#No one holds a grudge better than Marie

[honeycrispjamz]

➶➴➵➶➴➵➶Shauna & Misty’s friendship➴➵➶➴➵➶➴

➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶headcanons➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶

➴ Before the crash, Shauna and Misty had english class together and were constantly competing for the best grade/mark. It was an unacknowledged competition, but a competition no less.

➶ Shauna lets Misty help her in the meat shack— dividing rations, cleaning/sharping Shauna’s knife in between uses, etc— despite everyone else’s (Mari’s) objections. Misty’s rambling can be almost meditative to zone out on, even if it can get a bit annoying at times.

➴ Misty figures out how to make (shitty) coffee using just ground up coffee beans from the cabin pantry and hot water. So, every morning, before the other girls wake up, Misty makes Shauna and herself a cup of coffee to share while they watch the sun rise.

➶ Misty teaches Shauna how to make origami animals out of her journal pages, and Shauna teaches Misty how to make a friendship bracelet (using whatever scrap of fabric and string she can get her hands on.) She teaches Misty the exact same way Jackie taught her years ago.

➴ Even though it takes a bit of convincing, Misty helps Shauna do morning, afternoon, and bedtime stretches/exercises throughout her pregnancy. At first it felt like torture, having to contort her already aching body 5 billion different ways with Misty yapping in her ear while she does so, but after a week of constant stretching she does notice a difference and (begrudgingly) keeps it up.

➶ Misty was one of the only people brave enough— besides Taissa— to go check on Shauna while she was out in the meat shed with Jackie’s corpse, even though Shauna never let her in. That didn’t stop her, though, from sitting outside with her back pressed against door, talking to Shauna through it about anything and everything. She always ended up getting ran off after a few minutes, of course, but that never deterred her from checking on Shauna.

➴ Shauna thinks it’s cute how much her dry-pan humor makes Misty laugh. Jokes that usually never land with the other girls— or jokes that were deemed ‘too mean’ by Jackie long before the crash— never fail to make Misty giggle, even if she doesn’t fully understand all of them.

➶ Unlike other people, when Shauna flips out on Misty, Misty never seems to hold a grudge for every long like she does with other people who are mean to her. She’s always back a few hours later, mug in hand, with a smile on her face as she makes a place for herself in Shauna’s vicinity. Sometimes, it makes Shauna feel powerless, but most times it makes her feel accepted.

➴ After Shauna’s miscarriage, Misty and Taissa team up to make her healing process as comfortable and easy as possible. Taissa focuses more on keeping Shauna mentally active— making conversation, getting her to start up journaling again, etc— while Misty focuses on keeping Shauna physically clean/healthy. She washes all of Shauna’s clothes by herself, braids Shauna’s hair while she’s bedridden so it doesn’t get matted, even washes her face every morning for her so Shauna doesn’t have to worry about doing it/can feel somewhat clean while she gets better.

➶ They wear each other’s socks constantly out in the wilderness, more than they do with the other girls. Misty just always ends up in a pair of Shauna’s black crew socks, while Shauna sneakily wears Misty’s fuzzy pink ones around the cabin.

[fictionadventurer]

Austen asks! 4-24

I don't know if you intended this to be inclusive, but I'll answer them all anyway (skipping over the ones that have already been answered).

6. Favorite movie adaptation

The 1995 Sense and Sensibility. To me, it strikes a good balance between being a good adaptation and making the story accessible to audiences that haven't read the book, and it's one of the few that seems to understand Austen's humor and romance.

7. Favorite Austen couple

Anne and Wentworth. Their personalities balance each other perfectly.

8. Least favorite couple

Colonel Brandon and Marianne are so frustrating to me, mostly because of how Austen writes them. They fall victim to the Marian Halcombe Problem--if you spend the whole book showing a man and woman having tons of conversations and developing a good dynamic as equals, I'm not going to believe that he's in love with her sister.

9. Most hated foe of a heroine

Isabella Thorpe is a terrible person, and I can't think of any redeeming qualities or circumstances.

11. Least favorite book

I gained a better appreciation for Sense and Sensibility on my last reread, but it's still definitely Austen's weakest novel.

12. Least favorite Austen heroine

Marianne Dashwood is a realistic teenager, but not someone that I can admire or sympathize with too much.

14. Favorite love confession from the books

Can any Austen fan say anything other than The Letter in Persuasion?

16. Least favorite film adaptation

I hold a grudge against the 2005 Pride and Prejudice, because it did nothing to make me understand the appeal of Austen, and it's a horrible adaptation, but it has such a huge influence on fandom's interpretation of the novel.

Also, every once in a while, I remember the scene in the 2008 Sense and Sensibility where Brandon gives Willoughby a "stay away from my daughter" speech, and I shudder over how creepy it is.

17. Moment that made you sad/cry while reading

Basically any scene of Fanny Price's childhood.

18. Moment that made you smile/happy while reading

Henry Tilney's introduction scene in Northanger Abbey is just pure distilled joy.

19. Moment that made you laugh while reading

I'll never forget the time I laughed out loud in class while reading one of Miss Bates' speeches in Emma.

20. Moment that made you mad while reading

I don't know if I've ever been so mad for a heroine as I was during the scene where the neglected poor, orphaned, outsider Fanny watches everyone fawn over poor, orphaned outsider Mary Crawford.

22. Favorite Austen female casting decision

I love Tamsin Greig as Miss Bates in the 2009 Emma, because I did not imagine her talkativeness as stemming from anxiety, but it was fun to see her played that way and to experience a different interpretation that still felt valid.

I'm also going to take this opportunity to mention that I love Mrs. Jennings and Sir John Middleton in 1995's Sense and Sensibility. I just grin through every scene they're in, and I especially respect them after learning that they were the only cast members that Emma Thompson didn't have to write random extra dialogue for in crowd scenes, because they just naturally knew how to talk like Regency characters.

23. Favorite Austen male casting decision

I love Johnny Lee Miller as Mr. Knightley in 2009 Emma. I don't know if he matches the character in the novel, but I love how he portrayed the dynamic with Emma.

Also, Hugh Laurie as Mr. Palmer in 1995's Sense and Sensibility is perfection. And Greg Wise as Willoughby is beautiful and charming enough to do his job of fooling you into thinking he could be the romantic lead before he proves to be an utter cad.

24. Favorite supporting character

Mrs. Jennings. Hands-down. So vulgar, nosey, and over-the-top, but beneath it all, so kind and friendly and helpful. I love her so much.

[wastelandmoony]

Déjà Vécu: Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Two : Choices

Summary: Regulus f*cking Black, ladies and gentlemen.

Characters: Remus Lupin/Reader, Sirius Black/Reader (no use of y/n), James Potter, Petter Pettigrew, Regulus Black, Marlene McKinnon, Mary MacDonald, Lily Evans

Warnings: 18+ Only, Minors DNI; language, violence, mild peril?

Déjà Vécu Masterlist

Companion Playlist

Read on AO3

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

November 11th, 1975

Regulus Black had officially become the Slytherin’s new seeker, much to Sirius’ vexation. 

“He’s just trying to copy me, he’s never been interested in Quidditch a day in his bloody life!” He whined over breakfast the morning that the new rosters were posted. 

“I mean, isn’t that what younger siblings do?” She asking through a bite of toast, “They want to be just like the older one?”

She looked to Peter for confirmation. As an only child, she had no idea what sibling dynamics were like, though she doubted they were always as erratic as Sirius and Reg though. 

Peter shrugged and shoveled eggs into his mouth.

“Thanks for the help Pete,” she muttered sarcastically.

“Anytime,” he smiled, elbowing her in jest.

Sirius groaned loudly, “I can’t believe this is happening to me.”

She stared at him incredulously, “I’m sorry, but what exactly is happening to you?”

