#bennett lived with it long enough to know what to expect

[theashop]

a what if scenario where Bennett gets separated and Arle finds him & an excuse to draw him sassy/being a menace

wouldn't it be fun if Bennett could use his bad luck to his advantage sometimes?

[dwellordream]

Books Recs of 2024

The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett. Mystery/fantasy centered around Din, a young assistant investigator assigned to help an eccentric and infamous detective, Ana Dolabra, solve a series of murders. Din is an engraver, his brain altered so he has a photographic memory. However, no one is quite sure how he got his current position, since he failed every single one of his final exams except the combat portion. Ana is an exceedingly odd woman who refuses to go to any crime scene in person and often performs mad science experiments in her spare time. As Din struggles to keep up with the case, which revolves around a bioweapon being unleashed on a series of the empire's best engineers, he also worries what will happen when Ana finally uncovers his secrets.

Highfire by Eoin Colfer. Urban fantasy (very comedic fantasy) about a dragon called Vern (short for Wyvern), who teams up with a juvenile delinquent named Squib (real name Everett Moreau) to take down a corrupt sheriff who is plaguing the Lousiana bayou. Vern is a very small (seven feet long) dragon who is the last of his kind (as far as he knows). When he is spotted by a local troubled teen, his first instinct is to hunt Squib down and kill him, but he quickly realizes the two of them have a common enemy- the murderous sheriff who is running drugs through their territory.

The Last Tale of the Flower Bride by Roshani Chokshi. Magical realism about a romantic-minded art historian who is swept off his feet by a mysterious and charming heiress. After a whirlwind courtship, the happy couple return to her childhood home; a Gothic manor on a lonely island. The more time our narrator spends around his wife's past, the more questions are raised- increasingly sinister ones about who she is and what exactly she is capable of. Once upon a time, she was best friends with an equally odd and dreamy little girl named Indigo. But no one has seen Indigo for many years now- and the Flower Bride may be behind her disappearance.

Chlorine by Jade Song. Horror/magical realism. Since childhood, Ren's entire identity has been wrapped up in swimming. If she can be strong enough, fast enough, special enough, success is sure to come her way. As the end of high school approaches, Ren's passion for swimming becomes less about her future, and more about past legends of mermaids and sirens dragging sailors into the deep. School, friends, and her parents' expectations all fall away- Ren will make her home in the water, no matter what she has to do.

We Are Not Like Them by Christine Pride & Jo Piazza. Realistic fiction. Jen and Riley have been best friends for as long as they can remember, despite their vastly different childhoods. Riley is from a middle class Black family; Jen was raised by an impoverished white single mother. After twenty years of doing almost everything together, their lives are at a crossroads- Riley is a news anchor about to take Philadelphia by storm, while Jen is expecting her first child with her police officer husband. When Jen's husband is involved in the murder of a Black teenage boy by a fellow officer, Riley finds herself expected to cover the story- and Jen finds herself expected to answer for her husband's actions- and her own beliefs about what racism looks like.

Queenpin by Megan Abbott. Crime thriller/noir. Our nameless heroine lives a mousy existence working as a bookkeeper for a rundown local night club, but her life is turned upside down when the infamous Gloria Denton, a gun moll and smuggler, takes her under her wing. Gloria transforms her young protege from a timid girl to a sophisticated, cunning woman capable of handling gangsters, conmen, thieves, and bookies, but when she falls for the wrong man, her relationship with Gloria is strained, and they must decide just how far they can trust one another.

Everyone Knows Your Mother is a Witch by Rivka Galchen. Historical fiction. Based on the real life trial of Katharina Kepler, mother of the famed Johannes Kepler, Imperial Mathematician to the Holy Roman Empire. Katharina is a busybody, a domineering and devilishly clever woman with a particular talent for healing. She is also a fiercely loyal mother to her adult children, but when an old neighborhood grudge flares into accusations of poison and witchcraft, Katharina is determined not to meekly confess and beg pardon. The more she lashes out at her neighbors and the authorities, the more charges begin to pile up against her- despite her son's desperate attempts to save her from torture and execution.

Bury Me Deep by Megan Abbott. Crime thriller/noir. Based on a real life murder case in 1931 Phoenix Arizona. Naive and sheltered Marion Seeley is deposited in Phoenix by her disgraced doctor husband, who is forced to take a job with a mining company in South America after his medical license is revoked. Marion befriends the vivacious Louise and Ginny, two fellow nurses, who introduce her to the underground party scene in Phoenix. Politicians and businessmen flock to the secret parties held by them, and it's a quick way to make money on the side. Drawn in by the luxury and thrills, Marion falls in love with Joe Lanigan, a powerful local politician, but as their affair intensifies, her friendship with the other women fractures, culminating in a gruesome crime.

[ellecdc]

Hi

So, em... I have two cats and three dogs for now and one of my cats are really sick and I don't think she's gonna make it and I'm so scared, cause my dog died few months ago and... I don't know, i just need someone to tell me that everything is going to be okay, or at least just fine.

I'm sorry, I don't know why I wrote this. I'm just very depressed and my pets are everything for me, I love them more than my human family, and watching them dying one by one is so painful.

I'm sorry, I just needed to let it out.

TW: pet loss, grief

I’m very sorry you’re going through this right now. I know we always sort of expect to outlive our pets, but somehow when their time comes that knowledge isn’t any comfort

Unfortunately, no amount of time with our loved ones is ever enough. They could have lived forever and I still would have wished for one more moment with them

I think the other thing that is so hard about losing your pet is you expect the grief to hurt different / feel different than when you lose a human loved one, but it hurts just the same; your brain and your heart doesn’t differentiate the love you feel for your fur baby and the love you have for your human companions. And not everyone understands that

Something my mom told me a long time ago when I was struggling with grief/loss was a song lyric - “you can miss the pain, but you would have to miss the dance.” You could have prevented the pain of losing them, but that would have meant never having the chance to love them at all, and I try to remind myself how lucky I am to have known them and to have lost them instead of never having known them at all

I lost my 12 year old niece suddenly and unexpectedly, and 1.5 years later when my 8 year old cat Otis died suddenly and unexpectedly one day in my arms, I was surprised (and a little angry) to find out that grief is grief, and it hurts all the same

2 years later I lost my 8 month old kitten Cleo suddenly and unexpectedly, and 1.5 years later I lost my 1 year old kitten Bennett much the same way. I’m only telling you this in hopes to provide some comfort that you’re not alone, I too know what it is like to seemingly lose pets one after another, and that even though it hurts now (and part of it always will a little bit), that you’re better for having loved them just the same

Sending lots of love and patience

Grief is just love with no where to go

[moon-blanket]

Oh my god the next part came Super Fast let's GET IT

They way he told them to sit. Hi ! hey. Okay i'm sitting.

Damn the Bennetts tried to get other Houses to join the endeavor about CloseKnit. Good riddance then.

William didn't "banish" Porter after his scuffle with Vincent, just a convenient way of him doing his job with less suspicion ? Since he techincally wasn't "affiliated" with House Solaire anymore ?

William ordered PORTER to do it all ? Using the Summit as a way to carry out a "Favor" for another House in the Council ? Seizing the assets of the House of Bennett in the outcome ??

Holy fuck, just how powerful is Porter. That whole murder/alibi plan of his is Wild.

Okay William not wanting to wait around for another 1500 lives lost to get eyes pointed on House Bennett and get the ball rolling. That's a slay. I get it.

I'm with Vincent, What's the logic of all of this !! This "Game" is confusing !!

What is William's part in this !! What is he doing right now !!

I don't blame Vincent for "seeing in black and white" in this moment ! His world is actively crashing down around him, everyone he trusts is in on Something but Him and Lovely (maybe Sam, who knows), and it's out of NOWHERE ! If this didn't happen, who knows how long this would have been hidden from him ! He has the right to be upset about it !!

William thinks of Vincent as his actual child, loves him like a son :( enough to not want his hands dirty. Knowing that he shouldn't have turned him, his biggest regret, saying what he did to Vincent was wrong..... I actively had to pause and cry on the floor for a good five minutes.

GREAT Reminder from Porter that William isn't a Saint. He doesn't have to be ! He is still a good man, who does good things !!!!! The ways that these results are obtained is rather questionable, but what comes from it cannot be denied !!

He took Porter in and gave him a new life, showed him unending kindess. That's how you obtain allies !! Bonds that truly matter !!! All the things William feels for those in his House are genuine !!!!!!!! He cares for all of them so deeply !!!!!!!!!

The circumstances of Porter's turning is very interesting. Turned by a Mass Maker, constantly invocated and used for his powers in a way he had no say in. Running and Running until he found William, who cleaned him up and mentored him on his powers. That's very nice :(

I'm glad Porter understands that the experience he had was not universal. I'm glad he has the perspective of Vincent's, and i'm glad Vincent has the perspective of Porter's.

---

Overall, I'm very glad that the Two of them (Three, since Lovely sat in on it) had that talk. It was definitely not the most pleasant or comfortable, given the circumstances, but it was absolutely Needed.

And if anything, it's a step in the right direction for both Porter and Vincent. They learned a little bit more about (and from) each other during this whole Event. They may have wildly vast differences, jarringly so. But there is something inside of both of them that is so strikingly similar to me, even if I can't put a finger on it. I don't expect them to be Best Friends after this, but hopefully they have some level of understanding with each other after this. And maybe become the slightest bit nicer to each other, even if it takes a while.

