#Chloe what did Melissa do

[tommyboy1995]

The Last Vampire on Earth novelization epilogues, part two

Wayne: Wayne made enough money in his deal with Aurelias that he bought a motor home and is now traveling across the United States.

Melissa: Melissa is still wondering what happened to Chloe.

Roberta: Roberta is still cooking. She misses Chloe and looks out the window for her everyday.

Dr. Cardhall: Dr. Cardhall is still practicing medicine. He opened an AIDS clinic with Dr. Rosalez.

Chloe and Aurelias are now traveling around the world helping people. They are working with several notable scientists to help find cures for "incurable" diseases. They are doing their best to make sure that their gift of immortality doesn't go to waste. They are just two vampires, striving to make the world a better place for us mortals to live in.

The final headshot, and biggest plot twist, is Mandie L. Abraham, a real woman who actually exists, and not just Vitaly Versace's girlboss pen name.

[cainluvr69]

Surely, We Can Make Miracles Chapter 21

Previous Chapter

Arthur: We've followed the mermaids a pretty long way…

Cain: Are we coming up on Adams Island yet…?

Rutile: …Oh! I can see something, over that way!

Chloe: …You're right… Are those…buildings…?

Murr: That's Adams Island! I wonder if the beautiful stone staircases it was known for are still in one piece?

Rustica: You've been to the island before, Murr?

Murr: Yep! Aaaages ago, though!

Cain: There are a lot of overhangs around here. Everyone, be careful you don't run into them.

Chloe: Okay… The mermaids are all swimming pretty close to the ground…

Arthur: …Mm, with all the sand swirling around, it's kind of hard to see. Be careful, everyone…!

Cain: Gotcha!

Rutile & Chloe: Okay!

✦✧☾✧✦

Arthur: … …Now that the sand's mostly settled, it's really starting to look like a city…

Rustica: …What a mystical landscape… It's hard to imagine that long in the past, people walked through these streets…

Cain: …I can see something carved into this monument…it's pretty faint…

Rutile: …Coral Road… Is this the street's name…?

Murr: Oh, I'm feeling downright nostalgic! I used to walk through this part of town a lot! I'd sit in the window seat of that cafe there with a book or two… …!

Arthur: …!

Chloe: Wh-what? What is it?!

Arthur: Something's coming closer…

Rutile: "Something"…?

Rustica: We should hide ourselves.

Cain: But…

Arthur: Rustica's right. It's something that we have absolutely no chance of defeating.

Cain: …

Murr: …

Rutile: …

Chloe: …

Rustica: …

Arthur: …

Hwylryn: My, my. A whole flock of wizards.

Arthur: …A young man with a silver bracelet…?

Rutile: Hwylryn…?

Hwylryn: Oh, you were with Akira.

Rustica: <Amores Viesse>

Hwylryn: Wah… What a pretty song…

Murr: Let's move now. We need to get away before Rustica's spell wears off.

Cain: Murr?!

Murr: Or we're gonna get slaughtered.

Chloe: Wh-what…?

Hwylryn: …It's so lovely…

Rutile: He wouldn't…! Hwylryn isn't that kind of person…

Arthur: …gasp… …I forgot to breathe… …He rivals Lord Oz…

✦✧☾✧✦

Akira: You can feel the cintamani stone from…this direction…?

Oz: Yes.

Heathcliff: This ship is so big… I wish I could've seen it before it sank.

Shino: There's mana stones here and there… I wonder if they're the stones of the wizard who'd been steering this thing.

Faust: I believe her name was Melissa. Murr's acquaintance…

Oz: It should be here.

Shino: There's nothing but treasure chests in here…

Faust: Should we just start opening them at random?

Akira: …No, wait… Look at that smaller chest…

Heathcliff: This one?

Akira: Yes. If this cintamani stone is the same size as the one on Hwylryn's bracelet, that should be about the right size for it…

Heathcliff: Then I'm going to open this one with my magic. <Repsev Aivulp Sunos> …Huh?

Oz: There is a seal placed on it.

Faust: I guess we're just going to have to force it.

Shino: Hey. That's way more crude than your usual methods.

Heathcliff: It seems like a pretty simple seal… It should come undone pretty easily…

Akira: Do you think you can do it?

Heathcliff: It's not like I'd be able to open any seal you put in front of me, but Nero taught me a bit about it… …Okay… <Repsev Aivulp Sunos> It opened…!

Shino: You did it, Heath!

Vespa: …! …!

Faust: So this is a cintamani stone… I've never seen one before.

Heathcliff: Really, you haven't?

Faust: Nope. Oz, can you confirm that's actually what this is?

Oz: Yes.

I peeked inside the chest. There was a beautiful blue gem inside, one that looked the same as the one that had been set in Hwylryn's bracelet.

Akira: …This is the cintamani stone of medicine… We can save Snow and White with this!

Oz: Correct.

Oz smiled, looking relieved. Even if he'd never said as much, there was no way he wasn't worried about the twins' lives. He took his staff in hand and looked up towards the water's surface.

Oz: Heathcliff. Shino.

Heathcliff: Yes.

Shino: …

Oz: I shall entrust the two of you with the stone, and transport the both of you to Borda Island. I am trusting the both of you to take it to Figaro.

Heathcliff: Wait a second… You mean you're only sending the two of us back to land?

Shino: What about you? You're planning on going to where Arthur is, aren't you.

Oz: Correct.

Heathcliff: What about you, Mr. Faust…?

Faust: I'm going to look for Lennox. I want the both of you to return to shore.

Heathcliff: But I'm worried about you… And Nero told me to watch out for you. I'm staying with you.

Faust: Don't be stupid…

Heathcliff: If Lord Oz stops being able to use magic, the burden you're carrying right now is only going to get heavier. So wouldn't it be much safer to have him and the Sage deliver the stone instead, the way Prince Arthur said they should?

Shino: That's true… As soon as Oz is able to use his magic again, he can just pop right back down here.

Oz: It is difficult to accurately read the location of presences within the water. I am not certain I will be able to transport myself accurately.

Shino: Then just don't come back. Deliver the stone and then the Sage can open negotiations with the sea dragon.

Shino had a bitter look on his face as the words left his mouth.

Shino: To be honest, I don't think it's a good idea. If the dragon eats Oz while he can't use his magic, it's going to become an enemy no one's gonna be able to deal with.

Heathcliff: Shino…

Shino: I'm just speaking the truth.

I saw fear and apprehension in Shino's eyes, but he wasn't looking away. He wasn't a coward, after all; he was cautious because he was an excellent warrior. I was probably putting too much faith in my instincts and saying something stupid, but…

Akira: (That dragon is my friend…) (But I don't know if Hwylryn thinks the same of me. In that case, negotiations are going to be a bust. All I'll have done is make things harder for everyone…)

As my heart began to cloud over, Hwylryn's innocent, guileless smile flashed through my mind. I shook my head, just a little. I couldn't just decide talking to him was meaningless before I even had a chance to try.

Akira: If Hwylryn hurts Oz, then I will truly think of him as our enemy. If he intends to do anything else to Snow and White after what he's already done to them, then I will truly think of him as our enemy. And if I do, then my heart will align with Oz's, and he'll be able to use his magic, so…

Faust: …Sage… …This isn't the kind of thing I want to have to say, but this is a matter of life or death. All your lives, even.

Akira: …What is it?

Faust: It's difficult to think of someone you once called a friend as your enemy.

I looked at him. Faust had been betrayed by someone he'd considered his best friend, and became a curseworker. My judgment now sufficiently clouded, I looked up at Oz. After a moment of silence, he nodded.

Oz: For now, we must prioritize haste. We will take the stone to the castle.

Faust: Got it. The rest of us will follow Arthur's group.

Oz: I pray for your safety.

Heathcliff: Take care, Master Sage.

Shino: Sage. I have one last thing to say first. I've encountered a lot of animals in the Sherwood Forest. I've considered some of them friends, too. But in the end, they're just wild animals. Sometimes they attacked me anyways, and I had to take care of them after that.

Akira: Shino…

Shino: Sometimes you can't be friends no matter how much you try. But you can't blame yourself when that happens. Because it gets to be too much that way.

Heathcliff: …

Akira: …Thank you, Shino.

Shino: That's it. If your negotiations work, be sure to introduce me. I wanna try riding on a dragon.

Akira: Alright… Thank you, everyone!

Oz: Let us depart, Sage.

Akira: Okay!

Oz: <Vox Nox>

✦✧☾✧✦

Akira: …

And then, I was in the sky. The sky was clear, and the stars shined brightly. It didn't take long for Borda Island to come into view. Oz seemed relieved he was able to use his magic. He glanced at me, my hand still held tightly in his own.

Oz: We shall arrive at the castle momentarily.

Akira: Okay. Um, Oz… Can I ask you something?

Oz: What.

Akira: …Why did you stop your attack against Hwylryn back then? I know that Snow and White are very important to you… But you listened to me instead…

Oz: … Had I ignored your words and slain the dragon… You would have never trusted me again.

Akira: …

I felt a strange, all-consuming warmth well up inside of me. I…was treasured. My heart was treasured. That's how I felt right then. The moon hung in the sky above the ocean, its golden glow flickering on the waves. I wanted to treasure everyone in this exact same way. I wanted to be capable of noticing people's wishes that had fallen to the wayside and pick them up, cradling them gently in my palms. I wanted to support people's hearts with kind words. As if I could cast spells of my own.

Oz: Let us be off, Akira.

Akira: …Okay!

✦✧☾✧✦

Rustica: <Amores Viesse>

Hwylryn: …It's such a lovely sound…

Cain: …!

Arthur: Cain!

Cain: Let's go, Arthur! Let's save Shylock! I can't see if anything's there, but I'm still getting goosebumps just from the presence of the thing Murr was talking about!

Rutile: W…well, the beautiful, silver-haired young man we met at the torta di cocco shop is in front of us right now. But like the Sage said, his name is Hwylryn. But he's really a dragon…

Arthur: …Then, this would be…?

Cain: If he's strong enough to rival Oz, then we cannot beat this thing. We should find and save Shylock while Rustica's magic is still working on him! I'll stay here to support Rustica!

Chloe: …I'll stay, too!

Rutile: I will as well! Hwylryn remembered who I am! I might be able to talk to him…

Murr: Gotcha! Then I'll get going!

Arthur: Murr!

Murr: Let's go, Arthur!

Arthur: Alright!

Vespa's Sister: …! …!

Arthur: Thank you! Please, take us there!

Chloe: …Be safe, okay…! And please help Shylock…!

Rustica: …Lalala…lalala…

Hwylryn: …Pretty…

Rutile: …

Chloe: …

Cain: C'mon…please… …Don't come back to your senses…

✦✧☾✧✦

Heathcliff: Let's start heading back to Prince Arthur's group. Vespa, can you take us there?

Vespa: …! …!

Faust: …

Shino: Quit worrying, Faust. Everyone in Arthur's group is reliable. Maybe they're taking Lennox back right now as we speak.

Faust: You're right…

Heathcliff: What is Lennox to you, Mr. Faust? I know that he used to be your servant a long time ago, but…

Shino: Man, don't say "a long time ago". He wants to still be serving you. He keeps looking at me and Heath all jealous-like.

Faust: …

Shino: And you've completely lost your cool about him. The two of you were close, right?

Faust: We never had a relationship as significant as all that. It's just… …I worried him for so long. Even though we were only together for a few years, he spent four hundred looking for me. That's a long time for someone to feel the same way, but he's the kind of person who can maintain that kind of loyalty. He's patient, sincere, and very strong at heart. Anyone would be blessed to have him nearby. No matter how much one might hate themself, he'd keep doing what he could for them, affirming them instead of denying them. He's not someone who should be next to me. Someone like him should be serving someone more serene, someone who's at least a little bit blessed. Someone who actually has a future. If he'd just forget about me, he'd find someone else in no time. I just want to bless him somehow.

Shino & Heathcliff: …

Faust: …I shouldn't have said all that. …! Both of you, get back!

Heathcliff: …?! The ocean currents are whipping into a whirlpool…!

Faust: <Salliuqnart Mulcredo>

Shino: Faust!

Heathcliff: Mr. Faust!

Faust: Are you two okay?!

Lennox?: …So this is where it was…

Faust: … Bastard…!

Shino: Lennox…! No, Balthazar…

Lennox?: Where is the cintamani stone. Hand it over without a fuss to save yourselves.

Faust: …That's my line. Give back Lennox's body! Or else I'll make sure your soul rots in Hell for all eternity!

Lennox?: Fascinating. For an Eastern wizard to declare that… I'd like to see you try.

Faust: <Salliuqnart Mulcredo>!

Lennox?: <Mare Praeda>!

✦✧☾✧✦

Lennox: … I heard someone call my name…? …Where is this…? I feel like I've walked a long way, and yet… You're right, Courir… I've been to a lot of places. And I've met a lot of people. Just like how I met you… I've been blessed everywhere I've gone. But…he was never there.

✦✧☾✧✦

???: Faust? He's not here right now. What am I doing? I'm cleaning the mud off everyone's boots. We were all clomping around in the rain yesterday. I've got more stamina than most people. And I always wake up early, so I have the time to spare. Wait, aren't you… You're that wizard from the coal mine that just joined up, right? Lennox? I knew it! You're pretty huge even from a distance, but you're even bigger seeing you up close like this. What happened at the mine was terrible… How's your family? Did they make it out okay? …Oh, I see… …I'm sorry. Hey, could you lean over a little? …Hm? What for? It's so I can give you a hug. Thank you…thank you for coming all this way….thank you for continuing to live without ever giving up… … Haha… Yeah, people tell me I'm warm a lot. It's good to be working with you, Lennox. Ah… Sorry for treating you like a kid. …Since Faust isn't here, you want to talk to Sir Alec instead? You're hugging him right now, actually.

Alec: Welcome, Lennox. I'm Alec.

✦✧☾✧✦

Shylock: Mm… My apologies, but I'm afraid I don't know. But if you've been searching for him for this long and haven't found him, then… Perhaps he's changed his name or sequestered himself away from society? It's also possible that he simply does not wish to see you again. Oh, no. I'm not trying to criticize your chasing after him. I am a Western wizard. I'm fond of people who have given themselves up to their desires. However… … Please, sit down. Let me pour you a glass. It's on the house. Take a moment to recover from your long, long journey.

✦✧☾✧✦

Figaro: You're still looking for Faust…? Wouldn't it be better to just give up already? There's no guarantee you'll find him… And even if you do, there's no telling if he'll still be the man you're longing for. Someone who's been betrayed and hurt like that loses everything. Light, kindness, peace, luck, a genuine smile… I've seen more people like that than I can count. Despair is like a poison. It changes people. But you haven't changed, even though you couldn't protect your master and he tossed you away. Oh, don't get me wrong. That's me praising you. I think you're amazing for still being able to cling onto your hope like that.

✦✧☾✧✦

Tiletta: I suppose so. Are you planning on leaving the South at some point, then? I'm planning on staying. I've got a husband, after all, and we've got a kid on the way. The spirits here still seem to be completely baffled by me, but I'm sure it'll work out somehow. When my child grows up, I hope the two of you will get along, provided you're still in the country. You'll be fine. I know you'll find him. Wizards have long lives, after all. Even if you never made a promise to meet again, as long as you stay alive, you'll meet one another again and again and again. So it'll be fine. Both you and the person you're looking for are wizards. You can still meet again. And you will.

✦✧☾✧✦

Vespa's Sister: …! …!

Arthur: So Shylock is down this path…?

Murr: Remember, Balthazar's a Northern wizard! We can't match him so easily! Don't try to attack him head on! Once we save Shylock, it's time to split!

Arthur: Understood! We can't let ourselves take too long here, or the rest of our group will be in danger!

Murr: Nice job, reading between the lines! Arthur! In the unlikely chance things come to blows, I'll be right there to support you! You'll be the cornerstone of our attack. So I'll be in your care!

Arthur: Let's watch each other's backs! Ah…! There's Shylock!

Murr: Shylock!

Shylock: …! Stay back! This area is inside of a magic circle that Balthazar has cleverly hidden away. Setting foot inside of it will make you unable to use magic.

Murr: Sounds like we should be smashing that circle first, then! I'll wipe away the illusions hiding it so we can see it, annnnd…

Arthur: I'll break the pattern enough that it can't keep itself working!

Murr: Got it in one! Good boy!

Arthur: I've got your prudent guidance, after all!

Murr: <Eanul Lambru>

Arthur: (Light is gathering around the circumference of the area…) (I need to break the pattern of Balthazar's circle…!) <Pernoctant Nixzo> Did that get rid of it?!

Murr: You did it! Great job, Arthur!

Arthur: Yeah! Time to save Shylock!

✦✧☾✧✦

Lennox?: <Mare Praeda>

Faust: <Salliuqnart Mulcredo>! …gh, I can block his attacks…! Get ready to put up an exorcism circle!

Shino: Got it! Styrax resin, compeil oil, fallen elderleaves…

Heathcliff: We're in the middle of the ocean! You can't just use them as-is! First we need to stabilize the area with white rose quartz… <Repsev Aivulp Sunos>

Shino: <Matzah Sudipas>

Lennox?: How naiive…!

Faust: I'm your opponent right now! <Salliuqnart Mulcredo> Lennox! It's me! Answer me, Leno…!

Lennox?: …This body is mine! I'll rip this head right off its shoulders! I wouldn't mind giving you back just the head. Though it'd turn to stone as soon as I did!

Faust: The only one turning to stone here is you! <Salliuqnart Mulcredo>

Lennox?: Hmph. Was that supposed to do something? …?! Shylock…! …gh…!

Faust: (It worked!) (Something seemed to disturb him for a moment, though…)

Lennox?: …kh… What are you waiting for, Hwylryn?! I told you not to let them get close to him!

✦✧☾✧✦

Hwylryn: …Ah…

Rustica: …! My spell wore off…

Cain: C'mon! Try it again…

Rustica: <Amores Viesse>

Hwylryn: Nope, not this time.

Rustica: …

Hwylryn: Huh… There's less of you than before. How many went further in? Well, you got me… Guess this is how it has to be. I'll take you all on.

Rutile: Hwylryn…! Please return Leno and Shylock! They're very precious people to us!

Hwylryn: I'm sorry. Balthazar seems like he really wants them. You're one of Akira's friends, right? I don't want to have to hurt you. You should get away from here.

Rutile: I won't leave until we have both of them back…!

Hwylryn: … Okay. I'm really not feeling up to this, but…

Cain: (He's coming!) <Gladius Procella>

Rustica: <Amores Viesse>

Cain: …Uwaahh…!

Rustica: …Kh…!

Chloe: Rustica…! …ah, ahhh…

Rutile: Oh no…!

Hwylryn: Just let the current take you far, far away from here. Coming back is a no-no, okay?

Cain: …gh! <Gladius Procella>!

Hwylryn: …You're not listening…

Cain: …! (The current is so strong…!) …gh…! (I'm going to be swallowed by the current…! It's going to rip my limbs apart…!) (I'm wasting so much magic just trying to keep it together…!) (At this rate, I won't be able to breathe…!)

Rustica: <Amores Viesse>

Hwylryn: …

Cain: Rustica…!

Rustica: Cain, are you okay?!

Hwylryn: …La…lala…

Cain: Is it that spell again…?!

Rustica: Yes. Though it won't last long, I fear. Chloe, Rutile.

Chloe: Absolutely not! I am not running!

Rustica: …

Chloe: …I'll use the cloaking magic again…and you can use your song, and…

Rustica: …Alright.

Rutile: Cain, I'll heal you!

Cain: It's fine! Save your magic! If someone's close to death, they'll need it more…

Hwylryn: …nn…

Cain: … He's going to attack again…

Hwylryn: …Hmm? Oh, you got me again…

Rustica: <Amores Viesse>

Chloe: <Suispicibo Voitengok>!

Hwylryn: Jeez… I guess I'll have to make it hurt a little.

Cain: <Gladius Procella>!

Hwylryn: Back off!

Cain: …Waaahhh…!

Chloe: …cough…! I can't…breathe…!

Rustica: Chloe…!

Rutile: …Everyone…!

✦✧☾✧✦

Mithra: …Sigh… Don't piss me off so much, Figaro… Why do you have to make me mad? If you're so worried, then you should've just protected the Sage yourself. I'm already busy enough keeping Mitile and Rutile safe. Because I promised Tiletta I'd protect them… … Uh oh… What were those two supposed to be doing right now? Are they waiting for cake again… … <Arthim>

Next Chapter

[spankingwishes2]

The Sunburn

I know, right?  Look at me!  Talk about ouch!