“Just promise me you’ll knock that cocky prick off his broom,” he avoided the question (as he tended to always do when he was being overly dramatic), “Hufflepuff faces Slytherin before we do, so you’ll be able to draw first blood.”

“Jesus Christ, Sirius, I’m not going to purposefully aim bludgers at your brother just because you’re mad at him.”

He scowled at her from across the table as if she’d struck him.

She gave him a pointed look as she threw the strap of her bag over a shoulder, rising from the table, “I’m a professional, I don’t take out petty grudges on the pitch.”

James looked up at her and nodded with pride. Sirius aggressively stabbed a sausage with his fork.

“With that in mind,” she said primly, “If a bludger just so happens to come a little too close to Reggie’s sparkly new broom, I can’t be held accountable for just doing my job as beater.”

Sirius looked up at her with a devilish grin, as James opened his mouth to more than likely recite something from the ICWQC handbook, but before he could begin, she turned on her heel and headed to Potions. 

———

November 26th, 1975

Regulus stared at her from across the pitch. 

She knew it was supposed to be a fear tactic, but Sirius’ words were still ringing in her ears from earlier that morning: I’m rooting for you, little bee. 

She was a better player than Regulus, but by the looks of his slick new broom, she wasn’t sure if she could out maneuver him. 

The whistle blew from below, and both teams erupted into motion. Immediately she lost sight of Reg, a bludger shooting right towards her courtesy of a Slytherin beater. She quickly smacked it away, aiming towards the opposing chaser making a (rather impressive) dive towards the Hufflepuff player currently holding the quaffle tight under their arm. 

The match was a brutal one.

She tried to keep one eye out for Regulus at all times, Sirius having warned her that he wouldn’t play fair. Sure enough, during the second half of the game, he almost ran her into the stands, cutting so close to her broom that she was forced to swerve aggressively towards to a cheering section of second year Hufflepuffs. As she righted herself, Regulus continued his ascent, turning back with a sly smirk. 

Fuck playing nice (She’d say that to James’ face later).

Gritting her teeth, she shot after him, adjusting her stance to increase speed. Suddenly, his head snapped to the side, and she knew he had spotted the snitch. 

Regulus bolted towards the left, and she quickly followed, weaving around players as they soared through the air. She knew her captain would have some choice words for her later, but in the present moment she couldn’t care less. 

It happened in the blink of an eye, and in hindsight, she could retrace all of her mistakes, but as Reg kicked the bludger towards her, she couldn’t move quickly enough.

It smashed through the front of her broom, causing her to lose control and plummet towards the ground. Pulling up on the broken handle with as much force she could muster, flashbacks from her first time on a broom ricocheted through her mind. Please don’t let me fall in front of all these people, she thought desperately. 

Meters from the ground, she finally leveled out well enough, the old school-issued broom slowing enough to let her feet hit the grass at a speed that wouldn’t break any bones. Her toes scraped against the packed earth, sending her flying from the seat and onto the wet grass. She closed her eyes right before impact, rolling onto her side protectively. 

The crowd gasped, but there was no whistle. 

Mentally, she assessed her body for injury. She wiggled her toes, followed by her fingers, and then twisted her neck slightly. She was okay, there would most definitely be a mean bruise on her side by tomorrow, but nothing was broken. Opening her eyes, she rolled onto her back and watched as Regulus did a victory lap around the pitch, snitch in his outstretched hand.

———

“That fucker did it on purpose!” Sirius yelled, almost having to be physically restrained by a professor as he ran from the stands onto the pitch. 

She had chucked the shattered broom onto the grass, leaving it in her wake as she stormed back towards the changing rooms. She couldn’t believe that she was bested by a brand new seeker, let alone Regulus fucking Black. 

Sirius ran up beside her, cutting off the path and grabbing her face.

“Are you alright?” He asked, eyes scanning every bit of her body for injury.

“I’m fine,” she growled, trying to break out of his grasp. At that point, the other three boys had caught up.

“Brilliant save,” James crowed, “that could’ve been catastrophic!”

She ignored him entirely, pushing past Sirius to continue her walk of shame. None of them tried to chase after her, and for once she was thankful.

After a scalding hot shower, during which she stood under the spray and let the water wash away the layer of brash anger coating her body, she finally emerged from the changing room feeling slightly less irate. The pitch was empty, the crowds having gone back to either the Slytherin common room to celebrate, or to the Great Hall to wallow. 

As she turned the corner of the stands, she heard someone speaking in a low, gravely voice. Following the angry tone, she found Remus, wand out and pressed against Regulus’ neck. 

“—you’re pathetic,” Reg spat, backed against the wooden stands.

“And you’re a fucking coward,” Remus pressed closer, causing the younger Black to shrink further into the wall. 

“If you so much as breathe near her again—“ 

“Remus!” she hissed.

He snapped his focus to her, but didn’t remove his wand from underneath Regulus’ chin. 

“We were just having a chat,” he said, turning back to face Sirius’ brother. 

“I bet,” she stated calmly, though her heart was beating erratically in her chest, “Let’s go back to the tower, Moony.”

He nodded, pressing his wand into Reg’s neck one last time for good measure. As he walked to her side, she took one last look at Regulus.

“Until next time, Reggie,” she said softly, grabbing Remus’ arm before leading him back toward the castle.

Once they were out of earshot, she dug her nails into his bicep.

“What the fuck do you think you were doing?!” She whisper-screamed, “He’s Sirius’ little brother!”

Remus shook his head, “I assure you, Sirius would’ve done worse.”

The tone in his voice made her pause. 

“What are you talking about? He might fight with Reg, but he’d never threaten him like that.”

Remus’ expression was contemplative, like he was once again holding onto a secret he didn’t want to share. The thought made her bristle.

He sighed when he saw her face harden, “You left before it happened.”

“Before what happened?”

“Sirius got two months of detention,” he breathed.

“For what?!” 

“One for his ‘exceptionally colorful language’ as McGonagall called it, and one for taking a swing at Reg.”

Her eyes were so wide that they might fall out of her head. “W-what?”

Remus gave a half-hearted shrug, “I grabbed him before he could make contact, but McGonagall saw, and after she handed out detentions to both him and James, she ordered Sirius back to the castle.”

“James?”

The corner of Remus’ mouth quirked up, “He may have had some choice words for Regulus as well.”

She’d never condone their actions, but her heart was swelling at the image of the boys standing up for her over something so trivial. Lacing her arm back through Remus’ elbow, they began their walk back across the grounds, as she rested her head on his shoulder.

[cartoon-buffoon]

Random thought that's probably unoriginal but hay it's 4 AM and I've been thinking about this for awhile. Ever find it funny the comparison between Oswald's and Mickey's relationship with Walt Disney's and Ub Iwerks'? It's a funny parallel that doesn't get talked about much largely because people seem to forget Ub Iwerks (ironic). WARNING: RANT!

Wanna note this rant is by a person who hasn't properly played Epic Mickey 1, 2, and 2.5 (power of illusion) so sorry if I get some stuff wrong yet I know the premise and key story points. Anyways:

For those who don't know Ub Iwerks was longtime friend of Walt Disney and basically the man who would lead the Walt Disney Studios into being what it is today Ub's technical influence on the animations shouldn't be dismissed at all. The man is responsible for some of the most iconic stuff in Disney history like the colors of Dumbo's "Pink Elephants" musical number, a photography technique for the rain in Bambi, creation of a specialized Xerox machine allowing for drawings to go directly onto cels for 101 dalmatians, and he himself earned an Oscar for his efforts in bringing the mix of 2D and live action together in Mary Poppins. He even directed and worked on while going went uncredited for his creation of the wartime shorts that saved Disney Studios during WW2. From there Ub went back to working on SFX after the war and was responsible for a lot of technical magicry behind Disneyland. Oh he also was responsible for some technical stuff behind Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds" where he won another Oscar. So ya know the man had clear innovative talent. Despite this work Ub was a humble man and the only real reason why we know of most of his influence and his history with Walt is because of his grand daughter's own creation of a documentary involving him. Arguably Ub is the real creator of Mickey Mouse although that debate isn't what I wanna talk about and I'm neutral on the subject regarding it. What I wanna talk about is how Ub was always there from the very beginning, he and Walt were together way before Disney was the thing it is today and to get it there they bankrupted 3 different companies before finally making it big. Despite this Ub is mostly forgotten, his input on the legacy of Disney Studios being treated as nothing more than a footnote despite his feats. Ub stayed in the background being the hard working man and animator while Walt was a director and charismatic face. Ub did win two Oscars yet now and days he's severely undercutted and even forgotten despite making most of the original cartoons (dude made Plane Crazy aka Mickey's first cartoon in garage on a nothing budget FFS) and being one of the major catalyst for animation as we know it today.

