#also it feels good to return to this style. my roots as it were.

[a-bit-of-cest]

New year, new ghost baby. Good luck, Jiji~!

[harrysfolklore]

Tom meeting reader at an event and he’s just flirting the whole night and ends up getting her number

i watched the golden globes and got inspired to write this! i hope you like it <3

MASTERLIST | MY PATREON

If there was an award for "most nervous person in attendance" at the Golden Globes, you'd have won it by now.

Award shows never failed to make your stomach feel in knots the entire time, specially when you were nominated, like tonight.

The Great had been a huge breakout role, a period drama that had captivated audiences and critics. Now, you stood among the nominees for Female Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy at the Golden Globes, and you could feel your heart pounding as the moment of your category being announced approached.

"Love, are you okay?" you heard a voice calling for you, turning your head you realized that it was Dua (yes, the Dua Lipa) who was sitting next to you.

"Just a bit nervous," you told her with a small smile, "I think I'll head backstage for a minute, I need a breather."

She assured you with another smile and you made your way backstage, a commercial break started just on cue.

You had rehearsed your acceptance speech a dozen times in case you won, and also had a pep talk ready in case you didn't, yet the nerves persisted. You knew you were competing against some big names, and whatever the result people online would have something to say.

Your train of thought was interrupted by your body colliding with someone, almost dropping your clutch in the process.

"Whoa there, careful," a voice chuckled, catching your arm.

"Sorry, I didn't see where I was going," you said, your cheeks flushing from embarrassment, of course you'd run into someone in classic romcom cliche style.

"No harm done. You alright?" he grinned and you recognized him, it was the man who had been flooding your Tiktok for you page for the past month, Tom Blyth, "I'm Tom, by the way."

"Nice to meet you, I'm YN," you smiled back, "And yeah, I'm okay. Just a bit nervous about my category. Oh you're presenting it, aren't you?"

"I'll have the privilege, yes," his charm effortlessly showed, "And just so you know, I'm rooting for you. You were phenomenal in The Great, one of my favorite shows I watched last year."

Your nerves seemed to ease a bit, his presence and charm making you relax. There was something about him that felt comforting, even though it was your first time meeting him.

"Thank you, that's really nice," you smiled at him, "But I don't want to get too confident, the other nominees are just as great."

"Honestly, I'd bet my hat you're taking that Golden Globe home tonight."

Tom squeezed your arm gently and you smiled again, and before another word could be exchanged, a crew member's voice echoed through the backstage area announcing that the show was back from commercial break in 30 seconds.

"Well, looks like it's showtime" Tom glanced towards the exit, then back at you. "Knock 'em dead out there, YN. You got this."

"We'll see."

With a final wink sent your way, you parted ways. You returned to your seat and tried to enjoy the ceremony as much as you could, your nerves still in the back of your head but your interaction with Tom making you feel more at ease now.

"And now, presenting the award for Female Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy, please welcome The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes star, Tom Blyth!"

You heard the host say and you knew t was time, and once again a wave of nerves and uncertainty filled your body.

The crowd erupted in applause as Tom stepped onto the stage, his confidence and charm shinning through.

"Good evening, everyone. It's an honor to be here tonight among such incredible talents," Tom smiled, "Here are the nominees for Female Actor in a Television Series, Musical or Comedy."

A video played showing all the nominees but you felt like your mind was numb, you didn't even realize it had ended until Tom's voice was heard again.

"And the Golden Globe goes to," he paused for suspense, and you could see a small smirk making its way to his face as he read the name, "YN!"

Time seemed to freeze, you tried to process everything as you heard the applause from the crowd and those around you congratulating you and before you knew it, you were on stage taking the award from Tom's hands and giving him a quick hug.

"I told you." He quietly whispered in your ear and gave you a wink, a moment that the cameras had caught.

You gave your speech, thanking your cast mates, directors, family, friends and the rest of the nominees. Once you were done you headed backstage with a proud smile and your newest award in hand.

The night went on and you definitely enjoyed every minute of it, mingling with other actors and thanking everyone who approached to congratulate you.

Once the ceremony wrapped up, you headed to the after party, you were sipping on a fruity drink by the bar when you felt a presence behind you.

"Hey, can I steal a moment with the newest Golden Globe winner?"

You turned around noticing it was Tom, he had changed to a different suit and you couldn't help but think that he looked really handsome.

"Sure, what do you need, president Snow?" you laughed, feeling a newfound confidence around him.

"How about your number? I'd hate to lose touch with Hollywood's latest sensation." Tom flashed his charming smile again, taking you by surprise and making your entire body feel giddy.

"Smooth, Blyth. Very smooth." Blushing furiously, you playfully rolled your eyes.

"Well, when you really really want something, smooth comes naturally."

And just like that, after winning a major award for your career and feeling on top of the world, you found herself exchanging numbers with Tom Blyth, excited to see where that would take you.

[cwritesforfun]

Emperor Geta x Fem!Reader: Escape pt 2

Link to Part One ~> READ FIRST!!!

Y/N = Your First Name & L/N = Your Last Name

They will not follow the Roman style of speech - it will be written in modern language.

*I do not own the Gladiator 2 characters or plot* I do change some of the plot!!!

Masterlist

GIF from @freckledjoes - thx! @helsa3942 had some good ideas, too!

Y/N’s POV

You lead Emperor Geta to the bedroom and help him undress as you fill the bathtub with warm water. You have him wait in the bathroom as you request night clothes for him, food for both of you, and his things to be delivered to your room. You also ask for privacy. You have no idea if Geta will divulge any other information or what you two will be up to.

You receive a scroll with the latest news at night if something bad occurs. You open and read the words, "Emperor Calla has died. Macrinus seized power shortly after. Hanno, who is actually Lucius Verus Aurelius, has taken control and now leads Rome." You need to tell Geta, but when? He seems so fragile, and what if he wishes to return to Rome?

You walk back into the bathroom and see Geta in the bathtub. You walk over, bend down next to him, and say, “You look peaceful, Geta.” He looks at you, softly smiles, and says, “You should get in with me.” You reply, "Fine, since you asked nicely." You feel his eyes tracking your movements as you change and step into the tub with him. You lean your back against his chest, and he wraps his arms around you. You both talk softly before you wash each other. You notice small cuts and bruises across his skin, but you don't ask him about them yet.

You dress in new clothes, and Geta takes your hand as you walk to the bedroom. You see the food and lead him to the couch so you can eat a little. He sits next to you, and you both eat some food.

You lay down on your bed and pat the space next to you for Geta. He climbs in bed and collapses with his head on your chest. He picks it up to kiss you on your hand and says, "Let's never be parted again, love. I don't think I can bear it. You complete me." You reply, "You can stay as long as you wish. You're always welcome here." He softly asks, "And what if I never want to leave?"

You ask, "What really happened in Rome, Geta? You told me that you faked your death and how your brother thought he killed you. But, I also see the cuts and bruises on you that tell another story." He answers, "It started a few months ago when General Acacius came home after taking over Numidia for Calla & I. I could tell it was different this time because I could see we were losing the support of the General. However, I didn't voice these opinions to Calla because he had enough on his plate, or I thought he did... I needed a release, and I was tired of everything, so I invited a girl back to my bedroom. She was a nobody, and I accidentally confided in her. I don't know what I was thinking. The next morning, I woke up to Calla and Dundus standing there. They attacked me, and the guards did nothing. I should have left and come here then ... but I hoped there was still some good in my brother. I was wrong. The fights at the Coliseum were getting louder, and the Romans were rooting for this guy named Hanno." He takes a deep breath and continues, "I heard rumors that General Acacius and others were plotting against my brother and me. We locked him up for treason, and Calla started acting out more. I tried to keep the peace, but it just wasn't working. This man, Macrinus, started showing up and whispering in Calla's ear about me. That's when I set my escape plan in motion. One of the good things about being Emperor is the endless resources that you have at your disposal. At first, I wanted to make my head out of cake, and he's crazy enough that he'd think it was real. But I knew Macrinus would know something was up. So, I did something that I'm not proud of. I found a guy who looked like me who was up to compete in the Coliseum, and I told him to just sleep in my bed to pretend to be me. I told him all he had to do was sleep there, and I'd pay him handsomely. I gave him some of my clothes, and that night, I snuck out. I threw on a brown cloak that some soldiers wear, and I went near the water to the safe house you told me about. The man, Titus, kept me hidden for the rest of that night and the next day in his small home. We set sail the next night, and by then, we'd heard that everyone was claiming I was dead and that my head was brought to the Senate meeting. I feel horrible for the guy in my place, but he was going to die anyway in the arena... You know the rest. The journey was long and cold, but I'm here."

You're shocked. Horrified. Terrified. Stressed. Sad. Angry.

Geta sits up and asks, "Hey uh Y/N, is everything okay?" You answer, "Uh I have something upsetting to tell you." He asks, "What?" You grab the scroll and hand it to him to read. His eyes widen, and he looks in shock. You say, "I um... I understand if you have to return home." He asks, "What's left for me in Rome but my enemies and a land of disease? You are my home and my future. Rome means nothing to me, especially now that you're in my life." You place your hand in his and ask, "When did you get so romantic?" He moves closer to you and answers, "When I realized I let the love of my life return to her home, and we were not together. I had to read poetry and other works to better express my love for you." You reply, "Well I love you too, Geta. I always have." He leans in and you both kiss.

You stay up late talking until you're both yawning.

At some point, in the cold, dark night, you wake up to feel fidgeting next to you, and Geta seems to be fighting a nightmare. He is whispering out loud, "Stay back. Don't hurt me. Don't hurt her." You lightly shake Geta and say, "Geta, love, you're safe." He turns quickly and you say, "Geta, love, everything is okay." He pulls you close to him and says, "I thought someone was going to execute us together for loving each other. Everyone was mad at you for liking me and they were mad at me for Rome." You softly rub the back of his hand in circles and reply, "You're okay, and I'm okay. No one will be mad at us for loving each other. Even if they are, I'm the Queen, and they cannot influence who I choose to love. My guards are loyal to me and always working, so we're safe. I take several precautions for my safety, and the safety of my guests." He replies, "I bet your people love you as the Queen." You reply, "They do, and they will learn to love you with time. We can talk about that after you get to rest, though. You had a long journey and need to sleep more." He replies, "I love you." You say, "I love you too."

Taglist: @ziggeddie & @helsa3942

Should I write a part three after he adjusts to a new land and new position ???

[peppertaemint]

Let's talk about Taemin and Key of SHINee wearing the Scottish fashion house Charles Jeffrey Loverboy, an openly queer unisex brand. There’s a lot of talk about whether idols know who they are wearing and, when relevant, do they understand the meaning of what they are wearing. We know there are clear examples of artists not understanding what they’re wearing. Indeed, 23-year-old, non-English-speaking Taemin admitted in 2021 that he had no idea the fly of his pants read “Open Here” during View era. Yet, a lot has changed this 2015/16. Taemin’s English is quite proficient. And what about Key, who has studied English since he was a child? I think we can consider understanding the words and understanding the context or broader meaning behind words or, as the case may be, symbols, which can be universal.

Taemin in the Advice album photobook, 2021.

The Charles Jeffrey Loverboy brand is no ordinary brand. It’s a spunky, fun and edgy unisex brand with genuine British flavour. From London Fashion Week's write up:

"Looking back to look forward, the collections re-render historical references as intrinsically modern while paying respect to an ancestral line-up of costumiers, performance artists and queer icons. Jeffrey’s nightlife-influenced thirst for experimentation, and belief in the validity of mistakes, result in a colourful tension between control and chaos.

"LOVERBOY’s roots are fixed in London’s queer nightlife scene, having been born in 2014 as both a fashion label and a cult club night. The LOVERBOY parties, first staged while Jeffrey was studying for his Masters in fashion design at Central St Martins in London, were attended by the city’s up-and-coming artists, performers, musicians, drag queens and poets, many of whom became Jeffrey’s future muses and creative collaborators."