I was going to say that my first mistake was… well, by now there have been so many it’s hard to make a list!  I still like to think that the cute little bikini was a good idea, even though I knew my mom would go through the roof if she ever found out.  Does using baby oil instead of sunscreen come after laying out in it, or before laying out in it for too long?  Laying out at Taylor’s pool party wasn’t so much a mistake – since I couldn’t very well at home! – but I did pay for it…

The real mistake was falling asleep… I had to be on my stomach, cooling gel trying to soothe the burning, no sheets, fan blowing on me.  If I hadn’t fallen asleep I might have – probably would have – gotten away with it, as long as I tiptoed around for a few days and made sure I didn’t give Mama any reason to spank me!  But no, I had to fall asleep!

I was right – she walked in and hit the roof (she really needs to knock louder!).  I mean hollerin’ ‘What in the name of!’ at the top of her lungs – not a nice way to wake someone up!  But I knew that’d be the least of my complaints in a minute!

“Chloe Melissa _____!” she yelled as I scrambled to cover up (ouch ouch ouch!), “Where did you get that?”

“What?” was all I said – not that I was still sleepy, oh no, I was very wide awake, thank you!  But what was I supposed to say?

“You know darn well what, young lady – that sunburn in places that should not be seeing the sun!”

“Oh… ah… I guess I laid out to long,” I offered.

“In what?  It had better not be that swimsuit that I forbid you to buy!” she roared – and I felt the tears coming already.

“Now, Mama…”

“Don’t you ‘now, Mama’ me, young lady!” she mocked.  “Get out of those sheets – that you’re getting all greasy, for me to try to get clean – and let me have a look at you!”

Well, what else could I do?  I sort of got out of bed and stood up and she immediately turned me around.  “Don’t, Mama – please!” I begged, thinking she was going to slap me (knowing, really) – even though I knew it wouldn’t help.

Sllappp! landed her hand on my sorest spot.  “Look at this, you tramp!  Half your butt must’ve been hanging out of that thing.

“Yeowwwww! Oh, God!” I screamed, even as I braced for another slap – one that never came, or at least not right away.

“What did you do, lay out in the sun?”

“Uh huh…”

“Where?  Where was this?  The lake?  The park?  Who saw you?”

“At Taylor’s…”

“Oh, ‘At Taylor’s’… and who was there?”

“Well, her…”

Slap!  “Don’t you lie to me, young lady – you know I’ll check!”

“Owww!  Cripes, that hurts!” I whined, nearly collapsing to the floor.  “And a bunch of girls…”  She raised her hand again.  “Wait, wait!  Um, maybe some guys… OWW!  Mama!  Please!  AUGH!”

“Where is it?  Where’s this slut suit of yours?”

“In my hamper…”  Damn!  Only got to wear it one time! (well, at least everybody saw me in it!)

So my mom dumps out my hamper and under the beach towel is the bikini and the baby oil… thank God I didn’t have a pack of cigarettes in there.  Even so, I’m going to have to find a new hiding place…

“C’mon,” she says, dragging me by the elbow.

“Mama!  I’m practically naked!”

“That’s not going to matter in a minute,” she promises.  I kind of crouch down, trying to stop her (and protect my butt) but it’s no use.  She drags me into the bathroom, puts her foot up on the tub, and throws me across her leg.  By now I’m crying and begging and apologizing like crazy, saying I’m sorry.

“Sorry you’re a tramp?” she asks and I immediately say ‘Yes!’ because I’m sorry about anything she wants me to be sorry about.  She picks up a washcloth and starts scrubbing my cheeks and thighs.  “First off, we’re going to get this goop off of you!  I want you to feel every bit of this!  And that’s the last you’ll be seeing of it for a long while, too!”

The washcloth hurts – worse than the slaps?  I don’t even know – they both hurt so much I can’t even think!  But the scrubbing hurts the whole time, crazy hurts!  I’m crying and just saying ‘please’…

When she’s happy with that she stands me up and barks ‘back to your room’ and I know better than to disobey – plus all I’m wearing is a thong!

She marches into the kitchen and comes back with some paper towels and the red silicone spatula-flipper.  She stands blocking the door but I’m backing into a corner, hands on my poor bottom.  She picks up the baby oil and says ‘Now we’re going to have a lesson.”

I’m still begging – not crying at the moment – and she’s still ignoring my pleading.  Truthfully, I don’t know what to say…

“I know I shouldn’t have…”

“If you knew, why’d you do it?  I told you not to buy that swimsuit!” she says, closing in on me.

I try to fight her but, even though we’re the same size, she’s a lot stronger – plus she has a weight advantage… pretty soon she has me pinned down over her knee.

“I do not intend to have my daughter flashing her fanny at any boy who wants to look!” she roars.

“I won’t!  I won’t!” I promise.

“Oh, you most certainly won’t!  I intend to see to that!”  With this she picks up the baby oil and starts spreading it on my bottom!

“Nooooo!  Mama!  Please, not that!  I don’t need that!  I’ll be good!  I promise!  I swear!”

“Oh, you’re going to learn what else this is good for, little missy!  Just you wait!”

“Mama… it hurts!  It already hurts!”

“Yes, I bet it does!” she says, picking up the spatula.  “Now you’re going to have a good long think!”  That’s what she thinks I’m doing while she’s spanking me – when really I can’t think at all!  I’m crying again, almost hysterical, squirming all I can without the least effect.

Whap! she begins, and I scream. Whap whap whap!

The sting is beyond… thinking.  In my head it’s just one long howl, while on my butt it’s a steady whap whap whap.

“We’ll see who you want to show this backside off to!” she proclaims.  “I’ll bet you’ll want to keep this covered for awhile now!”

The spatula is what she uses for her longest – and usually fastest – spankings, and this one is no exception – except that it hurts a hundred times as much.  I can’t even beg because I’m crying so hard.

“Let’s see what your friends all think of this!” comes before a new attack is launched.

“While you’re living under my roof, you will not be a tramp!” is the last thing I remember her saying – and it sounds like a really good idea!

***

Afterwards, I’m once again lying in my bed, on top of the covers, bottom oh-so-red (especially in those two spots), cheeks and thighs still greasy from that evil baby oil, trying to figure out where I’ll get the money for a new bikini.

[flower1622]

Melissa: You are not really my mother, are you?

Clarisse: .... no.

Melissa: So you and Percy lied to me and pretended to be my parents all these years? Wow! That's something unexpected, right? (being sarcarstic)

Clarisse: Melissa...please...just calm down and let me expla...

Melissa: Calm down? You are telling me to calm down?! How hypocrite of you...really...the fearest and bad tempered warrior...who was a monster to the camp and everyone else.

*Slap*

Clarisse: Don't you dare say that! I know that I have anger issues and start most of my fights with Percy,but if you knew what I had to go through in the past, you wouldn't judge me. As you know, I did many horrible things in the past that I'm not proud of, but I changed alright?!

Melissa: Yeah, you are right. You really changed. Now, you look more weak. The clarisse from before would be disgusted seeing you being affecfed by your own feelings...because I would. You are no better than before, you stupid liar. Is Melissa even my real name? And if things couldn't get any worse... you and Percy are always fighting. Can't you guys talk to each other without arguing for a few minutes? And what about Chloe? Your real daughter? How do you think she would react if you guys divorced? Seriously...I have no ideia how you guys got together. The only thing right now I want is to sleep and think things better in the morning.

*Walks away*

Clarisse: Your mother.

Melissa: What?

Clarisse: It was your mother...

*Melissa gets what Clarisse meant*

Melissa:😳😳

[shadyb00ts]

The Little Mermaid (2023) - Review

As a longtime fan of Chloe x Halle, I knew from the moment that Halle Bailey was cast as Ariel that she was the perfect choice. Of course the racists were (and still are) whining and throwing tantrums about Ariel being black, because they never believe any person of color can truly earn a role with sheer talent, but for a long time I was sure that even if this movie ended up being an absolute dumpster fire, Halle would be the saving grace of that dumpster fire. She would be the best part, hands down.

Well, I wasn't surprised to see that I was right. About her being the best part, at least, but I don't think the movie itself is a dumpster fire at all. I actually really enjoyed it, and I've been very cynical of the Disney live action remakes for a long time like most people are. I had no confidence in this film but I had the utmost confidence in Halle to shine no matter what. However, there were things about this movie that pleasantly surprised me. Some disappointments though, I'll admit.

This is gonna be a long review, as my reviews always are. Spoilers ahead. I'd recommend you read this if you've seen the movie, but if you haven't and don't care about spoilers, read on.

So for starters, I was never really a Little Mermaid stan. Of course I loved the movie as a kid because I was obsessed with mermaids in general, and the songs were undisputed classics, but I wasn't exactly a fan of the movie as I grew older. I don't dislike it, it's just... fine. It's very of its time. So because of that, I knew they were going to update and expand certain things in the remake. For better or worse.

I've already stated how much I thought Halle nailed this film. Maybe you could say that I'm biased since I was already a fan of hers anyway, but hey, this is just my honest opinion. She captured Ariel's essence so beautifully; her innocence and naivete, her curiosity and inquisitiveness, her yearning and wonder. And while yes, the CGI during the underwater scenes could be a little janky some of the time, I was mostly mesmerized by the way she moved, the way her hair moved and the iridescence of her tail. She just looked so gorgeous and adorable and got Ariel down to a science.

As for when she gets legs and goes to the surface, that's where she shines even more, because she has to act without saying a word. It was all in her expressions and mannerisms and I thought she absolutely delivered. I haven't mentioned the new songs they added yet, but they did add a new Ariel song for when she goes to the surface called "For the First Time" and I have to say that it's my favorite new addition. It's soooo delightfully musical theater and I think it has the most Little Mermaid-esque vibe to it. It fit the movie perfectly.

Back to the actors, I also thought Melissa McCarthy was the biggest surprise. I had zero confidence that she would do the role justice, but I thought she actually did a great job. She was definitely channeling Pat Carroll and some of her lines elicited chuckles out of me. And I thought her rendition of Poor Unfortunate Souls was pretty good, even though it's unfortunately missing the iconic "body language" lyric. She's not a strong vocalist but I think she did the best she could, and she was one of the highlights. Also she did the Ursula Shoulder Shimmy which I appreciated.

Jonah Hauer King as Prince Eric also did a good job I think. The remake added much-needed depth and character to Eric that was missing in the original. Another thing I appreciated was how they tried to show more parallels between Eric and Ariel. There's a scene in the movie where Ariel finds Eric's library/study, and it's shot in a way that makes it reminiscent to Ariel's grotto. They tried to give the two more things in common, and I think they succeeded in that. Plus the chemistry between Jonah and Halle was just off the charts. I rarely find straight couples adorable, but I thought they were so adorable any time they were sharing a scene.

My one minor gripe with his casting is that he's not exactly the strongest vocalist. One of the new musical numbers is an Eric song called Wild Uncharted Waters, and.... I didn't really like it. His voice kind of sounded like the lead singer of an angsty rock band from the 2000s. As soon as it started it gave me war flashbacks to Emma Watson in Beauty and the Beast, where they had to use very noticeable autotune on her voice. Granted that was much, MUCH worse, but still. I don't wanna be reminded of that travesty. The song itself is okay I think, but it could be much better if they had a stronger vocalist or a Broadway darling to play the role, to really do the song justice. But like I said, this is just a minor gripe because Eric really only gets one song, and Jonah overall did a good job.

A change that I really appreciated was, instead of Ariel getting invited to dinner at the castle, she and Eric go to a market instead. The kingdom in the remake is inspired by the Caribbean and I loved the tropical, colorful vibe of the locale. The market visit allowed Ariel to wander around and marvel at everything she doesn't understand, and it's a much cuter, more laid back way for her and Eric to spend time together. Some people were upset about the crazy chef who tries to kill Sebastian being removed, but honestly, I never thought that sequence added anything to the original. I loved what they did here.

Daveed Diggs as Sebastian... Sigh. Look, I love Daveed but I feel like he was so miscast for this. Anytime he spoke or sang, you could tell the Jamaican accent was very put on. Sure, the original actor who voiced Sebastian--Samuel E. Wright, RIP--also was putting on a Jamaican accent, but somehow it just felt more natural when he did it. His voice work as Sebastian was so iconic, and Daveed just missed the mark on this role. It just wasn't the right role for him. His version of Under the Sea was also quite underwhelming, and he did a lot of talk-singing during it. I liked the Under the Sea sequence visually, but not quite sonically.

As for Kiss the Girl, people were making such an uproar about the lyric changes but the changes were so minor. They literally only changed like, a couple of lines, and the song is still the same thematically. It's still just the animal sidekicks trying to influence Eric to kiss the girl in kiiind of a date-r*pey-ish way. They wanted to make it seem more consensual, but nothing's really changed. But yeah, I do think the original version of the song is still better regardless. Similar issue I felt about Under the Sea, it just... doesn't quite hit the mark.

Awkwafina as Scuttle was... alright. She had some funny moments, but I mean, she's just doing her regular voice. It's literally just Awkwafina as a bird. But what I really hated was.. Scuttlebutt.

Oh god, Scuttlebutt. I honestly have no idea what Lin Manuel Miranda was thinking when he wrote this? I don't know if he was smoking something really strong, cause like... Mama, this is garbage. Like, I can't even explain to you how painful to hear this song was. It's absolutely the worst and most unnecessary addition to the soundtrack. Nobody wants to hear Awkwafina, the queen of putting on blaccents, rapping. That's the last thing any of us wanna hear. It was just. So. Horrible. I've seen the movie twice in theaters now and each time I was just begging for that song to be over.

Anyway, that's the most negative thing I can say about this movie, was that damn song. Lin deserved jailtime for that one.

For the more minor characters, Javier Bardem as Triton was okay. Some people think he was horrible but I don't think he was that bad, it was fine. I still would've preferred Idris Elba as Triton but that's just my personal fancast.

Flounder was... Flounder. Yeah, I don't like his hyper-realistic design, but he was still pretty cute and 12-year-old Jacob Tremblay was just trying his best to emulate the original actor and I think he did a fine job.

Ariel's sisters were barely in it, like in the original. They did give them each unique, cute designs, but we all know that it's just to sell dolls. They appear in the beginning of the movie in a pretty awkward scene that's supposed to replace the concert from the original film. Apparently Triton and his daughters meet every time there's something called the Coral Moon? It seems to just be a family meeting of some sort. They left it so vague, they didn't even bother to explain what the Coral Moon was. I wish they had just kept the concert.

But yeah, the sisters are all named and apparently I heard each of them are supposed to have special powers? Well those powers weren't showcased in the movie at all, so we know it was just a marketing tactic. I'm sure there'll be tons of fanfics of all the sisters having adventures and whatnot. They might even make an animated series. It'd be called Ariel and Her Sisters, or Daughters of Triton.

I do think the dolls are very slay though. I'd buy the whole 7 pack.

Oh my god, I forgot to talk about Vanessa. Girl... Jessica Alexander bodied this role. Even though she was only in it for a handful of minutes, she ate up every bit of those minutes. I also really liked Vanessa's Trick from the soundtrack and thought it sounded beautiful. Do I wish it still had lyrics instead of "la-di-da's"? Sure I guess, but I honestly don't mind all that much. It's very haunting and Halle's voice is ethereal on it.

I think that's all I have to say on the movie. It's a fun time and it's bolstered by some stellar performances (particularly from Halle) and welcome changes/additions. But it's also kinda bogged down by not-always-great CGI, some clunky musical choices, and certain things cut from the original film that I thought shouldn't have been cut.

Still, I very much enjoyed this movie more than any of the other Disney remakes so far. I do agree with people's sentiments of it being the best of the bunch, but well... the bar isn't exactly high in that regard. Maybe because the previous remakes were so bad, this one just is the best because it's the only one that doesn't suck.

Whatever the case, I had enough of a great time that I went and saw it twice. I recommend you see it too before it leaves theaters.

[libidomechanica]

“A dozen men shall”

A ballad sequence

               Stanza I

You heare. That is a warm room, the     blue moon was old hopes in Vermont not for the abyss of     science: Lady Blanche. As

he went to his trayne. And I. I     love you that lay about then other. Loves and caves! Who could     love you because I drink

a drop in. With thee better become     and brave, how often fineness complaining, her Notes     in at their end know the

hart, hind, and leads in control. They     were, pitied would ask less welcome: not win; with two tame leopards     could danc’d among the

pen the expected, where I leaves     so gaily threescore years ten since to lose my honest man     feasted with patience, and

woe, they might sweet a flowes, and     praises worn as also carry me to liue in Sorrow     come fine tincture laid

invincible, and the blue fly sung     in a mirror, and soul, the lake liquid treble of late:     o God, thrown: he, who rapt

in his headpeace with shee thou in     love us, play with thee, that I do confesse, who should thine     thou drawes the waves rolling

bed! Wherein, that it is     impossible, and two dearly lighthouse because you. The fruits     vnfit. For Kings add a curse,

blesse ware; thus to dight, thy sacred     coat? A dozen men shall be done that starting-place but in     my woes with their falshode

more dark as night: but my name and     the never sung for the little regarden wears; dropt for     truth; beareth all is recall’d

as we. Their heire, enough for     one is not thy vertue is flat since whan the whole of light and     falls. So much easier

to thee: make coffee Black and circle,     th’other in his chere the marble somethinks with you     cannot fry. Not behave

itself sees not so trouble, arm’d     with all is not her death his love. Fruit would he had force,     thundering the child, if more

of fraud robd thee most fresh bending     me, know the false fire in his bill, he hole, ’ would love you I     lost infernall crow: the

bed a shall her vogue has twa     sparkling rice, or could make hold that thirsty milk! It is     impossibly escapes, we

prompting: not then, in hue the bloom     to groan to play no more the fire without shore, our own flesh     as we paced, I hung till

my good reason: Thus girls’ dormitory,     the weary, he cometh not be mended: so conteck     soone by concord mought

see perch’d all its art, verse, sound I     heave my body. Of faded for greedie gouernaunce. My time, if     not sweet Memory yet.

               Stanza II

Who will we saw, slow perfect is     close by his transient veil her o’erword aye, she too; for in     your large preceptive, pervious,

impervious, we are grate     dry! Hard by, made things, Maker’s on the dark as yonder why     should be our luxury!

               Stanza III

To read, we are one for your scull?     Unmanned me: then quak’d, the waves and for meanes, but the spoke,     and leave my pretty one,

would tell me from just; till all fame     his was the whole; its range of pity, its bark more by thy     pure loue and future. They

first love men, the bitter orange     of his fierce could warned women: but what see me a face, I     have drawn, because I drink

deep, wide-eyed morn about thro’ the     Mill warmth of wrong. Now, while both his power; your weak should     corrupting. Melissa, with

patience that writes of perfect is     come to thinking on the others steade, and eddied into     the east, nor that might rising

stepped good nightly to all, at     all sorts of grace. The quest, a thin fineness compensated     size: beside it, and

heart like to me. To cadence within     nor calm around me, singing connected all is reckon’d     none to sleep might sweet,

more white rose and heart now nill be,     no others, and be gay, rage, rage again Love! Some questions     are what ends prompt in a

garret wind is death’s the radiant     eyes fierce teach heaven’s employ? Cast upon the most impossibly     escapes, we are

left her side, and as a tunnel.     Whole world was moving in the fools; he charming Chloe, charming     Chloe, charms my whole

neighborhood still sing thy stores’ account     of some lips to use in my arm in your Academe,     o sister then gan his

bas-ket did he well? That a dusty     answer, we would not wander from God’s like old stone: a     woman ripened earlier,

and stars, through you are covered     with that wisdom oft has washed its harvest. Do not disdaines     and learne heart alone,

but we had but she flies, the flat,     wet gold of the gable- wall. More speak; it fall in     I love weigh: she tall grass.

               Stanza IV

That would that liuing the star-sister.     Ah Sun-flowers were too quiver’d with fields on for my Jeanie.     Near the season, the

Three this case, would make than we set     her sight! The world the door. Harsh kissed kisses, and blow, At those     that which sourly robs from

that pen doth dwell, rich in the Chekhov     story, the Gem was full voice of one delight, that should     Fate avenges arms Shirúeh

with you all out of beauty     composed lets falling in three in one? I do not long their     music, worthlesse thee what

Meg o’ the Mill has gotten, an’     ken ye how amber throat should make it that did admit no     shadow? And Humbleness

complexion lack. But when thee—     beholding thoughts as fit like rain, clinging on the army-surgeons     made me is inflame

my fire; for warning had the abyss     of science in. And charming Chloe. Kiss by kiss I     cover fresh bending silver

leaf, the sandy shore and so     highest place bends that I shoulders cannot loves and futurity;     then, in hue the

steps of her finding all the Lycian     custom, spoke, not then sweet sound o’er witness of the     Three of the Lord of Love.

               Stanza V

Well, and Humbleness growth, and of     leisure. Which doth half betray how shall but fire sparks, pardon     it. Coming out a

strawberry, or understand. But bless     thy airy flight of shepheards swaine. I couldn’t risk my blood. Leap     in their cups they keep a

blackness being on here. That ends     promove: for Kings add a curse, and led by the sharply     crystalline; since they wander

female evil tempteth my lab’ring     staid night. Half-blotted by your name I am nothing     of the glorious peece.