One person gets all the credit and is the face of a company while the other who helped create it is usually left forgotten and only really known by a certain group of people who are more invested in history. Sound familiar? Of course Oswald isn't as important to Disney as Ub was (sorry Ozzie) yet I still find the parallel really cool and thematically fitting. In Epic Mickey there is a statue that parodies the famous one of Mickey and Walt holding hands, yet Oswald made it about himself instead with him replacing Mickey. This no doubt shows bitterness and resentment and the plot of Epic Mickey features the two eventually making up after it all. Not after ya know after Oswald gets mad and releases the blot and all that after rightfully getting pissed knowing his world was put in danger and his wife was basically killed by Mickey. Everything works out in the end thankfully and in the second game the two are on much better terms of course, in the first game Oswald also does make an attempt to be nice to Mickey because it's what Ortensia would of wanted.

Despite them reconnecting and acting as brothers I still feel like Oswald would hold some sorta grudge. If not for the fame stealing thing at least for the whole "you ruined my world and turned my wife to stone" thing. Oswald is petty enough to make faces at Mickey behind his back, no way is the rabbit THAT mature to forgive Mickey 100% for everything. Still, I feel like the only real way Oswald could ever get over the fact that Mickey took his spot as the mascot and face of Disney is by learning about Ub and his input. This is a neat little head canon I have that Oswald would embrace Ub as his creator instead of Walt. There would be something so fitting if Oswald learned he had two dads and his creation was a joint effort and actively learning about Ub and his contributions to Disney. I feel like instead of yearning for the attention his brother has he'd take a page out of Ub's book, he'd sit in the background and let the fame and popularity go to another despite the fact that there would be no popularity without him.

I made this rant because I was too lazy to draw this but: the idea of Oswald making a statue featuring him holding Ub Iwerks' hand as opposed to Walt's is such a cool and cute idea to me. It would not only show Oswald's acceptance of not being in the spotlight yet it would also honor the legacy of another who was "forgotten".

Anyways rant over, I'm excited for Epic Mickey rebrushed and can't wait to experience it and I probably need to sleep for classes i got later.

[bethanydelleman]

Whom, in your opinion, is Jane Austen's greenest flag?

Okay, so exactly none of the heroes. The answer is Charles Musgrove.

Charles Musgrove was civil and agreeable; in sense and temper he was undoubtedly superior to his wife... He had very good spirits... As to the management of their children, his theory was much better than his wife’s, and his practice not so bad. “I could manage them very well, if it were not for Mary’s interference,” was what Anne often heard him say, and had a good deal of faith in...

Henry Tilney is fun and basically perfect, but good luck with those in-laws. The Musgroves as a family are a delight. (Same goes for Edward Ferrars and Edmund Bertram with their dreadful families).

Darcy and Colonel Brandon show some ability to provide for their wards, but Charles has proven parenting ability! And he also has good spirits, he's usually happy despite having a very annoying wife. Imagine if he had a good one! He also isn't snobby (Darcy) or prone to melancholy (Brandon).

He makes friends easily, does nice things for his wife even though she's not grateful, he loves his sister deeply, and he is improvable (the narrator said so!). Greenest flag ever.

Second place, and a hero, is probably Charles Bingley. Especially since you know his sisters will be nice to you once they accept you as one of the family.

And because someone will point out that I didn't mention them, don't love Knightley's jealousy or Wentworth's grudge-holding. Though Wentworth does seem to have a great family and Knightley is a generally good guy. But you asked for the greenest flag.

[cielettosa]

Levi's monologue when he was beating the shit out of eren

I can't believe it. I mean, really, can you? It's like a twisted, messed-up joke that humanity's last hope is pinned on a group of bumbling, power-hungry, so-called leaders. These guys couldn't even lead a donkey to water without getting lost in the desert...

And don't get me started on the Yeager brat. Ugly as a Titan's backside, but they want to barbecue him like he's the main course at a Titan buffet. The poor brat is scared out of his mind, stuttering like a broken record, begging for his life every few seconds. Newsflash, brat: nobody understands you when you're gagged. It's like trying to have a deep philosophical debate with a brick wall.

Nile Dok, the shining beacon of all that is pig-headed and self-important. Head of the Military Police, they call him. But from where I'm standing, he's the grand poobah of all things nonsensical. And let's not forget Nick, the Minister Shitface, holding the prestigious title of vice-judge. It's like a match made in heaven – two peas in a pod of bureaucratic incompetence.

Erwin, on the other hand, well, he's got his own history with Dok. Something about stealing Erwin's girl, Marie, way back when. The details aren't clear, but you can bet your boots that it's a festering wound that still stings. You see, Eyebrows may look as calm as a tranquil lake, but beneath that serene exterior, there's a storm brewing.

Minister Nick and his never-ending religious sermons. He's all about that Walls mumbo-jumbo, but honestly, I've got more important things to do, like keeping your sorry butts alive in this Titan-infested world. If I did give a damn about religion, I'd want a better spokesperson than this guy. I mean, really, it's like having a dung beetle as your life coach. Nick's "inspirational" speeches would put even the most dedicated insomniac to sleep. But hey, maybe that's the secret to his survival – bore the Titans to tears. While he's preaching about the great beyond, I'm out here in the real world, making sure you have a future to even worry about.

If there's a heaven, hell, or purgatory, I hope they've got better entertainment than this holy bore. Dok's playing puppet master to Zackly, and it's a damn puppet show I'm not willing to watch any longer. The clock's ticking, and I can't let this charade continue. The jury needs a reality check before Dok's nonsense becomes law.

Erwin, my partner in crime, gives me that unspoken signal, and it's like we share the same damn brain. Twins, they call us, and they might be right. But let's get one thing straight – I got the looks, and I've got the, well, length, if you catch my drift.

It's time to step up, cut through the crap, and bring some order to this chaotic world. Because if there's one thing we don't need, it's more clowns in this circus of despair. It's time for the Survey Corps to do what we do best – kick some Titan ass and take names.

It's a damn shame that I have to resort to beating the living daylights out of Eren Yeager to make a point. But let me tell you, it's like a twisted kind of therapy for me. The kid's got a hair-trigger temper, and it doesn't take much to set him off. I mean, everything makes him lose his marbles.

You'd think we were living in a world where Titans are the least of our worries, with the way Eren goes ballistic over the smallest things. It's like he's got a personal grudge against serenity. But hey, if my fists can knock some sense into him, then I'll gladly be the bad guy. In this world, losing your cool can get you killed, and I'll do whatever it takes to keep this circus from turning into a bloody tragedy.

Mikasa, the black-haired girl, can't seem to stop gushing over "Ereh!" like she's some kind of Titan-slaying goddess. The way she clings to that Titan-spitface is almost comical. Kid's got herself a full-blown crush on Mr. Yeager.

And sure, I've heard it before, that Mikasa Ackerman looks a bit like me, despite us having zero ties. But let's get one thing straight – I'd rather be related to a sack of potatoes than be associated with a brat who's obsessed with Eren.