(I see why William wanted Shaw Pack there, since they were all looking into CloseKnit. He let them see some evidence to get DUMP on the ball, as well as some actual justice for the Inversion. But geez, that could have gone bad !)

----

This was a GREAT audio. Poor Vincent and Lovely. They deserve a LONG fuckin' break after all is said and done. Please let them be happy for ONCE lmfao.

Still love you with my life Porter I'll do anything for you by the way.

[evita-shelby]

Tie your heart to mine

Chapter 19

Cw: suggestion of an illegal abortion(as an option)

Douglas hadn’t been expecting Thomas Shelby to call and order him to meet him at Diane’s Office.

The man sat on the desk Diane looked too young behind in and held as much authority as he did when he was the feared Sergeant Major of the 179th Company. It was his distinguished service in the tunnels that made the Crown turn a blind eye to his crimes, an open secret most knew.

“I would’ve asked to meet at a more relaxed setting, but I can’t risk getting caught with this.” The gangster turned politician offered him a medical file, one with all the signs of its legitimacy.

“Why?” Douglas asks wondering why this man who cannot stand his namesake would do this kindness.

“Because.” The same answer they always got during the war. This time it meant something different.

Because I’m a father too.

“If anyone asks, I called you here to discuss a job in the transportation department in my company. The file was retrieved from the physician that saw to your son and was misplaced by his nurse.” Shelby rubbed the cigarette on his lower lip before lighting it.

Douglas Bennett hasn’t run like this since Lois was born. He is out of breath and ready to collapse and by divine luck, finds Tom packing in his bedroom.

“Unpack, boy, you aren’t going anywhere!” Douglas tossed the file on the bed for him to see.

“How did you get this?” Tom does not open the file detailing some nonexistant thing that rendered him unfit to serve.

“Doesn’t matter, all that matters is that you won’t be coming back dead to me.” The older man is so relieved that he can’t help but grab his son’s head and kiss the mop of blond hair so like Vera’s. “You aren’t dying, Tom, you’re staying here away from the war.”

“Dad. I’m going, not gonna die there anyways.” They had never agreed on much, and yet this is the last thing he thought they would disagree on.

Tom has always placed himself first, his life, his fun. Tom’s selfishness always won and yet here he was refusing this last ticket to freedom thinking himself fucking immortal.

“That’s what everyone fucking says about it until your best friend dies in your bloody arms! Ships sink, they get attacked and you just can’t bullshit your way out of the prison camp or fucking death, Tom!” it always comes to him trying to shout sense into his bloody fucking head.

Stubborn as he was before the war. Douglas saw the boy who died in France so much he couldn’t live with him half the time.

“Diane’s seen it. I trust her visions, and if she says I’ll live long enough to marry her and give you grandchildren, then I know I’ll be fine wherever they send me.” Tom confessed his reasoning and resumed his packing.

“You’ve never believed in that bullshit and now you’re trusting someone’s who you’ve only known for less than six months?!” his father cannot wrap his head around how his son who doesn’t even believe in God believes a girl who claims to see the future.

“I believe her, and I’m going to marry her when the war fucking ends whether you like it or not.” He stands his ground, because of all the lessons he’s tried to teach him, that is what sticks in his thick head of his.

“Suit yourself then, boy.”

Those are the last words Douglas Bennett will speak to Tom until he returns from the Battle of River Plate.

“You’ll write to me, won’t you?” Diane’s voice is quiet and soft as they say goodbye at the station like all families and lovers are doing.

He has had the ring in his pocket since that morning and yet no moment feels right. Tom has never been one for thinking things through and living in the moment and yet this has him hesitating and doubting himself.

Perhaps it was because things had gone to shit with his old man again after he refused to present the phony certificate claiming he’s got some fucking heart condition, and his blind trust in Diane’s visions of his future.

He��d said goodbye to Lois who was getting on her own train as well and now he was here holding onto Diane who refuses to let go as if he was being sent out to die already instead of basic training.

“Yeah, gonna bore you to death with my letters so much you’ll know you’re worrying for nothing, Di.” He answered cradling her face in his hands and reminding himself it’s just basic training.

The blond is aware he could die in training too, but the vision Di had of them having a life after the war gives him the confidence to think himself immortal. That nothing will hurt him and that he won't come back as a shell of a man like his old man did.

Diane’s never been wrong.

“I love you.” She said holding back tears and the ring feels heavy in his pocket.

But he doesn’t reach for it, Tom knows she’d say yes, but it just doesn’t feel right.

“Steal away to Cornwall, and I’ll find a way to see you off-base, Di,” Tom leaned down to kiss her goodbye and added after, quietly as if it weren’t obvious, “I love you too.”

Lois knows she’s dome for when there is a second month she doesn’t bleed. There is no question about what led to this, and she hates there is no chance it wasn’t Charlie’s.

It would be easier if it had been him, no matter what decision she took he’d support her and do the right thing if need be.

“Did you ever think about what would happen if you and Tom weren’t playing it safe?” Lois rolls onto her side and sees Diane take her brother’s bed as if it always belonged to her.

She’d moved in here with them at dad’s suggestion. Not all the boarders were as nice as Mrs. Johnson, some distrusted her because of her Romani blood made worse by Tom’s presence almost every night in her bed.

So Lois’ dad asked her to stay one night and suddenly a month and a half later, Diane was living with them even if she still paid her rent to Mrs. Johnson.

“We’ve talked about it, well, more like joked. We agreed we’d get married and name the first girl Vera Eve after your mum and mine.” She spoke so sure of it, as if Tom’s ever been serious about anything longer than an hour.

“He’s serious when he wants to, or has some external force pushing him to be. The baby is Harry’s, a girl, by the way.”

The witch looked at her having heard her thoughts, how Tom dealt with this on a daily basis was beyond Lois’ understanding.

“I suppose Vera it is.” The Mancunian girl had really hoped it wouldn’t come to this.

One fucking time.

Single mother to Harry’s bastard baby daughter, just her fucking luck.

“You don’t have to, you know, there’s people you can go to. My mum knows someone in Birmingham who can do that.” Her mismatched eyes tell her she’s not kidding, that she really is suggesting an abortion.

Lois hadn’t considered she may have a way out.

She’d heard of it, as something wrong and dangerous and illegal, heard of women who pay to get rid of unwanted babies and go on living normal lives as if it never happened.

It was a tempting offer, something she wasn’t refusing right away because she isn’t even sure what she’s going to do with a baby.

“Don’t tell my dad or Tom, please. You know how they are.” The blue eyed girl pleaded and the witch nodded in understanding.

The distance between Manchester and Torpoint is enough that Diane only comes down twice a month and in her vardo hitched to horses and as a guest of a nearby farmer lending his land to some romani family Diane only met on her way here.

Tom knew Norman had his back and would cover him as he has always done, especially now that they’d be shipping out to the Falklands. There they’d go on to serve on the HMS Exeter in the warm and sunny part of the world. He’s a fleet arm air gunner, third class, just as she had said before the war became true as well.

If that came true then the rest will too, he reminds himself. He won’t die. He’ll be the same Tom who returns home. He’ll not become like his dad nor hers.

“Dad’s worrying for nothing, no reason for the gerries to be there. Just a bunch of trade ships.” The blond says tracing patterns on Diane’s bare back.

They don’t always fuck, some nights he just holds her pretending its still spring in Manchester. Does that now that his training is ending, and his first posting came.

Tonight he’d taken his time, committed each freckle and sound she made to memory. She’d follow him anywhere, but the Falklands isn’t somewhere she can go with ease.

“Argentina is a great admirer of the Germans, might be the only one who likes them in Latin America.” She knew about things like these because of her parents, figures she’d do her homework about his assignment before he even knows himself.

“Well, now they’ll admire the way I look in my uniform.” He joked hoping to put her at ease.

If she knew how it ends, why was she so worried?

“I’m gonna marry you. After the war, so I know I won’t die before that.” Tom had hoped for a better way to do this, and yet no place was as special to them as this canary yellow vardo.

She smiled and leaned up to kiss him again. “Is that why you’ve been carrying your mum’s ring in your pocket every time I come here?”

“Yeah, been wanting to since I left.” He answered leaning over to grab the coat from the bench next to the bed and finally popping the only question that’s ever made him truly nervous.

She’ll say yes, he knows she will.

[melmedardasworld]

Bonnie's funeral was months ago, so how come Klaus finds her in New Orleans?

Klaus suddenly stopped mid-stride of the masses. He tilted his head as if listening to something, but his preternatural senses zeroed in on the mystical energy nearby. The air was charged with it. Klaus couldn't put his finger on the familiarity of the mystic signature, but it was, without a doubt, magic. His thoughts drifted to Mystic Falls, but he locked the bleak recollection.

Klaus slithered between the crowd and dissolved from the people. He let his senses guide him toward the one who dared to ignore Marcel's rules. This witch was either desperate, a fool, or both. Klaus hadn't discovered his sire's secret weapon, but he would find out. New Orleans was his home in the past, yet Marcel acquired everything Klaus had yearned for centuries. Klaus clenched his jaw as an irrational fury simmered within before speeding off.

Klaus's skin rose in goosebumps when he rounded the corner of the side alley. The dense magic sucked in all the warmth and compacted it within this area alone as a steep cold. When the witch fell in sight, Klaus's arctic blue eyes dimmed like flinty beads. His body immediately locked out of instinct at the impossible symptom. Vampires didn't experience cold, let alone having that sensation manifest into goosebumps. Klaus watched the witch with narrowing eyes. Voluptuous inky-black coils pulled back and cascaded down a slender back. She was crouched in front of a salt pentagram on the floor with a hand hovering above.

