#and the scene in pride and prejudice IS WHEN DARCY FIRST TELLS ELIZABETH HE'S IN LOVE WITH HER??? EXCUSE ME???????

[witchy-scribblings]

are you still watching?

shinazugawa genya x reader

synopsis ➳ it might have been you who selected the movie currently playing on your tv, but as of right now it was the last thing you could focus on.

warnings ➳ characters are aged up, shy genya, dom reader, making out, dry humping, coming in pants, dirty talk, praise kink, lowercase, mdni!

wordcount ➳ 2.3k

[crossposted on ao3]

it might have been you who selected the movie currently playing on your tv, but as of right now it was the last thing you could focus on.

you knew this scene and its dialogue by heart now, the tension-filled first confession of mr. darcy towards elizabeth bennet was and would always be one of your favorite moments in cinematic history, but right now you could hardly care about any of it, unlike your lovely boyfriend, who was hanging on to every heated word that elizabeth dished back to the object of her unfortunate infatuation. and that was the problem.

he looked so damn good when he was focused on, well, anything, really.

it would be an understatement to say that you were utterly smitten with genya. despite his extremely rough exterior, he had never been anything if not kind and sweet towards you, even way before going steady. he had been an amazing friend back then (still is), if a little awkward with certain kinds of affection, and an equally outstanding boyfriend. despite still shying away from your love at times, which you actually just found all the more endearing, he never let you doubt his own feelings towards you, and showed that he cared in his own smaller but just as meaningful ways.

for example, letting you sit him through what could be your fiftieth (but his first) rewatch of pride and prejudice. he had agreed, not without making a face, and somehow ended up being more invested in the old drama than you.

you couldn’t keep from stealing quick glances at him even if you tried, but he just looked so good in his gray baggy t-shirt and red sleeping shorts. you loved that he didn’t feel stiff and nervous under your legs as they rested across his lap, and even had a big, warm hand rubbing up and down the expanse of your calf, warming up the skin and sending shivers through you, but he didn’t seem to notice. he didn’t because, against all odds, he was loving the wretched (you’d regret your own wording in the morning) movie and you wished he’d lay all of that undivided attention on you instead.

as much as you loved it whenever he got into something you enjoyed, you needed him in a different headspace right now.

to be fair, you had been dating genya for a relatively short amount of time, and he had made a lot of progress with processing your displays of affection (he didn’t nearly faint every time you kissed him anymore!), but you really wanted to take things a little bit further. even making out could prove a bit of a challenge, so you never really pushed because the last thing you wanted was to make him uncomfortable and, truthfully, you could reign in those needs, for heaven’s sake! you weren’t a horndog.

…not like you were currently drooling over your very oblivious boyfriend. not at all.

“genya…”

maybe it wouldn’t hurt to just ask .

“hmm? w’cha need, babe?” and you hesitated because how could you not? he was still watching the movie, although you could tell he was paying attention to you as well. how would he react if you just blurted it out? you were okay with rejection, but you didn’t want him to feel guilty for denying you and completely ruin the mood. would he faint, even? you really hoped not, because that would ruin the night for sure. but you couldn’t just backpedal now; it’d be weird and awkward to just say “nevermind” without a proper explanation.

“...can i get on top of you?” you were fearing the words had been too forward, but instead of overreacting, genya just spared a quick glance to your legs and threw a confused look your way.

“but you’re already on top of me, baby.”

god bless his dumb ass .

“no, no,” and you giggle, of course you do, feeling more relaxed after you were suddenly reminded that this was just your boyfriend; your idiot, lovely boyfriend. “i meant, can i sit on your lap?”

you could tell he was blushing now, but, to your surprise, that seemed to be the extent of his reaction to your request. outwardly, at least.

“uh… sure can, babe,” and you were baffled as much as pleased by the way genya had easily acceeded, but it only took you one second of curious consideration before you acted on your words and shuffled slowly to place yourself on top of him, with both legs straddling his thighs (you could tell he was way stiffer now) and pressing your chest snuggly against his. you peered into his wide eyes. “b-babe… the tv’s the other way…”

“i don’t wanna keep watching the movie right now, genya…”

oh.

your shy boyfriend looked too stunned to answer, so you waited patiently, letting your hands roam up and down his firm chest through the thin cotton, adoring the way you could feel his tiny shudders and hear the hitch of air in his throat. your fingers traveled further upwards, until they came to cradle his jaw in both hands; the skin felt warm and clammy to the touch. you made sure he didn’t miss the way your eyes flitted to his parted lips.

“is this okay?” you breathed against his lips, a silent plea. his body was so close, so warm and hard compared to yours, you could feel it despite having full layers of clothes in between. your thumbs ran circles on his reddened cheeks and your nose brushed against his from how close you were hovering towards him. you just needed the green light to close-

“yes, yes it’s so okay-,” you didn’t let him finish, couldn’t let him finish before your lips fell on his almost of their own volition, and his words merged into a moan that you gladly swallowed into your mouth. the kiss was gentle, experimental if only to gauge his every reaction and make sure he was comfortable with your advances.

so far, you knew he was.

you knew from the way his hands immediately flew to your hips to brace himself against your onslaught of affection, the way he shivered when you ran your tongue along his lower lips after every playful nibble, the way your mouth, pressed so insistently against his as the kiss grew in fervor, couldn’t contain the tiny, pleading whimpers coming from his throat.

at some point, you pulled away just enough to observe how he was faring and, boy, was it a sight to behold; genya, with his thin lips looked deliciously kiss-bruised and glossy with spit, his skin flushed all the way to his ears and possibly down to his chest, if you were to guess, and his unfocused eyes staring absently at you.

you weren’t any less than thrilled to have him so messed up from just some kissing.

“p-please…,” he murmurs, trying to chase after your lips like they’re his new vice, but you swiftly snake a hand into the unruly tresses of his mohawk and pull him back, maybe a little harder than you should have, but you couldn’t find it in yourself to care when you are rewarded with a loud groan that goes straight to your cunt, right along with the messy babbling you’ve pathetically reduced his speech to. “please, baby, kiss me more. y’r lips so sweet ‘n warm, i need more, more please, i- ah!”

you can feel your pussy soaking through the thin material of your panties when you grind yourself on genya’s crotch, once, twice, steadily building a rhythm where with every push and pull of your hips you could feel his dick getting harder and growing bigger.

“i can feel you through your shorts, baby,” you moan, shamelessly, keeping that one hand at the back of his head while your free one went to soothe the tight grip he held on your hip, through your oversized sleeping shirt. “your cock feels so hot and hard against my pussy, genya…”

if he’s embarrassed by your vulgar choice of words, genya doesn’t show it, and you’re sure it’s because he’s already so far gone into the steady pleasure, into your addictive touch, that he couldn’t be embarrassed even if he tried to.

he’s so unbelievably horny at this point that everything you say only serves to make his dick twitch inside his briefs.

when you lift yourself up a little, he follows and he whines , and you can’t help the amused giggle because he’s so damn needy already, but you let it play in your favor by taking the chance to slide his shorts down to his mid thighs; before you settle back down, you make sure to ogle the mouth-watering print of his cock tenting the material of his underwear.

“i really, really need to grind on your big cock now, genya. can i?” you ask sweetly, watching him throw his head back against the top of the couch and close his eyes to escape your impish smile and lustful gaze before they make him come embarrassingly early.

“p-please… i want it, baby, i-”

“i think you can do better than that, baby boy,” you coo, and you wonder how much you should push without risking ruining everything you’ve built-up until now but, it seemed, genya found it much easier to tolerate your teasing when he was already in the mood.

“b-babe, please… i need you t’grind your p-pussy on my cock…” he was doing so well, barely even stuttering, and you decided to reward him with a sensual trail of wet kisses on the side of his neck, tense like a bowstring with the self-imposed effort not to thrust up against your core himself. “‘m so so so hard for you, baby… i’ll be such a good b-boy for you…”

“yes you will, baby,” you sigh contentedly and, with that, begin to roll your hips back and forth, swiveling in circles and alternating between fleeting rolls and harsh grinding. “you’re already such a good boy, genya, letting me make you feel so good for me. aren’t you feeling good?”

as if the death grip he held on your hips and the desperate need to match your pace weren’t answer enough, you gave him time to put his own words together, to piece them despite the mist in his brain that only let him whimper and groan and moan breathily and raggedly into your neck.