Live performance of Advice, 2021.

The tartan in these looks is known as the loverboy tartan. In the current collection, they have an “odorable” loverboy tartan raincoat with giant floppy bunny ears. I’m too lazy to link it, but do look it up and peruse the punk-meets-whimsy items on the website.

Taemin’s stylist for Advice was Kim Wook. You can read an interview with Kim Wook in translation here. Wook talks about he and Taemin wanting to do something impactful before Taemin entered the military, and they settled on working with silhouettes that are usually seen on female dancers. I could do a whole post on Taemin’s styling for Advice (maybe I will!), but to connect things back to the brand at hand, the flamboyantly unisex Loverboy brand seems to be at home with the goal of Advice’s styling. Advice was Taemin’s way of saying “I will go my own way and trust myself over others,” and I don’t think the androgynous or even gender-fluid looks he presented are a coincidence; Wook’s interview shows that it isn’t. These looks feel like a push forward for Taemin, and he’s been clear in saying Advice was a breakaway from his past. Act I and Act II were leading to this moment.

Taemin has been wearing Charles Jeffery Loverboy upon in return in 2023. I think the most significant choice is the non-binary shirt he wore a fan meeting during Hard era. The t-shirt is a jab at conservatives’ obsession with the love lives and indeed, bathroom usage, of LGBT+, saying, “They’re happy and satisfied. Are you?” There is a also a good-sized, unmistakable non-binary symbol on the shirt. I hadn’t seen this symbol before but it was still easy for me to comprehend. As an artist who is increasingly wearing gender-fluid outfits, it is likely a conscious choice to wear a shirt that supports non-binary rights.

Now, we can’t forget fashion-forward, English king Key in all of this. Key has always had a love and fascination with fashion; we saw in One Fine Day his interaction with a local London fashion brands. He’s a man who knows his fashion houses, so it seems unlikely he wouldn’t know about the Loverboy brand or its ethos as a unisex brand.

Key primarily wore Charles Jeffrey Loverboy accessories for his Gasoline promotions in 2022. The adorable hat with ears is statement wrapped in cuteness, that speaks to the camp motif present in both Key’s body of work and the Loverboy label’s. It’s cute, but not too cute. It’s loud but soft, and the Loverboy stamp is there for all to see. I think that Key embodies what LSF wrote about the Lovery label as “a colourful tension between control and chaos.” Key is never afraid to experiment, and he can go from creating iconic androgynous silhouettes reminiscent of ancient gods and Beyoncé to the retro-camp shown below that almost looks like it could be at home in a Ghostbusters film. Almost.

There are contexts where, like the above, it is more than reasonable to assume that the artists understand what they are wearing and that the choices made are conscious and in some cases made with the goal of the comeback in mind. And there are situations where it’s possible or even confirmed by the artist that they didn’t know what they were wearing or what it meant. I think it can become an obsession for some to want the styling to be conveying a secret code. With the case of Charles Jeffrey Loverboy, there’s no code and it’s not secret. It’s simply known and recognised by those who know, which is enough.

[janewaykove]

Title: Hope

Characters: Red/fem!reader

Rating: M

Warning: Sex stuff.

It's been several months since you'd become an inmate at Lichfield prison. Your bunkmate was the one thing that made it almost worthwhile. Red wasn't very easy to get along with at first, but you took a fancy to her rather quickly. But lately, she had lost her flare. Not only had she had a falling out with her prison family, she also didn't have any funds coming in from the outside. Her kitchen was no longer hers and she had no way to pay for hair care. Her once wild colored and styled hair was now flat and showing its gray roots.

As you sat sideways in your bunk enjoying the silence and flipping through a magazine, Red sauntered in and got into her bed, propping herself up with pillows and sighing heavily as she cracked open her book. No one else was in the area and it was peaceful, all except for that sigh.

"Rough day?" you inquired.

"Isn't it always?" she answered, not looking up from her book.

"I find it helps to focus on certain things," you said.

"And by that, you mean me?" She knew how you felt about her. You had admitted your feelings for her just days ago. She was flattered but assured you that she didn't swing that way. "It's never gonna happen." She looked over her book and over the frames of her glasses to make eye contact with you when she said it.

"I could take your mind off things for a while. Just saying." Before you finished the sentence, she was back to her book.

****

Days before, you had told her your feelings. You spilled it all. Put it all onto the table. You told her you didn't want anything in return and you only wanted to please her and make her happy. You said you'd do anything for, and to, her. Day or night. That you didn't ever expect her to have feelings for you in that way. And you meant it. She told you you're a nice girl and she cares for you as she cares for the other members of her family there, but that was the extent of it.

Only hours after that discussion, Red found herself isolated from her family. She didn't know if they'd ever forgive her for what she'd done. It was an accident brought on by pride and a need to protect what was hers, but either way, she was on her own. She did feel lucky to have you in her life, though. It was nice to have a friend when everyone else turned their backs on her.

****

Red turned the page in her book and grimaced as she shifted a bit in the bed.

"You okay?" you asked.

"Just a cramp in my neck is all," she replied.

"You know I can massage your shoulders for you if you want." You had offered her back rubs and massages before but she declined, figuring you were hoping it would lead to more.

"No, thank you," she once again denied.

"Red, I'm not trying to seduce you." You tossed your magazine onto the bed. "I'll keep it completely professional."

She looked over at you and pursed her lips as if struggling hard to think it over. "You'll keep your hands on my shoulders, nowhere else, and you won't try anything funny? And no strings attached?"

"Deal!" You hopped up and walked over to her bed. She sat up slowly and you sat beside her as she turned away to give you access to her shoulders.

She turned back to face you before you started and double-checked, "No funny business?"

You gently turned her and promised you'd behave. You began rubbing her shoulders with very little pressure, not wanting to hurt her.

"You'll have to do better than that," she said. "You feel like a little bird hopping across my shoulders."

You laughed and applied more pressure. She responded by dropping her shoulders and head and exhaling loudly. You could feel the tension in her shoulders and up around her neck area. You kneaded your thumbs into the knots and she let out a loud moan. "Did I hurt you?" you asked, stopping the massage.

"No. No, don't stop," she insisted. "It feels good."

You continued the massage, pleased that she was enjoying it.

After a few minutes, you could feel the knots had loosened up considerably. You informed her of this.

"Still not loose enough for what you want me to do," she teased.

"I don't want you to do anything, you know. I wanna do things to you. There's a difference." You wished you hadn't said it, but she brought it up. You didn't want her to think you were trying anything.

"Out of curiosity," she started, "Why do you want to do things for me if you get nothing in return?"

You realized she was genuinely interested in an answer. "Because I like you."

"I know," she said. "But why, if you know I'll never like you back in that way? Why would you still want to make me happy but not yourself?"

"Because making you happy would make me happy. Knowing I was making you feel good, makes me feel good. And I can still hold onto hope that you'd come around some day." You laughed, making sure she knew you weren't completely serious.

She let out another moan as you increased the pressure a bit. "Aah, that feels so fucking good. You've got magic fingers"

Her accent when she said that made electric tingles shoot through your body. "Hey, I tried to tell you," you joked. "Just think of all you're missing out on. I do a mean breast massage."

You expected things to get awkward, having maybe crossed a line there, but quite the opposite. "Maybe, you could give me a small sample. Just out of curiosity. And only one breast, to start."

Her request shocked you, but you wasted no time granting it. You kept one hand working on her shoulder and the other you reached around, under her arm and seeked out her breast. You slid your hand onto her right breast and firmly, but gently, carassed it. You could hear her breath catch for a moment and she instinctively placed her hand on yours and squeezed to increase the pressure of your own hand. She leaned her head back towards yours. Her soft hair was touching your face and you calmly, and deeply, inhaled the scent. But you couldn't let yourself get too carried away. This could end at any moment.

"You were right," she said breathlessly. "I have been missing out. Use both hands."

At first you thought she meant to use both hands on her shoulders and you started to pull your hand from her chest, but she held onto your hand. Then you understood what she meant.

You reached your other hand around and cupped her other breast. You massaged them both, and she guided your hands. You never tried to put your hands up under her shirt. Everything was through the shirt and bra. It didn't matter. This was more than you had hoped for.

"Red?" you asked, feeling a bit brave. She grunted in response. "Can I kiss your neck?" Another grunt, followed by a broken sentence about not caring what you do.

You nuzzled your face in the side of her neck and kissed it. Her skin was soft. You wanted to do much more but you settled for this. She was giving you so much already.

A distant sound of people coming in made you both break away from this new happy place. You composed yourselves and tried to look normal sitting there. People walked by and took no notice.

"Thank you," she said as you were about to stand to make your way back to your own bed. Her voice was soft and sincere and you responded with a smile and a nod.

After you'd gone back your bed, she got up to make her way out to use the bathroom. Before rounding the corner, she looked back at you and said, "And don't give up that hope. You never know." She winked and was out of sight, leaving you to your imagination.

****

That night, when the lights were out and everyone was asleep, you woke up to the shadowy figure of Red leaning over you. Startled, you pulled back slightly and gasped. She put a finger on your lips and hushed you. Then she leaned closer and whispered in your ear, "Would you like to help me with something?" You nodded in agreement. "I just had a very erotic dream that's left me, shall we say, wanting a proper ending. If you're still willing to please me in any way?" She didn't have to ask twice.

She made her way back to her bed. She was wearing an oversized night shirt, socks and panties. You quietly followed her to her bed and waited for her to lay down. She put her knees up to allow you to remove her panties, but kept the night shirt on. She didn't wanna be too exposed.

Making certain, you whispered, "Are you sure about this?" She nodded, giving you the go-ahead.

You leaned down and positioned yourself between her legs, trying hard to take in the view, but failing because of the darkness. You began kissing and licking her inner thighs, alternating back and forth. You worried when you didn't hear her making any sounds. You pictured her just lying there wondering what she'd gotten herself into. Waiting for her to snap her legs shut and push you away. But the higher you went, the more you felt her body change. She felt tense, but also relaxed. Tense with anticipation but relaxed from finally giving in to desires.

When you reached the entrance that you'd so longed for, so hungered to taste, you paused.

"What's the matter?" she whispered, sounding impatient and possibly worried that you didn't find her as attractive as you'd thought.

"Just savoring the moment," you whispered back. You couldn't see it, but she smiled at your words.

You slowly began licking her already moist slit, thinking it must have been some dream. You wondered briefly if it was about you, but figured it had most likely been about her and a man. It didn't matter. You slipped your tongue into her. She tasted better than you could have thought she would. You could feel her tensing as you worked your tongue. She was trying hard not to make any noise. You wished you could be alone with her. Somewhere far away from this place. Somewhere that she could be as loud as she wanted. You yearned to make her moan, to make her scream with pleasure. But then this wouldn't be happening if you weren't both in here, so you didn't complain any further.

You focused your attention on her clit. It wasn't huge, but it wasn't small, either. It was just right. And as you sucked on it and flicked your tongue across it, she reached down and grabbed your hair pulling your face harder against her. You loved this. The way she was guiding you. The way she was showing you that she wanted more. And you gave it to her. You would always give her whatever she wants.

You slipped two fingers inside of her easily. Then a third with no resistance. She grinded against your hand and your face. It had been so long for her. She needed this and you could tell. You were more than happy to give it to her. Her breath was harder now, you could hear tiny whimpers as she did all she could not to be verbal. She pushed your head away. You sat up, wondering what was wrong and realized she was close to climaxing. She didn't wanna lose control and wake anyone when she did.