I'm not one to toot my own horn, but between her and me, I'm the hotter one in this messed-up circus. Beauty might not save the world, but it sure beats being infatuated with a Titan-transforming teenager.

It's not the stench of their porky existence that gets to me, although that's a close second. No, it's the fear that I feed on, thrive on, and let me tell you, it's a feast.

Dok and Minister Nick are probably soaking their pants, and also shitting right about now, knowing that in my mind's eye, I'm picturing them in Yeager's shoes. There's something satisfying about watching them squirm, knowing that their day of judgment might be just around the corner. It's like a sweet symphony, and I'm the conductor, orchestrating their fear, one crescendo at a time. This world is a savage playground, and I'm the merciless player.

Wait shit, was that a spit and blood covered tooth? Holy hell, it doesn't matter. I need to pull back. Just one more kick.

Okay, maybe one more for good measure. Can't leave things unfinished, right?

And one last one, just to make sure things are nice and tidy. It's not often I get to let loose like this, so might as well enjoy it while it lasts. Another kick for the sake of, well, cleanliness.

TLDR: Shipping between Levi and Eren won't be tolerated, it's disgusting.

[novelconcepts]

14 or 23 for MistyNat?

23 - Healing/Nursing Back to Health/Tending Wounds

"It really would help me," Misty says in her calmest, gentlest voice, "if you could sit still."

Natalie bares her teeth. "It would really help me if you'd finish faster."

They've been going around in circles like this for several minutes. If it were anyone else, Misty might be frustrated; she is, after all, the only thing standing between Natalie and an infection none of them can afford. It ought to inspire a particular amount of gratitude, at the very least. Certainly, it should mean not moving more than is absolutely necessary.

Instead, Natalie just keeps wriggling around, drumming her fingers against her thigh. Her eyes dart, surveying the clearing like she expects a buck to saunter up and offer to hop on their table. Her t-shirt hangs around her neck by the collar, looking to Misty like a sort of purple-striped superhero cape.

"I am going as fast as I can. If you bleed out, you won't be able to help anyone."

"It's a scratch," Natalie mutters. Misty pauses, her hands full of makeshift bandages recently dunked in boiling water.

"If it were a scratch, you wouldn't have passed out."

Natalie scrunches her nose and doesn't answer. Privately, Misty categorizes her silence as a win. Natalie knows it's bad; tumbling rib-first into a sharp tree branch couldn't have felt pleasant, and she'd had to walk almost two miles back to camp with blood turning her shirt tacky. By the time she reached them, she'd barely managed to hold up a crimson palm before losing her legs.

"You're very fortunate," Misty says now, squinting at the puncture just beneath Natalie's bra line. "It's clean. Should heal up okay, if you take it easy for a few days."

"Take it easy?" Natalie repeats, as if Misty's just told her to spend forty-eight hours standing on her head. "How the fuck am I supposed to take it easy? We need to eat."

"Travis can take the gun," Misty tells her reasonably. "Mari's a good enough shot, she'll go with him. And you stay away from sharp bits for a while. Everybody wins!"

Natalie gapes at her. Misty avoids her eyes, focusing instead on wrapping the bandages around the jut of Natalie's ribs. She likes this part best: the tactile approach to healing, where it's just her hands and someone else's skin, and no one can deny her work. Natalie's blood stains her fingertips. She absentmindedly touches index to middle, rubbing gently until her fingerprint blooms red.

"Does that hurt?" she asks when Natalie continues to stare down at the top of her head. Natalie makes to answer, and Misty tugs the bandages tight; whatever Natalie had been about to voice whooshes from her in a grunt instead. Misty smiles.

"There. That should do it."

Natalie tries to stand. Misty grabs her by the shoulders, pushing her back down.

"Sit," she says gravely. "You aren't going anywhere for at least a couple of minutes, and then you're going to go lie down. Doctor's orders."

Natalie glares at her. "You're not a doctor."

That might sting, if it were anyone else. Natalie, though, is looking at her with grudging appreciation. She twists, trying to see the patched wound on her side. Misty lets her. There's only so much point in trying to rein Natalie in.

"See? Isn't that better?"

Natalie heaves a sigh, then winces. "Ow."

"Fluids," Misty advises. "Rest. No picking up the gun for at least three days." Natalie opens her mouth. Misty shakes her head. "No arguing. We need you, Nat. That means you have to take care of yourself."

Natalie grunts again in tacit agreement. She's ethereal, sitting on a stump with sunlight coaxing the last of the gold from her hair, her skin pearl-white save for where it's been stained scarlet. Misty gazes at her, unable to look away.

"What?" Natalie demands. Misty shakes herself.

"Just making sure you're not bleeding from anywhere else. You look good."

She's safe, Misty assures herself as Natalie gets gingerly to her feet and hobbles toward her bedroll. She's safe, and going to heal up just fine.

And, whether she admits it aloud or not, she has Misty to thank for that. Misty, who will clean the blood from her hands in a minute. Just as soon as she's done marveling at the flecks beneath her fingernails, scored into her skin.

Proof. Proof that she saved Natalie today. Proof that she can save them all.

It's good to be the healer.

[castleofcuntdracula]

Simfield recap! (part 1)

Now that we're all the way to teen, I thought I'd do a little recap of sim-field's life- especially since I won't be playing for a few days. I'll be using ages vaguely based off this person's estimates :)

Robert was born at the end of spring, to parents Cornelia and Benjamin Renfield. Cornelia had married down slightly, and Benjamin spent a majority of his time overworking himself to get promoted at the accounting firm where he worked. Before Robert, they had two daughters, Margaret and Edith, and suffered the stillbirth of a son, Albert.

Margaret was ~5 when Robert was born, and Edith was about two and a half. Neither really reacted that well to the new baby, but Edith was too little to really hold a grudge at that point.

Robert was a clingy, fussy baby, frequently waking up both of his sisters with crying. He didn't sleep through the night, or sleep without being held, until he was almost two years old. He tended to cry whenever he wasn't in someone's arms, and would fuss and cling if a parent or carer tried to set him down somewhere.

He always needed to be held by someone, even the maid.

He was also rather slow to hit his milestones, at least compared to his sisters. He didn't sit up independently until he was around 9-10 months old, and didn't crawl until another month or so after that. He did begin talking around the age his sisters did, on the same day he learned to crawl. He didn't stand or attempt to take steps until he was almost 20 months (at the very end of the infant life stage).

Cornelia got pregnant again soon after his birth, and baby Florence was born the following winter. Unfortunately, she died only a few months later, from an illness passed down by one of her siblings.

The spring after that, Robert turned 2. He continued to be extremely attached to his parents, and continued to be happiest in someone's arms. His mother was much more willing to indulge this behavior than his father, who was increasingly concerned about his only son growing up "soft" and suffering for it.

Edith reached school age, quickly proving herself to be... somewhat disinterested in the schoolroom. She was a friendly, outgoing child, good with her hands and very creative, but her grades never went above a C. Margaret, by contrast, was both academically and athletically excelling.

Later the same year, the family welcomed baby Mary-Elizabeth.

When Robert was around 6, and starting school himself, Margaret finished her compulsory schooling and opted to continue her education at the local day school. Girls continuing into secondary education has only recently been allowed there, and she's one of few girls in her class.

Cornelia is also pregnant again- trying for another son. She's never told Robert directly that this is what they're doing, but he's not stupid, and the older girls have told him about it. Margaret understands how dangerous pregnancy is and remembers his birth as something traumatic, giving him the (not entirely incorrect) impression that every pregnancy is their mother risking her life to replace him. Great and normal things to tell a child!

But he does get along great with Edith. They're both cheerful, playful kids, and Edith's unrelated interests mean she doesn't feel competition with him in the way Margaret does.

The following year, when Mary-Elizabeth was a toddler- a very spirited, loud, destructive toddler at that- and the new baby (Winnifred) was just learning to crawl and get into everything,

people started getting sick.

