could keep torturing you?  He’d have gotten bored eventually.  We’re not the only ones he’s done this too.  When we got here, Dracula was pissed.  They’re not supposed to turn people as young as me and apparently, it’s been a theme of his.”

Razio approached her, holding out his hand and letting the amulet fall from his fingers, so it dangled from the chain two inches from his hand.  The amulet was beautiful.  A dark red garnet sat in the center with twelve rubies arranged around it so they looked like sunflower petals.  Rose reached for it, but as her fingers went to close around it, he pulled it from her reach.

“Something really needs to be done about him,” he said.  “He can’t keep getting away with this.”

“Give her the amulet, Razio,” Elsa scolded.  “It’s not her job to take out her maker.  She’s an Avenger.  She has nothing to prove.”

Razio turned and began to stroll around the room.  “True, true,” he said.  “She’s proven herself.  No one else here has gotten the approval of Moon Knight, notable monster hunter Elsa Bloodstone, and the Avengers.”  He flopped down into the winged back chair, flinging his leg over the arm again while he held the amulet out in front of him, watching it spin on the chain.  “But what if we could take care of this Marcellus?  You all said it.  It’s one thing if one of our kind is just drinking blood.  We can hardly help it that we need it to live.  I’m not about staking every vamp I see just trying to live their lives.”

“I am,” Elsa interrupted.

He waved her off.  “But Marcellus is a whole different kind of monster.  It’s a game for him.  He’s like a cat who enjoys toying with its food before it eats it.  And his prey are just getting younger and younger.  I know he’s one of Dracula’s progeny and they’re usually off-limits, but going off what happened with Eliza, he might even look the other way.  But even if he didn’t, with Elsa and our new Avenger friend, we could carry this out and he wouldn’t even know if we were involved.”

“Oh, so you’d just throw me under the bus?” Elsa asked.

He scoffed.  “He already wants to kill you.  That’s not going to change anything.”

“The Avengers would be willing to help,” Steve said.  “I’ve been hoping to take a shot at this monster for a while.  If you know how to get to him, we’ll take him out.”

Rose turned and looked at him with surprise.  Steve was so against killing people outside of battle, and even then he usually tried not to kill anyone.  She wasn’t sure what to make of this reaction.  Was it some kind of protective rage toward the man that had hurt her so badly?  A resignation that this was necessary to stop him from hurting other people?  Or did he just not consider killing a vampire as killing someone?

He smiled at her and squeezed her hand.  She might have to bring it up later, the problem was, she wanted Marcellus dead.  She’d wanted him dead since he turned her.  If she questioned Steve about his feelings about vampires before that happened, he might have a change of heart and decide to lock him up or something.

“There are other Avengers here?” Razio asked.

Steve nodded.  “A few.  Black Widow, Iron Man, and the Scarlet Witch.”

Razio flicked his wrist so the amulet began spinning on the chain.  “You know this could really work.”

“What are you thinking?” Steve asked.  “Shall we go in during the day?”

“No use, love,” Elsa said.  “If I could clear out that den during the day, I would have a long time ago.  That castle takes in tourists during the day.  It’s heavily secured, particularly the crypt they sleep in.  My family has considered just setting fire to the place during opening hours, but I’m sure that all that would happen would be a lot of innocent tourists would die and the crypt would remain unharmed.”

“Regardless, we can not enter,” Sebastian said.  “While public places are usually accessible to us during opening hours as the invitation is implicitly open to everyone to enter, in this case, the tickets to the castle explicitly restrict our ilk.  At night, the building is closed to everyone, so we cannot enter without being invited.”

“What Bas is saying is, we’ll have to draw him out,” Eliza said.

“How would we even do that?” Rose asked.  “That ruse of Elsa being a helpless potential victim isn’t exactly targeted.”

Razio flipped the amulet into his hand and leaned back in the chair.  “That will be the trick.  I’m sure we can think of something.  Use bait that’s more to his taste maybe.”

“Wanda might fit?” Steve suggested.  “She’s fairly young and has a kind of innocence to the way she holds herself.  Maybe we can use makeup to make her look younger?”

Rose shrugged.  “It still feels like that might just end up attracting any random vampire as much as it will attract him specifically.”

Razio drummed his fingers on the amulet and then sat up, tossing it to Rose.  “We’ll think about it.”

Rose snatched the amulet out of the air and clutched it against her chest.  She could feel the power of it pricking against her skin.  Holding it in her hand somehow made her more nervous.  What if it didn’t work?  What if this was a trick and it ended up hurting her?

Yet, she could see six vampires sitting around the room, all wearing one.  They could be in on the lie, but it was too elaborate.  If Blade, Moon Knight, or Elsa Bloodstone wanted her dead, they’d had their chance.  They didn’t need to create an elaborate prank to force her into the sun.

She slipped the chain around her neck letting the amulet sit on her chest.  “Thank you,” she said.

“They’re right.  We think you’ve proven you’re like us,” Razio said.  “Now I know you don’t feel ready for sleep yet.  But the rest of us were woken up for this.  We’ll sleep on the issue.  We can meet up here tomorrow morning.  How’s ten sound?”

It sounded crazy and implausible.  She could only imagine being awake at ten in the morning if she was up closer to the Arctic Circle during winter.  She nodded.  “Sounds good,” she agreed.

“Bring those other Avengers,” Razio said.

“We will,” Steve agreed.  He slipped his hand into hers and squeezed her hand reassuringly.  “Thank you again. And see you tomorrow.”

They were just moving to the stairs when Razio called out to them. “Oh and Rose,” he said. “Enjoy the sunrise.”

Rose smiled and nodded.  While she’d seen a few since starting to feed from Steve, they usually came with fear, pain, and that animalistic pull to get underground.  If this worked, she wouldn’t feel any of that.  If that was true, she would cherish every moment of it.

// NEXT

[swifty-fox]

2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 19, 25, 27, 28, 38

girl lmao

buckle in!

2. Is there a trope you’ve yet to try your hand at, but really want to?

Flower shop/tattoo artist au i would CRUSH and I believe that. I might do one for a Christmas fic hmmm

3. Is there a trope you wouldn’t touch with a ten foot pole?

de-age fic or like the ones where they get turned into kids. Nope!!!!

5. Share one of your strengths.

I'm really good at writing gore. I need to flex it more in this fandom

7. Share a snippet from one of your favorite pieces of prose you’ve written and explain why you’re proud of it.

oh it's gotta be this sequence from Plane Crash:

Johnny thinks eventually, perhaps sometime very soon, he’s going to hate fireworks. They pop and crackle around him in bursts of light and color and sound. Set off by joyful triumphant men who chase their shining wakes like boys after a toyboat in the gutter, laughing and prancing and reaching for those bright bursts of fire and gunpowder.

I’ve seen this before , he thinks, Algeria, Bremen, Regensburg, Munster . 

If he closes his eyes he sees their glitter trails, smells the sweet smoke when he inhales. He doesn’t hate it, not yet, because today’s the second happiest day of his fucking life , but he thinks someday soon he will.

 Standing there, a bottle of gin held loosely in his fingers, Johnny tilts his head to the sky and almost weeps that there is no snow. The smell of honeysuckle is thick like molasses in the air, and he opens his mouth to taste it on his tongue as red and green and blue as blue as the sky flashes across his lids. It’s sweet. The firework ash is bitter.

Voices cheer, rising in song, and jokes, and varying degrees of mirth. Some men are crying, joyful, and wild. Some men are crying, broken and grieved, and tucked under the arms of their buddies.

The war is over.