“y-yes, you feel so good, oh my god, so so good… please don’t stop, please, i’m-” 

“oh? are you close, genya?” and this time he does seem too embarrassed to answer, but you can tell by the trembling of his thighs against yours, the increasing volume of his voice and his clenching hands at your sides that it is, indeed, the case. 

your pussy flutters at the thought of your sweet, lovely and pathetic boyfriend creaming his pants just from some light dry humping, and you decide right then and there that he’s going to do. just. that. 

“n-no…” he finally denies, but it comes out so weak and unconvincing that he has to force himself to try again, “no, no i can’t… can’t cum like this, please-”

“you can, and you will, genya,” your voice is a gentle authority that leaves no room for debate, and he whines shamefully. desperately. “you’re going to be a good boy for me, aren’t you?”

“...y-yes, but-”

“and good boys make a mess when they’re told to, don’t they?” he’s so lost in your steady rhythm, trying so hard to fend off his impending orgasm that he can’t even come up with a reply. so you do it for him. “yes, they do. and since you are my dirty, little good boy, you’re going to come in your undies and-”

-and that’s exactly what he does. without warning, actually.

it is so sudden that you only know it happens because genya releases a strangled cry and a beautiful chorus of breathless “oh, oh, oh!” at about the same time you start to explicitly feel, through your sodden knickers, his throbbing prick soiling both of your crotches with his sticky seed, hips barely able to keep from chasing his relief with insistent jerks.

you find out later that night (because he tells you through mortifying embarrassment) that that had been the hardest he’d come to date. and you believe him, because it takes him a long time to ride out the euphoria, to settle back from the beautiful arch of his back into a boneless heap of post-orgasmic bliss, panting messily all the while, and you observe, feeling the mess between your thighs grow colder and stiffer as the seconds tick by, but you let him have his moment. he deserves it.

then, the post-nut clarity seems to hit and genya grimaces heavily, everything dawning on him at once; the mess, the shame, the relief, the utter adoration he holds for you because holy shit you really made him do that but he’s-

“s-sorry, oh my god-”

“nope, i’m not letting you apologize for that. you were so fucking hot, genya.” you relish on his flush, but let your tone soften with sincerity. “is everything all good, though? i really hope i didn’t go too far, baby…”

“no… you didn’t.” he seemed to struggle with finding the words, even more with finding your eyes, but you knew his words were honest. “that was actually really good…”

“i’m glad,” and you are, because despite the latent embarrassment, you can tell he enjoyed himself as much as you did. the living room is blanketed in comfortable silence, pride and prejudice still playing in the background, unattended, while you cuddled into his chest.

“but… y’know, there’s actually somethin’ wrong…” his words spike some unease inside of you, but when you look up to try and guess what could possibly be wrong, you’re met with a toothy quirk of his lips and wild-looking eyes that harbor a thrilling promise.

“you haven’t come yet, babe…”

[anghraine]

Finally finished reading Pride and Prejudice for the first time and tbh no one told me how funny it is?? I feel like the visual adaptations don’t do the comedy aspect justice. I feel like I was laughing most of the way through it— especially towards the end. Elizabeth’s internal monologue adds so much. Definitely glad I decided to read it there was a lot of depth I missed only knowing the visual adaptations.

That's great to hear! Thanks for telling me :D

I agree, a lot of Austen's humor—especially after the more theatre-friendly opening volume—doesn't translate well into visual adaptation and often not much effort is made. I also feel like, where it appears, it tends to be much broader and more physical (in a highly stereotyped way) than Austen's or largely absent.

I suspect this is part of the reason that Darcy's very dry humor is often absent or delivered without any sense that it's anything but deadly serious (or that he is capable of humor at all), and why adaptations tend to be much warier about times when Austen's humor is directed at Elizabeth rather than Elizabeth as the architect of humor (like my beloved, the coffee scene, in which her internal thoughts and pining are hilariously melodramatic until she's foiled by a random misandrist girl).

In any case, I definitely agree that the quick-paced, sharply precise but spirited humor of the original is one of its major delights!

[theangryhistoriananna]

One of the arguments I see a lot of floating around for why Elain and Lucien aren't endgame material is that they don't have any chemistry.

and as someone whose been reading romance fiction in all it's subgenres for nearly two decades now, that's just a really weird thing to say.

authors (worth their grain of salt anyway) can create chemistry between any of their characters at any time. They can also interestingly enough, destroy chemistry between any of their characters at any time. SJM has already done this in her ACOTAR series with Tamlin and Feyre. It's really not unheard of in serial romance series that take on multiple characters points of view throughout the series to keep chemistry between two future narrating characters subdued and minimal. I recall Colin and Penelope being like this in the original Bridgerton books (not the tv show which was clearly building them up from the beginning). Penelope and Colin's book btw was the fourth book in the series.

Having chemistry is not always a sign of a couple being endgame. Oftentimes actually it's the opposite. Charged physical chemistry can often be used to tell the reader that the characters are only physically attracted to one another.

Going along with that, the trope of the woman/female being in love with/or infatuated with/or intimate with another man/male for a good portion of the story has a long history in romance novels. Jane Austen LOVED that trope. Let's look at Pride and Prejudice (cause I just recently reread that masterpiece). Most of us generally refer to the 2005 movie Pride and Prejudice when we think of the story, which, like the Bridgerton show, had Elizabeth and Darcy's chemistry jump out at us for the moment they look at one another, and we tend to think it must have been like that in the books too (I know I'm often guilty of that) but rereading it, you'll actually find that their first interaction is very bland, and the first part of their story, Darcy is more of a secondary character to Elizabeth's story-which focuses more on her interest in Jane and Bingsley's romance and then in her own with Mister Wickham. While you can't deny there is some chemistry early on, it's very subdued, and easily overtaken by the obvious chemistry that jumps out between Elizabeth and Wickham. It's not till Elizabeth spurns Darcy's first proposal (which sadly isn't anywhere as sexy as the scene in the movie) that we have any real build up between them at all. They have to have that first breakdown in their own preconceived ideas of each other, and truly see each other, before they can start building real chemistry (and as a side note I want to note that a lot of that chemistry build up was done while separated from one another and avoiding each other) Sense and Sensibility actually has a more direct link with Lucien and Elain, since it has the MMC Colonel Brandon being in love with and longing after Marianne long before she ever even notices him or gives him the time of day. And yet even as she spurns him in favor of John Wiloughby, I would argue she and Brandon are building chemistry on page by the mere fact that he is there, respectful of her, but still there and caring even from a distance. Caring so much that Marianne's sister hurts for him (hmmm kind of like Cassian and Feyre do for Lucien....huh). It takes Wiloughby spurning Marianne cruelly for her to realize what she thought she wanted wasn't actually what she wanted, and to open her eyes to see Brandon right there before her. Historical romance is so rife with these tropes it's become almost parse and parcel of the genre but its pretty common in fantasy too especially in stories that also are exploring the main FMC discovering herself and what she wants out of life in general.

Chemistry is pretty subjective. Like yes the author can clearly write to try and suggest chemistry between two characters, but whether the reader picks up on it is up to their own tastes and preferences. I love me a good "reluctant love" "slow burn" and "mutual pining" story and when I tell you that the chemistry JUMPS off the page between Lucien and Elain in a way none of the other characters have so far. Their entire first scene together in the library? How his heart was racing so fast he was going to throw up and had to focus on the rug to distract himself? The guilt and the longing warring in him when he first sees her face? How he shudders when she says his name for the first time? How she comes out of her catatonic state and looks at him and seems curious and interested in him? Perfection. The vibes? Immaculate. How she turns this suave, rakish flirt into a blubbering mess who can barely hold a conversation? Yes please, give me more of that. When he bows to her to hide his longing and sadness? The half step she takes towards him? How she was clearly going to speak to him? YES. The way she randomly insists Greyson knows Lucien's name? Even without getting in her head I think it's obvious that there is something about Lucien that intrigues and overwhelms Elain and she's not ready to face it, so she's distracting herself and ignoring it and hoping it'll go away. Which is in and of itself a way to build chemistry between two characters.