It's not like there's never been illness in the family before, but this is worse, and a proper outbreak- it goes from Cornelia to Edith and Margaret to Benjamin, to their maid-of-all-work, Ada. Complicating things, Cornelia is pregnant when she catches it, and has the worst & longest-lasting symptoms out of her family. But she's still better off than Ada.

Ada develops severe complications and succumbs. Because of the rash, I'm imagining that this was measles- Ada likely developed measles encephalitis or viral meningitis, leading to delirium and seizures before her eventual death. She was close with the family she served, being friends with several of the children, and especially close with Margaret and Robert (though never both at once!), so it was a big impact on everyone.

Soon after, Margaret catches it, and is incredibly miserable the entire time.

The overall trauma of the illness sweeping through his family- and leaving him unscathed at that- sends Robert (who is about 7 years old) into a little bit of a spiral. He gets increasingly clingy with his parents, anxious and resistant to change. He begins having nightmares and wetting the bed semi-regularly. These all resolve with time and distance, but his father's vitriolic response to this regression does lasting damage to his self-esteem.

Continued in part 2!

[i-rove-rock-n-roll]

A sneak peek at My Dear Watson

Mary was pale. Too pale.

Her eyes looked to hold deep bruises beneath their sockets as the nurse plastered her blomde hair back, trying to keep Mary’s face free.

“We’ve ‘ad people wake up before,” she told Holmes, “when they’re passed out like this. Sometimes they get sick when they realize the cause. One man lost his entire arm to gangrene, and he didn’t stop screaming til we pulled up to the ‘ospital.”

“Lovely.” Holmes said. “Where’s the doctor?”

“Right here.” The man entered the room, chart in hand. “Hello, Holmes.”

“Jefferies..” came Homes’ stiff response. Jefferies had always been fiercely competitive, boasting to any who would listen how he had more clients than John Watson ever had. Holmes may hold a grudge for his old friend’s sake, but he certainly knew enough to be civil with Mary’s life on the line. “Your prognosis?”

“The bullet tore through her abdomen, narrowly missing any organs. It split into shards during surgery, but luckily we were able to remove all the pieces. She may have some bruising from the bleeding, but once her stitches come out, she’ll be right as rain.”

Holmes stood, relief visible on his face, just for a moment. “Thank you,” he mustered. Jefferies shot him a smile, which, on any other day, would serve only to irritate Holmes. Holmes picked up her limp hand, squeezing it lightly.

“I understand she’ll be staying with you until she recovers?”

“Yes. It’ll be far easier for her to take up John’s old room at Baker Street than it would be for me to temporarily move my practice to the outskirts of London.” Holmes said, never taking his eyes off of her as her chest rose and fell.

“Well then, here’s another bit of good news for you. And, Holmes, you may want to sit down for this one.” Jefferies said, never losing that cat got the canary grin of his. “Congratulations. It’s a boy.”

“I’m sorry, what?” The two men turned, facing the only other person in the room who could’ve spoken. Mary blinked, exhausted, and asked again, “could you repeat that.”

“Well,” Jefferies stammered, seemingly caught off guard by the fact that she was awake already. “We think it’s a boy that is. It could be a girl. There’s no accounting for sex yet but based on the number of boys running around the Holmes’ family tree—“

“My husband was John Watson.” Mary said coldly. “A decorated veteran and a much better doctor than you will ever be.”

“If you know what’s good for you, Jefferies, I’d vacate the premises and not make the lady any more upset.” Holmes cautioned, glee lighting his face as Jefferies turned tail and ran. Mary laid back tiredly. “Is it true?”

“Is what true?”

“Are you pregnant?”

“Can’t you tell? With your ‘deductive reasoning?’l Mary bit out. Holmes sighed.

“You know that’s not how it works, Mrs. Watson.” He said quietly. “You have been pale and withdrawn as of late, but you’re also mourning a loved one. Willful ignorance, I suppose. We both miss John, and would like nothing more than for him to be back. It is only natural to hold on to any piece of him we could.”

Mary was quiet. She placed a hand on her stomach, wincing. “It’s true.” She said. “The morning sickness started just after John died. At first, I thought it was just nerves, you know? But then it happened more and more. No matter what I ate, whether I ate, I couldn’t keep anything down.”

“You’re three months along?” Holmes realized.

“Amazing what a large skirt will cover.” Mary said. She closed her eyes. Quietly, Holmes shut the door

A story full of murder, ghosts and mayhem. Watch out for My Dear Watson.

[foreversecrets]

Meet the Wives

Part of the Rogers Family Expansion Series

Annabelle Rogers (Formerly Graham): A organizer to her very core, excelling at coordinating events and calendars which is how she came to be employed as Sarah Roger’s personal assistant: the gateway for her to meet her future husband Steve. Her organization comes in handy when she slots herself into the family upon her marriage and becoming the unofficial leader of the wives. She tries to make all those employed in the Rogers name feel welcome from the events she tries to plan at least once a month. Though only blood is invited to the monthly family game night she hosts.

Daphne Adler (Formerly Barnes): Growing up in poverty her father took note of his daughter's beauty and thought to use that as their salvation. Her mother raised her to be the perfect wife and mother, her father used her 18th birthday to clear all his gambling debts with the Rogers family by marrying her to the head of the family's dearest friend James Barnes. The unhappy marriage leads to insecurities and self-doubt that she searches to correct after her divorce. Moving in with Frank and Mary, she refuses to marry Frank until she finds herself-his support and Mary’s compassion push her into discovering a love for interior decorating that she manifests into a career.

Aria Barber (Formerly Pearson): Childhood best friends to the Levinson twins, specifically Delilah, she was around the family often enough for her first childhood crush to last into adulthood. While she’d always had an air of popularity around her despite her heavier physique, she’d never been able to gain Andrew Barbers attention-that is until she takes a vacation from her job a model and entrusts her modeling agency in the hands of her employees long enough to attend Delilah’s wedding. When she encounters Andy again the man is absolutely entranced but no one holds a grudge better than her.

Juliana Hansen (Formerly Fitzroy): Apple of her father’s eye, the princess of the Fitzroy empire, nothing was more important or as spoiled as the only daughter of Donald Fitzroy. That is until her aunt and uncle met an unfortunate end (at the time it seemed like an accident) and her cousin Claire became a ward of Donald. What Juliana first thought would be 24 hour sleepover energy quickly turned to envy when a few months later her beloved cousin was diagnosed with a rare heart condition. Daddy’s little girl was pushed to the wayside so Claire had every chance to succeed. Not content with having money thrust at her as her fathers form of apologizing, she sought revenge in the form of Lloyd Hansen who introduced her to all kinds of fun new skills.

Chole Everett (Formerly Collins): The opposite of her big, burly, gruff man, Chole is the squishy goodiness whose energy and excitement keeps everyone feeling lighthearted. The events that led to her meeting Curtis pulled her from college where she was a business major trying to educate herself to open her own bakery. The loan for such a feat is a source of contention between her and the family until it succeeds and opens new conversation topics for her and Frank, integrating her further into the family.

Blair Levinson (Formerly Perkins): Poverty was the stench that had always surrounded her. From her fathers drug addiction that eventually took his own life, to her and her mother working to bring themselves out of the debt his death brought upon them. Dropping out of high school entirely to help support her mother she eventually encounters her father’s old dealer; who in a rare moment of shame takes her under his wing and teaches her the trade. He never suspected the sexy, young, naive teen to bring his demise-though could she really be blamed for alcohol poison? Taking over all his assets after his death, the money it brings to her instills agreed that can only be quenched by skimming supply from the Rogers’ foreign dealings. A business she eventually helps to perfect once she is forgiven and brought into the family.