               Stanza VI

You had to piece of his senses?     And bye The Shah was as wooden membered you. Far, far too     dangerous darling, and

bay, sands, rose, grapes or cherries in     Vermont not for thee. I choose, I sawe in thee—on the other     praise, that it was like

of the grey cheek, and then followed     cake, and the sharp tempers may not tell, to find it is harm’d,     which physical refraining

is a letting at my angel     of the stalk and forgiven; for, taste and yet to where     yet withheld him from you,

light, and yet God wote, such a truth;     receives? An’ she has twa sparkle forms makes verse, music-maker     now; that I kept her

arches of light it just bear this     king seal close by his should Fate sic pleasure; too long, after     her should answer, we would

under arches the purpose noble     their mayntenaunce. Murmured that I should ye have, life’s dearly,     and decided to

get and gan his devoured the     bats, when the rest; and all burn and sound, arise of sunset     in sad, cheerful army.

               Stanza VII

With the cause these and that I would     the bush; an’ she sawe a shole of the great bases for     long date. Because it with

barrenly pegs; and, lawd, how court’     she answered. The hire, when I am brent in the spare Arm-     chair blue moon, and if wee

would not wish: but, ah, Desire,     and protesting early, and judge of the cause he too     barbarous isles, and then other

side of Beauty’s fables that     gentle into that is impossible and frantic-mad     with us! The Dells through

wise disgust, for two count of soür     ale some season, from me be vanish’d, till my good, eke cherish:     she counsels, which done,

thus ouerspred with my laurel crow:     the rocks, alone? But that I have been so that white hills round     rippled by bed in their

rest, as he began the fields to     night, in prison: My genitals I feel the joy of my     old age haue it to me

alone of Melrose rise in     memory of unkissed with great care, and help it, despair,     while there fixed become sound.

Sweet Communion to heare with eyes     I love you that was bedded? The children’s employ? And aspire     to me as an angel

in a clapping moon, and haughtiest     little regardens: the loneliness, no, not least, she     carved thro’ the Mill was gone?

               Stanza VIII

And cozenage; appraises, for     an empty hull, and gave me your lawns, of twenty summer     night is yet, all say, the

who have lived the doors old footsteps     trod they, as pitying hys heauinesse, what love, and that mean     falling. He met an old

old woman coloure donne: for we     two, I listen and dances, of all my loue refineth,     o birds flie, that sadness

they fled, the king here, transmuted,     who fare like any other doth dwells; couldn’t risk my blisse. Name     her Willy. An’ ken ye

white as swan or snow, wind aloof     the pain be mine he too; he cleft me, both to each other     will worthlesse that line, dearest

bands untwining? Because it’s     been den then she tried into purgatory to leap the     hour to get that beauty.

The false Foxe, for my Jeanie. She     said, but loves worse fault, ambition, poor pretty finger pressure     of range of hermit

Age might know how the Raven, If     I taste it once, this Oasis, lapt in thy smokie fire with     our flocks from Ill, there crept.

               Stanza IX

But now that hath she none that fresh     with its hinges creak’d; the welth and tuneless brought: desire,     and louely hands have

a planets: other will lo’es dearest     Lady, pray the light, because the service, none tell. Wooing     with ample awnings

show and small loue refineth, o     birds do confesse their heads into that which them with desire,     and glean your mound where,

and thou, or wak’st thou laughs for your     Academe, o sister. This worthlesse quiet and fast, father,     that with his awkward

flair rare soul, outstrips man, foundress     the world ends a bee shut me still by your kirtle, and wouldst     my sweetly she broken

fence of Alpine hills, flung ball, whose     tickets: other man is starward long the bar stool, downing     stars ’light, old voice of things,

believe life’s dearly? Thou to some     foundation that Psyche, ’ I said, I am aweary,     he will be. Soules ioy, bend

not so free. From the sweete sight, the     outward his more or lessons for joy, and gone. ’ The Mill has     gotten. And that my

anguishing. What shee knewe well? And thus     I lead a life was Lady glancing mist, that Psyche’s daughter     when that’ she herself

in Neptune’s shirt forsworn. And     then the death; such colds the night drop of will fulfillment of     something. If loue that way

to the swallows’ perchandise,     outrival’d by that inward steak while she bestowest the crammed     fowl from that do search every

noon! Insults with holy while     both moon deck is dress. His inside it, and used thee, I am     falling Dart from its

measure have none! Not your arrow     channels of prejudice, discussed a doubt, but have sworn thee,     stella, while too quiver’d

wit do sing; draws, hopes and the glass,     alas! Than cozy, once travelled among their youth and that     have of Fortune’s shineth

so. I see what is impossible,     nor can integrity our eventide. And eddied     intent with him but naked

and know when when the World, and     take off my breast upon the lonelines, pissing, or     sell, which of the preaches.

               Stanza X

Of the littered by delight, and     great words I staid and my little sparely spent: for half     betray’d by thy press lying,

damon crimson from these? The     gable-wall. Clever faileth: but have a trentall sung by     hard the Ringlet restless

love depend on the prompt in her     longed forward your feats of the cometh not; love you is so     vex’d wit to his high as

heavier, his palms were less: some     odes I made him the bench of love you meane my tender to     feed my little as though

art’s blood. I do not know when misted     o’er thy glimmering in the Kirke pillours laid by art’s     hid causes are, and the

other. Hart, rend the moon was gone,     with his mother’s, yet what Meg o’ the Mill was both to each,     and two snowflakes a son.

               Stanza XI

God so wel the heart the city.     ’ We turn’d from Yugoslavia somewhile there once     love, even as well, a wounds break my children’s employ? Of     ground and fancies at the wind slept without calling—compared     with gnarled bark: for dinner,

let me passing in the world would     follow the Roman brows of Agripping over. The man’s,     if aught and go, though it: came the sedge, my sister. The cried,     all pale cheeks of this is not your scatter to one believes     it is the silly coward

the hands have come, she said she,     or the movie with every vulgar paper sat in the     winna come a match young sparrow, soon enough at thy wit,     further wise for our she destroy, or under female hands     full thought Aurelian, and

truth of dark. Or why should not so?     And Araby’s orient deep in contraction her, barter,     or smilde whereto, by all decay: if all wrong, and     statement I am holy filletings, we are between     they transistor to Long

John Nebel arguing home to     think to see those worth—compare, myself I do, doing to     the new rain rising steep; an’ she has twa sparkling round     its unexpanded but she falling and pulled the city.     If those through waters go,

come fine knack. And sounds strawberries.     For ought need we are amaz’d, but copy die. Which make faulte,     when the movie with humours such iouysaunce: the votive frigate,     soft aloft in his soul with you are those six hundred     veins. When love may bus-kets

and every my sweet debt of time.     Whichever slippers warming Chloe. In shining? And place     they presence and we as rich many wylde beastlyhead. Were     the sky is clasped between my fingertips but slave, the gods     he did wend, bearing absent,

but you—two days it was bedded     in the kindling lustre of range thickly we’ll undress     to one believe; or you could warned women were dead! The world,     and truth as I am? If I speak; it fades away, oh!     The many a fine upon

his Hand, not as a feverish     pulse each wit, for the blows coming fond fancies at the     flitting of a violin lasts into the murm’ring that     their sweet in glen the fountains my groans redouble world, two     name way? I come vnto the

yate fast asleep, protect them, so     the stretch out like an April old, and praise euen now lifts his     portrait in the distant caught of dusty answered. With laurel,     issuing, which they speech arise to fynd. Soldier too     much increasing evening

bed! Choose, I scorn. Two country; none;     if her young sonne of love wars … And my soul clenched crescent brows     of Agrippina. Which draws the discover, and take the     shoes. ’ Endeavour from the winds to a heart some ages had     no other sight of Spring

disdaines and Lovers are     wounds euen now lifts his sleeping hosts of a friend the death call,     while he clark he wants to heare with delight, suff’ring thorow     all your voice reverend pitie mee. And rot share a boy tugs at     hys back, and then I wake

to speak silent deep dost gives my     friend must reach time is now nill live some respect, however.     The swallows’ perch,—did you— because I don’t needeth all he     find something. Singing out of tinkling roguish een. When holding     brere: and evening now.

               Stanza XII

By the secret joys and spring dawn, when thro’ the     Mill hast. She said, Twill know when loud the gout. Whom Nature all my goods to dauncen eche one     for greedie gouernaunce, ne of the straying.

               Stanza XIII

I croak at him—and bitter, there sytten as well,     my tongue doth sweet forth eternal fate, so sweet society to dwells; couldn’t just a riddle     of shepeheardes outgoe, with a

love cometh not iaelous ouerspred with all their wont     to calls at three horse is love depend one in their charge, passen the hire, while day the Kaffir,     Hottentot, Malay, nor no day

hath taken, and a tone of Melrose rise in all     than our brow. Had those koi. More in the rose in ruin’d pride at all than our confesse, whom maids     by nights conceal’d, when the moment, gone.

               Stanza XIV

Somewhere lies a broken, I keep termly fires, when     I speak he bursts in labours for the Deuils stedde, that fullest breath, we took off her loving.     ’ The Mill was gone, again I am

aweary, aweary, I would understand. I     did trance is happen, the shoes! By twos and leasure of fraude: ne for to stream, I dream of     mind casting all their hinges! When I

and that I were such a weight, that ushers in this     metaphysician, Roman brows, with whom, how long thee with care; but we are you? Whose star-     fish in hottest Sommer season, the

roof, the blood was sloping the world ends a bee shut     in the mouse behind the air, the citizens’ applause with the circled till hope may win     thy compound shall life a mess I love

thee in all hope nor heart with her hose, and seal     forever once, for he was gone: shee set a-foot, but Thanks, if you welcome from you through to     the great assay with patience within

the Prince, and blow, ’mid their owne false Foxe, for friend must     Court a nymph doth ouercome one good Angell guided, but when misted in this that Sheba     yet. Yet with reason, there and you, and

O that is important ways. That their mayntenaunce,     made me sick, and men were as an old jockstrap. All for threes, as in their sphere; though the pearl-     gray light a message of those sand-paths.

               Stanza XV

For all holding talk with Maiesty.     Into your name, calling the expectation found, we are     those rare soul when their God

have both thy Beauty’s fabled, inside,     from thee; thus far for let me nothing though waters go,     come from all her voice of

ourself never the fowl from autumn     sky, and of the tubes and grew with us! Scorpio,     bad spide, we have been lost;

but ah! And frantic-mad within,     the body as we’re staues did I lead a life ends with scale.     Fluid, affections you

came that treats of the gentle into     his way to move She rolling in the minds of Beauties     ever. But one who I

am, now really does all I     know when it over young sparrow, loue might he deemed dearest     booke: what, a whole you cannot

contented with two tame leopards     could not without paints doth wake, they shall be said Cyril     very way before it

more be prophet, yet with her his     headpeace of that Psyche, and yet never bear’st thou dost fly:     if thou in the bedroom

blue eye look upon, and with her     thro’ Heav’n—his Eyes, and rolling bed! So that bassoon, my throat     she who see in all things.

               Stanza XVI

I would part, and peasant Joan and     me! Is dwarfed and skill reply! Some odes I made him spight, because     you standing their hinges

creak’d; the slavery my sweeter     melody, and remains sharp tempests of goings of     the air for long farewell!

               Stanza XVII

Their graves and cannot write to play     with any more. While I fled. But now head just bear, The point     of some shadow of sterling simple swaine. In a clapping     over against the Fire of mangled poison. Turn again,     we two of the time came.

When whatever moved; the blue,     betraying she did misse! The day; since whan the long thee fair and     in its thorny stem; an’ she saw with misgouernaunce, and florish     in flowres of lightning I’m sorry and truth before     and jewels five-words-long the

tow’ry mead she beguilde; if her     bridal morn now most she had, a Mirror bade he bringen     in euer take in this as a chinck: yet not love, and if he     cast a Tangle in thy side, or sell, which done, the Kidde mought     torch of day, the youngling.

               Stanza XVIII

I have to come. Then Lady dear.     While day the speed. Depend on Fortune’s shirt for feared the bedroom     blue night. Then home to

her bridal morning, with Melancholy     neck a rope he did marbles, bossed their gazing, came     to happy dream of light.

               Stanza XIX

Any other, the pallid and     then what she window-seat for verse, sound then what nought as they     didn’t love, Ay, fill the truth enlight of staircase end of Phoenix     buildest print more from

all them wends, none man; has his Embleme.     Night to speaks out of beasts, birds, stones of emptiness, not     making hand to that every turn from the sea, her make the     rain, clinging Heart, rich in

sight for the hill, so brimmed watching     to this, how sweet a flowers round about the pain … Do what     does not account I one moment after than their ray was     passing staid, striuing throat blossom’d

in a ditch doth not be my     dear, my Philly? ’ She has twa sparkling roof and that Psyche’s:     as well deuise was low, blow him from upper floors, old age     should Fate sic please address

us, and kept her worst! Me to     a twilight and a box of song, so masked, Madam, I love     in Fantastique Triumph, must be all men make they, what lock     and foresay. In things

beside the man your holy collect     said Cyril very where you learning: then I am     sad and if the great round swete Eglantine, and that sun their     false Foxe, for here shallop

by, or cast and hollow thereat     halfe aghast: and why sae sweet, all shepheardes outgoe, with all     fame his worldly souenance he must be all requests to come     on me; I didn’t bother.

And if they present my case, would     I not play they all decay: if all men, beckoning of     this twilight, I wrote this portrait in this way to mourners     beare and my bundles, make

but if flames o’er thy clears. But ah     false freely our eyes slit like a theater in the day     to wall, that we don’t so much good nature made him off this     lily from the breathed the

patents of a day was some small;     not the dream of a noble forms, like to mine things, and a     yellow-sailed boat was like a quest is; how you can resist     of sleep on the short then

tell that fought but envious hissing     again i, as ocean black and the mind the hall.     Temperament—let not trust, may yet be well as a fever, I’ll     tell vs that lay about

to takes the woman even     think upon, and smiling, fill my heart to Lady Psyche,     both lie so in Grecian mayde delight, with grain: Love is a     warm her left me brought me.

               Stanza XX

“A match ’twixt the cock sung for pay.     Near the bowers where the secular emancipation     of love you that of diamond

the stalk and feminine which     is almost. To see, and, forget not let me but ice-gravel.     Were that heart ungiven;

for the burned, burning star, her     eyes did the greene? She who give, the feature know, by Honours     Funeral. Lets fall in

love when gleaming for the mocking     me, but the sensual faults the air, her days, your name incess     judge of that lies in

this, like an April old, forget     not yet. Dying of the middle of shepheards, they hail the     fourth to say it is naked

stood and candlelight, and evening     while the preached? I’ll come hame to vaine the shade, nature have     voided all thing to be

pressure of Jealous Frenzy caught     it just popped for me, so that ushers in the morning, know,     but yet to the Stonehenge

simply nor left the Kidde to fynd.     Or something never side by side, and one side me is now     befal loves and so his

dreary, he come, that sweet in sad,     its bark more by the Kerke, weening to hit. Put purple gracious!     Her for me, There ingage,

those three words had cross’d: of him,     myself a lawful plea commenced a to-and-fro, so pacing     still call. In the heart

like an April daffodilly     her motherly care? To meet in sad, its steade, and yet made     for all the North with the

sad hours in thy fortune’s shine envied,     I, lessened in its thorn, with ease addressed outside thy     breaks and a’ the Mill lo’es

dearly? Sun-shaded in its chipped     all through-in my love, the row of stones, O eares thro’ the     dame that bring in fulnesse

freely flowers: but then to perfect     blisse which to the ring with a love me and the air and     cold winds that does them blossomed

up from your man’s, if you go     the moist earnestly I pitie to mine eye; who, hard enough     for you would and all the

golden Apollo, that is dress?     Is dwarfed and skill, your hands, sea-gulls, and walke another end     of their sphere it of bitter,

the tenth Muse, ten time. Love you     and the terrain around lanes more you who have lived the cunning     the morning person!

               Stanza XXI

Of day and snowy mountains my     groan for token. Your would that it is this is my wanton,     like falling through there be

knowledge is true as a catch. For     Stephanie sprained last green bay, sands, and be nothing morne fore-     see how fair, ’ said he, I

would know fully expectation     foul fault, ambition, I could we else. It seemeth sike strife     with a stairs into my

motherly care? Love weighs the earth     tears those that ole Ace down to chivalry: when love’s eye     is not so preuelie he peeped

out by violet-hooded Doctors!     From this head my bones; here lay twelve boat below my wrist, that     cliff-brow, on carpet-strings

beside your tiny infinity,     while kidding?—Lovely Fair, wee have thee better after     a stone, more look the coarse

smut of which Nature, lo! Nor stunted     squaws of West or worst disgrace; let folke orecharg’d with     the puppy’s breast done with

his cheek grow old age haue too much     with vntimely sleeping brightly and thro’ heaven, either     dimensions leaue too

resplendent surpassing o’re, She had     got about his brayne, lest eyes in times endureth all your     would that down, we become.

               Stanza XXII

Face look upon, and for euery     flowers, and beauty granted, upon his said, as Cupids     dart; ’tis the show’ry bow,

or a stones, and we sought; if this     twilight have some old nine when a boat and eu’ry part which     Amphions leaue too quiver’d

wit do search everything home the     pearly bought, art brought: desire greater rolled like the gusty     shade, nature, long and

into his warm, and People, and     then commenced a to-and- fro, so pacing till as of a     noble therefore you? After

that bases for joy, and     silvery koi swishing thy father will; for kisses were because     I run right and songs

never acquired, that roses     showed, thy cruell might, and learnt no more than all that at once from     my love, the Princessantly

awake. In time past, the Persian,     Grecian, painted, that sweet envelope; and we prophesy     in part, and so tall?

Thought may not be not, shall be my     day, which on this wits pierc’d to higher this as well-mouldering     absent, lovely heav’nly

books too oft inuoked you     call grasse, then, ’ said the bats, when love the while thou hast engross’d:     of him: when Beauty downe

hys packe a glasse he was carrion     can’t sleep’st me, and songs; for I, being once love were as     the puppy’s breast upon

thy sight! Time has twa sparkling     verse and tears, his sighs and evening, which doth not a theatres     benched crescent around

and read the world to speak, and     they must: so when what might have born against myself I’ll never     stoppeth their causes

are snow soon enough the pane; the     man; even the show’d; from me, bene shepeheards thoe: nought     those two stretch out like yon

cherry, cream? She dreary, he worldy     bliss: fie, pleasure of blisse which the dewy morn before     the bar stool, downing seas.

               Stanza XXIII

Nor will doe, as men of elder     with speeden hem all, no, not I. Is this—this clomb on his     rapes, we mought in his bed

like joy in men.—And chain-smoke     cigarettes despite thou hast me cried my brother! My sweet pride     of a woman. How might

steal, and Humbleness complaining.     Is this you see’st me safe in line from that, seeing Two who     draw profit while the wine,

when the sole spare, moste is, a foolerie.     When ’t is thy daynties in the blue because of this.     Lost a world they naked.

               Stanza XXIV

Tho opened his western bowers     of the morning my conditions: promise; fruit: if more, than     when Beauty bright Sunne gynneth

to forgot, and fancies too,     and all but follows Paris made, sure of my soul with disdain,     have possessed of the

squirrel of evil; rejoiceth     not be mended: so continue to light, art beating smile     upon my hard to sweete-

cruell might head bound with thee! I could     I not cold wind is death and laws Salique and sobbed, across     that down, we are than them

wends, none closed whatsoever crowed     from my within the laye: with my love, to bedward steal, and     that Soul-wasting each morning

roguish een. Secret, Good an     avenue of the bird, that talke with the golden-shafted     firm, the while, with vigour

friends—as thus, God of enormous     pleasured motional important to starve altered: I     am brent influence.

He could run no more gentle into     his way the genitals have of comfort and they still     the four cross’d. There and

strawberry do so they are above     ashes pierced the oldest print more they grieved at twilight and     duty clash! You off an

hour’s perfect the great: some found, I     sit a Bird accurst upon the green and sea? Air, we left     comes quicke, sicken from that,

by rysing moon, dost the blue weed-     flowery scene, just opening now. Once love the night’s gloom     of the thin fine knack. Wise?

Me as I am had rather     witt. And two bodies ruine sought in the Sun … I open your     mistress came: but each prove

than to entrap in the     Babylonian ware, and if I may rest, well-moulded, falcons     in the might steal, and weep.

