#and the confused Toads too 😂

[roscolate]

BOMAAAAA THESE ARE SO GOOD 🥹🥰😍

odyssey !!

a (super) late odyssey anniversary post AND illustrations of my lovely bestie @silenzahra’s odyssey headcanons 😙

[honey-minded-hivemind]

Heya,

Me again (❤️ anon) and I just read your dream post (funny that after you wish me good dreams about the platonic yanderes that you end up having one 😊) and I was just wondering a few things:

Is the reader part of this story as well? If yes, what “group” are they in? Are they part of the younger kids?

If so, is there anything like inter-personal (not talking about romance more so like, who’s best friends with who? Who knows who since childhood? Just stuff like that)

And lastly, I really like the idea of like the different cliques of people, like the jocks (Scott vibes), theater kids (I kind of get Kurt from that), the "delinquents with a heart of gold” (obviously Logan). Also, I have this scene of reader maybe being a new student at the school and maybe getting picked on/bullied by someone - probably the humans or something if this is also a mutant!au - and Logan or one of the others just being like: “that’s a pup right there, not letting someone walk all over them” and basically taking them under their wing

Feel free to answer or ignore or whatever. I love the idea ❤️ (Also, I’ve started writing the little 🖤 dark au scene)

-❤️ Anon

Yep is rather funny, isn't it, ❤ Anon?😂😅 To answer your questions:

• Yes, Reader is definitely a part of the story as well! And yes, they are part of the younger kids! I'm going to say they are the youngest, actually, and are part of the school due to having higher grades or more potential? compared to most of their old schoolmates/classmates...

• Some of them have known each other since childhood! Victor and Logan are brothers (Logan did get amnesia or his memories blurred, though; Victor is his protective and obsessed older sibling/friend), Kurt and Rogue are adopted/step siblings (it happened a few years ago), Wanda and Pietro are Erik's kids, but are kinda... adopted or were government experiments, they're friends with Lance and Todd and Fred, as well as Evan... Scott and Jean were best friends, and still are, just getting romantic with each other, Kitty, Kurt, and Evan are a friend trio, a qunituplet if you add Pietro and Todd/Toad, the Brotherhood form a small group at times, so do the X-Kids and older X-Teens, Warren and Hank and Bobby are buddies and lab partners, etc. ... So, a lot of them do get along and have little groups and dynamics, it just can get a bit confusing who knows who, and how they know each other😅😊

• And yeah, there are some cliques, they aren't as pronounced, but they are there. It IS a mutant au, good eye! There are a few human students, too, and they can be a bit of a pain... And... there is a dark side to the campus, lurking beneath the calmer school exterior. Look too deep, and you can't go back to how things were... And yep! Reader ends up as a target, being younger (like, fourteen years old or the youngest fifteen year old there) and having a mutation, possibly an odd one or one that isn't really seen or known, paints a target on them... Then they're such a kind and empathetic person to the teens such as Logan or Scott or Storm, and suddenly they're all protective over Reader. That is THEIR emotional support child/pup/gremlin, pick on someone else, or better yet, face THEM-

(If you have any more questions, or if anyone else has questions, please, again, feel free to ask! I am not doing requests right now, but I can do short things like explanations, world-building, character discussions and backstories, as well as backstory and hints as to what is going with the school/campus...😊💛💕)

Thank you for asking, ❤ Anon! (Would you like a nickname?) (We have Bee or 🐝, Honeybee or 🍯🐝, or Hiveling or 🧪����)

[nerdywriter36]

Notes - Phantom Broadway - Monday, March 20 (evening)

Notes courtesy of my best friend @brendadaaedestler (I can tag her now, she's on Tumblr 😂)! These are long, so enjoy the read if you're up to it. I'll put them below the cut!

Act One

The trio was Jeremy Stolle, Julia Udine, and Paul A. Schaefer

Paul’s old man Raoul sounded like he was three seconds from keeling over.

Ted’s Piangi was really funny. Also, his top notes? Stunning.

Ted’s Italian accent has improved.

During Think of Me, Paul stood up really quickly to excitedly applaud Christine.

He looked around at everyone else in the box like, “Why aren’t you clapping?”

Julia and Sara had real bestie energy, their hug before Angel of Music was so sweet.

You could tell Paul’s Raoul enjoyed joking with Christine during the whole “Little Lotte, where is your red scarf…” bit.

Paul and Julia’s shared giggles were so sweet; they seemed so happy to see each other.

Jeremy spat out his “Insolent boy…” lines, and we got a really good “fool”

Jeremy’s HAND when the mirror closed!!!

Paul had a very good, very confused, “Angel?”

For the title song, they had a bunch of tech issues, which meant Jeremy and Julia had to do a bunch of improvising. The candles didn’t totally move aside, so the boat didn’t completely come out. They stayed in the boat until just before Jeremy’s last “Sing for me!”, when he walked around the candles to then lift Julia out of the boat.

The organ and mirror bride didn’t make it out at first, so Jeremy took his hat and cloak off during the whole “I have brought you…” bit and had to lay the cloak on the floor.