Victoria Drysdale (Formerly Stark): Twin to Anthony Stark, she’d always tried to stay out of the business her family dealt in, much preferring her duties as a math professor at NYU. But when her niece, Morgan, is brought into the world and her brother begs her for her assistance in peace-she never thought she’d find herself marrying into the Rogers family and certainly not to Ransom. But neither ever expected to fall in love so when they do and their boundaries are bent for one another a slip of the mind occurs. When Victoria falls pregnant their marriage nearly collapses, especially when she demands Ransom take on the responsibility of stay-at-home-dad since he doesn’t work anyway. A duty that has him asking Andy for the proper divorce proceedings that is until he meets his twin daughters and everything in his life seems to finally click into place.

[eloquentgifs]

I'm going to say things bc that's how I cope.

As a person who thinks that if you're going to do something you should do it right, I can't help it, it bothered me how sloppy this season felt. Of course I fully blame HBO and their cheapness, but it stills bothers me. Not only we got two episodes less than s1, but the 8 we got were shorter, and you can tell. I also blame the budget cuts for the constant yet unnecessary flashbacks, and the weird editing, and the anticlimatic pace. In any case, I want to highlight the things I did like, because I fucking love this show and Im sure that after a rewatch or two I'll be less angry, so let's stay positive:

Since it seems they were having trouble to get the complete cast together in one plot, I do love they kinda let them have their spotlight one by one. Like, Frenchie in the first episodes, Wee John as Calypso, Lucius with his PTSD in ep5... It's not the same as s1, but it's something.

I've seen people complaining about this, but Im happy they didnt invest too much time on the forgiving process. I like it better when everyone gets along fine, and in the end they're pirates and they never seemed to be the kind of people who hold grudges, so yeah lets skip to the nice part.

I did like a lot what they did with Izzy. I don't care if it happened too quick or what, I used to feel indiference towards him and this season I actually enjoy his scenes a lot. I still dont know how I feel about his death tho. It bothered me a little that the whole scene was more about Ed than Izzy himself, but in the end I always saw Izzy as a narrative tool in Ed's arc more than as a character of his own, so I guess it makes sense.

Super happy with the music choices, and also the new outfits.

Really, the first five episodes were absolutely brilliant.

It made me so happy they got Bronson Pinchot as Ned Low.

Huge fan of Zheng Yi Sao and Auntie.

Im so fucking furious at Taika Waititi for his pro-Israel shit that seeing Pop Pop attacking him gave me some sort of inner peace.

Now, things I wished had been done differently: - There were a lot of paralelisms with s1, which is good, but I'd like they brought back more actual elements of s1 into play. Like, the lighthouse painting, the secret wardrobe, the pink robe, a third Badmington (he would have work better as big bad than this prince ricky guy I dont really care about?). Frenchie singing again. This oneis a reach, but I would love to have Mary Bonnet back. And I was really hoping they play with the fact that Stede is "dead". The guy doesnt even mention the Master Fuckery from ep10.

-On that note, I was a little dissapointed on Jim's arc. I was never that invested on them or their plot in s1, but it feels weird how this season it seems like none of that even happened. Even Jim felt like a different character. I feel it would worked better if some of the conflict was related to Siete Gallos stuff, so at least it would feel all of that subplot wasnt a waste of time.

-Little missing opportunities of making me happy: Anne Bonny and Mary Read mentioning Jack (to insult him, mostly); they kissing when the house is on fire; Ed finding not just one letter but the whole pile of them; a better narrative use for Seagull Buttons (well, any narrative use, really); developing the bombclocks thing in a way where Auntie was not deprived of her superhuman detective skills; having Ned Low as bigger villain, with several appearances.

-The general development of Ed/Stede in the final episode... It's just confusing to me. My reading of Stede's mind state was that he was on autopilot since he killed Ned Low, and being abandoned by Ed and having his ass kicked by Zheng would wake him up a little, but this episode he's still in PROBLEM SOLVER mode, zero regrets about anything, still hasn't talked anything through EVER, he's just fine. With Ed I dont even ask for coherence bc he's always been a wtf guy, but I dont understand the "just do whatever you're good at" thing in the beginning of the episode, and he claiming back his leathers and his pirate-self and going on berserker mode and fighting along Stede as equals and blablabla if at the end he's still chosing to be a fucking innkeeper. Also, having a shitty inn in the middle of nowhere sounds too close to the antique shop in ep4, didn't they learn ANYTHING from Mary and Anne? I mean, the innkeeping was a predictible outcome, but the setting up of the episode was really aiming to the opposite, so it feels weird to me. In any case, I'm happy they're together and if being absolutely on their own in the loneliest house in the world doesn't get them to improve their communication, idk what else they could do.

-Still think they should have been lighthouse keepers instead.

-Next season Im totally muting every OFMD tag as soon as they announce the trailer release, because the promo and bts content was absolutely TOO MUCH. Those fuckers had been showing us stuff from the very climax of the fucking last episode since weeks before the season aired. I get it's a me problem, but I do believe it ruined my experience a lot, so fuck that.

And well. That's it. Good season, could have been great. Im happy but sad. Let's just hope that, if there's a season 3, they gave them more money and time to do it properly.

And before I post this and run away from tumblr, Im checking out how much of my wishlist had been fulfilled: - LUCIUS IS ALIVE - Stede Bonnet, berserker era [Not as I imagined, but hey] - The Queen Anne’s Revenge, either being captured or coming back as the ship Ed left behind when he went to The Revenge - The Blockade of Charleston (and make really absurd) [Still might happen in the future?] - Anne Bonny and Mary Read(as middle aged women who kinda mirror Ed and Stede, but they did it right) - Since he was already mentioned in s1, it would make sense introducing Hornigold, maybe as a new antagonist or something. - A rip off of that wwdits episode with the Vampire Council, except this time is the Pirate Council and its members are pirates from other movies and shows [I was really dreaming big here] - On that note, a really weird episode with every person who has played Blackbeard in recent years [Fully tripping] - More women and more asian characters. And more people speaking their mother tongues [So many Chinese gals, not one chinese word :(] - Ed finding out about Stede’s death and believing it [It did happened but not how/when we thought] - Ed meeting Mary and getting along [Never losing hope on this one] - Frenchie adopting a cat (and singing a song about it). - More info about everyone’s pasts. - I would LOVE having Bartholomew Roberts in the show. [YES PLEASE]

[adamwatchesmovies]

Sky High (2005)

If you’re making a movie about a high schooler torn between his friends and the popular clique, you’re not going to beat Mean Girls - so what can you do? Add an extra element to make it different. On their own, the high school and superhero elements of Sky High would be forgettable. Together, they make this the kind of movie you’d enjoy as a kid, fondly remember for years, revisit later on and be pleased to see that it holds up.

Will Stronghold (Michael Angarano) is the non-powered son of The Commander (Kurt Russell) and Jetstream (Kelly Preston), the world’s most popular superheroes. He hopes his first day at Sky High - a school for superheroes - will unlock his potential. Although he and his friends are relegated to the “Hero Support” (sidekick) department, he catches the eye of beautiful Gwen Grayson (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). When his powers finally manifest, he begins hanging out with Gwen and the popular crowd, just as Royal Pain - his parents' nemesis presumed dead for 16 years - reemerges.

You can probably see where this story is going. At the end of the day, the “cool kids” are not the people Will can depend upon; it’s his childhood friend Layla (Danielle Panabaker) who is secretly in love with him and can manipulate plants along, with the sidekick misfits: Ethan “Popsicle” Bank (Dee Jay Daniels) who can melt into a puddle of goo, Magenta Lewis (Kelly Vitz) who can turn into a guinea pig, and Zach Braun (Nicholas Braun) who glows in the dark. If Sky High deviated from the formula more, had richer characters, or took a few more chances, it would be a better film. The movie can tell us that sidekicks and heroes should be treated equally all it wants, but Puddle Kid won’t be saving the day anytime soon and the story fails to make him cool by showing him use his ability to crawl beneath doors to spy on people or combining his skills with smarts or martial arts. Similarly, it’s not like Will confronts his father and persuades him to apologize to Royal Pain for the anguish he made them feel while they were in school together; Royal Pain is just evil and needs to be dealt with the old-fashioned way. There’s another layer of depth and intelligence that could’ve been unlocked.