You lifted her shirt higher, pushing it up to her chest and wadding the material. She wasn't concerned with exposing herself too much now as she had been before. She realized what you were doing. She took the wadded material of the shirt and placed it in her mouth, her bare breasts now showing in the tiny bit of available light. She looked gorgeous. Now with a makeshift gag, she was ready to be finished.

You resumed your position and continued working her pussy with your fingers and devouring her clit with your mouth. It only took seconds more to bring her to orgasm. The shirt came in handy and muffled most of her sounds as she writhed beneath you, her muscles clenching around you. You eagerly licked and sucked every drop from her.

When you were done, you wanted to kiss her, but knew that would be too much. You were on your way to leave and go back to your bed when she grabbed your wrist and pulled you down close to her. "I know we've talked about how I won't do this in return," she whispered, "but perhaps I can get a hold of a cucumber and we can improvise from there."

The idea that she wanted to reciprocate in some way, to make you happy as well, that was what warmed your heart. You wouldn't make her do anything she didn't wanna do, but the fact that she was willing to try and to make you happy, that was the real treat. And maybe this was all because you were the only friend she had now and she wanted to keep you. But you refused to let yourself dwell on that thought.

You rubbed her arm as she let you go and told her you would enjoy her suggestion, but it wasn't necessary. "I'm quite happy with the arrangement as it is," you assured her. She was too exhausted to debate it.

With you both now drifting off to sleep in your own beds, you each couldn't help wonder what to tomorrow would bring. Another massage? Stolen cucumber? A kiss? Whatever it was, you couldn't wait to find out.

The end.

[slavghoul]

Phantomime is the band's third album of covers, after If You Have Ghosts and Popestar. Cover songs are usually the preserve of young, inexperienced bands. Is doing covers a way to maintain a link with your formative years and not forget where you come from?

Tobias Forge: Absolutely. I think it does that. It serves as a return to the roots, in the same way as for... I don't know, let's say someone who practices martial arts, who starts in a certain dojo and ends up changing it. If you want to become a good fighter, you have to move and train with different people. It's the same for a footballer: if you play with the same team all the time, your team might be very good, but you always have to play against others. I think the same logic applies with covers: it can help to go back. You don't necessarily have to release them. We chose to do a real album, but in parallel I worked on other songs - not only Impera music, but other covers. We selected the best ones, and said, "Let's put these out; this looks coherent and presentable".

How much did learning to play other artists' songs contribute to your formation as a musician? What were the most formative songs in your youth?

The answer to the first question is yes. Listening and playing at the same time is very formative. I've never really been... A lot of guitarists, especially, take the time to read tablature and learn how to play something very precisely, and in my opinion, theorise the music too much. I can't say that I'm not theoretical; I just don't follow the rules or the classic terminology. I try to categorise and understand the logic, but I do it in my own way, based on what I have learned over time. I never spent much time with tablature; I just played to the music. I would put the music on and play. I wasn't trying to learn how to play the song in the same way as the band. I would play as if I were invited to play with them. So my style is very free, because I played The Doors as well as Kiss, Slayer and DJ Bobo! It could be anything. Whatever I heard, whatever I listened to, whatever song I could get my hands on, I would play it. I think the chaos of it all made it... When you understand that, you understand the way I write, the way I do things, and why I sometimes seem to be a bit scattered.

That's what may surprise you when you listen to the EP: you can find Iron Maiden as well as Tina Turner...

Yes, I grew up with both, so it's not strange to me. But of course, in order to go from just wanting to do something to a homogeneous work that is supposed to have some commercial appeal, you have to make decisions. One of those decisions was, "If we're going to do this Tina Turner song, it really needs to be punchy." It's supposed to be a rock EP, it's got to be set to 10. I think that's what sets this cover apart from the moose. By the way, thematically, I didn't think of it as 'a Tina Turner cover', but as 'the Mad Max song'. It fits with the times we're living in.

Phantomime features a cover of Iron Maiden's "Phantom Of The Opera". Two years ago, you also recorded a version of Metallica's "Enter Sandman" for the Blacklist compilation. In rock, people like to pit the Rolling Stones against the Beatles, and I think the metal world tends to do the same thing with Metallica and Iron Maiden. Do you feel more affinity with Metallica or with Maiden?

[He thinks] Good question. I'm trying to formulate a coherent answer. I think... It's so fifty-fifty. Both. Not just in terms of inspiration, but in terms of their whole careers, especially when I was a kid. In many ways, like many fans of both bands, there's a cut-off date where my interest in new music started to wane. But I have such a love for everything they did before that it doesn't really matter. The limit is basically the Black Album and Fear Of The Dark. I mean, I like The X Factor, and Brave New World was an absolutely great comeback album. But as a kid and a teenager, settling down with Live After Death was such an inspiration - not just for what I was hearing, but for the tour dates and everything to do with that. Same with Metallica and the Black Album. That was the first time I saw them, and it was the first time I was confronted with commercial greatness in metal, when a band is on top. It's happening now, they're the biggest band of all time. They're playing in such and such an arena, but when they come back next year, they'll be doing such and such a stadium. Even back then, I had a hunch that not only were they great, but they were doing well in life. These guys are getting richer by the hour [laughs]. That's the kind of thing that matters when you're twelve. "And imagine all the girls they get!" That kind of nonsense.

And of course, these bands inspired me musically and professionally and brought me a lot of joy, but they also became mentors in my professional life. I have so much gratitude and respect for those two bands. If I were to be super picky and specific, I would say that since we are a more melodic band, we are probably closer to Maiden. Metallica is more of a "speed" band, I think. To be honest, what I've always liked most about Metallica, and especially on my favourite albums, which are a lot of people's favourites, is not the speed. The speed and the violence on those albums are just added value. The reason their music was so great in the 80s was because it was so melodic. It's the melodies. What changed in the 90s was that they stopped the melodies. They became a blues band, and all of a sudden all the movements were different. It wasn't neoclassical like in the 80s or on the Black Album. I'm very neoclassical myself, that's why I feel so close to the melodic side of Metallica. On the other hand, I spent my teenage years listening to death and black metal, so I love big riffs and speed and stuff like that, but that's not what we do with Ghost.

For a long time, fans have been asking who could be the Maiden or Metallica of tomorrow. Considering the impressive success of Ghost, do you think you have an answer to that question?

Obviously, I know that George Lucas and Steven Spielberg will die one day, but I don't think Wes Anderson or Quentin Tarantino can be considered as a replacement. These directors don't have that much in common, but you know what I mean, I hope. I don't see us as taking their place. You know, I try to be as transparent as possible. What I do is very much inspired by those two bands. I try to do it in a different way, and with respect. But of course, from a practical point of view, when the day comes when there's no more Iron Maiden and you want to see a rock concert with staging and solos, you can come and see us. It's a very curious concept, but it's obviously relevant, because we live in a time when the previous generation is disappearing one after the other. I think Lars [Ulrich] and James [Hetfield] have spoken about how the physicality of their music is not the same as the Rolling Stones. Charlie [Watts] playing the way he played when he was seventy-nine or eighty, it's nothing like what's expected of Lars. And what is expected of James is also very different from what is expected of Keith Richards, with his very open chord style. The meticulousness of James' riffs and Kirk's solos can be difficult to achieve at eighty - and they're approaching sixty. Kirk already has them, by the way. So, as much as I don't want to think about it or remind people, nothing lasts forever. Sooner or later, fans are going to have to decide which bands they want to go see, because a lot of the people they grew up with won't be around anymore.

Your cover of "Enter Sandman" was very "ghostified", while "Phantom Of The Opera" is more faithful to the original in comparison. How do you decide how to approach a cover? Are there songs that offer more latitude in terms of arrangement and appropriation, and others less?

There are several factors, which differ from song to song, and the result can therefore be different. If you go back in time and take "Waiting For The Night", for example, I always thought that song in its original form... Obviously it's cool, but I thought there was a bigger song underneath. In the original, it's diffuse, vague, underlying. The chords are just hinted at, and the vocals suggest that you can build something bigger around it. When I did the cover with Dave Grohl, he asked me, "Can we do a really slow version of it like Trouble?" I said, "Yeah, that sounds cool." And of course, working with Dave Grohl, it seemed like a good idea at the time. In the end, we thought it was too slow, too heavy and too long. It was a good idea, but the result was not very convincing.

Enter Sandman' and 'Phantom Of The Opera' were conceived in two different ways. If someone had asked me to do a Metallica tribute, I would have accepted, but I would never have chosen 'Enter Sandman', in the same way that few people would choose 'Paranoid' or 'Smoke On The Water'. You automatically try not to pick the biggest hit. But in this case, it was Swedish television that asked me to play. It was for a music award, and they said: "Since Ghost and Metallica are close, you are seen as friends, so you should open the show. And we want you to play their biggest song, 'Enter Sandman'." I asked, "Do I have a choice?" And they said, "Not really! We want you to do it, otherwise we have to rethink the whole show. Could you think about it?" OK, I'll think about it and see what I can do. So I started to play the song and see what I could get out of it. The original structure of the song is very simple, and the melody, like "Waiting For The Night", suggests chords that they don't play. All I had to do was see which chord suggested the melody and fill in the gaps. I ended up with a five-minute arrangement. If I sing the melody with a guitar, this is what chords it suggests. That's the somewhat academic version of the song. I was at the stage where I had a completely different version of the song, and I recorded it and thought, "Fuck, I hope James doesn't hate it..." Because I don't want to disappoint anyone. It's supposed to be a tribute. My version was like, "You guys have all my love, but I was forced to do this! And in the end, the result was great.

"Phantom Of The Opera' was a bit different. I knew I wanted to cover a Maiden song, but not just anything, of course. I wasn't going to do 'The Number Of The Beast'. I've had fun with 'Phantom' in the past, because it's a long song and quite complicated. As a musician, it's quite common to sit on the couch and try to figure out a riff. What are they doing there? [What's the rhythm? How are they counting? Because I couldn't hear the beat. And suddenly, once I understood how the beat works in this song [he sings the riff while snapping his fingers], I thought: "Wow, you can't hear that at all on the record. You can't hear anything, it's just a controlled mess." I managed to figure out how to play other elements of the song, and I was like, "Now I have a reason to record it. Not because I want to improve it, but to come up with a different version where you can clearly hear the different parts." First of all, it was a personal experiment in the studio. I wanted to record it to see what it sounded like, and suddenly, after working on it for a few hours, doubling the guitars, adding the drums and playing everything perfectly with metronomic precision, the track was different and a bit updated, so to speak. So I said to myself, "I'm going to take the gamble of covering this song, and see what happens. It seemed like a good reason. I'm not saying my version is better, I'm just saying it's different. There's a bit more contrast and fluidity, you can hear the different elements better. It underlines how good the song is.

Phantomime's covers also include Genesis' 'Jesus He Knows Me'. Genesis is a rather peculiar band, which started out in progressive rock and ended up with huge radio hits. Do you find yourself in this ambiguity, in this duality?

Yes, I do. The other band on that level that did something similar is Pink Floyd. In the beginning, their music was really strange, really eccentric, and then they became more and more pop as the albums went on. People still mistakenly think they're a prog band, whereas 'Wish You Were Here' is really just a series of four pop songs stretched to the max. Not only am I very inspired by that, but I also feel an affinity with that kind of thing. You try to come up with variations of the traditional, if you like. You try to change the form, to present elements that people know in a different way. It's a bit like running a fusion restaurant and offering an Asian-inspired onion soup and adding coriander to the dish. It's still recognisable, but you try to make the recipe different. Another analogy is Stanley Kubrick, who told stories that weren't very complicated, but presented them in an epic way because of their façade - literally. It was the choice of set and costume and the attention to detail that made the difference. That's why, as a composer, I always try to go back to the simplicity of the writing; the simplicity of 'Another Brick In The Wall'; the simplicity of 'Comfortably Numb'. It sounds like a huge, epic song, but it's not complicated at all. They have a lot of songs like that. For a lot of songs in the Genesis catalogue, especially in the later part of their career, the only thing that makes it a bit weird is the middle part. In "Jesus He Knows Me", that's one of the things that made me want to... Not only have I always loved that song, but there are three factors that made me want to do my own thing with it. One: it's a very upbeat rhythm. The way they play it is so quiet that it literally sounds like they're playing on the table [he beats the rhythm on the table] with an acoustic guitar. There's a real metal track in there.