He just had to Strolle™ around the stage a little at the beginning of Music of the Night, as the organ and mirror didn’t make it on to stage until a little before his top note on “soar”.

When the organ finally came out, Jeremy Strolled™ over to smoothly pick up the cloak from the floor and then draped it over the organ.

The first time they nearly kissed, Jeremy pulled away with an audible intake of air, as though very overwhelmed by the proximity to Christine.

The portcullis didn’t come down, but Jeremy is incredible with his improv, so instead of a portcullis sprawl, he briefly wrapped his arms around Julia’s waist.

Jeremy’s voice was so rich throughout the whole song.

He looked so amazed at Christine’s presence during the whole “you alone can make my song take flight”, and we also got a voice crack, which just made it heartbreaking.

Jeremy really chose to be anger in Stranger Than you Dreamt It, and I was so here for it.

The candles were still out, so they had to run around them. Jeremy half hopped/half tripped over the boat at one point while chasing Julia.

He had to take a moment to compose himself before going into “Stranger than you dreamt it…”

His crawl was so smooth.

We got some growls in his singing, some voice cracks, all of the good stuff.

“Oh, Christine” sounded so devastated.

You could see the confidence visibly return once he had the mask back on.

Craig and Nehal had such great chemistry during Notes and the beginning of Prima Donna. Nehal did his usual frantic gesturing to Carlotta to get Firmin to join him in his groveling, and Craig sounded like he wanted to throw up at having to say “we need you too.”

Jeremy acting on the proscenium was fantastic. His “Madame, perhaps it is you who are the toad.” had Cherik sarcasm vibes. He was absolutely killing himself laughing; they weren’t evil laughs, it was laughter of pure amusement.

He yanked the chandelier so hard that it was still swinging well into All I Ask of You.

Paul’s All I Ask of You was so comforting. He did the little lean over and head tilt thing at the beginning when standing in front of her.

Paul’s vocals were incredible, as always!

He gave Julia a good spin at the end.

Jeremy shattered me with his Reprise. He was a broken man throughout the whole thing.

When Paul and Julia started singing, he immediately shoved his hands over his ears and seems so tormented/broken-hearted to hear her with Raoul. His voice got really low on “no” and he sounded so broken.

Jeremy went off on “You will curse the day…”

Act Two

Paul’s dancing in Masquerade was absolutely phenomenal. Him lifting Julia was sooo smooth and honestly really hot.

Julia’s dancing was also super good! You can tell she’s done ballet.

Nehal had a solid catch when Jeremy tossed the Don Juan score. Great job on both their parts.

Paul is really soft in Notes II when he kneels in front of Christine.

Julia’s Wishing was absolutely stunning. Up until now, her Christine was sort of generic for me, but she went off from this point forward.

Wandering Child was absolutely gorgeous.

Paul really put his back into that belting.

Jeremy went up a note on “do not shun me.”

The way Jeremy hits the last “angel” really does things to me.

Julia’s Christine stood there very entranced during Jeremy’s “Come to me, Angel of Music” and was genuinely shocked to turn and see Raoul standing there.

Jeremy shuts the curtain in a really sexy way when he appears as Don Juan.

His voice was soooo rich, and the choreography was super smooth. You can tell he’s been playing this role for years.

PHANTOM HANDS!!!

The way Jeremy sings “soul” is sooo sexy.

He went progressively lower on “what rich desire unlock its door?” 👌🏻👌🏻

How he hits “seduction” might actually be the sexiest thing in this show, and it should be illegal.

Julia’s vocals and acting were stunning throughout the whole song.

After Julia starts singing, when Jeremy got up from the bench to walk around it and sit down on the other side, he was super sexy in his movements. HANDS.

The bench acting was phenomenal. He started out not really moving, and then the hands started going up and down his thighs, and he touched some ahem other things a couple times.

He went rigid when Christine put her leg up on the bench.

We got a fully body reaction when Christine touched him.

Julia scooped her hands really low when he was on the bench and she was standing behind him. You can draw your conclusions about where the hands nearly were.

When Christine was feeling the mask, Jeremy tried to turn his head away like he was trying to stop her.

They both startled at the same time and ran from each other.

When Jeremy noticed Madame Giry, he stood up straighter and looked very resigned, like he’d just realized: “wow, so you betrayed me too.”

His proposal was shattering. He was so pleading, and he got really breathy on “save me.”

The POWER in his voice when he got to “anywhere you go…”

Down Once More was so full of anger and betrayal. “Christine, why?” sounded genuinely confused and so hurt, and then the second “why?” was angry.

Jeremy gave Julia a good shove forward when they entered for final lair.

Jeremy turned into such a sad Mama’s boy at “this face, which earned a mother’s fear and loathing…”

He immediately switched to being angry when he got to “Pity comes too late…”

Jeremy was very sarcastic when Raoul showed up, while also seeming frustrated that Raoul came to throw a wrench in things.

