#FOREVER TRAPPED IN LOVELESS MARRIAGE

[inmyhorrorsera]

Succession spin-off and its just a tomshiv deranged psychosexual drama, 10 seasons and 3 movies

[princesssarisa]

Pride and Prejudice adaptations with a modern setting – e.g. The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, Bride and Prejudice, Pride and Prejudice: A Latter-Day Comedy, Fire Island – seem to almost always save Lydia from Wickham in the end. Either Darcy stops the elopement, or the elopement is replaced with an online sex tape which is taken down. Wickham is either arrested or at least left behind permanently, and Lydia learns a lesson and gets a happy ending. Neither she nor the other characters have to live with her mistake for the rest of their lives the way they do in the original.

I've just been rereading several people's posts on this subject, and about Lydia's portrayal in general, which show some very different opinions about it all.

Of course, part of the issue is that in a modern setting, it's much easier to save Lydia. In most of the modern Western world, a teenage girl running off with a 30-year-old man would result in the man being arrested, not in their needing to get married to save both the girl's reputation and her whole family's. And even if they did get married, divorce is an option.

But I suspect the bigger issue is that Austen's original ending is considered cruel, unfair, and a product of outdated morals.

People view Austen as punishing Lydia for being a "bad girl" by leaving her trapped in a loveless marriage to a worthless man and always living on the edge of poverty, when by modern standards, she's guilty only of teenage foolishness. They accuse Austen of "making an example" of Lydia to teach young female readers how to behave, in contrast to the virtuous, well-behaved Elizabeth and Jane with their happy endings, and they call it anti-feminist.

Not only is Lydia's marriage bleak for her, it slightly mars Elizabeth and Darcy's happy ending too, as well as Jane and Bingley's. It means Wickham will always be a part of their lives, and for Lydia's sake, they're forced to treat him as a family member. Darcy is forced to financially assist his worst enemy – though at least he draws the line by not letting Wickham visit Pemberley – and even Jane and Bingley's patience is worn thin by the long periods of time Wickham and Lydia stay with them.

By modern standards of romantic comedy, this isn't normal. The heroine, the hero, and all their family and friends are expected to live entirely "happily ever after," while the antagonist – especially if he's a womanizer who preys on teenage girls – is expected to be punished, then never heard from again.

But of course, Austen didn't write simple romantic comedy. Her work was social commentary. Lydia's ending arguably isn't a punishment, but simply the only way her story could end without disgracing her or killing her off, and it arguably it serves less to condemn Lydia herself than to condemn the society that lets men like Wickham get away with preying on naïve young girls and forces their victims to marry them or else be disgraced forever. It also condemns the type of bad parenting that leads to Lydia's mistake. Lydia is the product of her upbringing, after all: between Mrs. Bennet's spoiling and Mr. Bennet's neglect, she's never had any decent parental guidance or protection. And our heroines, Elizabeth and Jane, both pity their sister and regret that marriage to Wickham is the only way to save her honor. No sympathetic character ever says she deserves it.

The fact that Lydia is trapped in a bad marriage, and that Wickham does go unpunished and the other characters will always have to tolerate him and even cater to him for Lydia's sake, arguably drives home Austen's social criticism. The fact that it adds bittersweetness to the otherwise blissfully happy ending is arguably part of the point. If we change it just to create a happier ending, or in the name of "feminism" and "justice for Lydia," doesn't that dilute the message?

Then there's the fact that by the standards of Austen's era, Lydia's ending is remarkably happy. She doesn't die, or end up abandoned and forced into sex work or a life of seclusion. Nor, despite Mr. Collins' recommendation, does her family cut ties with her: the ending reveals that Jane and Elizabeth regularly welcome her into their homes, and Elizabeth "frequently" sends her money. Other authors would have punished her much more severely.

But of course, that was a different time. While in Austen's original context, Lydia's fate might seem fairly happy and lenient, by modern standards it seems more cruel. And since most of the modern retellings that change her fate are screen adaptations, not books, maybe the difference in art form further justifies the change. I'm thinking of that post I recently reblogged, which argued that some of Austen's more "merciless" plot points would seem darker on film than in print, and therefore tend to be softened in adaptations.

So how should a modernized adaptation handle Lydia's ending? Is it better and more progressive when they save her from Wickham? Or for the sake of social commentary and retaining Austen's sharp edges, should the writers follow the book and find a way (not necessarily marriage to Wickham, but some modern equivalent) for her mistake to leave her trapped in a less-than-happy life, and add a slight bittersweet note to the other characters' endings too?

I think a case can be made for both choices and I'd like to know other people's viewpoints.

[augustjustice]

🪱Wiggly Worm Wednesday 🪱

Thank you so much for tagging me @formosusiniquis and @sidekick-hero 💛🖤It's been ages, but I finally have some down time and some thoughts to share!

Transcribed and expanded upon from an idea I discussed with @inkfowl on discord a while ago, this one is always kind of burning at the back of my brain:

Steddie soulmate AU where Steve and Eddie are not each other's soulmates.

Like, maybe Steve's romantic soulmate is Nancy (because of course Robin will always be his true platonic soulmate), but Nancy, being someone who goes against the grain and doesn't want the system to dictate to her who she is, will be, or will be with, already rejected Steve for Jonathan in the earlier seasons. She didn't want to end up trapped in a loveless soulmate marriage by her parents, and she felt called to Jonathan soulmate bond be damned.

Like in canon, Steve was deeply heartbroken at the time when it happened, always being a romantic who wanted to find the one true person he was destined to be with forever. But because he did truly care about Nancy, he let her go, didn't want to stand in the way of her true happiness. And by the time Season 4 rolls around, his own feelings have developed into a healthy friendship with Nancy, having truly moved on the way he told Robin he was in the bathroom confession, and at that point he honestly wouldn't want to go back to the way things were before. Even though he's sad it isn't destined to happen the way it does in all the rom-coms and fairytales, he still wants real romantic love (Robin and the kids more than fulfill the share of platonic and familial love he's looking for, in a way his parents never managed to) and hasn't given up on finding it.

So then the S4 shenanigans happen, Steve officially meets Eddie the DM the kids keep raving about, and falls for him pretty fast even while they're still trying to sort out all the carnage with Vecna.

At first, Eddie keeps pushing Steve in Nancy's direction, because from his perspective, they're soul mates, and it's so clear there's feelings still lingering there. Plus, they'd obviously be a badass perfect couple, just look at them. (And if that's the perfect excuse Eddie tells himself to keep from getting too tangled up in his own feelings, well that's a secret for him and no one else.)

But even in the aftermath of the Upside Down shenanigans, Steve and Nancy still don't get back together, and Steve is insistent that they're just friends, managing to convince Eddie that he's being sincere. So, something tentatively starts to build between them. Nothing officially romantic, yet, but they're slowly working their way up to it, flirting and feeling each other out.

And sure, they shouldn't make sense on paper--in the larger scheme of the universe, they don't, allegedly, given the lack of soulmate mark binding them together. But besides just genuine attraction, everything that happened has bonded them together, and they genuinely feel safe together, able to open in ways they can't even with some of their closest friends. They might not have many surface things in common like shared hobbies and interests, but when it comes to the things they both think actually matters, they have a lot in common--like their protectiveness over the kids, a shared inherent silliness, etc. They make each other laugh, they comfort each other on bad nights when the nightmares keep them up. It seems only a matter of time before the tension overwhelms them and they collide together, finally make it official the way Robin is impatiently waiting on them too.