Frank Murphy, James Douglass, and Charlie Cruikshank are gathered around a burning barrel, trading cigarettes and stories and shouting over each other like it was a game of who could be the loudest amongst them. Ev Blakely is speaking quietly with Helen Kerr, stooped at the shoulders to be heard. Petrohelos and Blum and Hoerr and McCusker and every single boy come home and all the boys who were still around and they’re all safe and alive and Johnny counts them, spinning in a slow circle while mouthing the words. 

“You drunk Captain?”

For a moment Johnny thinks it’s Curtis Biddick speaking, though the accent is as far from a Bronx mumble as one could be and Curt was dead. But the cadence, the sudden appearance of a figure, and here on the hardstand where Johnny had once begged the other man to tell him how to be queer, is enough to make him jump.

He whips his head around and then relaxes, nodding stiffly, “Lemmons.”

“Mind if I–?” Ken gestures to the cigarette in his hands and then the lighter in Johnny’s breast pocket, “Mine seems to have been stolen.”

There are lines on the kid's face that shouldn’t be there for another decade and grey in his hair that hadn’t been present before Johnny had gone down. He’s never seen Joy look so tired on a man. 

Fumbling for his pocket he leans to light Lemmons’ cigarette, watching the other man inhale with fluttering eyelashes, brows drawing together. 

“Not drunk,” Johnny says after a moment, raises the bottle of gin, “Haven’t gotten that far in the plan yet.” 

“Falling behind,” Ken comments on his exhale, accent buttery and drawling, fallin’ bahaind.

Wind drags the smoke towards Johnny and he stiffens, a cold hand ghosting over his shoulder. He turns his head in another sharp movement, taking in the fancy script of the pack in Ken’s hand. Familiar as a cologne, Johnny only knew a few men on the base who smoked Chesterfields. And on the lid, a scribbled drawing in red pen because the previous owner had been viciously protective of his things and hated using his signature. 

“Curt’s cigarettes,” He says without thinking.

Ken laughs, breathless, and turns the pack over to look at the drawing of an angel wing, “Ah, yeah. Left ‘em on my toolbox one morning and I figured –” 

He stops, swallows, and shakes his head with a smile that’s far too old for his young face. Johnny’s pretty sure the kid couldn’t even drink yet back in the States. 

“ – Well I figured I’d give him a little celebration. He’s not here to light up in celebration himself so…” He trails off and shrugs, placing the pale stick back between his lips. 

“I didn’t realize you were close like that,” Johnny says awkwardly. He resists the urge to check his watch, well aware of the night ticking away. He’d picked up the gin for a reason. 

“Well sure, he was always down on the hardstand buggin’ me about his girl wasn’t he?” 

Girl could mean Curt’s fort, dead and buried as he was. Girl could mean some made-up dame to feed Curt’s games. 

“It’s crazy isn’t it,” Ken says suddenly, voice wild and breathless, “We knew him for months, just months. And now he’s been dead for years. Crazy. You can know a man for only months and he becomes something important .” 

Johnny’s heart pounds as he thinks of dry clicking bone and empty eyes. 

Ken seems to shake himself and reaches out and claps Johnny on the shoulder, seemingly unbothered at the sharp jut of it concealed under army regulation cotton, “I’m keeping you. It’s been an honor, Sir.” 

 Johnny blinks at him, has enough presence of mind to nod his head, toss a salute that Ken returns with solemnity, and wanders off into the revelry. 

He’s a ghost, mostly. Unknown to a majority of the remaining men. A name, a vague face, or a story tossed around the Officers club late at night. Oh yeah, old Captain Brady, crashed three forts before his luck ran out. Here and there he receives a clap on the shoulder from friends and strangers alike, but mostly he’s able to make his way through the celebrations with ease. Past the barracks and showers and down the hill to one of the original buildings on the base, real stone foundation and wood walls and a cross hanging above the door next to a shiny silver horseshoe that he brushes his fingers against as he passes into the Chapel. 

i think Plane Crash in general is some of my best writing in terms of voice and pacing and poetic writing. But this sequence especially was just so fun to write and reread. This entire chapter (Ch 5) is some of my best work

8.Share a snippet from one of your favorite dialogue scenes you’ve written and explain why you’re proud of it.

Oh man ALL my dialogue from Two Fingers Down (my bikeriders au) is sooooo good I think. It's really quick and snappy and clever and Gale and John especially have a ton of verbal chemistry in this one. It just flowed.

“I want to photograph you,” He says, watching Gale break, sink one and then a second ball into the pocket. Misses on the third but lines John up for an easy shot.

“In distinction from what y’were doing before, of course.”

“Aw that, that was just some pig-tail pulling,” John winks, takes three balls for himself, and scratches on the fourth.

“Aint nobody’s muse.”

“We can debate the semantics of that later, but I’m not gonna start shoving a camera in your face now that you’re back if all it’ll get me is a broken nose and a broker camera.” 

Gale didn’t look away from his surveying of the pool table, voice almost absent. Competitive then, if not a gambler, “Haven’t broken it yet, have I?”

“Ample time.”

Gale knocks away the solid John had been aiming to drop into the middle pocket and he curses at the blonde good-naturedly. “I mean out on the road, at meets. Maybe interview you a bit.” 

“Interview me?” Gale raises an eyebrow, the pale arch vanishing under the few locks of hair that had come out of its careless styling, “What’s there to know? I ride bikes.”

John tilts his head lazily, “Think it’s unfair that you seem to know all these things about me, and I don’t know a lick about you.” 

“Hmm,” Gale hums, watching John miss his next shot before stepping back up to plate, “They hit me with a 4F out in Sheridan.”

“On account of you running coke for the Cubans?”

Gale’s lips twitch, “Somethin’ like that Bucky.”

19.Stephen King once said that his muse is a man who lives in the basement. Do you have a muse?

my specialist boy

25. What do you look for in a beta?

i literally have no idea LOL. Ideally we're friends first, someone I trust to look at my stuff and not steal it/be honest about the quality.

27.How do you feel about collaborations?

I got a few cookin' with @reallylilyreally and @euph0riacc

I am also known to help with plot and titling on a @Stereobone fic here and there. Also just. A lot of fics out there lmao I have my fingers in many pots.

28.Share three of your favorite fic writers and why you like them so much.

@reallylilyreally i think is just so phenomenal in the sense that she almost writes threeway relationships better than just two? which isn't to say her one-on-one ship fics aren't AMAZING But idk the ability to balance and interweave three people is where she shines and also so much talent in that? I am in awe I wish I could dissect her brain and steal it for myself and also give her a big hug

@stereobone is like i mean a classic, a given. A wonderful friend and collaborator in the background and also helps me when my phrasing is dumb. But as an author I mean they just. get the era. get the vibes. they dive into the psychology behind sex in a way that's so so so fun. Me every time: he WOULD say that

@blixabargelds i think is a master of AU's. and Trauma. They visceral nature of their writing both in description and subject matter is just insane. It's dirty and uncomfortable and raw and most importantly doesn't feel exploitative (except when that's the point >:) ) their stuff is FUNNY it's painful! it makes me CRINGE (positive) and then want more. It's definitely not fic for the faint of heart. But if you want to be challenged and you want it to be raw this is a great author to explore. Their Roman Roy/Succession stuff is DELIGHTFUL

listen. theres so many. theres so many amazing talented wonderful people I could and want to keep going. @rambleonwaywardson @avonne-writes @middlingmay @johnslittlespoon @whirlpool-blogs @feyd-meowtha @joeyalohadream @irregularcollapse @anachilles @euph0riacc and that's just what I can see in my DM's. Theres SO many and you're all amazing <3

38.Talk about a review that made your day.