Do something with those guitars! [Laughs]

Yeah, but I'm glad they didn't, because that means we can! I'm really surprised that a band like Metallica never covered this song, because it sounds like a song from Garage Days. It has the same atmosphere. So I thought, "I'm gonna make it sound like a Garage Days song by Metallica. And I fucking hate the bridge of the original, when they go into white boy raggae. I like reggae, but this is the whitest reggae in the world! And it totally destroys the song. As much as I've always loved the song as a whole, I've always hated that part. So getting rid of that section and making it very heavy was also on the to-do list. I had to go into Trouble mode on this. And of course, that goes without saying, but the lyrics were also perfect. It's meant as a tribute, even though I spit on that bridge a lot. But they've done a lot of these kind of prog bridges, like "Let's do anything here", and they'll throw in a rumba or something like that. Some people might find that really interesting, but in most of their songs, I don't think it adds anything. But yes, Genesis has a lot of... I like a lot of their older prog music, with Peter Gabriel, although I think they almost became even better after they split up. Peter Gabriel did his own music, and he did it very well - very epic music. And Phil [Collins] came in on vocals and they did their own thing. To me, it was the best of both worlds, even if it sounds sacrilegious to say that. I'd love to see Peter Gabriel come back and sing with them, that would be cool, but their separation brought so much to the music, between Peter Gabriel's career, Genesis' career and Phil's career. That amount of work, man!

It's one of the few cases where the split was a real success for everyone, and the result is as good as the original band.

Absolutely, I think so. The most amazing thing they could do now, especially now that Phil is not in good shape... What I wish they had done, or could have done, or would do one day, is a triple tour. For example, Phil and [Peter] could do a solo show each to start with, maybe just five or ten songs, and then get together with Genesis. That way we could have 'Here Come The Flood', 'Another Day In Paradise' and 'In The Air Tonight', and then a bunch of Genesis. I think everyone would love to see that. It would be the perfect concert. For me, it would be one of the best experiences possible.

You see, that's the kind of idea that made Ghost into Ghost. If you can come up with a plan like that for other bands...

[Laughs] You can always call me before it's too late, guys!

Another band that has come up with sophisticated yet super catchy music is Def Leppard, especially on their multi-platinum album Hysteria. Speaking of which, this year you released a new version of "Spillways" with Joe Elliott on vocals. When you hear him on this track, the link is obvious, especially with the very elaborate backing vocals. Would you draw a parallel between your approach to songwriting and arranging and that of Def Leppard?

On this album, yes, because I tried to emulate elements of... It's something that's been done throughout their career, but especially on their two biggest albums, Pyromania and Hysteria, the length of the songs is remarkable. It's very common these days, especially in pop, to be very fussy about the three-minute limit. In the pop world, there's this need to always get to the chorus very quickly. You have to start with the chorus, go straight to the point all the time. In the 80s, there was more courage in songwriting - a more adventurous side. Songs like 'The Riddle', for example, were very strange, very proggy. There were weird chord progressions and stuff that nobody does anymore. The pop world has been so chicken for so long. Of course, I've always had an ear for pop; I'm not exactly impressed with what I hear today, but in my life I've always listened to the radio and liked a lot of what I heard, especially the 80s super hits. That's totally my thing. And I love Eurodisco from the early 90s. There are a lot of great composers in that scene. Max Martin started in Eurodisco, at least professionally, but before that he was in metal. What makes him such a great composer is his metal ear. He was writing Eurodisco songs, and then all of a sudden he started writing huge pop songs for the Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears. This whole school of Swedish songwriters is made up of former metalheads, former rockers, former guitarists.

So I wanted to challenge myself in my own songwriting, because sometimes I keep it too short. Even though "Square Hammer" is a good example of a well-written song, it was almost frustrating, because I thought, "OK, that's one more song like that. Now I have to stop doing that, because it was almost too simple." It was a very intuitive song; I literally wrote it in ten minutes. I had the melody, I played it, and the song wrote itself very quickly. There's almost no finesse in that song, and I thought I should avoid doing the same thing again, because it would be too easy. I wanted to see if I could write in a Def Leppard way. On Hysteria, there are six, seven, eight singles, a good half of which were huge hits. In 1987 or 1988, they were on a par with Coldplay at the height of their career, that's for sure. How could they write five-minute songs, with like five distinct parts? It wasn't conventional, verse-chorus-verse-chorus writing. It was verse, another verse, pre-chorus, bridge, and then finally, after two minutes, you'd get to the chorus. And it was so rewarding, because it was such a long way to get there. I thought, "This is what I have to work towards. I want to dare to add another part, dare not to follow the path. That was a mental exercise I did on Impera, and I'll try to do better in the future. It's an interesting way to challenge yourself.

When people talk about the length of songs on the radio, I always think of the story of "Bohemian Rhapsody": "This is going to be a disaster, it's never going to be played on the radio!" That's it, yes...

For a long time they called that song "Freddie's thing". It's such an anomaly in the middle of what we've just been talking about. Of course, I don't recommend... For a young band that's just got a contract, it's best to avoid the six-minute "Rhapsody". But if you can find a compromise between 'The Passenger' and 'Bohemian Rhapsody', I think you've got something.

On that subject, how did Joe Elliott end up on "Spillways"?

The story is very simple. I talked about Def Leppard a lot before Impera came out because of the mental exercise I mentioned, and both Phil and Joe had been talking about Ghost for a few years. It got to the point where our respective managements wanted us to do something together. In the modern world, that often means collaborating, as hip-hop artists do. I explained that I was willing to explore the idea, but that for me, a collaboration is a trendy but outdated concept. We do it all the time. In hip-hop, it's almost ridiculous to see... If an artist is hot this week and you go look at the American top 40, it's just "this artist feat. this other artist". I totally understand that one plus one can sometimes be three, but it gets very cynical. I don't want to do things cynically. I sing cynical things, I'm a cynical person, but I don't want to be cynical about my fans or my career. So I said yes, I would discuss it with Joe, but we'd have to see if we could agree on something, if there was romance in the air.

Joe and I sent a lot of messages to each other to try and arrange a meeting. He lives in Ireland, but also in LA. I live in Sweden, but I also spend a lot of time in LA, so we tried to find time to see each other. He was getting ready for his tour, I was getting ready for my tour, and we were just hanging out. And then out of the blue, he wanted to experiment; he went into the studio, recorded some vocal lines and sent them to me. I thought it sounded really cool and I said, "Look, I have nothing but good things to say about what you did. It sounds great. I'm not surprised by your voice, but by the fact that we sound so good together. I like that very drawling vocal, you really added something. But I have no desire to throw this on Spotify and say to people, 'Here's another thing you can buy.'" I asked him, "You know we do little skits to communicate with our fans in a funny way? Instead of posting on Instagram saying we'll be in such and such a city, we come up with little episodes." He had seen a few and said, "Yeah, that's funny. Let's do something funny with that." The gag is the important part, and the end result is a bonus.

It's like what we did with 'Kiss The Go-Goat' and 'Mary On A Cross'. The idea for the episode came first, and then we said, "OK, but we need a song. So I came up with the idea for this 60s-style sketch that was "Kiss The Go-Goat". Then, as I was writing and recording 'Kiss The Go-Goat', 'Mary On A Cross' came up in the process, and I thought, "Great, now we have a B-side! It'll be a physical single." So I put that in the script: "Let's start showing the single, now that it's official." Things work in tandem. Looking back, we now know that the end result was different. It was meant as a joke. There was 'Kiss The Go-Goat', which was the joke itself and was very successful. And then it turned out that "Mary On A Cross" was completely different. That's also what I told Joe: we do this to mess around with the band. My job is to write records and entertain people, but apparently I also have to communicate with my fans, and do all this promotion that I'm not really interested in. I have no problem doing this interview, but I don't want a fucking Instagram account where I post pictures of myself. I don't want to be that person. So, I'm doing this so that people... They're diversions, and sometimes those diversions become cool. "What do you say, Joe?" In the end, we found this way to spend time together and do something fun. Instead of turning our creativity into songs, we turned our creativity into episodes. It became something fruitful and fun, and I think it was a great success.

The title of the EP is clever, as it mixes the terms 'ghost' and 'pantomime'. The latter term is defined as "a type of musical for the entertainment of the whole family". Is this your goal with Ghost? Do you see the band as "a musical for the whole family's entertainment"?

Broadly speaking, yes. Of course, that suggests that the more adult elements and innuendos in our show are suitable for children, which I don't claim. But I would also like to stress that I have never asked people to bring children to our shows. So if the children in question are exposed to jokes involving penises, farts and copulation, that's their problem. I grew up in a very liberal family, where there were very few barriers and no censorship. I think it's possible to have a conversation, if others are open to it. I have no problem with whole families coming to us, as long as no one suffers. So, for me, it is indeed entertainment for the whole family. But I wouldn't sell it as such to most people, because there are still elements that are not suitable for all children.

I remember a Rammstein concert where I noticed children in the audience. I thought it wasn't really a good idea... Ghost seemed a bit more appropriate, but for young children, some things can still be a bit biased.

It's hard for me to have a clear line on this, because I'm not just speaking as a musician, but also as a parent. There's a constant debate about the right age to talk about certain things. Now, with two teenagers, things are more open. But that's one of the weird things about being a semi-public figure, talking openly and publicly about your life and what you do and sharing your opinions. My kids read that, too. They are aware of it. As soon as I say something, especially nowadays, where everything becomes a meme or a clip... People may think what I say is funny, which I don't mind, but my son and daughter, now fourteen, heard it when they were eight or ten. It's hard for me to be a parent and say, 'Go to school! Don't do that", when they know perfectly well that I didn't follow any of these precepts. I'm not trying to lie to them at all. I tell them: "I did this, I don't recommend it. I did this; I totally neglected this other thing. But I was lucky and I got there. My career isn't over, so I don't know if I've really "arrived", but for now, I'm here. It was a bit silly of me to be so confident, to think I could burn all the bridges, burn all the ships and throw the oars. I was lucky enough to make it to land, but I don't recommend this technique. Don't do the same thing! [Laughs]

[subzeroparade]

Hello! I really liked the clothes you designed for Laurence in the last artwork. I was wondering if it's just an alternative design to the usual one or if it's how you'll draw him from now on. Is it maybe something he wore before he started wearing the choir clothes?

Thank you anon (・‧̫・) Also you made the mistake of asking me about fashion, so - *inhales*

I’ve drawn Laurence in version(s) of the Choir garb before (you'll notice I change his sleeves a lot lol), but I normally almost never draw characters in the same outfits all the time, even if they are canon - just by virtue of being bored of it, and wanting to invent. 

The one you’re referencing was early Church, in my timeline - there’s two similar ones that I’ve more or less described in fic that are simpler, and closer to typically clerical/in-game Church garb. One of the first scenes in The Feast We Were Promised (which deals mostly with early Church timeline) is Laurence changing from the weighty, jewelled chasuble he wears in the context of ministration/communion in the Grand Cathedral into a modest black cassock to return to the Chapel of the Good Chalice down in the poorer quarters of old Yharnam. There is a certain canny strategy for the Church to remain humble in what they wear, if only to imply a sort of modesty and separation from the main religious powers of the time - there’s an established church, in this timeline, with all its pomp and splendour (because sects don’t just spring up in a religious vacuum).