...But then Eddie's own soulmate waltzes into the picture.

Steve finds himself heart-broken all over again, because he's always the second choice. And how the hell is he supposed to compete with Eddie's actual, honest-to-god soulmate? Especially when the guy is just perfect for him--completely into metal, a nonconformist, knows and likes all the songs that Eddie likes. The guy is even hot which pisses Steve the hell off. But he tries to hide it, do what he did for Nancy and push his feelings aside as he encourages Eddie to take his shot with the guy like a good friend would. Because if he really cares about Eddie, then he should just be happy for him, right? He's getting the shot Steve never did.

Robin insists, from the outside looking in, that Eddie seems a lot more conflicted than Steve is willing to see. Confused and hurt at first when Steve pulls away. Going on dates with the guy only after Steve seems so insistent that he give him a chance, telling him he should be excited because It's your honest to god soulmate, dude!

But even as he tries to be supportive, Steve's jealousy keeps bubbling up. Things eventually come to a head in an argument.

"I don't care why you care so much anyway, Harrington! Now's your perfect chance to swoop in--you've got Miss Perfect Nancy Wheeler out there just waiting for you to get your shit together, stop 'experimenting,' and finally go back to her!"

"Newsflash, Eddie! I already told you, I'm not in love with Nancy. And besides, it wouldn't matter even if I was, since I'm her second choice, just like with you, just like--with everybody!"

And then Steve presses an arm over his face to hide his tears, but Eddie catches his wrist and tugs it down.

“Yeah, except, that's where you're wrong, Stevie boy,” he says, cupping Steve’s face in his hands and brushing away his tears with his thumbs, “because you're not. My second choice. Some stupid ass birthmark can’t tell me shit. I don’t want him, I don’t want anyone else, Stevie. Just you."

And then they get an epic, tearful kiss, and Eddie makes some crack about how it's super conformist to end up with your soulmate, anyway, not a very metal thing to do, and Steve lets out a watery laugh in the crook of his neck and then kisses him to shut him up.

Eddie tells Steve all about how he misses his and Steve's silly arguments, and finds it boring that his soulmate and he always seem to agree on things, because where's the fun in that? There's no real spark. None of the push-and-pull he gets when exposing Steve to his interests and the times Steve actually gets into it. Or the delighted confusion when Steve tries to get him into something new and Eddie realizes he actually does like it, or even when he doesn't, seeing Steve enjoy it is enough to make him go from disgust to fond tolerance. And Steve admits he missed it all too, so much, even the metal songs Eddie forced him to listen to that Steve hates he's been playing on a loop while he wallows.

"I want this," Eddie tells him, kissing the tear tracks from Steve's face, "you're here, Stevie, and you're real, and this feels more right than anything else ever has. So, whaddya say, big boy? Will you have me?"

"You're my first pick, Eds," Steve admits, smiling softly, "there's nobody else I'd rather have on my team but you."

Then Eddie complains about Steve marring his love confession with a sports metaphor, and how it's not even true, anyway, because he knows Robin is actually Steve's first draft or whatever. Steve teases him about picking up sports lingo before shutting him up the best way he knows how--with his lips.

And they of course live happily ever after making their own love work, building it together. Even if it doesn't makes sense on paper, even if it's not predestined, they picked it and its theirs. At the end of the day, as far as they're concerned--that's all that really matters.

I'm no pressure tagging @tinytalkingtina @griefabyss69 @wheneverfeasible @thefreakandthehair @ataliagold and anyone else who sees this and would like to join in!

[pherelesytsia]

Who did this to you? - 7

Pairing: Thomas Shelby x female/Reader

Summary: Bruised and broken, Y/N, trapped in a loveless marriage, arrives at her best friend's house, desperately hoping someone will help her, aware she cannot return to the estate of her husband.

Warning: fear, anxiety, Angst, swearing, gun, fights

Word Count: 2.8k

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part6 Part 8

Rays, molten gold, heralding the dawn of a new day, a new chance, poured through the dense layer of wandering clouds. The smell of rain was in the air. Light beamed down on the couple, saying farewell to the man leaning against the door frame with his arms folded in front of his chest.

The mischievous grin had vanished from Alfie's lips, swept away by the wind. Smiling, he embraced Y/N wrapped in a warming blanket and a button-down reaching to her knees painted in blueish and greenish hues.

            "I'm sorry. I had to do it, little one." Alfie whispered into her ear.

            "Thank you," Y/N replied.

The woman, weakened by the burden, leaned her head against his chest, embraced him, but the fingertips did not touch. Her heart bore no hate for the man. His hands slid down her back and released her. The warmth, the sparkle in his eyes was gone and stared at the Shelby with a warning look. Alfie uttered no admonition, did not curse Thomas, but his eyes piercing the air spoke volumes, telling him to watch over her, to protect her with fists and heart, guessing if Thomas didn't change, he would lose the young woman forever.

            "Thank you, Alfie." Thomas voiced.

The addressed nodded with a wicked grin as his tongue licked over his bottom lip.

            "If the Shelby doesn't change, then you know where to find me Y/N/N." Alfie teased, yet there was a hint of seriousness in his voice.

Thomas rested his hand on her lower back, said nothing in response, had heard the words loud and clear, the judgment, the laughter, but the silver tongued man couldn't speak, nor raise his voice against the man who had saved his wife and allowed him to save the ruins, the debris of his from afar perfect looking marriage.

The delicate hand, giving him warmth and strength, the hope of a fairy-tale ending clasped his. The couple turned, walked towards the vehicle parked awfully a few steps away from the front door. Keys jiggled. Thomas readjusted the blanket wrapped around her shivering form, concealing her shoulders, had spotted the goosebumps spreading over her flesh conjured by the rising breeze and led his wife to the passenger side.

Elegantly, as if it was the first date, Thomas opened the door for his wife, lifted the blanket with sullied corners and closed the door. Smiling, he raised his right hand in a welcoming gesture, thanked Solomons again for what he had done and got into the vehicle.

            Gasping, Y/N leaned her head against the window. The coldness eased the pain. Colours merged, the lush green of the trees with the wandering clouds engulfing the rising sun. Reddish rays kissed the awakening land. Cawing birds circled the fields and roes fled in great haste, jumping over fallen trees and hurdles into the forest. Trees fenced the deserted road. Words did not escape, but the silence was not troubling and Y/N thought she could hear the ravens singing.

He remembers, Y/N though. A weak smile spread across her lips. Thomas was reaching for her hand, fearing she would flinch, but Y/N let it happen, allowed him to clasp her hand. Wounds healed under his tender and caring touch. His thumb travelled in circular motions across her skin.

            "I've taken the rest of the month off," Thomas announced.

His eyes slid to her, turned away from the uncrowded town, and followed the road leading through the awakening city. The shops were still shuttered and students, a few shopkeepers, bustled about in the streets still lightened by swaying lanterns. Patiently Thomas waited, hoping she would answer, but her lips were sealed, not seeming to want to speak, desiring silence to reign.

            "I was thinking we could leave the town. I could rent us a hotel; we could spend a few weeks there and spend time together. Far from London, the family, my responsibilities and getting to know each other better. It would do us good." Thomas hesitantly continued.

A sparkle of hope ignited in his eyes.

            "Of course, I understand if you don't agree. Please take all the time you need. I understand. I can wait." he added, sounding nervous.

