#actually the second time i have written the aftermath of that scene and ill probably do it again!!

[grassbreads]

im curious, whats your favorite longfic??

Oh my god anon you are enabling me so hard right now. Are we sure you're not some deep splintered section of my subconscious that split off just for the sake of sending me this ask?

Anyway, my favorite fanfiction is a Homestuck fic by oxfordroulette called Vanitas Vanitatum. This mildly pornographic novel-length fantasy au dirkjohn fic is genuinely, independent of actual Homestuck, one of my all time favorite written stories.

Vanitas Vanitatum is the third fic in a long series, but it's technically a standalone. The first fic in the series is a jadekat fantasy road trip adventure, the second one is about jadekat getting dragged into a bunch of mysterious royal intrigue at Jade's arranged marriage to Eridan, and Vanitas Vanitatum is about the aftermath of that intrigue. John Egbert ascends to the throne of their country after the death of his and Jade's evil mother in the previous fic, and he's totally fine guys! He's definitely absolutely having zero mental health troubles!

Dirk, our pov character, enters as a new member of John's secret police. He slowly befriends his new king/boss and, in doing so, begins to discover the extent to which John is totally definitely okay! He's fine Dirk so you can stop asking! And because he's Dirk Strider, when he discovers how John is struggling, he immediately wants to Fix Him. Enter a twisted mess of genuinely falling in love and horrible shadowy puppet master schemes.

Vanitas Vanitatum is the ultimate "I can fix him" romance. It is an "I can fix him" romance to the extent that Dirk's desire to "fix" John becomes one of the fic's main conflicts—in addition to John's genuine mental health crisis and the political crisis that's happening around them. If you know anything about my taste in fiction, you're probably looking at "dark fantasy story about a guy trying to unravel and understand his crush's mental health problems" and going "okay yeah. I see why Andie is obsessed with this."

If you're a Homestuck fan, even if you're not usually a DirkJohn person, I cannot recommend Vanitas Vanitatum highly enough. It's well-written, it's funny, it's heartwarming, and it's absolutely heartbreaking. The plot is twisty and, especially if you've read the rest of the series, absolutely filled with delicious dramatic irony. The way oxfordroulette writes Dirk's pov is an absolute treat. And while the fic is fairly nsfw (there's only three actual sex scenes if I remember right, but lot of discussion and thinking about sex in the interim), the real porn in this fic is the food and costume porn. The author knows what the people want, and it's decadent food descriptions and crazy fantasy royalty outfits. It's also illustrated!

Honestly, if the fic didn't require an understanding of troll romance quadrants to make any goddamn sense, I'd be recommending it to non Homestuck fans as well. It's just a really good story.

Here's the official summary:

You've determined the hobbies of the monarch you serve are as follows: 1. Ill-timed pranks. 2. Cooking. 3. Subconsciously pulling elaborate political schemes off perfectly, ad infinitum, every one of which inches his mind closer to some ineffable dark chasm you're curious to find the depth of. Anyway, he makes damn good lasagna.

Read it here :)

[set-phasers-to-whump]

harder than a bullet could hit you

fandom: roswell new mexico

whumpee: kyle valenti

uhh idk what this is really but im rewatching the series and im always gonna be upset that there’s zero aftermath of kyle getting shot!!! like just bc you have a vest does not mean ur magically okay (especially emotionally !) so yeah heres this, the title is from river by bishop briggs. (@deepwoundsandfadedscars i know this isnt the fic i said i would write but i thought id tag you, lmk if it sucks lol)

He wasn’t expecting to see Kyle Valenti here-at least, not sitting in a chair in the hospital reception area, staring blankly ahead, looking off in a way Alex thinks looks very odd on him. 

“Hey, Valenti,” he says, walking to the front desk. He sighs. “I’m here for Jesse Manes? They said he was in some sort of coma.”

The woman behind the desk nods, gives him a room number, and pats his arm in a sorry-about-your-dad kind of way that would be nice if it were anyone else’s dad. He smiles tightly, and heads off to find the room.

He doesn’t realize until he’s standing in the doorway that Kyle hadn’t said hello back to him, which shouldn’t be a big deal...he’d give it more thought, maybe, but right now, here is Jesse fucking Manes, in a coma and for once rendered completely harmless. It’s what he deserves, Alex thinks. Better than what he deserves, really. But what had happened? His father was certainly not the type of person to slip quietly into a coma. 

He leans against the doorframe, staring daggers at the unconscious form on the bed. His father had the nerve to come back from Niger (probably because of a certain incident which Alex would rather not think about at the moment) and then promptly fall into a coma before Alex could even threaten him with...something, anything to keep him away. 

He stews in his thoughts for several minutes before someone taps his shoulder. He jumps slightly, spinning quickly around. 

A nurse smiles apologetically at him. “Sorry about that,” he says. “Alex Manes, right?”

Alex nods. “Do you know what happened to him?” he asks, gesturing into his father’s room.

“Not exactly,” the nurse says. “Dr. Valenti brought him in maybe half an hour ago, said they were working on a project together and he just collapsed.”

Alex nods again, and thanks the nurse, who tells him that as soon as they know more, Alex will be the first to know. Alex doesn’t bother to tell him that he really couldn’t care less. 

He makes his way back to the hospital reception, thinking less of his father and more of Kyle. Questions like, Why is he still here? and Did they get into a fight? swirl around in his head as he emerges back into the room. 

Kyle is still there, still staring off into nothing, a blank look on his face. Hesitantly, Alex approaches him. “Hey,” he says, tapping Kyle lightly on the shoulder. “You good? I heard you brought my father in.”

Kyle doesn’t say anything, just takes a sharp breath in, then winces. Alex frowns. “Kyle,” he says, more insistently. “Did something happen?”

And Kyle runs. Shoots up from his chair and bolts out the hospital doors. Alex stumbles backward in surprise, staring ahead out the doors for a second in disbelief. Something is wrong, he thinks, and he’s just about to follow Kyle outside when there’s yet another tap on his shoulder.

He whirls around. “What,” he says, sounding more irritated than he had intended to. 

It’s the same nurse from before, who gives him that same apologetic grin. “Sorry again,” he says. “I just thought I’d let you know we’re going to be moving your dad to a new room tonight, if you want to come and visit him again.”

“Yeah,” Alex says distractedly, craning his neck to see if he can spot Kyle somewhere outside. He accepts the card the nurse gives him with his father’s new room number on it and says a terse goodbye. He doubts he’ll be doing much visiting.

Alex heads outside, hoping to catch Kyle, if he’s still here. Something is most definitely wrong with him, and considering everything they’ve been involved in lately, he’s sure it’s going to end up involving him too, at some point. Better to learn about it now than later, he reasons. Plus, he can’t shake the feeling that this has something to do with his father, which is never a good feeling to have.

He’s in luck-he’s no sooner left the hospital reception area than he sees Kyle-or rather, the back of Kyle. He’s hunched over a trash can, clearly having just been sick, and Alex sees his hands shaking where they grip the edges of the can. He stands there for a second, unsure of what to do. 

Kyle abruptly pushes himself away from the trash can, walking backwards until his back presses against a pillar. He sinks to the ground and runs a hand down his face. Alex clears his throat, and finally, Kyle looks at him.

“Hi,” he says, his voice scratchy. He lets out a shuddery exhale, and Alex, without particularly thinking, sinks down slowly next to him. 

This close, he can feel that Kyle is shaking, and it scares him a little. Kyle is steady and strong, and this is extremely unlike him. He tries his question again-“what’s wrong?”-but Kyle just shakes his head. 

Alex sighs, unsure of what to do. He can’t just leave Kyle here-he’s in no condition to drive, and he doesn’t seem like he has any intention of moving, anyway. But can Alex just...make him leave? They aren’t that close, not yet, not anymore...but Kyle is, if not a friend exactly, then an ally, and you don’t leave an ally behind. Especially if he may be in some serious trouble. (With Jesse Manes involved, it’s always serious trouble). 

Alex stands up, pushing against the pillar for balance. Once he’s on his feet, he extends a hand to Kyle, who looks at it, then at him, blankly. 

“Come on,” Alex says. “I won’t ask what happened,” not right now, anyway, he thinks, “but you can’t just stay here and I’m not gonna let you drive like this.”

Kyle nods, finally, takes a deep breath which he aborts halfway through, and takes Alex’s hand. 

They drive in silence for a while, Alex absentmindedly tapping his thumbs on the steering wheel, fighting the urge to turn the radio on, so there’s at least something. Beside him, Kyle is uncharacteristically quiet, hands in his lap, staring out the window like he wants to melt the buildings of Roswell with his brain.

It’s weird.

And then, as Alex makes the turn onto the road that leads to the cabin, Kyle...well, he doesn’t say anything, but he makes a noise, anyway, one which sounds panicked and afraid.

Alex glances over at his passenger, who is now trying frantically to remove his shirt, but his hands are shaking too much to undo the buttons. He reaches a hand out, moving Kyle’s hands away from his shirt. 

“You’re fine,” he says, keeping his voice quiet and calm. “It’s okay.” He doesn’t know what else to say, doesn’t know what’s got Kyle like this, but he’s growing more and more sure that it has something to do with Jesse Manes.

His vague words of reassurance do the job, mercifully, and Kyle’s hands return to his lap. Alex can practically feel the stress rolling off of him, and he hates it, without really knowing why. He drives a little faster.

Eventually, they make it to Alex’s cabin. Kyle practically falls out of the car, and Alex has to nearly drag him up to the door. Once they get inside, Alex shrugs out of his jacket and hangs up his keys, directing Kyle to sit on the couch but giving him a second to get comfortable. He grabs two glasses of water from the kitchen and returns to the living room, where Kyle is once again trying-and failing-to remove his shirt.

Alex sets down the glasses on the table and sits next to Kyle on the couch. “You need some help there?” he asks, trying to keep the mood light. 

Kyle looks at him, his expression pleading and anything but light. “Alex, please, I can’t…” He fumbles with a button, cursing as his hands refuse to steady enough to keep a hold on it.

