#In The Beginning

[diavalkitty]

Oo-oh

I am the sand in bottom half of the hourglass...

[filmnoirsbian]

Incomplete list of recommendations if you want greek myth retellings that are actually interesting and do something new with the concept:

Hadestown by Anaïs Mitchell (& friends)

O Brother, Where Art Thou (2000)

Cassandra by Christa Wolf

The King Must Die by Mary Renault

Los Reyes by Julio Cortázar

Lavinia by Ursula K. Le Guin

The Trojan Women: A Comic by Anne Carson and Rosanna Bruno (let's be honest, Ms. Carson could easily dominate this whole list but I'm trying to limit myself to one and I think this one is the most interesting.)

Girl on an Altar by Marina Carr

Oresteia by Robert Icke

An Iliad by Denis O'Hare and Lisa Peterson

Till We Have Faces by C. S. Lewis

Helen in Egypt by Hilda Doolittle (H.D.)

Norma Jean Baker of Troy by Anne Carson (ok I lied, what are you gonna do about it?)

Weight by Jeanette Winterson

The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood

Averno by Louise Glück

[shirtlesssammy]

Castiel every day so often -- 3/139

Supernatural 4x03//In the Beginning

[elly-sweetheartcrowley]

Quick doodles for Ineffable May Day 1 – "In the beginning"

[girl4music]

I honestly find it so interesting how much of an idealistic romantic Gabrielle is in the first season and how her attraction seems to only be to warriors except that one guy that likes to tell stories like she does. Talus. It seemed to be less about attraction and more about recognition. She recognized in Talus a kindred spirit. He was kind and caring and sensitive and empathetic... Just like herself...

But with the warriors - Gabrielle’s interest in them was more obvious and she wasn’t drawing parallels to herself in them, but rather to Xena. And that’s how you knew that she was just substituting her unrealized attraction to Xena with these warriors. Even later on with the female warriors that had interest in her, she was still constantly rooted on her idealisation of Xena. Of being a warrior or with one.

And that would always be unhealthy for her - unless it was Xena.

But yeah, the other romantic interests that weren’t warriors… She was just drawing parallels to herself even though she wasn’t that way either. At least she was very quickly moving away and separating herself from that. Again - just an idealised version of the real person. And look - Perdicus only ever became interesting to Gabrielle when he was no longer just a villager too. When he was also a warrior with a tortured soul. Someone she could save. Someone she could fix...

But she already had that person in her life and she was already doing that job and playing that role for that person. She already had exactly what she was looking for in a romantic partner in Xena. She just never realized it because she mistook her attraction to and affection for Xena as just hero worship and the fantasy of being an adventuress.

Season 1 just lays it on really thick that the Perfect Match for either one of them is clearly each other. They said they weren’t doing this intentionally and you can see that but they understood the romantic interest characters were just paralleling both their lead characters in that the traits in them are the reason they were attractive to them.

It’s much more obvious with Gabrielle than with Xena but even Xena had romantic interests that were just an idealised male version of what she loved in Gabrielle. What she found attractive and desirable.

So really they HAD TO come to the conclusion that they do in Season 2 that it’s EACH OTHER because otherwise you’d just get this paralleling happening constantly and not really a progression. And only Xena’s bad boy attraction ever makes sense because that’s Ares. That’s what Ares does for and to her. He isn’t an idealisation. He isn’t ever a fantasy for her. She genuinely is attracted to him and desires him. That’s the only romantic interest character that doesn’t feel like a poor attempt to cover up the fact that it’s Gabrielle she wants to be with. But then what happens is every "bad boy" romantic interest character she has ends up just being a parallel to Ares instead. So it’s always either just one or the other. Ares or Gabrielle. Dark or Light.

There never seems to be a point where Xena’s paired with a romantic interest to recognize herself like Gabrielle is because it’s never about realizing her identity or sexuality. It’s about balancing her nature.