Thomas looked with anticipation, a little sparkle of hope, down at this wife.

            "It sounds nice," Y/N spoke.

Her gaze was focused on the road framed by houses mirroring each other, with gardens of wilting flowers and mourning trees, and out of the corner of her eye, she noticed her husband was smiling. The words were gentle, and she hoped he wasn't kind to lure her into his embrace, ashamed to file for divorce, fearing the stares people would give. Y/N chuckled, realised it was Thomas Shelby she was thinking about. A man women would kill for. A strange, indescribable feeling built up in her stomach. The pit deepened. Y/N leaned forward. Her eyes glided over the road, back and forth, from house to house. She tensed under his touch. Y/N searched for the answer. The pit in her stomach turned into a vortex, a wave swallowing life, islands and ships.

            "What's wrong?" worriedly Thomas inquired.

The car slowed not to a standstill, rolled not faster than a walker. Fear reigned in his troubled mind, fearing the worst, found no blood escaping her limbs, an undying spring staining the rough fabric. Hectically, he searched for the reason for the pain, the fear in her watering eyes. Her fingers loosened in his touch, slipped away into the void, the source of darkness, all evil.

            "Y/N/N." Thomas spoke with a breaking voice, rousing her from her rigidity.

Speechless, gasping, Y/N pointed at the house. The sun was rising, yet yellowish light was burning in the living room. The curtains were ripped in half. The door was ajar, opening in the falling and rising breeze. Lips did not touch. The rain had washed the traces of gore from the sidewalk.

Eyes grew dull, grey and misty, deep autumn.

Shaking, a muffled scream ripped through the silence. The brakes chased the birds lingering in the nests away. Ignoring the voice, roaring thunder, telling her to turn, Y/N jumped. Her throat was aching. Y/N did not turn, raced, heard his voice forcing her to turn, to wait, but she ignored him like a child. Pushing the gate open, she felt the stabbing pain in her side, but did not halt and followed the path.

A hand forced her to stop, to not dare to take another step. Thomas pressed her hard against his body, pushed forward and forbid his wife to enter the house. Y/N protested, cried out, screamed her name, struggled with veiled eyes, tried to resist, but Thomas was too strong.

He rose, a shield of protection, the last wall of defence, stronger and thicker, unclaimable by the enemy with ladders and spears. The shards on the floor, once a vase graced by hundreds of finely drawn ornaments, caused Y/N to gasp. Thomas placed his hand on her head, almost brushing her eye, felt the long lashes under his touch, covering her ear and feeling her shrieking heart colliding with his skin. Drawing the pistol, he aimed at the door, had searched for the enemy beyond the tinted windows, but no figures were lurking in the house.

            "Stay behind. Do you understand?" he commanded, whispering into her ear.

It wasn't a question. Eyes grew in fear. She had never heard this sound in her whole life, had heard tales about it and the tone send a shiver down her spine. Before Y/N could tell him to wait, to ask to get someone so he wouldn't rush into the house alone, Thomas released her from his rigid grip. Cursing, Thomas kicked the door open. The doorhandle marked the wall, broke through the wallpaper and rammed into the porous wall. He stormed into the house. Thomas called out, but the second he stepped into the building he knew, felt it in every fibre of his body, that nobody was left there to suffer a slow death.

            The receiver hung from the cord, dangling back and forth.

Swiftly Thomas searched the living room followed by the kitchen, shouting but getting no answer and when he was sure no one was hiding in the corners, he turned to face his wife rooting into the screaming wood. Y/N pointed at the receiver. She shielded her lips with her palm. Tears streamed down her face. She tried to close her eyes, but she couldn't do otherwise than stare at it, at the fragments crunching beneath his hasty steps.

Flowers were trampled, the reddish petals mudded and dried. Stains had eaten into the carpet and a dark crust had formed. Nail had left deep marks on the wallpaper, a cat scratching the wall to sharpen the claws or hoping to get the owner's attention. The coat lay on the floor, arms outflung with missing buttons.

            "Peggy?", "Peggy!" she cried out.

Y/N screamed, awoke from a stupor. As if stung by a bee, Y/N ran up the stairs, ignoring the pain sweeping through her body. Healing wounds tore open. Gasping, Y/N took two steps at a time, tried three but failed, and pushed the door to Peggy's room open. A sickening sweet floral scent benumbed her mind. The room was pristine, free of the traces of a struggle. The bed was untouched. Not wasting a moment to close the door, she ran on, rushing into each of the rooms, but found nothing, not her parents, no soul nor an intruder.

A glimmer of hope sparked in her chest, heard the deep voice echoing through the house, soothing her heart and soul. She leaned forward, suddenly realising it was all her fault, that they were not interested in Peggy but in her, in the man on whom revenge had to be taken to gain money or weapons. Tears ran in rivulets. Slowly Y/N turned around, looked at the stairs, felt nothing, empty and devoid of emotions, and followed the hush voice.

Clouds swallowed the sun, and darkness cascaded across the wooden floor. The water, the rain smothered the spark, had hoped he was talking to Peggy, but Thomas held the receiver of the phone in his hand with the gun in the other and spoke harshly with the person on the other side. Her heart contracted. This can't be happening, Y/N breathed, cursing herself. Thomas did not hear his wife, the stairs moaning under her weight. Her eyes fell on the paper, crumpling under his firm grip.

            "Thomas?" Y/N whispered.

Abruptly, without saying farewell, Thomas ended the call and stuffed the lump of paper into the pocket. He took a blanket, lying on the floor and ran up the stairs and it was the moment she realised the blanket had slipped from her shoulders.

            "Thomas. What have you found?" she continued, suspecting the worst.

The smile healed her soul.

            "Don't worry. I have everything under control. Everything is fine. In a moment, Arthur and the others will arrive. Polly and Ada will take you home and tend to your wounds. You will take a warm bath and eat dinner. Ada baked a cake and before you know I will be with you," Thomas replied.

Lowering the blanket on her shoulders, he ran his palms over her upper arms, giving her warmth, and placed his lips on her forehead.

            "Peggy's not here. She's gone. Is that blood? What have you found?", "I'll take care of everything. Don't worry. Everything's fine." Thomas spoke like a mantra but the words failed to calm her, aroused fear.

            "It's my fault," Y/N uttered with widened eyes.

Hands gave her support, held her on her feet, clasped her, pressed her form to his chest and led Y/N down the stairs. Thomas suppressed the urge to curse like a sailor, sealed his lips shut, feeling the healing wounds as they tore open again, and continued to caress her back.

            "No, my dear, it's not your fault, you're not to blame.", "No, it should have been me. They wanted to kill me. They want to harm you. I'm the weakest link in the chain and they've got Peggy. They were watching the house; they didn't realise I was long gone and maybe they did, but before they could do anything, Alfie was there." Y/N cried out, swallowed half the words.

His loving eyes settled on hers and she paused.

            "It's not your fault. My love, please. You're not to blame for anything that happened. I'll find Peggy. I know where she is. She's alright.", "There's blood. Tommy. That's blood. Peggy is injured. That's her blood, Tommy." Y/N screamed into his shoulder.

Her fingers clawed at his coat. His hands cupped her face, forcing her tenderly and yet with strength to face him. He wiped away the tears with his thumbs. His warm breath touched her cheeks, but he could not banish the callousness, the blush akin to when a lover spoke words of affection. The hesitance was gone. Thomas embraced his wife, placed his hand on the back of her head, not allowing her to observe the chaos more closely, guessing what had happened, knowing it, feeling it in every fibre of his body, knew when Peggy had screamed that someone had attacked her, that someone had followed her to at least complete the order on some aspect.