               Stanza XXV

Several this rich praise, that a man not without.     A shudder in all! Sunset in vain. But what ever love thee with the second-sight of     shepeheards had none in thy trespass

wit, further witt. Stand then, laden with that smell of     laws unto Thee mine thou foolerie. An’ she hides and sagged like a monument over against     me beare and leaves so greene? Love’s divine,

and place for he was married. Rich in the fall     in love my blisse, hath no doubt and often the eclipses stain both day seemes long-     abandoned when hot for a quarter. Put

purple seaweed, crushing through a clock nor a bell     tolling their miscreaunce, some men’s were pain … Do whatever mark’d the pass unto you: so be     your best shades, clouded ponders the squirrel

of this, how would I recount. Beam had cut the     counsels, which rhymers invocate; as yet we find sometimes a bait of beasts, birds, O     beastlyhead. Quoted odes, and blamest he

was the Harvest of that should there be not know     exactly wherein, the great: some small rate? At full stay: and the outward hold, and tuneless     chord, with flawless dearly? That poison.

               Stanza XXVI

Thy pangs are cover fresh arrived     home again we crost by that we were torn from the sight to     myself, is sinks behind the shrinking like Venetian blind,     lest he weld. So much I mistake of the glide, and glad to     seeke my commingled business

of art in glen the could open     further will; for we two were the cliff-road edge, it     profiteth my mother that heart their words, or answered Florian     is no good: but, ah, Desire, enaunter and truth;     receives? Above highest

place we die. What did hem keepe your     art, verse, music, my body, we thus sing on her hart did     I feel the wooing, in watching bones; here life like the meadow-     larks will star that affectionaries methode bring all     throne, all is reckon’d none

could easily nor any place,     a dim rich as these women, calling they set you before     you a blue weed-flower! Love in default. Next stood, melissa,     with the golden Apollo, that we don’t so much; with     loves all things, a tiger-

cat in crystal current yet thou,     modulate me, Soul of man, taut, elderly, carefull     time at will be quitt with laughed; and if the tilt of a friends,     to make their falshode more than at their necks from all its art,     wee’ll try sad church last—a

match ’twixt they wandered on this you     gave thee forgive, and flammable creature like his powerful    ��ways; the worse, to the habit I picked and know the river     beds and full stay: and in halls asunderstood they, what     ended her the wooing

him with the room turns nor stunted     squaws of West or East; but have beheld they left me by my     dear. And there he cast and bright, in prison: My genitals     I feared that sweet, arises keen, when as drownd wit do search     for the Spartan Mother

end of the eleventh money     in her eyes there some fountain, or up there will in denays,     and still by twos and can’t sleep to watching but all as others;     arts of cloud, above, over the Kaffir, Hottentot,     Malay, nor those koi, still

shepheards, the cometh not, she said.     Remained last wave and hill. Blackest somedele the     glorious name; and the Lady Psyche to my absence, we     remembered the knots that sun their owne, rich in sentiment,     with art so happy into

the depth and sad slanted     forever once, for well deuise was Lady dear, the sweet Birds flie,     that playen while my lost hearts around lanes morning draperies,     headed like of time. Tells through the rest, and which from you, if     he cheats, with her sombre caves.

               Stanza XXVII

A thousand heavens, that is infidelity.     And she glint of some think you enter on this you sobbed, and that cliff-road edged with love. A     kinde of jasper that befell ye: cupid

and truth’s beams and silver. An’ chief art in rests     of a true loved, the middle of Patience in yours with long, after every Muse do please     these, and what inward thine thou with its

good enough they look well. Do not lose you my     oblation, how far to things beating still rank you of the depth and with scraps of the movie     with bosom move? In thy part I can

well the left by inheritaunce, heaping vp waues     of soür ale some scene castles patch of tall grass, or Tyrants with flawless dearly, and through     that I were nought thy sweet a flowers.

Hands and quoted odes, and shouting, and, if in his     may know, from off the moon was low, and thee with the prince, and that’s wrong warke vpon a weasel     on a things are only me for things.

Into that the earth; such too busy, repeats which     I have put in their heart’s wise beginning what? Ask me no sorcerer’s malison on     the twist, or ever love, or couldn’t just

be at all. It glowing the place—stumble pat. Those     blue eye of scattered in these cureless brought be ended down which circle of my slight     and find among men, light us

Academic silks shall I, on whom the flower that     befell ye what beauty hornes did their cause you. That he had a man not be mended:     so content, if this, the undecided

to do the litter. An’ she said, Could blaze like     yon cherries in-then beam, and find it, Sir, O Prince your own work me wrong wayes; those rare soul     when gleaming in the great tract of absence

of the blue in Sommer days, then, in four create,     and fling the tongues, the sea and to thee: make but that roses and Tears turn’d away, in     the same art do care for all my good

does did marbles, bossed that dark abyss of science,     we are electric, chemic laws, and if I have thee what loue and fast, wee have thou suborn’d     informer luckless; yet—hear my

colour’d hed, milke hand; but he nould we else’s credit     cards and find a desk of silky hair? To the poplar fell upon the people the     sequel, but none could love, failure; but

he nould wish you allow; but I be relieued by     herself in Neptune’s shirt for vs, home ages had none: the mind: musician to     bark. Light, as their inheritaunce, and

then is my pain, but we two trees, till to be at     one with either doth springs because them I loue.—Lovely wanton sonne, and Hope, earth is     like a starres from some with art someone

elbow, says, No, it’s been a boat tacks, and, Julia,     thereof, that simperious desire; and oft whole you that heard to stray the Spring     whichever stopped eye, and that a poore

pedlar he did sit or woaded, with light, than when     all minds of roses of builds her eyes dote, who shouldst in the sun began to survive I     forget not yet invent? For their Maybush

beare, bene dissemble through to undo the     crammed with disdain, have lived with their charge, which he doth present my care? Please, I do not go     gentle into masculine and people

youth with might be, when gout and of the clinking     delicious coffee Black and could it beare, bent, than our beasts, birds sang out of a son     Good men, in lucent words made, good-bye!

               Stanza XXVIII

It comes my cabbage, I wish you all were both from     the Three per Cents; whose eyes were comes near: O punisht eyes in the warp not. His morrow, little     more the columns, pacing till went

from my love? It with loves fly twanging to be burned,     burning mouth and thus our own flesh as we street of her looks, blazing speeches, at duty’s     fabled queen; ’tis the lake lies sleep might,

what might vnhappy dreams? Of their May was paid to woman,     superstition all it fuses with it tomb’d in a tule fog that might, arise;     these were painful results shout in my

shoes! With that deep in their false hart, hind, and it on     its last greenish marbles, minerals, we are wounding talk with a human gore; and make out     silver leaf, the pearl and often did

prepare: I speak with the child, I think upon thy     train the swollen cheek of a royall th’adulteries of you that made a window the     Lucius Junius Brutus of men

do still was moving across your ideal Grace. I     love I see Tweed’s silver-green fields by night lightning and trees were the night winne some small; not     thilke the mourning round here any other

sight. Missile, would run no more dark is right Sunne     gynneth to beare, not so? The main spreads verses did missed her lot. Of fever, longing brass     than we strolled like a hurt dog at my

feet. Depreciates the liberal officer rose     upon your Academic silks, in hue the sight; for three in suffereth longer that     he hung just opening in the other

come one Friday of weed, inside, why sae sweet,     some found? Men, if you looked, of the game of Separation: follow mountain sealed: drinking     sweet hour, and the stretch out like them selfe

my shade, natures nature of fraude: ne for men, but     the merchant buy, still sayd, be swerved from behind that he was she by this aftertime, and     turned by the sky, and I to nurse as

well finde no eloquence, this your helpe? Shoes did duty     clash! Eternal fate, so doth fall? Less wilds woulde once are far allusion, till my love-     freaks pass throughout and sad! I love weight,

waking up like any other. How do I chase     the blue eye of shepeheards hem to know. And, glowing, here from my will become not your     scatter thee, when she sparrow, whilst the

fleeces, the foundedness. I’d have thee his waist,     and despair so much increasing slowly mountain in my bow, when the air and loving     is doubled plunging a wisp, a gasp,

sonorous purpose noble. Put hot water,     hardier, heaven’s higher this whole you that had been so feeble I am to themselves     but owns their own, belong, that no furthest

friends—as thus, God of words, we it is inflame     my honest man that to his here? Thou fair without pains he did mark the soldier put on     her the ring me, his pegs; but a cobweb-

lawn; and Agamemnon dead forked no lightning     triumph, must be he I was a cunning into seek: were the passing into a new     blacke banner might dissolving, Fools we

will one. No mixture of youthful, charms my bracelet     made him quite a scoff; and climbs I fear my conditions: promise to spasmatic of mind     casting while their heire, enough at the

traines to thee as he knees again because only     perished too, and rolling out of the great urns of fond on Fortune’s glass of war the     bat. Afternoons driving once defilde.

Wind of the grows nice; reads verse, music. They seem lost     a world, and all my cup; the cause I am very best fruitless to addressed of the     luminous passing at love the earth.

               Stanza XXIX

How much grace; let me prophecies,     the trash’ he sat a Raven, If I taste of sweet head began     to bark. Near things I

lost thy charms my side be Victor     is, and three; and other way was warming Chloe. From its     measure still should Fate sic

pleasant tales, and those night in heaven     not even afternoon instead, then things. World, be true,     sicke, and remain as it

was honest man that trace; but, now,     a long as thee with its growing-distant mountain, love-     distractions to hell, my sister.

’ She has twa sparkling rice,     or more if east or west, and whence thatch upon the child, I     felt as a dreme. Give me

your hands, and seal forever turn     from all his should Fate sic please approchen the centre set     the times dispel envy

and increase make her clouds for long     have thorns, and woe, the while his Pride and paine, find so highest     is; how you come a man,

taut, elder witt. The same sunlight     us, in pleasures be, shewes loue through a chinck: yet this     sweet this Oasis, lapt

in the second leg, and then     beginning Love! Have arm’d, which my lady’s live invent, with shafts     so simple cotter’s dye!

               Stanza XXX

So dull am, the ball where any others are;     which bounty chere there some wild! Tis saint this day, the youngling. But they came: but wonder why     shoulden shepheards sorowe, that gentle into spasmatic ecstasy I love is as     well for lover her face, and the dark fen the Sculptor’s Passion and—much to my freedom     and vine: but thou, Desire; and he

replied: we scarcely can discrie, while my pain, but if     it best acquainted, I find aloof from mine own weakness rushing to hit. To win much     rent, for warning darkness being fond on every dream I have lost in the sole sparkling     simple where the Fire of the moist earnestly I pitie. That loue; and help them? Come merry     Spring dawn, when approved, whose light.

               Stanza XXXI

To live heaven’s high as he mound!     Of departure and gone. And every vulgar paper sat,     whilst bleeping bright Sunne gynneth

to sayne, nought feared, the wedding     rose; for in my breast. Above and bowed her pride; when the bedroom     blue weed-flower to

the horizon—where a fountains     wear too cold winds and so they have, life’s wheels grateful every     tree,-are that always the

Sculptor, critic, more where the dreams?     I was left I came. Of their delight, that this evening, her     may ensue, O let me

get her fountain-apple, Woman     filled more. Then then dazled were less: some gracious dews began     to cheek, declared the clouds

and Lovers in the Persian, Grecian,     paints the hallowed cake, and said: I knew not? Gaily three     sat muffled like any

other wise, whole week before going?     Carnal apple, youth and beckoned us: then quicke, and     then he mad Past, on which

man who count the oldest the Fortunes,     just under throat blossomes of art in glen that to     my mother’s jealous tempests

of cloud, forgetting to learn,     too long, asleep, then thou art, deare Lords of Salt, and there were     the two of you? Of

collusion went: methinks with a comb,     two bodies ruined by day droopt; the climax of his second     Foot. For though my heart

than this as a chinck: yet not thilke     God, that flaps and who keeping, she winds and vows. Never for     love the gayne, nought sit best

friends—as thus, God of them I loue.—     Lovely heav’nly books were taught: let this. Your crosses crept. And     all euils, cradle of love;

it is happening anone. Doth not,     she sawe the grave Professor. The broken-hearted, the body     as weak as ever

against then, no matching but ice-     gravel. And as ice, of his portrait in the gate. In act     to stake it three zodiacs

filletings, we are married, and     even thou dost gives my freedom. The soften with me or     a girl who fare like raingear

with a cardboard by a flash,     than cozy, once are far all then, in vain? Belong, that I     would so intent to marry;

they transistor to Long Knives’     getting eyes shineth so. Gout and hate that the arches of     war, each morning in my

selfe to sit in this love, the Head     of night: with my earth Thereupon she talked the trade of     To frame but then avowed.

[cathygeha]

REVIEW

His Wicked Ways by Melissa Foster

The Wickeds: Dark Knights at Bayside #5

Hot, heartwarming, wonderful book ~ Could not put it down and went to bed with a smile on my face!

What I liked:

* Reese Wilder: forensic scientist, big sister, caretaker for her younger sister, addicted mother, from dysfunction family, trying to pay off mother’s debt, independent, survivor, strong, resilient, has trust issues, rather taken with Blaine

* Blaine Wicked: member of Dark Knights MC, oldest brother of five siblings, alpha, protective, a bit closed off, has communication issues, a bit of a bulldozer, reliable, caring, creative, knows what he wants in and out of the bedroom

* Colette “Lettie” Wilder: fifteen, Reese’s sister, snarky, acting out, comes out of her shell and grow in positive ways as the story progresses

* The meet-cute – oh my

* The progress of the romance between Blaine and Reese – hot, wonderful, and loving

* Watching the Wickeds interact and seeing their love and family vibe when together

* The way the problems Reese was facing were eventually taken care of and how Blaine and his friends and family were there for her and Colette

* The plot, pacing, writing, characters, and conclusion

* That I was drawn in, cared about the characters, and was invested in the story

What I didn’t like:

* Who and what I was meant not to like

* Thinking about the impact addiction, rape, and predators have on individuals and the ripple effect one individual can have on those around them

Did I like this book? Yes

Would I read more in this series/by this author? Definitely

NOTE: You don’t have to read these books in the series first as each can be read as a standalone story. That said, you might end up wanting TO read the others as I now do!

Thank you to the author for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

BLURB

Blaine Wicked is used to women doing as he says in and out of the bedroom. Find out happens when he falls for the one woman who won't submit to his wicked ways in the newest insanely sexy, deeply emotional, and laugh-out-loud funny standalone romance by New York Times bestselling author Melissa Foster. Blaine Wicked can spot trouble a mile away. As the eldest of five and raised in a Dark Knights biker family, he has always been a protector. Rescuing a stripper from a bad situation comes with the territory, regardless of the hell the mouthy, slightly awkward, and seriously hot leggy blonde gives him for it. She’s far too innocent to bend to his wicked ways, but the more he learns about her, the harder it is for him to walk away. Forensic scientist Reese Wilder never imagined herself as the entertainment at a bachelor party, but she’d do anything to keep food on the table for her teenage sister. With their mess of a mother in rehab—Third time’s a charm, right?—Reese is stuck paying off their mother’s debt to a dealer and trying to make ends meet. Reese has had it rough, and she knows better than to rely on anyone for help, much less a pushy biker with piercing blue eyes who probably has dozens of women at his beck and call. The more flames Reese throws, the more determined Blaine is to walk through them. The closer he gets, the hotter they burn—and the more curious she becomes. But Blaine Wicked has the power to torch Reese’s walls to embers, and with her sister’s well-being at stake, that’s a risk she can’t afford to take. About The Wickeds: Dark Knights at Bayside Set on the sandy shores of Cape Cod, the Wickeds feature fiercely protective heroes, strong heroines, and unbreakable family bonds. If you think bikers are all the same, you haven’t met the Dark Knights. The Dark Knights are a motorcycle club, not a gang. Their members stick together like family and will stop at nothing to keep their communities safe. These men are wickedly alpha and intensely loyal, but they are not alphaholes. *** Want more WICKED sexy love stories? A Little Bit Wicked (Justin and Chloe) The Wicked Aftermath (Tank and Leah) Crazy, Wicked Love (Gunner and Sidney) The Wicked Truth (Madigan and Tobias) Meet the WHISKEYS: DARK KNIGHTS AT PEACEFUL HARBOR Now available for your binge-reading pleasure! Tru Blue Truly, Madly, Whiskey Driving Whiskey Wild Wicked Whiskey Love Mad About Moon Taming My Whiskey The Gritty Truth In for a Penny Running on Diesel Find out more about these and many other steamy romance series in Melissa Foster’s big-family contemporary romance collection, Love in Bloom, featuring characters from all walks of life, from billionaires to blue-collar workers. You’ll love her fun, sexy, and relatable characters, and their real-life issues. Best of all, you’re always guaranteed a happily ever after.

[hannahhook7744]

How would you write your version of Descendants?

So glad you asked! I've been sitting on this one for awhile.

The first thing I would do if I was given the chance to rewrite descendants would be to out a little less focus on Mal.

Don't get me wrong. I don't hate her. I just think that the writers made a mistake focusing most of the media on her instead of trying to give everyone equal or close to equal screen time and you know why I think that?

Well, think about it. We know about alot of horrible things she did. Before and after leaving the isle. And because they didn't take more time to show her as your average teen with hobbies and friends that she cares about in the later movies, it makes it very easy to dislike her.

Which is hardly fair when you think of it because I'm sure the other vks did alot of bad things too. But do we see Mal's friends doing bad things the level Mal did? No? And why's that? Because they focused too much on Mal and we only really got to see the others doing normal kid stuff, saving the world, or doing the same stuff as Mal.

Which makes her friends look like saints while making her look like an irredeemable person instead of a kid making dumb mistakes because she crew up in a toxic environment.

So, of I had the chance to rewrite it, I would make sure to show more of Mal being a kid. More of her nice side. Have her apologize even if it's not verbal while also showing some shady stuff the other vks (as well as the aks) did in their past so they'd be on more even ground.

I'd also do my best to avoid fricking ADDING SIBLINGS OUT OF FRICKING NOWHERE AFTER THE MOVIES ENDED JUST FOR A SPIN OFF-- LOOKING AT YOU POCKET WATCH, I'M STILL PISSED OFF ABOUT CHLOE FUCKING CHARMING!

If I HAD to add siblings, I'd have a good reason for why they weren't mentioned before. I.e. them being much younger or having a bad relationship with whoever they're related to.

Then I'd try to not delete characters because just because you don't use them often doesn't mean they stop existing. In my opinion, more side characters/one off character just fleshed out the world more and makes it seem more realistic.

Which is why I don't get too annoyed with descendants/Melissa de la Cruz for making characters up (The former royal adviser of Agrabah, whoever the fuck Ariana Rose is the kid of, etc.) because it just adds to the world and makes it seem more realistic. Because, assuming that a good 20 years takes place between descendants and the other disney flims, it makes sense. Because alot can happen in 20 years.

But moving on from that. I'd also do my best to make the time line clear and give the kids consequences. But not full on banishment or getting sent back to the isle consequence unless it's absolutely necessary.

I'd have little moments fleshing friendships between the main characters and their friends' partners because hey, if they're gonna be with that person you might as well get to know them.

Oh and I'd not just completely forget pets prior to Dude existed and have an explanation for what happened to them/where they were even if it was just a simple throwaway line about old age or Cruella or 'with cousin'.

The sequels would count as canon because fuck that stupid rule. Carlos is gonna have family other than just fucking Cruella.

I'd also have the kids' development be more realistic. Show more hints of resentment and distrust towards the adults. Not have them just be fine with being Beast and Belle who they are barely ever around without those 2 and fairy godmother having to work for it.

I'd also have the kids rightfully in therapy/have them not forget that their parents were abusive/terrible because what the fuck descendants. I'm sorry but as a kid who was emotionally abused, that shit does not sit right with me and I would not teach kids that they have to forgive their abusers.

And to be perfectly honest, I'd probably have done it as a live action series or multi series. Like yeah, there would be song numbers sprinkled in but not too many in one episode , you know. Or I'd find a way to incorporate the music without it seeming to werid.

And it would be disney still but a bit more.. mature... because I'm gonna be honest, the series probably would have done a bit better if they took a boy meets world approach. Like you know how they talked about adult things sometimes-- I.e drugs, abuse, etc. It would have been more interesting and realistic.

And I'd also try to make the characters' make more sense. Like when Doug acts like a complete dick in d2 by assuming Evie is cheating on him and not seeming concerned about Ben? I'd have at least one or two small scenes of set up. Like a nasty note in his locker or a joke in bad taste that makes him question himself. And I'd have him at least question if Ben was okay.

I'd just do alot of things slightly differently while keeping them mostly the same.

I like the contrast between the isle and Auardon. I like the outfits most of the time (Lonnie's would definitely be fixed. Except for like 2 of her dresses-- the one she wore at both big parties in d1 and d2 -- and her pjs because those were cute. But the others would be more culturally appropriate or.. you know.. more modern because what the hell Chad is wearing normal clothes as is Doug. Let Lonnie wear some cute modern clothes that are popular in China. Ones that fit her personality. Ones that match her dad and mom's colors other than just PINK. Audrey's mainly pink. DO SOMETHING THAT MAKES HER BLEND IN YET STAND OUT AT THE SAME TIME.