“Yeah, I got it,” Alex says gently, unbuttoning Kyle’s shirt. He stops when he feels a familiar material underneath.

“What...Kyle, this is a bulletproof vest…” he stops talking for a minute as the pieces rapidly connect in his mind. “He shot you,” he says finally, hating the fact that he believes this so easily. Shooting civilians...not like this would be the first time his father’s hurt someone he cares about. He shakes himself out of that line of thinking in time to hear Kyle’s whispered, “yeah, he shot me...I was gonna buy a gun, Alex, but I-I couldn’t, I-”

He’s on the verge of hyperventilating, Alex notices. He hesitantly reaches out a hand, places it across the stiff fabric of the vest. “It’s okay, Kyle,” he says, taking a deep breath in the hopes that the doctor will copy it. “Just breathe, okay?”

Kyle takes a breath, wincing. “It hurts,” he mutters. “Like...like someone hit me with a baseball bat. Or, like, a truck.”

Alex nods sympathetically, reaching to undo the straps of the vest. “That pain will most likely be the worst of it. People don’t usually break ribs or anything, not with this kind of vest, and my father’s kind of gun. You’ll probably have a nice bruise for a couple weeks, though.”

Kyle gives him a shaky smile as Alex slides the vest off. “Now who’s the doctor?” he jokes, and Alex half smiles back, glad that Kyle seems to be doing a little better. His smile turns to a grimace as he observes the damage his father has inflicted. Kyle looks down at himself, at the dark bruise forming over his heart. 

“I would have died,” he whispers, shaking his head like he can’t quite believe it. 

“Yeah,” Alex agrees. There’s no point in sugarcoating it-he is fully aware of what his father is capable of, and he’s sorry that Kyle had to learn those capabilities like this, but it’s the truth.

Kyle nods slowly, then looks around. “I can go,” he says at last, not sounding particularly attached to the idea.

Not that Alex would let him, not like this. He tells him as much: “Kyle, there is no way I am going to let you leave when you’ve just been shot, and by my father, no less.”

A thought occurs to him then, and it scares him with how much he hopes it’s not true-maybe Kyle does want to leave, because Jesse Manes shot him, Alex’s father shot him, and-

“You’re sure I won’t be a bother?” Kyle asks, jolting Alex out of that particular line of thinking. He looks so genuinely unsure, like he doesn’t believe Alex wants him to stay, needs him to stay-he needs some kind of stability right now, honestly, and while he never would’ve thought that would come in the form of Kyle Valenti, he’s not going to complain. 

“Of course you won’t, Kyle,” and then, because he has to be sure, “as long as you’re okay staying with the son of your would-be murderer.”

“Hey,” Kyle says, his voice stronger than it had been a second before. “Don’t say that-I mean, you can say the part about him almost murdering me, but it’s not like you chose to be his son. You didn’t make him shoot me. Nothing he does is your fault.” He smiles again, like that will negate the seriousness in his voice. There’s something like fondness on his face, and his hands have stopped shaking, Alex realizes. He doesn’t really know what to do with that, so he simply says, “yeah.” It feels nice to hear that, he manages to admit to himself. He gives Kyle a genuine smile and moves to stand up.

“Where are you going?” Kyle asks, reaching out a hand to stop him.

“I’m gonna grab you some painkillers, maybe get a snack. You want anything?”

Kyle shakes his head, and Alex heads off to gather his items, listening to the sounds of the long-awaited storm rolling in. All the more reason to keep Kyle here, he thinks. 

He heads back to the living room, passing Kyle a bottle of ibuprofen and a hot mug of tea. He watches as Kyle takes the medicine (more pills than Alex would usually take, but Kyle’s a doctor, so Alex trusts that he knows what he’s doing) and wraps his hands around the steaming mug. He shivers a little, and Alex, without thinking, tugs a blanket off the back of the couch and carefully drapes it around Kyle’s shoulders. 

Kyle startles a little at the contact before relaxing into the warmth of the blanket with a light sigh. He stares into his mug of tea pensively for a few moments before he says, “thanks, Alex. For all of this.”

Alex nods, shifting to prop his legs up on the table. “Thanks for stopping my father.”

Kyle shifts uncomfortably. “He’s gonna wake up eventually,” he says. “I didn’t really think about that, I didn’t think-”

“Stop,” Alex cuts him off gently with a hand on his shoulder. “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. For now, he’s out of the picture, and that’s good enough.”

“Okay,” Kyle agrees, leaning back against the couch. He looks exhausted, and rightfully so. Alex reaches for the remote, turning on the TV, as outside the first drops of rain begin to fall. 

“What’re we watching?” Kyle asks, setting down his relatively-untouched mug of tea and curling deeper into the blanket.

“Star Wars, Episode Four,” Alex says, grabbing a second blanket from under the table to drape across his legs. 

“Four? What about the first three?” Kyle asks, sounding legitimately concerned.

“It’s not like that,” Alex replies with a laugh. “This is the first one.”

“What-”

“Shh! It’s starting.”

Kyle raises his right hand in mock surrender. A deep rumble of thunder booms overhead, and he unconsciously leans into Alex, who scoffs slightly but allows it, carefully shifting himself to avoid jostling Kyle’s injury. It’s not quiet, not with the storm raging overhead, but it is peaceful. In the morning, it will not be. In the morning, the damage from tonight’s storm will become apparent, and they will have to begin repairing it, as best as they can. But for now, for just a moment, all is well. 

yeah so here was this brought about by my rewatch,,,,it may suck idk but i simply Had To Write It yknow?

[jadelotusflower]

Robin Hood Rewatch: 1x13 A Clue: No

“Previously on” recaps can be annoying, but there is an art to it and I love a good one. This is a very, very good one, summarising the last episode with ramping tension as the music builds, then cuts to a different take of the last scene as the theme song starts, and we’re into the opening credits.

This is a long one, so it’s going under the cut:

Guy estimates that the “inner circle” of Robin’s gang is “a dozen at the most” and I find it very funny that neither he nor Vaisey have twigged that it’s always the same five people around him. What’s more annoying than funny is that they don’t know how many are in the “outer circle” because that really should have been A Thing in the show (Forrest and Hanton should have come back to guest star! I will never let this go!) After all, we see Little John with more men in the first episode, there are other outlaws in the forest/across the shire that are either working with Robin, or pose a risk to them, and I wish this had been explored.

Djaq manhandling and holding her sword to Pitts’s throat - I love Djaq.

The first arrow Robin shoots is intended for Vaisey, but one of the guards inconveniently walks in front and gets it in the chest. The second arrow is intended for Vaisey as well but he ducks (”my tooth!”) so we can’t fault the writing for a credible attempt at Why Doesn’t Robin Just Kill The Sheriff, because in this scene at least, he tries.

Bye Pitts. You certainly were.

I actually really love this scene (which probably seemed odd given the high body count), but Robin drawing his sword and charging, with Much, Djaq, and John backing him up to avenge Marian’s apparent death/make a final stand, as the music shifts from the jaunty Rescue Theme to Marian’s Theme, just gets me every time.

Although thanks to the cast commentary, I can’t unsee Djaq flipping that guy over her head twice, but hey, it’s a badass move. Clearly they didn’t shoot enough coverage of this fight, because we get the same action from several different angles.

Other than the flashback in episode 8, I think this is the only time we see Robin in Crusader mode, and just how lethal he (and the gang) can be when unleashed and with nothing to lose. Even when the enemy retreats Robin remains kind of wild-eyed with rage unsated, and it takes a beat for him to snap out of it. It’s symbolism time - he sticks his sword in the ground and leaves it there, and we don’t see it again this episode (or much in season 2).

There’s some nice acting going on from everyone in this scene - just utter exhaustion, Allan and Will oblivious to why the rest are so distraught, Much taking it upon himself to tell them but can’t say the words, and Robin with the finality of “she’s dead.” Their faces!

Djaq is still holding two swords as she enters the cave, which is a nice character beat - no doubt the fight also brought back unpleasant memories/triggers for her, and she remains on edge, for the moment unwilling to give up her defences even when the threat is gone.

I really love this scene too (the gang mourning Marian) and I think it’s quite deftly written - Djaq’s immediate reaction being the importance of a quick burial (as per Islamic tradition), Robin trying to keep it together, attempting to ask John/Will to build a coffin but unable to, so deflecting to ask Djaq to prepare Marian’s body, before trying twice again; John soothing him and taking charge. Will’s single tear and speaking of Marian’s goodness. Much responding with “Good? Oh, she was... She was...” looking to Robin because of course his thoughts are for Robin’s grief before his own, and also that his own relationship with Marian was complex. Allan: “She was alright...yeah” that says so much, and of course John’s “Her, we liked.” Again, some fine acting, kudos everyone.

“I loved her and I never told her” is ironic because Robin still won’t tell her until halfway through the next season, and if he had in the aftermath of her apparent death he could have spared himself a lot of the angst of the rest of the episode. But of course he doesn’t tell her, doesn’t learn from this moment, because emotions are hard, and sometimes we make the same mistakes over and over again.

I really love that it’s Allan that notices that Marian is alive, and his little “told ya” flourish.

Score note: while Marian is “dead” her Theme is strings, when she opens her eyes, it’s back to the guitar.

Guy’s guilt in finding out his impending marriage to Marian is based on false pretenses - would he still have forced the marriage if he’d known that from the start?

Djaq still has her two swords as they take Marian back to Knighton.

Guy, if your first instinct when told Marian is not at home is that she’s run away rather than marry you...maybe take a hint? “She cannot run from me” is a big yikes, and this confuses me as to Guy’s motivation in this scene. Did he intend to tell Marian the truth, but then convince himself otherwise (because “the excitement of the wedding” =/= “the wedding excites her”), but then why so angry when he thinks shes run? The difference between getting someone go/being left, I suppose.

Illness is a perfectly plausible explanation for delaying the wedding that no one seems to think of.

Edward is actually pretty bang on in this scene with Robin from a father’s perspective, telling him to let Marian go if he cannot stop it, and do the right thing. On the other hand...