            Wheels screeched. Curses broke the silence and woke the neighbours from a deep slumber. Confused, Y/N looked around, wanting to know what had happened, and Thomas breathed the answer into her hair. Arthur followed by the rest of the family, John and Polly stormed into the house like an armada with guns drawn, prepared to kill anyone daring to stand in the way, but they all came to a halt, shocked, not trusting their eyes, seeing Y/N in her husband's arms, had assumed it was her who was in danger.

            "I will not leave you alone," Y/N murmured.

Thomas chuckled.

            "You forgot who you married. Yes, you will, Ada and Polly will take you home, you will be safe there, Arthur and the others will accompany me." Thomas answered.

He stroked her tousled hair and whispered promises into her ear. The protests died in the ocean of affection, words sounding too wonderful, out of a romance, too good to be true.

            "Solomons will ring our bell, let him in. He will look after you and ensure your safety. Where is Polly?" Thomas addressed Ada.

She nodded fleetingly, drew nearer to the couple, ashamed she had never let Y/N know how much she liked her, knew as a woman she was the one who should have welcomed Y/N into the family with open arms. Ada slipped out of the coat and put it on her shoulders.

            "She is preparing a bath and necessary things," Ada answered.

Cautiously, fearing Y/N would flee, she placed her gloved hand on her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. Eyes fluttered open and Polly smiled and Y/N did not return it.

            "I can buy another one," Ada assured, motherly.

She brushed the loose strand behind Y/N´s ear, answered the unspoken question, drawing Y/N´s attention to herself and not to the debating and cursing men.

            "Don't worry, we will take care of you. Polly is cooking a soup, and the blankets are warming up by the fire. We will eat cake, and after the bath, you can go to sleep." she spoke in a soothing tone.

Thomas placed his wife in the care of the woman welcoming her with a gentle voice and outstretched arms. Ada did not give the woman a chance to reconsider. A veil of pure darkness settled on his striking features. Nostrils flared. Thomas cursed. His flexing hand slipped into his trouser pocket, retrieved the wrinkled paper, and handed it to Arthur. Eyes focused on the delicately curved initials, representing a name they all knew. Dry, bitter laughter mixed with bloody murder. Down the long road, the women went on, away from the gruesome scene and Y/N, too exhausted to fight, to raise her voice and speak her mind, let it happen, oblivious to the commotion in the house.

TagList:

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[quotergirl19]

I understand the perspective of people who feel Colin has done nothing wrong that he needs to suffer for (even though saying what he did at the end of season 2 was definitely not nice). But I still need him to pine for Penelope the way she did for him.

I want Colin to struggle with the hurt and self-esteem crushing that Penelope endured. I want him to watch her being pursued by someone gorgeous, desirable and popular, while hearing from her mouth that Colin is just a friend and she doesn’t want to marry him.

I can totally picture Colin thinking that Penelope will happily agree to marry him because he kissed her in the carriage but I want that to be Penelope’s opportunity to reject him and tell him he’s her friend, she won’t trap, and she wants more for both of them than a loveless marriage.

I want his ego crushed a bit to hear that Penelope won’t even consider him and I want him genuinely devastated thinking he’s going to lose her forever.

Can you imagine Colin wanting more and more time with Penelope. Thinking of her. Dreaming of her. Spending whatever time he can with her. Then he’s alone with her and can’t resist the urge to kiss her, and it’s literal perfection… passionate and he’s just barely able to stop himself from taking it further but just when he’s assuming she will insist they marry, she tells him she could never marry him. He’d be like, “Wait, what? Why? Penelope we have to marry. I am a gentleman and you are a lady! We’ve kissed. I’ve seen your (he gestures to her breasts).” Meanwhile Penelope is like, “I will not agree to ruin both our lives over a meaningless moment of passion. You would never dream of marrying me, and I will not pretend that I would be happy to always have to endure people’s assumptions that I somehow trapped you into a loveless marriage after you announced so publicly how undesirable you find me. I will not give up my chance for actual happiness and neither should you. I want someone who sees me for who I am and chooses me because he actually wants me. As far as I am concerned this never happened and it will certainly never happen again. So since you call yourself my friend, I expect you to never tell a soul.”

I want him crushed that she’s so sure there’s nothing between them that she dismisses the thought of him as a potential husband. I feel like he needs the challenge of having to endure something to win her if he’s ever going to value and appreciate her. Or their marriage would likely become him taking her for granted and her always feeling like he did her a favor and she should feel lucky. Something should happen so they’re on more even ground before they get together. But also I just want to see him ache for her the way she did for him. It’ll make their eventual HEA that much better. Don’t you think ?💜

[jewishrizahawkeye]

im once again thinking of taylor uses marriage in her songs as not literally but more metaphorically to show us, the reader/listener, what she was giving and promising. cause in high infidelity she says “dragged my feet right down the aisle” which is definitely her picking a guy at the age of 25 to settle down with because that’s what everyone wanted but her choosing wrong and her being stuck cause if she broke up with him it’s all “when’s the new album taylor?” and “she can’t keep a man” and so then we get stuff like the infamous locket post i posted earlier saying “one year down”, like she just ran a marathon.

like she was talking about this relationship as like “i’m doing it i’m doing it” and not “i’m in love”… and then you hear stuff like “lock broken, slur spoken” “your picket fences sharp as knives” or even her describing being with him long term (marriage) as suffocating and draining and she felt herself slowly dying praying for something, praying for attention it love from his person she now has to be with for life… like “dragged my feet right down the aisle” “at the house lonely” “wait by the door like i’m just a little kid” “my pain fits in the palm of your freezing hands taking mine, but it’s been promised to another” “walking all over my piece of mind, in the shoes i gave you as a present” “you said i was free loading” and so much more i can’t type out cause my phones dying so tumblrs being a butt about my typing speed.

but it just makes you think… what was it like behind closed doors? what was he saying or doing to her? we know from interviews that he didn’t like going to award shows with her unless he was nominated cause he was intimidated by her. so the reference to marriage we hear in folklore and evermore (and on high infidelity) are more about this idea of being trapped in a loveless marriage by outside forces, in both instances of fake and real marriage divorce is almost like being shunned by society and shamed for it since you promised your life to each other… and she was like “no more dating around i settled down… oh wait no wrong guy”

but then when we hear references on lover it’s more sweet. like “i take this magnetic force of a man to be my lover” and the final bridge of its nice to have a friend have it been more like, she’s willing to commit to him cause she’s seen what will come of a committed relationship to someone, she knows what can be said if it doesn’t work, but she isn’t worried this time cause she picked right

i don’t think i’m explaining it right but just… taylor using marriage as more of a metaphor for her life rather than actually being married is so interesting cause marriage is supposed to be this symbolic bond between two people of love forever but it’s being used here to both trap her but also be freeing to her in other relationships

[inthefades]

thinking about alicent's "what have i done but what was expected of me? forever upholding the kingdom, the family, the law." and about princess irulan immediately offering up herself to paul to spare her father. two girls raised to be political pawns, trapped in loveless marriages, living to ensure some meaningless prophecy comes true.

[greatbritishsimchallenge]

Catherine kept Cassian under a watchful eye and Cassian dutifully followed all of his marital obligations.