I think that changes with the founding of the Choir, and the domination of the Healing Church as the main religious organisation over time, consolidating its power on the reputation of the blood. I think the Choir garb feels like a kind of mix between clerical clothes and Byrgenwerth-style robes (this should not be surprising - Willem’s imagery in his chair is very papal). This reflects the Church’s eventual takeover of Byrgenwerth, and how the Choir is established - which is to say an "order", or faction of the Church only in name, but solely focused on using the Church’s resources to attain ascension/communion. I like to imagine that Laurence would wear a different variation of the Choir garb at the height of his power, to distinguish himself - incorporating some of these more traditional liturgical symbols, since he retains the title of vicar. 

On the other side of the Church’s heyday, I think the more things get out of hand, the more ostentatious their dress - a sort of visual power, if you will, that negates what is happening in the streets with the coming scourge. A veneer of material splendour to mask the reality - a show of control, and mastery, even as the Church is impotent in the face of what's happening. In that sense I’d imagine Laurence wearing really ornate chasubles, or the kind of stunning cope that Lenny wears (minus the hat) in the Sistine Chapel scene in The Young Pope (which I am a big fan of). To bring it back to your first question, that white and black ensemble is a play on both real ecclesiastical garb but also specifically Lenny’s wardrobe, and his countenance when he wears it. (The costume designer, Carlo Poggioli, did a spectacular job working from the existing pieces in the Vatican museum). The red shoes in that final design above are a bit of a joke - the pope actually wears red shoes in real life, but the version on set are Louboutins and were nicknamed by Poggioli “the Ferraris” (extra inside joke - my Laurence has partly Corsican roots for obvious parallels with another historical tyrant).  

As for Ludwig, I almost always give him a different outfit - even in plainclothes - but I like the idea that he only starts wearing that pseudo-Executioner’s garb after the Cainhurst massacre (in my timeline, anyway). I always try to add a little element of armour to his clothing and to distinguish him from both the clergy and other Church-affiliated folk, be they Prospectors or Hunters. Beyond actual historical sources, I’m obsessed with Jany Temime’s work in House of the Dragon, and so you’ll find traces of the Kingsguard armour in Ludwig’s overall look, but without making it too medieval. 

I also have a headcanon (developed alongside some mutuals) that the blindfold part of the Choir cap is a very late introduction, during the scourge. In my work Laurence’s disdain for Willem’s dumbfuck pope hat is evident, and so there’s none of that shutting-your-eyes-to-the-world stuff - until most everyone’s eyes, including his, start to change by way of the scourge. 

Anyway tldr I like playing dress-up with them. 

[lucky-clover-gazette]

prince's gambit highlights & annotations

chapter 9

indented text is from the book. some quotes have commentary, some do not. some comments are serious, and some are definitely not. most of them will only make sense to people who have read the series. and, like, there are spoilers. so please read the books first if you're interested!

also: part of the reason i'm doing such a close reading is to study cs pacat's style, especially in terms of how she does romance and erotica. there are "craft notes" that might seem weird, like i'm being redundant or restating something rather than analyzing, but those are more things that i want to remember/take away from the writing!

i'm going to tag these longer posts with "sam reads capri" in case anyone wants to read them all at once.

this is a google doc i wrote with overall content warnings for the captive prince series. it's not perfect, but i do think it's important to include.

‘So,’ Damen heard Lazar say to Jord, ‘what’s it like having an aristocrat suck your dick?’ It was the evening after the rockfall at Nesson, and they were a day’s ride further south. They had set out early, after assessing damage and repairing wagons. Now Damen sat with several of the men, sprawled by one of the campfires, enjoying a moment’s rest. Aimeric, whose arrival had prompted Lazar’s question, had come to sit beside Jord. He returned Lazar a level look. ‘Fantastic,’ Aimeric said. Good for you, thought Damen.

"GOOD FOR YOU, THOUGHT DAMEN."

Lazar made a good-natured sound of disbelief. ‘For real,’ he said to Damen. ‘Who gets a leg over, you or him?’

“for real” is just slightly anachronistic and it fits the scene very well. “for real bestie who tops”

The company was in peak condition after Nesson. The wagons were repaired, and Paschal had patched up the cuts, and Laurent was not smashed by a rock.

He could see Laurent’s tent, lamp-lit and streaming flags; it was like a pomegranate, its rich excesses on the inside.

damen.

Damen had woken from a cocoon of sleep this morning to the sound of a lazy, amused, ‘Good morning. No, I don’t need anything.’

The men were experiencing camaraderie in the face of a common enemy, and it was natural that he was feeling it too, or something similar, after a night of chases and escapes and fighting alongside Laurent. It was a heady elixir, but he must not get swept up in it. He was here for Akielos not for Laurent. His duty only extended so far. He had his own war, his own country, his own fight.

if this was a musical you just know that greek chorus would be roasting the shit out of him rn

This very morning Laurent had sent a man flying back to Nesson, with money and thanks, to return Charls his horse.

do you think he signed it as himself?? maybe we find out in book 3

But this rider was nothing like that. Dressed in leathers with no sign of crest or livery, riding a good but plain horse, and most surprising of all—pushing back a heavy cloak—she was a woman.

LET’S GOOOOO

In memory of your morning with us. And for the next time you need a disguise.

i love the implication that he genuinely charmed the women at the brothel, like, not in a horny way. like they’re just kind of rooting for him, to the degree that they got this dress to him. i need the fic about this entire grift, how he talked to them, their reaction, etc

Curious, he unwrapped another layer of cloth to reveal more cloth: blue and ornate, it spilled out over his hands. The dress was familiar. Damen had last seen it open and trailing laces, worn by a blonde; he’d felt that embroidered ornamentation under his hands; she’d been halfway in his lap. ‘You went back to the brothel,’ said Damen. And then the words next time tapped him on the shoulder. ‘You didn’t wear—?’ Laurent sat back in the chair. His cool gaze didn’t answer the question one way or another.

:-)

‘It was an interesting morning. I don’t usually have the chance to enjoy that kind of company. You know my uncle doesn’t like them.’ ‘Prostitutes?’ said Damen. ‘Women,’ said Laurent.

yeah this isn’t surprising. for multiple reasons. i do like how we get some implication that laurent feels differently—another sign that he is fit to be king

‘Vannis is our delegate. He needs her, and he resents that he needs her, and she knows it,’ said Laurent.

vannis = vannes?

They were two days out from Acquitart, and the people in this region knew their Prince, and sometimes came out to line the roads, greeting him with warm and happy expressions, which was not the way that anyone who knew Laurent greeted him.

If there’s anyone alive who can strike a blow that will bloody the Regent’s nose, it’s him.

and loyse

‘As we draw closer to the border, I think it would be safer—more private—to hold our discussions in your language rather than mine.’ He said it in carefully pronounced Akielon. Damen stared at him, feeling as though the world had just been rearranged. ‘What is it?’ said Laurent. ‘Nice accent,’ said Damen, because despite everything, the corner of his mouth was beginning helplessly to curve up. Laurent’s eyes narrowed.

“i speak your language better than you speak mine, sweetheart”

‘You mean in case of eavesdroppers,’ said Damen, mostly just to see if Laurent knew the word ‘eavesdroppers’.

It was of course no surprise to find that Laurent had a well-stocked armoury of elegant phrases and bitchy remarks, but could not talk in detail about anything sensible.

Damen had to keep reminding himself not to grin. He didn’t know why listening to Laurent pick his way through the Akielon language had him in good spirits, but it did. Laurent did indeed have a pronounced Veretian accent, which softened and blurred consonants and added a lilt, with stresses on unexpected syllables. It transformed the Akielon words, gave them a hint of exoticism, of luxuriousness that was very Veretian, though that effect was at least partially combatted by the precision of Laurent’s speaking.

i love this. another example of how damen’s affection for laurent isn’t just based on his appearance. he has this kind of subconscious desire to see the gap between them bridged, and is DELIGHTED when it happens in all its awkward glory. he falls in love a little more with every moment that laurent feels like an actual human person in the room with him

‘We’re done for the night. Come here and attend me.’ Those words rattled around in his mind.

damen.exe has stopped working

‘You don’t like it?’ said Laurent. He knew better than to say what he did or didn’t like. Laurent’s voice held a hint of interest at his discomfort that was always dangerous.

and we’re talking about the book 1 garden scene again! “he likes it” etc, the matter of consent and pleasure, how damen views the entire thing in retrospect. i think there is some grey area being presented by the narrative about this overall subject—for someone like laurent, with the history and reservations he has, it would have been an unforgivable violation to have been put in the position he put damen in. but to damen, enthusiastically sexually active with many partners since his teenage years, and very used to being in control, it isn’t regarded retrospectively in the same way. it’s not my place to say whether this is right or wrong, good or bad, in terms of how non-consent should be portrayed in fiction (or if there even is a hard “should”), but i do at least appreciate that pacat seems to have committed to damen’s understanding of the scene and doesn’t really compromise.

‘Perhaps if I were more authentic,’ said Laurent. ‘How does an owner command a bed slave in Akielos? Teach me.’

this is such a laurent move. fluster him, talk shit about his morally bereft culture, and half-jokingly propose roleplay all at once

‘You said in Nesson that you had used slaves,’ said Laurent. ‘Don��t you think I should know the words?’ He forced his hands to move. ‘If you own a slave, you may command him however you like.’ ‘I haven’t found that necessarily to be the case.’ ‘I would prefer you to talk to me as a man,’ he heard himself say. Laurent turned under his hands.

god they make me crazy. damen having a big moment here in reconsidering his values. laurent enjoying the fact that he’s making damen reconsider his values, because he knows damen can do better, which is different from the previous times he’s challenged damen. we’ve moved past mutual moral arbitration, because they both have started to understand each other. now they’re pushing to see just how on-the-same-page they really could be.

also, laurent would be diabolical in high school debate

also also, “i would prefer…” feels like a big moment re: damen admitting how he feels about laurent, TO laurent. even if he doesn’t fully know what he’s admitting here, he’s essentially saying that he sees himself as a voluntarily ally rather than a slave, which laurent absolutely does not expect and probably would not accept at this point

He felt rather than heard his voice change in the intimate space. ‘But if you would rather—’ ‘Step back,’ said Laurent.

yeah laurent’s having some trouble unpacking that. i forget the exact wording but this reminds me of a later quote, “i don’t have the means to defend from this,” “this” being earnest affection

They gazed at one another.

i really should be counting these but oh well. it’s less funny to document than the laurent leans and hr complaints

‘Unless you need anything,’ he heard himself say, ‘I’ll go and bring in some more coals for the brazier.’ ‘Go,’ said Laurent.

laurent braces himself on the table as soon as damen leaves. the opening guitar riff of “granger danger” from a very potter musical plays faintly in the background

The water had been bracing cold in the warm night. He had dunked his head and let it run over his chest and shoulders, then he had scrubbed down and waded out and pushed the water from his hair.

not the cold shower…

Laurent was well made and capable, and Damen was a man, as other men. Half the soldiers in this camp wanted Laurent under them. The body’s reaction could be discounted, as it had been, determinedly, at the inn. Any man would have been roused by Laurent playing pet in his lap. Even knowing what was under the earring.

damen you’re not beating the “granger danger” accusations either

After a long moment, he took his eyes off Laurent and looked back at Lazar, who was gazing at him with a rather dry but understanding smile quirking the side of his mouth. ‘All right what?’ said Damen. ‘All right, you’re not fucking him,’ said Lazar.

“but you wanna be soooo bad” 😭

[styrmwb]

I Beat Games in 2024

At the start of the year, I started to write my thoughts down about games I beat starting with Chrono Trigger; I eventually got A Lot Better with it, and I stuck with it until the end! I'm quite proud of myself. Sure, the posts are usually long and rambly, but I feel like I've improved at putting down Why Exactly I Like And Don't Like Things. Perhaps I'll get better!