“I am sick of doing the right thing” is why Robin is such a compelling character for me - because it is hard to always be good, to be held to that higher standard, and make the unselfish choice. I enjoy narratives that explore that, and this show is surprisingly unflinching about it, exemplified by:

The next scene, which is one of the most emotionally brutal/hard to watch of the entire show, in which Robin lashes out and does everything to drive Much away, including calling him “a pox”  and a “small man” until Much’s heart visibly breaks.

Now I don’t want to excuse Robin here, because he is objectively awful to someone who doesn’t deserve it, who is trying to give him support but also telling him some much needed hard truths (even if it is slightly self-serving, which is what what seems to set Robin off). But at the end of the day, if he loves Marian he needs to accept that it is her choice to marry Guy, to “do the right thing” to (she thinks) protect her father - and later of he does just that. For now Edward and Much are both right, it is more important for him to try and protect the king from Vaisey, because if he is ousted and Richard back on the throne so many lives would be improved, including the people of Locksley. But Robin has been pushed to breaking point all season, and has now snapped and can’t see reason, but is stuck in his own grief/rage.

But unlike previously, when Robin said regrettable things in the heat of the moment and then immediately took them back, this is a calculated attack designed to hurt Much the most, because he loves Robin so much that it takes A Lot to push him away. It’s a bold move to make your hero so unlikable in such a moment, because Robin really is unforgivably cruel here, and trust the audience to understand why. I mean, I don’t want to bang on about the PTSD, but it’s (partly) the PTSD, based on a triggering, precipitating event causing a self-destructive spiral. Robin needs some Ye Olde Therapy.  

For all the talk about Robin getting his title and lands back, nothing is said about what happens to Gisborne once he does, other than that they can’t prove he was the one who tried to assassinate Richard. Because really, Richard probably would believe Robin even though the tattoo was burned away, and Guy’s certainly committed other crimes that could be testified to just like they’re intending for Vaisey - and let’s be real, it’s not like a king needs evidence to order someone’s death (hello, season 2 finale). Boom - Guy executed, marriage to Marian annulled, problem solved!

So, the scene between Marian and Guy, in which Marian is more concerned with whether or not Guy tried to kill the king than the fact that he stabbed her. But its understandable, because Marian thinks there’s no way out that doesn’t risk her father’s life, and it’s easier to convince herself that maybe Guy didn’t do it to make the best of things. I think she does have some kind of feelings for him, or is at least moved by his feelings for her, and believes if nothing else she can influence him/continue working from the inside; giving up the mantle of the Nightwatchman but doing the same work (in a different way) as Lady Gisborne.

And then it’s Robin/Marian angst, round 3, and it’s a far cry from their interaction in the cave milliseconds away from “I love yous” - in both tone and body language they’re back in defensive positions talking past one another. The tension, it be thick.

Marian is making her best rationalisation with “deprived of love” and Robin not at all buying the Woobification 101. Once she tells him her decision to marry Guy, he accepts it, but it’s Marian’s reaction that’s telling, she’s surprised that he doesn’t argue, deep down she wants him to fight for her, to say that the real reason she shouldn’t marry Guy is because he loves her. It’s quite a contrast from the previous scene where Guy was very open about how he feels about her, while Robin deflects, but while she was conflicted about Guy trying to kiss her, she’s frustrated, disappointed, and angry when Robin leaves.

But really, this is rather unfair of Marian, because Robin did already declare himself in the cave (”we should be together”) without her reciprocation, so expecting him to take the first step again without any encouragement is a bit much.

Would a depressed person sit slumped against a tree all night?

“But by taking Marian in holy wedlock, I will wash away those crimes. Her pure heart will cleanse mine.” Yeah...not going to touch that one. I appreciate that there’s a lot going on with Guy and many, many people find it compelling, but I’m afraid it’s not really a narrative that interests me.

Speaking of pure hearts: Much. Faced with the same choice he was counseling Robin on, but with the additional wrinkle of knowing the king’s an imposter, he still decides to stop the wedding. “Her heart belongs to another” is A Moment and I don’t know exactly why but I find his very soft pleas following this and calling her “my lady” very affecting. 

She’s beauty and she’s grace, she punched Guy in the face.

“A trap. I knew it.” I haaaaate this line. NO YOU DIDN’T KNOW IT ROBIN YOU KNEW NOTHING OF THE KIND IF YOU HAD KNOWN YOU WOULD BE EVEN MORE OF A DICK FOR LEAVING UGGGHHHH.

“We can’t be seen together” Right in front of my salad two guards on front gate duty, who get front row tickets to the kiss. Look at them! They’re right there! This show drives me absolutely bonkers sometimes.

I do love this dress though.

“An audience with the king has been suspended!” Going out on one last pun.

Regardless, I really love this episode. Despite the lack of fallout from the emotional wringer they all went through, I can’t help but smile when the gang does their silly little jump for joy at the end.

[idontreadheartbeats]

Day 7: Rec List Saturday

AMVs:

“Faded” by gracieon.

I just love the giffed cuts above, and the song + dialogue clips give me so many feels.

“Sorry” by Fandom.com

I’ve been listening to this one a lot while writing my longfic Lightning Sun. The song by Halsey dives into the psychology of someone who fundamentally believes they don’t deserve love and/or doesn’t understand or believe how other people could love them. I think with all her abandonment issues, Katara would probably vibe with this.

“Easier” by TeamHodgins

Another one for the longfic feels. At the beginning of Lightning Sun, Zuko is in prolonged recovery from Azula’s strike, thus the lyrics, “I’m stuck, I’m stuck, I’m stuck here in my skin.”

The story is told mostly through the pov of Katara, who’s on a journey of self-discovery to understand her own issues with abandonment and what they mean for her feelings towards Zuko; hence, “Tell me it gets easier, tell me it gets easier, tell me it gets easier, that I’ll figure it out.”

“I’d let you win” by quinn darley

Pretty self-explanatory for Zuko. “I’d let you in. I’d let you win my heart again.”

“killing me to love you” by exhalence

Not listening to it much recently. Real longfic vibes, especially with these lyrics:

I want to keep faith, but you're making it harder (but it’s killing me to love you)

I’m reaching out now, but you’re pulling me under (but it’s killing me to love you)

I give you my heart just to watch you waste it (but it’s killing me to love you)

And I can’t let go when you still need saving (but it’s killing me to love you)

In case you couldn’t tell, Lightning Sun is gonna be a slow-burn angst fic with a bittersweet ending. Sorry not sorry 😬👀

“you’re my home” by [17’s] kelly

Like previous entry, not listening to it as much recently but still lovely ❤️

“into you” by mavensinclair

Recent discovery. Makes me soft 🥺

Fanfics:

Before moving onto the fic recs, I just wanna make a quick note about my preferences. Most of the following will be rated M or above. I’ve been an honest-to-God adult for a few years now, so I like fics that deal with more mature themes and adult problems.

I’m also a slut for angst. You will find very little fluff ahead (though some of these have their moments). Proceed accordingly. And not to be a hipster about Zutara fic, but there are definitely some out there that don’t get enough love, namely my top three (listed in order).

What makes a fic really stand out for me? It’s pretty simple actually. It has to be something that’s a little different, a little off-the-wall, with vivid worldbuilding. But MOST importantly, it has to make me deeply feel something. If a scene sticks in my head even months afterwards due to a combination of vivid sensory detail and visceral emotional reactions, that fic will be on this list.

Two Worlds Collide by mangx3

My co-captain @antarcticasx​ and I welcome you aboard the TWC Supremacy. Fear not; though the voyage may at first prove daunting and ill-fated, rest assured that you’re in for an emotionally satisfying journey that promises to rip your heart out in all the best ways.

No, but seriously, this fic is so much better than it has any right to be. I will admit, the frame structure of the tale is not to my taste, and some plot points in the first act may seem contrived. But my god, do you go on a journey with this fic. Bc it was written over the course of four years, you actually get to witness mangx3 improve as a writer. By the end, the storytelling is 💋👌🏻 And if that’s not enough for you, at one point, Zuko refers to Katara—in her absence, mind—as both “my heart” and “my life.” I just... I die 💀

Each Other by jennibare

Aang is dead + the aftermath fic. The story is well balanced between both Zutara and the steambabies.

Love Thy Enemy by RedNovember

Kind of a soulmate au. Worldbuilding is top-notch. And the climax in the third act? My god, the imagery, the emotion, just... 😭

Rumour Has It by @fictionissocialinquiry

BluePaint bible. Constantly torn between wanting to read more Blue Spirit/Painted Lady fic and knowing that none will ever compare. (I say this as someone with a BluePaint outline in the works.) This is also like my go-to re-read, though I usually stop around chapter 73 bc of that scene *fans self* and also I can’t put myself through the partial heartbreak of the ending again. Waiting to start the sequel once it’s complete.

Strength by tini243

Fair warning: this fic is incomplete and abandoned. HOWEVER, it follows the story through most of the second act, so I still left feeling satisfied. It’s a soulmate au that ends with casually married Zutara revealing their relationship to the gaang, and there’s just something so delicious about that drama.

Hopeless by @zutaradreams

The structure of this story is so unique in the way it’s sandwiched between a prologue and epilogue told from a side character pov. Plus, it’s told out of order which makes it fun to put the pieces together. Zutara build a life in Ba Sing Se when all hell breaks loose. Also, steambaby! Another go-to re-read.

Gods & Monsters by wannabewonderbender (wannabend)

If you want BAMF Katara, this is the BAMF Katara fic. Ending is a little abrupt, but I enjoyed it all the same.

The Things We Hide by Lykegenia

The worldbuilding in this au is amazing. More BAMF Katara. And no spoilers, but the ending is exactly what I would want for Ursa.

The Fifth Column by chromeknickers

Be warned: this one is dark, with incredibly dubious consent. The final showdown kinda drags on a bit, but the worldbuilding is great. Ending sets up a sequel that’s never been started, so if that bothers you, probably avoid.

