#anyways i always have intense feels about polin

[colins-bridgerton]

this is why penelope fell in love. not because colin was handsome, not because he was well liked, or any other reason, but because he was the first person who ever, ever made her feel like being herself was ok. that she could make mistakes. he laughed at himself, not her, and she fell in love. 

Penelope hadn't much experience with the laughter of men, and what little she had known had not been kind. But this man's eyes---a rather intense shade of green---were filled with mirth as he wiped a rather embarrassing placed spot of mud off his cheek and said, "Well, that wasn't very well done of me, was it?"

And in that moment, Penelope fell in love.

-Romancing Mister Bridgerton

[darcytaylor]

Not sure if this has been asked before but what are your thoughts about Nicola’s pattern of behaviors during the press tour? I’m beginning to think that - for someone who is so protective of her personal life - she would’ve downplayed the chemistry more during the press tour, albeit while still selling Polin as it’s a requirement of her job - if there were real feelings brewing, especially from her to him. That being said, I do think she does think of him as a special friend, after experiencing what they went through as romantic leads; but I think she would’ve dismissed anything more than that.

Her actions with her friends always seem to speak louder than those she has been romantically linked to…

I do understand your thought process of thinking that if Nicola had genuine romantic feelings for Luke, she might have downplayed the romantic chemistry during the press tour. But I also don’t think that Nicola would have let anything get in the way of her work and would try to make the press tour the best she could for everybody around her. I think that she might use feelings to enhance the promotion rather than diminish it. 

You can tell she not only felt proud of her work, but also proud of everybody else who was involved in making this season, she wouldn’t want to let them down by downplaying anything (in my opinion anyway). 

You do bring up a good point that Nicola is very protective of her personal life, and I can see that this would influence how she presents her relationships to the public. But I think that it would be hard to compare how she acts in her personal friendships, or the people she is romantically involved with - to how she acts towards Luke. 

The intensity of working together in the romantic capacity and the unprecedented press tour as a whole, give Luke and Nicola a shared experience/bond that nobody else can relate to. Comparing her behaviour towards friends, romantic interests, and Luke might not be as straightforward due to the unique nature of their shared experiences.

[viscountessevie]

I wasn't going to say anything because Nicola had taken down the video and all I had to say on that was a summary of whatever has already been said about her on this blog.

And to be clear this isn't to talk about that video but the harassment I've been getting on Twitter just because I pointed out the contradictions NC said in her video with how she's been conducting herself online and in interviews. Nothing was false or misinformation. Simply stating things she's done and how as fan of colour they all have come across as micoraggressions.

Yet I've been labelled a liar, told to shove it up my ass and to kill myself. Apparently now I'm stupid and need to be reported dor "spreading hate" Also I'm "justifying the hate" against her. They really saw my very first tweet and went all:

Like please read the whole thread. I literally start the tweet acknowledging that Nicola DOES probably get hate from a gross minority of the fandom (no particular subfandom just general haters) about Pen's weight and what not. Besides, hate is very much different from the criticism that most of the fandom has against Pen's actions against Marina and Eloise.

I also say that Nicola had really fair points and shed light on the PR of it all which I have always blamed for the most part. I believe I gave Nicola points and agreed with her where it counts while also disagreeing with some of the false statements she has made. Then I literally end the thread on a note saying that there's a difference between criticism and hate. Guess who ends up getting hate against them anyway?

All I did was call out how her actions throughout her Bridgerton tenture is harmful. Turns out the worst thing you can call a white celebrity with intense stans a racist. And instead of listening to us, fans of colour who feel hurt by her actions, they send us death threats.

The Polin fandom can say it's not all of them. But where are you all telling your fellow stans to back off when you see vile tweets like this:

TW: Intense virtrol hate and suicide baiting

I don't know how I am "rewriting history" by sharing liked shady tweets against Regé and comments on Ruby and Newts' BTS vids that (indirectly) encouraged her stans to attack Ruby on her IG to the point of Ruby's hospitalization. But go off I guess

This is the main one I referring to when listing how I was attacked. I am okay right now but reminder that you never know what people may be going through and no matter what it IS NEVER OKAY to tell ANYONE to kill themselves.

Again pretty mild because also inaccurate. The difference between their fandom's reaction to attack and hate on Kathonys unprompted when it was a comment by an Eloise fan featured on Nicola's video and slut shaming Simone vs every other fandom calling them out on their bigotry. I don't think I'm the hater here.

[These ones below are pretty old but just more examples of how I've been verbally abused on Tumblr as well and they don't even specify what exactly got them so mad?? It feels like they just hate me for existing]:

It's always really classy to call someone the c word, ugly and a hag. Also the person who said I was ugly because they saw my picture wtf you creep where are you seeing them?

Again all I've ever done on this blog is call out racist actions that are harmful to those in direct line of it and it hurts us as fans to see our escapism show turn into something ugly and hateful that we already deal with on a real life basis and now we gotta deal with it in our safe space too. Didn't realise calling bigotry out made ME the hateful one and deserving of being sent stuff like these.