OMG THIS ONE THE OTHER DAY I WAS SENDING IT AROUND TO EVERYONE:

Reading this side-by side re-reading this chapter from KFAK and have so many thots.

I find John's self-destructiveness interesting, especially as he seems to observe himself actively *being* self-destructive, drinking while driving, and actively trying to piss off Gale. Seems almost like he wants to sabotage his own happiness as if he doesn't feel he deserves it. Oh, buddy, if only you knew that no matter how much you piss off Gale he'll still love you, even if he doesn't always like what you do.

"he squashes the sudden flare of jealousy. No way was he about to lose the final step in his three part plan to be his old self to a guy who didn’t even like snatch." Oooh John you are *so* close to actually getting why you're actually jealous. Also of *course* he'd call pussy "snatch."

John's bright but so clouded by his own self-loathing that it's not surprising that he mistakes Gale's awkwardness and attraction to John as disliking or being angry with him before John even does anything to anger Gale. "a man who’d rather gnaw a limb off than admit discomfort" is a pretty apt way to describe Gale. I also like him kind of vaguely realizing what gay flirting looks like in real time and John immediately touching Gale's back like 'mine.' No wonder James got mixed signals almost immediately.

“This one was such a cold fish he saw me wrestling with the guards and took his chance to sprint right for the trees.” *Spritzes him in the face with cold water* No! Bad John! I think even being in his mind and knowing that he really didn't mean anything offensive or cruel by it, he seems to be in denial of how easily his words could be construed to mean that he thinks Gale's a heartless coward, and he knows Gale fears that he is and feels guilty about running. He seems to be both trying to push Gale away because he feels he's too damaged and self-destructive to have him but also has trouble gauging what actually hurts him or not.

Part of what makes John such an intriguing and memorable character is that while he's a likable, lovable guy who's brave, funny, and charismatic, he's also flawed and occasionally immature in a way that's frustrating but deeply human, and that's reflected here. His jealousy over Gale not focusing all of his attention on him and being angry at not being "in" on Gale's private conversation with someone else is childish and exasperating but that is where his mindset is; he's been increasingly agitated over a lot of things for quite some time and even as he's not fully willing to admit even to himself that he has feelings for Gale he still wants Gale's attention and adoration is if they were a couple. Reading this concurrently with KFAK I find it kind of funny that Gale's pointedly noticing John flirting with Eunice before John interrupts his conversation with James but in this John doesn't even think about it. It truly means more to Gale than it does to John.

Okay! Yes! There it is! I like how it takes hearing Gale say "Get your cock wet, John" for him to be slammed with the fact that he's attracted to Gale. It's only taken multiple instances of thinking about how beautiful he is to realize it. That his possessive streak that's been going on with Gale isn't just because he's his best friend, but something more, and how he can't take his eyes off of him even as he's about to hook up with a pretty girl.

I'm interesting in reading John's perspective when he sees the fight between Gale and James, and the aftermath of that. Also because I'm hooked again I'm going to reread KFAK.

[aimeedaisies]

The Princess Royal’s Official Engagements in July 2023

01/07 Princess Anne accompanied by Sir Tim, opened the 30th Scottish Traditional Boat Festival at Portsoy Harbour. ⛴️

03/07 As Chancellor of Harper Adams University, visited the University’s Future Farm, Edgmond and met the 2023 Marshal Papworth Foundation Scholars. 👩‍🎓

As Patron, Scottish Fisheries Museum’s Reaper Appeal visited the Scottish Fisheries Museum in St. Ayles, Anstruther. 🎣

04/07 Visited Strathcarron Hospice, Denny. 👩‍⚕️

As Colonel-in-Chief of the Intelligence Corps, attended a 5 Military Intelligence Battalion Training Night at the Army Reserve Centre, Edinburgh. 💂

05/07 As part of Holyrood week in Edinburgh, Princess Anne carried out the following engagements;

Opened the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People and the Department of Clinical Neurosciences, at NHS Lothian as part of #NHS75 celebrations. 🧸

Opened King’s Buildings Nucleus Building at the University of Edinburgh. 👩‍🎓

Launched WETWHEELS EDINBURGH Accessible Boat at Port Edgar Marina. 🦽🛥️

Attended a Dinner at the Waldorf Astoria for Eric Liddell 100 programme. 🍽️

06/07 As President of the UK Fashion and Textile Association, attended the Textile Institute World Conference at the University of Huddersfield. 🪡

Opened Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s Maternity Theatre at Bradford Royal Infirmary.🤰

As Colonel of The Blues and Royals, with Sir Tim, took the salute at the Household Division Beating Retreat on Horse Guards Parade. 🫡

07/07 Attended a Charity Polo Day at Cirencester Park Polo Club for the Spinal Injuries Association 🐎

11/07 Visited Flintshire Adult Day Care Centre, Hwb Cyfle in Queensferry, Wales. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

HRH, as the new Patron of BASC (British Association for Shooting and Conservation) visited their Headquarters at Marford Mill, Wrexham, Wales. 🦡

12/07 Visited St Helena’s Nursing Campus at the University of Derby in Chesterfield. 👩‍⚕️

Opened Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust’s new Urgent and Emergency Care Department. 🏥

Attended a Reception at Rolls-Royce Learning and Development Centre for the Motor Neurone Association. 🚘

13/07 Sir Tim represented the Princess Royal at a service of thanksgiving for the life of Admiral of the Fleet Lord Boyce at Westminster Abbey. ⚓️

Princess Anne opened the King’s Arch at Government House, visited the Tortoise Takeover Trail at Gorey Castle and subsequently opened the Tortoise Tunnel at Jersey Zoo. 🇯🇪🐢

Princess Anne with Sir Tim, later attended the Royal Academy of Engineering Annual Awards Dinner at the Londoner Hotel in Leicester Square, London. 🏆

14/07 Opened the new Southampton Citizens Advice Bureau and visited DP World Shipping Container Terminal. ⛴️

15/07 As Colonel-in-Chief of the Intelligence Corps, attended their Annual Corps Day at Chicksands. 🪖

18/07 Princess Anne and Sir Tim carried out the following engagements in Kent;

Opened a new affordable housing development at Bartlett Close, Staple, Canterbury, followed by a Reception at Staple Village Hall. 🏡

Visited St James’s Cemetery in Dover in her role as Patron of the Remembrance Trust 🫡

Visited Folkestone National Coastguard Institution Station in Folkestone to mark its 25th Anniversary, followed by a Reception at Folkestone Yacht and Motorboat Club. 🚨

19/07 In South Wales, visited Barry Citizens Advice Bureaux in her role of Patron of the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux and later visited HM Prison Cardiff in her role of Patron of the Butler Trust. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

20/07 Joined the ship’s company of HMS Albion and visited Clyde Marina near Glasgow, Scotland. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

21/07 Princess Anne and Sir Tim attended a Dinner at the Royal Ocean Racing Club Clubhouse, to celebrate the 50th Edition of the Fastnet Race in Cowes, Isle of Wight. 🛥️

27/07 Attended the Tall Ships Races Captains’ Dinner at Lerwick Town Hall, Lerwick, Shetland Islands. 👨‍✈️🍽️

28/07 Visited ships in Lerwick Harbour taking part in the Tall Ships Races. 🚢🏁

29/07 With Sir Tim, attended the King George Day at Ascot Racecourse. 🏆🐎

30/07 Princess Anne and Sir Tim visited Cowes, Isle of Wight for Cowes Week and carried out the following engagements;

Viewed Cowes Week Racing and met Squadron Staff at the Royal Yacht Squadron. 🛥️

Visited HMS Tyne and The Royal Navy Stand. ⛴️

Attended a Church Service at Holy Trinity Church. ⛪️

Attended a Reception for Members, Racing Crews, Flag Officers and Sailing Associates at the Royal Yacht Squadron. 🥂

Total official engagements for Anne in July: 42

2023 total so far: 304

Total official engagements accompanied by Tim in July: 14

2023 total so far: 70

[dalekofchaos]

Gunnverse Batman fancast

Fancast for James Gunn’s DCU/Batman!