The slow grin twisting near the corners of his mouth manifested a sinister overtone around Klaus. "You know that people around here have died for less?" Besides lowering her hand from the salt circle, the nameless witch didn't turn. "Yet here you are, breaking the one rule that has so many of your kind quaking with fear. It is quite bold of you to call upon your executioner." Klaus mused lazily, "I have a sibling with similar self-mutilating tendencies. As a good brother, I put him out of his misery with a dagger, and now he enjoys eternal sleep." Klaus tilted his head and asked, "shall I extend the mercy by offering you a quick death or let Marcel torture you instead?"

A soft sigh left her mouth, but she finally rose. Klaus kept a well enough distance that was perfect for offense and defense if needed. This witch expected- no, she wanted to be found, and an itching underneath Klaus's gums told him this act was deliberate. His fury spiked. The dark veins around his eyes rippled to life. "You dare lure me here, witch?! I already told your pathetic coven that I not will be commanded or manipulated!"

"It's not surprising that you think the world revolves around you." Klaus tensed, not by what she said but by who said it. Klaus followed her movements with eyes that slowly stretched as they drank in her presence. The intensity of her viridian eyes was the first thing that garnered his attention. Tension twisted at the base of Klaus's gut, and his breath quivered. Questions jostled through his mind, but all Klaus intended to ask was enunciated as a name he didn't think he'd ever utter again.

"Bonnie?"

☽🔮☾

Six months ago

The path was brief but felt long and heavy. Klaus's feet led him through the family burial ground. Stone-faced, he stopped in front of the recent tombstone. Klaus did his best to ignore the weight cementing itself in his bones. The ceremony was small and with family and friends. Klaus wasn't invited, but he watched the funeral proceeding, with a dark face, from the shadows.

Klaus Mikaelson lived for 1000 years. For centuries he never cared for anything. Yet, here he was, like a sentimental fool showing respect to the dead. This death didn't need to but did because of blinding loyalty and a lack of preservation. Klaus clenched the bouquet when his eyes finally swept along the name carved into the stone by her estranged parents.

Bonnie Sheila Bennett.

A breeze kicked the fallen leaves around Klaus. He raised his head, and an unlikely shiver crept along his skin. There was nothing there, but Klaus felt the wisps of magic. However, it didn't ease the scraping against his chest. No melancholy or peace settled. Klaus became restless as he stared at Bonnie's name. "This accursed town should count itself lucky that it will be spared from my wrath. You needn't worry, little witch, as you did your part." Bonnie did more than that. The words left an acrid aftertaste in his mouth. "I will do mine and leave Mystic Falls. Be proud, Bonnie Bennett. You successfully chased me out of this horrible place and saved the ingrates who didn't deserve you or your power." His mouth twisted, and a scowl blossomed. Bonnie Bennett would no longer be a thorn in his side. Ironically, there was no joy in saying these words to a dead enemy. "You prevented the prophecy hell from being unleashed upon the earth, your father and Jeremy live once more, you cured your mother, and your friends are safe." When the wind and Bonnie's magic settled, Klaus bent through his knees and set the flowers down. He ran a hand over the stone with wonder. "You can be at peace, little witch."

☽🔮☾

Klaus wasn't sure how long he stared, but his wide-eyed shock prompted an unimpressed frown from Bonnie. Despite the many questions ringing through his mind and the chaotic emotions rearing, Klaus's reaction was an explosion of raw impulse. In a split second, he sped forward to attack her. His sudden action caught Bonnie off-guard. The impact of the brick wall colliding with her back shuddered down her spine, and a firm grip squeezed down her windpipe. Through her glower, Klaus's distorted face drew closer and yelled, "you dare fool me with parlor tricks?!"

Bonnie's magic thrust outward to protect its mistress. The shockwave of pure mystic energy belted into the solid threat. Klaus propelled back like a puppet pulled back by its strings. He crashed into the concrete surface but swiftly picked himself up, ready to charge against this cheap illusion.

Bonnie stretched her arms, palms facing the ground, and flicked them down. Klaus howled when the force of her power brought him to his hands and feet by fracturing his bones. Bonnie coldly watched how he wrestled to break free. His double fangs were ready to tear through flesh like some frenzied beast. "The more you struggle, the easier it is for me to keep you down and break your bones."

"Then make sure to keep me subdued for your safety." Klaus sneered, his golden glower never breaking contact with her green irises. His face twitched heavily, but it wasn't just from the witch's dense power keeping him bound. She dared to bait him with her face and perceive it as his weakness?! "Is this your coven's grand plan? Luring me to the city to do your dirty work failed, so now you con me with the face of a dead enemy, proving again that all who stand against me turn into dust." Klaus ran his nails along the broken stone and swallowed the growl of pain when he pushed against gravity, pushing him down with each toil to rise.

Bonnie raised a brow before a snort left her mouth. "First of all, this is all me. I'm not part of the French Quarter Coven." Bonnie lowered her arms to her sides and started to walk. Bonnie's extraordinary power still subdued Klaus. "But having them lure you to New Orleans was my idea. I convinced them you'd be the perfect smokescreen in this war. I was right." Bonnie smiled and tilted her head. "Given your history with Marcel, knowing how power-hungry you are and your habit of taking things that aren't yours, you're the perfect distraction." The longer Klaus listened, the more the veins in his face rippled. The arteries near his temple stood out against his distorted features. The low rumble in his chest was feral and on the wrong side of sanity or reason.

Bonnie closed the distance, crouched through her knees, and crossed her arms over them. She rested her chin on her hand while staring at the fuming Klaus. "Just to be clear, I am the enemy that came out on top after going against you." Bonnie said the following words with such nonchalance that it took Klaus a moment to register them, "lastly, the funeral was fake, Klaus. I was very much alive and have been this whole time." The revelation stuttered Klaus's thoughts to an abrupt halt.

If you haven’t read Witch Bargain, please do. It’s related to the prose that I have in mind of Bonnie in New Orleans and getting involved in the war between the vampires and witches.

Happy Holidays!🎄

[bittenlore]

(   greta onieogou.  200+.  witch.   )   SADIE BENNETT,  you’ve been haunting mystic falls’ streets with your desire to TRACK DOWN HER DESCENDANTS AND BUILD A COVEN OF DARK WITCHES.  it’s only a matter of time before your SPITEFUL & SELF SERVING tendencies prove to be your own undoing; unless your METHODICAL & PERCEPTIVE nature helps you obtain allies before it’s too late.

B A S I C S 

full name: sadie bennett. nicknames: n/a. gender:  cis woman. pronouns:  she/her. sexuality:  pansexual. age:  200+. date of birth:  february 9th. zodiac sign:  aquarius. birthplace: salem, massachusetts. current location: mystic falls. species:  witch. occupation:  unemployed. languages spoken: english, french, spanish, latin.

A P P E A R A N C E

faceclaim:  greta onieogou. height: 5'9. build:  petite and lean. eyes:  brown. hair:  dark brown. piercings:  ears.  tattoos:  none. other distinguishing features:  n/a. style:  hyper feminine. 

P E R S O N A L I T Y

traits:  (+) methodical, perceptive, charming, quick witted , confident. (-) self serving, spiteful, unforgiving, bitter, easily angered.  mental health:  anger issues.  physical health:  superior. likes:  dark magic, indulging in various vices, cooking, art, fashion, partying, flirting, morbid humor, shopping.  dislikes:  the ancestors, hunters, mortals, people who disrespect her boundaries, people underestimating her, people that don't know how to have fun.  fears:  death. 

B A C K G R O U N D

death tw

sadie bennett is an ancestor of bonnie bennett and a descendant of ayana and qetsiyah. she was born and raised in the early 1800s in salem, massachusetts to a witch mother and father, who had six other children besides sadie. her early years were spent practicing magic and honing in on her craft, becoming a very powerful witch in her own right; as to be expected from a bennett witch.

she was married at an early age, only 15 years old, but she loved her husband dearly and they were happy with one another despite the circumstances of the time period they lived in. a few months after their wedding, sadie fell pregnant with their first and only child - a daughter that she named marie. marie was just as talented as she was when it came to the craft, and grew into her magic at an early age just like her mother.

life was as good as it could be for sadie and her family until her mother and daughter were accused and accosted for witchcraft. their small community was quick to execute them for their "crimes", resorting to the age old practice of burning them both at the stake. not only did they burn her mother and daughter at the stake, but they burned locked her remaining family members, including her husband, inside of their home before burning it down to the ground. sadie had been away visiting family in another town when everything had happened, and had a dream vision the night prior warning her of the tragedy to come. however, she couldn't travel back to salem fast enough to save her family.

sadie was, and rightfully so, pissed off and heartbroken at the murders of her family; especially her daughter. her rage was solely directed at the people of her town and the ancestors; the former because they were the ones who committed the atrocious act, and the latter because they didn't do anything to intervene or give her sooner notice of what was about to happen.

in her grieving state, she turned her back on the spirits and traditional magic, her heart turning cold and morbid. she started practicing darker and darker magic, using her newfound skills to kill the people responsible for the deaths of her family members and burning the entire small town to the ground.

it didn't take long for dark magic to began consuming her. with her insatiable need to grow stronger and more powerful, she began dabbling in black magic, using her powers for her own gain and vices instead of for the balance of nature. it didn't take long before her journey to more magic knowledge led her to the existence of expression, magic so dark that every witch she encountered warned her to steer clear of it. every witch apart from one - the one that gave her the tools in order to call upon expression and hone it for herself.

she didn't bat an eye at the implications of what she had to do to achieve her goal. she had already killed countless people before; what was a few more? so she went about preparing for the ritual, gathering all the sacrifices and tools needed for it before she executed it to a t - opening her up to new depths of darkness she never knew existed; and she loved every second of it.

in her quest for power, she also wanted to keep her youth and vitality for as long as possible. she'll be the first to admit it - she's vain. she knows that she's beautiful and she values her looks second to none, apart from her magic. she would do anything to preserve that. the longevity spell wasn't good enough for her though. she needed something more palpable and drastic. which was how she ended up tweaking the longevity spell to suit her needs and wants.

there's a give and take for everything. if she wanted to keep her youth and beauty, sacrifices had to be made. for every year that she extended her vitality, she had to drain the life force of another, sentient being - the younger the better. so every year for the past century and a half, give or take, she's been sacrificing people for the sole purpose of living for as long as she can. does she regret it? not in the slightest. everything comes at a price, and the lives of other people is a price she's all too willing to pay.

despite her age and the darkness that has encapsulated her, she's still human. she finds herself growing lonely some days, and craves the company of a coven of witches that share her beliefs and values. she wants to form the most powerful coven the world has ever seen - which is exactly why she's began tracking down her descendants of the bennett line. first one on her list? bonnie bennett.