Paul’s vocals when begging at the portcullis? chef’s kiss

Paul looks like he’s actually choking to death when he’s caught in the lasso. I was concerned for this man for a second there.

At “raise up your hand to the level of your eyes,” Jeremy just kinda Strolled™ over and held his hand up and stared at Paul for a moment before walking away. Had vibes of “are you dumb?”

You could watch the plan form in his head during the whole “nothing can save you now…except, perhaps, Christine.”

Jeremy did the “This is the choice!” opt up!!!!!!!!

The whole “You try my patience. Make your choice” was very low and a bit growly at the end.

Julia’s Christine sounded sooo sad singing, “Pitiful creature of darkness…”

THE KISS!!! Jeremy’s arms sort of hovered around her like he wanted to hold her to him but didn’t really know how, and then he just kinda froze when she hugged him. When Christine kissed him again, his arms reached up like he didn’t know what to do with the situation, but then he melted into it and brought them down around her, almost holding her (he may have actually held her very briefly, but I don’t 100% remember).

I once again feel the need to state that Paul’s acting in the noose is so amazing. It really does look like he’s dying, and then his collapse when the Phantom lets him go is very realistic. Props, man.

Jeremy’s “take him, forget me…” lines sounded so broken.

He sounded so sad when yelling at Raoul and Christine to leave him.

When he got up to face Christine when she came to return the ring, we got a little snuggle before “Christine, I love you.” He held on tightly to her hand for a moment before she pulled way, and they stood there looking at each other for a moment before she turned to leave.

Jeremy seemed so dejected when she left and after a moment of standing there by himself, he went over to shove his face in the veil.

His final line was absolutely breathtaking, and I love the way he looks around at his lair, taking it all in before he disappears

[anakinskywalkerog]

If you think dating in your 30s is better, it somehow gets worse 😂. I swear very few men have respect for their marriage. The amount of times married men have slide into my DMs is crazy 🤦‍♀���.

Again we do not know what Hayden is like in real life. But you can tell his parents raised him right, and he was even willing to risk begin Blacklisted in Hollywood because of HW. Just to defend his Co Star. That is just very telling of him as a person and as a man. That he didn't put himself above others. As I said before I don't believe what Jake Gyllenhaal said about him to be true. When he is one of those method creepy actors.

But Hey, if God wanted to make Hayden, A nice polite person, with good morals, a good father, and can lay 🍆. All we can do is be thankful to be alive at the same time as him. And ask God to bless me in life with a man like that.

Also I know you haven't seen it yet Oli, But Hayden looks straight up like Sin in the new Star Wars Behind the scenes footage and interviews. I was out here like 🤤, It's nice to know yo 🍆 is loud in the sheets 😏

Horny Toad Anon? (You never gave me an official nickname, so I will leave that up to you)

ugh well thanks glad i have that to look forward to. i’m not incredible at dating lol

we hate Jake Gyllenhaal here (sorry everyone but have you LISTENED to all too well the 10-minute version?) so we don’t believe him. but we do love Hayden and cherish the ability to watch documentaries about him, even if we can’t have him ourselves. which is to say YES i watched it and he looked so amazing and his words were amazing and i just love him so ❤️

also i get the anons mixed up, i feel like calling you Horny Toad Anon would get confusing, bc there are so many horny roads out there…are you the astrology anon? if so that’s your nickname. if not, are you the “throwing hands for Oli” anon? bc i remember that too 😂😂😂😂

[roscolate]

Awww, I love the cozy and cheerful vibes of this! 🥺🥰❤️

End of Summer campfire 🔥

[draftingteacups]

Imagine one day everyone thought there wouldn't anymore chaotic or sudden appearance of wild Pokemon until one day in NRC some group were causing trouble and expected to get caught by the teachers, Riddle or Soni to stop them until you hear a shriek and saw an indigo toad behind the unfortunate student who was on the ground shaking from a poison jab as that indigo toad nodded before walking away leaving everyone in the hall in silence until they realize that wasn't an ordinary toad.

Cue everyone calling or rather yelling in fear and confusion to Soni about the strange toad who was just by the fountain chilling not knowing what he just did but he didn't care so long he got his peace and quiet.

Until his quiet time was interrupted by a certain chaotic Swan much to his annoyance.

I definitely wanna see Croagunk making an appearance in your story XD I imagine him as one of the responsible chill bro to the baby Pokemon 😂

Honestly, that might be how Croagunk comes into the story 😂

Soni's just seeing this chaos, people are just asking her what the hell that toad thing is ("Croagunk, you dumbasses. Try not to get Poison Jabbed" and them going "A LITTLE TOO LATE FOR THAT ADVICE!"), and Soni's curious about where Croagunk came from until Swanna just tries to play in the fountain.

Suddenly it's a Pokemon Battle and even more chaos ensues lasdkjfjkla

I can see Croagunk as the chill big bro too!