DCEU recast

Burtonverse Recast

90′s Justice League

Reevesverse Batman

Superman

Wonder Woman

The Flash

Green Lantern

Aquaman

Justice League

Green Arrow

Teen Titans

Suicide Squad

Justice League Dark

Batman Beyond

The Dark Knight Returns

Telltale’s Batman

Injustice

Legion Of Doom

Birds Of Prey

Jensen Ackles as Batman/Bruce Wayne

Peter Capaldi as Alfred Pennyworth

Jon Hamm as Thomas Wayne

Lena Headley as Martha Wayne

Courtney B. Vance as Lucius Fox

Laura Dern as Dr Leslie Thompkins

Bryan Cranston as James Gordon

David Harbour as Harvey Bullock

Stephanie Beatriz as Renee Montoya

Bill Hader as Jack Ryder/The Creeper

Jodie Comer as Vicki Vale

Jesús Castro as Nightwing/Dick Grayson

Kiera Allen as Oracle/Barbara Gordon

Dacre Montgomery as Red Hood/Jason Todd

Lucas Jade Zumann as Red Robin/Tim Drake

Kristen Stewart as Batwoman/Kate Kane

Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Huntress/Helena Bertinelli

Riley Lai Nelet as Batgirl/Cassandra Cain

Mckenna Grace as Spoiler/Stephanie Brown

Izaac Wang as Robin/Damian Wayne

John Boyega as Batwing/Luke Fox

Caleb McLaughlin as Duke Thomas/The Signal

Alexander Ludwig as Azrael/Jean Paul Valley

Michael B Jordan as Azrael/Michael Lane

Ana De Armas as Catwoman/Selina Kyle

Brian Cox as Commissioner Gillian Loeb

Sam Witwer as Captain Howard Brandon

Michael Weatherly as Detective Arnold Flass

Robert De Niro as Carmine Falcone

Gina Mantegna as Sofia Falcone

David Dastmalchian as Alberto Falcone

James Carpinello as Mario Falcone

Al Pacino as Sal Maroni

John Goodman as Rupert Thorne

Michael Imperioli as Anthony Zucco

Willem Dafoe as The Joker

Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn

David Tennant as The Riddler/Edward Nygma

Alfred Molina as The Penguin/Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot

Oscar Isaac as Two-Face/Harvey Dent

Giancarlo Esposito as Mr Freeze/Victor Fries

Viggo Mortensen as Black Mask/Roman Sionis

Jane Levy as Andrea Beaumont/The Phantasm

Adam Driver as Scarecrow/Jonathan Crane

Kevin Grevioux as Killer Croc

Laz Alonso as Bane

Doug Jones as Man-Bat/Kirk Langstrom

Peter Stormare as Clayface/Basil Karlo

Toby Jones as Mad Hatter/Jervis Tetch

John Lithgow as The Ventriloquist/Arnold Wesker

Natalie Dormer as The Ventriloquist II/Peyton Riley

Dohmnall Gleeson as Hush/Thomas Elliot

Raul Esparza as Hugo Strange

Anya Taylor-Joy as Poison Ivy

Pedro Pascal as Deadshot/Floyd Lawton

Frank Grillo as Deathstroke/Slade Wilson

Finn Wittrock as Talon/William Cobb

Karl Urban as Owlman/Thomas Wayne Jr

Stephen Fry as Professor Pyg

Stephen Lang as David Cain

Daniel Radcliffe as Anarky

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Cluemaster

Keanu Reeves as Prometheus

Ming-Na Wen as Lady Shiva

Ghassan Massoud as Ra’s Al Ghul

Nadine Njeim as Talia Al Ghul

Yasmine Al Massri as Nyssa Al Ghul

Michael Fassbender as Dr Simon Hurt

Kat Graham as Jezebel Jet/Black Glove

Christian Bale as The Batman Who Laughs

[eridanisanenby]

Atlantis Attacks

Ant Ant

Arkham Asylum

Agent A (Alfred)

Amity Arkham

Amadeus Arkham

All-American comics

Baxter Building

Bombastic-Bag man

robert Bruce Banner

james Buchanan “Bucky” Barnes

Black Blot/Blackagar Boltagon

elizabeth “Betsy” Braddock

Brian Braddock

william “Billy” Braddock

Billy Batson

Beast Boy

Blue Beetle

Boston Brand

BlueBird

Bouncing Boy

Carl “Crusher” Creel

Captain Carter

nathan Christopher Charles summers/Cable

Curtis "Curt" Connors

Caped Crusader

oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot

Captain Cold

Captain Carrot

Catherine Cobert

Cressida Clarke

Crocky the Crodile

Doctor Darrk

Doctor Destiny

Dorthy Duncan

Ding-Dong Daddy

yankee Doodle Dandy

Dinah Drake

Darla Dudley

Damien Darhk

(new) Fantastic Four

Four Freedoms plaza

Fin Fang Foom

Freedom Fighters

Freddy Freeman

Felix Faust

Guardian of the Galaxy

Green Goblin

Guy Gardener

Gorilla Grodd

Gotham Gazette

Gotham Globe

Gotham General

Green Guardsman

Golden Glider

Glorious Gordon Godfrey

Happy Hogan

Hank Hensley

Hank Hall (Hawk)

Henry “Hank” Henshaw

Hank Hall

Hippolyta "lyta" Hall

Hank Haywood

Jessica Jones

John Jonah Jameson

Katherine “Kate” Kane

Kristen Kringle

Kip Kettering

Lacie Lorraine

Loki Laufeyson

Lunella Lafayette

Lonnie Lincoln

Lois Lane

Lex Luther

Lighting Lad

Linda Lee

Luma Lynai

Lana Lang

Laura Lang

Louise Lincoln

dinah Laurel Lance

Linda Lang

Lena Luther

MasterMind

May Melinda

Miles Morales (og 42)

Meows Morales

Michael Morbius

Multiverse of Madness

MilkMan Man

Mateo Maximoff

Marya Maximoff

Mole Man

Mister Mxyptlk “Mxy”

M’gann M’orzz/Megan Morse/Miss Martian

Mia “Maps” Mizoguchi

Mary Marvel

Miguel Montez

Music Master

Mr. Miracle

Mirror Master

Mad Mod

Malcolm Merlyn

Maria Mercedes Mooney

Matches Malone

Monsieur Mallah

Nia Nal

Olivia Octavius (doctor Octopus/doc Ock)

Pepper Potts

Peter Parker(s)

Pabitr Prabhakav

Peni Parker

Peter Porker

Pedro Peña

Penny Plunderer

Quasar’s Quantum bands

Quentin Quale

Reed Richards

Rocket Raccoon

Richard Rider

Roberto “Robbie” Reyes (og 69)

Rachel Roth (Raven)

Ronald Raymond

SlapStick

Sun Spider

Scarlet Spider

Serpent Society

Super Skrull

Silver Sable/Silvija Sablinova

Sinister Syndicate

Sinister Six

Steven Strange (dr Strange)

Sybil Silverlock

Susan “Sue” Storm

Spider-Society

Samuel Sterns

Sebastian Shaw

Suicide Squad

Star Sapphire

Silver St. Cloud

Secret Six

Pter Ptarker (TT)