WIPs:

Our Desires series by @laadychat

With each update, Sab never fails to make me feel like I’mma spontaneously combustionbend. Absolutely adore ❤️

Smoke & Mirrors by @nellasera

Blutara that leads to capture!fic trope; or, everything I’m a slut for. Dying for the next update 😭😭😭

Those Who Do Not Learn... Are Doomed to Repeat by @homeagainrose

Time-travel established relationship/married Zutara in teenage bodies. Honestly, what more could you possibly want? Also dying for update.

[agri-art-archive]

Shift  and Shiver

Warnings: This work contains body horror, blood, some graphic descriptions of said body horror, and general ill feelings under the Keep Reading line.  Description: A little drabble of how a certain scene in The Mind at Heart might go down. Really just an excuse for me to explore ideas concerning the Jekyll/Hyde transformation. I wanted to go for “magically getting torn apart”, and this is the first version of what I’m sure will become a series of experiments with how “magically torn apart” could play out. I hope you enjoy!

Shift and Shiver - Written Aug 2019

For a moment, before he opened his eyes, he believed he was back in the med-tent. 

Wind swooshed quietly through a multitude of little rips and tears, the spaces between the ground and flaps of the canvas tent. The air was warm and smelt of spiced fruit, bringing with it the muted buzz of a busy capital shaking itself awake in the dawning sun. 

For a moment he was wrapped in the comfort of familiar memory, quietly making a mental checklist of his tasks for the day as if he were still laying in his quarters.  Stock up on bandages… Check over inventory… Progress report of Ltn. Qwel'lyn, Strongarm, Bomber, Sel'vil…

For a moment everything was warm, right, then the sky splintered apart with a blinding, white flash and a fierce roared. Frigid raindrops hammered against the alleyway, and finally he opened his eyes. 

Dal'styr glanced around, shifting and drawing his coat closer around his body. A ramshackled eve stood as failing shelter between him and the downpour. As the air chilled, a murky fog rose up from the cobblestone and crept slowly down the grimmy alleyway, toward the little nook the Doctor had found crammed between two soot-stained brick buildings. In his desperate scramble away from Lo'dion the night before he'd made the decision to stop and rest, thankful for the small scrap of shelter; now he regretted not pushing on. His limbs ached, and a pressure was building behind his forehead that made his ears ring and soon promised a pounding headache. He hoped the theater would have something to treat the other more serious wounds across his back before they festered too much. He was already counting on the lashes splitting open once more as he started moving, and with the way his shirt clung uncomfortably to his skin- they'd probably bled through and dried to the cloth overnight.  

No use dreaming of a life he'd forsaken.

As he hauled himself up- catching the slimy wall with a hand to steady untrustworthy legs and sending a nearby rat skittering away with a scree- the very last wisp of groggy sleep disappeared. His back burned. Dal'styr started moving anyway, it was only another hour's walk. He could rest better soon. 

It was early enough in the day that the Doctor tried to take it easy, to slow his steps and be careful on his stiff, stinging ankle; however the looming threat of Maestonian Cavalry bloodhounds kept his movements jittery and heart pounding anxiously. 

He held his head down, avoiding the eyes of any equally skittish passerbys hunched against the rain. As soon as he could, he ducked off the garbage-strewn, cobblestone central road and into a putridly sweet sidealley. After a few quick glances around, the Doctor heaved a strangled sigh and rested gingerly against the wall of a Casket Company leaning precariously over the lane, hands pressed on the rough stone to serve as a cushion for his back. It brought no relief. As he'd walked his bones had started to ache, joints seering if he so much as thought of stretching them. His breath came ragged and tore at his throat, despite a lack of much exertion. 

He had to get to the Theater. He'd been told any supplies needed would be there for him. He could rest and start setting up a functional clinic for them as soon as the Cavalry gave up the chase. 

With a wet, rattling cough that left his glove speckled worryingly dark, he pushed off the wall and limped down the grimmy, detritus-littered alley. His ankle had gotten worse, and his other foot stung with every step. 

Hazy with exhaustion and pain, Dal'styr didn't notice until it was too late. A scraggly alleycat, bald spots scaled over with disease and missing half an ear, attempted a jump. It missed. Sending the metal can it had been aiming for to the stoneway. It clattered loudly under the Doctor's feet, echoing against the walls in such a way as to ring in his ears. He tripped; the world spun around him and suddenly cold bloomed down his right side. 

He gasped in surprise and pain, soon devolving into a ragged cough that left his ribs sore. Every movement ground bone against bone and left an uncomfortable warmth in its wake. 

It took three tries to get himself back up, breath coming in mighty, scratchy heaves of vapor that he could see before him. The Doctor stood there a moment, swaying, shivering in the cold and taking stock of the aftermath through muddled senses. His coat, already soaked through in the rain, only got muddy stains from the fall. An iron tang bittered his mouth, tongue thick and resting heavy behind his teeth. He felt ill, beyond ill. Muscles ached as if poisoned, bleeding from the lungs or throat. Head pounding. Bones sore from deep in the marrow, joints aflame. This wasn't limited to his actual wounds anymore, but stood as he was- now moved to rest against the edge of the Casket Company building on his uninjured shoulder- with the world swaying in blurred double vision, he couldn't hold a cohesive thought for more than a head-pounding second. 

Something was wrong. 

It had been building in his chest, in the blood of his bones and fiber of his being for a while now.   At first, immediately after that Night, he dismissed it as stress and exhaustion. Mae knows he suffered both far too often. Then it was dismissed as the flu, something that made him achy all over with the weather and the changing seasons.  Lately however, certain sensations had been pushing his certitude and his sanity. Crawling claws under his skin sent shivers down his spine, the gentlest of scents suddenly felt like fire, bringing tears to his eyes and leading to nosebleeds, sometimes sparking migraines that left him useless. In the quiet moments of day and night, whispered, incoherent and muted voices echoed all at once without there ever being any one there. At times, he was sure he caught glimpses of smokey eyes in glass reflected back at him in his peripheral vision. These days, everything often occurred all at once, starting slow but building into a cacophony that brought him to his knees, clutching his head and clenching his jaw against the hail of maddening confusion. 

Now everything was upon Dal'styr, skin itching uncomfortably and turning his stomach in knots. He couldn't heave- he'd eaten nothing. 

He cast an eye behind him, breath hitching as a wave of nausea swept over him, and forced stiff, uncooperative limbs to walk. He had to get to safety. He'd wasted enough time. 

The Doctor stumbled like a drunk the rest of the way, by some stray will of Mae managing to remain upright. Past dirty factories and clogged ditches, across a crumbling bridge splattered in once-colourful graffiti of at least a dozen generations of gutter poets. He hurried the last stretch of road, out in the open with the distant snorts and yowls of the cavalry's hounds nipping at his heels. Finally, the entrance to the series of back alleys leading into the theater's courtyard dawned ahead of him and soon he was safe; the rain held at bay by wildly untamed ivy and roses, growing thick above and along the sides of the path, abandoned long ago by whoever had first planted them. The last part of his trek passed in silence, relief bringing peace of mind but not of body, the world spinning desperately.

No sooner had Dal'styr set foot inside and bolted the door to the Theater behind him did he collapse, first to his knees and then keeled over to rest on his hands as well. Shadows twirled and swirled magnificently in his vision, the smell of dust, chemicals and blood clogged his nose. 

Everything was wrong. His ears rang.

He wanted to scream, maybe he had- scrabbling to take off his rain-drenched jacket as it clung too tightly to his skin, too uncomfortably. 

Except, it wasn't clothing. It wasn't anything that could be removed- it was his very skin, rippling and sending shudders across his flesh. Writhing movement under his hands as he flung the clothing away from him with a cry, eyes wide, gasping for air between wheezes. He bit down a scream, scorching heat flashing across his shoulders, his forearms, his back and sides.

The anchoring runes. 

A deep, unsettling dread weighed in his stomach, panic clawing at his throat.This was It. Whatever had been slumbering under his skin had finally decided to simply tear through. His mind screeched to a stop, and all he knew was pain. The first bone snapped with a sickening crack, and cry as he might, Mae couldn't reach his unholy soul to save him. In a snap of clarity, he understood all but nothing, small black dots dancing in his vision. 

A body was not built to contain such magic. 

The ink of the tattooed runes across his skin boiled, sight blurring beyond any cohesive thought as violent shreds of purple and black danced in a mind-numbing display around him. No matter where he looked, spinning around only to end up sprawled on his back upon the hardwood floor, he couldn't escape it. His ears rang to the point of pain, building and pressing against his drums until they popped and warmth bloomed down his skull, silencing his whimpers and mangled cries. He was pretty sure his eardrums had ruptured, but the rest of his body ached too much to tell one pain from another. Why hadn’t he passed out yet?

The Doctor tried closing his eyes, but he couldn't escape the overwhelming flashes of incomprehensible purple hues, head pounding in time with his heart.  He felt like he was being ripped apart and devoured, powerless and unable to move against an unknown force that pinned him to the floor. Something had broken under strain, and now unwilled magic claimed his soul, tearing muscle from bone in sharp gouges. Bones splintered and split, twisting inside his flesh. The feeling so sickly, unnatural, he screamed desperately, unable to breathe, to think- It continued on forever. His back arched up, arms pinned to his sides. Sickly purple danced across his vision. He felt heavy, compressed and stitched back together incorrectly. His body shifted and twisted, snapping and sloshing, cracking, gloshing back together. The Doctor felt everything, clawed at his ribs as they fractured, pleaded to all who might hear when his organs ruptured inside his abdominal cavity and subsequently mended with nauseating squelches. He cried when his heart jittered and sputtered, skipping a beat or three and rippling debilitating aches across the core of every muscle in his body. 

Then it ended. 

Skin that had torn and marched its way across his flesh settled, bones mended with sharp hisses. Blood gurgled, stopped pouring from his nose, his eyes, his ears. Throat burning, but everything else settling into low, throbbing soreness along his body, Dal'styr lay on the floor for an eternity, curled in shivering fetal position on his side. Cold settled into his veins. His flesh was not his own, it felt wrong. Wrong and sickening to the stomach. Everything was pressed in, as if he were under the ocean, every breath labored. 

It had ended just as suddenly as it started, not even five minutes ago. 