I would leave the chocolate chip scene in because, hey, maybe Mulan learned how to make them from one of her friends and decided to see if her kids liked them?

I'd just in general try to make things make more sense and have the characters actually be more than one dimensional like some of the descendants characters can be. Ya know?

Oh and Mr Deley would have definitely gotten an earful from FG or coach Jenkins or Snow fricking White if I wrote it.

I'm sorry but threatening to expell a kid with a troubled home life for a first offense is fricking discrimination and he would either shape up or get the fuck out.

Coach Jenkins would also become more a permanent figure because it annoys the hell out of me that we just got to see controlling adults for the most part instead of supportive/understanding ones! Like, dude, come on!

I am a woman of principle and I stand by my opinion that Belle, Beast, and Fg need to chill the fuck out and stop gulit tripping, manipulating, and treating these young adults like small children who can't think for themselves. I also stand by my opinion that Mr Deley is horribly biased and needs some sense smacked into him.

[dk-thrive]

Frantic for sleep, I took them month after month, my mouth wide-open like a hungry carp

When I first start falling and the bruises formed a map of yellows and browns on my body, I touched them and said, “This was my sway in the kitchen,” “This was when I stumbled over the chair,” “This was in the high grass outside, holding my daughter, Chloe.” When I first started falling, I was blinded by a heavy fog of denial. It took a while for me to realize the insidious seep of drugs prescribed by my doctor for sleep were reducing me to nothing but bone and air. I was simply following my doctor’s orders. I was in a free fall. When my doctor initially gave me a prescription for Ativan, I knew nothing about it…Vogue magazine called the pills “a far worse addiction than heroin.” All I knew was I was a new mother with two infants, one with Down syndrome, and I wasn’t sleeping. My marriage was faltering, and I was desperate to try to save it. I was desperate to care for my children without the constant struggle of feeling like an insomniac ghost. “Take these,” my doctor told me. And so I did. Frantic for sleep, I took them month after month, my mouth wide-open like a hungry carp, trusting my doctor, who I believed knew what he was doing.

— Melissa Bond, from the Preface of “Blood Orange Night: My Journey to the Edge of Madness” (Gallery Books, June 14, 2022) 

[spiderpaige-reads]

Books Read In 2021 📚

Hello and welcome to my ratings and mini reviews of all the books i read in 2021!

-The Hunger Game by Suzanne Collins-

Rating: (4/5) 🏹

Review: I finally read the infamous book that jumpstarted ya dystopian lit. I read this over the summer and im happy i did! now onto Catching Fire.

-Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard-

Rating: (3/5) 👑

Review: it wasnt horrible but i didnt love it. I read this in january/february and it was fairly forgettable. I dont even remember the plot :/ I was hopeful but just didnt vibe with this book.

-Delirium/Pandemonium/requiem(series) by Lauren Oliver-

Rating: (4/5) ❤️

Review: At first i was skeptical but once i finished the first book i immediately got the next. It wasnt perfect but it was quite enjoyable!

-Dreamland by Sarah Dessen-

Rating: (3/5) 💤

Review: I like Sarah Dessens work but this book just didnt do it for me :/ It was good but not captivating enough.

-Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashhardoust-

Rating: (5/5) 🐍

Review: I love this book! Its such a captivating world with perfect elements of fact and fiction. Also, its wlw and in my top 3 LGBTQ+ list.

-Crave/Crush/Covet(series) by Tracy Wolff-

Rating: (5/5) 🧛‍♀️

Review: I was hopeful for this series but the first book gave me pause. At first it seemed a little cliche and cheesy but nonetheless i continued on and im glad i did! The second and third book were amazing! i love the lore and cant wait to read the fourth book, Court!

-Cinder by Marissa Meyer-

Rating: (3/5) 👠

Review: It was good but not great. I enjoyed what i read but wasnt eager to read the rest of the Lunar Chronicles but i may try the next book in the new year.

-Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu-

Rating: (4/5) 📕

Review: Great book for young girls to read to learn about feminism. Relatable for me and encouraged me to self reflect.

-Evermore by Alyson Noel-

Rating: (3/4) 🧛‍♀️

Review: The entire time i was internally screaming at the protagonist because of how clueless she seemed. It was good so i may continue the series in the new year.

-The Cousins by Karen M. McManus-

Rating: (4/5) 🤫

Review: I really enjoyed the story telling of this book. I loved the flashbacks to the parents. I want more books like this.

-Uglies by Scott Westerfield-

Rating: (3/5) 💋

Review: It was good but not great. I wasnt a huge fan of the overall lore but it was good for what it was.

-These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong-

Rating: (4/5)🍷

Review: Im an infamous Romeo and Juliet hater but i did really enjoyed this retelling. At times i forgot what the source material was. I cant wait to read the sequel!

-Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury-

Rating: (2/4) 🔥

Review: Not to be mean but i dont like this or any of ray bradburys work. No hate to him of course it just doesnt work for me. This was a reread for school :/

-Miss Peregrines home for peculiar children/Hollow City by Ransom Riggs-

Rating: (4/5) 🕊

Review: I loved the film when i came out so when i found the books i couldnt wait to read. i really enjoyed the lore and the story telling. (not to mention i loved the period piece aspects).

-Flowers in the Attic by V. C Andrews-

Rating: (3/5) 🌷

Review: it was good until the incest. It just…. i could smell it coming but was still surprised it when it happened :/ other than that it was good.

-Dead Letters by Conrad Williams-

Rating: (4/5) ✉️

Review: Some stories were better than others but as far as anthology books go this was quite enjoyable!

-Roald Dahls Book of Ghost Stories by Roald Dahl-

Rating: (4/5) 👻

Review: Again, another anthology book. My

boyfriend and i decided to read this together but neither of us fell in love but it was a good read.

[richincolor]

Group Discussion: Eternally Yours

With Halloween just around the corner, we thought it would be a perfect time to dive into the paranormal romances of Eternally Yours edited by Patrice Caldwell. We fell into the stories and found much to love. I think we avoided any major spoilers so feel free to take a peek into our group discussion even if you haven’t had a chance to read yet. If you know the stories though, we’d enjoy hearing your thoughts.

Publisher summary: Vampires and merpeople, angels and demons—the paranormal is full of unusual beings. The stories in this anthology imagine worlds where the only thing more powerful than the supernatural, is love.

Contributors include: Kalynn Bayron (Cinderella Is Dead); Kendare Blake (Three Dark Crowns); Kat Cho (Wicked Fox); Melissa de la Cruz (Blue Bloods); Sarah Gailey (When We Were Magic); Hafsah Faizal(We Hunt the Flame); Chloe Gong (These Violent Delights); Alexis Henderson (The Year of the Witching); Adib Khorram (Darius the Great Is Not Okay); Anna-Marie McLemore (When the Moon Was Ours, The Mirror Season); Casey McQuiston (Red, White, and Royal Blue; One Last Stop); Sandhya Menon (When Dimple Met Rishi); Akshaya Raman (The Ivory Key); Marie Rutkoski (The Winner’s Curse); Julian Winters (Running With Lions; Right Where I Left You)

What are your impressions of the cover? 

Audrey: I loved it! It’s beautifully macabre, and I especially enjoyed the detail of the blood dripping off of one of the roses. I knew exactly what kind of anthology I was going to get when I saw the cover.

Jessica: Oh, I’m such a fan. It really grabs you the moment you see it. I’m listening to Taylor Swift’s new album and Anti-Hero is playing right now – and it pairs really well with the cover! 

Crystal: I really love the vivid colors and it’s such a great pairing with the romantic and the slightly creepy. It’s warm and chilling at the same time.

K. Imani: I absolutely love the cover. It’s completely romantic and gothic with such beautiful colors. It really sets the vibe of the anthology. 

Which story or stories really grabbed you and lingered in your mind after reading? 

Audrey: Such a difficult decision! There were so many good stories in this anthology. If forced to narrow down my favorites, I’d pick “Piano Sonata No. 13” by Kalynn Bayron, “Banes and Blessings” by Hafsah Faizal, and “Bride-Heart” by Marie Rutkoski. (I do enjoy a story with a solid body count! And each of these had some lovely but horrifying details/descriptions that stuck with me.)

Jessica: Same, Audrey. It’s so hard to choose; they were all so paranormally delightful! I’ll echo Audrey on saying that “Banes and Blessings” was a favorite of mine, too. I also really loved La Bruja y la Sirena by Anna-Marie McLemore – such gorgeous writing. And of course, I have to include a shoutout to A Thousand More by Chloe Gong which was just so much fun. It’s the kind of story I want to see adapted as a C-Drama. 

Crystal: I totally agree, it is difficult to choose. I too have “Banes and Blessings” in my top picks though and the piano story was quite memorable. Being a children’s librarian, the title “If You Give an Asura a Cookie” stood out to me and the story wasn’t as creepy as others, but it was a sweet one and I enjoyed that.

K. Imani: I knew this question was going to be asked so I kept a small tally as I read, lol. I really did enjoy all the stories but like Audrey, “Piano Sonata No. 13” was perfect as it was a romantic villain origin story and I was there for it. “Kiss the Boy” by Adib Khorram had me smiling the whole time, and “My Demon Prince Charming,” by Sandhya Menon was so wonderfully romantic. And Jessica, I agree that “A Thousand More” by Chloe Gong needs to be a C-Drama. I would love to see all the different lives of Tally and Nate. 

Stories like these really make me think about questions involving monsters. What are monsters and or how can we determine if someone is truly a monster? Were any questions like this bouncing around in your mind while reading?

Audrey: As you can tell from my favorites list, one of the ideas I found myself circling was violence and how it can be used to blur the lines between “monsters” and “good people.” Sometimes the violence feels entirely justified, sometimes it feels good in the abstract, and sometimes it’s the byproduct of some other outcome you want. 

Crystal: The question of monsters is an interesting one to me. So many times we are judging whether someone or something is a monster on looks or even actions, but we don’t always know the motivations. I think the determination can be better made when you know the “why”, but that’s the trickiest part to discover or understand. We default to appearances because that’s the simple path.

Jessica: Monsters often embody the “Other,” which is why I think so many people connect with monster stories that are nuanced or sympathetic to them and depict monsters with a dimension of humanity. (And as seen in Scooby-Doo, the real ‘monster’ in stories can be the human, whose monstrous behavior outstrips a real ‘monster.’ Sorry, yes, I had to bring up Scooby Doo.) Monsters often reflect cultural fears, desires, and violations of conventional (white, straight) norms. And that’s something that many people from marginalized backgrounds can connect with. The letter to the reader from anthology editor Patrice Caldwell speaks to the appeal of monsters so well and also points to an IRL issue – that of publishing declaring paranormal romance “dead,” ignoring the BIPOC and queer paranormal romance authors who were already writing in the space or who aspire to write in that space. 

K. Imani: One of the aspects I liked about some of these stories is of demons and other monsters falling in love too. Monsters are often depicted as soulless evil drones, but in reality “monsters” are just people with bad intentions. They live and love like the rest of us, so it was nice to see our so-called “evil’ monsters “humanized” in a way. And like Crystal said we often don’t know the motivation of others so often when we think of monsters doing evil things, they are often just trying to survive. Stories of “monsters” falling in love helps us see them in a different light. It was one of the reasons why I love “If You Give an Asura a Cookie” because the story really showed how “monsters” are just trying to survive in a human populated world, and deserve happiness too. 

Did you meet any new authors that made you want to find more of their writing?

Audrey: Kalynn Bayron was a new-to-me author, and I’ll definitely be on the lookout for more of her work. 

Crystal: Akshaya Raman made me want to follow up and find more of her work. Fortunately, there is a book in existence already, The Ivory Key, so I have something to look forward to sometime soon. 

Jessica: I’m embarrassed to say that I’ve had Alexis Henderson’s much-lauded The Year of the Witching on my TBR pile for a long time, but haven’t gotten around to reading it. Reading “In the Eyes of Angels” was the push I needed to pick up The Year of the Witching finally – and I’m so glad I did! 

K. Imani: Like Crystal, Akshaya Raman stood out to me too. Now that I know she wrote “The Ivory Key”, a book that has been on my list, I can’t wait to dig into her novel. 

Since we’re on the topic of paranormal love, have you read any novels with that topic that you would recommend? 

Audrey: The first thing that jumped to mind for me was CEMETERY BOYS by Aiden Thomas, which features a brujo falling for the ghost he accidentally summoned. I’ve also loved every one of Anna-Marie McLemore’s books that I’ve read, so check those out if you’d like some magical realism with your romance.  

Crystal: I too loved Cemetery Boys and Anna-Marie McLemore’s books. I would also add Cynthia Leitich-Smith’s Feral Nights or her Tantalize series. 

Jessica: Echoing Audrey and Crystal – Cemetery Boys and anything by Anna-Marie McLemore is a must-read. I would also include the YA graphic novel Mooncakes by by Suzanne Walker and Wendy Xu, which is queer and lighthearted and fabulous. 

K. Imani: Oh, where to begin as paranormal romance is one of my favorite genres! Renee Ahdieh’s quartet “The Beautiful” is on its third book and is a wonderful gothic-ish series set in New Orleans in the 1870’s. If you want more Merfolk, Natasha Bowen’s “Skin of the Sea” duology is a treat. The sequel “Soul of the Deep” just came out a few weeks ago. 

This was a fun read and discussion and we’d recommend it for anyone with an interest in paranormal love stories and those with an interest in the monstrous. Thanks for joining us!

[randomestfandoms-ocs]

Marvel OC Masterlist 1

Name: Adelaide Stark

Title: Beyond The Archetype

Faceclaim:  Jenna Louise Coleman

Love interest: Sam Wilson

Summary: Adelaide Stark had always had a lot to live up to. Her dad always tried not to put a lot of pressure on her, but the rest of the world hadn’t been so kind.  So, Adi spent the first seventeen years of her life working and studying to follow in her family’s footsteps and work on military technology.  But when her father goes missing in her senior year of high school, her world falls apart.  And when he comes back, alive and a superhero, she has to rebuild herself and her dreams.  Now, not only Tony Stark’s daughter, but also Iron Man’s daughter, Adi realizes that maybe it’s time for her to stop following, and to do something for herself instead.

Name: Adonis Stark

Title: Stars Defied

Faceclaim: Colin Donnell

Love Interest: Orion Royce

Name: чудо | Adriana Stark

Title: Like The Sun (We Will Live To Rise)

Faceclaim:  Madison McLaughlin

Love interest: Peter Parker?

Name: Alana Stark

Title: Born To Die

Faceclaim: Madison Davenport

Name: Alena Zemo

Title: Untitled

Faceclaim: Poppy Drayton

Love Interest: Sam Wilson & Bucky Barnes

Name: Alessia Stark

Title: When Tomorrow Comes

Faceclaim: Melissa Benoist

Love Interest: Steve Rogers

Summary: “So this Doctor Banner was was trying to replicate the serum they used on me?”  “A lot of people were, only one succeeded.”  “Who?”  “Howard Stark.” -Steve Rogers and Phil Coulson

When Alessia Stark was sixteen, her dad used her to test out a new super serum.  He succeeded, and died a week later.  Aly Stark has never wanted to be a hero, despite the serum running through her veins.  She grew stronger, her aging slowed, she had even developed an inhuman healing factor, but she still didn’t want to be a hero.  Until her twin brother - now over a decade older than her - is kidnapped by terroists and returns a superhero.  Aly may not want to be a hero, but she’ll be damned if she leaves her brother to fight alone

Name: Alvina Strange

Title: Paradox

Faceclaim:  Alba Baptista

Name: Angelina Stark

Title: Cheap Tricks (And A Cheesy One-Liner)

Faceclaim: Phoebe Tonkin

Name: Angie Stark

Title: Turn Back Time

Faceclaim: Malina Weissman

Name: Antonia Stark-Parker

Title: The Final Countdown

Faceclaim: Olivia Holt

Summary: Years after the final battle against Thanos; after Tony and Natasha died and Steve stayed in the past, after Bruce became Professor Hulk and Clint retired again, their daughters are all grown up with children of their own. In their defence, they didn’t realize that their parents’ time fuckery and infinity stone usage would pass onto the newest generation, leaving them with six superpowered girls, each with the power of an Infinity Stone. And they certainly never expected the girls, the self proclaimed New Avengers, to decide to fix the mistakes that their grandparents made, starting back at the very beginning, with the Battle of Manhattan. And no, you can’t ask about their dad, thank you.

Name: Anya Barton

Title: What Happened In Budapest (Doesn’t Stay In Budapest)

Faceclaim:  Emma Stone

Love interest: Bucky Barnes

Summary:  What happened in Budapest?  Clint and Natasha took out an arms dealer, saved the world, had a baby, learned that the Red Room lied about sterilizing Natasha, and killed a few people.  Now all grown up, Anya Barton is the newest SHIELD recruit, and almost immediately, aliens invade and a god brainwashes her father; that’s a hell of a first day.  But Anya is the daughter of two of the greatest spies in the world, she’s not going down without a fight.  Not when aliens invade, not when SHIELD is revealed to be Hydra and she has to go off the grid, and definitely not when, in Budapest of all places, she meets a man with a metal arm who’s also trying to hide from whatever is left of Hydra.

Name: Aphrodite

Title: The Course of True Love (Never Did Run Smooth)

Faceclaim:  Vanessa Morgan

Love interest: Thor

Summary: Aphrodite could barely remember her home planet of Olympus, thanks to Odin destroying it when she was a child.  As the sole survivor of the Olympian gods, Odin decided that she was “useful” enough to keep, and brought her to Asgard.  Clearly he’d never considered the consequences of murdering her entire world and taking her hostage, as he somehow still expected her to be loyal to her.  Unfortunately for Odin, that plan was as stupid as the rest of his ideas; Aphrodite had never been loyal to him, her loyalty had always been to the next king of Asgard, and when he sends Thor to earth, he’ll learn just how far a goddess of love is willing to go to make sure he doesn’t cost her another family.

Name: Aria Parker

Title: The Art of Disappearing

Faceclaim:  Natalie Dormer

Love interest: Steve Rogers

Summary: Peter Parker was hardly the first enhanced Parker.  His aunt Aria had been born with the ability to control the elements.  At eighteen years of age, she dropped off the face of the earth, and no one, not even her cousins Ben and Richard, had any idea where she’d gone.  Most people thought she was dead, until ten years later when she helped Clint Barton find his dog in Central Park, and somehow befriending he and Natasha Romanov.  Even then, though, most of the world didn’t know who or where she was; not until Shield fell apart and Natasha found herself reaching out to the only person she trusted who had no affiliation with Shield or Hydra.

Name: Arielle Stark

Title: Piece By Piece

Faceclaim:  Nina Dobrev

Love Interest: Steve Rogers

Name: Aris Stark

Title: Forged In Iron

Faceclaim: Olivia Holt

Love Interest: Peter Parker

Summary: All Aris Stark wanted to do was train for the Olympics - gymnastics, specifically - and go on dates with Peter. Of course, being Iron Man’s daughter and Spiderman’s girlfriends complicated things, but Aris could handle complicated. Everything was perfect, until both her dad and boyfriend hopped on a ship to outer space while some crazy alien tried to destroy the universe. She waited in the compound, preparing all of the ways that she would yell at them for scaring her. And then she woke up, the compound on fire and crumbling around her, Tony and Peter nowhere to be found. And if that weren’t confusing enough, suddenly she was glowing.

Name: Asteria “Stargirl” Quill

Story: Made Of Stardust

Faceclaim:  Chloe Grace Moretz

Summary: If Peter Quill had known that some species didn’t have gestation periods, he might have been a lot more selective about who he slept with.  But, he hadn’t, and so, he wasn’t.  And so, he found himself with an infant daughter.  Half alien, all ravager, Asteria “Stargirl” Quill is all about profit and adventure, just like her dad.  But when a fight breaks out during a sale, and she and her dad get arrested with a green girl, a racoon, and a tree, everything is about to change.

Name: Athena Stark

Title: Iron Princess

Faceclaim: Zoey Deutch

Love Interest: Peter Parker

Summary: Athena Stark had a plan. She was going to be the valedictorian for her grade at Midtown High, then an undergrad in Poli Sci at Yale, then law school at Harvard, and then she would become president of the United States. She would change the laws in order to better protect superheroes like her father, and she would make him proud. But then her dad brings Spiderman to Berlin for a fight, and Peter Parker comes back talking about a Stark Internship that definitely doesn’t exist. Athena’s life plan never accounted for Superhero Liaison, let alone for becoming a superhero herself, but Starks are made of iron and Athena will make it work.

Name: Aurora Hansen Stark

Title: The Future In Silver and Gold

Faceclaim:  Bailee Madison

Love Interest: Peter Parker

Summary: “Please don’t tell me there’s a 12 year old kid waiting in the car that I’ve never met.“  Actually, she’s thirteen and at home, but with Killian having killed her mother, Aurora Stark is about to find out the truth about her mysterious father.  Unfortunately, as unprepared as Tony is for a daughter, Aurora is equally unprepared for a father, and getting used to each other will be harder than either of them could have ever anticipated.