It wasn't long before Catherine was pregnant and gave birth to twin girls, but one of them died in childbirth. They named the survivor Catherine.

Next came another set of twins, a boy and a girl. Catherine named them Nicholas and Joan. Joan died in infancy.

The more pain and suffering that Catherine faced with the loss of her children, the more determined she became to continue having children and ensure that at least one would survive. Cassian managed all of this with a numbness and resignation.

Catherine soon gave birth to a baby daughter, Alice, but not long later a sickness swept through the house that killed Nicholas, Alice and Catherine.

Pregnant and yet suddenly childless, Catherine grew more and more panicked, spending hours in Church and fighting to atone for her sins. She was certain that this was all punishment for her past behaviours. Cassian wondered the same; his life had begun to feel like a kind of hell: forever trapped in a loveless marriage that endlessly produced dying children.

Start (Iron Age) | Start (Roman Britain) | Start (Anglo Saxon) | Start (Medieval) | Start (Tudor)

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[ash-and-books]

Rating: 4/5

Book Blurb:A swoon-worthy debut queer Victorian romance in which two debutantes distract themselves from having to seek husbands by setting up their widowed parents, and instead find their perfect match in each other—the lesbian Bridgerton/Parent Trap you never knew you needed!

Gwen has a brilliant beyond brilliant idea.

It’s 1857, and anxious debutante Beth has just one season to snag a wealthy husband, or she and her mother will be out on the street. But playing the blushing ingenue makes Beth’s skin crawl and she’d rather be anywhere but here.

Gwen, on the other hand, is on her fourth season and counting, with absolutely no intention of finding a husband, possibly ever. She figures she has plenty of security as the only daughter of a rakish earl, from whom she’s gotten all her flair, fun, and less-than-proper party games.

“Let’s get them together,” she says.

It doesn’t take long for Gwen to hatch her latest scheme: rather than surrender Beth to courtship, they should set up Gwen’s father and Beth’s newly widowed mother. Let them get married instead.

“It’ll be easy” she says.

There’s just…one, teeny, tiny problem. Their parents kind of seem to hate each other.

But no worries. Beth and Gwen are more than up to the challenge of a little twenty-year-old heartbreak. How hard can parent-trapping widowed ex-lovers be?

Of course, just as their plan begins to unfold, a handsome, wealthy viscount starts calling on Beth, offering up the perfect, secure marriage.

Beth’s not mature enough for this…

Now Gwen must face the prospect of sharing Beth with someone else, forever. And Beth must reckon with the fact that she’s caught feelings, hard, and they’re definitely not for her potential fiancé.

That’s the trouble with matchmaking: sometimes you accidentally fall in love with your best friend in the process.

Review:

A debutante desperate to snag a wealthy husband least her mother and her end up destitute finds herself falling for the one person she shouldn't be, a fellow debutante... who's father also has a complicated history with her mother. Beth is anxious to find a husband in her last season, she needs the money to make sure her mother and her can still keep their house. Yet when she meets Gwen, a charming and beautiful debutante who has no intention of finding a husband, Beth finds herself falling for the first time in her life. To make matters a bit more complicated, what started off as friendship and hopes to get Beth's widowed mother to marry Gwen's father, a romance that had happened in their past, Beth and Gwen find themselves falling for each other. Beth and Gwen want to fix the twenty year old heartbreak between their parents yet also deal with their own complicated situation when a handsome suitor offers for Beth's hand....and Beth will be forced to choose between financial stability in a loveless marriage, or living a scandalous life but with the girl who has her heart. This was a really cute parent trap/ forbidden romance book. Beth and Gwen are both dealing with difficult situations, particularly Beth. They love each other but in a time where such a relationship would be hard to have they have to find a way to be together and find out how to make their parents happy. This was a really cute historical sapphic romance and I did love how Beth and Gwen schemed to be together and constantly fought for one another.

*Thanks Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager, Avon for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

[seiya-starsniper]

WIP Word Search Game

I AM 8 BAJILLION YEARS LATE WITH NO EXCUSES (that's a lie, I was sick so haven't written too much lmaoooooo) but thank you so much for the tags @five-and-dimes and @hardly-an-escape

My words are cold, warm, soft, hold, hurt and book, scare, red, hip, tree. Let's see what we've got!

Putting this under a cut because it got long!

Cold:

From an Untitled Dreamling Forced Marriage AU

Dream wishes he had tried harder to convince Robert to open their marriage. Then maybe he could have had someone else’s child, and taken the fall for an affair and run off, out of this cold, loveless place. But Robert had vehemently refused him even that small comfort, and Dream now finds himself hating his husband for it. Now he was trapped forever, with no escape. 

Warm:

Continuation of Untitled Portrait of a Man (I Want to Obliterate Me)

“Hey,” Hob greets warmly, breaking Dream out of his reverie and forcing him to reboot his brain. “Hob,” Dream says, cringing internally at how breathless he sounds despite Hob being the one breathing heavily at his door. If the other man notices, he doesn’t comment on it. “It’s bloody hot outside,” Hob replies. He runs a hand through his sweat soaked hair and Dream has to clamp his jaw shut before he blurts out something stupid like “it’s bloody hot inside too”.

Soft:

From the Untitled sequel to A Dream for a Viscount

He wakes to sunlight filtering through the windows, soft and gentle. Hob is snoring peacefully next to him, a rarity as he is normally an early riser while Dream prefers to sleep in. Dream’s last night of heat had been his most fervent, and he blushes when he remembers how desperately he had begged for Hob’s knot, had even begged the alpha to stay inside him until they both fell asleep. 

Hold:

Continuation of Untitled Portrait of a Man (I Want to Obliterate Me)

Dream doesn’t expect Hob to show up for their final session. He has every right not to. When he had left Dream’s apartment last week, Dream had buried himself in his work and his sketches. He obsessively stalked the man's social media accounts and downloaded dozens of photos to use a reference in case he needed them to finish his project. In case Hob decided to not come back. The photos don't hold a candle to the real thing though.

Hurt:

From the Untitled sequel to Break Me, Shake Me

Johanna explains to the group gathered who Dream is, and why he’s agreed to help them. Though many of the group regard him warily, as they should, they all fully accept that he's yet another person that's been irreparably hurt by Roderick. Dream wonders what it is they see when they look at him. Roderick has not left him with scars, nor starved him. But there must be something in his expression because Dream catches more than a few pitying glances. 

Book:

Continuation of Untitled Portrait of a Man (I Want to Obliterate Me)

“So are you going to let me see what you've done so far, or do I need to wait for the finished product?” Hob asks, settling himself back on the lounge and looking far too comfortable. He doesn't seem to be in a hurry to get dressed, much to Dream’s chagrin. It’s not that he minds Hob’s company, but he’s so horny he might actually explode if Hob doesn’t dress and leave soon. “When I have something worth sharing, you will be the first to see it,” Dream replies, more curt than he'd intended. Hob doesn't seem bothered by his shortness though, he simply huffs in amusement before he stands and walks over to where Dream is sitting as he finishes some additional lines on his sketches. On instinct, Dream pulls his sketchbook close to his chest when Hob is close enough, and when he looks up, he finds himself staring at the most brilliant amber brown eyes he’s ever seen. He almost tells Hob to sit back down just so he can sketch them.

Scare:

Not found in any of my WIP documents (but I'm sure that'll change soon enough!)