As many people have been screaming for years, we haven't been in Elain's head yet (and only in Lucien's very briefly) but I think it's very obvious, even if the other characters aren't picking up on it, that there is something there. Simmering right below the surface between Lucien and Elain, and the first part of their story will probably be the explosion, the first breaking down of their preconceived ideas of each other, and then we can start Elain's real love story.....

[20-pineapples]

The 2005 version of Pride and Prejudice has a pretty socially awkward portrayal of Mr. Darcy. I feel like in the first half of the movie he not only has elitist views about class but hides behind them and his wealth. I think an example of this is in the first proposal he seems nervous to ask Elizabeth to marry him and when she confronts him Darcy becomes defensive and comes back with saying something that insults her family and her class. 

And following this event, and when Elizabeth tells him he needs to practice talking to others, he creates more of an effort to connect with people and becomes more comfortable with it; the audience can see how the superior demeanor from before is melting away.

So, I think at the end of the movie with that shot of him walking through the fog is so beautiful because it visually shows that he’s changed and that he’s not doing that anymore. He isn’t as guarded and elite anymore and the air of superiority that created distance between himself and others is gone. In that scene he’s not dressed particularly fancy, he’s not riding to her in an expensive carriage. It’s just him walking outside and vulnerable and willing to be vulnerable with another person, which is something that had made him nervous before and I think that a beautiful change to see. 🥹

(I love this movie so much 🥹)

[firthbetterorfirthworse]

2005 Pride & Prejudice

oh boy. I realize I am about to tread on dangerous ground here

I will say that I fully recognize that my prejudice (snort giggle) has influenced when I've seen this in the past. Colin Firth was my first Darcy and that's a hard thing to let go of, even setting aside my obsession preference for him.

That being said, this movie is visually GORGEOUS. Beautiful shots, sets, music, etc. I just...don't love the characterizations of the main characters. Most of the secondary characters I love! Explaining Charlotte's viewpoint for a modern audience and making her warmer, an awkward Collins (I could make a whole post about how if P&P were written today we would consider Collins autistic-coded), they did great! Also, Caroline gives the sassiest, bitchiest curtsies, which I adore.

I appreciate Lady Catherine, not just because I love Dame Judi Dench but because they clearly paint a picture of someone holding onto the past. Not that the costumes in this adaptation are particularly, you know....accurate. in any way. BUT she's got a style that more closely aligns with 1790s than 1810s. (Although maybe that was intentional? Cursory googling suggests the director wanted to bring it back in time but then why isn't everyon- you know what it's fine, it's fine I'm not gonna get into it here, but basically be hyper-accurate or throw all realism out the window, there shouldn't be an in between it just feels lazy)

I very much appreciate the heat in the proposal. It is a FIGHT. I think modern audiences can easily lose that feeling when they're reading the dated text on the page, but they are saying VERY impassioned things and making accusations and I really appreciate the energy this adaptation brings! And the almost kiss, it's hot I get it it's not true to the book but it's fine it's not fair of me to care so much for inaccuracy in this adaptation but not others. still gonna tho I miss the intimacy of her admitting the tragedy of Lydia only to Mr. Darcy, I understand that having the Gardiners there saves time and is more appropriate, but I have strong feelings about that scene where Elizabeth returns Mr. Darcy's trust when she doesn't have to and how it really speaks to her feelings.

Speaking of Lydia, LOVE that she's clearly so so young. Sometimes it's not as obvious.

And my dear Mr. Darcy, bold of you of all people to help Mr. Bingley practice a proposal

but oh dear if that scene isn't just absolutely adorable. I appreciate that this Bingley found some fortitude and requested a private audience with Jane. On second thought, maybe it's for the best that Darcy is the one to help him so he can be like "here's what not to say"

(I'm sorry, she even tells Mr. Bennet about what Darcy did for the family and they STILL didn't include the line about "I'll offer to pay him back, he'll rant and rave about his love for you, and that will be an end to the matter"?? How rude) (But I do adore Donald Sutherland, good scene for him)

The little epilogue scene is sweet, it's cute. I understand why people love this movie. It just doesn't hit me the same way please don't hate me

[janeaustenskids]

I decided to make a meme for my first pride and prejudice post because I am such a fan of the enemies to lovers trope. I was inspired when reading the book due to the unknowing and uncertain pull the two characters Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth have towards each other.

In the book so far, Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy do not like each other. The first time Mr. Darcy sees Elizabeth he says how she is not that attractive and she does not catch his eye. Elizabeth is not very fond of Mr. Darcy either because she thinks he is prideful and rude. The more he is around her though, Mr. Darcy seems to get intrigued and drawn to Elizabeth. Elizabeth finds Mr. Darcy looking at her many times and she ponders on why. When Elizabeth meets Mr. Wickham, she is very fond of him and he tells her how Mr. Darcy treated him poorly which created and even bigger rift between Darcy and her. Mr. Darcy did not like that Mr. Wickham was getting close to Elizabeth and you can tell he started to actually have feelings for her. Even though they are very conflicting towards each other, there is mutual chemistry.

In the meme, the background is from the show Bridgerton, season 2 of Kate and Anthony. They were an Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy parallel. Basically Kate and Anthony did not like each other at all in the beginning and he was engaged to her sister. They could not stand each other but in the way that it attracted them to each other. There was an undeniable connection between the two even though they despised each other. In this specific photo in the meme, a scene is happening where they both admit to vexing each other and then they start kissing. This exposing the undeniable chemistry between the two that is formed through their tension. There is a certain attraction in both of these couples that is due to their bantering.

I thought that these couples are so similar and have the same theme happening, and I enjoyed creating this meme because I felt that it fit. My favorite trope is enemies to lovers so I am excited to read the rest of this book.

[mysticmiav]

Alrighttt am close to finishing Pride & Prejudice, about 60ish pages left (am a slow reader okay and I got distracted with Manacled while reading)

Some more thoughts and a lot of yapping (and spoilers? I guess?) I've had in during my recent reads:

First of all, having watched the P&P 2005 movie first and then starting to read the book, I can't help but keep going "Oh this is different!" At some parts akdksk

I love love love the small hints in the book of Mr Darcy liking Elizabeth more and more that is visible in the book. Imma have to rewatch the movie to see how (if) they did that there, but I don't remember noticing it as visibly. In the movie, it felt a bit of a "ah so that's a thing now" while in the book, I noticed some more emphasis/mention of Darcy noticing her more and more, conversing with her, wanting to talk with her and meet her.

I died at the Rosings part when she told him of her daily walk route, assuming he'd want to avoid seeing her, but my man probably went "sweet!" And just came to see her ever since (not to mention, he might've assumed her telling him of her route was a subtle way of inviting him to come see her? Idk my man was down bad he probably took that bit of info and ran with it akfkskkw)

The little things like him moving his chair closer to her- I pretty much died.

Him wondering at whether she'd mind living at a long distance from her family- my man was practically already wondering at if they were wed, meanwhile Elizabeth is confused why he's talking to her akfkskfk

It just feels much more ahh developed? Or hinted at enough to make his feelings to her not come out of nowhere lol

And of course lets talk about the confession scene!! I combusted

I admit that I loved how they did it in the movie; I LOVED the setting (that location and that weather!! Ugh!) and the energy and the tension. Loved every bit. Not to mention how much I liked the actors and how they played the characters!

And yet, I absoloutly went nuts over how Austen did it in the book!! The tension and anger and energy all there, but it just felt more raw and visceral?? Idk how to put it. I just died and came back and died again reading and rereading that scene omg

It's getting to see the narrator mention Darcy taking her silence or lack of negative reply as encouragement to continue with his confession.

It's the earlier back and forths and their witty exchanges, which resulted in him believing them to be on the same page. Hence, the conversation about living at a far distance from her family, I take it he assumed she noticed his intention and he thought he was being rather too direct, which is why his mood changed and he pulled his chair back when he caught himself.

But ironically enough, him thinking they were on the same page and that he was being transparent with her, that she was able to see through him, all just goes to show on how different of a page they were.