Croagunk's at his own pace and just vibing as things go on. While he does like his peace and quiet, Baby Pokémon are naturally energetic and playful, so he lets them off more easily than others. Some of the babies wanna nap with him, Croagunk's like "Sure, it's fine" and everyone who's ever been suckerpunched in the gut by this toxic frog is just baffled by that fact the babies really like Croagunk like what-

In anime fashion, Happiny is fond of Croagunk. If no one can take care of Happiny at the moment when Happiny's roaming around the campus, Croagunk brings the baby back to Soni, or if she's not around, Deuce. Whenever Deuce sees Croagunk, most of his Track and Field Club members just wonder why that scary-ass poisonous frog is on the field until little Happiny is dashing towards them, which is more of a fast waddle than anything else.

(Ace had his Happiny care rights revoked after trying to fly with Happiny on a broomstick and Grim is a gremlin who lights things on fire.)

Happiny can't travel too fast since she's small, so Croagunk just picks up Happiny and walks that way, making Happiny very happy at the uppy-up motion.

[chit-a-to]

I have to ask someone, what the hell did Rin mean by stating that Toad and Setuna are Pedomaru's kids????

I am so confused by that. Is she... was she not aware of who the fuck impregnated her?? Or that she birthed them??? She's saying this like she's not a part of this fucked up family and didn't literally birth twins somehow

Like, she's stating the obvious to herself like she wouldn't have already known all of this.

sorry for the late reply anon 😭😭😭

I don't study history or anthropology of Japan, and finding out literatures on how feudal Japan mothers viewed the relationships with their children is kinda hard as well, that's why I don't understand the script writers' reason by making rin spoke like that.

Perhaps it has something to do with sticking to her personal branding as a female character that is timid and subservient to her much powerful, feudal lord husband. Why? Because then she has to praise her husband at any given time.

description of the condition of women in feudal era Japan (Silva, 2010)

By stating that the twins are "daughters of sesshomaru" it indirectly gave us the impression that every good things they have (strength, power, strong will, &c.) are because of their father. Which also hinted that the mother here has little to zero contribution (to her children's characters) but delivering them to the living world.

Combined that to the fact that rin was a commoner before and during her journey with sesshomaru and jaken (her status was sesshomaru's ward), she could still be perceived as someone of no importance. Even if later on in her life she married her lord (which I highly doubted that sesshomaru would marry like in human tradition), her status stops at that, she's just being a lord's (child)bride. If we compared her situation to other women in Inuyasha series, she couldn't give them royalty status (e.g. Izayoi, sesshomaru's mother), couldn't train them as a warrior (e.g. Sango and Kagome), or educated them in religious studies (e.g. again, Kagome).

Maybe that situation could change if during her growing up she developed some kind of skills and made a name for herself. But judging from how HnY put the timeline and setting for her character, that's definitely something that will not happen... Because as soon as she was a little bit older, she was pregnant....

That's why I think, maybe, she was addressing her daughters by "you are the daughters of sesshomaru-sama" because even as the wife, as the mother who birthed the twins, she (subconsciously) sees herself as someone that is inferior compared to her husband. Therefore, every good quality that her daughters have should be attributed as due to who their father is.

anyway, a little bit unwanted rant from me, I thought HnY is gonna be that feminist-type anime because the MCs are females and sunrise wanted to promote that heroines are badass, too, and they can easily took down the villain. now ik that rin isn't the MC but her characterization is so sexist and misogynist??? they could've at least made her grow out of that "I will just wait for Lord Sesshomaru's instruction" but noooooo....... they still made her in her child-like, subservient mindset. wtv moral of the story that sunrise wanted to put in HnY is clearly thrown out of the window 😂😂

[mbrainspaz]

oh man. I forgot about thumbelina.

thumbelina. I haven’t even thought about it in nearly 20 years. I don’t think there’s a single other movie that messed with my childhood psyche like that movie did. 

holyyyy crap--Within 2 seconds of the opening song I’m 7 years old and sitting on the living room floor with paper towel rolls tapped to my arms. wow

THE BIRD GUY! I LOVED HIM. I IDOLIZED THE BIRD MAN. Doesn’t he get tragically injured? That didn’t shape my love of injured heroes at allllll. 

I don’t remember this movie being beautiful but it sure is. The storybook intro is as boring as ever though. Give us tiny people! 

bahaha, she totally just accepts finding a tiny person in a flower. Yeah sure why not? 

Oh the singing chickens. I hated those. I actually remember this opening song being viscerally terrifying. Maybe this is why I don’t like chickens. 

and the DOG. OH no. no no no no. The dog still scares me. Who would ever design a dog like that 😆 

Mother is me in 30 years my pals. Chillin’ on my European farm with my smol daughter I found inside a flower. That’s the dream.

Wait aren’t there giant evil bugs in thi--waaaaaaah she’s singing! I remember this song!!!!!! AAAAAAAAAH. Leave me alone to cry melodramatic 7-year-old  tears.

Yeah remember the movie ‘Epic’? It’s okay, nobody does. I own it on DVD. I can tell you right now that I loved that movie because of this one. 

heh, I always hated the fairy prince’s hairstyle but he’s so cute anyway. Definitely forgot he was named Cornelius. That’s fantastic. 

wow she’s trusting. 😂 

This whole movie is progressing 5000 times faster than I remember. 