Dal’styr coughed up blood, slowly coming back to awareness and recognizing the bitter metallic tang in his mouth for what it was. The air was charged in the wake of what… ever had happened. Sharp and brittle, exactly as it was after an extended use of magic. Spots of inexplicable light danced across his vision from where flashes of purple had burned into his retinas. His eyes stung, closing them brought little relief to a bullet-like migraine parading across his brain. He brought a hand up to dab at the cooling, sticky liquid under his nostrils but quickly found his limbs heavy, uncooperative and shaking terribly. 

He tried to take in a deep breath, but his ribs ached and clicked with the last few movements of resettlement, stealing the oxygen from his lungs. His ears were still ringing. He could only hear his sputtering heart and the blood rushing past his temple. His joints took the longest to cooperate, creaking like unoiled hinges, grinding and burning against each other. Once certain his shaking legs could hold him, and with a chair, the wall and a shelf's help, he was back on his feet, swaying with the kind of lightheadedness he might've called blood loss. 

There was a mirror on the counter just across from where he now stood, and bracing himself for the horrifying magic-mangled scars he expected- took a look at himself. 

He did not recognize the face of his reflection.

[saras-almanac]

Because i love to procrastinate my actual life, I figured, why not make a round-up of what I wrote this year? It’s exclusively Emmerdale because I was just so inspired to write for it and this fandom’s been so amazing at welcoming me and others, which has just made me want to write even more! 

Robert Week Fics. These prompts were so amazing and I literally felt hey were tailor-made for me. Write a scene the way you wished it would have gone? Hello canon divergence, which is my favorite thing! It was the first things I’d written for Emmerdale and I just had so much fun! 

just one night - robert/aaron

quiet night - robert & vic

letting go - robert/aaron (break-up fic, sorry! i’ve been asked to fix it though!)

the shirt - robert/aaron, everyone picks on robert

the fight - robert/aaron

stay - robert/aaron

together - robert/aaron

Hesitantly-titled Promises verse ficlets. It’s the canon divergence where Robert doesn’t go out with Bernince and all so Aaron doesn’t get jealous and sticks it out with Alex for longer. I hate seeing Aaron basically miserable and I loved that reunion so much, but I sort of wanted to see what might have happened going forward if Aaron and Robert were just mates for a while longer. How would that work out? Would it? Where does Alex fit in. It was also a way for me to explore probably my favorite dynamic of this show, second only to Aaron and Robert themselves, which is Robert and Liv. I think I might try and make this into a sort of fic serious or longer fic this year. Maybe I’ll try and add that on my list as well... We’ll see. 

promise - robert & liv

the bridge - robert/aaron, robert & liv

guilt - robert & liv

the fallout - robert/aaron

we’ll sort it - robert/aaron

My Noah-moves-into-the-Mill AU that I am still trying to figure out the best format to use! I originally thought a chaptered fic, but then I think a series where every fic can sort of stand alone might work best. I keep fluctuating back-and-forth, to be honest, and I’m not sure where I’ll end up landing come the new year. I have been thinking a lot about this one, especially because of all the Debbie stuff because Jack has found his way into this AU as well since he’s always missing. (Where was he on Christmas, Debbie? Everyone you knew was at the wedding and he wasn’t with Diane)

movie night - roblivion & noah

maths help - robert & noah 

just paints - robert & noah

Aaron week came at the busiest time for me, so I was sadly unable to produce something for every day. But I had so much fun and those prompts were amazing. I might try to come back and finish it in the future, but it’ll depend on how much time and inspiration I actually have! 

rude boy

home

past & future 

Miscellaneous fics:

all i want for christmas is you - robert/aaron

Robert has a new boyfriend and Aaron handles it the best he can. Mostly by avoiding Robert and pretending that he’s not actually in love with Robert. If every romantic comedy is to go by, there’s no way this could possibly go wrong.

aftermath - robert/aaron, robert and the dingles 

Aftermath of 28 September episode. Robert tries to help everyone through this.

TW: Mentions of Chas/Paddy storyline and the outcome of Grace’s birth.

worry - robert & liv

Liv worries about Robert post seizure. Coda fic to 13 September 2018. [Is it shamelessly self-indulgent? Yes. Is it hinting at Liv viewing Robert as her father-figure. Yes. I’ve said it before, I will die on this hill of Liv and Robert being Liv’s pseudo father.]

support - roblivion 

After Liv finds out what Jacob’s told his dad, Robert and Aaron just want to help. Response to an anon prompt on tumblr.

I wrote this when it was just spoilers and then it sat in my folder for a bit as real life got in the way. I tried to rework to fit more in canon, but I’m not sure how successful I was.

Looking back, I’m actually pretty impressed with myself. I managed to produce over 30k in about 4 months, on top of work and my graduate program, which is just insane to me! It’s also made me pretty excited to continue working in this fandom because I’ve just had so much! 

[elizas-writing]

Thirteen Reasons Why is Torture Porn; Using Graphic Violence to Make a Point

CW/TW: Mentions of suicide, rape/sexual violence, physical assault, and everything the Thirteen Reasons Why crew were told NOT to do by mental health experts

If you are in a crisis, don’t let a poorly written TV show tell you what to do; call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or the Suicide Crisis Line at 1-800-784-2433. Surround yourself with people who will support you without judgement and are willing to take the extra step to understand. If you’re struggling to find regular mental health resources, check out here for more options. You still have a life ahead even if it takes some trial and error to figure out what the hell to do.

So Netflix released the second season of Thirteen Reasons Why, and, what a shock, people hate it for upping the graphic violence and rape. I have no plans to watch it myself after reading through all the triggers, but suffice it to say that so little was learned from the first season. Plus, I’d rather not subject myself to that much distress for a TV show I knew there was no point in continuing after the first season. Everyone’s accounts across Twitter and Tumblr of the new season seem to match up, so I’m going off of that for this piece.

If you haven’t seen my review of the first season (with and without spoilers), I found that it definitely went too far to make a point and had really confusing characterizations, but there were select scenes, when they were done right, were kinda worth the wait-- keyword being “kinda.” There was a germ of an idea begging for good writing, but got sucked into shock value for the sake of shock value. And the second season offers no promises to improve.

Of the multiple graphic scenes of this season, the one which sparked the most outrage was the final episode “Bye” as Tyler (a serial stalker) is brutalized and raped by his male classmates. As a result of being pushed too far, he brings practically a whole arsenal of guns to shoot up the school during a dance, but Clay peacefully disarms him before he can go through with it.

So apparently the creators saw the criticism of season one and thought, “So, you want to see more graphic violence, rape, and terribly confusing characterization?”

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, creator and showrunner, Brian Yorkey, wanted to explore more of Tyler’s psyche and “how a troubled man might be driven to consider this very difficult choice” after the bullying and ostracization he experienced in the first season. While I’d never wish rape on anyone, even fictional people--and a bunch of characters who mistreated him are total hypocrites--, Tyler is still beyond redemption for never understanding how his behavior destroyed Hannah’s sense of safety. The show puts him through that much brutalization to force audiences to feel sympathetic towards him while never critically analyzing why his stalking and coping mechanisms were wrong and unhealthy, regardless of what else was going on in his life.

It also promotes the dangerous idea that social outcasts and/or victims of bullying are likely to eventually become school shooters, which completely ignores factors like toxic masculinity or racist associations-- as was the case for shootings like Parkland and Santa Fe from this year-- which contribute to a white male sense of entitlement. Even though the lapses in logic are all over the place in the show-- particularly Clay having an emotional breakdown with Tyler, even though he made things worse in the first place by sharing revenge porn--, people had every right to distance themselves from Tyler as much as possible.

He’s a creep in how he objectifies his female classmates, constantly collects sensitive photos for blackmail, and his main outlet for anger becomes shooting guns at bottles and live animals, because society as a whole tends to only show men how to be emotional through anger and nothing else. This doesn’t help that when he testified, he apparently wanted to befriend Hannah to take photos of her to which she rejected (rightfully so) and thus his stalking began. It’s already so back-and-forth among viewers if Hannah committed suicide out of revenge or actual mental health deterioration, and subtly putting blame on her for rejecting Tyler is up there as one of the worst things they did to her. Not to mention throughout the second season, Tyler is anonymously putting up polaroids around the school of incriminating evidence in the case, particularly with Jessica, who is already stressed as is coming to terms that she was raped by Bryce.

It’s upon these scenes that I realized Netflix’s Thirteen Reasons Why can’t decide who it’s supposed to be for. It’s not for teenagers with how unrealistic and unidentifiable the characters are, especially coming from an adaptation of an 11-year-old book with an outdated understanding of teen mental health, bullying and suicide. It’s most definitely not for mentally ill folks with a history of suicidal thoughts because it’s so graphic, violent, and triggering, and on top of which, is grossly inaccurate on how depression works. Are they making it for the same people who can stomach Game of Thrones easily?

Above all else, does graphic violence have any point in film or television?

As mentioned in their first Beyond the Reasons special, the writers argued about needing that authenticity for Hannah’s rape and suicide scenes “to be painful to watch,” but it’s really not worth it if it has nothing else to say besides “look at this excess violence; you need to feel bad.” If you need to spoon feed your audience an explicit rape or suicide scene to emphasize how horrible those things are, it’s bad writing. They made the same mistakes with Tyler’s brutalization, which like I said, only exists to make you feel sorry for him and almost forget he’s an irredeemable character.

Film and television are super creative visual mediums; there are ways to convey an emotion or theme without triggering content or alienating your supposed intended audience.

I mentioned this before in my first review, but Perks of Being a Wallflower did incredibly well in portraying child molestation and an attempted suicide without going too far. The scenes of the molestation are cleverly cut and mostly in shadow where all you can see is Charlie’s aunt rubbing his leg and hear her whispering “Don’t wake your sister.” And when he’s mentally breaking down and suicidal, the camera just pans to the knife slowly before immediately cutting to the police breaking in, and then Charlie wakes up in the psychiatric ward. It’s a gut-wrenching scene every time, but it’s also smart in remembering the intended audience and walking that line before it becomes too much. It’s a great depiction of an anxiety attack where everything overwhelms you at once, and sometimes there’s gaps in your memory in what happened while in that state of panic. It’s never addressed what happened between the police arriving and Charlie waking up in the psychiatric ward. But it doesn’t need to give those answers; what matters most is that Charlie is safe and finally going to get the help he needs.