Red:

Follow up to SnowBaz Dreamling shenanigans, requested by @bazzybelle

“ ‘m not drunk,” Morpheus insists. Hob snorts. “Sure, sure, and I had the queen of England over at my place this summer,” Hob jokes. “I’m serious!” Morpheus insists, huffing and puffing out his cheeks like a small child. It’s absolutely adorable, if not absolutely terrible for Hob’s balance. Morpheus’s cheeks and lips are both flushed cherry-red from the cold, the most color Hob’s ever seen on the other man since they met. It was a really good look on him. A very tempting look. “Pretty sure your boyfriend would agree with me,” Hob replies, reminding himself that no matter how cute and tempting Morpheus looked, Hob wasn’t a homewrecker. Even if Baz would have thanked him for him and written him a check for enough money to pay the rest of his rent and tuition for the rest of the year.  Morpheus furrows his brow. “Boyfriend?” he asks in a confused state. “What boyfriend?”

Hip:

From the Untitled sequel to Break Me, Shake Me

“What do you like, baby?” Hob asks again. “Tell me, I’ll give it to you.” Dream wants to say, look at me. Tell me you can't live without me. Instead, he places a hand on the alpha’s chest, pushing him back and off of him until Hob is sitting on his ankles watching him, his eyes never leaving Dream’s. Then Dream turns and presents himself, bracing on his elbows and knees as he spreads his legs as wide as he can manage.   “Take me rough, just like this,” Dream whines. “I want to feel you so deep inside me, I forget everything else.” Hob growls and grabs him by the hips, before the alpha finally, finally does what Dream’s been fantasizing about for weeks and sinks himself into the omega’s cunt. 

Tree:

From Chapter 3 of Set the Night on Fire

“You need to leave,” Dream says, his voice low and dangerous as he hears the adventuring party  advance further into his territory. By his estimates, they would be at the bottom of the trail leading up the mountain in an hour.  “What? Why?” Hob asks, sitting up and now fully awake. Dream does not explain further, he simply grabs Hob by the waist, careful not to squeeze too hard on the soft human’s body, before he dashes out of the cave and jumps from the cliff, taking off into the chilly morning air. “What the fucking hell!” Hob yells as Dream carries them high above the trees, and as far away from the fast approaching humans as the bounds of his curse will allow. He cannot allow the humans to see Hob. He cannot allow them to think Hob is aligned with him. If they do, they’ll kill him, and Dream would not be able to stand it if he loses another human companion.

tagging @pellaaearien @bazzybelle @arialerendeair @blueberrymffn @beauty-of-nyx @tj-dragonblade @bruce-wayne-simp @delta-pavonis @lostelfwriting

Your words are: blue, rich, sky, jacket, and heart

[hestiaswifey]

A Fear

The news hit Electra like a thunderbolt. Not one, but two children of Zeus were nestled within her. Heron, the proud and reckless, was expected.

But the second, a girl, was a revelation.

She named her Lyra, a name whispered by the wind, a melody of hope.

Lyra, however, was different. Heron was a whirlwind of energy and confidence, fueled by his god-given strength.

Lyra, though strong, was introspective, a quiet observer with an unyielding sense of justice.

Growing up, she saw the pain that Heron's recklessness caused, the collateral damage of his divine heritage. She saw the way Zeus, his father, flitted in and out of their lives, leaving behind a trail of fractured hearts and broken promises.

When the truth about their parentage finally came to light, Heron embraced it with a roar of pride. He craved the power, the divine lineage that set him apart.

Lyra, however, recoiled.

She saw only the burdens, the responsibility that came with being a child of the king of gods. She couldn't fathom the weight of such a legacy.

When they finally met Zeus on Mount Olympus, he was everything they had imagined and more. Powerful, arrogant, and utterly indifferent to the consequences of his actions.

The meeting was charged with tension, a silent battle of wills.

Heron, consumed by his newfound power, saw Zeus as a father figure, a source of strength.

Lyra, however, saw through his façade, recognizing the callous disregard for humanity that mirrored his careless treatment of Electra.

They walked away, leaving Zeus with their unspoken anger and resentment. Lyra, fueled by a burning desire for justice, sought out Hera, the queen of the gods, on Olympus.

Hera, trapped in a loveless marriage with Zeus, saw a kindred spirit in Lyra. She saw a reflection of her own pain in Lyra’s scorn for Zeus. They forged an unlikely alliance, fueled by a shared desire to overthrow the king.

Together, they plotted. Hera, with her vast political influence, and Lyra, with her cunning and understanding of Zeus’s weaknesses, began to dismantle his power from within.

They manipulated his closest allies, exploited his arrogance, and fueled the growing resentment towards him.

The fight was long and arduous. They faced betrayal, heartbreak, and the constant threat of Zeus’s wrath. Each victory brought them closer to their goal, but also revealed the true cost of their quest.

Lyra, once so full of hope, began to see the darkness within herself, the ruthlessness she had inherited from her father.

Finally, the day arrived. Zeus, weakened by their machinations, faced a rebellion fueled by the forgotten gods and mortals, the ones he had wronged for centuries.

Hera, with a chilling, unyielding gaze, watched from the sidelines, her own pain and fury masking a flicker of hope.

As the dust settled, Lyra stood amidst the ruin, holding the fate of Olympus in her hands.

The war was won, Zeus was dethroned, but the victory tasted bittersweet. The price was high, the path long and arduous, and a part of her, forever tainted by the darkness she had embraced.

The question remained: could she rebuild a world broken by the gods, a world where her own father's legacy was a warning, a cautionary tale of power unchecked? Or would she, like him, fall prey to the intoxicating allure of dominance?

The future remained a blank canvas, waiting to be painted. A world where Lyra, the quiet girl from Corinth, had become the new wielder of the celestial power, a power she wielded with the wisdom of a queen and the unwavering love of a daughter, determined to rewrite the legacy of gods and mortals alike.

[starsarefire824]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Let’s spread the self-love❤

aw thanks lex!!! <3

I'll stick with Stranger Things ones for this, in no particular order.

Lay Me Down Slow (M, 2/3) It's 1998 and Will is anxiously making his way to a bar to meet up with Mike, who he hasn't seen in over a decade. Emotions run high as he shares a drink with him, and when a confrontation turns violent, it leads to truths being told and the two of them finding each other again. Will POV.

I am having entirely too much fun with this one!!

Demons of Change and Wildflower Eyes (M, ongoing)- High school hasn't been easy for Will Byers, and he's had to live with the emotional scars of a loveless father and supernatural worlds as well as the physical ones from the hands of the bullies that make his everyday existence hell. One night, when he's looking for some peace and quiet Will comes upon one of them and something surprising happens. As he and Mike Wheeler tentatively open up to each other, they just might discover they may be exactly what they need to give each other much needed healing and self-acceptance. Can they survive everything that comes along with that?

This is probably my most obscure Byler fic? But I enjoyed writing it and I liked exploring some different dynamics between Will and Mike. I plan to get back to this one soon.

Death Lies in Wait- (M, ongoing)- Massachusetts, 1890. Max Mayfield is twenty-six years old and at the hand of her parents, settles for a marriage of convenience to a widowed lighthouse keeper. A stranger she'll be trapped with for the rest of her life on a lonely strip of land surrounded by nothing but endless, lonely sea. But, as she settles into her life, and she and her new husband try to coexist, they get wrapped up in a mysterious presence on the cape. It calls to them. It's lulling and coaxing and sings to them at night. Max discovers the secrets her new husband keeps. Mermaids and ghosts of the past come to haunt them.