It's honestly brilliant.

And that just makes the confession scene work so much better, at least for me.

Getting such a clear view of how he must have feelings for her, and how clear he thought he has been about them, and how he thinks she picked up on it, makes his confession and the tension of that scene work so well, because he really thought they were on the same page. He really expected it to go one way because of those assumptions he'd had.

And then it went so differently, and so horribly at that, that I can't help but claw at my wall aaaaaa it's so good

No wonder he got pale with rage lmao

Ohoh and when Elizabeth went "You are mistaken, Mr Darcy, if you suppose that the mode of your decleration affected me in any other way, than as it spared me the concern which I might have felt in refusing you had you behaved in a more gentleman-like manner." And saw him start at this I DIED she went for the throat and honestly fuck yeah he needed that slap off the high horse

Even as am writing this I reread the scene for what could only be the tenth time already it's just so good aaaahhhh

(Also, I definitely understand that they probably changed the scene a bit in the movie for the sake of making it look more intresting, at least location wise; the outdoor setting and the spot it all takes place in is definitely a more visually intresting scenery to look at than a closed indoor room, and I think it does make the change of the scene work well in the movie! I still love the book version more but I totally see why and love the change was made in the movie adaptation)

Okay another point about the confession scene is how much I loved the irony in Darcy saying it must be because of how he worded his confession, in a way that slighted Elizabeth's pride because of how he mentioned her relations, that she's rejecting him, and yet he had framed his whole declaration on how it was against his better judgement that he came to like her, how he pointed it out the inferiority of her comings and family (and thereby, painting himself superior). That he's pointing out he must've hurt her pride when his whole talk stemmed from his own pride is such irony I love it

And bruh homeboi really expected her to go "whoa am so thankful you came to love me still!" ???? My man really thought she'd be flustered at him insulting her family and telling her he loves her in the same breath and he still had the audacity to pickachu-surprise-face at her own anger at his words akfksd

Okay enough of that scene, I still have a few kore things to talk about akfkjw

Next up is just how much Letters play a role in the story and even in the characters. Idk this is just a brainvomit of some of the notes I'd taken while reading, but the jest of it is the recurrence of characters sending letters as a narrative tool and, oftentimes, a way to paint certain aspects of the characters.

Elizabeth and Jane, while away from each other, both exhange letters regularly, and their correspondence is neat? I think is the word; they take the time to sit down and write to each other. When they recieve a letter, they also take the time to sit down and read it. Like when Elizabeth receives Jane's letter with the news of Lydia and Wickham, just as she and her uncle and aunt were about to leave to go on a walk, it is mentioned that instead her uncle and aunt set off to let her enjoy the letter at her own time. Just the use of the word enjoy speaks volumes to me at how Elizabeth regards these correspondences; a genuine sort of happiness and joy, and hence she likes to take the proper time to read them, and also the time to write them.

So when it says that Jane's first letter got missent somewhere due to her writing the adress remarkably ill, it's hard not to feel a shift or to know something bad must've happened. Because with how much care she usually puts into her letters, something must've caused her haste in writing the adress of that letter, so badly it was sent elswhere.

This broke a formula we kinda grew used to in those correspondences between Elizabeth and Jane, and managed to set a feeling of dread by simply taking something of that status quo and changing it. I just love it so much ugh

Darcy's letter(s) I feel like fall under a similar light; he obviously put a lot of care and time and thought into them. Gave them the time and length needed, given the importance of the content. They were very thorough and expansive, and touched on the important topics and discussed them sufficiently (lmao I feel like am giving him a critique analysis).

It shows enough of his character methinks.

Mr Collins letters, much like he himself is in person, often focus on the flattery. Of others (especially Lady Catherine) and of himself (cuz ironically, by how often he breaks his back complimenting others, he always traces it back to himself, to how he thinks of it, to how grateful he is of it, to how deserving he thinks it is, to how thoughtful he is with it). In person, it was hard to miss how much he cared for the rooms and their furniture and interior, and I chugged it to it symbolising how shallow he is and how much he cares about appearances, whether in the literal sense of the word or more like the esteem and regard others have of him. In his letters, he focuses so much on appearing thoughtful and grateful and thankful and concerned where needed, in a way you feel he's simply doing it in a "but no one could dislike me! I've been nothing but nice and thoughtful etc" way, you feel? Again, by focusing so much on such pleasantries, he seems only focused on coming across positively.

Also, all in all, he's the epitome of "talks a lot but says very little."

Lydia's letters are more or less hasty and careless; it's obvious she doesn't set aside any special time to write them (like her letters to her mom while she was away at Brighton including things like "oh Mrs Froster is calling me so I must haste" or something along the lines) and, much like her own conversations and interests, seem scattered and childish (which, yeah, she is a child. But you get the idea. She comes across as silly, wild and reckless, while also being somewhat shallow)

I just think it's a very neat way to show the personalities of the characters further using the letters as a tool.

Ahhh I think that's mostly it for now!! So many thoughts cuz am loving every bit of this akfksk

[jerktournament]

ROUND ONE - Mr. Darcy (Pride and Prejudice) VS Waldo Trumbull (Comedy of Terrors)

!!! PROPAGANDA BELOW !!!

MR. DARCY: "He's such an ass. He insults people where they can hear him "...not handsome enough to tempt ME." The whole town likes Bingley more than him despite the consensus being that Darcy is more handsome just because he's so rude to people. He won't talk to anyone unless he thinks it'll be interesting. He proposed by listing every single trait he doesn't like about Elizabeth and insults every member of her family in the process. He's mad that he's in love with her because he thinks he's above her when she thought they had some mutual hatred going on."

WALDO TRUMBULL: "Not only does he murder people to bring customers in to his undertaker's business, but he's a petty bully who yells at and insults his wife, constantly mocks and mistreats his employee Felix Gillie (making him do all the work while Trumbull sits around drinking and snarking at him, and at one point telling him to sit down then *shoving him onto the floor* and laughing as he asks if he's "comfortable"), and tries to poison his father-in-law. His first scene starts with him covertly giving the middle finger at a funeral, then when the mourners have left he digs up the coffin so he can dump the body into the grave and reuse the coffin to save money. A few scenes on he shoves a random guy out of his way in the street. He's a hypocrite who says "is there no morality left in this world?!" when the widow of a man he murdered doesn't pay him for the funeral. The only character he's nice to is his cat."

[bryantspeed]

Season 2 Good Omens spoilers

Long rant incoming

Now that I’ve finished crying I wanna talk about the ending and some gut punch reactions I’ve already seen from other people. A repeated sentiment I’ve seen from Aziraphale and Crowley’s separation after the kiss is that “we don’t need more tragic queer endings” and that Our Flag Means Death and Good Omens suffer from straight writers writing queer love that fails in the end. And there are a few problems I have with those sentiments

The first being, BOTH GOOD OMENS AND OFMD AREN’T FINISHED? Like Neil Gaiman has stated in the past that he and Terry Pratchett envisioned 3 seasons in the TV adaptation of Good Omens, and we have definitely left off on a very interesting note for the third act to pick up from. This is the furthest thing from an ending as we can get.

Second, Season 2 of Good Omens very much shifted away from the idiot plot of Season 1 to truly make it a love story and emphasize that above all else. Hell, both Crowley and Aziraphale both point out romcom tropes that they find attractive and attempt to use them to make Maggie and Nina fall in love! Good Omens may be a self aware romcom, but it would be wrong to say it’s not still a romcom that subscribes to those tropes and utilizes them fully! We are ending the second act on a three act romantic story, and what typically happens then? The romantic leads, despite their mutual attraction and desire, split on ideological grounds and leave each other with regrets heavy on their lips (no matter how powerful a kiss is). Queer love stories do this too! Look at the movie “Bros”, they have this same 3 act structure, as does “But I’m a Cheerleader!” where we are screaming at Graham to please just run away with Megan but she is prioritizing her financial safety and family above her own desires.