And I understand that you can't call out everything - hell even sometimes I can't keep up in the Kathony fandom cos I just keep to my small circle but even then when I'm told shit is going to down, I evalaute the situation and act accordingly.

But I just can't respect you all for STILL staying a part of that group and by being silent, you're being implicit in this hate and abuse against fellow fans of the show. Yes, we may dislike each other but the least you can do is not send threats and hate. It's common decency and Internet etiquette.

I only know one or two Polins and they are mostly Book Polins who have called this shit out. They're in the minority so they can only do so much and I am thankful for them for doing so. But the rest of yall are just happy to sit by while a large majority of the fandom (not only Polins but mostly from you guys) sends racist, homophobic and now sexist and slut shaming insults and death threats to every other subfandom until we shut and just take it.

I can have easily taken all the shit thrown at me yesterday in stride and I really thought I did. And I was only ever going to make a post telling yall to stop slutshaming Simone (definitely still making that post) but I am my rope's end. I never let this shit get to me because I know better than to believe these lies so you must understand how intense it is and how upset I must be feeling to make this post. Again I don't want to indulge more but you never fucking know what anyone is going through.

This is the last thing I'm saying on this issue (alongside the post about Polins slutshaming Simone) and honestly on Bridgerton.

I was going to make a separate and most likely will for anyone who missed it but this alongside that Nicola interview where she puts down S2 for not having enough sex while propping up her own season was the final push for me to put this fandom behind me. This blog will still be active but it is no longer going to be a Bton blog after I clear my asks. This shit is just not worth my mental health or risking my life.

Anyways with that I'm logging off. Thank you in advance to everyone who will inevitability check up on me - I love you my moots and lovely anons/followers and I'll check in tomorrow!

If this prompts hate, Imma just assume yall didn't read the whole thing, just not going to read any of it and will report, block and delete! So don't bother you're not getting any attention.

[cheekygreenty]

Little Witch - Part 23

The Darkling x Reader

Aleksander walked into the dungeons not long after you, Zoya briefing him as you stood over the man who had caused a ruckus in your Palace. You were getting tired of his lies and fibs, basically begging to force the information out of his yourself but alas Ivan had some morals, telling you that the truth would come out of him in due time without the need for torture. Pity.

'I've been swindled, hoodwinked' he cried and you huffed, retreating to Zoya's side in annoyance. This man had some nerve lying in a room with 2 Heartrenderers.

'My guards tell me that they caught you fleeing the scene of the crime.'

'Yes, I followed them.'

'Followed whom?'

'They come from the other side of the Fold. From the start, they seemed, just, a bit off to me...-' You banged the back of your head against the wall in frustration, your patience wafer-thin. Zoya too looked done with the situation. Her jaw ticking in a telltale sign of annoyance.. '-So I ran.'

'How much of that is true?'

'He did cross the Fold with the others-' Ivan started but you cut in to finish.'-the rest were lies.'

You watched as Aleksander and Ivan entertained the man but your nerve had snapped for these theatrics. You needed to get the information and act on it, not make a spectacle. The man was already practically dead so why was he even trying to cover up his true identity?

Aleksander pulled up his sleeve and the tally on his arm was visible from your place at the wall. Countless journeys through the Fold burned into his skin in line form, a tradition used in all of Ravka by members of the public and First-Army.

'That is certainly entertaining. You are the Conductor, Arken Visser, are you not? You smuggle Grisha out of my palace! You help them abandon the war effort.' You were getting tired now, Aleksander had always played with his prey but this was dragging on and you had a growing list of urgent things to do: a dead Inferni to tend to, a missing sun-summoner to find, and a royal proposal.

You sighed loudly again, starting a slow pace around the dimly lit dungeon. To Arken you looked intimidating, his terrified eyes followed your steps around him, but all you were doing was keeping your boredom at bay.

'No. I deal in legal indentures. I don’t mess with Grisha.'

'Lie' both you and Ivan mused.

'I don't need them to tell me'

'Saints, hurry this up' You muttered under your breath as you rounded around to Zoya again. Being the good soldier she is, she ignored you. Your ears perked up and actually started listening as the trembling man confessed his ties with Zlatan, only then did your petty behavior pause momentarily.

'You put on a disguise. And you played at being assassin'

'That’s right.' You smiled at his concrete confession, having enough evidence now to use and to kill him. You thought back to the Inferni in the chapel as Arkin mentioned the Ketterdam thieves, did they do that too?

Aleksander turned his head to the side toward Zoya signaling for her to leave. You looked to Ivan and nodded in her direction, instantly assuming you were to stay. Ivan looked less than happy but obliged.

'And the dead Inferni in the chapel? Was that part of the thieves' plan?' You spoke up.

Arkin looked up at you with wide eyes 'That was not me, I swear. I can't be sure it was them either' You scoffed as his heartbeat remained steady indicating no lies. Great, I don't even have the murderer. Aleksander walked away from him, throwing a glance your way as he walked away too. You didn't need to be told what to do, you just did what you yearned to do the second you laid your eyes on the Conductor.