A scene can be way more powerful in what it omits rather than what it explicitly shows. What you imagine might happen can be more exciting and/or terrifying than what any director could have put on the screen themselves.

Early horror and thriller films are among the most successful of this, especially if they’re directed by Alfred Hitchcock, the Master of Suspense. Sure, these films seem pretty cheesy when we in the 21st century are used to seeing much more violence and body horror, but they have their mark on cinematic history for a reason, and for an audience in the 1960s, this was horrifying. Take the famous shower scene from Psycho.

Instead of showing the knife penetrating flesh, it’s all edited in near-rapid cuts of “Mother” missing, Marion screaming and trying to defend herself, and shots of her feet with blood dripping into the water. It focuses more on the vulnerability of the situation, when there’s no chance for escape as you’re cornered against the wall and how quickly it all happens before you can react, complete with fast-paced editing and those high pitched violins. That kind of defenselessness freaked out actress Janet Leigh so much that she couldn’t take showers again without locking the doors and windows and leaving the shower door open. Hell, that still tends to be a common reaction for a lot of people who see this movie, and all without needing to show actual stab wounds.

And this trick in omitting some elements and highlighting others works well across genres for any scene motivated by any strong emotion. There’s probably about 50 different Disney films I can cite that do this well, but the one that sticks out the most is Tarzan.

Aside from Phil Collins singing, some animal noises, and a baby cooing, there is no spoken dialogue for the first 7 minutes, which is a really long time for an animated family film. Yeah, the song kinda hamfists in the themes of family and love from the get-go, but it’s otherwise a great introduction. You see these two families just starting out before they’re cut short by tragedy; one with the death of a baby gorilla and the other with the death of Tarzan’s parents, both at the jaws of Sabor. The former is only indicated by the sounds of the baby gorilla’s screams echoing in the jungle while we only see the aftermath of the latter through Kala’s perspective when she finds Tarzan.

Obviously with it being a Disney family film, they’re not going to actually show Sabor tearing up a baby gorilla or the human parents. As such, they have to rely on context clues for the audience to pick up and piece together everything else with their imaginations. When you think about it long enough, it’s a really dark beginning on how quickly unexpected tragedy can destroy everything you hold dear. And it’s all accomplished without going too far.

Does this mean we need to omit graphic violence entirely for a film? Not necessarily as it very much depends on what the film is and your target audience. But omission is a great practice in a story to explore what else you have to say besides “Look at this traumatizing shit. You should feel bad.” Of course, we’ll always have mindless films which just exist to be violent, and historical narratives and/or social commentaries in some cases need violence to portray the reality of a situation. But when you’re making something about mental illness with intent to help those like your characters, it helps to listen to what your audience and mental health experts actually want to see in such a narrative. And like I said before, the Thirteen Reasons Why creators completely ignored criticisms of season one and continued making the same mistakes just to milk their product beyond the source material. It has nothing else to say or do besides being needlessly gritty as opposed to creating likable characters or understandable motivations.

The only exception to this rule I can even think of is Deadpool 2.

I know it seems counter-intuitive to compare Deadpool 2 and Thirteen Reasons Why given the former’s more excessive violence, but bare with me here. I stand by that Deadpool 2 is way better at handling themes of suicide and violence in two hours than Thirteen Reasons Why ever did in 26 episodes.

The major differences? The intended audience’s expectations and well-written characterization.

Most everyone going in already knows what Wade Wilson is like. And this is definitely not the first time he attempted suicide in such grandiose and gratuitous fashion. The first film established itself as a wildly violent parody of superhero films, and the sequel continues that by poking fun at recent trends of these films going darker and grittier. In any other film, this would cross the line, but because it’s Deadpool, the excessively grotesque violence is to be expected. It succeeds in capturing the shock and dark humor (i.e Wade blowing himself up with his apartment, knowing fully well he can’t die) while still maintaining the weight of his emotional turmoil.

We actually get to know who Wade is and why he acts the way he does. There’s no drawn out mystery or fact-checking other sources or confronting side characters we don’t care about. We get his perspective alone, and that’s all we need to see his grief over Vanessa escalating to self-destructive behaviors and how he tries to find some family and meaning in life without her, even though her death is retconned in the end anyway. It’s all played for laughs, but you can’t help but feel sorry for Wade because he loved Vanessa so much, and they were a wonderfully sweet couple.

Another thing Deadpool 2 does significantly better than Thirteen Reasons Why is not forcing gray morality where it doesn’t belong, particularly when Wade tries to save Russell. It doesn’t matter if his actions lead to a horrible future; he’s just a traumatized kid who needs a proper family who will guide him. A lot of X-Men films try to play the heroes as the bigger people who are above murder and revenge. Yet Deadpool 2 doesn’t punish those like Russell with understandable hatred and motivations. It is very upfront that if you harm children, you deserve whatever hell comes your way-- which really hits home as Russell was put through metaphorical gay conversion therapy.

Meanwhile, I can’t even be bothered to care about anyone in Thirteen Reasons Why. The second season out of nowhere piles on excuse after excuse to justify the characters’ actions without them ever facing guilt or consequences. Anyone else with a remote chance at sympathy is just put through more emotional torture without rhyme or reason. I don’t care who has a drug problem, who’s gay, who dated who, the he-said-she-said, etc etc. If you’re trying to preach the ever-tired “it gets better” bullshit, when does it actually start to get better?

Sadly, Thirteen Reasons Why can’t find that point, and I don’t trust it will given how little the creators learned from the first season’s criticisms. They don’t care about creating a narrative to help mentally ill teens. They have nothing else to say or do than to make money and shoe-horned in so much graphic violence under the guise of being “authentic” to compensate for a tired Degrassi knockoff which would’ve disappeared if it wasn’t based on a well-known YA novel. Graphic violence in media is a tool to be used carefully, and of course it will vary project to project. But if it just exists to pad your “deep, meaningful” story instead of developing characters, motivations and relationships, then it’s cheap, lazy torture porn, and it’s bad writing.

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[winterironbang]

Artist Claims

Below you will find the names and summaries of the entered fics, please take care to read through them and beware of any warnings when thinking about which story it is you wish to claim. Make sure to have two in mind when choosing as your first choice may already be taken. 

A link will be posted at: 

At this time you will be able to begin claiming stories. Please only claim the number of stories you intend to do art for (i.e. if you have two stories you like and both are free, pick your favourite don’t pick your second choice as well unless you are going to do two bangs). If all stories are claimed and more artists wish to participate we can hold a second round of claims but this can only happen once all stores have been claimed once. 

Story summaries are below the read more (there are quite a few):

Title: Digimon: Avengers Assemble Bang: Mini Summary: Tony Stark is the son of EDEN creator, Howard Stark. Bucky is a homeless teen who doesn’t remember anything besides his name. After being attacked together in EDEN, they develop powers of a digital nature. Rescued by the Black Widow, they find they aren’t the only ones who’ve developed digital powers. Can they and some new friends- both of the human variety and non-human variety- save more than one world? Current word count:5005 Warnings: Referenced Past Child Abuse and Neglect, Strong Language, Angst A/N: This is a crossover with Digimon: Cyber Sleuth. As I am not sure everyone is aware of the game, I am including a link to a playlist of the game walkthrough so you can hopefully understand more about this story. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-ec1vuqoUzb4RARPY7Do_R-k9AMRuBjc

 Title: Still alive Bang: Mini Summary: The Winter Soldier escaped from Hydra, and on the run, he needs a Mechanic to maintain the very efficient weapon attached its body. It decides the best person for the work is the world's best weapon expert: Tony Stark. Abducting him goes unexpectedly well. Then, complications come. Current word count: 9467 Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Minor character death (just the bad guys I promise), Kidnapping, Description of physical and mental torture (probably)

Title: Nothing In The Sky Above Me (Nothing Strung Below Us, Baby, If We Fall) Bang: Big Summary: Bucky wakes up wet, bloody, and in pain. He doesn’t know where he is, or why he’s there. All he knows is that there’s a picture of a stranger in Steve’s sketchbook and a cryptic message to save the man. Bucky doesn’t know what’s happening, but he knows that he’ll do whatever it takes to find that beautiful goateed man and kiss his stupid face. Current Word Count: roughly 22k Warnings: established relationship Tony/Bucky/Steve, amnesia/recurring memory loss, polyamory, kidnapping, implied torture, panic attacks, canon typical violence.

Title: Broken Bottles and Other Life Metaphors Bang: Mini Summary: Breakups suck, finding your ex at a party kissing someone else is not the best way to help with the aftermath but then again life had never really gone as Tony planned.  Current word count: 5138 Warnings: None yet apply… Angst.