But even so,... it’s obvious the Perfect Match for her is Gabrielle. And this goes on for 2 entire seasons until the half-way point of Season 2 raises the stakes and they have to acknowledge the truth of what’s going on with the narrative when it comes to the romantic aspect.

The real romance is, always was and always will be EACH OTHER.

It’s like Xena had to be bashed in the head, die and come back life for them to get to the point of “Oh, it’s you. You’re my true love. You’re my Perfect Match. You’re my soulmate. You're the one for me!"

Even then it takes them half the fucking length of the TV show to even commit to anything actually solid within their relationship. They know their feelings, they know each other’s feelings by that point but they are still so absolutely clueless. 🤦‍♀️ They have to be told. They have to get this information hand fed to them via reincarnation and AU crazy shenanigans before they can be like “Okay, we can’t deny it now. We’re clearly meant to be together for eternity… so should we perhaps go for an actual romance? Should we be an official couple?"

And it’s so meta how they do this because it’s both an in-show and out-of-show thing. It’s like the moment they decide both in-Universe and in real life that this is where they’re going with their progression.

It just works. It works so well for it to happen like this - for them to progress like this - and it is so interesting to delve into and explore the slow burnish-ness to their character dynamic because these characters discover each other in such a way that you rarely ever see in TV. And when you do see it, it’s never two lead female characters.

I’m just so grateful. I am so fucking grateful for XENA and for a team of creators/cast/crew that AGREED! I mean the way they set it up not even intending for anything like this to occur but it just... does.

Steven L. Sears is right. Is it really a surprise that these incredibly dynamic female lead characters would end up as a WLW love story?

No,... because how else could they have progressed individually? This was the natural trajectory because it made the most sense for both characters to evolve in this way AND to be their Perfect Match. And it is a queer narrative all the way through from episode 1 to the last because... at the end of the day THEY were the heart of all of it. Everything that happens, every narrative choice, every theme, every plot arc twist - it all wraps extremely tightly around their love story. It doesn't matter whether it was initially intended or not. It was THE WAY the story was heading naturally because it's a queer narrative and they let these lead characters evolve the way it felt most right and I feel they really took this relationship seriously as a romantic one precisely because they didn't just make it about a romance. That their "have their cake and eat it too" made this show phenomenal and I don't care what anyone says. It's THE BEST WLW representation.

But only because the creators/cast/crew went there. Only because they agreed. Only because they allowed it. Deep fucking RESPECT!

[idliketobeatree]

What’s the point in creating an infinite universe with trillions of star systems if you’re only gonna let it run for a few thousand years? (...) Look, someone's gotta tell the Boss, this is a really terrible, terrible idea.

I was thinking of the Starmaker ((as you do)), and I realised this really is a defining moment for shaping Crowley's character, even pre-Fall. Probably the first time she has ever experienced such a range of emotions. Dissapointment, sadness, confusion, feeling like her purpose is, ultimately, meaningless, perhaps a smidge of anger. A desire to bargain, like she could somehow persuade God to change Her mind. And at the root of it - loosing her faith, or the belief that God is the source of all goodness, essentialy developing a moral code. I wanted to portray that moment of personal upheaval, what would be a brilliant mind trying to protect what she's worked hard on, but not yet aware of the consequences, because, well, what is the worst that God could do to Her celestial children? She made them Herself.

...on second thought, maybe that should have clued Crowley in.

[absolutelymarshmallow]

This is my favourite scene in the show

I never noticed how complex Crowley’s outfit is in this scene. There’s red embroidery, a black sash. The rob itself is supposed to be rough, heavy, grey.

However, in the first scene in the show, Aziraphale’s robes are light, white, cotton, gold embroidered, and two-pieced. A poncho, and a skirt. His outfit is supposed to look generic, like an angel uniform. Heaven adopted this odd, manufactured, cold neatness after the fall. 

Crowley’s outfit after the fall is more like a dress. It’s being held together by the black sash. It also looks more fitted to his body, and this makes me suspect that he made this himself. The Color scheme is also fitting to his hair.