I LOVE THIS SOOOOONG. Tbh if anyone sang this to me --that’s it. This is officially the one acceptable use of insta-love trope. 

THE FROGSSSSSS OH MY GOSH THE CREEPY FROG DUDE. AAAAAAAAH. (why are the creepy frogs hispanic???? hmmmmmmmmm. 👀 I had a Spanish-speaking Nanny so this just seemed familiar at the time I guess. )

woof, rotoscoped much? 

AAAAAH THE WALNUT THING!!! THERE IT IS--THE CHILDHOOD TRAUMA! why is this still horrifying? 😂 

yaaaaay bride abduction. 

Aw it’s such a catchy song but it’s setting my teeth so on edge. 

Yep that creepy toad is the ultimate creepy dude-bro. 

BIRD MAN. BIRDDDDD BIRD BIRD BIRD

This whole plot is so simple and small. I remember it being so impossibly big. 

yeah I totally shipped thumbelina and the bird man (in like, the biggest platonic friendship of all time. not romantically. I’m still too aromantic for that to this day, lol)   

FOLLOW YOUR HEART!!!!!! ❤️ 💜 💙 💛 💗 💚 ���� 

“You’re joking!” lol “We can’t delay the frost for more than a DAY!” The plot of this movie is so wild. 

Toad clowns. Eugh. Still so freaked out. I’m so freaked out. 

THE BEATLEEEE AAAAAH -- THAT VOICE! --- THAT CHARACTER DESIGN!!! -- HOLY CRAP. So deeply disturbing. This is peak horror y’all. I don’t care if I’m 7 or 27. This is HORROR. This is the face of my nightmares.

More kidnapping. Yep. 

This whole sequence makes no sense, but it’s like... so horrifically ingrained in my psyche??? 'Cause what’s a children’s movie without a whole sequence about objectification and emotional abuse????

Rapist toad again. 

MY BIRD MAN HAS COME BACK FOR ME. I LOVE HIM SO MUCH 😭 

MY HEART

The whole sequence with the rabbit and the fox is nonsense??? 

THORN IN HIS WING NOOOOOOO. Okay I remember that being a lot more traumatic than it was. 

“I’m looking for a beautiful young woman!” Bro ain’t we all. 

This whole exchange between the toad and the beetle is like part of a different movie.  

THE PRINCE.... FROZE???? WTFFFFFFFFFFFF I don’t remember this

excuse me where is my boy. Where is my bird boy. 

*gasps* the fieeeeeld mouuuuussssse. Oof. This is dark. 😲 

“Cornelius was the only one”--- B*TCH GAICOMO HAS DONE MORE FOR YOU THAN THAT FAIRY PUNK EVER COULD 

MOLE?!?!?!?!?! I THOUGHT THIS WAS A DIFFERENT MOVIE. I THOUGHT THIS WAS PART OF THAT MOVIE ABOUT THE DOGS GOING TO HEAVEN. I’M SO CONFUSED. 

Why does this movie have so many disturbing, manipulative, rapey men?

“Winter has killed everything.” - yowza. 

NO GIACOMO!!!!! MY BABY! Giacomooooooooo nooooooooooo 

Stop everything else. Giacomo is all I care about. OH MY HEART

the li’l bug dudes are up now? Gosh did any movie ever have so many random characters????

“Love won’t pay the mortgage or put porridge in your bowl”--- YEAH OK let’s have a song about marrying an aging sugar daddy! 

GIACOMOOOOOOO 😭😭😭😭😭😭 This is it. The scene. 

omg the mole wedding dress. Peak horror fashion. This is heartbreaking. 

“NEVER.” GET IT GIRL. It’s about time. 

she really just ditched the prince for sunlight. Relatable, honestly. 

GIACOMO 💕 

“AND I’LL NEVER LET YOU FALL!” AAAAAAH

holy mother of 80′s rainbow palaces

I’m sorry but where is giacomo.

there he is. My boy. 

oh yeah, and FOLLOW YOUR HEART!!!!!!!! 💜  and bring on the synth keyboard

[thebabblingbrookenook]

This was delightfully funny. I laughed out loud multiple times. It was also incredibly sweet. Seeing Anthony step in to fill a role so effortlessly made my heart smile. That experience would have been so daunting without him. That little greeted whisper in her ear made my pulse spike. Just his proximity alone is intoxicating. I love that he was her first dance. He set the standard. For her and for the men contemplating their worth for her attention. I would not want to follow the act of Anthony Bridgerton. He's an incomparable predecessor. I also really adored that when he relinquished her to another man for a dance, he went to stand with her mother. Again, in the place where her father would have been. I bet that would feel confusing emotionally for our reader. He's paternal/fraternal, but it's hard to look at him and not see a man who evokes desire. The lines are getting blurred a bit. I wonder what Regency Era therapy looked like 😂