Hell's sakes, look at the pinnacle of Romance, the brains behind the 1810 Clerkenwell diamond robbery, Jane Austen! Pride and Prejudice also follows this format where Elizabeth and Darcy are ideologically and emotionally split apart, and it is not until Darcy and Elizabeth grow and change for the better that they come back together in the most romantic scene to ever grace the world! "One word from you will silence me forever. [...] You have bewitched me body and soul". What I am trying to say is, Aziraphale going back to Heaven with Metatron is an extension of that common romance trope, splitting our star crossed demon and the too-trusting angel apart to prepare for the third and final act.

And ya know the funny thing that would have certainly happened even if they ended up together at the end of the second act? They would have been split apart very early into the third act. Stories are born of conflict, no story worth telling is one that culminates in "Nothing bad ever happened and we just watched our two lovebirds go on dates and explore each other's bodies for six hours!" Love stories thrive on setting up conflict, so that the romantic leads can fight and claw and work their way back to each other in a much more satisfying emotional climax than if the sloppy, rushed confession that Crowley gave Aziraphale had worked. Stories where the leads end up together in the middle of the story itself don't tend to end well for them (See Romeo and Juliet, "La La Land," "Titanic," et cetera). That is how you end up creating a romantic tragedy.

Third, while “We want queer stories that don’t end tragically” did have a place in film criticism at one time, and a time fairly recently, I feel that sticking to that now when there are a lot more stories that express queer joy and love (especially if you look beyond just major studios, support indie filmmakers, and support the SAG AFTRA and WGA strikes!!!) limits the kinds of stories we can tell. A genuine benefit of today is that there are a lot of queer stories that we can tell, and I’ve been lucky to read a lot of them. The freedom with which we can create stories about us is breathtaking. I've had the privilege to read many well written queer stories, but I've also had the strange privilege to read poorly written queer stories that I can't fathom how they made it past editing. There’s a fierce joy I carry knowing that there are a plethora of queer stories that I can read now, and that more are being created, good and bad.

My point is, there are so many queer stories to be told, and that are being told, so limiting queer media to “must end happily” is exactly that! Limiting! If we go in to every story with the foreknowledge of a happy ending, well frankly that’d be so boring! I want tragedies! I want fucked up characters not fully resolving their problems and being left in situations arguably worse than where they began!

And while I doubt that's the direction Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett wanted to take their supernatural love story, if Aziraphale and Crowley, despite all their struggles, are tragically separated because of metaphysical forces beyond our wildest imaginings, then that would be something new! It'd be interesting if done right! As painful it would be to not see Aziraphale and Crowley together gallivanting off to Alpha Centauri, I'd much rather see a story that has these sorts of stakes for both the characters and the audience!

Anyway, the reason for this rant is just to say that I'm excited for where Crowley and the new Supreme Archangel Aziraphale go in their final act, and by god will I impatiently wait and see.

PS: to those that I saw dismissing Good Omens' and OFMD's cliffhangers for coming from straight writers, Taika Waititi literally came out as queer, and Neil Gaiman had boycotts on Sandman in the 90's because of his queer characters, and his loving portrayal of Wanda, a trans woman that I will protect will all of my heart.

[lothiriel84]

So Pure in Thought and Word and Deed

He was, in short, the spitting image of her husband, and she felt all the joy she had longed to share with him slip through her fingers and shatter to the ground at her feet.

A Pride and Prejudice ficlet. Darcy/Elizabeth, with Georgiana featuring prominently in her own right.

Not five months into their marriage, Elizabeth began suspecting that she might be with child. Thinking it prudent not to give her mother cause for any premature excitement, she wrote to her aunt Gardiner instead, and promptly received confirmation that, while it was still too soon to tell, all the signs pointed in that direction.  

Her heart full of joy at the prospect, she elected to take a long walk to steady her nerves before breaking the news to her loving husband. As she skirted the small farm at the far side of the park, she was surprised to find Mr Darcy’s favourite mount tied to the large oak tree standing in front of the house. Given that her husband had announced he would be away on business for the entire day, she was quite puzzled as to what his horse could be doing there, and without much consideration on her part, she found herself taking a turn around the modest yet well-kept garden. 

What she found there left her floundering in confusion at first, and then outright dread as the full implications of the scene presenting itself before her eyes started to sink in. There stood Fitzwilliam, bouncing a small child in his arms; the boy could be anywhere between one and two years of age, with a head of dark curls and the most beautiful green eyes she had ever seen. He was, in short, the spitting image of her husband, and she felt all the joy she had longed to share with him slip through her fingers and shatter to the ground at her feet. 

Scarcely knowing where she was going, she fled as quickly as her legs would carry her; it was hours later when she eventually found her way back to Pemberley, where she immediately locked herself inside her chambers, ignoring Georgiana’s worried entreaties that she at least consented to have a tray sent in.  

If her husband had come to check on her upon his return later that evening, she did not know, as she had finally succeeded in crying herself to sleep. In the morning she took herself downstairs with something akin to bitter resignation, feeling as if all the happiness they had shared up until that moment had been nothing but a lie, and there was nothing left for her to look forward to anymore.  

“Elizabeth, my dear, have you been unwell?” Fitzwilliam enquired, ever solicitous of her, and it was enough to stoke the embers of her anger once more, despite her better efforts. 

“It is none of your concern, Sir,” she replied with an icy coldness that verged on dangerous. “I would not have you concern yourself on such trifling matters as your wife’s health.” 

Mr Darcy looked as if he had been slapped, and could not seem to find the words to express his confusion at such an abrupt change in her manners towards him. “If I have done something to offend you, Madam, I am deeply sorry for it – though I confess I am thoroughly in the dark as to the nature of my offence.” 

“Then let us talk about it no more. I find I have lost my appetite, so please excuse me if I retire to my rooms.” 

Not ten minutes later, there was a knock at her door, and she once again expressed her wish to be alone, even in the face of Georgiana’s clear distress.  

“Elizabeth, please,” her sister-in-law pleaded through the door. “Whatever the nature of your quarrel, I feel sure it is nothing but a misunderstanding. And you have not eaten since yesterday morning, you cannot go on like this, especially – in your condition.” 

That sweet, innocent Georgiana would figure out her secret before anyone else was something Elizabeth could not have anticipated. Still, she felt entirely too frazzled to face her new sister’s concerns, as well-meant as they were, and merely repeated that she required some rest; Georgiana, she felt sure, was too well-bread to reveal anything of so delicate nature to her brother, and that was the only think that mattered at the moment. 

She did not emerge from her voluntary seclusion for the next two days, though she accepted the trays that were sent to her rooms with absolute punctuality. The mere notion of food revolted her, but she needed to think of her child, if nothing else; it would not do to visit the sins of the father upon such an innocent creature as she was, in all likelihood, carrying inside herself.  

Fitzwilliam looked as startled as she had ever seen him when she finally made an appearance for tea. Still, she refused to meet his gaze, taking her place beside Georgiana instead.  

“Am I allowed to enquire how much longer do you plan to refuse to speak with your own husband, Elizabeth?” he asked of her in a low voice, barely waiting for his sister to excuse herself from company, after pleading a headache that would have scarcely fooled anyone.  

“That’s rich coming from you, Sir,” she shrugged, turning the full force of her irritation onto the slice of bread she was buttering. “I would have thought it congenial to your sensibilities, as you clearly appear to have kept something of much import from your own wife.” 

“I wish you would stop speaking in riddles, Madam,” Fitzwilliam replied, with a touch of his old temper. “Speak plainly, and I promise I shall address any concern you might have about this marriage.” 

Elizabeth considered him for a long moment, wondering how he could act the part of a gentleman with such well-practiced ease when he clearly was not. “Why have you never told me about the child? I think I could have born the proof of your past conduct much better, had I been informed of it directly, rather than having to discover it for myself.” 

All colour left his cheeks, and he stood up abruptly, glancing down to her in something akin to fear. “You have been to Mrs Goddard’s farm, have you not?” 

“I see you are not even making an attempt to deny it,” she stated with a sort of forced calm, clutching at her teacup so tightly that a detached part of herself wondered whether it would shatter in her grip. “I should be grateful for that, I presume. Tell me, is his mother so below you in station you could not bring yourself to act as any honourable man would, or were you so concerned about losing the good opinion of society as to abandon your own flesh and blood to protect your reputation?” 