With that said, the movie has a good number of jokes and when the high school and superhero genre are blended, it works well. Bruce Campbell has a small role as Coach Boomer. He provides some big laughs as he puts the new recruits through trials and comments on their potential - or lack thereof. Equally funny are the scenes in “superhero support” class. The teacher, All-American Boy (Dave Foley) is so lame he deserves no respect. The dubiously useful skills he teaches are showcased in a couple of montages that prove this movie knows the superhero genre and has fun both referencing it and poking fun at a few aspects too.

Sky High is at its best when it’s making you laugh but the teenage drama stuff works fairly well too. In the cafeteria, Will has to contest with Warren Peace (Steven Strait) who holds a grudge against the Stronghold family for imprisoning his supervillain father. The story by Paul Hernandez, Bob Schooley & Mark McCorkle makes him more than just a bad guy. Not that the one-dimensional bullies (played by Will Harris and Jake Sandvig) are bad. Actually, they’re fun in a Bulk and Skull kind of way. I just wish the film blended its two genres more consistently in the second and third acts. There is substance in the scenes of Will and his father talking. His heroic abilities are our world's equivalent of being a star football player but the further we go on, the more detached from reality the characters and the story becomes. There are some twists along the way that make the conclusion quite a lot of fun, however.

While Sky High lacks originality, it uses its tried-and-true elements well. It’s good, family-friendly entertainment with a fair number of smartly written bits and some good character moments. (January 8, 2021)

[omori-ethereal-route]

Mari and Klaus if you could haunt one person, who would you choose?

“Eh, I’m not really all for haunting. Especially when in Death, I have better things to do, like being with the love of my life while raising our wonderful daughter.~”

“Haha, Dad, that was really cheesy. Even for me and I used to say “What’s cookin’ good lookin’?” to Hero all the time.”

“Hey, I’m just more of a family man than the kind of person to hold an eternal grudge. What about you my dear?”

“Hm… I think I’d actually wanna haunt Sunny, but not out of spite. Rather, I’d haunt him to help him come to terms with what happened and help him forgive himself too…~”

[lavcndcrmoon]

〔 taylor russell, 29, cis woman, she/her ) SUTTON MANN was seen listening to BETTER ALONE BY LYKKE LI on their way to study law/social worker. SUTT is a SOCIAL WORKER and is known to be SELFLESS & CRITICAL. 

This intro contains EXPLICIT MENTIONS of the following triggers: abandonment, parental neglect

This intro contains BRIEF MENTIONS of the following triggers: alcoholism

BASICS

full name: sutton marie mann 

goes by: sutton 

gender & pronouns: cis woman | she/her

sexual orientation: bisexual

age: 29

face claim: taylor russell 

A LITTLE DEEPER

( + ) selfless

( + ) independent

( + ) problem-solving

( - ) critical

( - ) tends to hold a grudge

( - ) avoidant

STORY

TLDR ;; sutton is the oldest child of a crew of 7 siblings, all six being younger than her, and very few of them having the same father. due to her mother’s neglect, sutton was forced to take on the role of “parent” at just 6 years old. she has developed a hyper-independent personality because of this, and finds it hard to open up to others, especially because she struggles with letting anyone help her or her family. 

sutton would like you to know she didn’t ask to be born. she reminded her mother of that, too.

but, she decided, if she had to be alive, she would make sure it was for good reason. and lucky for her, she had six good reasons. 

the first came when sutton was 6 years old. her father had come back to huntsville for a brief stay with family - and although sutton held no affection towards the man, he ended up giving her a baby brother nine months later. 

oscar gave her a very good reason, even if she only understood enough to know he needed milk and new diapers. so she taught herself how to make bottles and made the 3 block trip to the laundromat to wash his cloth diapers, oblivious to the reason the adults she stood beside while folding their clothes shot her sad, pitiful glances. 

was this not normal? were other children her age not cooking oatmeal in the microwave because they couldn’t quite reach the stove?

a few years later came another baby brother, though sutton never met his father. it was better that way. by then, she was strong enough to carry him to the laundromat, and oscar was potty trained, and sutton could finally use the stove. 

by the time sutton was 13, she had three younger siblings, and she learned quickly not to complain, or tell an adult that her mom was never around. the one time she did, words like foster care and sibling separation and god only knows what else were thrown around. and she was sure that worked for other people, but good god - who was she if not a big sister?

so she kept her mouth shut. smiled at the grown ups in the laundromat. thanked the cashiers at the grocery stores. fed herself and her two brothers and her baby sister and her mother. carried oscar to urgent care in the middle of a snowstorm because he had a fever so bad it was hot to the touch and their mother was too drunk to drive.

she tried her hand at romance. thought maybe she deserved a shot. but her best shot fizzled out when she pushed her high school boyfriend - ariyon cole - out of the picture when she was interrupted for the 4th time during their six-month anniversary date. she didn't know why she thought she'd earned the right to something for herself, anyway. not when her 5th sibling was due just after high school graduation.

oscar helped as soon as he was old enough to understand what was really going on, but sutton was pretty sure nothing had ever hurt her more than when she had to take money from him to make rent.

now aged 29, she's the eldest of 7 children, all 6 of whom she's raised on her own. oscar still lives with her, helping her with the 3 youngest siblings. her 19 year old brother and 18 year old sister were off at college, scholarships giving them at a chance sutton had fought for them to find. she cried harder than any of the parents at oscar's graduation, and the same stood for emmett & sophia's, too.

after years of nighttime classes, online schooling, and tests taken hunched over her laptop at 2 am, she was able to become a social worker, and has since taken it upon herself to help other children that were in the position she had been all those years ago.

[iguessjustcallmesunflower]

Virgin Mary, Mother of Snakes

My most recent resident was one that drove me nuts. Absolutely, up the walls, nuts.  She made me want to pull my hair out on a good day, imagine on a bad day? We’ll call her Darla. Darla was an odd duck, convinced she had snakes in her nether regions, she was the Virgin Mary, that there were kids in the corner in the dining room. Yeah, that kind of odd.  

I wasn’t always the nicest to her, especially on nights I was sleep deprived from clinicals and class. I’ll be the first to admit that. She deserved an aide who was kinder than I sometimes. But I was rarely off the hall at that point in my employment. She was stuck with me, and I her. I’m sure had she been in her right mind, she’d have hated me. I wouldn’t have blamed her.  

Virgin Mary, Mother of Snakes

Darla lived on a lockdown unit, with anywhere between fifteen to twenty other females at once. Ten rooms, shared most of the time, with no contact to the other halls except during phone times and activities. The longer you were there, the better your behavior, the faster you phased up, and were moved out to open hall. 

My first interaction with her came in the form of her creepily appearing when I was in the office, to tell me the names of the baby dolls she lovingly carried around. “Johnathan, for her boyfriend who trusted someone he shouldn’t have, and got murdered.” She still saw him though, he still worked at the facility and talked to her. The other doll was “Sarah, for her best friend who got her boyfriend murdered.” She could see Hispanic children in the corners, talked to herself nightly, and claimed to have snakes inside her. She was the Virgin Mary and was Jesus’s future wife come Judgement Day.  

Lord help us.  

My second interaction came from a behavioral issue between her and another resident. She had been carrying her dolls and backpack down the hallway, pacing, for an hour, when the other resident, Alexis, asked her to take them to her room. Darla insisted she didn’t have to, she was leaving, and would need the backpack to take care of her kids. Alexis snapped, screaming at her, telling her she was a terrible mother and had “messed with the wrong bitch.”  

