#and it often happens that despite the desire to write you are unable to proceed with the story for days

[aetheternity]

Stuck in the past ~ a future with you

Synopsis: Female reader is from the modern world and somehow ends up in Teyvat where she meets an alchemist by the name of Albedo and a herbalist by the name of Baizhu.

Disclaimer: Despite how utterly clunky the synopsis is the two men are written into separate parts. Also I'll be honest and admit that Baizhu's part is shorter because I don't know how to write for him. Submission by: Stygianoir

Albedo

~Because you carry the aura of the stars~

Albedo's daily life had stayed fairly the same since his awakening, constant questioning of the world around him and the answers he'd been basically programmed to want answers to. Though as of recent his work had hit a bump he hadn't expected and the result was many late nights of reading, experimenting and no sleep with very little progress.

The answer to said problems was one no one could have predicted. A young woman had been found laid halfway buried beneath the snow, seemingly uninjured but still unconscious. From what information Timaeus had relinquished she'd been unresponsive from the moment he'd found her. No hilichurl camps or Fatui in the vicinity of her resting place. Her body draped in clothing unlike that of any Mondstat resident. Perhaps a different nation? But even then her clothing didn't remind Albedo of anything he'd seen from books.

"Is she breathing?" Sucrose asked as Albedo, placed two fingers over your pulse.

"Seems so." He replied simply

"Should we take her to Barbara? Or perhaps Acting Grand Master Jean?" Timaeus questioned

"No need. I can tend to her for the time being. You and Sucrose can resume your previous affairs and return in the morning as originally planned."

"Are you sure Mr. Albedo?" Sucrose pressed

"I am quite certain I will be able to handle her. If a situation does happen to present itself where I or she is in any form of severe danger I will journey to the treatment camp at the bottom of the mountain."

The pair nodded before turning to grab their equipment, "We promise to be back bright and early to see how things went." Timaeus waved with his free hand. And with that they were off.

Albedo soon found himself unable to work for a different reason that afternoon. The stranger laid in blankets in the corner of his lab seemed so still. Completely idle aside from the small breaths she seemed to take every so often. He questioned whether he should make the woman some tea but his concern over it possibly becoming cold by the time she awoke trumped that desire. After a short while of very little work being done overall on his part he found himself with his pencil and pad.

He wasn't quite sure how long he'd spent scribbling this stranger's features onto paper but the results relaxed him in a way he hadn't been in weeks. And once he was done he flipped the page and repositioned his body to proceed with a different angle. After that was done he quickly realized that he'd been staring at his handy work longer than he ever had before. Patiently tracing lines with his thumb so oddly entranced.

He found his attention soon snatched away when the person before him shivered fidgeting beneath the blankets. He quickly set his work down wrapping the blankets tighter around the stranger before standing to bring a torch closer. Setting it close enough to know the warmth emanating from it could be felt. That seemed to quell the shivering as the crease in your brow soon relaxed as did Albedo. His hope that you would awaken soon strengthening.

By the time your stirring had become more frequent the sun had already retreated from its daily duty. A blissful peace rising over Dragonspine in the form of dots of starlight and the over arching light of a full moon. Your eyelashes fluttered and the dent in the middle of your brows grew as you pulled your weight up to your elbows.

"Please refrain from sitting up at the moment."

"H-huh.."

A cup was placed at your side soon accompanied by the voice you'd most recently heard. "You're still recovering, please lay back down and drink this. I hope you enjoy tea.."

"Who.. are you?"

"I am Albedo, Chief Alchemist for the Knights of Favonius." Your nod was slow as you began to drink the liquid offered to you. "May I ask your name? If you have any memory of such details."

The liquid in your hands was far more refreshing than you'd realized from the small sip you'd originally taken. You slipped a hand into your back pocket sliding your I.D. card out. You quickly flipped it around to make sure before handing it to Albedo.

"Hmm and um what might this be?" It was now Albedo's turn to furrow his brow. Flipping the laminated card back and forth in his hand.

"My I.D." You paused your gulping of what little was left in the cup.

Albedo read the details on the card aloud fascinated by how much information it held. He flipped it once more before it was pulled from his hands by the woman in front of him.

"I'm sorry what did you say your name was again?"

"I am Albedo." He replied "I'm sorry, I am not quite familiar with your.... as you called it an I.D. Though if possible I do wish to know where you might have obtained a gadget such as this."