These poor dullards attempting to win her affection. Smh... Arrogance is rarely an attractive quality. Well, more precisely, undeserved arrogance. It needs to be balanced with an authentic humility to make the perfect cocktail of allure. The boring man can be given the benefit of the doubt. It could have been nerves. But the book banisher is unforgivable. I would have feigned an illness to escape his evil clutches. The garlic toad was a hilarious touch haha. In reality, though, none of them stood a chance once Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome made his way into her world's eye view. I love that you have managed to capture exactly who he is, and we haven't even met him yet! You can feel it. The twinkley kindness that is so innately Benedict. This may seem odd, but looking at him makes me feel a sense of wunderlust. His cup runs over with youthful exuberance. Once she notices him in the room, that feeling forever lingers just knowing he exists. Even when she doesn't have her eyes on him.

That little exchange with Anthony at the end had me dying with laughter. It was just SO Anthony 😄. "Alright then. Let's have you pick. Anyone here catching your eye? I'm ready to list off the litany of their misdeeds." Lmao! This man... And then when she points out to him who she would like to be introduced to... his reaction is priceless. I may be reading too much into a subtext that isn't there, but I swear I picked up on a faint flash of panic when he realized who she was referring to. You know that sinking feeling in your gut that prepares you for heartache? That familiar desent that warns, "Hold on tight Buttercup. We're about to go down." That's what Anthony was giving me there haha. But as quickly as it appeared, it was gone. He stuffed the feelings he wasn't ready to dissect back into their cage.

Your readers' personality is whitty and charming. Her immediate assumption that Anthony was going to tell her the worst of the worst about her choice of man was comical. As a fellow beacon for red flag men, it makes me wonder how much of a history she has with that, for doom and gloom to be her knee-jerk reaction. I feel you, sister haha. Oh man, and when she panics and demands Anthony stop pointing 🤣. Gold! He's such a turd.

You took me from giddy laughter, immediately into "Oh! Pay attention, Brooke. Did you feel that?" Emotional whiplash! When Benedict starts to walk towards them and Anthony's whole demeanor changes. She notes him as being puffed and proud at her side. Which is so interesting to me! The fact that she clocks that poses the question of whether or not she understands what it means. I'm trying to read between the lines of what Anthony's inner monologue would be in that moment. Benedict is a perfect choice, and he can't deny that. He's a good man. Anthony knows his brother's capacity for love. He knows she would be looked after and cherished. It would meet Anthony's qualifications of keeping her close. She would laugh and smile for the rest of her life. And that is what makes Benedict an actual threat. This is real now. Anthony knew somewhere in his mind that she wouldn't find any of these other men suitable. But Benedict.... he might as well have been wearing a flashing red sign that shouts DANGER. And with all that to consider, Anthony also knows that SHE would be more than worthy for his brother. And doesn't he want to see Benedict happy? Oh, the complex simplicity is so beautiful!

My tummy tightened the closer Benedict got to her. His beauty is overwhelming. And he's so cheeky! A modest touch of fingers would have been appropriate, but he kisses her hand instead! And the EYE CONTACT! God, just take me now. There is no recovering from that. She's in trouble.

I love you for this lol 💜

Love to Spare - Part 3 (Anthony Bridgerton x Reader)

Anthony Bridgerton x Fem!Reader: platonic, fluff Word count: 2.1k Part 1 Part 2 Part 4

Summary: Anthony helps you navigate your first ball

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You approached that oncoming social season with more anxiety than you had ever felt in your life. Your mother took what little money you could spare to outfit you with an array of shimmering, impractical gowns, and she began attending teas with the other society women, inserting your family name into conversations and trying to establish the narrative that you were quite ready to find a match and start a family, now that you had learned enough from your father to ensure a robust education for your future children. 

Anthony called on you just after arriving in town, and the two of you walked through your small back garden while your mother sat in a corner as chaperone, looking entirely too hopeful at the sight of you together. 

“Dear god, Anthony, you must help me survive this.” You whispered harshly. “This is your world, not mine, I have no idea what I’m doing.”

He chuckled deep in his chest. “I don’t know that I’ve ever seen you quite so flustered. You certainly can’t behave this way on the dance floor.”

“I won’t.” You swatted at him lightly. “I know how to dance, I just don’t know who to dance with. I’ve hardly ever interacted with your set. I’m already going to be an oddity, the poor little destitute spinster swooping in at the last minute for scraps, and I know they’ll all be talking about me. I suppose I don’t care. I just don’t want to feed into anyone’s perceptions of me. I want to talk to the right people, keep my head down, find a generally respectable man and be done with it.”

He smiled wryly. “You talk about finding a match like it’s a business transaction.”

“And you don’t?” You volleyed back at him. 

He tilted his head in that way that showed annoyance but concession. “So you are not looking for great wealth or titles, just a stable reputation and average income?”

“Yes.” You nodded firmly.

“I shall also add a degree of kindness to the criteria. And proximity. I won’t have you marrying some brute or a Scotsman who’s going to whisk you off to who knows where.” He looped his arm around yours as you rounded a corner of hedgerows.