“It is not as you think it is, Elizabeth,” he forced out with some difficulty, and there was something so pained about his countenance that she almost felt sorry for him. 

“Enlighten me, then. How, pray tell, are you going to explain the presence on your own estate of a child bearing such startling resemblance to yourself?” 

She had the momentary satisfaction of seeing her husband, always so in command of himself, falter before her very eyes. And yet, she did not feel so much vindicated as she felt utterly devastated in the face of such blatant disregard for her natural feelings on his part. “The secret is not mine to tell. I cannot, I will not betray their confidence, not even for your sake.” 

“That’s a very pretty excuse, Sir, but you cannot seriously expect your wife to content herself with letting matters slide, as if it was nothing.” 

“Nor can you expect me to go back on my own word,” he pleaded with her, to no avail. “I am not guilty of the sin you’re so keen to ascribe to me, but that is all I am allowed tell you in good conscience.” 

“Then we have nothing more to say to each other, I find. Good day to you, Sir.” She pushed away from her chair, and was halfway across the room when she very nearly collided with Georgiana, as pale as a ghost, who had apparently rushed in at that very moment. 

“I will not stand for this a moment longer,” she cried out in such anguish that gave even Elizabeth pause. “If you will not tell her, Fitzwilliam, then I shall, and you cannot stop me.” 

“Georgiana,” her brother entreated her, crossing the room in two swift strides, and reaching out for her arm as if to command her to silence. 

Georgiana, however, would not be swayed. “Robert is not Fitzwilliam’s son.” Her voice broke quite pitifully, yet she bravely soldiered on. “He’s his nephew. There, I have said it – despise me, if you will.” 

It took several moments for the full import of her sister-in-law’s words to register with Elizabeth. When they did at last, she found she was very much in need to sit down, and was only able to do so thanks to her husband, who very firmly escorted to the nearest chair. 

“I am so very sorry,” was the only speech she could manage, as Fitzwilliam pressed a glass of water to her lips, coaxing her to take small sips until her fainting fit had passed. “Oh, I shall never forgive myself, for as long as I shall live.” 

“You could not have known,” Georgiana shook her head, and although she still looked very pale and distressed, she offered Elizabeth the faint suggestion of a smile. “I could not bear to be made to marry his father, not after learning of his true intentions towards me. Fitzwilliam has been so very understanding throughout all this; he has done what he thought best to preserve my reputation, all the while ensuring that the child is well looked after, and he shall never want for anything in his life.” 

“You see now why I could not tell you, Elizabeth? I do own that it did not sit well with me, to keep such a thing hidden from my own wife, and that I had not stopped to consider what sort of conclusions you might reach, were you ever to find out – but I admit I had hoped you would trust my word as a gentleman, if nothing else.” 

“I beg your forgiveness, Sir,” she spoke very quietly, much ashamed of her earlier assumptions. “I allowed my fears to run away with me, and I have no excuse for accusing you so unjustly, save perhaps – but now is not the time, not when you have every cause to be displeased with my conduct.” 

Georgiana surprised them all by throwing her arms around her neck. “He shall be so very happy, I feel sure. I know that I am, for both of your sakes.” 

With that, she fled the room for good, leaving a very bemused brother to search his wife’s gaze for anything in the way of an explanation. What he found there, Elizabeth did not precisely know, but it seemed enough for his entire countenance to light up in a manner even she herself had seldom had the good fortune of witnessing before. 

“Oh, my love,” he all but choked out, gathering her to himself and pressing his lips very tenderly to her brow. “When?” 

“Next winter, I believe,” she told him in a voice much trembling with emotion, giving herself up at last to the comforting warmth of his embrace. 

[sofyachy]

Good Omens 3 Thinky-Thoughts

Now that I've had some time to watch Good Omens Season 2 and go through all the stages of grief (including rewatching repeatedly and dreaming up various fanfiction plots), I'm ready to start jotting down some reflections on S2 and where I think S3 should go. So, spoilers! You know what to do...

Pride & Prejudice

First, the Jane Austen / Pride & Prejudice references in the script are no accident. Alright, I absolutely loved the joke about Austen being a jewel thief and brandy smuggler, and Aziraphale trying to make people fall in love at a ball is a very Aziraphale thing to do. But the references go much deeper.

We can see parallels between the way Aziraphale and Crowley relate to each other with Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. After being snubbed at a ball, Elizabeth becomes prejudiced against Darcy in subsequent interactions, and "willfully misunderstands" his behavior and motivations even when doing so would go against her otherwise sensible observation skills. Similarly, despite Aziraphale and Crowley's ongoing arrangement / partnership / friendship / oblivious marriage / etc., Aziraphale repeatedly demonstrates his prejudice against Crowley for being a demon. For example: "You're a demon, I'm sure you've fired lots of guns." "You're a demon, you're one of the bad guys." Throughout both seasons, we see examples of Crowley committing good deeds, but Aziraphale continues to see him as the enemy.

Crowley, meanwhile, shares Darcy's difficulty with communication and recognizing that his desires aren't lining up with Aziraphale's / Elizabeth's. Both of them appear to realize their own feelings before their partner's. We see examples of Darcy singling out Elizabeth in social situations long before he proposes to her. Crowley, meanwhile, appears to have something of a silent epiphany in S2 when Nina mentions that other people's love lives are easier to understand than one's own.

After Nina and Maggie tell him that he needs to open up and tell Aziraphale how he feels, Crowley proceeds to do so at the worst possible time -- making his own version of a proposal similar to Darcy's. Neither one of them could "read the room" and only really considered their own needs instead of the other's. Crowley wants Aziraphale to turn down a new job offer that he's obviously ecstatic about because he himself doesn't want to go back to heaven and be Aziraphale's sidekick. He has too much pride for that, and Aziraphale can't see that Crowley's burned his bridges with heaven anyway.

The results of these failures are as devastating in that final bookshop scene as they are in the drawing room in Hunsford. However, Austen's novel doesn't end there, and so I think Season 3 could follow some parallels with the rest of it. We may see both Aziraphale and Crowley self-reflecting and reconfiguring their understanding of who the other actually is. Maybe they bump into each other accidentally after these reflections and see each other in a new light. Maybe the Second Coming of Christ pulls a Lydia and runs off with a demon, and Crowley has to stop them. (I'm laughing as I write this last sentence.)

The Crow Road

Another book that S2 references is The Crow Road by Iain Banks. I haven't read it (though I'm adding it to my reading list) -- though there is a decent analysis of its use in the story here. I think it may have some clues about possible directions for S3 as well.

Talking to God

Season 2 showed us God talking to Job and Crowley's jealousy with him for being able to have that conversation. God asks Job if he can do certain things that we've already seen Crowley do (manipulate lightning, make constellations, etc.). Maybe this is a hint that Crowley already has the qualifications that Job doesn't and will get that conversation somehow. Crowley still carries a lot of baggage about falling from heaven (and Aziraphale repeatedly rubbing salt in that wound can't be helpful). I think it would help him if he could have a chat with God and maybe find some peace with that part of his identity.

Deception

Aziraphale is terrible at deception except when Crowley's at stake. He can see that Muriel is terrible at it when she arrives as a "human police officer," but in the same episode he pretends to be a journalist with no more success than Muriel had. Likewise, he is terrible at sleight of hand magic tricks except when Furfur has evidence that could get Crowley in trouble. At first, I thought there was a pattern with angels in general being inherently terrible at deception, and this would retcon the examples in S1. In S1, Aziraphale first poses as a gardener so he can influence the Antichrist. But maybe this isn't meant to be effective, as he can fool a child but his appearance isn't presented as convincing to the audience. Similarly, we've seen that he can lie to save Job's children from the wrath of God. He only needs to fool the other angels for this, however, and their inherent belief in the goodness of one of their own means that they believe him. At the end of S1, Aziraphale is able to convince Hell that he's Crowley. How could he possibly be convincing about this when he is otherwise so bad at playing pretend? The only explanation that makes sense is that his willpower to keep Crowley safe overrides his angelic need to be true to himself.