"Albedo.. what a pretty name." You giggle

Albedo sucked in a breath, averting his eyes at the warmth flooding his chest and cheeks. "I fear you may have a concussion of sorts." He states simply "Perhaps you should lie back down."

~~~

Within the span of two weeks you'd changed Albedo's outlook on his own world. Of course he'd known that there was much more universe beyond Teyvat but being around you. Listening to your stories of your world and the work you'd done didn't cease in capturing his attention every time.

"Please hold on Name, enlighten Sucrose on this device you spoke to me about last night."

"Oh.." You chuckle, rubbing the back of your head. "I was just telling Bedo about this machine from my world called a centrifuge. It's a device that uses centrifugal force to separate various components of a fluid. You put small test tubes into the device and it spins it at top speeds. It just does the work that gravity would naturally do much quicker."

"Fascinating." Sucrose replied, eyes nearly blown wide.

The first time you tell Albedo about squeezable paint it's while he's taking a much needed break from the lab. You watch his brushstrokes lightly smooth along the canvas. Recapturing the landscape in front of him perfectly as though he were simply spitting it directly from the world before him.

"Kept within tubes?"

"Yup and brushes of different size, length and color exist. Some brushes have skinnier tips and others have more defined tips with more bristles."

"My painting is complete." Albedo announced, seating himself by your side. The easel positioned so you could better take in the warmth of the colors and his natural skill at play. The world coming to life all over again within his handy work.

"You really are a marvel, Albedo."

"As are you."

"Huh?" You blink, mesmerized by his attention now completely drawn to you. "I'm.. I'm not that special.." You admit with a discontented sigh.

"That can't be possible. I've met an array of different people in my life and none of them are quite like you. None of them can hold my attention with stories like yours. Or rather they simply don't possess such stories to begin with." His knee brushed against yours, the feeling of your heart pounding filled your ears.

You hum a little laugh out. "You just think that way because all of these things I'm telling you about are things you've never experienced before. But if you saw them everyday you'd probably think of me the same way everyone else had."

"And how was that?"

"People.. let's just say people weren't as enthralled in everything I had to say as you and Sucrose and Timaeus are constantly." When he doesn't speak you add. "In fact I think me being gone might be something they're all perfectly accepting of."

The brush of Albedo's lips on yours had you opening your mouth for him a mix of surprise and contentment filling your lungs as you were tugged in closer. His breath, cold as it was, brushed over your upper lip as he tugged you closer by your cheek smoothing his thumb across your jawline. You let out a little squeak at the tiny jolt of electricity between your lips when he pulled back.

"Was that?.." He cleared his throat. "Was that optimal for you?"

You watched the beginnings of pink dust across the apples of his cheeks and a giggle fell off your lips. "Very." You admit.

"I wish to indulge in all the world's pleasures with you." He says softly "Stay by my side. Please?"

Baizhu

"I'd love to learn more about you. If that's allowed."

When Baizhu is first introduced to you it's on a trip to Qingce Village. The conversation you're holding with one of the elderly women there holding his attention for longer than even he'd realized till Qiqi tugged on his pant leg.

"Yes, my darling?" He remarked snapping out of his thoughts.

"That woman, you're staring." Qiqi replied in her cool monotone voice.

Before Baizhu could even begin to conjure up a reply the sound of his voice being called snapped his attention back to the very interestingly dressed stranger and the older woman by her side. The elderly woman chuckled face beaming with joy as she held up a strange object for Baizhu to see.

"Look at this, This woman brought it here. Says that it's good for heart health but I've never seen any food quite like it. When we fed it to the kids however they all seemed to thoroughly enjoy it."

You gave Baizhu a warm smile, lowering yourself to Qiqi's level. "Would you like a bite too sweetie?"

"Oh no sorry dear but my Qiqi won't eat anything quite like that."

The elderly woman soon butted back in, "I was assuming she was with you Baizhu. She knows so much about plants, I figured she was one of your newer employees."

Baizhu snuck a glance at the older woman before his eyes fell back on you. "May I ask for your name?" He questioned outstretching a hand for you to shake. You take it quickly giving him your first and last name. "Were you looking for a job as a herbalist, Name?"