Madwheeler/Byler//Lumax Gothic AU- Mermaid Will.

Historic gothic au and arranged marriage trope along with sea nymph/ mermaid Will? Idk man, it’s just the type of fic I want to see in the world and I needed it. I can’t wait to get back to this one!

Touch Me Like You Know Me- (M, complete)- Mike doesn't go home anymore, not unless absolutely necessary. Instead, he stays far away from Hawkins, quietly shutting himself off from the world, and burying the pain of the things he never said to the boy he'd left behind. But when his mother convinces him to return home for his thirty-fifth birthday, Mike is finally forced to confront just how much he'd given up when he runs into Will by accident. Mike-centric. Estranged Byler reconnection fic. Soft and Sweet.

I forever be obsessed with Mike looking at Will in this one. The themes just make me emotional and I felt proud of it more so than any other fic I've written I think.

The Pact (M, ongoing)- A pact between Max and Mike gone wrong gets them both unanimously voted out of the Party and they find themselves stuck with each other the summer after Graduation: fighting, commiserating, and begrudgingly discovering they are a lot more alike than they originally thought.

What kind of started as a joke fic, has turned into one of my favorite things I've written. I really liked getting to explore Max in this as I had never written for her before and I just really, really dig the partycule vibes of it. This also was probably the fic I've had THE MOST fun as far as interacting with readers in the comments and everyone has truly made it something really special to me. <3 Especially you Lex!

*ACSoL is my like first child who I'll always include, but can't put it here this time. But delving into some of Will's darker issues in a post-canon setting is what got me so excited about this fandom in the first place and also made me realize Will is my favorite character.

Thank you so much! I'm gonna come drop this in your inbox now <3

[ieattaperecorders]

Okay, I need to know what the TMA fandom thinks No Children is about. I am losing my mind.

No Children is about two people who hate each other. Not "I love you, but I hate you too" just "I hate you. I hate you as someone can only hate a person they've been trapped in a loveless marriage with for a decade or more. I despise you with a depth that contains no love but mirrors love in its all-consuming passion."

It's a song about a couple whose miserable relationship has driven away everything good in their lives. They should break up, they know they should break up, but they won't because they'd rather destroy one another than be happy or free.

It's the wife and husband who married too young and can't get a divorce because their community is religious. The couple that keeps breaking up and getting back together who've driven all their friends away with their drama. Terrible people willingly stuck in a terrible relationship forever.

It baffles me that so many people decided to put it on JonMartin when the only TMA couple it could fit is Lonely Eyes.

[dealmxkerofgold]

Thanks to @bluebellestorybrooke and this, now all I can think about is an AU in which Princess!Belle meets Rumplestiltskin under different circumstances, ones that don’t make her his maid.

Perhaps, they form something along the lines of a friendship — Rumplestiltskin, with all his knowledge and love of books and an actually quite good sense of humor when he doesn't purposefully tries to scare you off is one of the most interesting and delightful companies Belle ever had and Rumple... he can’t quite explain even to himself why he's so drawn to her (perhaps, he saw her in a vision and knew she was important? I'm making this up because it's true, could be a good explanation as to why Rumple wanted her and gives me an excuse to have Rumple interact with Belle without any deals involved).

Perhaps, later on, when the war with Ogres reaches its peak, Belle suggests calling onto him precisely because they know each other well at this point and she knows, without a doubt, that he'll come.

Perhaps, Belle expressed her woe over being ignored by everyone at the castle, including her father, and feeling rather isolated and trapped as a result and over being forced to marry Gaston at one point and Rumple making her his price is actually him helping her escape the suffocating walls of the castle where no-one listens to her and a loveless marriage with an evil man and they discussed this prior her father calling onto him.

Imagine then him, being a gentleman ( and already head over heels in love with her ), telling Belle as soon as they are a safe distance away from her father's castle that she's free now to do whatever she wants and go wherever she wants and can finally fulfill her dream of seeing the world but Belle taking one good look at him, at this sad, lonely man who became a great friend ( and is beginning to become something much more than that ) for her and who has a big, kind heart under all the beastly exterior and smiling and saying that she'd promised him forever and that is a promise she fully intends to keep, leaving Rumple looking at her with astonishment and awe (and falling even deeper in love with her) because she actually wants to go with him? out of her own free will? and not because of some deal, not because her loved ones' lives are at stake but because of... him?

[audiofictionuk]

New Fiction Podcasts - 12th January (Part 2)

All Tales Audio Book "All Tales" is an ever growing collection of original short stories written and produced by Leo Bloom and Prati Soum- and is released bi-weekly. https://audiofiction.co.uk/show.php?id=20240101-09 RSS: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2295851.rss

Dissection - An Original Story Audio Book When a killer shocks the world by circulating graphic footage of himself torturing people to death on camera, it falls on a covert military intelligence agency to track him down and bring him to justice. Leaving behind cryptic clues in the videos as he announces his actions and taunts his viewers, they must rely on every clue, every footprint and every trace that gets left behind in order to find out who he is and what his motives are. As they unravel a web of clues and cryptic signs, they start to uncover the intricate connections between the killer, the victims, and all parties involved in a search that takes them to all corners of the globe. As they find themselves gradually unmatched in intelligence and technological ability, it’s a race against time to bring the killer to justice before his endgame can be achieved, as each victim is not only a death they failed to prevent, but a catalyst that accelerates the frantic and desperate actions of a number of parties they weren’t prepared to deal with. https://audiofiction.co.uk/show.php?id=20240102-04 RSS: https://feed.podbean.com/shahishtiaque/feed.xml

Dungeons & Dimensions Audio RPG Three adventurers from the land of Ooo go on a crazy quest through the different dimensional realms. Join Fern the Human, Jack the Wolf, and Marshel Lee and there crazy quest full of crazy and familiar characters. https://audiofiction.co.uk/show.php?id=20231108-02 RSS: https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/65943868d5efc50016350940

The Morning After Potion Audio Drama The year is 1813, and a young alchemist, Wynifred Martin (Sarah Taqvi), develops the first contraceptive for women: The Morning After Potion. Naive to business, she partners with ruffian, Jackson Haaksmore (Jonah Robinson), in developing this new brew into a revolution by way of women’s health. Soon, the ramifications of her alchemy take noble society by storm, and the resulting whirlwind of romance and politics threatens to ruin Wynifred’s life. Will the mob see her imprisoned? Will she forever be trapped in a loveless marriage? Or perhaps there’s a worse fate awaiting our young alchemist. https://audiofiction.co.uk/show.php?id=20240103-07 RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/ee530af4/podcast/rss

Flourish Audio Drama After a traumatic childhood, Amelia attempts to rewrite her story and struggles to reclaim her right to flourish. https://audiofiction.co.uk/show.php?id=20231223-03 RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/ed2b2490/podcast/rss

Of Dice and Pen Audio RPG Listen along as the Penmaester takes the wayward heroes along on a journey into Vah' Ren. Rionn, Karma, Patch, Alexandria, Laeya and Q all have their own reasons for finding their way to the same place. Fate and circumstances have their own reasons for throwing the group together however. With the help of their Dungeon Master the group will adventure on and encounter all sorts of dangerous and exciting things. https://audiofiction.co.uk/show.php?id=20240105-03 RSS: https://feeds.captivate.fm/of-dice-and-pen/