Title: Hopelessly Devoted to You Bang: Big Summary: 80s high school a/u - When Tony and Bucky are paired together for a project in auto shop, sparks fly. The following weekend, Bucky gets invited to a rich kids’ party with ill-intent. Fortunately, it’s Tony to the rescue. He nurses Bucky through a XXX recovery. Frienemies to Lovers, fluff, first times, hurt/comfort, smut Current word count: 17700 Warnings: drugging, attempted date rape, references to physical abuse

Title: Homecoming: How It Could Have Ended Bang: Big Summary: Peter’s journey as an Avenger cuts off abruptly at the end of Spider-Man: Homecoming. But what if the tape had kept rolling at the new Avengers complex?  The press conference continues with Tony introducing a new Captain America. Pepper’s big news for Tony causes a complete mental breakdown. Catching Tony at a new low forces intimacy between Bucky and Tony. Is it unwanted?  Peter gets ‘rescued’ from Happy by Wade Wilson. Sam and Bucky wreak havoc around the complex, and Rhodey is having none of the BS going on.  Current word count: 22936 Warnings: Spider-Man: Homecoming spoilers, drug use, racism, the total assassination of Pepper Potts’ character, and way too many Cap PSA jokes

Title: Karaoke Soul Bang: Mini Summary: Daemon AU (MCU with flavours of 616) How can anyone have a secret identity in a world where everyone keeps their soul outside their body? Well, you’ll have to be Tony Stark. His daemon Kestrel is… a special case. (There are academic papers written about her.) (And exposes in less reputable papers.) Still, the closer Iron Man gets to his team, the harder it becomes to be two different people. Especially when the Avengers are joined by Steve’s old buddy, a 90-year-old assassin who was controlled for decades by freezing his daemon. Bucky hardly ever lets go of Shiann these days, and who can blame him? The only creature allowed to come close to her seems to be Kestrel, and that is… huh. Interesting. And totally not about to end in heartbreak for everybody. Current word count: 5k Warnings: None

Title: The Sea on a Moonless Night Bang: Big Summary: The War is over, and adventuring is good; Tony Stark has plenty of fans, and a brand new rival, and enough artifacts to find to last him a lifetime. His friends have found themselves even bigger and better callings of their own—so what does it matter if he's a little lonely? He's fine. He's doing what he loves. Still hoping to find a cure for his broken heart, ready to head into the trials and tunnels of a new adventure, Tony sets his sights on volcanic Iceland. He doesn't expect it to be easy, but he isn't counting on the mysterious man with a knack for stealing his leads. Current word count: 15,098 Warnings: Violence, non-serious injury, brainwashing, situational/environmental peril, extreme artistic license with Norse mythology A/N: This is Iron Man Noir with added Bucky, and contains major spoilers for elements of canon.

Title: Endure and Survive Bang: Mini Summary: [[The Last of Us AU.]] It’s been eight years since the cordyceps outbreak. Eight years, and Bucky has come to terms with things. With people dying. He’s not afraid of death. Doesn’t love anyone enough to be upset if they died. Not even Natasha. She’d argue with him, if he ever said that out loud, so he keeps his mouth shut. They don’t talk much, anyway. Jobs don’t really require talking - just fists and guns. Eight years since the outbreak, and Bucky thinks he’s seen everything. He’s been double crossed before, that’s nothing new - and Rumlow is an asshole who’s had it coming for a long time. He’s done a few drops for the Fireflies before, too, probably out of some misplaced sentimentality for Steve; and he’s honestly not surprised when Rhodes wants a favor, even though the guns are rightfully theirs. But no one’s ever asked him to smuggle a kid. Yeah, yeah, okay. Tony Stark isn’t a kid. He’s twenty-five. But he’s still obnoxious, and irritating, and apparently needs protection. Because apparently, Tony Stark is the only hope for the entire human race. Current word count: 9,093 Warnings: Mature content (NSFW); discussions of suicide; past suicide; PTSD; graphic depictions of violence; The Last of Us Spoilers

Title: Kill Me Gently (But Don’t You Dare Get Up And Leave) Bang: Mini Summary: Tony doesn’t know how to stay dead. The Asset doesn’t know how not to kill. They meet somewhere in the middle. // Starborns are not touched by death the way most living beings are. It comes at the price of a fascination with death—and those who cause it. Or: The many times the Winter Soldier killed Tony Stark. And the one time he didn’t. Who said murder is a bad basis for a relationship? Current word count: 5152 Warning: Repeated temporary main character death. Murder. Mental Health Issues thanks to HYDRA’s brainwashing. Codependence. Questionable Morals.

Title: Somewhere Now  Bang: Mini Summary: Roommate AU - Nobody has the patience for Bucky’s pining over his roommate, Tony anymore. With some much needed encouragement from his friends, Bucky finally gets the confidence to ask Tony out. Whether Tony feels the same is an entirely different matter… Current word count: 5k Warnings: Other than some swear words, nothing.

Title: A Chance Encounter Bang: Mini Summary: Young merTony! meets AngelBucky! when he is near death after a fatal incident. At first, Tony hates the beautiful snark bastard for reasons unknown to him. But then, after spending time with Bucky, he finds himself falling hard for an angel whom doesn't seem the slightest interested in him other than to care for him, and tease him like there is no tomorrow. Is this how his first love going to be? Falling for a beautiful, unavailable angel? Current word count: 5,068 Warnings: Language, Mild Torture (not really, but I don’t know how to explain that scene).

Title:  So beyond in love Bang: Mini Summary:   Natasha Stark, already Iron Man, an Avenger, and so beyond in love with Bucky, starts to question her own gender identity way too late (as she thinks) in her life. Not that this stops her slowly transitioning from Natasha into Anthony, no matter how terrified he is about what the team, and especially Bucky, thinks of him now. Current word count: 7097 Warnings: none

Title: Prepare For Trouble, Make it Double Bang: Mini Bang Summary: 5 Times The Meet Cute + Plus the One Time they actually get their heads outta their asses and get together. Or the one where Bucky is the single father of adorable Twins, and Tony is the hot guy they meet at the grocery store  who is “terrible” with children. Current word count: 5021 Warnings: Past Child Abuse mention, just in case I mean it would just be the canonical Tony Stark variety, but that still needs proper Warning. Maybe minor kidnapping (so some Violence in that regard but it would be adult on adult violence cause Tony gets kidnapped too). Possible allusion to abortion consideration by the Mother.

Title: Whatever We Deny or Embrace Bang: Mini Summary: Modern pre-Avengers alternate universe.  Bucky and Tony have been together since high school, and they’ve been fighting crime together in their dual “rocket man” suits for years. Now that gay marriage is legal in the U.S., Tony wants to have a second wedding. But how does Steve feel losing his best friend to Tony for good? This covers the wedding ceremony and reception in part, as well as the beginning of the wedding night. A little fluff, a little smut, a little drama, but a happy ending. Current word count: 9500 Warnings: drunk Steve warning, brief mild violence

Title: 8 Simple Rules (For Dating Tony Stark) Bang: Mini Summary: Bucky blinked as he stared at the list in front of him. "8 Simple Rules (For Dating Tony Stark)" was underlined in bold, black sharpie. Bucky gaped as Rhodey stared back at him, completely serious. All Rhodey ever wanted was for his best friend to be happy. And, if that meant outlining everything for Bucky in black ink to make sure these two love-sick idiots stayed together, then Rhodey would do it. (a.k.a. Rhodey's 8 simple rules for dating Tony Stark) Current word count: 5020 Warnings: None for now, will likely be rated T. Won’t be explicit, and won’t have any graphic sex/violence/gore scenes. 

Title:  Atomos Bang:  Big Summary:  In 1938, Stevie is 13 years old, a fledgling artist, and possessed of a keen sense of righteousness. His family lives a life of wealth and privilege, but he knows that even powerful people can be bullied. A long-anticipated family visit doesn’t go anything like he’d hoped, and his own rash actions threaten to destroy those he loves. Bucky Barnes, the educated son of the family’s housekeeper, and Stevie’s older brother, Tony, are trying to weather a secret, forbidden relationship.  Despite the strain of Tony’s scheming father and quick tempers flaring in the sweltering heat, they find solace and deeper commitment to one another just before everything shatters. Years later, Steve seeks forgiveness for his role in the events that destroyed their lives, but the world is at war, and the fate of a single soldier is a terribly uncertain thing. Current word count: 16k Warnings:  Major Character Death, period-typical homophobia; Rated E (Explicit) A/N:  This is an Atonement AU (based on the 2007 film), however the fic DOES NOT include any rape.  It does include getting dirty in the garage, sweaty summer sexytimes, Bucky in a WWII uniform, pilot!Tony, skinny!Steve, and BUCKETS of angst.

Title: To Be or Not to Be Bang: Mini Summary: Fifteen-year-old Tony Stark is a senior in high school, which is bad enough in itself. After all, what normal teenager does four years of school in four semesters? Tony, that’s who. But what makes it all so much worse is this pesky little crush he has on James “Bucky” Barnes, popular quarterback for the football team. Unfortunately, the crush doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon. Fortunately, it may or may not be as unrequited as Tony initially thinks.  Word Count: 14,252 Warnings: Underage drinking, Mature rating

Title:  Entangled   Bang: Big Summary:  Date night was going well until a crazy woman spun some magic at them.  Now Tony’s wondering why Bucky is in cryostasis missing his arm, and Bucky’s wondering why Tony hates him and is trying to kick him out of the Tower.  (Civil War fix-it with a little help from a happier universe.) Current word count: 15,560 Warnings: -

Title: Bad Decisions Bang: Mini Summary: Tony would like to thank his parents for his bad communications skills, and he’d like to thank his friends for being supportive in him whoring himself out, but most importantly, he’d like to thank his boss, James Buchanan Barnes, for leaving him after they fucked. Too bad he’s going to see him again. Considering that, uh, they work together. Also, if your love life can be summarized in Ariana Grande songs, there’s definitely something wrong. Consider revaluation. Current word count: 17,791 words. Warnings: Sex, and emotionally constipated characters.

Title: A Sliver of Remembrance Bang: Big Summary: December 16th is not just the day that Howard and Maria Stark die. It also marks the day that Tony Stark goes from being a person to being a tool for HYDRA to break. It marks the day that a long and hard fight for self and freedom begins. Current word count: 18,007 Warnings: mentions of torture, degrading language

Title: Changing Fate (Title Subject To Change!) Bang: Big Summary: Tony dies in Siberia under the hands of Captain America, but fate doesn't leave it there. He opens his eyes several years earlier amidst the threat of Loki's invasion and the first assembling of the 'Avengers'. Tony may not understand why he got this second chance, but he's going to do better with it - and he's decided that he's going to share it. With a Winter Soldier who could really use a different hand than he was dealt. Never let it be said that fate doesn't have a sense of humor. Current Word Count: 27,695 Warnings: None A/N: Pre-Slash, Winteriron, slight one-sided Frostiron at times (Because apparently Loki does what he wants *shrugs*), Rating: T, Part One of a series - but totally complete on it's own. This is the pre-beta'd copy, there will be slight changes with the beta recommendations - nothing too major though.