But similar to every company (Spotify, Nintendo, Youtube, McDonald's) doing years in review, I Also wanted to do one for myself! Behold: The List

Shoutouts Tiermaker for letting me be a coward and not do a strict numbered list (I wish it wasn't so low quality)

Lemme go up with a short little thought and how I think the game stuck with me to the end

The One I Didn't Beat

Baba is You - Game is Frustrating

I started playing Baba after I beat Persona 5, and before Dawntrail came out. I'd wanted to play this game for a good while. Very funny energy, and super cool concept. Change the rules to solve the puzzle. What I got was less a think about how to change the rules game, and more of a block pushing "how do I get the rule that I want" game. I got mad. Is it possible that I was just dumb? Yes, absolutely. But I couldn't get myself to finish it. Perhaps I will return.

C Tier - Liked, But There's Problems

Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail - Falling Prey to Stagnation

I still love FFXIV; and I do think that Dawntrail brought a lot of good things. Soundtrack is stellar, world design is awesome, and once they released the raids? Dude. The combat design this expac is STELLAR. PLUS I GOT TO SEE THE ARK ANGELS AND PRISHE AAAAAA. But alas, the FFXIV formula we've had since ShB still remains. The writing continues to leave a bad taste in my mouth. I'm burnt out. I'm not... Excited to play the game right now. I really hope they fix that, I want the game I love to thrive.

Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII - Great Gameplay in a Weird Place

I think I played Lightning Returns at the perfect time. It really felt like XIII-2 Chapter 2. I'm super happy that I got to finish the XIII trilogy. I think the game is good, but I don't know if it's gonna Stick with me as much as some of the higher entries. Again, the soundtrack is phenomenal (FF games Can Not Miss I SWEAR TO GOD), and I stick by the fact that if I were to revisit it, I would get a whole different fun from optimizing time now that I know How Much Time it is.

B Tier - Solid Games All Around

Final Fantasy Tactics Advance - Childhood Chapter Comes to a Close

Another game I'm really happy to have finally finished. Reliving the nostalgia of the past, as well as being able to approach it with an adult mindset. The game was addicting, the style of it still lives in my head; I honestly think it's one of the best artstyles in the entire series. Yeah, there were some problems like the laws and the nature of the grind + new units, but overall I really loved how the game stuck together.

Yakuza 3 Remastered - Closer and Closer to Catching Up

A classic Yakuza experience. It's a tried and true formula that fills my completionist wants and needs. It definitely has the best story of all the LaD games so far (0-3), and while I wish the remaining games were happy fun Sunflower times, I know poor Kiryu won't get to relax. I think the only reason this isn't higher is just cause it doesn't have too much special sauce differentiated from previous games (plus the combat stuff late game docks a point). Either way, still excited to continue on.

A Tier - The A is for Amazing

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth - 2024 (New) Game of the Year

Congratulations to VII Rebirth for being the only 2024 not-expansion game I played this year. This was pretty much the game I rooted for in the game awards (which don't really matter) but honestly I feel bad cause it feels like default. Regardless! None of that matters! Rebirth was such a good game. It made me love and appreciate VII's world and cast so much more than the original did. I loved the new additions of Queen's Blood and Gilgamesh, and I genuinely think that game is the template of what action FF should be. It just needed to not beef the ending to be S tier.

Final Fantasy XIII-2 - Best in the Trilogy

An honest to god surprise hit for me. I did not expect to like XIII-2 as much as I did. The organization and gameflow of it stuck with me so much more than XIII or LR, I loved the small cast: Noel was tragic, Serah got screentime and character, I got more Hope content, and Caius is absolutely one of my favorite FF villains now. The soundtrack fucked, the atmosphere was great; it just really stuck with me. Think what I really would have appreciated is a little more respect on the previous cast.

Slayers X: Terminal Aftermath: Vengance of the Slayer - awsome seekwel to my favorite indy

The thing about Slayers X, is that I Literally don't have any problems with it. The game is EXACTLY what is needed to be. I've never played a boomer shooter, but I had a lot of fun running around, shooting glass sharts, finding secrets, and listening to that 2000s nu metal grungy soundtrack (I'M STILL NOT GOOD WITH GENRES DON'T GET MAD AT ME). It does help that I have some personal bias in the matter, but I love games in this universe and I can't wait for more.

World of Warcraft: The War Within - PLEASE DON'T LET THIS AGE BADLY

This expansion is the direction I NEEDED WoW to go in. The art direction, the story, the characterization, the gameplay. I haven't felt a love this strong for this game since Legion. I haven't been able to check it out beyond the first part of the game due to Money, but I do hope that it's continuing to not suck. I hope that when the Worldsoul Saga completes, I can confidently say to people without feeling bad: "I love World of Warcraft."

Splatoon 3: Side Order - Final Course of Single Player Goodness

Similar to Slayers X; I don't really have any issues with Side Order! It's what I expected, it feels like what I was promised, a Splatoon roguelike. I had a good bit of fun with it, I loved the attention to detail they put in. The gameplay loop was really fun, and it made unlocking bits not a miserable experience. Plus more Off the Hook is always appreciated.

S Tier - Games of the Year, Games of All Time

Persona 5 Royal - Hoo Boy.

The inventor of jazz. The game that crosses over with everything. I understand the hype. I LOVE Persona 5. I think out of every game I played this year, Persona 5 stuck with me the most. It made TIME MANAGEMENT ADDICTING. It gave me a huge cast of charming characters, playable and not. The vibes were immaculate, the story felt cathartic. I loved the gameplay, the interactions of elements, the usage of real world mythology; and though some of the Royal bits could have been added on a little smoother, the quality they gave me clears any complaints I got. The fact that I still have such good memories even after playing plenty of other games tells me this isn't just some kind of recency bias (it might still be), Persona 5 is one of my favorite games ever.

Chrono Trigger - Absolutely Deserved Reputation

Finally. At long last. Chrono Trigger was a game that I NEEDED to play. It's a perfect RPG (well nothing is perfect and I could get some minor nitpicks but). The cast is amazing and well rounded, the battle system is still a classic RPG but takes its own spin, makes it unique feeling. It's not a guys to one side enemies to other random thing, it FEELS like a whole battlefield, the positioning mattering, the interactions between characters, GOD it's so good. For a time travel story, it all makes sense, it does what a time travel story SHOULD. The soundtrack is fucking legendary and I still listen to it to this day. What makes it really special is that I got to play this classic without knowing pretty much anything about it. Chrono Trigger was an absolute treat, and I think it's definitely one of my favorite games of all time.

Bonus

Of course, these weren't the only games I played this year, just the main ones. 2024 saw the return of my Final Fantasy XI phase, where I got to beat Wings of the Goddess and A Shantotto Ascension (as of writing this I'm still playing); and I have to plug it to make sure people realize that Wings of the Goddess is one of the best FF storylines they might never experience. I got the first Mario Party I ever enjoyed playing in Jamboree, which doesn't feel super mean spirited and rage inducing like previous entries, as well as Mario Kart 8 Deluxe somehow also creeping in. Theatrhythm continued to be a main stay as what I go to to fill my rhythm game need; and right at the start of the year, I finished the pokedex in Pokemon Violet.

Finally, my main replay of the year lied in Hypnospace Outlaw; my favorite indie game of all time. Going back to reexperience it, check out all the new content that got released after my first play, that game continues to remain truly special in my heart.

I wanna keep doing this in the future. It was really fun, it gives me a record, a snapshot of my thoughts; something to look back on. Who knows what'll happen in 2025? Maybe I'll branch out more. Maybe not. Maybe I'll only play Yakuza games all year, it's possible.

And the most maybe of all; maybe I'll play more Actual new releases instead of old games. We'll find out!

[grey-gazania]

Self-rec time! What are your favorite five fics that you've written and why? After replying to this ask, feel free to pass on to five other writers to spread the love. 💗 — @emyn-arnens

My dear @emyn-arnens, you sent this to me weeks ago, and I saw it and then unfortunately forgot to answer it, because Real Life has been kicking my ass, so I want both to thank you for the ask and to apologize for how long this took me.

My 5 Favorite Fics (Which Are Not Necessarily My 5 Best Fics)

Loyalty (yes I know this is actually a series, not a fic, hush)

In some ways this series is the bane of my existence, and in other ways it's one of my favorite things I've ever started written. I began planning it in 2011, began posting it in 2015, and, uh, still haven't finished it, whoops, because I think I need to drastically restructure the whole thing before I can proceed. But I've had a lot of fun creating my conlang, and Tókhesh/Tavoreth is one of my favorite OCs I've ever come up with for any fandom, not just Tolkien. I also really wanted to give the Easterlings the chance to be well-developed people in a well-developed society, instead of just being a glorified plot device, and I like to think that I've succeeded.

Unconscious Arithmetic

This story is by now quite old, written in 2011, but it was both my first foray into writing Caranthir and my first attempt at writing in 1st person -- a style I've since found works particularly well for Caranthir, or at least for my version of him. It was also my second story featuring Parmacundë, though she had yet to earn that epessë at the time this story is set, and was the beginning of my plan to work her into the broader story of The Silmarillion. I think I conveyed a particularly vivid picture of how I imagine adolescent Caranthir and what kind of person he might risk befriending.

The Flight of Birds

I hold great affections for the Kidnap Family, as you have probably noticed, but damn, those poor twins must have been pretty messed up by the time they were returned to their parents' people. Transitions are hard even when you haven't began kidnapped and raised by the people who tried to murder your mother, and I thought it would be interesting to explore the turmoil the twins must have felt through Elrond's eyes. I feel like Elros often ends up getting treated as the conflicted twin, while Elrond is the one who is wise and serene, but I think Elrond should get the chance to be an angry adolescent full of turmoil, too.

Root and All

This story is a favorite less because of anything I've done with the characters and more because writing it was a trip down memory lane. I spent large swaths of my summers as a child at a camp in the NJ Highlands, where we spent a lot of time hiking in the woods and swamps and learning about the nature that surrounded us. My fondness for those hikes and that part of NJ was really the driving force behind this story. I first encountered and learned about both ghost pipe and water hemlock at summer camp, which are the two plants that anchor this story.

Darkness and Light

Bet you guys were starting to think we'd get through this list without any representatives from my Woman King AU, but fat chance! The Woman King AU is my life's work, and this is my favorite installment of it. It's short, but I think I did a very good job of portraying Ereiniel's grief and pain following Fingon's death. Fingon and the shadows he cast after his death were a massive influence on the woman Ereiniel grew into, the Gil-galad she became. In some ways the Woman King AU is just as much about Fingon and his wife as it is about Ereiniel, because their choices, successes, and failures echo down to their daughter and shape the woman she grows into.

[unabashegirl]

Lycan 3 — werewolf

Y/N returns to her hometown, Alsfield, when her father falls ill, only to discover the town hides a dark secret—one protected by the mysterious Harry Styles. As Y/N unravels the town's mysteries, her plans to return to San Francisco are derailed.

check out my patreon (starting at $2) and get full access to all chapters, various one shots like The Cover and much more :)

— all chapters of lycan —

Word count: 1.4K

“Are you okay?” It was only Niall, who had grabbed her arm. Y/N looked back where the glowing eyes were staring back at her, but they were gone. “Did I scare you?” Niall asked, trying to get her attention.

“I just saw these two glowing eyes staring at me in the woods” She explained, still shocked at what she had just seen. She pointed to the woods as if they were still there.

“Glowing eyes?” Niall chuckled, “You’ve been watching too much TV.” He said to her, trying to dismiss the subject as quickly as possible. “So, you are staying here, huh?” Niall took one of her bags and guided her back into the hotel.