It didn't take long for Qiqi to get better acquainted with you and in turn Baizhu also became closer with you. Seeking out new information on all of the knowledge you possess regarding plants from your universe. It didn't even occur to him until you'd been around for almost a month that your company was one he'd needed for a while.

Whenever he'd leave you in charge of the shop for the day he'd come back to see you scribbling little notes for Qiqi in her notebook or writing prescriptions down for the other clerk that often took Qiqi's place while she trained.

On a more recent day he'd waltzed in to the now empty shop to your figure stretched across the front desk a lamp by your side as you worked through several more prescriptions from the current day. He stood by idly watching the dim light as it flickered and stirred on your face. After a couple minutes had passed he began to approach and for the first time your face lifted. Lighting the room even further.

"Hey, I just finished the latest orders. There were a couple delighted customers today regaling me with talk of their new prescriptions working out so much better for them. Didn't I tell you that a lighter dose might do wonders for-"

His hand slipped beneath your jaw, pressing a fleeting peck to your lips. Before you could even begin to speak he chuckled, "Seems I should try listening you much more often. As long as you're here anyway."

[archerdaryl]

Oblivious.

Daryl gets it into his head that the girl he’s infatuated with doesn’t like him one bit. What he fails to remember is that when it comes to people, she’s about as oblivious as he is. 

Pairing: Daryl Dixon x Reader Tags: moody?? angsty?? idiot meets bigger idiot | @madshelily​​ Word Count: 2.7k (approximately) Notes: Request by @petrified-teeth​​ ♥ This is my first time trying something angsty since getting back into writing -- I’d love to hear what people think!

Whispers echoed through the canteen hall as Daryl lumbered through, his crossbow bloody and slung over his shoulder. There was a particularly scathing scowl painted across his grizzly features, one that unfortunately wasn’t the result of a hard day’s work outside the prison walls, and people were quick to move or look away as he grumpily made his way through the building.

To say it had been a long week was an understatement, but he was used to getting his hands dirty. He didn’t mind the aching muscles or the sweat that came with working under the scorching Georgia sun. If anything, he was happiest when he was put to work. He felt useful, like he was needed, which was something he hadn’t ever felt much of in his life.

No, that wasn’t what had been bothering him at all. Not even close.

When Daryl eventually reached his cell, he threw down his crossbow before collapsing onto his bunk. He adjusted his pillow so that he could sit up a little against the wall, eventually settling into the thin mattress with a long, heavy exhale. He was glad to finally be alone, but he still had to simmer in his thoughts which were only getting louder. 

Why hadn’t you talked to him this week? Shit, you’d barely even looked at him. 

None of it made sense. 

From the very first moment that you arrived at the prison, something about you set the archer on edge. You had been on your own, somehow surviving against the world and all its horrors for God knows how long, and yet you hadn’t turned to stone. You were everything he wasn’t in many ways. Unabashedly emotional and full of faith despite it all even though he knew you had experienced some of the worst things a person could. 

He didn’t understand it. He didn’t understand you, but that didn’t matter. He just wanted to make sure nothing ever smacked that smile off your face again. 

Daryl’s stomach stirred. His own features softened at the mere thought of your smile, which only made him forcibly frown again. What the fuck was his problem? He had to be overthinking this. Maybe he was just tired, but that couldn’t be it. 

You hadn’t spoken to him all week.

It was driving him insane. 

Looking back, he really wasn’t sure when his feelings for you snuck up on him. He could only pinpoint the moment he realised it for himself that he liked you at all. You had gotten separated from the group on a run, took it upon yourself to divert a small herd away from everyone. You ended up bloody and bruised. Damn well nearly got yourself bit, but you still giggled and told him he worried too much.

It took almost losing you to realise you had chiselled away at the walls he built around himself. You’d made a little home for yourself in his heart and the idea of you turning on him now was making him spiral.

Daryl shifted in his bunk and began to absentmindedly pick at the skin around his fingernails. One soon started to bleed, but he was too lost in thought to notice. 

There was no fucking way you felt the same as he did. How could a girl like you possibly want a guy like him? You personified sunshine and he was a weed that had absolutely no business taking up your time and energy. 

God, if his brother could see him now.  He was pathetic. Merle would tell him just that, laughing in his face and reminding him that he told him so, that no one would ever care about his baby brother Daryl but him. 