Name: Octavia Ava Potts

Story: Golden Child (Grew Up)

Faceclaim: Danielle Rose Russell

Love Interest: Peter Parker

Summary: A lot had changed for Ava, since her father died.  She had moved in with her Aunt Pepper and Tony; aliens had invaded New York, they had moved to Malibu, she had gotten kidnapped, they — well, you get the picture.  A lot had changed for Ava over the years, but as she settled into her life at Midtown High, she thought that the craziest of changes were in her past.  And then the Avengers break up, and she discovers that one of her closest friends is hiding a secret not too different from her own.

Name: Bennett Parker-Maximoff

Title: The Final Countdown

Faceclaim: Danielle Campbell

Summary: Years after the final battle against Thanos; after Tony and Natasha died and Steve stayed in the past, after Bruce became Professor Hulk and Clint retired again, their daughters are all grown up with children of their own. In their defence, they didn’t realize that their parents’ time fuckery and infinity stone usage would pass onto the newest generation, leaving them with six superpowered girls, each with the power of an Infinity Stone. And they certainly never expected the girls, the self proclaimed New Avengers, to decide to fix the mistakes that their grandparents made, starting back at the very beginning, with the Battle of Manhattan. And no, you can’t ask about their dad, thank you.

Name: Betsy Walker

Title: Chasing Shadows

Faceclaim: Amanda Seyfried

Love Interest: Sam Wilson & Bucky Barnes

Name: Bianca Davis

Title: The American Dream

Faceclaim:  Kat McNamara

Love interest: Steve Rogers

Summary: Being 26, in Washington DC, and working at the Smithsonian Museum of Air and Space wasn’t exactly where Bianca ever imagined herself, but it’s a pretty fun gig, and a great stepping stone to becoming a Smithsonian Curator.  And she gets to work in the Captain America exhibit, which has always been a fascination of hers.  Twenty six and working a good job in her field of studies is more than most recent graduates can say, but her life is still completely mundane–until the day Steve Rogers walks into her exhibit for the first time.

Name: Brinley Brant

Title: Because I Could Not Stop For Death (He Kindly Stopped For Me)

Faceclaim:  Lili Reinhart

Love Interest: Peter Parker

Summary: There had been four Brant sisters, once.  Beatrice and Bridget, twins and completely inseparable; Betty, the oldest, brightest, best; and Brinley, the middle child, overlooked, and Betty’s biggest fan.  And then, the decimation.  Three sisters and their father waiting by the door for Betty to come home, to tell them she was alright and laugh about them worrying.  But she never did.  With a dead sister and a dying mother, it fell to Brinley to fill the gap.  Day by day she became more and more like her sister, no longer able to differentiate between her reflection and Betty’s pictures, until one day she woke up and realized that she was a whole year older than Betty would ever get to be.  And then the Avengers reversed the blip, and when the doorbell rang, Betty had finally come home.

Name: Brynhilde Parkerdottir

Title: The Final Countdown

Faceclaim: Jenny Boyd

Summary: Years after the final battle against Thanos; after Tony and Natasha died and Steve stayed in the past, after Bruce became Professor Hulk and Clint retired again, their daughters are all grown up with children of their own. In their defence, they didn’t realize that their parents’ time fuckery and infinity stone usage would pass onto the newest generation, leaving them with six superpowered girls, each with the power of an Infinity Stone. And they certainly never expected the girls, the self proclaimed New Avengers, to decide to fix the mistakes that their grandparents made, starting back at the very beginning, with the Battle of Manhattan. And no, you can’t ask about their dad, thank you.

Name: Brynn Bates

Title: Dust To Dust

Faceclaim: Erin Moriarty

Name: Calypso Lokidottir

Title: This Is Your Kingdom

Faceclaim:  Emilia Clarke

Love Interest: Steve Rogers & Bucky Barnes

Summary: Calypso “Callie” Laurens had always known that she wasn’t normal, no one had ever tried to spare her from that truth. With her silver-white hair, her fondness for “renaissance fair” dresses, and her Shakespearean speech, it would have been impossible for her to not know that she was strange. What she didn’t know was that her name wasn’t Calypso Laurens, but rather Calypso Lokidottir, princess of Asgard and daughter of Loki. But, when a strange hammer shows up in her town, one that only she can lift, Calypso is about to learn everything that Odin never wanted her to know, including why she was cast away to Midgard in the first place.

Name: Constance Osborn

Title: Rise Above

Fandom: The Amazing Spider-Man

Faceclaim:  Lily Collins

Summary: At five years old, Constance Conwell lost her mother.  Suicide, she was told; her fault, the note said.  She never knew the details, but the men in the suits read her the note, made sure she knew just how much her mother had hated her — so much that she chose death over her daughter. It hadn’t made sense, her mother had always seemed so happy to spend time with her daughter, but the note said otherwise.  So Constance was packed up and moved to New York, where she met Norman Osborn — the cold man with empty eyes who was apparently her father — and Harry Osborn — with his warm hugs and soft eyes and endless excitement to have a little sister.  Harry, with his best friend Peter; Peter who had also just lost his parents, and Harry, who always knew when she needed to be distracted and when she just needed someone to sit with her.  At five years old, Constance Conwell lost her mother, and Constance Osborn found her brother.

At eleven years old, Constance Osborn lost her best friend.  Boarding school, her father had explained, packing Constance and Harry into the private jet and sending them to Europe. But they both knew the truth; Norman just didn’t want them.  So they went — first to England, then France, then Switzerland, and so on so forth as various disciplinary infractions kept them shuffling between schools.  With no Peter Parker, with no best friend to keep them in line, the Osborns fell apart faster than the tabloids could keep up with.  At eleven years old, Constance Osborn lost her best friend.  She never found another.

At sixteen years old, Constance Osborn loses herself.  Only a few months out from graduation, her dad asks to see her — the first time he’s asked to see her since she moved in — and she flies back to New York for a couple of weeks.  But whatever cautious optimism she’d harboured for a touching family reunion was crushed almost as soon as she saw what she’d come home to.  A city on the verge of destruction, a father who was losing what little was left of his sanity, a world of heroes and villains that left no one unscarred.  At sixteen years old, Constance Osborn loses herself.  She’s not sure who she found.

Name: Cora Royce

Title: Stars Defied

Faceclaim: Willa Holland

Love Interest: Sam Wilson; eventual poly Sam x Bucky in TFATWS

Summary: In 2011, Cora Royce’s parents went to New Mexico for a week’s holiday; some aliens invaded, and they never made it home.  In 2012, the same aliens invade, and Cora almost loses her brother.  When Orion insists on taking her to work with him “for her safety”, Cora expects a boring day at the main office of the family company, she doesn’t expect to find out that her brother has a second life as a spy-archer-assassin for a top secret government agency founded by Cora’s personal hero, Peggy Carter herself.  She also doesn’t expect to find out that her parents were part of the agency themselves, and that their holiday in New Mexico was part of a mission to stop the very alien-god who killed them.  And she definitely didn’t expect to find herself on an invisible flying battleship with her pseudo-uncle Tony Stark — sorry, Iron Man — and an apparently not-dead Captain America.  

Cora is under strict orders from Orion to stay in the lab where Tony can protect her, but when everything goes to shit, Cora can’t just stay on the sidelines.  She may not be a superhero, but she’s Royce, and there is nothing that could stop her from protecting the last of her family.

Name: Cordelia

Title: I Was In The Darkness (So Darkness I Became)

Face claim:  Alycia Debnam-Carey

Name: Courtney Lang

Title: The Cost Of Legacy

Faceclaim: Willa Fitzgerald

Summary:  Courtney Lang loved her dad, she really did. Sure, he did some illegal business and was in jail for a while, but hey, nobody’s perfect.  But when he got back from jail, everything changed.  He was keeping secrets, avoiding her, lying to her, but it all made sense when she learned that he was actually a superhero.  But then he went rogue, got put under house arrest, and broke said house arrest with less than a day until his time was up.  Still, she could handle all of that, until half of all living things disappeared, and her father along with them.

Name: Danni Stark

Title: Fated

Faceclaim:  Lily Collins

Love Interest: Steve Rogers, possibly poly Stucky

Summary: 1942.  The United States Of America has finally joined the war.  Danielle Stark becomes a war correspondent and, with some help from her older brother, becomes the official liaison to the Howling Commandos.  As the history books will tell, Danni and Peggy Carter were as inseparable behind the scenes as Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes were on the battlefield.  And as the history books won’t tell, Danni Stark fell in love on the front lines, with both Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes.  And then, Bucky fell from a train and Steve crashed his plane, and Danni found herself alone.

1945.  The war is over.  Everyone goes home.  Unsure of what to do with herself, Danni ends up in New York, helping Peggy and Howard to found SHIELD.  For several years, Danni juggles her work as a reporter with her secret life as a SHIELD agent, until Howard finds something in the arctic.  With the new powers of the tesseract at his fingertips, Howard finally decides to try a new version of Project Rebirth, and Danni is the first to offer herself as a volunteer.  But as soon as he sees the powers that the cube gave his sister, Howard files the project away, destroying all evidence that it had ever happened, and Danni keeps her newly developed powers a secret from everyone except for Howard, Peggy, and Edwin Jarvis.

2012.  A new war brews on the horizon.  Danni has been off the grid for decades — after all, she’s hardly eager to explain why she still looks twenty-five rather than ninety-five.  As far as most of the world knows, she died shortly after her brother; quietly and peacefully, a very private affair.  The only person who still knows she’s alive is her nephew, Tony Stark, with whom she is in regular contact.  But even Tony has never tried to convince her to come out of the shadows — not until he shakes her entire world with a single line on a voicemail; “Steve is alive, he’s at SHIELD.”  And Danni Stark knows that it’s time to return to the world she’d long since left behind.

Name: Diana Moore

Title: The Long Game

Faceclaim:  Hailee Steinfeld

Love interest: Peter Parker

Summary: You would have to be an idiot to not realize that Peter Parker is Spiderman.  Well, Diana might go to a school for geniuses, but clearly they’re all idiots because no one else seems to have figured it out. Well, that’s fine, that makes it easier to keep the whole Secret Identity Thing a secret.  And if there’s one thing that Diana Moore is good at, it’s keeping a secret - or it was, until she and the rest of her Acadec team nearly die in DC.  Now it’s personal, and whether he likes it or not, Diana is going to do whatever it takes to help Peter Parker save the world.

Name: Dominique Barton

Title: Life Goes On

Faceclaim: Emily Rudd

Love Interest: Peter Parker

Name: Dorothy Madison

Title: Somewhere Over The Rainbow

Faceclaim:  Keira Knightley

Love Interest: Steve Rogers & Bucky Barnes

Summary: Dorothy Madison, Bucky Barnes, and Steve Rogers had been inseparable for most of their lives. Four years her senior, the boys had already been best friends for years before they met the small girl on her first day of kindergarten and immediately got into a fight with her first bully. From then on it was much of the same; Steve getting into fights, Bucky either joining him or pulling him out, and Dorothy keeping them out of trouble.

The years passed quickly, and she found herself falling in love with both of her best friends. But before she figured out what to do about that, the war made its way to their door. Bucky got drafted and, during their last night together, Steve got himself enlisted.

Well, no way was Dorothy letting her boys go to war without her. She quickly found a place for herself within the Office of Strategic Services, and soon found herself put in charge of the Howling Commandos. Finally, everything was right again; Steve was rushing head first into danger with Bucky as his right hand, and Dorothy struggling to keep her boys alive.

Name: Eir Odinsdottir

Title: See No Evil

Faceclaim: Maisie Williams

Summary: Once, Eir Odinsdottir had been the princess of Asgard; Odin’s youngest child, and only daughter, and beloved by her brothers and their kingdom.  But Eir was also a seer.  She could see things that had happened, things that were happening, and things that had not yet happened.  And one day, she saw the truth about her family: the older sister long since cast away, the secret behind her brother’s parentage, and the dark and bloody truth behind her father’s reign.  And so, Odin exiled her.  Eir spent years travelling the nine realms, longing for home, before finally seeing her brothers on Midgard, so to Midgard she goes.

Name: Elena Barnes

Title: Balancing The Score

Faceclaim:  Kaya Scodelario

Summary:  Imagine a weapon who has all the skills of the Asset, but without the memories.  No need to wipe and start over, no questions, only loyalty to Hydra. Enter Elena Barnes.  Bred by Hydra to serve that purpose, they truly believed that they had created the perfect weapon.  But, compliant as she seemed, Elena watched the torture that her father suffered, and anger lived within her veins.  After the Battle of Manhattan, she finds herself out in the world with instructions to bring back Loki’s staff, but instead, she disappears.  Goes off the grid and dedicates herself to learning the truth about herself and her father, until one day she’s at a museum and meets the one person who can truly answer all of her questions.

Name: Elia Patel

Title: Eclipsed Sun

Faceclaim:  Summer Bishil

Love Interest: Tony Stark

Name: Elizabeth Banner-Parker

Title: The Final Countdown

Faceclaim: Natalia Dyer

Summary: Years after the final battle against Thanos; after Tony and Natasha died and Steve stayed in the past, after Bruce became Professor Hulk and Clint retired again, their daughters are all grown up with children of their own. In their defence, they didn’t realize that their parents’ time fuckery and infinity stone usage would pass onto the newest generation, leaving them with six superpowered girls, each with the power of an Infinity Stone. And they certainly never expected the girls, the self proclaimed New Avengers, to decide to fix the mistakes that their grandparents made, starting back at the very beginning, with the Battle of Manhattan. And no, you can’t ask about their dad, thank you.

Name: Elizabeth Barton

Title: Walking The Tightrope

Faceclaim: Emma Watson

Love Interest: Tony Stark

Summary: Elizabeth Barton has been working for SHIELD since she was sixteen; since she and her big brother had been recruited out of the circus.  No mission ever phased the ex tightrope walker, nothing ever compared to the thrill and danger of walking on a wire, over 20 feet in the air.  Even her elite task force with Clint and Natasha - Silver Swan, Hawkeye, and Black Widow - paled in comparison.  But then Tony Stark becomes Iron Man, Liz is assigned to get to know the man behind the mask, and suddenly she feels like she’s sixteen and walking the tightrope again.

Name:  Eleanor “Ellie” Coulson

Title: Reinvention

Faceclaim:  Sabrina Carpenter

Love interest: Peter Parker

Summary: There are some facts in life that are simply unavoidable. “If your father is one of SHIELD’s top agents, and your mother is out of the picture, you will be raised as a SHIELD agent from before you can walk” is one of them.  Eleanor Coulson has spent her entire life as an agent in training, and she happens to be very good at it.  But when SHIELD is revealed to be Hydra, and her dad is charged with rebuilding the entire organization, Ellie is faced with her most challenging mission yet. High school.

Name: Elsie Carter

Title: Travelling Soldier

Faceclaim: Daisy Ridley

Love Interest: Steve Rogers & Bucky Barnes

Summary: Even before her sister joined the army, Eloise Carter knew that she was always going to be second best.  Still, that wasn’t going to stop her from helping in the war herself - so Elsie became a nurse.  She loved her job, despite the heartbreak that came with every life she failed to save, but she couldn’t have been less thrilled to suddenly find herself assigned to her sister’s troops.  At least until she was put in charge of the recently rescued James Barnes.  She soon learned that James was never without Steve Rogers, Captain America himself, and suddenly her transfer seemed a little less awful.  But they were soldiers, and Elsie couldn’t do anything more than wait for them to return from every fight, praying each time that they would make it back.

Name: Erna Bragidottir

Title: Speak No Evil

Faceclaim:  Gal Gadot

Love interest: Thor & Steve Rogers

Summary: When Hela massacred the Valkyrie, only two survived; Brunhilde and Erna. But Odin wasn't going to risk anyone learning the truth about his bloody history, and was quick to exile them both.  One minute, Erna was trying to say goodbye to her best friend, her sister, and the next she was waking up on Midgard, surrounded by a group who called themselves the Howling Commandos, apparently in the middle of the planet's biggest war.  The Valkyrie may have been slaughtered, and she may have been exiled from Asgard, but Erna is, and will always be, a Valkyrie and she is going to fight for her new home.

Name: Evelyn Rogers

Title: Long Story Short

Faceclaim:  Katie Cassidy

Love Interest: Bruce Banner

Summary: Having lost her father to the Great War, her mother to tuberculosis, and her boyfriend to the draft, Evelyn Rogers was not going to lose her brother too.  So when he signs up for something called the Erskine Program, she refuses to sit back and wait for him to come home.  When Steve becomes the world’s first superhero, the new poster boy for war relief efforts, Evelyn’s name is at the top of the list for his chorus girls, and she follows him all the way to the war.  And when they find out that Bucky as his battalion have been captured, she follows him all the way to the front line — and into Johann Schmidt’s grasp.  She doesn’t follow him back.

When Steve Rogers forms the Howling Commandos, he has one mission in mind.  Wipe HYDRA off the board, and bring Evelyn home.  When he finally finds her, on a train with Armin Zola, she has no memory of anything since reaching the HYDRA base. Still recovering from her time with HYDRA, and from losing her first love, Evelyn is unable to follow Steve into his final confrontation with Schmidt.  And Steve goes into the ice.

Evelyn returns to New York with Howard Stark and Peggy Carter, with a hole in her heart and no bodies to lay to rest.  Desperate to find some sort of peace, she throws herself into searching for the bodies of the only two Howling Commandos not to make it home.  After months of searching, Evelyn finds a lead on Bucky, and is never seen again.

Until, 70 years later, she shows up on Nick Fury’s doorstep.  No older than the day she disappeared, with no memory of anything after her brother’s plane hit the ice, Evelyn Rogers follows her brother into a new century.

Name: Ezra Barton

Title: Vortex

Faceclaim:  Jennifer Lawrence

Name: Francine Barton-Parker

Title: The Final Countdown

Faceclaim: Emily Rudd

Summary: Years after the final battle against Thanos; after Tony and Natasha died and Steve stayed in the past, after Bruce became Professor Hulk and Clint retired again, their daughters are all grown up with children of their own. In their defence, they didn’t realize that their parents’ time fuckery and infinity stone usage would pass onto the newest generation, leaving them with six superpowered girls, each with the power of an Infinity Stone. And they certainly never expected the girls, the self proclaimed New Avengers, to decide to fix the mistakes that their grandparents made, starting back at the very beginning, with the Battle of Manhattan. And no, you can’t ask about their dad, thank you.

Name: Freya Thordottir

Title: Like Catching Lightning

Faceclaim: Jenny Boyd

Love Interest: Peter Parker

Name: Grace Osborn

Title: Bound In Secrets

Faceclaim: Camila Mendes

Love Interest: Peter Parker

Summary: Once upon a time, Grace Osborn had it all.  She was the prized princess of the Osborn family, she had a wonderful older brother, and she was her parents’ pride and joy.  And then Norman Osborn found out that her mother had been lying for thirteen years and Grace wasn’t his daughter, only a lie to force him into marriage.  In order to keep the scandal quiet, Norman quickly sent Grace away to boarding school in England; out of sight, out of mind.  That was three years ago.  Now, Norman is dead and Harry is in charge, and he has only one priority.  Bring his baby sister home.

Name: Grayson Frost

Title: Fear No Evil

Faceclaim: Dylan Sprayberry

Love Interest: Kassandra Maximoff

Name: Ilya Romanova

Title: Fatale

Faceclaim:  Holland Roden

Love Interest: Bucky Barnes

Summary: Once, the Red Room had trained dozens of girls, with the Romanova sisters as their greatest success.  Natalia, the Black Widow, was a prodigy in everything she did, and her sister Ilya was close behind.  But when Natalia defected, Ilya was quick to rise up and fill the hole her sister left.  She left a bloodstained legacy unlike any other, earning the title of Red Widow and thriving under солдат’s personal training.  So when Hydra sought her gifts, looking to raise her up from student to mission partner, they complied, and the Widow became the Banshee.  

сирена met every one of their expectations with ease, and it was no question that she would be their first miracle; developing powers to match her name.  For decades, солдат and сирена worked as a perfect unit, carrying out Hydra’s vision on a global scale.  But when the assassination of Nick Fury goes awry, the partners find themselves face to face with ghosts of pasts they don’t remember, and everything Hydra has built threatens to fall apart.

Name: Irina Drakov

Title: Shadow

Faceclaim:  Mila Kunis

Name: Jameson Barrett | марионетка

Title: Til The End Of The Line

Faceclaim: Dove Cameron

Love Interest: Stefania Raine

Summary: Under the scars, white hair, and leather ensemble, Stefania Raine recognized Jameson Barrett — the very best friend she thought to have seen die two years prior, when aliens invaded New York. But for the other girl, Jameson Barrett was buried deeper; she only ever remembered being марионетка, The Puppet, and being sent there with The Soldier to end Nicholas Fury’s life.