Crowley had always been naturally dramatic, everyone knows that. However, I think this is his first minor ‘fuck you’ to hell. The heaven Color scheme is grey, white, tan, gold, and primarily purple. However, before, it was primarily gold and white. Aziraphale has ways opted for golds and whites as well, but he also has a love for browns and blues. This is how you know it’s a heaven uniform.

Hell’s color scheme in the beginning is yet to be observed but it’s probably not grey, black, and red. Those are all Crowley’s colors.

He’s been separating himself from hell since the very beginning. I say *first* ‘fuck-you’ because he had been wearing these robes before he gave humans the apple: an accidental good deed, the original good-natured rebellion.

Aziraphale has been accidentally doing ‘bad’ (or minorly negative) things since the beginning as well. He got caught up trying to save an angel, he gave away a sword, and most importantly he the concept invented war and weaponry in the human history.

I think this scene’s importance gets lost on a lot of people.

Aziraphale shielding Crowley is also very, very important, no matter how adorable. He, at this point, remembers Crowley. He looks guilty, nervous even, when he sees him slither up to him. Not just because he’s a snake, but you can see there’s something small and personal that he’s trying his best to hide. I think he knows.

Then, he learns his name for the first time, it just happens to be his demonic one. He never mentions his angel name, *never*, because he doesn’t know it. But more importantly, he doesn’t want to offend Crowley.

And yet they have a meaningful conversation, which is !also! very important. The first time he meets him as an angel,  Aziraphale looks like he’s flustered and smitten. He fell first, literally and figuratively. However,  Crowley isn’t at all interested in making conversation with this angel. He’s just excitedly talking about stars. Which, I admit, is adorable, but it wasn’t in any way of meaning other than that’s when they met.

Aziraphale realises how this *new* first, important conversation is utterly vital, in their relationship. Crowley is interested in Aziraphale, and he *does not remember him* at *all*. To Crowley, he’s lost all his memories now, which he regains later over a few millennia. I suspect, he’s regained all his memories by the book of Job, which is why he acts how he does.

Crowley falls in love immediately. Angels, fallen or otherwise, have shown him nothing but disrespect since he fell. And here’s this Angel trying to help him. Aziraphale indeed has guilt, but seeing someone he knew like this, wiped clean and ‘disfigured’ (or, beautiful), makes him realise what the fall actually *was*.

Just think.

An innocent star maker. And now he sees Crowley, the *real* Crowley. He’s witty, and fun, and outward. He’s making conversation, he’s comforting, he’s sarcastic.

He’s a real being.

And how neat.

So, he holds on. He shields him. Like he was shielded before, equally innocent and new to the universe, as Crowley’s now new to earth.

He sees himself.

Aziraphale is a lot more mature with how he treats Crowley in the beginning than people realise, but he loses that later once they start forming their own side, also in the book of Job.

Emotions are complicated. I know I’ve been talking for a long time, but I think it’s neat is all.

[subtextnatural]

early seasons Castiel, warrior of god, unfeeling, unemotional, cold as a block of marble etc. etc., Mr Angel you are fooling exactly no-one, we all saw in s04e03 In the Beginning that you gently clasped Dean's shoulder to bring him back to the future, you literally had no reason for a supportive gesture like that.... a bare fingertip on his arm would have been enough, but no

totally not sympathizing with the distressed human

seriously who gave u 2 the right to look at each other like at the last lifeline in the storm, you met like twice 😭

[katherinehoughtoncastle47]

4.03 - IN THE BEGINNING

[hawt-pants-exe]

Inktober Day 2

Discover

Yep already I’m procrastinating not proud at all

[qininqinin]

Ride

cw: NSFW under the cut, f!reader, Cross x Reader, Cross is oblivious and Reader is nasty, +18, thoughts about riding, sweat kink, dacryphilia, kinda sub Cross?, creampie… 

notes: my first post here and it was obvious that it would be about my favorite boy.