And the worst thing was that he could live with that. He could live with you not wanting to be with him. It kept him awake at night and gnawed away at whatever little sense of self he had left but as long as you liked him just a little bit and wanted him around he could live with it. 

So why the fuck weren’t you talking to him?

Daryl started to retrace his steps, trying to figure out if he had done something wrong. He knew he could be blunt, often rude at times, but he meant well. Maybe meaning well wasn’t enough. Maybe he just had to suck it up and apologise and hope it was enough despite not having a damn clue what he had done wrong. 

But maybe that was just it. Maybe he hadn’t done anything at all. Maybe there was something wrong with him.

He was breathing heavily now, eyes squeezed shut and anger building further in his chest. He couldn’t fix this. He wanted to but he couldn’t. The echoes of Merle’s laughter haunted him. He’d been thrown away like he’d been countless times before and he only had himself to blame.

“Hey Da-” A familiar voice interrupted him, quickly sounding concerned, “What’s going on?”

Daryl’s eyes shot open, scowling at the figure who had approached his cell. It was just Rick, but he didn’t want to talk to Rick right now. He didn’t want to talk to anyone.

“Nothin’.” He spat angrily, “Get lost.”

Rick sighed and stepped into Daryl’s cell, drawing the thin curtain behind him to try and give Daryl the illusion of privacy. 

“Daryl you can’t keep storming around the prison like this. People are uncomfortable.” He paused, lowering his gaze to shake his head before looking at his friend with sympathetic eyes, “Now what is it? Is it her?”

The archer blinked up at him, unable to respond.

“You think I ain’t noticed?” Rick chuckled, “Like a dog to a bone whenever she’s around.”

“Well she ain’t around. She ain’t fuckin’ talkin’ to me.”

Daryl sat up from his bunk and threw his legs over the side, leaning onto them with his elbows. He couldn’t deny it even if he wanted to. He may not have said anything, but Daryl had a language of his own only those closest to him could understand. Rick was one of those people. 

“She’s been bouncin’ around all week helpin’ out with the library. Have you talked to her?”

Again, Daryl was stuck for words. He was starting to feel stupid. 

“Why don’t you just tell her man?”

“Tell her what?” He snarled back, now massaging his fists as if he were in pain. 

He couldn’t fathom trying to tell you how he really felt. How could he? He was no good. He never understood why you insisted on talking to him in the first place, he was just glad you did. Every moment he got to spend with you made him want to make the world a better place for you to be in so that faith of yours never betrayed you again.

“C’mon now. You can lie to everyone else but I’ve seen the way you look at her.”

Daryl shot Rick another scowl but didn’t bother trying to tell him otherwise. 

“You talk too damn much.”

“She won’t figure it out for herself, man. D’ya think if she could take a hint you’d be sulkin’ like this right now?”

Dary’s brows knitted together and a sigh of defeat drew slowly from his lips. Rick had a point whether he liked it or not. You weren’t exactly… the most cognizant person when it came to others. You did good and hoped people were good to you in return, but unless someone spelled out their intentions or desires for you, you were left with simply navigating the waters the best you could. 

That was why you got on so well with Michonne. There was no bullshit with her. She told you what she thought, what she wanted, or where to go if you were pissing her off. You were better off for it, never having to second guess yourself, but not everyone was like that. 

Daryl certainly wasn’t. Did you have any idea where you stood with him at all? Did you see him like you saw everyone else? He swallowed hard. 

“Rick?” A voice then called out, “Are you down here?”

“In here!”

Footsteps approached Daryl’s cell and the curtain was pulled open, “Maggie wants you. Something about the library? She should be still in there.”

Daryl glanced up at the new arrival who met his crystalline gaze with a sweet smile. 

It was you. 

His mouth suddenly felt incredibly dry. 

Rick turned to Daryl and cocked a brow suggestively before making his departure. Daryl wanted to shove the smug bastard against a wall, but he stayed silent, clearing his throat and waiting for you to follow Rick without bothering to say another word.

Instead, you stayed and perched yourself on the edge of his squeaky metal desk which was covered in borrowed books and makeshift arrows. He silently cursed himself for not thinking to tidy up a little, especially with the pile of dirty clothes he kept forgetting about building up in the corner of his cell. 

“You charged right past me in the canteen earlier.” You finally said, voice gentle but steady, “Did something happen out there?”

“Naw.” He responded bluntly, “Just been a long week.”