You scoffed. “Trying to find someone with property in or close to London is going to narrow the prospects, surely. Those are the wealthier families.”

“Perhaps, but it also means I can keep a closer eye on this fellow, whoever he turns out to be.”

“Anthony,” you stopped short, tugging on his arm so he faced you. “Are you intending to spy on me and my future husband?”

“Y/f/n,” he said shortly, eyes burning intently, “I intend to ensure your wellbeing. I will do everything in my power to help you find a suitable match, but even then, a lot of these vagabonds put on their best faces for the season, but are imbeciles or monsters behind closed doors. I want to know who he is, who his people are, and what the rumors are from his estates. I want to know that he will take care of you and your family. If that turns out not to be the case after you are wed, I will hear about it and I will rectify it. You deserve nothing less.”

You were rooted to the spot, gratitude fluttering breathlessly in your chest as tears threatened the corners of your eyes. This was a father’s role, to look after you in such a way, and he was stepping in without even being asked, as if it were his natural obligation. He could see that you were overcome and gave your arm a gentle squeeze. “I will help you through this, you have my word. The first ball is Lady Danbury’s, two nights from now. I will find you when you arrive and be at your disposal for the night.”

---

Lady Danbury’s ball, the first of your life, was overwhelming. Outfitted in a silver gown and accompanied by your nervous mother, you moved slowly through the crowds, towering palms and flower arrangements of the space, a cavernous ballroom of one of the ton’s new money families. Columns swept up to the vaulted ceiling and couples swept expertly across the dance floor. You secured a dance card to your wrist and then promptly started to melt into the wall until a familiar voice whispered warmly in your ear.

“You look absolutely lovely.” You jumped, but it was just Anthony, of course, smiling proudly at you. It was the first time you had ever seen him in tails and you began to understand his rakish reputation. He was devastatingly handsome. “Might I have your first dance?”

You smirked at each other sarcastically as he added his name to your card but then immediately pulled you onto the floor as the music began. Happily, it was a waltz, easy enough for you to remember and glide through without making a fool of yourself. 

“So, how are you feeling?” He asked, a peacocking smile on his face. He loved having the upper hand of experience in this setting, that was clear.

“I’m alright.” You smiled. This was actually somewhat fun. “Are you just dancing with me to draw attention and make the other men think I am more desirable than I actually am?” You quirked an eyebrow at him conspiratorially.

“That was the idea.” He grinned, twirling you under his arm. “I think it’s working. All eyes are on you.” 

You wrapped your arm around his shoulders and looked behind him as you moved across the floor. Heads indeed were turning, eyes were trying to meet yours, a nod or two was aimed in your direction. Blonde men, dark haired men, tall and short and old and young. 

You leaned in toward his ear, “Thank you,” you whispered. 

His hand pressed tighter into your back. “I’m only doing half the work. You really do look lovely. They should be falling over themselves to dance with you.” You squeezed his hand affectionately, and he continued. “But I have a few names in mind, gentlemen that I think meet our criteria. I will introduce them to you. And keep an eye out for anyone who interests you. I will tell you who they truly are.”

The dance was drawing to an end as you pulled away from each other, hands clasped and outstretched. “Why Lord Bridgerton,” you smirked. “How could I do this without you?” Both smiling, you dropped your hands and bowed, then you followed him off the dance floor and into a sea of black coattails and eager eyes. Anthony introduced you to so many sirs and barons, even a marquis and an earl, that your head began to spin. Your dance card was quickly filled and then you worked down the list, swirling across the dance floor as Anthony and your mother stood watch from the perimeter.

You were surprised how very few of the men on your dance card were physically repulsive. You had assumed you would only be of interest to widowed old toads, and while one of them might have been said to match that description, the others were decent looking men close enough to you in age. But unfortunately, they all proved to be either devastatingly dull or insultingly arrogant. Within three sentences exchanged, it became clear why these men had not yet married, despite their titles or reputations. One spent the entire dance describing the issues he had with his carriage axles on the ride in, and the other insisted that he would not keep books in his family home because he didn’t want a wife to be distracted away from her childrearing duties. 

You plastered a smile to your face, feigning interest and biting your tongue as you moved automatically through the steps of each dance, praying for it to end. You began to feel guilty that Anthony’s selections for you were all proving to be unbearable failures, and on your fourth dance, your mind began to drift. You held onto the man’s shoulders as he spun you around the room, a lanky blonde baron whose name you had already forgotten, and let your eyes cast around for anything more interesting to focus on than what he was saying. 

That’s when you saw him. It could have been that he stood out a bit taller than most of the other men, or it could have been that his brand of handsome was precisely to your taste, but in retrospect you think it was because there was something so familiar about him, almost as if you had met him before. With black hair and smiling eyes, he was laughing, and you immediately felt drawn to him. A minute later, when the baron pivoted you toward the same corner, the man was still there, drinking champagne. You could only snap your attention away when your dance partner called your name, but you didn’t much care if he found you rude. You wouldn’t be speaking to him again after that dance, which mercifully ended a few moments later.