Captain Maxx and the Starfighters Audio Book Ten year old Captain Maxx and her misfit crew roam the galaxy in search of their next payday. https://audiofiction.co.uk/show.php?id=20240102-05 RSS: https://feeds.simplecast.com/chX6_msD

CrackedAtlas Audio Book Cracked Atlas present gnarly tales from the dark underbelly of modern life. Featuring a mixture of high drama, music and black comedy, taking you on a journey through the absurd. https://audiofiction.co.uk/show.php?id=20240102-06 RSS: https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/6592c05d10e210001646ca34

The Secret Magic of Jake Driver Audio Book Eleven-year-old Jake Driver's world is turned upside down when he receives an acceptance letter to the mysterious Evergreen Academy for Gifted Youngsters. Jake has grown up in the secluded wizarding village of Willowbend and struggled to match the talents of friends who seem destined for greatness. But when Jake is summoned to attend the elite Evergreen Academy hidden deep in the Scottish Highlands, he begins to wonder if there is more to his own budding magical abilities than he realised.  https://audiofiction.co.uk/show.php?id=20240106-01 RSS: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2298199.rss

Sonoro Limited Series Audio Drama Get your headphones and dive into the best audio series. Here you can find the fiction and non fiction stories created and published by Sonoro. Sonoro is a global entertainment company focused on creating premium, culturally relevant content that starts in audio and comes alive in TV, film and beyond. Sonoro collaborates with leading and emerging Latinx storytellers – writers, producers, and directors – from over a dozen countries to develop original franchises in English, Spanish, and Spanglish. https://audiofiction.co.uk/show.php?id=20240108-01 RSS: https://feeds.megaphone.fm/SONORO4368830398

Winnie Taylor's 4th and Inches Audio Drama 13-year-old Winnie moves in  with her dad, Derek, a retired quarterback, whose promising career ended badly. When Cleveland loses their starting QB, Winnie gets Derek back in the game and this time…he might actually find a way to win! With the love of a father and daughter at its center, Winnie Taylor’s 4th and Inches bring a classic underdog sports story to the world of podcasts. Starring Ruth Righi as Winnie Taylor, Jeremie Harris as Derek Taylor and Tony Todd as Coach Fitz. https://audiofiction.co.uk/show.php?id=20240108-02 RSS: https://feeds.megaphone.fm/EDEUA7383726952

Leclerc & Lafontaine Audio Drama Ein Erzähler, sein treu ergebener Assistent Jeffrey und eine Hand voll unbezahlter Praktikanten produzieren ein Hörspiel und hauchen den Figuren Leclerc & Lafontaine Leben ein. Die Kommissare tauchen an den unmöglichsten Orten auf und treffen auf zahlreiche skurrile Persönlichkeiten. Das Schicksal der Welt und womöglich das des gesamten Universums, liegen bald schon in ihren Händen... oder auch nicht. Ja, wahrscheinlich eher nicht. Dafür haben die Kommissare Leclerc & Lafontaine aber jede Menge Spass und garantiert keine Langeweile! https://audiofiction.co.uk/show.php?id=20240108-03 RSS: https://feed.podbean.com/leclerc-lafontaine/feed.xml

SIGN OFF Audio Drama A world on the brink. The ultimate what if. In this scripted podcast, tensions between the U.S. and Russia spiral out of control. Life on Earth hangs in the balance. Through the lens of two television broadcasts, listen to these chilling, unthinkable moments rendered in eerily believable detail. https://audiofiction.co.uk/show.php?id=20240108-04 RSS: https://feeds.simplecast.com/9wD988M2

A&M Audio Adventures Audio Drama Rock podcasts and audio fiction plays with snappy characters in a fleshed out aural world from the east coast of Ireland. More than just a radio show, we create full-feature comedy adventures and story-filled rock shows. Original, scripted and with HD sound design. Twisted tales and immersive podcasting. https://audiofiction.co.uk/show.php?id=20240101-10 RSS: https://feed.podbean.com/aandm/feed.xml

The Bugs Labyrinth Audio Book The Bugs Labyrinth is a horror story podcast where each Episode we dive into a new Event Report given to us by the shadowy Institute Organization, and read to us by The Bug. Join us as we dive into the Labyrinth and find the secrets held within. https://audiofiction.co.uk/show.php?id=20240110-01 RSS: https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/thebugslabyinth

[oldfashionedmorphine]

(going with the theme of the other ask): Joyce/Karen

Alright hear me out for this one…

So I think they both are bi (though an argument can be made for Karen realizing later in life that she is actually a lesbian)—but for years are of the belief that “all women are beautiful, all women think this way, and wanting to be with a woman is totally normal you just don’t act on it because it’s a sin” and so while there were a couple heated moments in their youth, they never confront it—too scared and ashamed of the implications.

And they both wanted children, so they ultimately sought out relationships with men, and while they love their children, they never stopped thinking about the “what if…” of it all and at times their love lives were lacking…

Most especially Karen. She felt trapped for years in a loveless marriage, and that’s why she reads so many steamy romance novels—imaging scenarios with men who are too perfect to exist, but then one day she realizes sapphic romance novels exist too. She buys one at a bookstore along with a couple other books (a small effort to seem like it was an accident to the cashier) and she reads the hell out of that book, always picturing herself as the protagonist and Joyce as the love interest and it makes her crazy! She wishes that was her life, but she never tries to change it because she has to stay with her husband for Holly… but it also never helped that Joyce remained in her life because her daughter married Jonathan and her son has been in a long-term relationship with Will—Joyce is always there!! Reminding her at every holiday of what she really wanted… it just wasn’t fair. But once Holly turned 18 and went off to college, she finally filed for divorce. She couldn’t take it anymore. Her loveless marriage was keeping her from true happiness…

Joyce was always followed by a string of rotten luck, ever since she was young. It’s true that there’s a lot of choices she regrets, many missed opportunities, and what-ifs that haunted her every night right before bed, of course in the light of day she doesn’t have much time to dwell on it—she constantly has to focus on work work work to raise her two sons. Daydreams don’t pay the bills. Their deadbeat father (oh boy she can pick ‘em) was no help at all… but she found another guy eventually who seemed a decent fella, and she desperately wanted her boys to have a good father figure—she had them in mind and the guy was great, a little boring, but great—but then he died. And that really sucked. Because she was happy enough with how things were going. What other chance was she gonna get? But then she does. Her old crush from back in high school—sparks were flying and he sweeps her off her feet. And once again, she is sure it’ll be great because her kids still needed a father and she truly loves him, no regrets, for once things were finally going right for Joyce Maldonado… but nothing lasts forever and eventually he becomes ill, cancer, probably from all the chemicals from the war and her heart is broken to pieces when he dies too.

But Karen was there for her through it all—all the hospitalizations and all the treatments until the bitter end—she cooked her dinners, helped clean her house, gave her a shoulder to cry on—Karen did whatever she could to help Joyce because she didn’t want to see her suffering. Because she finally could admit after all these years that she had always loved Joyce. No more denial. And sometime later, once Joyce seemed to be more like herself again, no longer dwelling in the dark cave of her room and when she stopped calling her up on the phone in tears, Karen started to invite Joyce out for dinner, dancing, and the weekly night out at the movies, and then one night after having one too many drinks, she finally confesses her feelings… and Joyce reciprocates! Because she had feelings too—buried deep down below responsibility and expectations, but they were always there. They decide to move in together, eventually settling into a beach house, and spend the rest of their golden years as a couple, happy and fulfilled <3