“Oh.” You paused, unsure of how to proceed, “Do you want me to go?”

He was a difficult man to read, but you felt you knew him well enough by now to know that he often just wanted to be on his own. He wasn’t a talker. He was introspective and quiet, never wanted to bother anyone with anything if he didn’t have to, but over the last few months he seemed to have grown to like having you around. He tolerated you at the very least you thought, because he stopped ignoring you and started to speak in (almost) complete sentences. 

Still, something was nagging at you. You weren’t sure what, but in your experience it was best to come right out with it otherwise you’d be stuck in limbo forever. 

“Have I done -”

Daryl looked down at his hands, “Ain’t seen you all week.”

A frown pulled at your features. Had it really been that long? You weren’t even sure what day it was. Maggie had you running around all week trying to get this library in order for the kids and you had never been particularly good at juggling a million things at once. 

Pushing yourself up off the desk, you approached the bunk and nudged his feet with your shoe in a silent request for him to shuffle over. He obliged and you took a seat next to him. 

“I’m sorry.” You mumbled, “I’ve been so caught up in the library I didn’t even realise I hadn’t spoken much to anyone.”

Silence followed. Daryl was chewing the inside of his lip to keep himself from running, unable to meet your eyes that were fixated on him with such care and curiosity. He’d never felt so fuckin’ stupid. 

“Funny.” You continued, “I wouldn’t have thought you cared.”

“What?”

“I don’t know where I stand with you at all, truthfully.”

This girl had to be joking. From an outside perspective, it likely made perfect sense, but he thought about you all the damn time. He wanted to know if you slept well, how your day went, wanted to know the little stories behind the things you did and why you never seemed to give up on anybody or anything. 

He felt like a damn school girl. He liked you so much that he could have laughed at the idea of you not thinking he liked you at all. 

“I mean, I hope you like me. I pretend you do and keep buggin’ you anyways, but I don’t know that you do.”

“Of course I like ya.” He finally met your gaze, “Never gave me a choice.”

You studied his face. Sure, he was rough around the edges, but there was also a tenderness to him that made you feel safe. An appreciative grin tugged at your lips, relieved that you hadn’t been making a fool of yourself this entire time. 

“Don’ think I could hate ya’ if I tried.”

“That’s high praise coming from you. Might start getting the wrong idea.”

Daryl forced himself to snort in response as if he found the notion of being interested in you like that funny, though it came out half-heartedly. He didn’t really think it was funny at all.

“Though,” You teased him further, “Worse things have happened.”

Weaving an arm through his, you took it upon yourself to rest your head against his shoulder. You didn’t care that he was grubby. You had nothing to lose anymore. He just said he couldn’t hate you, which honestly made you feel a little giddy inside. You’d have to bug him more often.

Daryl, on the other hand, thought he had lost the ability to breathe. He turned his head slightly, taking in the unmistakable scent of peaches and vanilla. How was it you could smell that good during the Goddamn apocalypse? Not to mention your hands, almost disgustingly soft compared to his. Except, it wasn’t disgusting at all. You were a fleece blanket and he wanted nothing more than to be engulfed by you. 

“Sorry about lunch.” He mumbled quietly into your hair. You hummed happily, not at all bothered by his previous outburst in the canteen before he continued, “Could get dinner?”

“Sure. I gotta talk to Rick about the run tomorrow anyways.”

Daryl frowned. He was going to have to try and spell it out for her. Fuckin’ Rick and his meddling. 

“Naw I meant,” He hesitated for a moment and swallowed hard, “I meant just the two of us. If ya’ want.”

You glanced up from his shoulder, eyes beautiful and wide. This was one of those times you didn’t know what to think -- especially in regards to him --  but your first instinct was to nod, so you did. You nodded and searched his gentle gaze for some sort of sign, something that told you what he was thinking, whether he just wanted to make up for lost time or whether he was actually… nah. 

He couldn’t be.

And he could see that confusion painted across your face. Goddamn it. Just getting his words out at all was like trying to get blood out of a stone. It’s a date. That’s all he had to say, but it sounded so childish. The fuck did he look like asking out a girl on a date with the world gone to shit? He could hear his heart beating in his ears 

“Damn it,” He grunted, that Southern drawl of his getting thicker the more impatient he got. He exhaled heavily through his nose and tried not to roll his eyes, “I’m asking you out.”

“Oh.” Was all you could respond, soft and surprised. 