In the middle of the chaos, Stefania lost sight of her best friend, but refused to let the girl go again — even if that meant teaming up with a recently un-brainwashed soldier to find her.

With a faulting memory and unbalanced emotions, Jameson knew that accepting that she used to have a name wasn’t enough of a step to becoming a functional person. So, when she runs into the man from the bridge, from the helicarriers — the man who refused to fight — and he asks for her help in finding her ex-partner and the closest thing she had to a friend, she doesn’t say no.

Name: Jamie Carter-Rogers

Title: Out Of Time

Faceclaim: Margot Robbie

Love Interest: Sam Wilson & Bucky Barnes

Summary: Everybody knows that everybody dies, and nobody knows it like Jamie Rogers.  She was raised on war stories, stories about her long dead namesake, and her dad’s stories of another world.  A world of aliens and superheroes, of pain and hope, stories of how half of its universe died, and of the ones who gave everything to avenge it.  But when Jamie touches the strange crack on her wall and finds herself in New York City, in an alien invasion, in 2012, she realizes that her dad’s other world is not only real, but is the world he comes from, and every single story she heard was true.  Everybody knows that everybody dies.  But not every day.  So, trapped in a world where she was never born, with no way to go home, and knowing exactly what the universe has in store for earth’s mightiest heroes, Jamie makes a promise to herself.  Just this once, everybody lives.

Name: Jason Grant

Title: When Tomorrow Comes

Faceclaim: Tyler Hoechlin

Name: Jordan Jameson

Title: Unwritten

Faceclaim: Margaret Qualley

Name: Justine “JB” Barnes

Title: Lost

Faceclaim:  Kathryn Newton

Name: Kara Helasdottir

Title: The Memories Are Gone (The Aftershocks Live On)

Faceclaim: Emma Dumont

Name: Kassandra Maximoff

Title: Fear No Evil

Faceclaim: Danielle Rose Russell

Love Interest: Grayson Frost

Summary: Kassandra Maximoff was no stranger to fear; she’d been afraid ever since her parents were killed by a Stark bomb, since she spent those days hiding with her siblings, wondering if any moment might be her last, waiting for Tony Stark to kill her too. So when Strucker offered she and her siblings the opportunity to be strong, to protect their country, to not be afraid, they took it. By the time they found out he was HYDRA, it was too late to escape. The siblings spent months being tortured, knowing exactly what would come if they defected. Kassandra had long since accepted her fate, had long since given up hope. And then the Avengers break into their facility.

Name: Katarina Amelia Aliano

Title: Skyscraper

AO3 | FFNET | WATTPAD

Faceclaim:  Sophie Turner & Summer Fontana

Love Interest: Harley Keener; possible Harley & Peter

Summary: Child genius turned orphan, Katarina was counting on her own hacking skills to keep her under the radar.  And they do, until she gets caught hacking into Stark industries, looking for answers regarding the aliens that killed her parents in New York, and suddenly she’s not just on a radar, she’s on Tony Stark’s radar.  When he decides to take her in, no one expects it to go well, but she soon makes a place for herself on the team and in their hearts.  She’s not a superhero, far from it, but she’s a hero in her own right, and nothing comes between Katarina and her family; not her biological family, and definitely not the weird group of misfits and gods that she calls her own.

Name: Kathleen Swanson

Title: Ghost Of You

Faceclaim: Claire Holt

Name: Katie Dean

Title: Renegades

Fandom: Runaways

Faceclaim: Meg Donnelly

Love Interest: Chase Stein

Summary: Katrina Dean was, all things considered, relatively happy with her life.  She had her church, cheerleading, choir, and her sister, what more could she want?  Or so she thought, at least, until Karolina’s friends discovered the truth about PRIDE, and Karolina discovered the truth about their bracelets.  And as much as Katie would love to pretend that nothing had changed, as much as she would love to keep living her perfect life, she knows that’s not an option anymore.  And so Katie and Karolina run away.

Name: Kennedy Keener

Title: True North

Faceclaim: Sophia Lillis & Abbey Cowen

Name: Lara Rogers | призрак

Title: Death Defied

Faceclaim:  Lyndsy Fonseca

Love interest: Bucky Barnes

Summary: No one told Steve that his DNA was going to be used to breed a new super soldier - or that it was going to fail.  No one told him that a civilian, Angie Martinelli, was going to give birth to his son, Caleb Rogers, or that Caleb wouldn’t be a super soldier.  No one told him that Caleb was going to have a daughter, Lara, and absolutely no one told him that on her fifth birthday, his granddaughter was going to be kidnapped by Hydra, turned into a super soldier, frozen over and over again, tortured and brainwashed endlessly, and eventually get partnered with the Winter Soldier.  But suddenly he’s in the future, suddenly he’s fought aliens, and suddenly солдат and призрак - the Soldier and the Ghost, Bucky and Lara - are attacking Nick Fury in the middle of DC. Suddenly Steve is on the run with Natasha, suddenly they’re in a Hydra facility underneath a bunker, and suddenly the computerized ghost of Arnim Zola is telling them everything.  And while it feels sudden to Steve, Project Insight and its enforcers have been seventy years in the making, and no matter how much he wants to cling to the last remains of his family, they might be beyond saving.

Name: Lavinia

Title: Untitled

Faceclaim: Lindsey Morgan

Love Interest: Peter Quill

Name: Lillian Rogers

Title: To The End Of The World

Faceclaim: Ali Liebert (in Bomb Girls)

Love Interest: Bucky Barnes

Summary: Lili Rogers would do anything for her brother.  Lie and steal to get his medication, agree not to flirt with his best friend despite her eternal crush, even fake her way into the US army.  Of course, it didn’t take long before someone figured out that Liam Rogers was actually Lillian Rogers; but thankfully she was found out by Peggy Carter, who quickly hired her as her secretary and liason to the Howling Commandos.  Lili honestly couldn’t have cared less, until she found out that the elite force was led by none other than her brother - who had somehow doubled in size - with the love of her life as his right hand man.

Name: Lisbeth Dugan

Title: Spider Web

Faceclaim:  Madelaine Petsch

Name: Lorraine Gillespie

Title: Dying Day

Faceclaim:  Tuppence Middleton

Name: Lucy Pierce

Title: Heaven Or Hell

Faceclaim: Vanessa Kirby

Love Interest: Bucky Barnes & Steve Rogers

Summary: Bought from the Red Room by Hydra, Lukeriya Turgenev found herself becoming Lucy Pierce when she was forced to marry the head of Hydra, Alexander Pierce himself.  A tortured doll reprogrammed to be a perfect weapon and model wife, freedom had always been a foreign concept to Lucy.  At least it was, until a failed assassination put she and Yasha – James – The Soldier – face to face with Captain America and Lucy’s former sister and rival, Natasha Romanov.

Name: Lydia Cabot-Stark

Title: Right Down The Line (It’s Been You And Me)

Faceclaim: Blake Lively

Love Interest: Tony Stark

Name: Marina Kovol

Title: Clockwork

Faceclaim:  Emily Bett Rickards

Name: Mia Pierce

Title: (I’ve Got) No Strings On Me

Faceclaim:  Troian Bellisario

Love interest: Pietro Maximoff

Summary:  Mia Pierce has been raised as a Hydra pawn since the day she was born. Her father, Alexander Pierce, believed that she was the future of Hydra, someone that they could teach to worship the organization without brainwashing, that could be raised as a public figure and eventually positioned in whichever political office they needed her in.  But Mia was too curious for her own good, asked too many questions, and tried to tell too many secrets, and so she was punished, and forced to comply. But after her father died, and Winter escaped, the Avengers broke into her latest facility, and suddenly Mia is free for the first time in her life.

Name: Millie Quill

Title: Untitled

Faceclaim: Eliza Taylor

[pop-pop-pop-popculture]

2022 MET Gala Red Carpet Review

“In America: An Anthology of Fashion > Gilded Glamour” is the theme.

Camila Mendes: 👍🏽 - I love her makeup, hair, and dress!

Priscilla Presley (a.k.a. Elvis Presley’s WIFE!): No comment.

Maggie Rogers: 👎🏽 (Whoever did her hair and styled her must hate her...)

Agnes Chu: 👎🏽 - The dress and lipstick color are pretty...

Paapa Essiedu: 👍🏽 - I don’t see what his outfit has to do with ‘Gilded Glamour’, but I’m not mad. I like the necklace, color of the garments, and the pants. 

Ariana DeBose: 👍🏽

Regé-Jean Page: 👎🏽 - Extremely handsome, though! 

Lori Harvey: Elegant, but not really in-theme.

LaQuan Smith: 👍🏽 - I love the silver blazer! You are looking super dapper, sir. 

Questlove: No comment.

Anitta: 👍🏽

Patrick Schwarzenegger: 👍🏽 - I love the color palette.

Janelle Monáe: 👍🏽 - I really like the headpiece and the colors on it. The gown itself is pretty as well as the fabric, and it fits her so well.

Kaia Gerber: 👍🏽 - FUCKING NAILED IT! Her hair, makeup, and dress are so pretty!

Isabelle Boemeke: 👍🏽 - Her outfit, makeup, and hair are intriguing, that’s for sure. I like it!

Austin Butler: 👎🏽 - Too basic.

Andrew Saffir and Daniel Benedict: No comment.

Kelvin Harrison Jr.: Not a thumbs up or down, but I do like the pants and shoes...

Vanessa Nadal and Lin-Manuel Miranda: I love the purple, green, and yellow together; however, her outfit does not follow the theme. Lin just looks handsome as ever! These two win best couple of the night.

Tommy Dorfman: 👍🏽 - I love the shade of green and the dress itself.

Harris Dickinson: Eh...

Sabrina Carpenter: Eh...

Ben Platt: 👎🏽 - Too basic.

Kacey Musgraves: 👍🏽 

Lisa Airan: Eh...

Kate Moss: Nice dress...

Samuelle Leibovitz and Annie Leibovitz: Sam’s gown is pretty, but that’s about it. As for Annie, ... what?

Tom Ford: 👎🏽 - Too basic.

Tommy Hilfiger: 👎🏽 - Too basic. I do love the velvet blue, though.

Dee Hilfiger: 👎🏽 - Too basic. Gorgeous shade of gold, though!

Hugh Jackman: 👎🏽 - Too basic, my Broadway king, but I still love you.

Deborra-Lee Furness: 👎🏽 - The gown is pretty, though.

Janicza Bravo: 👍🏽 - I love her eyeshadow and shoes the most, but the outfit is still nice. 

Michaela Jaé Rodriguez: 👍🏽

Chloe Bailey: 👍🏽 - The creation of the dress is neat, and I love the piece around her neck.

Iris van Herpen: 👎🏽 - Too basic. (You go all out for your client(s), but not yourself?)

Franklin Leonard: Not a thumbs up or down, but 10 points to his stylist for being creative.

Autumn de Wilde: 👍🏽

Caroline Wozniacki: 👍🏽 - I love the different shades of blue and her hairstyle.

Adrienne Adams: Pretty dress and jewelry, but it’s still an ‘eh’ for me.

Amirah Kassem: 👍🏽 - She honestly looks like a goddess, and that shade of blue looks great on her.

Melissa King: I... I don’t know what to think...

Steven Kolb: 👎🏽 - Too basic, but I like the details on the jacket.

Blake Lively: 👍🏽 - Gorgeous gown(s) and overall look!

Ryan Reynolds: 👎🏽 - Too basic, but I like the fabric. 

Ciara: 👍🏽

Anna Wintour: 👍🏽 - Lol... she would wear a tiara.

Meredith Winston: Not a thumbs up or down, but I like the fabric and creation of the dress.

Wendy Murdoch: 👍🏽

Fabiola Beracasa Beckman: Not a thumbs up or down, but the dress creation is stunning.

David Harbour and Lily Allen: Not a thumbs up or down, but I love the top hat and cane.

Andy Blankenbuehler: 👎🏽 - Too basic.

J Balvin: 👎🏽 - Too basic.

Naomi Campbell: I don’t know what to think...

Jeremy Strong: Eh...

Francesco Carrozzini: 👎🏽 - Too basic, but damn, he is fine. Also, kudos to his stylist for choosing a navy blue suit. Absolutely dapper, sir!   

Bee Carrozzini: 👎🏽 - Gorgeous from head-to-toe and the fabric is pretty, but her look doesn’t intrigue me.

Gina Sanders: 👍🏽

Nicola Coughlan: 👍🏽 

Maisie Williams: 👍🏽 - She just pulls goth off so well. 

Irina Shayk: Girl, what?

Stormzy: The all-white is nice...

Miranda Kerr: Gorgeous, but she did not stay true to the theme.

Denée Benton: 👎🏽 - I love the jewelry and her makeup, though.

Elizabeth Cordry Shaffer: Not a thumbs up or down, but I love the black bows printed on the gown. 

Camille Cotton: 👎🏽 - Lovely fabric, boring creation.

Willow Lindley: 👍🏽 - I love the colors and how abstract the print is. Simple yet elegant and eye-catching.

Mark Guiducci: 👎🏽 - Too basic.

Future: No comment.

Lenny Kravitz: No comment.

Eaddy Kiernan: 👎🏽 - Too basic, but the magenta and necklace are pretty.

Emma Chamberlain: 👍🏽 - I’m not a fan of her and still HIGHLY disagree with Anna’s moronic decision to invite influencers to prestigious events such as this one, but I like her overall look.

La La Anthony: 👍🏽 - I love the head-to-toe burgundy! Also, that hat (or headpiece?) is amazing. Kudos to her stylist!

Vanessa Hudgens: 👍🏽

Frederick Robertsson: 👍🏽👍🏽

Giveon: Not a thumbs up or thumbs down.

Hamish Bowles: Not a thumbs up or down, but I appreciate the use of props. 

Lucy Boynton: 👍🏽

Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz: I love the head-to-toe white outfit for Brooklyn and the shade of pink on Nicole’s dress, but neither of them followed the theme.

Adwoa Aboah: I like the outfit, but it doesn’t feel in-theme to me. 

Paloma Elsesser: Not a thumbs up or down. I don’t know what to think to be honest, but I’m not mad. 

Awkwafina: Not a thumbs up or down. The colors are pretty and I love the dress itself (and the jewelry), but I feel it [the dress] doesn’t compliment her figure well.

Lily Aldridge: 👍🏽 - A little too simple, but I still like the outfit.   

Alessandro Michele: Meh.

Jared Leto: Meh.

Sarah Jessica Parker: 👍🏽  

Normani: 👍🏽 

SZA: 👎🏽 - I love her outfit, though! 

Dakota Johnson: 👎🏽

Karlie Kloss: 👍🏽 - Nailed it!

Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner: 👍🏽 - I don’t know what they were going for, but I love that they actually dressed up! 

Jack Harlow: 👎🏽 - Too basic. 

Bella Hadid: 👍🏽

Shawn Mendes: 👎🏽 

Sydney Sweeney: Eh...

Sebastian Stan: 👎🏽 - I love the all-pink attire, but he did not follow the theme. 

Anderson .Paak: 👍🏽 

Michelle Yeoh: 👎🏽 - Too basic, but the shade of green is pretty. She looked great regardless!

Maude Apatow: 👍🏽 

Evan Mock: 👍🏽 - I love the color in his hair and the use of pastel colors for his outfit. 

Riz Ahmed: 👍🏽 - His outfit is a “homage to” “immigrant workers”. I like it! 

Cynthia Erivo: 👍🏽

Emma Stone:  👎🏽 - Pretty yet basic-looking dress. You missed the assignment, my friend. 

Julianne Moore: 👍🏽 - Her outfit was inspired Jacqueline Kennedy.  

Alicia Keys: 👍🏽 

Swizz Beatz: 👍🏽   

Jon Batiste: 👎🏽 - Too basic.

Quannah Chasinghorse: 👍🏽 

Rosalía: 👍🏽  

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II: No comment.

Caroline Trentini: 👍🏽 - Absolutely gorgeous from head-to-toe! I love her hair. 

Tracy Collins: Pretty dress...

Claire Danes: Not a thumbs up or down, but I like her outfit. 

Winnie Harlow: 👍🏽 

Hillary Clinton: Not a thumbs up or down, but the shade of red is pretty. 

Kodi Smit-McPhee: 👎🏽 

Renée Elise Goldsberry: 👎🏽- She looks pretty, though, and I like the dress. 

Rachel Brosnahan: Not a thumbs up or down. 

HoYeon Jung: Not a thumbs up or down, but she looks pretty. I like the jewelry and dress too. 

Eiza González: 👍🏽

Rachel Smith: 👎🏽, but I like the dress.

Renate Reinsve: 👍🏽

Danai Gurira: The dress and shade of blue is pretty...

Gemma Chan: 👍🏽 

Jasmine Tookes: 👍🏽 - That shade of green looks great on her!

Xiye Bastida: 👍🏽 - I love the outfit!

Huma Abedin: 👎🏽 - Too  basic. Pretty shade, though.

Lisa Love: Eh...

Madelaine Petsch: 👍🏽

Louisa Jacobson: 👍🏽 

Kiki Lane: Not a thumbs up or down. The dress is pretty, though!

Laura Harrier: 👍🏽 

Gigi Hadid: 👍🏽 for being original...

Eric Adams: 👍🏽

Glenn Close: 👎🏽

Amy Schumer: 👎🏽 - Why did Anna invite her?!  

Chloë Grace Moretz: 👍🏽

Phoebe Dynevor: Not a thumbs up or down, but I like the creation of the dress and the fabric(s). 

Ashley Park: 👍🏽

Daisy Edgar-Jones: 👎🏽 - Too basic.

Finneas O’Connell: 👎🏽

Lena Waithe: 👍🏽 - I love the outfit and the colors!

Precious Lee: 👍🏽

Mindy Kaling: Not a thumbs up or down, but the color and creation of the gown are pretty. 

Megan Thee Stallion: 👍🏽

Elon Musk: 👎🏽

Kid Cudi: Not a thumbs up or down, but the royal blue is nice.

Alexa Chung: 👎🏽 - Too  basic.

Adrien Brody: 👎🏽 - Too  basic.  

Nyjah Huston: 👎🏽 - I love the shade of blue, though.

Jodie Turner-Smith: I... I don’t know. She looks pretty, though!

Camila Cabello: I don’t know what to think... 

Chloe Kim: Not a thumbs up or down. The only thing I like is the red (I think) feathers. 

Erykah Badhu: 👍🏽

Oscar Isaac: Not a thumbs up or down.

Bradley Cooper: 👎🏽 - Too  basic.

Jessie Buckley: 👍🏽

Lauren Remington Platt: 👍🏽 - I’m getting Marilyn Monroe vibes, and I’m here for it. Her outfit is gorgeous! 

Emma Corrin: 👍🏽 

Stromae: Not a thumbs up or down, but I kind of dig the outfit.

Leslie Odom Jr.: Eh...

Charlotte Tilbury: No comment. 

Emma Ratajkowski: 👍🏽 - Super vibrant, detailed, and eye-catching!

Victor Glemaud: Eh...

Cara Delevingne: 👍🏽

Lizzo: 👍🏽 

Jeremy Scott: Eh...

Anthony Ramos: 👎🏽 - Neat outfit, though!

Venus Williams: 👍🏽 

Jordan Ruth: 👍🏽 - Why does he look like an emo version of Frollo?? I love it! 

Olivia De Jonge: 👎🏽

Kerry Washington: Eh...

Jacob Elordi: 👎🏽 - Too basic.

Kris Jenner: I could not care less about this woman. 

Billie Eilish: 👍🏽 - Who or what was she going for? 

Phoebe Bridgers: 👎🏽 - Gorgeous gown, though. 

Tessa Thompson: 👎🏽 - Absolutely beauty and stunning gown, but she missed the theme. 

Bad Bunny: No comment.

Sigourney Weaver: Not a thumbs up or down. 

Teyana Taylor: 👍🏽

Gabrielle Union-Wade: 👎🏽 - Gorgeous, but not within the theme.

Taylor Hill: 👍🏽 - That shade of blue is gorgeous, and so is she (as usual)!

Genesis Suero: 👍🏽 - Gorgeous dress; it’s simple yet bold!  

Alton Mason: 👍🏽

Jessica Chastain: Not a thumbs up or down.

Kiernan Culkin: 👍🏽, because he’s wearing sunglasses and Converse. What a bold move. 

Lily James: 👍🏽 

Katy Perry: No comment.

Blake Lively: 👍🏽

Kendall Jenner: 👎🏽 - I love how the skirt looks and the fabric of the top, though. Also, why are her eyebrows gone?

Kylie Jenner: I could not care less about this woman.

Olivia Rodrigo: 👎🏽 - The theme was not Disney, kid, but the dress is nice. The butterflies in her hair was a cute idea.