“Yeah. I think I’ll be more comfortable” Y/N kept looking over her shoulder, still feeling like she was being watched. She was also feeling a bit silly and crazy. Niall had made her feel like she had invented everything, but it was so real. “What are you doing here?” She asked, realizing how odd it had been for him to show up.

“I was getting some gas and saw you standing in the parking lot. Just wanted to check up on you” Y/N frowned her brow but brushed it off.  It was weird that he had been out so late and had spotted her so quickly. Perhaps, he was just a nice man trying to help a neighbor, and she was thinking too much about it. “The good thing is that you have a car to move around!”

“Oh right," She smiled as they walk to the elevators of the hotel. “Anyway, I think I am going to get some much-needed rest. I’ll see you around” Y/N said as she took her bag from him “Again thank you for your help.”

“No problem” He smiled and stood there until the elevator arrived, and she loaded the bags in it. As soon as the doors closed, she felt like she could breathe again. Niall had definitely freaked her out. She knew that he only meant well and seemed very nice, but he had scared her. However, she was thankful that he had shown up because whatever that thing was in the woods could have jumped out at her.

Y/N sat in a small booth in the corner of Mrs. Brown's diner early the next morning. She had taken her laptop and a few things to work during her trip. She had promised her boss that she would be available 24/7. She had ordered a cup of coffee to wake her up whilst she tried to connect to the Wi-Fi of the diner. Y/N had slept terribly. She had always struggled to sleep, and she suffered from insomnia, but last night had been particularly harder. She hadn’t been able to get the image of the yellow glowing eyes, staring back at her out of her mind. Y/N blamed the unfamiliarity of the room and town and the animal in the woods.

“I guess the rumors are true,” Mrs. Brown said as she walked up to Y/N’s booth. “Y/N Y/L/N is back in town after six years”. Y/N instantly smiled and stood up.

“I am sorry” She sincerely apologized feeling very guilty. The day she had left town, she had promised Mrs. Brown to visit, but she never did. Y/N never reached out to let her know that things were working out or when she had graduated from college. She had cut ties from the very root. “For not calling or reaching out or visiting”. Mrs. Brown pursed her lips as she stared at the young woman before pulling her into a warm hug.

“I knew that you weren’t ever going to visit since that day” She whispered and kissed her head. “And I understand. I would never return to this place if I had experienced half of the things you did.” It broke Y/N’s hearing those words, Mrs. Brown had become a mother to her after her mother’s passing.  When things got harder and darker, Y/N spend most of her days in the diner, and she would only go home to sleep.

Mrs. Brown was her safe space.

“But look at you! You are looking every day more gorgeous and so successful. I am very proud of you, honey.”

“How has everything been?” Y/N asked as she sat back down.

“The same. Nothing ever happens here.”

“How is Mr. Brown?”

“He should be coming in a few minutes to get his coffee” Mr. Brown was a police officer. He had been called to Y/N's home multiple times before. Thanks to the Brown, nothing severely bad had happened to Y/N while she lived with her alcoholic father. “Let me get you some more coffee. It seems like you need it” She noticed the bags under her eyes and her bloodshot eyes. “Would you like your usual breakfast? And dessert, of course?”

“Of course,” Y/N nodded excitedly, “What do think I came for?!” Mrs. Brown laughed and left for the kitchen. After a few cups of coffee, she was wired and working diligently when Mrs. Brown interrupted her with her usual breakfast which consisted of two eggs sunny side up, bacon, and hash browns. “Thank you” she smiled at her before she left to tend to another table.

Y/N had forgotten to ask for hot sauce, and there wasn’t any on her table. Therefore, she stood up and walked to the closest table, and took it from there.

“Stealing a hot source from another table is very rude,” said someone behind her. “Is considered very impolite in other countries, especially when the owner of the table is in the bathroom.”

“Owner? You own the table?” She said to the tall man with brown hair and green eyes that stood before her. Y/N couldn’t believe that she was being told off for wanting some hot sauce by a stranger.

“You could say that” He nodded back at her with a cheeky smile. “What’s your name?” His head slightly tilted to the side, curious about the identity of the woman.

“I am not telling you” Y/N hated his cocky attitude. She could tell that he was used to getting his way. Y/N could assume that it always came down to his good looks.

“And why not?” He questioned very amused by the woman.

“Because I just met you. You are a complete stranger.” Just as she said that, the bell hanging off the door of the diner rang, announcing that someone had just arrived. From where Y/N stood, she couldn’t see who had just arrived.

“Fred!” She heard Mrs. Brown exclaim, confirming that Mr. Brown had just arrived for a coffee refill.

“Listen! I just want a little bit. I’ll return it to you” Y/N explained, as she tried getting a view of Mr. Brown.  She was overly excited to speak to him and hear about all the adventures that he had over the past six years.

“Alright. I’ll escort you back to your table” He shrugged, “to make sure you actually return the bottle to me” he clarified, encouraging her to walk back to her booth. As she had told him, she poured a bit of the sauce over her eggs and hash browns and returned it to him.

“Happy?” She rolled her eyes, “I don’t understand why you want it so bad when there is no food on your table” Y/N pointed out as she sat down.

“Not really. What’s your name?” He hoped that she would crack and provide him with her name without any further investigation.

“Listen, I don’t know what your problem is. I am not giving you, my name. Who do think you are?!” She exclaimed to the tall man. Y/N was very frustrated that he hadn’t left her alone after such a silly conversation.

“Y/N! I see you met the new mayor” It was Niall dressed in a police officer uniform. He was Mr. Brown’s partner. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK IN THE COMMENTS. It would be appreciated. 

TAG LIST: @harryssky1

next ---> chapter 4

[tiny-minecraft-rabbit]

The Little Post Rat

Gift for @baconlamb for the 2024 @mcytblrholidayexchange

This is my very first age regression fic, something I've wanted to write for a while and am so glad I got the opportunity to do so!

Word Count: 1.5k Characters: Age Regressor Watermunch and Caregiver Martyn Inthelittlewood AO3 Link Here

Being a post rat meant being on the move. It meant traveling from place to place. It meant being quick and nimble and never being in the same place for long, as there was always someone waiting to get their mail. 

That being said, this was the first time in a long time that Watermunch had stayed in a single place for so long.

She had never set up a postal network before, but Le Terrière had seemed as good a place to start as any. There were plenty of rats here, and they had lots of things to say. Establishing a local system and beginning on deliveries was easy, she had made a few on the very first day. After that she built an office and planted roots within days. However, the rats that were as passionate about delivering mail as she was were far and few between; so actually recruiting to help expand the post office was much harder. Her plans to connect the hotel’s Rattic to the greater world of post were put to a standstill. 

She found that she didn’t mind too much. Getting to stand still for a while was nice. It left time for other things. It left time to relax and be herself. 

Water laid out a nice big blanket on her floor, already feeling herself slipping as she set out the small number of toys she had. She only had what she could fit in her post bag, which wasn't a lot. Mostly it consisted of her childhood plush doll—a sweet little rat-girl with a cotton dress—and colored pencils that were usually used for making notes and writing letters. She also set out snacks, slices of baguettes and cubes of cheddar. It was probably a bit filling when she hadn’t had lunch yet, but who was she to deny herself bread and cheese. 

Once everything was set out she plopped herself down and started to color. 

It did not take long her for drawings to slip from her usual style to something much more childish. She was drawing herself and the others around the attic. She made Eloise and Bek holding hands and Ratman with his car. They were squiggly and brightly colored, and she smiled to herself as she did. 

At some point her thumb slipped into her mouth and she hummed happily around it . 

This was nice. It had been so long since Water had really been able to be little. While traveling every now and then she would slip and feel the fuzzies in her brain try to take over, but she was never in a stable enough place to really get small. At most she would allow herself some kid snacks and a bit of doodling. She hadn’t been truly regressed like this in ages. 

She pulled her doll close, pointing to her newest picture to show her, “Look Ms. Fluffybottom, that’s Sniff and Scott. See, 'cause she is wear-wing a green sweater and Scott has all the colors on him.” 

Ms. Fluffybottom didn’t say anything in return, but Water could tell she was very impressed. 

She was starting to get bored; there was only so much coloring a little rat could do before they got tired of it. She poked around her office, quickly finding the scissors and glue. Now, this was a proper activity! She colored a nice big drawing of a rat and cut them out (going extra slow so she didn’t accidentally snip something wrong). Then she got started on making the rat outfits on a separate piece of paper. She was having trouble getting the size right, but she wasn’t going to give up easily. 

Then, there was a knock on the door. 

She froze, staring at the door with wide eyes. The only times someone had bothered knocking on her door was when she was staying at different hotels between deliveries. She could wait for some hotel staff to go away, but she doesn’t think she could wait for someone from the attic to just go away. A lot of them were her friends and the rest were a curious bunch of rats. 

It made a part of her want to come out of little space and deal with the rat at the door like an adult. 

Honestly, she tried, willing herself to be big and think adult thoughts; but as she stood up and felt herself toddle on shaky feet, she knew it wasn’t happening. 

She must have taken too long, as she was only halfway across the floor when another knock rang out. “Hey, Munch! You in there?” 

Martyn. 

Water was even less sure about opening the door now—while Martyn was one of the more fun rats in the attic, he was also one of the meaner ones. There was no telling what his reaction to her would be. He might make fun of her!

She could just ignore him, he’d leave eventually, probably– or he’d break in. Martyn was also known for not always following rules, like how you were supposed to be invited into homes, not just enter them whenever. 

“I’m com’ing,” She exclaimed. She took the last few feet to the door in big steps, so it wasn’t as far away. 

Martyn smiled down at her as he leaned on the doorframe, “There's my favorite Post Rat. What are we up to today?” 

Water smiled back, a bit bashful, “I’m… colo’ing.” 

“Coloring, huh? Is that an important activity or did you want to join me for a food run?”

Her eyes widened and she quickly shook her head. Leaving the attic was scary! There were humans down in the hotel; and cats! She didn’t want to go down there now . “Not- Not today. So’m other time?” 

Martyn tilted his head, “That’s no problem; but is something up? Need someone to talk to?” 

“No- No. Just w’eally want to col-wor,” She insisted, looking back at her blanket and Ms. Fluffybottom. 

He hummed and took a step into her office. She let him, her hands firmly gripping the bottom of her shirt as he finally caught sight of her little set up. She was so worried for a moment, that he was going to find it weird or silly. All her things were laid out for him to see.

“Well, that looks fun, doesn’t it. Mind if I join you, then?” he asked, surprising her. 

Water hesitated. She had never had company before! Having someone come and play with her had never been an option before, and even if it had, she doesn’t think Martyn would have been her first pick. But, looking up at Martyn, there was a wobble to his smile. He seemed like he needed some fun just as much as she did.  

“You… you can’t make fun o’ me, aw’ight? We’ just gonna sit and col-wor,” she replied, giving him a pointed glare.

“Cross my heart,” Martyn promised. He seemed sincere enough to her. 

With that Water took his hand and dragged him over to her blanket. Martyn was quick to take up a colored pencil and start his own doodles. She pulled out another piece of paper and started a new drawing: she was delivering mail to the Queen-Rat herself in England! 

Soon after she went back to trying to make outfits for her paper doll. They were still coming out wonky in size. Martyn noticed and offered to help cut them out. Water watched him with wide and curious eyes as he traced her doll on a clean sheet of paper and told her to fill in the outline with whatever pattern she wanted. When she finished, he cut it out for her, much faster than she could have. 

She squealed with delight as the stripey dress and postman jacket fit perfectly on the paper doll this time. She hugged him, thanking him for it. 

When she glanced over at Martyn’s drawing, she was delighted to see he had drawn a pirate ship with himself and Ren on it. Ren even had his signature red coat and a cool pin sword. Martyn had a spy glass. He was really good at drawing. 