M I S C E L L A N E O U S

what are your character’s goals? do they have any present allegiances? sadie's allegiance is to herself and herself alone, although she would align herself with anyone who shares her views and desires. her goal is to track down bonnie, other bennett witches, and other strong witches to build her dark magic coven.

what has your character been up to before/during the start of our group, at the beginning of tvd season 3? ( feel free to play with or mix up canon events as you like ! ) sadie has been living her best life, honing her craft and indulging in the vices that life has to offer. it wasn't until recently that she set into motion her plan of building a coven of her own.

what songs do you associate with your character? problem by natalia kills.

have you altered anything about your character’s canon? n/a.

do you have any other random headcanons worth mentioning? sadie has worked with different supernatural creatures over the years and has made friends and enemies along the way. she doesn't necessarily hate vampires, but she doesn't trust them in the slightest, unless they've done something to earn her trust. werewolves are in the same category as vampires in her eyes.

is there anything you’re potentially interested in exploring romantically for your character / what do you, or could you, ship? i'm honestly open to any kind of ship! f/f or m/f. throw anything at me for the my girl sadie. if you think your muse can handle her psychotic ass, of course.

what sort of current or future connections/plots are you looking for? witches for her to corrupt! supernatural creatures she's worked with in the past! scorned people who are praying on her downfall after she drained the life force from a loved one of theirs!

[talk-darcy-to-meee]

I found this series of tweets on Tumblr, and they reminded me of the discussion we had in class about whether fans would really want to live in Austen’s writings. The first tweet asks what piece of dating knowledge one can glean from a classical novel, and the responses in this post all have to do with what funny little messages Janeites have read about in Austen’s books that would never really work today. I mainly wanted to focus on the Pride and Prejudice advice because that is the book we are currently on. I particularly liked “Long walks/rides in the rain for the purpose of catching pneumonia are ideal for ensuring a long convalescence at his estate” and “Visit his house to make sure the estate is large enough for your liking before accepting his second marriage proposal”. The first quote about catching pneumonia I chose because it reminded me of the recently watched “Lost in Austen” and Amanda Price forcing Jane Bennett to ride out to visit Bingley. Amanda turns out to have some unrealistic expectations when it comes to Austen’s stories because once she tries to put what she knows into practice, she realizes how much she has endangered Jane by telling her to go out in the rain. Because of Jane’s subsequent sickness, the viewer and Amanda realize what Austen’s characters are willing to do for a good marriage, which is not as romantic as it seems, and Amanda realizes that she cannot just replicate Austen’s work so easily. The second quote I chose was based on an early discussion about Elizabeth’s interaction with Darcy’s estate and her consequent reevaluation of his character. Now, I doubt that Elizabeth is that shallow of a character to reconsider marriage just because of wealth, but that was part of the system of the time and a point that Austen tries to make often. When Elizabeth enters and explores Darcy’s estate, she sees a whole new side to him, which could be the reason she starts to reconsider. However, Elizabeth must also take into consideration her standing and position at the time, and her only freedom is accepting or declining a marriage proposal. After seeing more of Darcy’s character and comfortable mode of living, she seems to put more stock in her choice and where it could take her life.

As an honorable mention, I also really liked the tweet that gave a piece of advice that said, “Insult their family before asking them out.” This brings into perspective the “Darcy mania” talked about in class and how so many people are willing to overlook what Darcy has said in the past in order to be swept away in romance that they get to pick and choose. I do think that Darcy has many honorable qualities, and I always identify with a good introvert. However, I think many people are willing to make fun of, forgive, or forget all together his previous pride because it makes the story and romance easier.

Pride and Prejudice:

Emma:

Persuasion:

Sense and Sensibility:

Northanger Abbey:

[greywoodrpg]

𝕒𝕞𝕪 𝕓𝕒𝕩𝕥𝕖𝕣

appears as though she was born thirty-five years ago but is actually thirty-nine, she is a siren who lives in mystic grove as a history professor at gsu, and she is in ocearian pod. she looks an awful lot like haley bennett.

“The worst things: To be in bed and sleep not, To want for one who comes not, To try to please and please not.”

tw: horror, drowning, trauma, ptsd, mental health

As the eldest of all Baxter children, Amy always had a lot of expectations to fulfill. Ever since the oldest brother in the family was born, she had taken it upon herself to be an example for him and every next sibling that followed, wanting to make her parents proud and help them lead as perfect of family life as they all could. This was why she’d never left Greywood in her teenage years or young adulthood, completing high school with stellar score and success and later on mastering in History and Archeology at the GSU, where she would also later on find a permanent workplace at. But Amy always wanted to see the world, travel and experience adventures the explorers on the television and movie screens had, like Indiana Jones or Jack Colton in The Jewel of the Nile.

Upon completing her master’s degree, she proceeded on to pursue a doctorate in Egyptology, Egyptian Art and Archaeology, her younger siblings finally independent enough to allow her to leave Greywood and visit the country of all her daydreams and longings. She’d joined numerous exploration expeditions, scientific and historical researches and visited many excavation sites in the region, following the trail of Nile, the cradle of ancient civilizations. But her love was for the pyramids, those magnificent old structures that marveled humanity for centuries and still held so many mysteries yet to be revealed. She wasn’t only watching mysteries and adventures in the movies or reading about them in the novels anymore - she was living this life and maybe, just maybe, if she ever got tired of the beautiful dunes of the Sahara desert, she may dedicate a portion of her life to the greatest mystery she’d ever heard of growing up. The remains of the Beast beneath Greywood . But she could return to her hometown whenever she wanted, first came exploring the world.

And what wonders awaited her there! Many of the yet to be explored areas within these ancient lands, the pyramids themselves and underground catacombs beneath the sand were indefinitely closed to the non-magical part of humanity and only accessible to those who grew up and lived knowing of the supernatural world or actively pursued that knowledge. Aside from what was researched and known of this ancient civilization so far, Amy set off to find out if there are any more mysteries and secrets the Egyptian pharaohs and priests hid, like hidden underground passageways beneath the Sahara sands, either man or magic-made or naturally created which revealed a system of tunnels and caves that even collected vast expanses of waters and created underground lakes under one of the driest, hottest places on Earth.

If werewolves, vampires and others existed today, why not back then too? As part of the society or even revered as divine beings, now existing only in legends and myths, part of folklore history and mythology of the region. There were so many wonderful questions to answer, with many possibilities and potential explanations. No one knew the answers to them but there were many theories and Amy spent days and nights talking them through to no end with her teams and colleagues either under the starry nights spent on sand or delving deep into the underground mazes where every corner could have a new discovery waiting.

She was finally living her dream, but maybe all the movies and novels she’d always watched and read, maybe all the myths and legends should’ve warned her about a darker side of mysteries. On one of her many expeditions into the underground catacombs beneath Giza plateau, while camping near a cave lake secretly named Osiris’ Pool, unknown and possibly never to be revealed to the non-magical public because it was believed that it had been connected to the side of the supernatural life after death, Amy had noticed an unusual stir in the otherwise perfectly calm, dark water. Under the sparse fluorescent red light of the headlamps they used so they wouldn’t stumble around in absolute darkness, Amy did what every stupid main character of such stories would - she leaned over the edge, peering into the bottomless abyss beneath. And then she was pulled in, so fast she’d hardly made a sound before black water engulfed her. No one noticed her disappear, all asleep in their bedrolls or conducting their research work elsewhere.

They searched for her for weeks - her colleagues, rescue teams, deep-divers and all sort of professionals were brought in to find at least a trace of her. And eventually, so as to not disturb the precious old places fragile with time, they gave up, the missing report put up left unresolved. Until she had finally emerged from the underground, dripping wet and clothesless, almost feral and confused. Everything between her being pulled into the lake and then being returned to a town with people who could provide help was a blur she is still working on with her therapist. The dream was over and Amy was back in Greywood, permanently, too afraid to set foot out of the safety of her town now. She never wanted another adventure again, the mere fact that her family thought she might be dead for weeks grounding her from having her head in the clouds so much.