Taneleer Tivan

Tyros The Terrible (Terrax)

Teen Titans

Titans Tomorrow

Tom Turbine

Traci Thirteen

Unus the Untouchable

Vicki Vale

Valerie Vale

Web Warriors

Wade Winston Wilson

Wallace “Wally” West

Wallace “ace” West II

Wonder Woman

Warlock the Wizard

Wizards & Warlocks

Zatanna Zatara

Zachary Zatara

Zilius Zox

Duela Dent Napier Nigma

Cooper Coen/Web Weaver

Matthew Michael “Matt” Murdock/DareDevil

Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel

Otto Octavius (doctor Octopus/doc Ock)/Superior Spider-man

Victor Von doom/Doctor Doom

Warren Worthington III/ArchAngel

Cassandra “Cass” Cain/Black Bat

J’onn J’onnz/John Jones/Hank Henshaw/Martian Manhunter

Kei Kawade/Kaiju Kid(/Kid Kaiju)

Mitchell Mayo/Condiment King

Max Mercury/Windrunner Whip WhirlWind

Red Robin/Joker Junior

Cletus Cortland Kassidy (Carnage)

Clark Kent

Conner “Kon” Kent

Chemical King

Carrie Kelley

Killer Croc

Karen Crane

Seaboard City

Total alliteration: 207

[bigdamnproject]

Been doodling players from Ultimate League I haven’t drawn out yet.

First, Brick City Hustle’s called up pitcher, Zia Beastly

Cortex Blackhat’s pitcher, Tomboy Lombax

And Chesterfield Flood captain Jo Tuning

Got a whole list of these guys!

Huh, weird that they separated out that way…

[parkerbombshell]

Poptastic Sounds! June 25 2024

Tuesdays 11am EST bombshellradio.com POPTASTICSOUNDS! - EPISIODE #25 Featuring new music from Dave Cope and The Sass, Extra Arms, Bruce Moody, Erik Voeks & The Ghosters, The Lemon Twigs, Your Academy, GospelbeacH, Pernice Brothers, Jordan Jones, The Chesterfield Kings, Tall Poppy Syndrome, Standing Waves, Paul Weller, Captain Wilberforce and The Second Summer. Plus vintage tracks from Coronet Blue, The New Madrids, Gingersol, The Apples In Stereo, The Mellons, The Offbeat, Riffs, Young Homebuyers, Hooker, The Tacticians, Beezewax, The Drawbacks, Grand Atlantic and HeadQuarters! Read the full article

[antiquesandfineartnet]

Chesterfield Leather Admirals - Directors - Captains Desk Swivel Tilt – st.george.antiques.com

[tomrist03]

Dagenham & Redbridge: A season of ‘nearly’ moments.

The Vanarama National League played host to a record-breaking season, with Wrexham and Notts and County providing the most thrilling title race across Europe.

Elsewhere in the National League, Dagenham & Redbridge, a club predicted to finish within the play-offs,  had a season to forget, finishing in a disappointing 10th place, 8 points off of the lucrative play-off positions.

After losing key players, long-serving managers and with many players out of contract in the summer, questions are beginning to be asked about the future of the East London club.

Victoria Road, home of Dagenham & Redbridge FC

A Rocky Start

The Daggers made three first-team signings over the summer, which included Wealdstone’s Nikola Tavares, Weymouth’s Omar Mussa, and Grimsby Town’s David Longe-King, the latter of the three had a season plagued by injuries, however, the central defender was keen to show his commitment to returning to regular action “I want to try and play as many games as I can, I’ve personally been disappointed this season with the injuries I’ve had, if I could’ve played every game this season I would have, but I’ve only played 18 or 19 games. So in this last run of games and especially next season, I definitely want to be involved in as many games as possible”.

 Daryl McMahon’s Daggers began their campaign in torrid form, winning just two of their first eight games, admittedly two of those games were against top-of-the-table runaways Notts County and Wrexham, but there was cause for concern in the season’s early stages.

The Daggers soon put those defeats behind them, and the East London side responded with back-to-back wins, against Altrincham and Barnet at home, the latter provided a nine-goal thriller, in which Daggers striker Josh Walker notched a hat-trick, including the winner in the 92nd minute, leaving the Daggers in 12th.

October proved to be a rather ‘spooky’ month for the Daggers, winning just once, in their first match of the month, away to play-off-bound Chesterfield. That high was quickly doused when they were convincingly beaten 5-1 by Marc White’s Dorking Wanderers. 

Take a peak behind the curtain of the Daggers draw with Boreham Wood.

Winning Winter

Dagenham began November in 13th place but after an upturn in form, which included victories at home to Wealdstone and Scunthorpe, as well as an away win in Solihull. Young Daggers striker Josh Walker proved to be the main man during this period, scoring in two of the three victories, therefore the man in form would be key for the Daggers if they were to get a result in their FA Cup second-round encounter with League Two’s Gillingham. They had progressed to the second round with relative ease, beating eighth-tier Beckenham Town 7-0 and National League strugglers Maidenhead United 1-0 earlier in the year.

Walker stepped up to the billing, scoring in the 80th minute to put his side within touching distance of a home tie against Leicester City, but Scott Kashket, who was born just miles from Victoria Road, broke Daggers hearts in the second minute of extra time, as he bundled home to take the game to a replay.

The agony seemed to weigh on the Daggers, as they slumped to a 1-0 defeat at home to Torquay, who eventually were relegated to the National League South. However, the replay at Priestfield was fast approaching, and a spirited performance was needed if the Daggers were to progress. 

The game started in the best way imaginable, as club captain Matt Robinson swept home to put the Daggers ahead within 15 minutes, however, the League Two outfit quickly showed their quality, equalising within 10 minutes. The game was at a standstill, until Gillingham took the lead in the 80th minute, and Dagenham’s misery was compounded as centre-back Harry Phipps was sent off just a minute later. But Daryl McMahon’s men dug in, and their resolve was rewarded, as utility man George Saunders popped up at the back post to equalise the tie, potentially sending the tie to penalties. But Kashket had different ideas, this time he turned provider, putting it on a plate for Hakeeb Adelakun who made no mistake to break Daggers hearts at the very last minute once again.

Despite the devastating nature of their defeat, the Daggers would not wallow in defeat, instead, they turned that pain into motivation and went on a strong run, defeating Maidstone 1-0 in back-to-back fixtures, as well as Aldershot, their only defeat in that period came against eventual fourth-placed Woking. 

The Daggers’ tails were firmly up as they visited Bromley, who would prove to be a real test for the Daggers. However, the ever-present Josh Hare whipped a free-kick in the bottom corner to potentially move the Daggers up to a season-high fifth place, but as the time ticked down, Bromley began to smell blood, and after a quick free-kick Ben Krauhaus was found at the back post to nod home and send the Daggers back down to seventh.

The quiet before the storm as the Daggers visit Bromley.

A flat finish

The Bromley result weighed heavily on the Daggers, as they began to slide down the table, with five defeats in their next seven fixtures, conceding thirteen goals. In addition to this downslide of form, the club lost its three top scorers, Josh Walker, Junior Morias and Paul McCallum, all left the club over the winter transfer window, the club looked to recuperate with the acquisition of Inih Effiong. The ex-Eastleigh striker notched 8 goals in his 17 Daggers appearances.

Read about Effiong's impressive Daggers home debut.

However, Effiong’s strong form couldn’t save Daryl McMahon’s job, as he was relieved of his duties on the 24th of February, he had been at the club for three years and took the Daggers within a point of the playoffs the season prior.