Ten minutes ago you weren’t even sure he liked you at all. That giddy feeling in your stomach grew stronger and you tried to stop yourself from beaming. 

“I can still say yes, right?”

Daryl shrugged you off of him, “You drive me nuts, you know tha’?”

“Alright, shit, I won’t come.”

“You’re coming, alrigh’? Now get outa here before Maggie bites my head off.”

Rolling your eyes, you stood up and stepped towards the gateway. Daryl watched you, his own gaze drifting from your hair to your waist and up again. That agonising ache in the pit of his stomach was finally starting to subside, though it was being replaced by something entirely different. He sucked in his bottom lip nervously as your hips swayed away from him. 

You only took a couple of steps out of his cell when you stopped in your tracks, turning half-way to glance at him with that sunshine smile spreading across your face. 

Daryl finally smiled back, shy and sweet and more than ready to smack Rick upside the head. 

[edgen11]

Michael Haneke

Artistic Background

Michael Haneke is an Austrian director and screen writer who was born on March 23, 1942 in Munich Germany. His father was a German theatrical director and his mother was an Austrian actress, but he was primarily raised by his aunt in Wiener Neustadt, Austria. He studied philosophy, psychology and drama at the University of Vienna and afterwards found work developing screenplays for a public television station in Baden-Baden, West Germany. Three years later, Haneke began directing for the stage, which led to an opportunity to direct small-screen films. He wrote and created 10 of these short films and they aired on German and Austrian television between 1974 and 1997. Haneke’s career in cinema began in 1989 with a film titled “Der Siebente Kontinent”, however the screenplay was rejected from television. The film depicts the tedious routine of a middle-class Viennese family and their joint suicide. This would be the first movie of Haneke’s emotionalen vergletscherung (emotional glaciation) trilogy. It was followed by a 1992 film titled “Benny’s Video” in which a movie-obsessed teenager commits a murder out of pure curiosity. That film was followed by the third film of the trilogy in 1994 titled “71 Fragmente einer Chronologie des Zufalls” (71 fragments of a chronology of chance). This film included a fractured mosaic of mundane moments that culminate in an incident of random violence. Many critics deemed these three films nihilistic, but Haneke considered them as attempts to “attune viewers to the ways that the structure of modern bourgeois society inhibit moral empathy and interpersonal communication”.

Environment

Most of Haneke’s films take place in Vienna, Austria and Paris, France. Some films were shot in other places like ‘Happy End’ in Calais France, and ‘Funny Games’ in Long Island New York. Almost all of his other films were shot in Vienna Austria and Paris France. Films like ‘The Piano Teacher’ , ‘Benny’s Video’ , and ’71 Fragments of a Chronology of Chance’ were filmed in Vienna Austria and the films ‘Amour’ and ‘Code Unknown’ were filmed in Paris France.

“The Piano Teacher” (2001)

The film ‘The Piano Teacher’ is based on a book of the same title written by Elfriede Jelinek, who won the 2004 Nobel Prize in Literature. The film is about Erika Kohut, a piano professor at Vienna Music Conservatory who was consumed by sexual repression and was not able to share her interest in different forms of paraphilia. While at a recital, Erika meets Walter Klemmer, a young engineer who also plays the piano and he expresses his admiration of her talent for classical music. Walter attempts to apply to the Vienna conservatory to be her pupil and his audition impresses many of the other professors, however Erika votes against him. Despite this, Walter is admitted at Erika’s pupil. We later meet Anna Schober, another of Erika’s pupils, as she is socializing with Walter. Erika witnesses this and sneaks into an empty coat room, breaks glass and hides a shard inside one of Anna’s coat pockets. This cuts Anna’s hand, which prevents her from playing at the upcoming concert. Immediately after Erika secretly injures Anna, Walter follows her into the bathroom. Walter kisses her and she responds by repeatedly humiliating and frustrating him. They then engage in oral sex until Erika abruptly stops when he does not abide to her orders. She tells him she will write him a letter regarding their next meeting. Later that day, with Anna’s mother distraught due to the injury, Erika says that she is the only one who can substitute for Anna in the concert with such late notice. Later on, Walter is becoming increasingly insistent about his desire to have a sexual relationship with Erika, so she gives him a letter saying what acts she will consent to and says that those acts are the only way that she will agree to a sexual relationship, but the list repulses him. She then confronts him at a hockey rink after his practice to apologize and the two then engage in sex in a janitor’s closet. Later that night, Walter goes to Erika’s apartment and attacks her in the exact fashion described in the letter of sex acts she would consent to. He locks Erika’s mother in her bedroom and then proceeds to beat and rape Erika. The next day is the day of the concert that Erika would be substituting for Anna. Erika brings a kitchen knife to the concert and Walter arrives and enters cheerfully with his family and greets Erika. Then, just before the concert is set to begin, a distraught Erika stabs herself in the shoulder with the knife and exits the building out to the street.