So she settled, taking up a teaching position at the Greywood Supernatural University. She focused on her family. She hosted Thanksgiving dinners and participated in all the town’s major events actively. She picked up pottery and cooking. She went on a few dates with prospects of marriage (it didn’t pan out yet). And with every change of the tide, she turned into the same creature that drowned her.

“what power did she attain when settling in greywood?”

Amy’s Greywood-acquired power is to touch an item and know its whole history - who made it, where it’s been, who used it etc. This is under her control and requires conscious effort and focus to activate. May be very partial and fragmented if an item is particularly old with a lot of history and time behind it.

penned by... sandra

[sarah-aliterarylife]

Monarchs, Steinbeck and Matthew Perry : My To Be Read List

Working my way through the list of period dramas on the BBC IPlayer, I began thinking about the books on my To Be Read list. Believe it or not, there are still a few titles that continue to evade me as the years go by!

Time, work commitments and life in general have all meant that I’ve not yet found time to read the following :

1. Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray

My literary journey has led me to make the acquaintance of many extraordinary women – Jane Eyre, Bathsheba Everdean, Elizabeth Bennett – but Becky Sharpe is not among them. I actually own two copies of Vanity Fair (a large paperback and a free Kindle copy, bought in what was probably a senior moment a few years ago, not realising I already owned it). Clearly a sign that I need to read one of them at some point!

2. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck

Whilst I very much enjoy a Great American Novel from time to time, I’ve never quite made it round to the Joads and their story.

3. The Complete Works of Charles Dickens

If I was ever lucky enough to be a guest on Desert Island Discs, this would be my book choice. To be fair, a desert island would be the most likely setting for my ever completing such a mammoth task. If you have attempted to read a Dickens novel, you will know that his complex prose requires NO DISTRACTIONS. Don’t read Dickens on a train, or with the television blaring out beside you. I personally find total peace and quiet, a clear head and an unlimited amount of time the optimum conditions to get stuck in. Not easy things to find in today’s world.

So far, my journey through the complete works of Charles Dickens amounts to Great Expectations, Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol, Bleak House and a Tale of Two Cities. I struggled massively with the latter two – I’m not sure what that says about my intelligence level – and I haven’t touched Dickens since. Perhaps one day I’ll take myself to a desert island and complete the rest.

4. A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth

Watching the BBC adaptation of this novel recently prompted me that the book itself has been sat on my shelves for far too long. For a moment, I couldn’t quite work out why I had never read it. And then I remembered.

This book scares me. It’s nearly 1500 pages long!! My doorstop copy has been sat in my house for a good 5 years, and I’m ashamed to admit that I’ve considered reading it many times but have never quite worked up the courage or inclination to give it a go. Truthfully, what may be stopping me is that I attempted to read Vikram Seth’s Two Lives a few years ago and struggled with it. It was well written, but I couldn’t connect with the plot and couldn’t finish it. I am told that A Suitable Boy is his best novel though, so perhaps one day I’ll give it a go.

5. Friends, Lovers, and The Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry

I am massive Friends fan and have been itching to read this since it was published last year. A good summer holiday read perhaps. (Although probably not, given some of the subject matter!)

6. A biography of every British monarch since William the Conqueror

Yes, I am aware that a) doing this would probably take me the rest of my life to complete, and b) I’m not even certain that a biography of every British monarch exists. So far, my progress amounts to biographies of Elizabeth I, Mary Tudor, Henry VIII (sensing a pattern here?)  and Charles II. So I’m getting there! (Sort of)

7. Maya Angelou’s autobiographies

Maya Angelou, the American poet, memoirist, and civil rights activist, lived a long and fascinating life. In fact, she was a woman who lived several lives, having been a writer, friend of Martin Luther King, single mother, dancer, singer and even a prostitute. Her first volume of autobiography, I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, is considered to be one of the foremost texts on the black experience and racism ever written. Maya Angelou’s courage, her fearlessness and her wit and humour in the face of her struggles have inspired me for much of my adult life. I began reading her 7 volumes of autobiography shortly before her death in 2014 and made it through the first two books, but life intervened and I never revisited them. Having recently listened to the BBC’s radio dramatization of these wonderful books (and the lady herself on Desert Island Discs), I felt a new pull towards Maya Angelou’s writing, and am now regretful that I didn’t finish them. Another one to add to my list!

What’s on your To Be Read list?

[golden-wingseos]

subtle things genshin characters do—that they think you aren't aware of

featuring —

✧ xiao, albedo, ganyu, zhongli, venti, diluc, kaeya, jean, bennett, kazuha (separate) x gn!reader

warnings ―

✧ not proofread, diluc story spoilers

notes ―

✧ hi

XIAO watches over you from afar. Whether it be in person or with some adepti-arts, he somehow finds a way to clear the road of any dangers if he knows you'll be walking on it. Whenever you fall asleep, he promises to be right by your side in case any nightmares or enemies come.

He's far too used to being alone, so he hopes you will never have to experience such a thing.

ALBEDO names his discoveries after you. Don't be surprised when there's suddenly a new flower that bears the same name as you, or a new plant that somehow has your surname. Albedo is a genius, but his title does not matter when it comes to you— the one he loves.

He knows his name will one day disappear from textbooks and records, but he hopes yours never will.

GANYU makes time for you. In her busy schedule and hectic work days, she always has a goal to come home and rest beside you. Though she may be half-adeptus, being a mortal beside you is one of the comfortable things she has ever experienced.

As an immortal who fought in the Archon War, nobody is more aware of how fleeting mortal lives are than her... so she will cherish yours.

ZHONGLI takes care of you 'accidentally'. There's a bath already run for you at home? Crazy! Who would've done such a thing? There's somehow a perfectly-cooked dish of bamboo shoot soup when you're super tired? Wow... you truly are blessed by the archons!

If you try thanking the consultant for such phenomenons, he'll merely chuckle and deny them all. Yet in the end, you knew it was him who cared for you.

VENTI's trips to the tavern slowly decrease. Of course, he always goes every Friday and Saturday to 'relish in the wondrous taste of wine!' But, he's aware of his flaws and starts spending more time with you.

It's casual, the way he always shows up at your doorstep when you'd assume he would be getting wasted, but you know that his presence is more than enough of confirmation. He's happy with you, maybe even more than wine.

DILUC somehow has more free time. Usually, he's bury himself in bundles and piles of work before going out and patrolling Mondstadt. Though, when it comes to you, he makes sure to come home early from his nightly duties. Of course, not everything is guaranteed, and the Ragnvindr is still a busy man, but don't be surprised if a bundle of flowers show up at your doorstep to make up for the date he missed.

Diluc is a man of his word, and if he promises to love you as best as he can, then that's enough.

KAEYA is genuine with you. No, he does not tell you his life's story, do not expect him to. But he is honest with you about how he's feeling, what he wants and what he doesn't. He does not want the lies from his past to swallow up the present with you, so he is doing his best to fight against the fate that was laid out for him.

For the first time in his life, Kaeya feels excited—warm, even.

JEAN takes care of herself. Yes, it's a basic necessity, but now, she cares. She cares for you and therefore she must care for herself. She does not want to overwork and worry you, so this is what she resorts to. Suddenly, those eye circles lighten up and she's more energetic than before—the reason? You.

And once she is fully in a routine where she eats three meals a day and sleeps at least five hours (whether it be in naps or long slumbers), she will begin to take care of you. Hah, how the turntables.

BENNETT brings more band-aids to share with you. It's kind of regrettable how he needs to bring them because of his terrible bad luck, but he got matching colors with you! Aren't they cute? The young adventurer doesn't know what he'd do if you got injured because of him, but you've always told him to kiss it better!

Oh, and he'll leave the cooking up to you from now on.

KAZUHA brings trinkets that you'd like. Beidou is kind of concerned about how the young samurai is spending all of his mora on that one gem you like the color of, but to him, his mora is worth all of it! Though, when he gets home, he tells you those gifts are from the crew because he's embarrassed about how much he thought of you while overseas.

It's so obvious that he bought them, though. Because somehow, all of those 'gifts from the crew' were things you told him during late night talks even you forgot.

[voyage-inferno]

This has received some Likes (TM) so here's what I mean-

Bennett and Fischl were guild kids.

The two were raised in the halls and archives of Monstadt's own branch. They laughed, played, lived, and grew under the watchful eyes of the members- both those who traveled, and those who had since gone from brothers in arms to brothers in armchairs. Kei had seen similarities in them both, but recognized the very obvious difference between them. Fischl- after all- had a family with an origin. She wasn't alone, even when her parents traveled farther than anyone would have liked. Her past was a solid foundation without questions that might shake her standing, or upend her life as she knew it.

He learned Bennett didn't think the same on the first day he swore.

(Well, actually, he was confident Bennett harbored a secret foul mouth. Kei himself did too, after all. It was something they both kept to a minimum around seniority and youth respectively with the intent of being polite. That meant that- technically- he'd never actually heard Bennett swear until that moment.)

"You're the fucking worst, you know that?!"

He was startled, still just behind the bend in the hallway. Something made him pause, and he's glad he did.

"What the hell Bennett?! What are you even on about-"

"You made her cry, you giant shits! Don't act like you don't know!!"

"Ohh, no wait I get it- hey, Bennett, kiddo. You've been friends with Amy for a long time, and you're older- don't you want her to make more friends? She's a teenager now, she can't play pretend forever."

"Well MAYBE she wouldn't NEED to be Fischl if her parents cared about her!"

"...Excuse me?"