Dagges first-team coach David Jupp oversaw four fixtures before a permanent appointment was made, which included two 2-1 victories to Notts County and York City, as well as defeats to Wrexham and Maidenhead.

An appointment was made on the 10th of March, with ex-Dagger Ben Strevens, who previously managed Eastleigh. 

Ben Strevens overseeing the Daggers' final game of the season away to Barnet.

During his tenure so far the results have been inconsistent, with three wins three draws and four losses, however, the manager is optimistic about what he can achieve at the club next season. When I caught up with the 42-year-old he highlighted the areas he wants to improve in the side next season, “ I want to see energy, I want to see hard work. Pressing with quality, I'm sure every manager wants to see these things, but I want us to be really on the front foot and next season I want us to be a tough place to come and play”.

[tabslabs]

In defense of Blutch: The part about his horse

As you may have noticed in other posts about Blutch, people consider him a bit of a horse girl. This is because of the bond between him and his horse, Arabesque (Polka in English).

The two are a perfect pair, both having been forced into the military. You may say "but all horses are forced into the military, they don't have a voice or a choice" and sure you're not wrong there; but she was literally stolen.

The old man pictured here actually later finds Blutch and allows him to keep her. Blutch offered to return her and say she was killed in combat when he found out she was stolen.

She's the single most important thing to him, and the only thing that keeps him going during the war. One time when she was stolen, he mentions that if he doesn't get her back he'll do something he'll regret

In one of the later albums, we get an idea of what it could've been he'd regret as he literally shoots a canon at the officers' building as he doesn't care what happens to him afterwards when he thought she was gone for good

He confides in her when troubled, she's a source of comfort to him even if she can't speak back to him or the audience.

When Blutch was injured by canonfire, even Chesterfield went to go comfort her and let her know that Blutch would be alright

Of course he takes great care of her personal hygiene making sure she's clean and has good teeth. When he thought she was sick he made sure to get her a doctor immediately (via gunpoint)

When someone Chesterfield messed with her ears in an attempt to get her to stop playing dead, he sat out keeping watch with a gun to keep her safe from further tampering

And let's not forget, he once had amnesia and was about to be discharged from the army from how bad it was; but then someone mentioned that Captain Stark was going to use Arabesque going forward and he not only regained his memory, but jumped off a moving train and charged through enemy lines to get her back. He was also re-enlisted after doing this because he had recovered

Best BD Character Round 4 - 4

[annwynisland]

Fashion Catalogue

Item names spelled in US English. Ctrl+F (find keyword) recommended. Available variants listed. If none, item has no variant options.

Tops

Acid-washed jacket (all)

Aran-knit sweater (white, black, red, blue)

Athletic jacket (black)

Biker jacket (black)

Boa fleece (blue)

Bomber-style jacket (avocado)

Camo tee (avocado)

Cavalier shirt (blue)

Checkered chesterfield coat (all)

Checkered sweater vest (all)

Chesterfield coat (all)

Coatigan (green)

Collarless coat (beige)

Color-block dress shirt (yellow)

Conductor's jacket (green, white)

Cowboy shirt (light blue)

Dance-team jacket (white, black red)

Delivery jacket (brown)

Diner apron (pink)

Doctor's coat (red necktie)

Down jacket (orange)

Dragon jacket

Dress shirt (blue)

Faux-shearling coat (gray, beige)

Flame tee

Flannel shirt (red, blue)

Flight jacket (all)

Gilet and shirt (red)

Groovy shirt (green)

Heavy-duty shirt (blue

Holiday sweater (red, green)

Humble sweater (all)

Kanji tee (blue)

Letter jacket (red)

Loungewear shirt (red)

Military uniform (red)

Mod parka (green)

Noble coat (black, red, blue)

Open track jacket (all)

Parka undercoat (black)

Peacoat (gray)

Peasant blouse (white)

Plaid puffed-sleeve shirt (sweet plaid)

Pocket tee (green)

Polo shirt (orange)

Poncho-style sweater (all)

Printed-sleeve sweater (black, orange)

Privét tee

Puffy vest (camel)

Pullover jacket (light blue)

Python-print jacket (all)

Raincoat (purple, beige)

Robot hero tee (black)

Rose-print jacket (all)

Rubber apron (all)

Sailor-style shirt (white)

Shirt with camera (light blue)

Simple parka (black, blue)

Striped shirt (blue)

Skiwear (purple)

Space parka (all)

Sweatshirt (gray, yellow, blue, purple)

Sweetheart tank and shirt (all)

Tailored jacket (all)

Tight-knit sweater (all)

Track jacket (green)

Trench coat (beige)

Vampire costume (black)

Warrior armor (black)

Worker's jacket (light blue)

Yodel sweater (beige)

Bottoms

Belted wraparound skirt (all)

Bomber-style skirt (all)

Casual pants (brown)

Chain pants (white)

Checkered school skirt (dark gray, yellow)

Corduroy pants (green)

Cropped pants (all)

Denim cutoffs (black)

Denim pants (light blue)

Denim skirt (all)

Down pants (blue)

Fringe skirt (camel)

Geometric-print pants (blue)

Hickory-stripe pants (all)

Jogging shorts (black)

Kilt (all)

Labelle shorts (love)

Pleather pants (red)

Pleather shorts (black, red)

Polka-dot miniskirt (blue)

Punk pants (all)

Rose-print skirt (all)

Rose-print slacks (all)

Sailor skirt (all)

Slacks (white, black, beige)

Soccer shorts (all)

Surfing shorts (all)

Sweatpants (gray)

Worn-out jeans (light blue, black)

Dress-Up

Athletic outfit (purple)

Bekasab robe (purple)

Boa parka (gray)

Casual chic dress (all)

Festive tree dress (green & white)

Full-body tights (red)

Jumper work suit (black)

Parka dress (orange)

Sheep costume (light blue)

Steampunk dress (purple)

Stylish jumpsuit (black)

Sweetheart dress (all)

Tiger-face tee dress (all)

Headware

Captain’s hat

Cavalier hat (blue)

Cook cap with logo (blue)

Denim cap (black)

Do-rag (purple)

Fedora (all)

Flashy pointy-eared animal hat (black)

Fox mask (all)

Giant ribbon (red)

Halo

Impish horns (white, black, red)

Knit cap with earmuffs

Labelle hat (love)

Light-up flower crown (light blue, yellow)

Magic-academy hood (black)

Outback hat (all)

Outdoor hat (orange)

Plain cap (green)

Sports cap (red)

Steampunk hat (purple)

Student cap (black)

Tropical hat (blue)

Tropical turban (purple)

Wide-brim straw hat (all)

Accessories

Animal nose

Bandage

Double nose tissues

Eye gauze

Fake nose

Goatee

Heart shades (all)

Masquerade mask (black, red, blue)

Neon shades (light blue & pink, orange & lime)

Nose tissue

Octagonal glasses (gold)

Pilot shades (all)

Pleated mask (black)

Privacy mask

Rimmed glasses (gold)

Rounded beard

Sporty shades (lime)

Squared browline glasses (brown)

Tortoise specs (all)

Triangle shades (green)

Wooden-frame glasses (dark brown)

Socks

Back-bow socks (black)

Bobby socks (all)

Compression tights (yellow)

Embroidered-flower tights (all)

Everyday socks (navy blue)

Everyday tights (all)

Fishnet tights (black, red)

Frilly knee-high socks (pink)

Funny-face socks (blue)

Garter socks (white, purple)

Geometric-print socks (peacock blue)

Gladiator sandals (all)

Hand-knit socks (all)

Holey tights (all)

Horizontal-striped tights (black)

Knee bandages

Labelle socks (love)

Leg warmers (black)