This is a very interesting film by Haneke that addresses the issue of sexual repression. Erika and many other people in the real world feel the need to hide their sexual interests and desires because of embarrassment and the stigma surrounding some of the many interests there are. The film “The Piano Teacher” shows that embarrassment and what it can do to a person.

“Amour” (2012)

The movie ‘Amour’ begins with a Paris apartment buildings residents complaining of a smell coming from one of the apartments. Police and firemen break down the door to find the corpse of Anne laying on the bed surrounded by cut flowers. We then cut to several months before the opening scene where Anne and her husband Georges, who are both retired piano teachers, attend a performance by one of Anne’s former pupils. They then return home and the next morning, Anne silently suffers a stroke and she sits in a catatonic state, not responding to Georges. Just as Georges is about to get help, she comes around, but has no idea that the stroke occurred. Georges unsuccessfully tries to persuade her to get help, until she finds she is unable to pour herself a drink and agrees. Anne undergoes surgery, but it goes wrong and leaves her paralyzed on her right side and confined to a wheelchair. She makes Georges promise not to send her to another hospital or nursing home, so Georges becomes her caretaker, although he is a somewhat irritated one. Later on, Anne falls from a window seemingly attempting to commit suicide, and tells Georges that she does not want to live anymore. Anne is then visited by her former pupil Alexandre and has a lively conversation with them which gives Georges some hope, but she doon suffers a second stroke which leaves her demented and incapable of coherent speech. Georges continues to look after her even though it strains him greatly. Georges then hires a nurse to come to the apartment while their daughter insists that he check her into care, but Georges refuses to break his promise to not check her into a hospital or nursing home. Then one day, Georges sits down with Anne and tells her a story of his childhood. After the story, he picks up a pillow and smothers her to death. Georges then collects flowers and puts Anne in one of her dresses and leaves her on the bed with the flowers spread around her as we see in the opening scene.

The movie “Amour” addresses the issue of what can happen to a person’s mental state from watching a loved one become sick. It is extremely difficult for some people to watch their loved ones become more and more sick, especially when they lose their ability to speak and think like Anne did. It is especially hard when you are the person caring for them and watching them become worse and worse every day. Georges became depressed and angry about what had happened to his wife and watching and caring for her as she approached a painful death ate away at Georges. He struggled to care for her and eventually it was to much, and he had to put her out of her misery. This is an issue not often addressed, but it is very important and effects the loved ones of every sick person.

Haneke’s films bring awareness to many issues that effect many people all over the world and his powerful films offer entertainment as well as lessons for the audience.

 Works Cited

Frey, Mattias, et al. Senses of Cinema, 19 Oct. 2018, www.sensesofcinema.com/2010/great-directors/michael-haneke/

“Michael Haneke.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 19 Mar. 2021, www.britannica.com/biography/Michael-Haneke

“Ratings, Reviews, and Where to Watch the Best Movies & TV Shows.” IMDb, IMDb.com, www.imdb.com/

Carter, William H. “Money, Violence, and the Financialized Self in Michael Haneke's Glaciation Trilogy.” Wiley Online Library, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, 10 Feb. 2021, www.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/gequ.12159  

Collection Michael Haneke, www.haneke.filmmuseum.at/haneke/en  

Writer, Director, et al. “Michael Haneke Movie Reviews & Film Summaries: Roger Ebert.” Movie Reviews & Film Summaries | Roger Ebert, www.rogerebert.com/cast-and-crew/michael-haneke

Zielinski, Interviewed by Luisa. “The Art of Screenwriting No. 5.” The Paris Review, 24 Feb. 2020, www.theparisreview.org/interviews/6354/the-art-of-screenwriting-no-5-michael-haneke

Cinescope.

Masters of Modern World Cinema: Michael Haneke

, 15 Sept. 2020,

www.cine-scope.com/2013/07/14/profile-michael-haneke/

[coquetteblossom]