Then there was the dance with the widowed toad, and you couldn’t help your eyes from scanning across the room for the dark haired man. He had moved, and you saw his back in a knot of people. At one point you could have sworn he turned and met your eyes, but then the toad lowered you into a dip and you held your breath as his garlicky smell bore down on you. When finally released from his clutches, you excused yourself from the dance floor and moved to a corner, desperately drowning a glass of lemonade, wishing more than anything that it was gin. This ball was becoming more of what you had always assumed - lots of pomp and beauty, but dull and rotten within. Shortly, Anthony appeared at your side.

“What do you think? Anyone worth pursuing?”

You swallowed the lemonade with a grimace. “Anthony, I deeply, deeply appreciate that you are helping me, but…”

He sighed, anticipating the rest of your thought. “Alright. I knew this would be difficult.” He grumbled.

You grew a big indignant. “I need to marry, Anthony, but I insist on someone with half a brain in their head, a modicum of respect for women, and who doesn’t smell like a barnyard.”

He rolled his eyes and huffed, but you could tell he understood. “Alright then. Let’s have you pick. Anyone here catching your eye? I’m ready to list off the litany of their misdeeds.”

You shot him a sour look, then turned back to survey the room. It took a minute of searching, but then you found him in a nearby corner, arms crossed, looking bemused.

“Him,” you nodded in the dark haired man’s direction. 

Anthony, sipping his own glass of lemonade, followed your gaze and then swallowed hard, his eyes going wide. “Him?!”

“Yes, him.” You said assertively.

Anthony set down his glass, shaking his head. “No. Not that one. Surely you mean some other gentleman.” 

“Anthony,” You gritted your teeth. “The tall, dark haired one. Tell me about him.”

Then he pointed outright. “That man?”

“Yes,” You hissed and batted his arm down. “Stop pointing! Who is he?”

He turned back to you and pressed his lips together, his whole face turning red with repressed laughter. He looked about to bust at the seams.

“Oh no,” You groaned. “What’s wrong with him? You’re about to tell me he’s the most scandal-riddled lecher, who’s penniless and has a wake of bastards behind him, aren’t you?”

Anthony kept shaking his head, snorting and staring at the floor.

“Anthony,” You punched him lightly in the shoulder, not much caring who saw. “Stop laughing! You are not helping me! Tell me who he is. Is he attached? What…”

“Oh look, he’s coming this way.” He suddenly straightened and wiped the smirk from his face, standing puffed and proud at your side as the dark haired man approached. You turned to face him and nearly dropped your glass. He grew more handsome with each step closer, as the details of his features came into view. Tall and lean, with long slender fingers, a tie playfully worn askew, perfectly tousled hair, and a crooked smile spreading across his face.

“Benedict,” Anthony bellowed, beckoning him into your circle. “Please let me introduce you to Miss y/n.”

You clambered to set your glass down and extend your hand. A gentle grasping of your fingers would have been appropriate, but the tall man bent and kissed you through your glove, his eyes never leaving yours, sparkling, grey and mischievous. You forgot to breathe until Anthony spoke again.

“Miss y/l/n, this is Benedict Bridgerton. My brother.”

[anakinskywalkerog]

afternoon oli! (or whatever time you see this, its 3 in the afternoon for me, greetings from england!)

re the anon who was on about that reddit thread, all i want to say is FUCK imagine sleeping with hayden or zac LORD ALMIGHTY HAVE MERCY-

and that they were so sweet about it after too 🥺 dont get me wrong, i get this sounds slightly creepy but a part of me wants to find out who these people are and beg them for deets 😭😂

on a separate note im having a gay thought (im bi!) but it sounds homophobic 💀 -

whats worse, liking someone whos gay or liking someone who's not?

in the sense, liking someone who isnt into your gender (straight girl, gay guy) or liking someone who is also not into your gender (confusing af ik) (ie gay guy, straight boy) (yes i constructed a love triangle here and it ends with the straight girl getting the guys together (heartstopper style) and ending up with the *actual love of her life.)

that was inspired by my gay guy friend 😂

as always, stay horny my fellow horny toads (and madame thirst supreme) 👌

greetings from my bunker lol it’s afternoon now (jk i don’t live in a bunker)

i can’t imagine speaking to someone who has boinked Hayden i would combust, i would glitch

ALSO re: liking someone who likes other genders vs liking someone who likes your gender—our queen Billie wrote about this, but i totally have had the “wish u were gay” experience bc a few years back i had the HUGEST crush on this guy. literally was so in love with him and we made out once but he just truly wasn’t into me…he was bi and he liked this other guy and i was like, it’s fine, maybe he just doesn’t like girls. AND THEN HE STARTED DATING THIS GIRL who looks like a literal angel her face is CHERUBIC and anyway they’re still together and i’m over it it’s fine but, yeah. sometimes you just have to take the L. sexuality be damned, that mans was just not that into me 🤷‍♀️

this has been another installment of Oli story hour lol