It was unavoidable; no matter how hard you tried to keep yourself distracted, your thoughts always drifted back to your desire to ride Cross — and as if that relentless yearning tormenting your daydreams wasn’t enough, Cross remained completely unaware of your advances.

“I’m not great with these things; perhaps Nightmare would be better suited for it,” he replied when you invited him to spend an afternoon at the library. Feeling embarrassed, you had to stick to your lie and asked Nightmare for a book recommendation (which, to be honest, you didn’t even bother to read).

It was already difficult to make small talk with anyone who wasn’t Killer, but Cross was even more clueless — not that you don’t find that endearing in a way, but it was frustrating that he couldn’t pick up on even the subtlest hint or flirtation.

That’s why you found yourself here, in the training room; at least you weren’t alone. A bit further away, Cross and Murder were sparring, working on some moves and combined attacks.

The original plan was for just the two of you, but when Cross started taking the ‘training’ part seriously, you had no choice but to abandon it — bruises from falls weren’t exactly what you had in mind today (you would have preferred clear fingerprints marks on your waist, to be truth).

However, it wasn’t all in vain. Now, more relaxed on one of the benches in the room, you let your gaze roam over Cross’s body, savoring every detail. His exposed ribs and sternum, along with his spine, were glistening with a faint violet sweat. Soon, you let yourself drift into darker thoughts.

He was definitely the type to sweat a lot during sex, especially if it was to restrict his own movements - how you liked to imagine his sharp phalanges trembling against your thighs, both trying not to tear your skin apart as you grind yourself against him.

Your own sweat dripped down your breasts and stomach, all the while reaching Cross's pelvis, whilst he drooled himself — saliva trailing down his chin and onto the floor as you bounced on top of him.

You could almost hear his whimpers, begging to let him cum inside you — as he began to cry from the overwhelming stimulation you were causing, his tears mixed almost seamlessly with his own drool.

The gasps, his whimper way of moaning and begging for more, all of this would make you finally let him cum. And not satisfied with that, Cross would certainly take the reins and force your body to withstand his strong thrusts — those big hands finally grabbing your waist and turning your pussy into a fleshlight for his own pleasure.

And as he neared his own climax, Cross would bite your shoulder, leaving a bloody mark on your skin and preventing you from pushing him away. Your own blood and sweat mixing with his fluids, tears dripping down and leaving a stinging sensation on your new wound.

Your eyes would roll back as he apologizes so softly for hurting you, for breaking your body with nothing but sniffles and quiet moans-

“Hey! Ready for another round, or do you want to take a break for today?” Cross’s real voice pulls you back to the present.

Quickly, your eyes sweep up and down his body before settling on the little fuzzy lights in his eye sockets.

Anything to stay glued to that body, but that’s not what you say.

“I think I can handle a little more.” A mischievous smile plays on your lips as you notice a slight blush on Cross’s bonecheeks (whether from the workout or not, he’d definitely be blushing this way when you’re holding his face between your thighs).

[diavalkitty]

[filmnoirsbian]

"I want a Persephone story that focuses on Persephone's agency as a young woman" you want Psyche

"I want a Persephone story about a bad/abusive mom and toxic mother/child relationship" you want Psyche

"I want a Persephone that saves herself" you want Psyche

"I want a Persephone story where she falls in love with the monster" you want Psyche

"I want a Persephone story where she rescues her lover" you want Psyche

"I want a Persephone story where the monster/villain falls in love with her" you want Psyche

"I want a Persephone story where she's a strong, independent heroine" you want Psyche

"I want a Persephone story where she isn't kidnapped and held against her will but instead goes and sacrifices herself willingly/chooses to stay with her lover" YOU WANT PSYCHE

[shirtlesssammy]

Dean and Cas every day not often enough -- 3/?

Supernatural 4x03//In the Beginning

[thelordismylightandmysalvation]

Verse of the Day - John 1:1