Hello, it's timeline anon. I hope you've been well. I just finished the newest route... To be honest I really liked this route but something in the ending I got really just didn't sit well with me. I was wondering have you seen or own the Special Believers packages? A friend of mine bought it and Saeren's diary was the sole reason I went into this route (and spent so much money). I was wondering what were your thoughts if you had seen it.

Hey, nonnie! It’s been a while, I hope you had a good year start as well, I’m happy to see you around. 

I haven’t played the new route yet and I don’t really plan to for a while, since I got a bit of a bad aftertaste after reading some reviews… I wonder if it’s for the same reasons you found the ending slightly troubling? If you want you can send me a message and tell me your opinions with more detail, I’m very interested! 

That said, I did read the Special Believer’s package and both diaries (Saeran’s and Rika’s) thanks to a friend’s generosity, and the content has both new and contradictory information, I’ll ramble a bit here if you don’t mind!

The following contains SPOILERS FOR THE SPECIAL BELIEVER’S PACKAGE. PROCEED WITH CAUTION. 

As an avid useless information gatherer I loved the “what’s in their bags” segments, and the small interviews and articles regarding each of the members, but the most fascinating bits were the ones regarding Saeran, Rika and V in both diaries.

Saeran: The whole trip inside Saeran’s mind before, during and after his kidnapping was heartbreaking. His child-like outlook of the world truly makes some of the darker things he describes all the more haunting. All in all, the diary finally paints the image of Saeran as a person that only really wanted a family and stability; he just wanted to belong and have a place and people to call his own. Rika took advantage of this desire in order to exploit him and assure his loyalty to Mint Eye, and so she took on a maternal role towards him that was quite similar to that of his own mother in order to cause even more dependency, and then completely erased any other ‘family’ figure he had (Saeyoung and V) to ensure she was the only one left for him. As such, his obsession towards becoming useful towards Rika (and grow stronger for her sake) are only attempts to preserve the one (1) thing he has left, and shows his usefulness as means of proving his worth in order to remain in his “home”. 

Rika: Rika’s diary highlights what has been described often as ‘Rika’s innocence’, and how innocence isn’t a good thing. Some people have called all this content ‘Rika apologism’, but I don’t see it like that; in my opinion it just serves as a reminder on how the other side of innocence is cruelty. In the diary she is mostly cheery while saying and doing truly disturbing things, so it’s easy to see how someone as ‘kind and sweet’ as the early Rika could do the things she did later on. Also, a nice bonus information is how she was obsessed with V way before meeting him; what seems like an innocent kind of fangirly crush turns out to be a cruel brand of obsession, highlighting the innocence/cruelty dichotomy she embodies. It’s also a poignant reminder on how the whole ‘it wasn’t love, it was obsession’ epiphany V had in his own route applied to her as well. 

Jihyun/V: The interviews with V’s acquaintances show how V, despite being highly empathetic during the game itself, didn’t really understand much about emotions. He wasn’t even happy nor sad, he was just… There. His issues with art are not just about art itself and this is something most people fail to acknowledge. You see, art is a field that is intimately tied to emotion and emotional expression, therefore V being unable to embrace art as a form of self-expression is meant to portray how his own emotional growth was stunted. Therefore, it’s easy to see how he ended up in a toxic relationship.

That said, there is one thing that truly troubles me regarding this bonus content.

THE TIMELINES. THE. TIMELINES. THEY DON’T MATCH. 

The diary makes it seem as if Saeran was kidnapped while still very young (which is what the game itself tells you during Saeyoung’s route and Secret 02) because his writing is childish and naive up until then, and the photo Rika was staring at was clearly that of a child, or at most an early teenager.

But then Saeran’s diary says that Rika got angry at the mention of V’s name, making it seem as if they already had their Big Fight (that ended with V’s blindness)when Saeran got kidnapped , which naturally doesn’t make any sense because that fight happened only 6 months before the start of Another Story, and clearly Saeran is a young adult by then. Not to mention, the Big Fight happened after there was a hacking attempt to get the guests’ information, so Saeran clearly had to be a long-term member of Mint Eye by the time Rika blinded V and left him. 

So… What is the truth? Or is this meant to imply that Rika and V had more than just one big fight and those were a constant? 

Hmmmm… Food for thought.

Anyway this got really long and I’m very sorry for the rambling.