A fun night, in short. Darla retreated to her room and began cursing at Alexis, Alexis was yelling at Darla through the walls, Darla threw Johnathan (I think) into the door frame. Alexis yelled through the walls that Darla was horrible for killing her baby just then. Between reassuring Darla and calming Alexis, it was a struggle to get Darla stable. She didn’t feel welcome because no one wanted her children there, and Alexis had royally upset her. Meanwhile, Alexis was still yelling, saying Darla was going to get her neck snapped. Darla finally calmed down, after yelling at the top of her lungs at staff, saying Alexis was just jealous that Darla had her kids, and Alexis had lost hers. She claimed that Alexis lost her babies because of her toxic private parts from the Devil, and it wasn’t fair because she’d lost babies too, from the snakes that the Devil had put in hers.  

That was my first REAL interaction with Darla. It only got better from there.  

I’m going to pause and take a second to explain that I understand, it’s a psych facility. They’re here for treatment, for care, and they can’t help the way that they are. Weird things are bound to happen. But there was something about Darla... in the way she could sit in the dining room area holding a doll, hair over her face Grudge-style, and smile at you with crazy eyes that showed she was dead inside, that made you question your life choices. I’ll admit it, there was one night she was in there with the lights off. I popped open the side door to hit my vape, and she started screeching that I was letting the demons in, that same creepy smile and crazy, dead look in her eyes. I cannot accurately describe how high I jumped. I got a little snappy, it had been a long night and I just wanted that small hit of nicotine for the stress and she’d denied me it.  

The first words out of my mouth, before my filter could stop them, were, “Ho-ly fuck, you are creepy as SHIT!” Didn’t faze her any. She gave me the creepiest, “I’m-going-to-kill-you-and-your-family" smile and said I let the demons in, and now I was going to have to fuck them to get them to leave. I refused, saying I was a virgin. Her response? “You’re not a virgin, only I am. You’re a whore.” I agreed, “Yeah, probably.”   She propped herself up against the wall in the hallway, pants off, one leg up in the air, and ‘fucked’ the demons for over two hours. Traumatizing. 

Yup, you read that right. That night was ROUGH. I think I relied on the friend mentioned more later on that night than I had before. I was mentally drained. I was ready to throw in the towel and quit. Yet I still showed back up that night, ready for another twelve hours of terror and torment.  

Interactions with Darla weren’t entirely pleasant. You couldn’t hold a conversation with her without her claiming the snakes inside her were keeping her alive, or that she was the Virgin Mary. 

One night, her son was a cardiac surgeon who gave her an entirely new body, and she got to help with the operation. That was her reasoning for dropping her drawers and peeing in the hallway. I told her if she was going to pee in the floor to please let me know so I could lay a pad down like I would for a puppy. She rewarded me for my snark by going into “labor”, birthing a ‘snake’ and shitting in the floor. She said I had to clean her accident, because it was my job. I threatened to rub her nose in it, (Not seriously, before you come for my throat. I get snarky, but I would never and will never put hands on my residents.) and she gave me what I started to understand was her signature, “Darla” look. Head bowed, Grudge hair, dead crazy eyes, and terrifying smile. 

I’ll never forget that night, or the night she came out and said she needed the door to be opened, because she needed to leave before he found her. No explanation on who he was, she just needed out. Wouldn't tell a soul who he was. Argued, said she was leaving one way or another, her bus was outside, her dad had bought the ticket. It took over an hour to convince her that it was Wednesday, and the bus only ran on Tuesdays. She still wasn’t completely buying it, but it was enough to get her to go talk to her children in the corner for the rest of the night.  

She was lucid one day, and confided with staff that she was normal one day, then she felt like she had snakes crawling inside her, she didn’t understand what was wrong with her, it felt real to her, even if she knew in her mind it wasn’t... It was heartbreaking.  

Darla was not one that was near and dear to my heart. Sure, she’ll always have a special place because I think she’ll become my sleep paralysis demon and send my normal demon, Ronald, on vacation, but she’s not one of my babies. Those slots are reserved for my geriatrics, my oldies. One of my absolute favorite oldies is up next. But Darla was an odd duck, one who deserved to be there, yes, but perhaps an actual psych hospital would have been better for her.  

[dhampiravidi]

versailles (TV) OC - Janice

template from here!

BASIC INFORMATION

Full Name: Jana Catalina Loren [ZAH-NUH KAT-A-LEE-NUH LOR-EN] (Catalan); Jeana Catherine de Lionne [ZAY-AH-NA KA-TREEN DAY YONH] (French) Nickname(s): Jaynie, Jayn Date of Birth: August 10, 1642 Sex & Gender: Cis Female Race/Ethnicity: French, Spanish & African Sexuality: (secretly) Bisexual

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE (FC: Tessa Thompson)

Jayn is a young multiracial woman who stands at 5'3" (1.6 m). In many ways, she physically takes after her mother, having light brown skin, dark brown eyes, petite yet calloused fingers, and a somewhat toned form with thick hips. She also inherited her father’s straight hair, which she curls to resemble her mother’s once she goes to France. She has a few pale cuts on her fingers and one scar on her leg; the former are from minor accidents in her maternal family’s apothecary, and the latter is from when Jayn tripped while running as a kid. Jayn’s ears are pierced.

PERSONALITY

Raised by her strong-willed mother and her mother’s parents, Jayn is an ambitious, confident girl who finds many of Versailles's upper-class customs to be strange and/or ridiculous. She isn’t afraid to speak up, on behalf of herself or others, though she will (very reluctantly) stay quiet if doing so manipulates events in her favor. She’s incredibly loyal, with a natural need to help others. Unfortunately for some people, she holds grudges, and if she disagrees with someone on something, she’ll typically stand firm rather than compromise. Jayn is rather sentimental–after her mother’s death, she wears her cross necklace (despite feeling distant from the heavens in general) and tries to grow the things her mother would’ve used at the apothecary shop. She likes the idea of love and romance, but she doesn't think she'll find it.

HISTORY

Jayn was raised by a happy middle-class family in Spain, one consisting of her mom, plus her maternal grandparents. Despite literacy being mostly a characteristic of the upper class, they made sure she could read and write, wanting her to have the best life possible. Besides, literacy helped when it came to chores at the family apothecary: organizing, shelving, reading recipes and addresses. Anyway, the Lorens were better off than most, probably because Jayn’s grandma made the best couture in their region, and their family descended from African royalty. Jayn enjoyed reading about philosophy, swimming in the country, and boxing, which some male friends taught her. When her mother died of pneumonia, the Lorens were heartbroken–and Jayn went from sad to angry when they told her that her mother wished for her to live at Versailles, as one of Queen Maria Theresa/Marie-Thérèse's ladies-in-waiting (a position that her estranged French father, Hughes de Lionne, had secured for Jayn through his status as French secretary of state).

(AU) in short, the Lorens were what some might call witches, in that they knew how to use incantations and potions to magically affect the world around them. Members of the supernatural community frequented their apothecary, in addition to humans who knew nothing about magic at all. Jayn was never told what she was because her mother had always planned for her to go live a more privileged life with her father…but she still inherited the ability to detect supernatural creatures, as well as an immunity to hypnotism, possession, and other psionic attacks.

SKILLS

Languages: Jayn is fluent in Spanish, her native language. She is conversational in French, and she knows bits of Classical Greek and Latin from things she’s read.

Dancing: she doesn’t mind being silly and dancing to music that’s playing, but she knows next to nothing about the upper-class European dance styles.

Healing: because of her experience in an apothecary, she knows the recipe of a few tonics by heart, and she can identify a fair amount of herbs by their look alone.

Athletics: Jayn is pretty physically fit for a girl her age, as she is a naturally fast swimmer. Practice has taught her how to throw a punch strong enough to bruise.