"No- you heard me! You're stupid, but your ears work!! Fischl has parents- you- you're supposed to be her family!!!! The guild would have helped you guys if it was money, because they didn't throw my dumbass to the Church! So you're just running off. Running away from a kid who needs you. Fischl needed you. But all you do is go out. You see the world and you have fun and you leave your daughter behind."

"How dar-"

"NO, HOW DARE YOU?! HOW CAN YOU ABANDON YOUR KID WHEN YOU HAVE A CHOICE. YOU CHOOSE YOURSELVES OVER HER, AND YOU HAVE SINCE SHE WAS OLD ENOUGH TO SERVE HERSELF CEREAL!! MOTHERFUCKERS. ASSHOLES, YOU DIDN'T EVEN HAVE THE DECENCY TO LEAVE HER PROPERLY, YOU JUST KEPT DANGLING HOPE IN FRONT OF H-"

"That's enough, Bennett."

The boy, scarcely fifteen at the time, snapped out of the tirad abruptly. Kei could still see him shaking, though. Still nearly vibrating with fury.

"Ah, Kei, hello... good to see you. I'm not sure what's gotten into your son here, but clearly he's decided to up and forget how to talk to people."

"I-"

"Benny. Let me finish up here, alright? I'll speak with you later."

He looked like he wanted to dig his heels in. Stay and keep saying his piece- until Kei moved in front of him, turned his back to the other two adventurers, and winked. Bennett's expression said he didn't know what to think of that, but gave a heavy sigh and left.

(And Kei lets out his own breath of relief, because that meant Bennett's trust was greater than his rage.)

The couple still didn't look pleased, of course. It was likely they expected an apology- or hoped for on-the-spot discipline. And had it been over something trivial, they might have gotten exactly what they wanted. Kei- after all- only had so much tolerance for bullshit.

Which was why he'd said anything at all.

"He didn't exactly use the politest words, so for that, I apologize."

Later, he wonders if they caught on in that second.

"However, he isn't wrong. You haven't exactly been completely present in Fischl's life, which is why-"

"Amy is our daughter. Just because he's her friend, doesn't mean he has the right to scold us like we're the ones causing trouble."

"..Brother."

"What?"

"He is her brother. Unfortunately, when we take into account how often you two are out on a job, she sees much more of him than you. When other kids pick on her, he's the one who goes and stands near them later until a flock of pigeons empties themselves on them all. Bennett is the one who's there, sticking up for her, even if it means he suffers with them. Even the rest of us here see more of Fischl than you do, and while we don't always understand her, we know a good kid when we see one."

"So, you're siding with him then."

"And you think adopting that little jerk made you think you know best about raising children?"

"Well, I don't think it hurt. Just remember that we want her to be happy too, and we think of her as our own. That means we'll do everything we can to make sure she has a good, and happy, future."

"..Somehow, Kei, that feels a little like a threat. Amy is our daughter- end-of. And we will do what is best for her, even if she doesn't like it right now. You just focus on getting that boy under control."

...In, out.

"If it helps you to say that, then I wish you a good night. Goodbye, Mr. And Mrs. [[[[[[]]]]]]. I promise that I wish nothing but wellness to your family," and that you are no more a cause for her tears, "so don't worry, I'll have words with Bennett."

(Of course, he never said what kind of words he'd be having. A light scolding and lesson in Kairos- then they were all getting ice cream. Fischl included. He wasn't leaving his daughter out of this.

(And if he was surprised- and yet not- by the Electro Vision that Fischl showed him that night, he would play by whatever roles she felt comfortable in. After all, if her desire for an unending chance to be that which she took comfort in was enough to catch the eye of his first home's Archon- well, who was he to go against a will that persistent?))

Did I ever mention on here that Bennett has some beef with Fischl's parents or

[luvxiem]

genshin impact boys' love languages pt.1

word count ! idk but its long lol pairing ! albedo, bennett, diluc, kaeya, razor & venti x gn!reader genre ! fluff, angst

.｡.:*☆ ALBEDO !

giving: gift giving, words of affirmation | receiving: physical touch, quality time

He likes to bring you trinkets from his expeditions. A cecilia from when he went sketching at Starsnatch Cliff, a particularly bright crystalfly in a bottle. They can be virtually anything as long as he thinks it’s interesting enough to bring back to you. The blonde also does not intend to be a sweet talker, it just sort of happened. He doesn’t see the point in lying, so when he tells you he loves you, it leaves no room in your heart for doubt. Albedo is a no-nonsense man and his words are solid as stone.

When you go out of your way to see him, it makes his chest feel tight. The alchemist doesn’t consider himself someone interesting, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder, is it not? Your hands seem to fit perfectly into his, and when you smile at him over your shoulder as you frolic in the snow, he thinks to himself, ‘this is what it means to live.’

.｡.:*☆ BENNETT !

giving: acts of service | receiving: words of affirmation, quality time

Poor boy is so afraid of you leaving. He knows his curse scares people away, and he can’t blame them. Although he tells himself not to expect much, a piece of his heart can’t help but hope that you’re different. Bennett’s the first to volunteer if you need any assistance and will come back with fresh cuts and bruises after each trip. Even though you’ve told him multiple times to stop putting himself in danger, he doesn’t know how else to make you stay.

The first time you told him you loved him, he cried.You’re his shining light, and he never fails to remind you how thankful he is to be able to call himself your lover. At night, when the two of you are laying under the stars with his face in your chest and your legs intertwined, he feels calmer than with anyone else. The whispers of the wind almost drown out your voice from how softly you speak, but he can hear you loud and clear. “You’re it for me,” you say. He holds you tighter in response and relishes in your presence.

.｡.:*☆ DILUC !

giving: acts of service, gift giving | receiving: words of affirmation, physical touch

Despite being known as Mond’s most eligible bachelor, Diluc has never had a romantic partner. He traverses your relationship like a newborn fawn, uncharacteristically shaky and unsure. With the amount of wealth that he has, he finds it no big deal to buy you whatever you may desire. He knows that he can’t always spend time with you considering his responsibilities to the winery as well as his vigilante work, so he hopes to make up for it with gifts. Even if you tell him that you’re not interested in his money, he finds that he enjoys seeing the surprised expression on your face when he gifts you something you’ve had your eye on. Trying to get him to stop is a lost cause.

Surprisingly, the claymore wielder is incredibly easy to fluster. A passing comment from you saying he looks good in a specific pair of pants (and a loving tap to his bottom) will leave him blushing for the rest of the day. It doesn’t go unnoticed by the rest of the manor’s staff, as well as a certain calvary captain, that Diluc has bought a few more similarly designed pairs. He’ll huff and deny it when you tease him. If he tries to ignore you, just grab his chin and pull him into a kiss and he’ll be putty in your hands once more.

.｡.:*☆ KAEYA !

giving: physical touch | receiving: quality time, words of affirmation

Good luck trying to get him off of you. Kaeya is infamous for his flirty nature, and once he get’s into a relationship, it seems to have increased tenfold. When he isn’t on duty, the two of you are often found hanging around Good Hunter or the Angel’s Share, much to the dismay of Diluc. His hands are constantly on your skin, often slipping underneath your shirt to hold onto your waist. One major downside is that his fingers are always cold. Have fun with that.

Even when he has a lover, Kaeya is no less secretive. Trying to get him to open up will get you forcefully shut down. It’s not that he doesn’t trust you, he just thinks that you’re better off not knowing. He doesn’t see the point in burdening you with his fears and trauma. Let him come to you instead. Soft spoken words of support will mean more to him than you’ll ever know.

.｡.:*☆ RAZOR !

giving: acts of service | receiving: physical touch

Much like Bennett, Razor isn’t quite sure how to show you how much you mean to him. His vocabulary is incredibly limited despite his lessons with Lisa. He shows his appreciation by helping you gather materials and fighting off potential threats on your adventures. You’ll never go hungry with him as your boyfriend, and you can rest easy knowing that the wolf boy will protect you.

After losing his pack not once, but twice, Razor’s unknowingly clingy. You are his lupical, and he doesn’t want to let you go. He loves any sort of affection you give and will unashamedly ask for more. Head pats are an instant hit, followed closely by cuddles near the campfire. If you detangle and brush through the matted mess that is his hair, he’ll fall asleep in minutes

.｡.:*☆ VENTI !

giving: physical touch | receiving: quality time

The bard is nothing if not cheeky. Unfortunately, this means he’ll often use his anemo powers to blow up your clothes, much to your annoyance. Venti will hang off of you if you’ll let him and will confess his love for you everywhere he goes. He’s especially fond of linking pinkies, as well as rubbing his nose against yours. After the two of you say ‘i love you’ for the first time, a new ballad about the wind god’s lover can be heard from the Angel’s Share.

Despite his airy personality, one mustn’t forget that Barbatos is one of the original Seven. Venti has seen war, suffered the loss of a loved one, and knows more than most the fragility of human mortality. As much as he hates it, you know your time in this world is short compared to the centuries he has lived. You go out of your way to clear your schedule when he’s in town, and treasure every moment you have with him. Venti may come and go, but he will always come home to you.

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN ! 012521

[teyvat-imagines]

hi!! i really liked your ftm s/o headcanons and i would like to request the same (maybe with a non-binary s/o if that's possible?) with venti, childe and bennett please? thanks and take care of yourself ♡

Hey there! ^w^ Thanks so much for the request! Sorry it took so long ;w; Hope you still enjoy! <3

Non-Binary S/O

Venti:

○ As the Archon for the City of Freedom of course Venti would support you with full enthusiasm! The day you came out to him, he cheered for you and immediately composed a song for you on the spot.