Neon tights (all)

No-show socks (all)

Patterned stockings (black)

Sequin leggings (black, green)

Spider-web tights (black)

Striped socks (monotone)

Striped tights (all)

Wave-print socks (gray)

Shoes

Ballet slippers (black)

Business shoes (all)

Cast (all)

Cowboy boots (black)

Embroidered shoes (black)

Faux-suede sneakers (light blue)

Flip-flops (all)

Ghillie brogues (black)

High-tops (white)

Kimono sandals (green)

Lace-up boots (all)

Pleather ankle booties (all)

Rain boots (black)

Rubber-toe sneakers (black, light blue)

Slip-on loafers (white, blue)

Slip-on school shoes (green)

Steel-toed boots (black, red)

Trekking shoes (brown)

Vinyl round-toed pumps (all)

Visual-punk boots

Wooden clogs (blue, brown)

Work boots (white, red)

Zori (gold)

Bags

Apparel-shop paper bag (pink)

Bear backpack (white, pink)

Botanical-print backpack (white)

Checkered backpack (green, blue)

Crossbody bag (pink)

Delivery bag (pink)

Dreamy backpack (all)

Dreamy pockets

Furoshiki bag (blue)

Hand-knit pouch (green)

Instrument case (blue)

Knapsack (black)

Leopard-print backpack (brown, blue)

Panda backpack (all)

Pleather crossbody bag (navy blue)

Pleather handbag (orange)

Pleather shoulder bag (navy blue, brown)

Polka-dot backpack (blue)

Python-print shoulder bag (brown)

Randoseru (red, black, light blue)

Satchel (red)

School bag (navy blue)

Simple backpack (camel)

Simple tote bag (green)

Studded backpack (white)

Town backpack (green)

Travel pouch (light blue)

Traveler’s backpack (orange)

Zebra-print backpack (yellow)

Umbrellas

Frog umbrella

Panda umbrella

Rainbow umbrella

Other

Leaf-print wet suit (yellow, light blue)

[dummie-vaughn]

say what you want about frontier but the worst part of season 3 wasn’t the fact that chesterfield disappeared out of nowhere but was actually the fact that douglas lost that beautiful facial hair

[dashesofink]

Captive

Drabble: “Or what? You'll kill me? Ha! You're welcome to try."

Pairings: Declan Harp x platonic!Reader

Word Count: 702

Warnings: angst

Main Taglist: @legolaslovely @c4ts4ndstuff @t00-many-th0ughts @fizzyxcustard @anilynsworld

The tension in the air was heavy, your breath catching in your throat as your back was pressed against a firm chest. Your hands grasped at the arm that went around your neck, not enough choke you but strong enough to hold you captive. You felt annoyance run through your veins when the barrel of a gun was suddenly pressed to your temple, the cold metal catching you off guard for the slightest moment before you let out a grunt. You knew he didn’t intend on hurting you, just more like using you to get a reaction out of your bear of a brother.

“Let her go, Chesterfield.” You could feel the growl your brother let out vibrate in your chest, your eyes blowing wide when he suddenly stepped forward, a large knife held high. You knew how impulsive Declan got whenever someone he loved was in danger, especially when the source of the danger was one Captain Chesterfield. You felt the captain's chest move against your back as he chuckle, the barrel of the gun pressing harder into your skin ever-so-slightly, causing Declan to freeze. “Now.” He commanded. His eyebrows were knitted together in anger, casting a shadow over his eyes.

“Or what? You'll kill me?” Chesterfields taunt only angered your brother even more, his arm around your neck tightening when he took a step back. You gasped, adrenaline suddenly coursing through your body as you stumbled back with him. “Ha! You're welcome to try.” He snorted in amusement. You could feel how cocky the captain was getting, his grip on you tightening by the second while your fingers dug into his arm to get him to release you a bit. Before you were sure that he wouldn’t actually hurt you. But now, as his grip got tighter, cutting the air in your throat off and his gun feeling like it was going to break the skin of your temple, you weren’t so sure.

Your eyes met Declan’s in that moment. You watched as he made no move to lower his knife, but the fear that you saw swim in his eyes made you wonder. His fear was understandable, but usually he would’ve lowered his weapon by now, noting wanting to take the chance of you getting harmed, or worse. You once again let out a gasp when Chestfields arm closed in around your neck, your fingers clawing at his red coat as you choked for air. God, you should’ve elbowed him in the gut while you had a chance. Declan’s eyes widen as he watched you struggled to breath, his fingers loosening around the hilt of his hunting knife as he looked between Chesterfield and yourself.

“Alright, alright!” Declan roared, throwing his knife to the ground black first before throwing his hands into the air. Your face had gone red due to lack of oxygen, black spots beginning to dance in front of your eyes until the grip around your neck faltered. Relief and fear flooded your system at once as you gulped in the freezing air, tears stinging your air as you coughed. “She has nothing to do with this, let her go.” Declan watched a sick smirk form on Chestfield’s lips, the gun he was pointing at you instead moving in his direction.

“Oh how wrong you are, Declan.”

Tears flowed down your red cheeks as you stumbled back with Chestfield, your back still against his front as he held you tightly. You felt helpless, your body frozen with a newfound fear as you tried to call for help, but your throat ached too much. You hacked out a cough, your boats getting caked with mud and snow as you were dragged back. “She had everything to do with this.” Declan watched as you struggled against Chestfields hold, but your efforts made no difference. The captains gun was trained on him until he was far enough away from the dangerous man. Chesterfield tossed Declan one last smirk before he tightened his grip on you again for emphasis. “Come anywhere near here again,” His gun was suddenly trained on your head again, your eyes widening with terror when you heard the weapon click. “and I’ll blow her head off.”

[myristicisms]

Seldom did the presence of one man serve to unease the woman with a stomach of steel, many years of barely surviving apparently not doing much to prepare her for just how intense a hidden gaze can truly be. Welcoming a man as Don Quixote Doflamingo could be, that did not mean Miriam was dull enough to think herself safe from his ire should she set the man off. While yet to show himself as a cruel captain, the much larger man was in a league of his own compared to the man she once served as second in command to, Doflamingo's far more charismatic, far more respected and regarded as much more than those around her yet not once had he made her feel disrespected.

The rest of the family too even if some were company she wouldn't actively seek on her own.

No, while the beginnings of her dealings with the family hadn't started off ideally she at least could admit thus far she'd been lucky to wind up where she is now and while Miriam hadn't felt she fully fit in, perhaps this was the closest she'd ever felt to feeling such a thing. The gentle clicking of heels against tile was something of a soothing noise despite how nervous she was to initiate conversation first. Doflamingo did not seem the sort to grow irate from someone far beneath him wishing to converse and yet even still she cannot help but grow nervous, even burrowing the tips of her fingers into the chiffon ruffles of her dress did little to ease her nerves. It felt strange being in the Captain's office in such a casual condition, casual attire rather, given how often she did her best to always remain ready for combat, a safety measure of sorts from days of strife long since left behind.

( Days of struggle but the happiest ones yet. )

The past was best left behind her though, something upon her shoulder that had to fall eventually no matter how unready she felt for such a thing. Grief was fickle, Miriam knew it all too well however it also served as a weakness; Something that had no business among pirates of Doflamingo's caliber and so she does her best to return his grin with something of her own upon being welcomed in fully. Sharp teeth peak from beneath the curl of her upper lip, eyebrows arching ever so slightly in a way that softens the expression atop her features whilst she walks to the seat.