Title: (You're) The One that I Want Bang: Big   Summary: Billionaire genius Tony Stark meets and falls in love with tough guy and heart-throb Bucky Barnes during a summer’s fling at a beachside resort. Thought to have been parted forever, they discover they’re both attending Avenger’s Academy, a prep-school for superpowered people. With a different social circle, different goals and different dreams, will Tony and Bucky decide that the other is “the one that they want.” An Avenger’s Academy/Grease mash up fic. Current word count: ~20,000 Warnings:  underage drinking, premarital sex, unsafe sex, roofies, pregnancy scares, street racing, dropping out of school, etc

Title: Brideprice Bang: Big Summary: An event known only as the Sundering destroyed civilization as we knew it. Now, several hundred years later, humans have banded together in tribes that war over resources and scramble for ways to deal with the occasionally-deadly mutations that the Sundering left in its wake. The Hydra tribe has been steadily growing as it defeats and subjugates smaller tribes in its path. The Avengers thought they would be next, but instead, Hydra approached them with an offer of alliance, including a bride to symbolize the union of the two tribes. Current word count: ~30,000 Warnings: None

Title: Hidden Wolves Bang: Big Bang Summary:Tony has been taken. The Avengers are looking for him, breaking every wall standing between them and their missing friend. During another one of their raid on another base, Steve and Bucky stumbled upon a wolf. The size of a horse. And if their first reaction was to kill it, they quickly realized it was conscious and capable of thinking and decided to take it with them and decide later what to do with it. The thing is… the wolf is Tony. There is a long way to recovery and longer even when it comes to answering painful questions because it appears that his abduction has nothing to do with his ability to shift into a wolf big enough to look Bucky in the eyes without having to lift its head. And if answers are given, Bucky will also get something much better than he expected. Current word count: Over 33k Warnings: Explicit. Gore. Mention of torture. Mention of abuse.

Title: Agrippina Bang: Big Summary: The Avengers take down a HYDRA base, and what happens in the process will have some lasting consequences for Tony. HYDRA are up to their usual insane mad science tricks, and the Avengers can't let that go unanswered, after all. In the process, the team brings home one mostly recovered Winter Soldier and something far more hazardous. Current word count: 19300 Warnings: canon-typical violence, angst, implied torture, high octane crack treated deadly seriously prepare yourself for wtf, but the thing is IT'S NOT TOO INSANE TO BE CANON, also there is tentacle porn

Title: Reverting to Type Bang: Big Summary: Steve and Tony have been slowly figuring out their relationship and actually making progress, so of course that's when Bucky goddamn Barnes all but falls back into Steve's lap. Misunderstandings and assumptions ensue when Steve starts spending all his time with his old friend and almost none with his new boyfriend. Then, as if that wasn't enough, HYDRA decides to butt back into their lives in a big way. In the span of three days, Steve gets dumped and Tony gets taken. When they get him back, it's like seeing the Winter Soldier all over again. The blankness in his eyes and expression is just painful. And, somehow, it's up to Steve and Bucky to fix this clusterfuck. What they didn't count on was Bucky falling for Tony. Or it being mutual. Current word count: 30500 (complete, and beta-read, and edited) Warnings: canon-typical violence, angst, implied torture, deaged characters, lots of relationship drama, misunderstandings, breakups and makeups, lack of communication, lots of angst, memory issues, identity issues, rescue missions

A huge thank you to all the amazing authors and wonderful artists who are participating in the bang and to all our supporters. 

[wesonerdy]

Shondaland brings their dark and twisty signature to Romeo and Juliet! Get a sneak peek of tonight’s Still Star-Crossed premiere.

Courtesy of ABC/Bob D’Amico

I haven’t met a juicy period drama that I didn’t love, and now that Shondaland is entering the game, you know things are going to be good.

Most of us probably read William Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet in high school. I read it in ninth grade, followed by a screening of Franco Zeffirelli’s 1968 film (cringe-worthy because who wants to watch love scenes with their English teacher and classmates!). There have been several renditions of Shakespeare’s iconic tragedy, including Baz Luhrmann’s 1996 trippy modernization, starring Leo DiCaprio and Claire Danes. I think my favorite is the adaptation for Shakespeare in Love (1998). Watching Joseph Fiennes’ Will Shakespeare derive inspiration for his plays as a result of his relationship with Viola De Lesseps (Gwyneth Paltrow) is positively swoony. And those are love scenes that I can definitely get behind 😉

In any event, it might be difficult to think about how anyone could bring something fresh to this well-known and often-told tale. But as we’ve learned, you can always trust Shondaland to bring a brilliant twist!

Still Star-Crossed actually follows the lives of the Capulets and Montagues in the aftermath of Romeo and Juliet’s tragic death. We can recall Friar Laurence’s impassioned speech to the families as they arrive at the tomb where the two lovers have died. I think we all hope that, given this sacrifice and unfortunate waste, the Capulets and Montagues can come to some sort of truce. In Still Star-Crossed, we see that this is definitely NOT the case.

This time, we follow Juliet’s cousins, Rosaline Capulet (Lashana Lynch) and Livia Capulet (Ebonee Noel). Rosaline finds herself in the middle of a political play to try and save Verona. She will prove she’s a force to be reckoned with, especially when it comes to her destiny, and must make tough decisions regarding her loyalty to the Capulet name. On the other hand, Livia is a hopeless romantic who dreams of a marriage to provide her with a life she’s always wanted, but her yearning for love makes her an easy target, and she gets drawn into a sordid secret, without her knowledge.

Lord Capulet (Anthony Head), the patriarch of the Capulet dynasty, is willing to maintain the legacy of his family’s name at any cost. Lady Capulet (Zuleikha Robinson) may want the same as her husband, but a mystery surrounds her true ambitions.

We also get to know Romeo’s cousin Benvolio Montague (Wade Briggs). He’s now thrust into a position of responsibility because he’s the sole heir to the Montague name and must abide by a sinister plan to solidify his family’s prominence. The Montagues are on the precipice of matching the Capulets social status, but Romeo’s death threatens to stall their ascent. Angered by grief and the loss of his son, Lord Montague (Grant Bowler) will stop at nothing to ensure the Montagues are the most respected family in Verona.

A newly crowned Prince Escalus (Sterling Sulieman) is determined to end the bloodshed between the Montagues and Capulets, but his only solution forces him to decide between following his heart and protecting his kingdom. Eager to help her brother rule Verona, Princess Isabella (Medalion Rahimi) finds herself drawn to the throne, but quickly realizes that obtaining power as a woman will require succumbing to a twisted scheme.

In fact, the Capulets and Montagues aren’t the only ones affected by Romeo and Juliet’s tragic fate. The keeper of Verona’s darkest confessions, Friar Lawrence (Dan Hildebrand), feels a deep responsibility for their deaths. Similarly, the Capulet’s lifelong caretaker, Nurse (Susan Wooldridge) feels guilt. She holds many secrets of her own, including the fact that she is tending to Count Paris (Torrance Coombs), who was supposed to wed Juliet, but was left for dead after a brutal fight with Romeo.

Still Star-Crossed has all the things we love in period drama and historical fiction/romance: so much drama and intrigue, secret machinations and power moves, love lost, found, and lost again… but what’s also exciting is how the series brings in a non-traditional take on casting and prominently features actors of color. Yet, in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Heather Mitchell (Still Star-Crossed‘s Showrunner), is adamant that historical accuracy doesn’t always mean “white-washed”:

“The Renaissance was much more diverse than I think most of us, having just taken high school history or whatever, [remember],” she says. “Shakespeare in the 1500s is writing about an interracial marriage in Othello, and Alessandro deMedici is the ruler of Florence, and he’s a biracial man. And you’re talking about all these cultures along the Mediterranean who have been trading with the Arab world and the African world, and by the Renaissance, they’re starting to trade with Asia. This was not a white world, really. You may remember whatever artwork or whatever you want to, but I think, in reality, this is a more diverse world than people think — and on top of that, we just cast the best actor for every role.”

BRAVA… and I cannot wait for tonight’s premiere!

  “In Fair Verona, Where We Lay Our Scene” (written by Heather Mitchell, directed by Michael Offer), literally sets the stage:

ABC’S PERIOD DRAMA EXPLORES WHAT HAPPENS AFTER ROMEO AND JULIET’S TRAGIC LOVE STORY ENDS AND IGNITES A TREACHEROUS FEUD BETWEEN THE MONTAGUES AND CAPULETS, WHICH UNFOLDS IN THEIR BELOVED CITY OF VERONA－In the wake of Romeo and Juliet’s tragic deaths, the Montague and Capulet rivalry escalates. A new royal takes the throne in Verona and struggles to determine what is best for his city, which is at the epicenter of mayhem. (via ABC)

Watch two clips from the upcoming show, which uses Romeo and Juliet’s love story as a springboard. In the first clip, we watch Friar Laurence marry Romeo and Juliet, and we already get an interesting twist with the presence of two witnesses. And in the second video, we see the ill-fated end of that romance, with the lovers’ funeral.

Think you know what happened at Romeo and Juliet's wedding? Think again. A new story unfolds on #StillStarCrossed, Monday at 10|9c on ABC. pic.twitter.com/WkaxllZYC7

— Still Star-Crossed (@StarCrossedABC) May 26, 2017

Peace between the Montagues and Capulets? Looks like the royals have their work cut out for them. #StillStarCrossed begins Monday at 10|9c. pic.twitter.com/7QwWQSuIRt

— Still Star-Crossed (@StarCrossedABC) May 27, 2017

  I already adore Lashana Lynch’s Rosaline. A servant? You better leave your prejudices at the door Benvolio! And as anticipated, the potential for peace between the Capulets and Montagues is sabotaged before Romeo and Juliet are even in their graves. I wonder what idea the FINE Prince Escalus will come up with now?

  Check out 40 images from Still Star-Crossed, including stills from tonight’s premiere and character images. I’ll be live tweeting (@WeSoNerdy) so join me at 10:00pm ET to watch!

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  PREVIEW: ‘Still Star-Crossed’ Series Premiere “In Fair Verona, Where We Lay Our Scene” Shondaland brings their dark and twisty signature to Romeo and Juliet! Get a sneak peek of tonight's…