She decided to tell him as much; “Yours is w’eally cool. I w’ike the ship.”

“Thanks, Munchy. Yours is pretty good yourself,” he replied, pointing at hers, “We going to hang these up somewhere then?” 

Water’s eyes widened. “Can we?” 

Sure, she always could have hung her drawings, but it seemed silly to do it herself. Martyn was offering to hang them– he thought they were good enough to hang up! She very much wanted to see her art up on the wall.

“Sure, we can!” he answered and delicately scooped up her drawing. He didn’t take long to find some old sealing wax in her office. It was the cheap kind, and he was able to warm it in his hands until it was just tacky enough to stick the pictures to the wall with. 

He placed his and hers right next to each other.

[girllookingoutwindow]

Hi. I'm writing a Bridgerton fanfiction on Wattpad. The story is going to be different from others because I had created a country called Barclavia where the main character of the story is from.

Information about Barclavia -

Barclavia was a progressive country where women could attend school, paving the way for a society rich in knowledge and innovation. The nation prided itself on being technologically, economically, socially, and medically advanced, making it a beacon of progress in the region.

Queen Adama, the visionary ruler of Barclavia, fostered a unique and enduring friendship with Queen Charlotte of England. Their bond went beyond mere political alliances; it was a genuine camaraderie rooted in mutual respect and shared values. This friendship not only strengthened diplomatic ties but also facilitated cultural and technological exchanges between the two nations.

In Barclavia, the streets buzzed with the latest inventions, and the economy flourished thanks to a well-educated populace and robust industries. Socially, the country was a mosaic of diverse communities living in harmony, each contributing to the vibrant cultural tapestry. Medically, Barclavia was at the forefront of innovation, with hospitals that were the envy of the world and research institutions that made groundbreaking discoveries.

The relationship between Barclavia and England stood as a testament to what could be achieved through unity and shared vision. The two queens often corresponded, exchanging ideas and supporting each other in their quests to improve their respective nations. Their friendship was celebrated with annual festivals, joint scientific endeavors, and cultural exchanges that enriched both countries.

Story Description -

Princess Hope Barclay and Colin Bridgerton have known each other since childhood, their bond fortified by countless shared experiences and unspoken emotions. Their friendship, seemingly unbreakable, takes a surprising turn when a spontaneous kiss reveals a hidden attraction, pushing Hope to confront the feelings she has long suppressed. This moment marks the beginning of a new chapter in their relationship, filled with uncertainty and potential.

As Hope grapples with her newfound feelings for Colin, the sudden return of Sebastian Atbridge, her former love, adds complexity to her life. Now a Marquess, Sebastian is determined to rekindle the romance they once shared. His arrival stirs old memories and unresolved emotions, creating an immediate tension between him and Colin. Hope finds herself torn between the comfort of Colin's familiar presence and the allure of a grand future promised by Sebastian.

If you are interested, my account is @ashleebooks

This is wonderful!! Of course I'm interested.

This style of writing is so good too. Thanks for sharing it with me ❤️🙂

[manic-maniac-man]

Eyescream Feb 2015

A shop where you can see the workshop and order your own shoes

Yasuhiro Mihara

[MIHARAYASUHIRO] designer Mihara Yasuhiro has returned to his roots in shoemaking by opening Atelier MIHARAYASUHIRO in Jingumae. The shop combines a shoe specialty store with a workshop staffed by experienced shoemakers, and you can even order something special while speaking with Mihara (semi-orders, where you can choose the upper and sole to your liking, will be accepted from March). In this place where you can enjoy a quality time with shoes at the core, even the months you wait for the finished product seem luxurious.

(Top right) A photo from 17 or 18 years ago when Mihara met Hayakawa is on display. (Bottom right) Wooden shoe lasts, the basis of shoemaking. "We've reduced the number considerably, but we still have hundreds in the warehouse." (Top left) The store is filled with antique fixtures. Shoemaking seminars are also held regularly. (Bottom left) Mihara and Hayakawa work and discuss through the glass.

The customer is asked to choose the type and style of shoes, or if left to their own devices, Mihara will consider the style of clothing and think about a suitable design and sketch it.

"We call it semi-custom, but almost everything except the wooden molds is made from scratch, so Hayakawa is flexible and can make patterns that no one else would. On the other hand, when we use normal patterns, we sometimes wonder if it's really okay. We work while talking like that, and some techniques just happen to come about."

The workshop where the two are talking is walled in glass, allowing customers inside the shop to get a good view of the craftsmen at work.

"You know those dumpling and cake shops that make things after they receive an order? They make it right in front of you. I think that's very honest. I think it's good for customers to see the shoemaking process. That keeps us on our toes and it's more interesting. So, although it's easy to say we're going back to our roots, there's a part of me that doesn't really agree with that. I always want to move forward, and I'm not doing my job to look back on the past. I felt that I had to do this because I felt that working with someone close to me (like Hayakawa) would be the most stimulating way to move forward. I wanted to further evolve these things that I value the most and bring them to the surface."

It's unusual for a designer who has his own brand name to be stationed in a place where he can always meet customers, but the fact that it's an oven leads to trust, and somehow it seems to be connected to the modern way of being where sharing increases intimacy. Rather than ordinary items that can be delivered with a single click, there are things that require time and effort, like crafts, the sense of security of seeing the face of the maker, and the richness of feeling that comes from taking the time to order. When did these things that were once taken for granted start to feel fresh and even luxurious?

"I think it's becoming more and more convenient. In the past, even if you did a collection in Paris i, it would take a while to get featured in a magazine.

It used to take about three or four months, but now, if we're not careful, the shoes will be up on the web before the show is over. That said, even if we thought about uploading videos of the shoes being made on the Internet, I still think there are parts that don't get across. Even if a customer spends two or three hours in the store before buying a product, or waits six months to receive it after placing an order, it's interesting for them and for us, and it's a luxury, in fact. So, for me, this is the most evolved way of being. The clothing atelier is upstairs, and this is the shoe atelier, but one day I'd like to show the product-like production process for the clothing as well. I think it's important not just to have products lined up, but to have something behind each one."

If the collection in Paris is like a mass email to the world, then custom-made items might be more like handwritten letters.

"Of course we'll continue with shows and collections. In a way, if we just do the same routine of catwalks, exhibitions, taking orders, and delivery, it's not fun for us anymore. I had always thought I'd do this place when I was older, but I thought maybe now would be a good time. Once I started working here, I stopped thinking about pointless things. I enjoy what I'm doing now more than all the messy little things. Everyone says I look like I'm having the most fun (laughs)."

[taegimood]

Hey💗 I'm one of your readers who only re-blogs quietly because I'm too introverted (+not good at English lol) to talk with anyone, even anonymously. However, I was quite sad after reading your last post and honestly, I feel the same way about tumblr. Although I've never written on this app, the people I follow have an awfully high expectation of them. Once someone goes on a short break, the community rushes to another account, who provides them with more content. If they go on a smaller break, the same thing happens again. There were several writers I followed who went on a short break, then came back, posted wonderful works of thousands of words, but didn't get the same support as before. And this makes me sad. Personally, I follow someone or read someone's work because of their writing style and I could wait months (or even years) to read something new from them. Of course, not everyone is like this, not everyone likes to wait. It's just strange to me that so many people don't leave time for writers, whether they're away because of burnout or personal matter.

I actually visited your blog a lot and thought of you, I was just too shy to ask about you :(( I think you've made the right decision now (although I'll miss your writing very much) but mental health comes first, and if writing ever brings you joy again, just know that there will always be at least one person here waiting for your new work💌

oh nonnie :(((

it may sound silly but i got really emotional reading this.. thank you for taking the time to write it.

so many people on here don’t seem to understand the toll that running a large blog takes on writers when we’re often treated like machines and you’re exactly right; expectations are high and people are so quick to rush off to someone else and just find whoever outputs content the fastest.

i totally agree with you that personally, if it’s a blog/writer that i love, then i will gladly wait for more of their content even if it means waiting for them to return from a hiatus or a dry patch. it’s sad to me as well that so many people instead have the machine mindset when they look at writers and are okay with just moving on to whoever’s more convenient.

i’m sad that i didn’t know about you until now, but thank you for being so supportive of me, and for being willing to wait for me to find my motivation again, when or if it happens.. hearing that there’s at least one person rooting for me means more to me than you know. ❤️‍🩹

if you ever feel like interacting again, you’re more than welcome to become an emoji anon or something if you want (all of my old ones disappeared after my last hiatus 🙂‍↕️) but i always hope that my inbox can be a comfortable and welcoming place for my readers no matter the topic, even if you’re feeling shy <3

(also your english is amazing and you 100% sound like a native speaker, i literally wouldn’t have known otherwise if you hadn’t said anything lol so trust me there’s no need to be insecure abt that !!!)

but anyway.. it’s readers like you who remind me why i love to write and give me the motivation to keep trying.

so thank you. i’ll be keeping words like yours in mind. 🫂

[kunavi]

Hi!

Have you ever thought you might be a unique marten that changes its coat like a stoat? How did you distinguish these two different, yet quite similar 'types?

Hope you don't mind the question, I'm genuinely interested ^^

Hi! I'm not into mixed animals, so I stay loyal to these two separately c:

How did I distinguish? That's a very good question! And it's actually a very long story of many months questioning. Under the cut:

Martens and stoats are both mustelids, but from different genus types. Martens and sables (Martes genus) - they're mostly arboreal, all this climbing, resting in tree holes, all on height. Stoats are relatives to weasels and ferrets (Mustela), mostly ground animals, running after prey in tunnels. Stoats can climb trees for the eggs, but rarely.

And to me again. I had a long time (year+) questioning both. My urges are both of climbing/branches running/cat-like size/longer snout/semi-retractable claws/foraging/vocalizing/squirrels/birds/mice/fruit/nuts (marten stuff, and only the European pine marten has semi-retractable claws so it's obvious) and hyper zoomies/weasel war dance/so very tiny size/urge to run in snow tunnels/play in the snow/getting giant prey/shorter snout/vocalizing style/want to go all white to disguise in winter (stoat stuff, any other Mustela animal didn't click)

I was thinking, looks like I can't settle on one mustelid, and I "need" to stop on one. There were times when I was sure: Yeah, I'm a marten only, not a stoat, stoats are too tiny, to hyper and not adapted to tree branches. In winters it's no need to turn white for hunting if cashing food in den and rarely go out. So it's a marten!

Martens do stock up food. In January, for example, activity levels are low and martens spend a lot of time resting in dens, while stoats feel no need to do it and hunt all year long

And there were times like this: No, why do I think I'm a marten? I want to run in snow tunnels after mice, getting those big rabbits while too tiny prey isn't interesting, to fit in tiny places under tree roots, and just non-stop run - martens are much more reserved!

And I as a person get cold easy, and prefer to stay at home mid-autumn to mid-spring, so it's pretty much aligning with martens. But when I do go outside, it's "yeah, snow! how to get under this snow and find mice under it, woohoo" /stoat stuff awakens. Then again "damn stupid snow, time to rest in my den/room and snack" /marten stuff

And these two stages just repeat, and repeat, and repeat.

This was pure confusion for the time when I wanted to settle down on one animal. Too different, but too similar. Polytherians usually identify as different enough animals, at least from different families, so they're much easier to distinguish (dog howls, cat doesn't. cat meows, dog doesn't). When it's this, its harder.

Later after some reflecting, I got to the point where I think the marten stuff is much more stronger in me, and that stoat behaviours appear less frequent, yet they are still there. So I'm at peace now, I'm a European pine marten, randomly changing into stoat for some time and returning to marten self after, as it's a default form. Also I experience lots of mustelid cameo shifts (those two recent posts about badgers)

That's it! At last I did settle down, on this combination that finally feels right and peaceful!