Stronger Together

We've also seen that Crowley and Aziraphale are much stronger when they work together than when they're on their own. When they combine their powers to keep Gabriel safe without being noticed by Heaven or Hell, instead of the infinitesimal miracle they intend, they get something exponentially more powerful. It's questionable whether they actually tried to go for the tiny dose of power they said they would give -- I don't think they fully trusted each other to do enough to keep them all safe and could easily have "juiced it" to make up for the other's deficiencies. But the reactions from Heaven and Hell indicate that what they accomplished was worrisomely powerful. It's possible that the reason the Metatron chose Aziraphale to replace Gabriel was to separate the two of them and keep that power in check. In S3, maybe we would see them team up again to wield that power for an even greater purpose.

The Gun

Now, without a better transition, we're probably going to see the Nazi zombies again. We see that they're still around London at the end of the S2 scene in 1941. We also discover that 1941 Aziraphale keeps a Derringer pistol in a hollowed-out book in the bookshop. Following Chekhov's law, that gun is bound to make another appearance. The 1941 scene in S2 ends with A and C (I'm getting tired of typing out their names) hanging out in the bookshop. The zombies know where to find them. Guns can stop zombies. A is the type of angel who would probably bless his bullets and bestow them with special miracle powers. I could easily see the zombies storming the bookshop and A shooting them -- maybe saving C, or maybe accidentally shooting him, too, for the show to really milk some drama. Or maybe we get a callback to the magic show and C catches the bullet in his teeth. In any case, I think we're going to see some gun-on-zombie action.

Other more fanfiction-y thoughts:

Nina and Maggie Summon A and C into a therapist's office for couples counseling. Or maybe Muriel reads a self-help book and tries to do it herself. Crowley tries to take over another patient's session via demonic possession "because it's an emergency" and he absolutely has to rant to someone about what Aziraphale is doing. Please, someone, I absolutely need to read this fic.

[keirainaustenland]

I created this template of two dogs making “caught off guard” or embarrassed expressions to emphasize my own feelings when I read the part in Mr. Darcy’s letter where he insults the behavior of Elizabeth’s entire family. He says that, “the situation of your mother's family, though objectionable, was nothing in comparison of that total want of propriety so frequently, so almost uniformly, betrayed by herself, by your three younger sisters, and occasionally even by your father. -- Pardon me. -- It pains me to offend you.” 

The left side shows a dog with a somewhat apprehensive and polite expression, with the text "Roasting Lizzie's whole family." This refers to the part of the novel where Mr. Darcy writes a letter to Elizabeth Bennet (Lizzie) after she rejects his marriage proposal. In the letter, he explains his actions and also, quite frankly, criticizes her entire family's behavior, though he does so with a mix of directness and restraint, similar to the polite apprehension shown on the dog's face.

My reaction was closer to the second dog’s face – I was cringing internally when I read this, and wanted to tell Darcy that maybe the way to a woman’s heart is not pointing out how distasteful you find her loved ones. We are all rooting for you Mr. Darcy, but don’t offend her if you want to get a yes to your next attempted proposal!!

While doing research for this scene, I found a website, Shmoop, that has created a scale for “Pretentiousability” that you will be charged with if you were to quote any line given from a novel. The line “until then I never knew myself” (stated by Elizabeth Bennet after reading Darcy’s letter) was given a 4/10. The writer explains that it is always a little pretentious to quote a classic novel, but since it is self deprecating it is less of an offense. I thought this was just a funny and silly website discussing Jane – and wanted to bookmark and make sure to reference it before my next dinner party of course. 

Elizabeth Bennet’s revelations made after this letter were definitely pivotal to understanding Austen’s intentions with both titles of the novel, her first draft being titled “First Impressions” and the second being “Pride and Prejudice.” Elizabeth becomes aware of her own pride and prejudices that she held towards Mr. Darcy based on her (incorrect) first impressions of him and is very embarrassed at herself. Lizzie is beside herself, stating, 

“She grew absolutely ashamed of herself. -- Of neither Darcy nor Wickham could she think, without feeling that she had been blind, partial, prejudiced, absurd.``How despicably have I acted!'' she cried. -- ``I, who have prided myself on my discernment! -- I, who have valued myself on my abilities!”

Noting the use of the words “prejudice” and “prided,” referencing the title in a very satisfying way, Jane Austen reveals her declaration to always be careful when assuming things based on a first impression. However, I still think Mr. Darcy should have watched his manners and not insulted her entire family. But I guess his appeal is in his honesty?

[readabookknightly]

The image above is a parody of a scene from the TV show The Office which I found on Pinterest. I adapted parts it to fit a model for the Pride and Prejudice fan fiction I read over the weekend called An Ever Fixed Mark, by AMarguerite on the website Archive Of Our Own. The story follows an alternate universe for Pride and Prejudice in which on every persons (I want to say 16th), birthday, the first name of their soulmate appears on their wrist.

The meme above is a characterization of a scenario from the story in which Elizabeth Bennet finds the name Fitzwilliam written on her wrist. In the same way, Mr. Darcy's cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam finds the name Bennet written on his wrist. When the two meet at Lady Catherine's home, they immediately assume that they must be a unique scenario of matched surnames. It's a relief to both to know at last. Particularly for Colonel Fitzwilliam who has been cast out by much of his family because of his wrist. In the story, Fitzwilliam explains how, upon seeing the name Bennet on his 16th birthday, all of his family assumed he was gay (he is), and were horrified by the prospect that his soulmate would be a man. Despite Fitzwilliams adamant protests that such was not the case (it is), his family turned away from him.

Upon meeting Elizabeth Bennet and hearing her name, Fitzwilliam is thrilled and considers her his perfect match. Upon meeting Fitzwilliam, Elizabeth, who lives in relative poverty, is equally thrilled. The two immediately get engaged. Unbeknownst to ether of them, at the same time, Colonel Fitzwilliam's cousin (Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy) is panicking in his own mind, because his wrist reads clearly the name Elizabeth. He had been trying to find a way to tell her when she met his cousin. Naturally, chaos ensues.

Although I did not have the chance to finish the story (my phone estimated it to be roughly 1,420 pages long), during the portion I was able to get through, I was able to appreciate the author's take on what you would expect to be a simple plot: soulmates destined to be together. But instead was a convoluted tale as race, gender, and sexual orientation formed barriers between characters and enabled denial that kept soulmates apart.

I found the story to be a compelling take on Jane Austen's classic because it deepened the traditions of different cultures and pit characters against one another. For example, the writer described poorer families as being more inclined to choose common names for their children because they cared primarily about finding a match, regardless of it was correct. Whereas more wealthy families were inclined to choose obscure names for their children because they were more determined that they would discover their true matches when the time came.

While typically forms of sorcery and the like were left out of 19th century novels, it is curious to imagine a world where they played a part of daily life. Even more so to contemplate how, in a world where class and wealth was considered essential, the idea of true love or finding a match may (or may not) have outweighed one another. While I wasn't able to complete the entire story over the course of the weekend, I found myself certainly intrigued and hope to finish it fully in the near future.

[super-rangers]

*star*

“Thanks,” Janis says quietly. “The rocks are slippery.”

Regina matches her tone. “You’re telling me. I almost dunked myself because I moved too quickly earlier.”

“Yeah. Uh, thanks again.” Janis pulls away from Regina, nodding at her as she walks away.

Regina clenches her fists and releases them, trying to push away the feeling of Janis against her.

This is from ch8. Mostly I'm going to be talking about that last sentence tho, included the rest for ~context~

So I'll start by saying I lovelovelove the 2005 version of Pride and Prejudice. And there's a scene in that movie where Darcy grabs Elizabeth's hand to help her into a carriage, after which he like flexes his hand as he walks away. That scene lives rent free in my head, as I'm sure it does for many other people.

When I was first drafting this chapter and scene, I was like haha wouldn't it be funny if I made a little reference to that when Regina catches Janis? And I did write the scene (since lost to editing lol) where Regina does that little flex motion and like actually thinks about stuff a little before I realized that Regina is Not that self aware yet. So I had to cut down on the introspection and marveling and just leave it at Regina trying to ignore everything lmao

But yeah, all that to say that this scene should be read with a similar vibe as the scene where Darcy helps Elizabeth into the carriage

Fanfic Writers: Director's Cut Ask

[princesssarisa]

I have a few questions for Jane Austen fans about one important scene in Pride and Prejudice.