'Tell me how I can help' He shouted as you took a step back creating a distance.

'You already have.' Aleksander's voice echoed in the halls. You raised your hand with elegance and looked into the man's eyes one last time before his demise. Shadows pooled around your feet and fire enthralled the clothes on his back. The vein in his neck grew prominent as your other hand clenched into a fist. His shouts and screams were silent in your ears, a skill you had managed to master years ago to preserve your sanity.

'You don't mess with Grisha, Arkin.'

*****

Hours had passed and the work never stopped. Sleep was long forgotten that night. Aleksander was beside himself too, the search for Alina and the Stag weighed on him heavily, and now with the added search for Nina Zenik he hadn't slept a minute too. You needed to tell him about the Queen, as minutes ticked you cursed your cowardliness and fear. You were scared to tell him. You admitted it, but that fear was nothing in comparison to dread bubbling inside of you on how he would react.

Your steps were slow and lazy, the winter fete gown still on your body. There was a burn on the bottom of it from Polin, the twin sister of the dead Inferni. Upon telling the woman her brother was dead, her grief overcame her and momentarily had a mind of its own. You told her it was okay, but the smell of smoke still loomed around you like a reminder of the night.

Your frame was now in direct line of vision of the open door of Aleksander's study. Fedyor stood in the center of the room, his red kefta eerily similar to the roaring fire. You hesitated to walk in, but your feet dragged you in any way. Compared to Aleksander who'd been in the same predicament as you, you looked chaotic. Your once gorgeous gown was now dirty and burned gown, your hair falling down your shoulders in a tangled mess and the undereye bags contending with Aleksander's kefta. You looked like you'd been to hell and back. So when Fedyor cast a worried look at you on his way out, you simply shrugged and sat down in the chair, shoulder slacking and eyes drooping.

'I'm leading a team to search for the criminals at sundown, care to join?' He closed the doors and walked to a teapot, pouring a mug and handing it to you with a gentle kiss on your head. A sweet gesture but not sweet enough to push your worries aside.

'Aleksander sit down' It came out in a clipped tone and surprised him.

'What?

'Sit down' You waved your hand and the gust of wind pulled out the chair opposite you. Waiting until he sat down, you took your sip of the hot liquid. His body settled into the chair then his eyes studied your face too closely for your liking so you cleared your throat and turned your head away from him, suddenly feeling shy.

'I spoke with the Queen.'

'And?' He was alert and upright, leaning closer to you in an abrupt second. You blew out a breath and choked down the lump in your throat. You were most certainly not going to cry. You started ranting, letting your words run free and take over the panic in your mind.

'Ummmm, well it's definitely not what you think. It wasn't what I thought anyway. I thought maybe she would ask me to be her advisor or something I don't know bu-'

'Y/N what did she say?' He was growing impatient.

'She wants me to marry the Prince. Not just her, the King too.' You set down the hot mug and smoothed out the disaster of a dress on your lap. Your lips pulled down into a frown but you willed yourself not to cry. Don't cry.

'.....what?' His eyes were wide now, you could see his jaw clench.

'It didn't feel like a question. I think she has something on me.' You had been trying to push that thought away as hard as you could but you felt safe telling Aleksander. 'She didn't explicitly say it, but her words weren't kind or gentle. It wasn't a proposal. It felt like a 'do this or else' kind of situation' You played with the handle of the mug to distract yourself from his gaze and your urge to let the waterworks flow.

'I don't know what to do.' As if the burning in your throat wasn't enough, your steady voice cracked toward the end of that sentence, letting the first tear drip from your eye. You let go of the mug and crossed your arms against the table surface.

He didn't say anything just sat back in the chair, letting a hand through the softness of his black hair. Somewhere deep down you felt relief- relief that he wasn't jumping at the opportunity to marry you off.

'Are you sure? What would it be?'

'I can't be sure but I'm being careful. There's only one thing it can be' You let your head fall into your folded arms, shielding away from him in case the sobs you were holding back burst out of your seams. There was only ever one thing you had done that could be used against you and to this day it haunted your nightmares. The gruesomeness of it keeping you up at night.

'Did you give her an answer?'

'No.' The table shook as his fist came down on it harshly after a brief and stealthy silence.

'You're not doing it. No way' You heard his chair move back and his boots walk toward you. His hands came to pick your arms up off the table and haul you up to his height. All his attention was fixed on you. 'Did you hear me? No. I mean it. Don't do that to yourself.'

'It didn't seem like a choice Aleksander'

'Then make it one. Over my dead body are they going to take that away from you' His grip on your arms tightened as he spoke those words and you had no shadow of a doubt he meant them. You had your ups and downs together, but Aleksander rarely ever lied about things like this.

'You don't belong with them, you belong here in the Little Palace and you're not leaving again' His gaze was hot and intense, the anger and rage from the night building up and boiling over.

In that moment, Aleksander had snapped. The Crown was taking you away from him, just like they had done with Luda and countless others. He swore to protect you all those years ago and he was finally going to do right by you.

'I'm not letting that sobachka take you away from me.'

---------

Part 24

Masterlist

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