○ Venti picks up on your pronouns immediately, making sure to correct others if you want him to. He of course asks if you want him to help you with coming out to anyone else or not. Whatever you're more comfortable with he's happy to do.

○ As much as he's normally a happy go-lucky kind of guy, the second someone misgenders you on purpose they can feel the winds getting stronger and the air around them growing colder. He'll still smile as he corrects them on your pronouns, but there's a dangerous edge to that smile and it'll be a long time before anyone misgenders you on purpose again.

"Heheh, I know you didn't mean to say that right? But, just in case you did, (Y/N) is Non-Binary and they go by they/them pronouns. If I were you, I wouldn't make that mistake again, okay~?"

○ Of course, you have the support of the other Mondstadt drunks. And between Kaeya's position in the Knights of Favonius and Rosaria's icy attitude to those around her, no one else dares to try and misgender you or give you any grief.

○ Venti showers you with so much love and affection, he's just happy to see you happy and comfortable in your own skin. Expect lots of kisses and praise for his favourite and most amazing partner!

Childe:

○ Childe takes a little bit of time to get used to your pronouns when you come out. There have been a few times he's slipped up, but he always corrects himself immediately, and you can see the effort is there.

○ He's so supportive and proud of you though. He happily introduces you as his wonderful partner, and enthusiastically tells everyone he comes across that you use they/them pronouns.

○ Even low level Fatui grunts know not to make Childe mad, so people misgendering you rarely happens, but the one time it did Childe put a swift end to it. No one knew for sure what it was Childe did, but it wasn't long before that particular grunt resigned from the Fatui and swiftly disappeared.

"There. That'll teach people not to mess with you~! So, if anyone else feels like testing my patience today I'll just remind them: My partner's pronouns are they/them and they're Non-Binary. If you make the mistake of misgendering them on purpose? Well, I'll make the retaliation swift and painful."

○ It's not just Childe that the others have to watch out for. Both Scaramouche and La Signora have stood firm in support of you. And with three of the most powerful Harbingers standing by your side, it's no wonder the rest of the grunts pick up on your pronouns very quickly!

○ At his core though, Childe just loves seeing you happy. As long as he can continue to stand by your side, support you and see you living your life proud of who you are, that's more than enough to him.

Bennett:

○ Bennett also takes a bit of time to get used to your pronouns. He actually goes to Lisa for books on the topic because he doesn't want to mess up and hurt you. He'll spend hours in the library just learning how to support you in the best way he can.

○ He gets really excited when he's got your pronouns down that he goes around to everyone boasting about you and telling the people of Mondstadt what it means to be Non-Binary.

○ The first time someone misgendered you on purpose, Bennett thought they had just made a mistake. When that person does it again and again however, he quickly picks up that they're trying to upset you. As much as Bennett isn't exactly the most imposing or threatening person around, he isn't one to backdown from something like this.

"Hey! I know you're doing this on purpose so stop! (Y/N) is Non-Binary and they use they/them pronouns! Either get it right or stop talking about them! You got that!?"

○ Of course, it's not just Bennett that'll be arguing against bigots. Fischl won't stand to see one of her loyal subjects being treated so poorly, and while gender is a concept that flies over Razor's head he knows when someone's trying to upset one of his lupicals. Between the three of them standing up for you, it doesn't take long for the person misgendering you to back off.

○ Bennett might not be the luckiest of guys out there, but he's hard working and will always do whatever he can to see you smile. As long as you're happy he's happy after all!

[merakiui]

Okay okay okay I’ve been thinking about this for a few days now here’s my list of genshin boys most likely to least likely to become a yandere and why:

-xiao. Millennia of suffering and he meets somebody who makes the pain dissipate? Hell never let go.

-diluc. People have died in his arms, he can’t risk losing another loved one... it’s not like he doesn’t have the wealth and resources to keep his beloved by his side.

-Childe. I think he’d be the most dehumanizing yandere - he treats you almost like a child (haha) as be manipulates his way into your heart. And god knows that he gets what he wants.

-albedo is obviously in the top half of this list. We’ve talked about his yandere tendacies before so I won’t relist them but jeez get this boy some therapy.

-razor. Now this sounds surprising but after years of protecting his Lupical, do you really think he’d let somebody he loves and sees as helpless wander alone? I feel hes less captor and manipulative and more of a stalker if he becomes a yandere

-venti. Freedom is his entire world, but can he let his beloved have freedom if it endangers them? One of the most manipulative ones on this list, except he has no clue that he’s doing it.

-kaeya. Maybe you’d gotten to close to one of his secrets. Maybe you’d figured out something he wanted to die. It doesn’t matter much now, all you know is that you were tried and declared guilty by the knights of favonius and were sent into a dungeon protected by the Calvery captain himself.

-zhongli. Has the yandere desires, but refuses to give in. He’s loved and lost so many times over the years and he figures he doesn’t want to take that away from his beloved.

-chongyun. I’ve gone back and forth between him and xingqiu for this one, but I feel like these last 3 are all pretty much tied for not being a yandere. However, if he met someone who could somehow null his congenital positivity than he might move up on this list...

-Xingqiu. He has a strong sense of justice and honor, the idea of manipulating, stalking or god forbid kidnapping his S/O is appalling to him.

-Bennett. Literally just tryna vibe. Devotes as much time as he can to make sure any relationship he has is healthy.

So basically:

Everybody on this list: *frothing at the mouth, thinking of ways to keep their S/Os with them*

Bennett, Chongyun, Xingqiu and to some extent Zhongli: what the fuck

Your list... Simply amazing. Now that I’m thinking about it, I’m beginning to wonder where other characters would sit on the list. Mainly Scaramouche though aha oops Anyways, please never stop sharing your thoughts!! They are so GOOD!

Xiao’s backstory and past is just perfect material to fuel his yandere desires. He’s suffered for so long and has never really experienced positive emotions, let alone love itself. The poor adeptus is always brooding on his own and here comes his darling, bright and happy and just...perfect. They’re like a glimmering star in his murky darkness and he wants to treasure them. There’s no way he’s going to let go of the feeling he gets when he’s with them, nor is he going to let them leave his side.

It makes sense that Diluc would also be at the top of that list. He’s got the making of a yandere, especially considering all of the people he’s lost in his life. Now that he’s found someone so important to him, he can’t risk losing them. It would destroy him if he found out that his darling got hurt or was even killed because he wasn’t taking enough precautions to keep them safe. He’d definitely blame himself if something like that happened.

Childe, pspspspsp!!! The power this man holds... Omg he makes for such a terrifying yandere. On the outside, he seems warm and disarming—just your normal, happy-go-lucky kind of guy. He’s not dangerous at all! No way. But under all of that falsified charm is someone who knows how to pull strings. He’s a Fatui Harbinger, so of course he has the means of getting you wrapped around his finger. It’s not all that hard when he’s got money, power, and strength. Plus, when he wants something he’s not going to stop until he acquires it; Childe lives for the thrill of chasing after you and it’ll be even more fun once he catches you. Someone should send me more thoughts about yan!Childe!!! orz orz

Albedo also qualifies as a neat yandere! Something about yanderes who are into science is just...fascinating to me. It’s also cool because Albedo’s rumored to be a homunculus, so that adds to the intrigue! Albedo has the resources to get what he wants as well. It won’t be all that difficult, and if it proves to be challenging he can just think of other solutions to pacify his darling. He is a researcher, after all, and a good researcher seeks to find the best solution to a problem.

Razor would be a feral yandere. He’s more action than words. He doesn’t put much thought into what he does because it feels more like an instinct to him. He’s just protecting his Lupical. There’s nothing wrong with that! So why are you acting so difficult? D: 

Like you said, Venti’s not aware of his manipulation and he just does it because it works. His belief that everyone deserves freedom is probably what really holds him back. He doesn’t want you to feel caged, but that feeling is practically inevitable since he’s always hounding you. Venti is a very suffocating yandere and he doesn’t even realize it.

KAEYA! KAEYA! I love the idea of Kaeya having some sort of blackmail on you—something so bad that you absolutely can’t let the world see. And so he uses that to keep you quiet. If you did stumble upon one of his secrets, he can’t possibly have you running that pretty mouth of yours. But if you do end up spilling his secret, it’s only fair that he shares yours, right? An eye for an eye, as some would say. Kaeya’s very smooth and calculative when it comes to handling blackmail. Whenever it feels like you’re trying to one-up him and possibly escape, he’ll flirtatiously remind you of the power he holds over you. Blackmail is rather compelling, is it not?

Zhongli does have the motive to be a yandere, as you pointed out, but he’s a strange case. On one hand, it makes sense that he’d want to protect his beloved at all costs, but on the other he’d probably be aware of these unhealthy tendencies. Although he probably uses the idea of a contract to keep your relationship going, even if it’s clear you don’t want anything to do with him. But if you do, that just makes it easier on him! 

NO BECAUSE I THOUGHT THE SAME FOR CHONGYUN!!! Not the yan!Chongyun piece rotting in my drafts for a month or two now ehehee I had some thoughts about Chongyun but never bothered posting it for some reason. Anyways, I do think Chongyun has potential to be a yandere! As you mentioned, his congenital positivity can become an issue and he doesn’t want that to seriously affect his daily life. So he’s probably very pleased to find someone who can nullify that positivity. It’d be similar to Xiao’s case; Xiao likes someone who can be the light in his dark world. Chongyun falls for the person who can null his congenital positivity and is someone who he gets along with. 