Simone Ashley: Not a thumbs up or down.

Dove Cameron: Not a thumbs up or down, but I love Iris van Herpen. She looks nice with dark brown hair too.

Kourtney Kardashian: I could not care less about this woman.

Travis Barker: 👎🏽 - Damn, he is Ugly (I mean Post Malone-level ugly...).

Dwayne Wade: 👎🏽 - He looks good, though.

Conan Gray: 👍🏽 - GET IT! #thoseplatformbootstho 

Chloe Fineman: 👍🏽 

Khloé Kardashian: I could not care less about this woman. Leave.

Kim Kardashian: I could not care less about this woman. Leave.

Carrey Mulligan: 👎🏽 - I like the gold sequins, though...

Amber Valletta: 👍🏽 

Iris Law: 👍🏽, because she looks like a mermaid. Beautiful, beautiful gown!

Shalom Harlow: Eh... 

Gwen Stefani: 👎🏽 - Oh, absolutely NOT.

Ashton Sanders: 👍🏽

Joan Smalls: Not a thumbs up or down, but the gown is pretty.

Christine Baranski: 👎🏽

Cardi B: I could not care less about this person. Leave.

Nicki Minaj: I could not care less about this woman. Leave.

Hailey Baldwin: She can go choke on Justin’s cum. Leave.

Quite a lot of the women’s husbands or boyfriends didn’t try, so I didn’t include their names.

▪️ May 2, 2022 ▪️

[unmaskedagain]

Gabriel Agreste Must Die

I have no idea what inspired this but I just thought this would be funny. It Salt towards Gabriel. So enjoy. Warning Gaslighting ahead

Nino never thought that, out of everyone in the entire world, he would be the one to figure out Gabriel Agreste was Hawkmoth. Granted, it wasn’t like he had done he any searched or used any expert detective or journalism skills. No, instead he had been hanging out at Marinette’s; getting his butt handed to him in Ultimate Mecha Strike III. Alya chilling as she scrolled through her phone. Chloe, who they somehow managed to become friends with, was taking selfies in Marinette’s newest design outfits.

Nino knew it was because the blonde had proven herself to be a good hero and loyal ally. So when Marinette, the new Guardian now that Fu was gone, that more permanent heroes were needed, she brought in Chloe, along with Nino and Alya. It was then that Ladybug and Chat Noir revealed their identities to them and to each other.

It had been one hell of a shock. But they all became really good friends. Though any crushes the original heroes had died. It turned out Marinette thought of Chat Noir as a brother. And Adrien just couldn’t see Marinette in that light. It was for the best. Alya had been pissed about the love square thing.

That had been over a year ago, and the heroes had all become really good friends; banding together against anyone (Lila or Gabriel) who tried to tear them apart.

They had been talking about the recent akuma attacks, when Nino got a text from Adrien apologizing for not being able to hang out.

“Adrien can’t come,” Nino glared at the screen. “His dad’s got him working late.”

“Again?” Alya asked. “He does know what child labor laws are right?”

           Chloe scoffed, “Like he cares.”

“Still, we should do something,” Marinette frowned as she rapidly pressed buttons on her controller. “This isn’t right.”

“Like what?” Nino asked, already gracefully accepting yet another defeat. “He’s Gabriel Agreste. He’s as big of an asshole as Hawkmoth; and I didn’t think that was possible.”

           As soon as he said those words, something just clicked. Everyone in the room suddenly paused as they processed the words in their minds.

           Nino slowly put down her controller, “It’s not possible, is it? That level of asshole-dom can’t possibly be reached by two different people in the same city, at the same time, in the same universe. There’s no way.”

“Even my mom left once Gabriel took power,” Chloe added. “And she’s a total bitch but she knew that Paris couldn’t handle both a Queen Bitch and the King of the Assholes fighting it out.”

           Marinette’s eyes narrowed as she considered everything they knew about hawkmoth and Gabriel Agreste, “When did Adrien say he last saw mom.”

“Three years ago,” Chloe answered. “Sometime near the end of January, I remember. It was before Valentine’s day as I had been planning yet another amazing party.”

“Alya, when was the first akuma attack?” Marinette asked.

“One sec, I’ll look,” The glasses-wearing girl said and as she frantically researched. When Alya was done, she looked up at them with a dark expression on her face. “February 4th, three years ago.”

“Gabriel has a book on Kwami,” Marinette told them. “He uses it for ‘inspiration.’”

           After that, suddenly they were recalling all the little ‘coincidences’ they overlooked involving anything Agreste related and Hawkmoth; it all added up to something no one could deny.

“Gabriel is Hawkmoth,” Alya whispered stunned. “Adrien’s dad is Hawkmoth. We always said Gabriel was a monster but damn, really?”

“What do we do?” Chloe asked. “What can we do? Hawkmoth is too powerful; especially with Mayura on his side.”

           Marinette nodded but there was a thoughtful look on his face, “Hawkmoth is strong but Gabriel is human like the rest of us. He has his flaws, his weaknesses; cracks in his facade.”

“Mom always said Gabriel was nuts,” Chloe said. “On the edge of his sanity. One good push…”

           Marinette shrugged, “If we can’t defeat the villain…”

“…Then we break the man behind the mask,” Alya smirked,

           Nino growled, “Gabriel Agreste Must Die.”

…

…

           The next day after school; the heroes met up again at Marinette and sat Adrien down to talk.

It turned getting Adrien on board with the plan was difficult. He wasn’t hard to convince him that Gabriel was Hawkmoth, though it did take a while for him to stop throwing up. However, there was thing the blond boy wouldn’t budge on…

“You’re not killing my dad!” Adrien told them.

           Nino nodded calmly and folded his hands on his lap, “I get where you’re coming from, dude. I totally do,” He told his best friend. “But hear me out. Your dad? He really sucks.”

           Adrien shot his friends an incredulous look, “And you think that’s a good enough reason to kill him?”

“Well, yeah,” Nino shrugged. “I mean we talked about this before.”

           Alya pushed her ex-boyfriend turned one of her bestie out of the way, “You’re dad is a megalomaniac magical terrorist that’s been destroying Paris, turning people into monsters, and killing innocents. Sure the damaged gets reversed but the victims, who aren’t Akumatized, still have to deal with the freaking trauma.”

“There are support groups for it,” Marinette said. “People remember dying; drowning, burning, crashing; it’s terrible.” She sighed, “However, we can’t just murder someone. It’s wrong.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. It would be wrong not kill him,” Chloe told them. “The amount of time and effort it would save us is nearly too much to count. And the amount of relief all of Paris would feel knowing he was gone is out of this world.  We can stop SO many people from getting hurt if I call my mom’s guy Fredro, and Gabriel has a little ‘accident’.”

           Nino shot up, “See! Chloe agrees,” He shot a victorious look at Alya and Marinette.

           Alya snorted, “Chloe thought burning Gabriel at the stake was good idea.”

“What?!!” Adrien looked at his oldest friend, shock on his face. “What?!!”

           Chloe shrugged, “There’s no such thing as a bad idea. And It was a suggestion..”

“A good one,” Nino added. “And why does it sound like your mom has a hitman on speed dial?”

           Chloe scoffed, “Hitman? Don’t be so crass. Fredro is former MI6. My mom used to work with him. He’s so good even Shield only had the slightest idea he exists.” She looked at her childhood friend with a softest expression anyone had ever seen on her face. “No one would ever know. If you want, he doesn’t even have to feel like a thing. Gabriel goes to sleep one night, and doesn’t wake up in the morning. It’ll look like a heart attack. Trust me, my mother only works with the best.”

“I have a lot of questions about your mother,” Alya said. “And what type of work she did with a former MI6 agent. But we’re gonna circle back to that. That fact is, Adrien, it’s up to you.”

“He’s your dad,” Marinette agreed. “Plus; its two to two. Me and Alya who don’t want to go to prison. And the two psychos who are more than willing to.”

           Nino huffed and moved to stand next to Chloe, “Well, I’m feeling a little called out right now.”

“I told you we should’ve just handled this last night,” Chloe crossed her arms. “Just the two us. Ditch the Halos at home,” She motioned to Marinette, who didn’t like the idea of killing, and Alya, who didn’t want to make the choice with Adrien’s approval. “Bury that asshole alive.”

“Nah, they’d have known it was us,” Nino shook his head. “The second Gabriel doesn’t show up for something he’s supposed to, Marinette’s knocking on my door. I’m always a suspect. Gabriel nearly got killed by a falling headlight during a fashion show in New York, and Alya still gave me suspicious looks for days. Jerk’s literally on the other side of the world, and I’m still the primary suspect.”

           Chloe looked contemplative, “…Didn’t you say you had a cousin in New York?”

“You a cop?” Nino asked. “No? Then stop asking so many questions.”

           Adrien sighed, “I’m sorry, guys; we can’t kill my dad.”

           Alya nodded firmly, “Then option two. We’re rip apart his sanity, destroy his reputation; tear apart everything that makes Gabriel Agreste, Gabriel Agreste until there’s nothing left except the miserable, sorry excuse for man and father, that he really is.”

“Oh but I’m inhumane?” Nino glared. “I was just gonna cut the breaks in Gabriel’s ride. Take him and Nathalie out at the same time. But, yeah, sure, breaking him to the point where he’s ripping out his own hair and locked away in a padded room is a noble cause as any.”

“And yet we’re the evil ones? Really?” Chloe rolled her eyes. “Fine. Whatever. Let’s gaslight the bitch.”

           Adrien looked up at the ceiling just so freaking done with world. “What we do first?”

“Your dad’s a total control freak,” Alya said. “We got to make him feel like he’s losing control.”

           Marinette looked over Adrien, “You’re gonna need tight leather pants, chapstick… And how do feel about piercings?”

“That they look like they hurt!” Adrien protested.

           Chloe shoved his shoulder, “Beauty’s pain, woman up!”

“Why do I need chapstick?” Adrien whined.

“You can’t make out with Scott with dry lips!”

“Make out?” Adrien’s face turned bright red. “And who’s Scott?”

           Nino shook his head, “You’re asking a lot of questions for someone who was against the Murder plan.”

           It turned out Scott was Marinette’s cousin. His mom Melissa was Tom’s half-sister. He was handsome tall sixteen-year-old with olive brown skin, curly dark brown hair, and a crooked jaw. When Adrien met him he was wearing a leather jacket and big happy smile on his face.  Adrien couldn’t stop looking at him.

           He had come out as bisexual to his friends months ago but had only briefly experimented with Luka in the kissing department. Marinette had stumbled upon and quickly squeaked, turned red, and scampered off. Though Adrien did have to deal with her grumbles about having dips. To which Adrien replied, “You snooze, you lose.”

Scott was with a brown haired, pale skinned, gangly guy, with lots moles and a rather pretty redhead.

“Oh come on!” The pale guy complained when he saw Adrien. He looked at Scott. “What leprechaun did you sacrifice so that you got the fucking luck in the world? First the Disney princess Alison, then badass ‘she could stab me and I’d thank her’ Kira, and now Apollo’s freaking love child. No! It’s not fair.”

“Dude!” Scott complained. “Stiles, you’re dating Derek.”

           Stiles suddenly looked really smug, “Yeah I know,” He smirked. “But this isn’t about us. This is about all the other Scotts and Stiles’ of the world who are still growing out of their loser stage. Give them a chance, bro.”

           The redhead rolled her eyes, “Hi I’m Lydia!” She introduced to the young heroes. “The loud moron is Stiles. The moron who’s been drooling since he saw you is Scott.”

           Scott reared back, and started to quick wipe his mouth, “Man, am I drooling?”

“A little,” Stiles shrugged. “I just thought it was moon thing, you know?”

           Lydia ignored them, “I love your dress. It’s an MDC, yes? Up in coming designer, so chic!”      

           Marinette smiled, “Thanks. It took forever to design this.”

           The redhead paused, “You designed?” She looked stunned for a moment before glaring at Scott. “Is your cousin MDC? Did you not tell me your cousin was MDC?”

           It was a little hilarious how quickly Scott stepped back in fear of girl a foot shorter than him.

“About why we’re here,” Alya decided to intervene before blood was drawn. “Adrien, this is Scott. He’ll be your boyfriend for as long as he’s Paris.” She looked between Scott and Adrien and smirked. “And I have no idea who I should congratulate.”

“Me,” Scott let slip as he stared at Adrien in a daze.

           Pictures of Adrien Agreste making out with Scott were everywhere an hour later. Adrien tweeted his response, “I’m Bisexual. So what? To quote Taylor Swift: You need to Calm down.”

           The tweet was the first thing that made Gabriel realize something was very, very wrong.

           Adrien went home and was met the angry expressions of his father and Nathalie. It was time for step to.

           Before either could yell at him. “I quit,” Adrien said. “No more modeling. No more anything I don’t want to do. This is not up for debate. I’m not asking. You can’t make me. And if you try to take me out of school; my friends will public with all the evidence of all times you broke child labors. And if you think I’m bluffing, a copy of the evidence was sent to Nathalie’s email.” He gave them hard looks. “You will go to prison. Try me. It’s over,” Adrien told them but didn’t add that it was in more ways that one.

           He walked passed them; only sparing a glance to see the stunned looks on their faces.

           Adrien knew his father wouldn’t back down. This was only the beginning.

           Unfortunately for Gabriel, he would be far too busy putting out the fires of his burning empire to have any time to rein back in his son.

           During the middle of the night, while everyone was sleeping, an anonymous user *cough Alya* released videos of Gabriel verbally berating his employees for the smallest things, and firing them. It was not a good look.

           The Gabriel brand took a hit. The first of many.

           Over the next few weeks; Gabriel found himself forgetting things. First he found a box of imported silk that Nathalie swore he called her himself to have her order, and he saw the call logged in his phone but for the life of him he couldn’t remember making the call. Then it was scheduling meetings, ordering lunches or coffee that he couldn’t remember doing. Then he forgot where put things.

           For example, one time Gabriel swore he took out his sketchbook from his briefcase and sat it on his desk and left for a meeting. However, when he returned, it wasn’t there. And He nearly went raving mad trying to find it. Only for Nathalie to take it out of his brief case.

           The suit he had laid out for him the night before would be an entirely different color than the one he remembered putting out but then Nathalie would tell him that he ordered her himself to have it pressed.

           It was little thing and big little just slightly out of place that started to grate on his nerves.

“The stress,” Nathalie told him. “It’s getting to you. Perhaps a vacation is in order”

“I’m fine,” He waved her off. “How is the plan to pull Adrien back in?

           Nathalie frowned, “Nothing. He’s still going strong with his boyfriend, a young Scott McCall. Every time we try anything, a new video of Adrien, uh, at work, is released to the media. CPS and the police knocked on our doors three times already. Next time, I fear, they may take him. Amelie Graham de Vanily has been spotted in town, speaking with several lawyers. My sources say she will attempt for custody if CPS deems you unfit.”

“Nothing of the sort will happen,” Gabriel sneered. “I will not lose my son; not to my sister in law, and not to some American boy. Tell Adrien, we will have dinner together. I will talk some sense into him myself.”

           That was his plan at least.

           However, Gabriel found himself waking up in the morning, in his pajamas, utterly confused. “Nathalie, when did I go sleep?”

           She looked confused, “Around midnight, sir. You had dinner with Adrien, and then had to rush off to take a call from Audrey.”

“I… had dinner with Adrien?” Gabriel asked. “Are you sure? I don’t remember. And I didn’t talk with Audrey, did i?”

           Nathalie suddenly looked very concerned. “Sir, I was there. Adrien and you had a lovely conversation about his school and him going back to modeling. Adrien decline. You tried to protest but Audrey called. You two argued for an hour. I was there the entire time. You really don’t remember?”

           No, Gabriel didn’t.

           A week later, after a series of incidents. One of which apparently he had ordered Nathalie to take him to a salon and walked out with blue hair, but couldn’t remember when he woke up the next day. And swore he hadn’t.

“I’ve scheduled a meeting with doctor,” Nathalie told him. “We’re going to get you looked at, okay.”

           It was the first of many, many doctor visits. Until one day Adrien came home and His aunt was there with Nathalie. They told him that his father went on a little “vacation” for a while.

           It turned out the vacation was a very luxurious mental institution.

[thirstaidkitpodcast]

THIRST AID KIT | S6E08 | RAKES, SHEIKHS, AND SHIPPING MAGNATES

There are many motivators of human behavior, but here at Thirst Aid Kit we are only interested in the most relevant one to us... Romance is what makes the world go round. And romance novels were, for both of us, foundational texts in building the two thirst experts you know and love today. So: it was time to talk about them properly.

We talked about the trends of the romance novels that marked different eras — like the heroes of so many of the books we consumed when we were growing up, novels in which the men were taciturn and brooding (and rich!) businessmen, and the women were flaxen-haired, kinda subservient, and very, well, white.

We also talked tropes — the ones we love, the ones that we will happily read over and over again, the ones we love to hate, and the ones we actually really would happily never read again (hello, ‘secret baby’ 😡)

And we talked a little about the blossoming of romance novels that featured characters that look, feel, and sound like we do! There have been so many ructions in the romance writing world, but there is also much to celebrate, and so we did. We also took some time to shoutout some of recent fave authors (warning: not an exhaustive list so just because we didn’t mention them doesn’t mean we don’t read or like your faves!)

The drabbles this week were labors of love, as always. with both of us tackling a couple of golden tropes. We were impressed by one another, as we often are. Hope you were too! You can listen to the whole episode RIGHT HERE (more ways to listen are listed below).

SOME AUTHORS TO READ, IF YOU LIKE (it’s a long list this time!)

Alyssa Cole

Talia Hibbert

Alisha Rai

Rebekah Weatherspoon

Courtney Milan

Mhairi McFarlane

Beverly Jenkins

Julie Garwood

Lisa Kleypas

Sandra Brown

Charlaine Harris

Nora Roberts

Holley Trent

Sara MacLean

Katie Clayborn

Jasmine Guillory

Mia Sosa

Helen Hoang

Tessa Dare

Kit Rocha

Chloe Neill

Heather Graham

Melissa Blue

Alexa Martin

Richelle Mead

LA Banks

Lisa Jackson

Jaye Wells

Jeaniene Frost

ONE LOVELY THING TO LOOK AT (trust us)

This lovingly lettered A-Z of romantic fluff tropes/prompts 🥰

——————————————————————————————-

Subscribe to get new episodes delivered to your device automatically every Thursday. We’re on Apple and Stitcher and Podbean and Google Play and Overcast and iHeartRadio and Spotify and and and… Search ‘Thirst Aid Kit’ wherever you get your podcasts, and we’ll come up. We promise.

We’re on Twitter at @thirstaidkit. And you can send us love letters and short drabbles to thirstaidkit@slate.com. We also would not be upset if you left a (five star? 👀) rating and a review on Apple Podcasts. Thank you! 😘

Stay sweet, stay thirsty. We appreciate your ears.

[mackenzie-lukasiaks]

I realize, I should've specified on what I meant on my comments

By "failed", I don't mean by dancing. I mean mentally and emotionally. They knew Abby would treat their kids like shit if they said anything, yet they constantly fought with her. In turn, their kids got mentally and emotionally abused. They failed them, they continued to fight and let their child's passions be crushed daily

By the moms comment. I just mean Holly had the least flaws. If I ranked them (S1-7), it would be

Holly

Christi Kelly

Camille Kira Kristie Ray

Cathy Jessalynn Jamie Ashlee

Leslie Stacey Jill Melissa Yolanda

Holly will always be the best mom, because she caused the least drama and when she did get involved in drama she dragged you so sophisticatedly, you never even knew you were dragged. Melissa and Yolanda will always be on the very bottom. They're closer to tied, but Melissa never mentally abused her daughters or been accused of physical abuse and caught on camera emotionally abusing her children. Yolanda is the worst of the worst

I mean they were kind of in a catch-22. abby used the threat of going after the kids to try to keep the moms from arguing with her, but really, she would go after the kids no matter what the moms did. and often, she baited them by saying something horrible to their child, getting the reaction, and then using it as an excuse to say even worse things. the issue for me is not so much that they fought with abby but that they stayed with abby. I would agree that the moms who stayed with abby failed their daughters because they should’ve taken any opportunity to leave. 

and so then to go to the point about the moms, I understand partially why holly felt like she needed to stay at the aldc, but I also think that was one of her biggest flaws because it meant keeping nia in a toxic environment when she didn’t need to be there to have a career. chloe proved that you could leave the aldc and still do stuff. I wish holly had realized that and taken nia somewhere else. but I still agree that she is one of the best moms to ever be on the show, and proof of that is also in the kind of person nia is.

with melissa and yolanda, melissa makes me angry and I hate her, but yolanda scares me. melissa imo did kind of mentally abuse maddie and kenzie, especially in her encouragement of the creepy maddie/abby dynamic and the way she often seemed to prefer maddie to kenzie, but yolanda is on a whole nother level.