I still remember the post that circulated some time ago about the fact that when Darcy makes his first proposal, he finds Elizabeth alone because she's stayed behind with a headache while the others have gone to Rosings for tea. A stress headache caused by her overwhelming rage at the reveal that it was Darcy who persuaded Bingley not to marry Jane. Which gives her even more reason for responding to his insulting proposal by verbally ripping him to shreds.

I was surprised by how many people responded to that post by saying that they always thought Elizabeth just pretended to have a headache to avoid seeing Darcy at Rosings.

The text doesn't seem ambiguous to me: the omniscient narrator states that Elizabeth had a headache caused by her stress, which combined with her reluctance to see Darcy to make her stay behind:

The agitation and tears which the subject occasioned brought on a headache; and it grew so much worse towards the evening that, added to her unwillingness to see Mr. Darcy, it determined her not to attend her cousins to Rosings, where they were engaged to drink tea

But some people would argue that Austen is just being playful. She often makes sarcastic statements that blatantly aren't true, so maybe the above is just her playful way of stating that Elizabeth faked a headache to avoid seeing Darcy. It doesn't come across that way to me, but then I'm on the autism spectrum and don't always understand subtext either in real life or in fiction.

I already wrote a post asking people how they interpret this passage, but I thought I'd ask it again. Real headache or fake headache?

Then, of course, Darcy arrives. I've been wondering: how do other readers interpret his choice to visit and propose to Elizabeth then and there? Here's the text:

In a hurried manner he immediately began an inquiry after her health, imputing his visit to a wish of hearing that she were better. She answered him with cold civility. He sat down for a few moments, and then getting up walked about the room. Elizabeth was surprised, but said not a word. After a silence of several minutes, he came towards her in an agitated manner, and thus began:—

“In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.”

In the small amount of commentary I've read so far, I've come across three interpretations of Darcy's actions at this point.

(a) The most generous: He visits out of genuine concern for Elizabeth, and upon seeing that she's feeling better, he decides that now is as good a time as any to propose.

(b) Slightly less generous: When he hears that she's alone with a headache, he decides to seize the opportunity to go and propose, using "inquiry after her health" as an excuse.

(c) The least generous: When he hears that she's alone with a headache, since he thinks she knows his interest in her and has been encouraging him, he assumes she must be faking the headache to give him the chance to find her alone and propose.

Unless I'm forgetting some line or other, the last suggestion seems a little bit far-fetched to me – not that he thinks she's been encouraging him, that of course is true, but that he should think she's faking the headache just to make him visit her.

But I could believe either the first or the second interpretation. Does anyone else have any views on the subject?

@anghraine, @bethanydelleman

[narcissiah]

Headcanon: Ready, Set, Action! [Black Noir x Actor!GN!Reader

Warnings: super fucking long. cursing, like "fuck" and "shit" i think. idk, i didn't edit this lol.

srsly tho, supes long. like 1,135 words but written in a bulleted list.

also tried to keep it GN but if there's like hint of gender in there, tell me so i can fix it.

Being the hottest self-made shit in town, with 84.9 million subscribers on YouTube alone, you're kind-of a big deal.

Though you’re not officially on Vought’s payroll as a Seven team member, Vought calls you when they have jobs you might be interested in.

One day, Vought calls you to see if you’re interested in acting in a multi-genre superhero movie. It would focus on Black Noir as the lead, obviously. You, however, were the supporting lead, playing the love interest and villain.

Not only was this movie a huge boost to your career, but a dream come true. The plot sounded amazing, the character relatable, sympathetic, and downright fucking insane.

Also, growing up in supe-infested corporate America, you idolized the Seven—especially Black Noir. So working with a childhood role model, playing both the villain and the love interest of his?

Obviously, you didn’t say no.

On the day filming started, you ran into Noir. While you were annoyingly excited about the whole event, and downright irritating when you met your hero, you kept yourself in check. It was a struggle, but you managed.

You greeted him, "Hey, I'm [Supe Name]! Since we're filming buddies, want to run over some scenes later?"

Sure as shit, he acted like you didn't exist!

For the first couple of days after the snub, you tried your best to correct whatever first impression he had of you.

You talked to him, or to see if he will practice a certain fight scene with you that involved a lot of coordination.

When that didn’t work, you tried to make a funny joke or two when the situation called for it so he would at least lower that stand-offish barrier around him. Though the crew often laughed at your perfectly timed jokes, Noir would just stare at you or have already left the group.

Your last resort was acting like a good little secretary, offering to get him food and drinks from the communal food table. While he often took you up on your offer, that was as far as the interactions went. Once he was satisfied, ignoring you like you didn’t exist begun once again.

No matter, you got the message loud and clear: stay away.

Despite the crushing start, and understanding the old saying, “Never meet your heroes,” it was the most fun you had in a while.

You acted like your life depended on it; you’d be damned if you failed the crew and audience with mediocre acting. That, and to show Noir that you were worth the time of day.

You did your best to look sympathetic and relatable, even if your ideology of your “perfect world” was madness. You put heart and soul into your character, doing so well you had to remind yourself that you’re [Name], not the villainous [Supe Alias].

Then, you started filming the romantic scenes.

In the first two parts of the movie, it wasn’t too bad. Just longer periods of staring, playful smiles, gentle touches. Nothing too serious.

However, there were times were his muscles would tense beneath his suit when you had touched him. You’d die a little on the inside for two reasons: you’re touching him, and he hates your guts.

Though you two avoided each other like the plague off set, none of the crew were wiser about it when you acted out the beloved “Hero and Villain in love but never to be” trope on set.

Noir would stare at you the way Darcy stared at Elizabeth in Pride and Prejudice. You could feel the burning gaze behind his goggles.

When you held his hand, he would grasp it like it was a lifeline and pull you closer to him. Most of that was on the spot, not in the script.

At the end, he would hold your body as you “succumbed” to your wounds because he had no choice but to “kill” your character?

One word: Swoon!

And then there were the scenes when you were the villain.

Though they were steamy but not overly sexual, the implications were obviously there.

Like when you tied him up? When you would tilt his head up so his goggles were staring at you? Gentle and not-so-gentle face holding? Barely respectable sensual touches (lol)? Your faces together, so teasingly close for a kiss (with the mask still on) but no cigar?

Two words this time: Sweet Jesus!

Filming ends on the last day. You’re shaking hands with the director, the crew, thanking them for their hard work, excited to see the final product on the silver screen soon.

When you get to Noir, you play nice and hold out your hand. While you didn’t want to relive the rejection a second time, you prepared for the inevitable. 

However, you were shell-shocked when Noir took your hand and gave it a single shake. You couldn’t help the large grin on your face, or the triumph soaring in your heart.

As you let go of his hand, he holds out his other with a folded note. Though confused, you still smile and take it. You’re about to unfold it when he gently stops your hand and shakes his head.

Now even more confused, and anxious because what could be on the note? A rant about your behavior and him denouncing you as a supe? A cartoonish picture that doesn’t paint you in a good light, resembling what he thinks of you as a person? What? What?

You put the picture in the back of your pocket and do your best to ignore it the rest of the night; if it was something negative, you wouldn’t let it bring down the best natural high you’ve had all day, though it burned a hole in your pocket.

When you finally get to your apartment, it’s past midnight. You’re too drunk on good food and a few shots to do much more than take off your shoes and plop on your bed. In your haze, you remember the note.

Not feeling so dreadfully anxious about it, you grab it and unfold it.

At first, as you stare at it, you’re not sure what you’re looking at. Or how you feel about it. Then your vision clears, and sobriety hits you hard and fast. But in a good way. A great way.

The picture is of you, hand-drawn and cartoonish, but not in a negative light. Think of those artistic drawings of people with big heads and small bodies, but ten-times better.

Every aspect of the picture was beautiful, and the longer you stared at it, the more amazing it got. Really, it belonged in a gallery.

But that led to the question: Black Noir made this for you? Why?

You flip the paper over and see written; I hope this isn’t our last goodbye ♥