Hesitation flashes upon her features for merely a moment simply because it felt wrong to take her seat first and yet upon seeing Dressrosa's king perched proudly and observantly at the window, she acquiesces with hardly a question in her glacial gaze. Frills puff out with the way she cautiously plops herself into the chesterfield before alabaster legs curl beside one of the legs. “ Thank you. ” She breathes softly, body easing into something of a more relaxed posture. “ Perhaps idle isn't the proper term, I... wish to properly express my gratitude for the gift from a few days ago. It's a beautiful piece, though I'm afraid I don't believe I've done anything to deserve such a lovely gift... If I may ask, what prompted it? ”

Striking conversation was... Nerve wracking, something Miriam hadn't been used to experiencing for many years simply because among her former crew, she had been the one that talked the most; Striking deals with other pirates or merchants with a honey coated tongue and her girlish charm she's long since learned to utilize when need be was far easier than trying to solve the ridiculous mystery her mind had concocted over nothing in particular. Or it should be nothing anyways, the foolish girl she'd always been had always had an issue with overthinking simple gestures after all and it certainly had never helped she was a curious mind through and through, good deeds often do not come without consequences after all and most often nobody simply did something out of wishing to be kind.

Doflamingo was a kind man most certainly, but all men had a limit to their generosity, eventually there would be strings attached to the gifts offered to her and she'd much rather understand now than be blindsided later, though the brunette knows well enough if she tries to put up an act, she'll most certainly be caught and then what? Best to get it done and over with, politely most certainly but at what point should she allow herself more wiggle room over keeping herself collared and leashed for the sake of propriety? Blunt was how Miriam survived best in the world but that bluntness could come off as rude, disrespectful, and that too was the last thing she wished to pay her new captain's kindness back with.

( What a ridiculous blunder you've landed yourself in. Fool. )

ੈ✩ ｡˚  ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎without  the  protection  of  tinted  pink  glass,  dressrosa's  brutal  sun  pierces  into  the  castle  room,  flickering  through  the  opened  windows  and  assaulting  closed  eyelids  with  blinding  heat.  the  weather,  despite  its  warmth,  carries  an  edge  of  forewarning,  a  d e c e p t i v e  pleasantness  for  this  time  of  year  when  the  summer  temperatures  creep  to  concerning  heights,  threatening  to  scorch  the  land  beneath  its  unforgiving  rays.  it's  often  the  king  finds  himself  at  the  pool,  surrounded  by  the  pleasant  humming  buzz  of  idle  conversation,  his  family  scattered  about  like  birds  in  their  gilded  cage.  his  favourites  (  or perhaps most  loyal,  most  obedient  )  remain  close,  their  presence  a  comforting  background  noise  to  his  musings.  all  except  one.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎his  little  corazón  never  cared  for  the  parties,  nor  for  the  oppressive  heat  that  clung  to  the  stone  walls  of  the  castle  like  a  second  skin.  always  a  nuisance  with  him.  if  it  wasn’t  the  climate  or  the  citizens  of  their  country,  it  would  be  something  else  —  some  insignificant,  trivial  matter  that  would  set  the  young  man  off  in  a  silent  tantrum.  a  petulant  child,  even  after  all  these  years . . . oh,  how  the  boy  brings  chaos,  dragging  trouble  behind  him  like  a  shadow.  a  loyal  mutt  he  may  be,  but  like  one  with  a  bone  too  stubborn  to  drop,  corazón  always  came  back,  drool-covered  and  eager,  offering  up  another  mess  at  his  master’s  feet.  when  doflamingo  hurls  the  ball  away,  it's  with  malice,  lacking  any  expectation  for  return.  yet,  like  clockwork,  the  cadaverous  beast  returns,  heaving  that  ball  of  filth  back  to  him,  oblivious.  at  times,  doflamingo's  thoughts  drift  to  sewing  his  muzzle shut  entirely,  binding  that  constant  source  of  trouble  once  and  for  all.  but  no —  he  hasn’t  yet  decided  if  law’s  latest  fetch  was  a  valuable  asset  or  merely  another  mouth  he  wastes  food  on.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎sunlight  continues  to  assault  his  senses,  creeping  through  cracks,  relentless.  finally,  with  a  lazy  hand,  the  king  shields  his  eyes  from  the  insistent  rays,  his  brows  furrowed  in  slight  annoyance,  though  his  grin  never  wavers.  always  grinning,  the  expression  as  natural  as  breathing.  a  young  woman,  accompanied  by  her  foolhardy  captain  —  corazón  had  whispered  that  he  met  her  on  the  sabaody  archipelago.  children,  barely  worth  the  glance.  mere  children,  yet  even  they  could  not  resist  his  pull,  his  magnanimity  so  carefully  offered.  they  took  it.  how  easily  they  always  do.  of  course,  doflamingo  hadn’t  for-seen  the  exact  tragedies  that  would  befall  the  group  —  but  was  he  surprised ?  hardly.  and  so,  when  the  small,  fragile  miriam  stumbled  upon  his  invitation  to  dine,  corazón  had  given  a  knowing  look,  but  wisely  remained  silent.

‎ ‎ ‎she  was  not  cut  out  to  be  a  pirate;  she  was  a  mere  insect  who  just  so  happened  to  be  trapped  in  a  birdcage.  a  true  shame  that  when  your  prison  seems  vast,  you  only  notice  the  bars  once  it’s  too  late.  too  late  for  regrets,  too  late  to  escape.

  ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎lifting  flamboyant  sunglasses  to  cover  sharp  eyes,  the  king  rises  from  his  desk,  moving  with  long,  deliberate  steps  toward  the  open  window  that  overlooks  his  kingdom.  the  familiar  weight  of  his  empire  bears  down  on  him,  but  it’s  a  comfort,  not  a  burden.  hidden  hues,  their  colours  known  to  so  few,  sweep  over  the  twisting  streets  below,  bright  against  the  brilliant  backdrop  of  ocean  hues  and  calm  skies.  his  position  above  it  all  was  only  fitting — a  god  surveying  the  world  beneath,  a  bird  soaring  above  insects.  having  clawed  his  way  to  the  top,  though  never  high  enough,  he  watches  the  people  scurry  below,  blissfully  unaware  of  the  cage  they  dwell  in.  the  family  knows, yet  they  too  believe  themselves  free,  never  realizing  how  entangled  they  remain  in  the  web  he’s  spun.  though  he needn't pluck  a  finger  to  make  them  dance.  they  do  so  on  their  own  accord,  spinning  and  thanking  him  for  the  noose  tightening  around  their  necks.

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ❛❛ come  in . ❜❜ his  voice  slices  through  the  warm  air,  and  a  butterfly  flutters  in.  her  movements  light,  head  bowed,  she  approaches,  delicate  and  unsure,  like  so  many  before  her.  a  fragile  thing,  yet  amusing  all  the  same.  victory  always  came  too  easily,  but  perhaps  there  would  be  entertainment  yet.  his  grin  widens,  flashing  sharp  pearly  canines  as  he  regards  her  gaze  landing  on  eyes  hidden  behind  tinted  lenses.  so  timid,  still  clinging  to  the  intimacy  of  her  previous  captain,  but  soon  enough,  like  everyone  else,  catching  even  a  glimpse  of  hidden  eyes  will  be  a  task  she  strives  for.  ❛❛ idle  company  sounds  nice.  sit. ❜❜  a  long,  feather-clad  arm  stretches  out,  gesturing  towards  the  twin  chesterfields  positioned  between  the  desk  and  window.  the  distance  between  them  is  deliberate,  calculated.  perched  at  the  open  window,  his  back  to  the  world,  he  watches  her,  waiting  for  the  girl  to  find  her  words  in  the  stifling  air.

[no-thoughts86]

My contribution to the Frontier fandom