The only way I can see Xingqiu being a yandere is if he wants a noble, storybook romance. Okay, that sounds strange, but consider it! He’s a huge bookworm who probably doesn’t exactly experience romance aside from what he reads in his novels. Although he doesn’t dabble in the romance genre all that often, he does like the idea of being a hero and sweeping someone off of their feet. So when he meets you—another fellow bookworm or maybe the two of you are thrown into an arranged marriage—he just feels an undeniable connection. This must be some form of fate or a sixth sense. Maybe he can be the main character of his own story! You’ll just have to cooperate and you can be the valiant knight’s love interest!

Bennett’s vibes are so nice. How could he be a yandere? He’s just too sweet and pure. He’s really just here to chill and gather an adventuring team full of great friends! But if anyone has any thoughts...please share them! 

That’s it. I’m writing about Scaramouche even though he’s not on the list. Please, why do I simp so much for him? Anyways, we don’t know nearly enough about Scaramouche to determine his backstory or past. But he just oozes yandere! Most of the Harbingers are probably the same, to some extent. He’s like Childe with all of the power and resources, but whereas Childe relishes in the chase Scaramouche refuses to put up with it. It’s just way too inconvenient for him. He’d rather catch you when you least expect it and then keep you for himself.

Gosh, he’s a very determined and possessive yandere with a strict agenda; this man probably cheats in order to get you. He’ll send his underlings to do the work in his place. They’ll stalk you and report back to him and it isn’t long before he learns of your friends, certain family members you’re close to, and even where you live. It’s terrifying, but this is Scaramouche we’re talking about. For someone so short, he sure knows how to intimidate and beat fear into those below him. Good luck to the poor soul who catches his eye. 

I must thank you for making that list! It was lots of fun to consider their mindsets and behaviors as yandere. :D

[evita-shelby]

Tie your heart to mine

Chapter 4

Gif by @nofckingfighting

“What you did was very stupid, sweetheart.” Thomas Shelby cleaned his glasses with a cloth and acted as if Diane had taken extra sweets at dinner or snuck out with her friends.

They sat in his office with a locked door, and she could hear ten-year-old Florence pressing her ear behind it.

“Had I understood mancunian slang it would not have happened, daddy.” She smoothed her skirt and clasped her hands on her lap.

He lifts an eyebrow knowing she’s trying to minimize the damage; bit doesn’t care to yell at her…yet.

“They recognized you and they told their papers you were there with a known criminal.” He shows her the missive written in the Manchester Gorton’s MP.

Luckily the man was a member of the Labour Party and hated Mosely as much as they did for the disturbances he caused in his constituency.

She didn’t like how they called Tom and Lois wayward children with a pacifist father.

“Now, I know Douglas Bennett and I know he wouldn’t have raised his children to be criminals, but I’ve seen the boy’s record myself, sweetheart.” He placed the glasses back on and mirrored her stance. “Didn’t you learn anything from your fuck up with Jack Nelson’s boy?"

There it was.

He was angrier about her having another boyfriend than getting arrested.

Not that he raised his voice, just looked at her with disappointment.

Expecting better from her because Charlie and her younger siblings combined aren’t even close to matching her track record.

“There’s nothing for you to worry about, dad, things are over between me and Tom Bennett.” She said wanting to go to her mother for comfort instead of having her father punish her for wanting to be the fuck away from here.

He was not a bad father, she loved her family, but sometimes she just wanted to step away from Tommy Shelby’s long shadow and into the sunlight.

Which was why she loved being Diane no last name in Manchester.

Once it’s revealed her former boyfriend’s name is Tom, Florence is given away by her gasp.

“So, am I getting my things tomorrow myself, or are am I back in my tower?” Diane asks, knowing this is far from over but done for now.

Can’t handle Florence repeating his verdict to everyone who can hear her, especially Andy Roberts, her boyfriend these past four years.

“I am going with you.”

Douglas Bennett is surprised to see him there.

“Mr. Shelby, what can I do for you?” he calls him that as if he didn’t change beds so Tommy could be next to John who’d woken up to the news his wife had died.

They would leave with Douglas, only they would be made to come back once Martha Shelby, the second Mrs. Shelby with that name, was burned and the children told their mother was dead.

“You put up with us on the boat to Portsmouth and the train to Birmingham, Douglas, call me Tommy.” Tommy said hoping to make the man relax.

“This about your Diane and my Tom, I take it.” Douglas did not beat around the bush after letting him in.

The man had tact, but he knew when to get to the point.

Good man, shame Tommy isn’t here to renew their acquaintance.

“Yes, is your boy here?” he asked as the gangster turned politician made himself comfortable in the modest little house.

They could have lived like this if he hadn’t been ambitious.

Douglas only wanted enough to keep his wife and his children healthy and happy.

Thomas wanted everything. Nothing had ever been enough ever since he was little, it only took the war and Greta dying in his arms for him to stop hiding it.

“He will be, never misses a meal.” Douglas tried to make his son look less irresponsible than he was.

And sure enough, the boy comes in asking about the car outside.

Thomas knew in this moment, he would hate this man forever.

Too much like them at his age.

Only difference, he had a dad who loved him and raised him.

Arthur Shelby Sr only came when he wanted to give his mother another burden or drag them into his life of crime.

If only they had not taken to it like a fish to water.

Thomas Bennett is not what he wants for his daughter.

The lanky blond young man who steals what he can because he can’t commit to a job or have enough ambition to get out there is not the man he wants for his little witch.

“You can have it, if you want it.” Tommy begins, taking out the silver cigarette case with a sapphire to match the one he gave his wife and offering them a cigarette.

“Who the fuck are you?” the manc said eyeing him with suspicion.

With some work he might be a good addition to the company.

“Tom, have some respect.” Douglas chastised him, but the boy only rolled his eyes and stood there with crossed arms.

“Sorry, Tommy, he’s been wayward since his mother passed.” Douglas apologized for his son and Tommy knew this man had no idea what to do with his own children even before his wife died.

“I’ve been called worse; you wouldn’t believe the shit I put up with in London.” The MP dismissed his apology.

Besides, Douglas will be tossing him out in his arse after this.

“Thomas Shelby, Diane’s father.” Thomas said without stretching out a hand for the boy to shake.

Diane would be allowed to stay here.

If she worked on the factories like she promised and kept away from protest, she could stay here and carve out her own path for their company.

Lois had dropped by, and Diane apologized.

To her surprise, Lois Bennett forgave her.

And to Lois’ surprise, Diane had used her connections to get her the address of the family hosting Harry Chase in Poland.

Harry Chase had told her he loved her before she broke his heart right before he left and she hadn’t said it back.

Now that it was going on to four months with no letters from him, Lois was worried he had forgotten about her.

That, worse, he had moved on to some Polish girl who was everything she was not.

“Its been three months since I’ve gotten anything back from him. I don’t even know if he’s alive, Di.” Lois admitted while she wrote down her letter in stationary Diane took straight from her father’s desk this morning.

Anyone can ignore the letters of a lovesick girl from Longsight, but no one could ignore one from Sir Thomas Shelby, MP OBE and first Baronet Shelby.

“Which is why you need something no one can ignore.” The witch said hoping things can go as smoothly with Tom as it did with his sister. “If he hasn’t been getting your letters, he will know. If he can’t get any out, he will now.

No one refuses Mr. Shelby.”

“How much do you want?” Tommy said pulling out his checkbook ready to see how much it would cost him to be rid of this boy.

Diane deserved better, this was for her.

Besides if he took the money, he was never with her for the right reasons.

“Now I know why Diane lied about who she was.” The boy ---Thomas refused to see the twenty-two year old as anything else than a boy— said to hurt him.

Diane hated the spotlight as much Tommy did, had been relieved when she saw she lacked the height requirements for professional ballet like her mother.

Strange how Polly saw she would be an actress in Hollywood.

But even Elizabeth Pollyanna Gray could be wrong.

“I don’t want your money, I told her I never wanted her for her money either.” The boy refused and Douglas looked proud of his son.

There was hope for him yet.

But Thomas Shelby doesn’t give a shit about whether Bennett has something resembling morals or a brain.

Thomas Shelby just wants him out of his daughter’s life.

“So you say, and yet everyone has a price, boy.” Tommy looks him in the eye and the boy, to his credit, doesn’t back down.

“Shelby, I’m warning you.” Douglas said growing angry and borrowing the courage from the son who never sees eye to eye with him.

“I don’t need to you to defend me, dad, I can handle him myself.” Tom stops his father before the pacifist does something against his code.

“Not me, old man. You can give me everything you have, but I won’t take it. You can’t make me take your fucking money, Shelby.” The boy continued to refuse.

And then made it all worse.

“No wonder she hates being your daughter.” The boy spat and Tommy fought every urge he had in him to throttle him.

Polly laughs at him from the great beyond.

Was he like this before the war, when Mr. Jurossi did all he could to chase him away from Greta?

Did Eva’s family think of him as low as he did of Douglas’ boy when they found out they married less than four months after they met one December morning?

“I don’t give a fuck about your money, Mr. Shelby, I wouldn’t change my feelings for your daughter for all the money in the world either. I love her, and I know she loves me and you are just going to have to live with that.”

Tom Bennett looked damn proud of himself, just as Tommy did once upon a time.

“Fine, suit yourself, boy. Just know this, even if you managed to get your head out of your arse, you wouldn’t be worthy of my daughter.

I’ll see myself out, Douglas.”