#blythe robyns

[sealedchasm]

WARMUPPPPPP

[the-forest-library]

May 2023 Reads

Thief! - Megan Whalen Turner

The King of Attolia - Megan Whalen Turner

A Conspiracy of Kings - Megan Whalen Turner

Thick As Thieves - Megan Whalen Turner

Painted Devils - Margaret Owen

The Other Merlin - Robyn Schneider

The Future King - Robyn Schneider

Happy Place - Emily Henry

The Fiancee Farce - Alexandria Bellefleur

Emma of 83rd Street - Audrey Bellezza & Emily Harding 

To Swoon and to Spar - Martha Waters

Evvie Drake Starts Over - Linda Holmes

Summer Reading - Jenn McKinlay

The Boyfriend Candidate - Ashley Winstead

Imogen, Obviously - Becky Albertalli

Lying in the Deep - Diana Urban

This Book is My Best Friend - Robin Robinson

Quietly Hostile - Samantha Irby

Broken Horses - Brandi Carlile

Honey, Baby, Mine - Laura Darn & Diane Ladd

Live Wire - Kelly Ripa

Beautiful Trauma - Rebecca Fogg

Monsters - Claire Dederer

Bird by Bird - Anne Lamott

Raw Dog - Jamie Loftus

Bootstrapped - Alissa Quart

How to Date Men When You Hate Men - Blythe Roberson

Excellent Advice for Living - Kevin Kelly

Hot and Bothered - Jancee Dunn

You Will Find Your People - Lane Moore

Betting on You - Laurie Ruettimann

I Saw You... - Julia Wertz

How to Die Alone - Mo Welch

CraftFail - Heather Mann

Random Illustrated Facts - Mike Lowery

This Book is For You - Worry Lines

Around the World Vegan Cookbook - Niki Webster

Bake, Make, and Learn to Cook - David Atherton

Bake, Make, and Learn to Cook Vegetarian - David Atherton

Bold = Highly Recommend Italics = Worth It Crossed out = Nope

Thoughts:

This month continued my Queen’s Thief obsession. Highly recommend this series - each book goes in a new and exciting direction. 

Also, Happy Place broke me and then built me up again. Painted Devils did not disappoint, and the Emry Merlin series was a nice surprise. 

Goodreads Goal: 174/400

2017 Reads | 2018 Reads | 2019 Reads | 2020 Reads | 2021 Reads|

2022 Reads | 2023 Reads

[the-bi-library]

Bi/bisexual books out in March! 💖💜💙

💕 The Immeasurable Depth of You by Maria Ingrande Mora 💕 The Shattered Lands by Brenna Nation 💕 Always Be Your Baby by illustraice 💕 Lies We Sing to the Sea by Sarah Underwood 💕 Render to Silver by Catherine Labadie 💕 The Memory Eater by Rebecca Mahoney 💕 Dear Medusa by Olivia A. Cole 💕 Have Me Forever by Ally Blythe 💕 Bitter Medicine by Mia Tsai 💕 The Blood Hours by Ann H. Fox 💕 The Faithless by C.L. ClarkT 💕 Lucky in Lace by Melissa Brayden 💕 The Future King by Robyn Schneider 💕 Solomon's Crown by Natasha Siegel 💕 Furious Heaven by Kate Elliott 💕 The Foxglove King by Hannah F. Whiten 💕 Arca by G.R. Macallister 💕 Their Countess by Jess Michaels 💕 Künstlers in Paradise by Cathleen Schine 💕 Unforgettable by Grace Turner 💕 Blackheart Ghosts by Laure Eve

[mediawhorefics]

✨📚 fav reads of the year 2022 edition

brokeback mountain // annie proulx ➡️ short story | romance | lgbt+ | 1960s

angels in america // tony kusher ➡️ theatre | lgbt+ | 1980s | hiv-aids

the normal heart // larry kramer ➡️ theatre | lgbt+ | 1980s | hiv-aids

bent // martin sherman ➡️ theatre | lgbt+ | 1930s | nazi germany

parfumerie // miklós lászló ➡️ theatre | 1930s | two retail coworkers who can't stand each other have yet to realise they've been falling in love with each other through anonymous letters.

the charm offensive // alison cochrun ➡️ romance | lgbt+ | tv reality inspired | discussions of mental health | dev is a helpless romantic who works as a producer on a bachelor-like reality tv show. when the show casts disgraced tech billionaire charlie, he couldn’t be further from the perfect prince charming the show needs. and yet, as dev helps him open up to the female contestants on the show, the two develop a strong bond that makes charlie question his sexuality and dev his professional ethic. 

the binding // bridget collins ➡️ romance | historical fantasy | 19th c. | lgbt+ | santalone | in a world where books are dangerous objects containing people's painful memories they want to get rid of, emmet farmer is sent to become an apprentice to the local bookbinder after he had some sort of mental collapse.

the house in the cerulean sea // tj klune ➡️ fantasy | lgbt+ | contemporary | found family | standalone | 40 yo caseworker linus baker is given a special secret assignment to check out an orphanage of supposedly particularly dangerous magical children. linus has been a rule follower and someone who doesn't want to rock the boat his whole life, but the children and their caretaker make him reconsider previously held beliefs.

a marvellous light // freya marske ➡️ romance | lgbt+ | historical fantasy | edwardian england | himbo/bookworm pairing | robin blyth gets thrown into an unknown world of magic when a clerical error sees him filling the post of liaison between the regular world and a hidden magical society. there’s a lot to untangle: his predecessor disappeared under mysterious circumstances, his counterpart in the magical bureaucracy is prickly and cold, and he just got cursed for information he most definitely does not possess.

on earth we're briefly gorgeous // ocean vuong ➡️ contemporary | lgbt+ | literary fiction | poetry | epistolary novel | a letter from a vietnamese american son to his illiterate mother.

the kingdoms // natasha pulley ➡️ romance | lgbt+ | historical fantasy | time travel | alternate history | 19th c. | 18h c. | standalone | joe tournier has amnesia. he remembers nothing prior to stepping off a train in londres, england, a french colony. His only clue, a century-old postcard of a lighthouse in scotland, illegally written in english rather than french and signed m.

the bedlam stacks // natasha pulley ➡️ romance | lgbt+ | historical fantasy | 19th c. | magical realism | standalone | merrick tremayne is called upon by the india office to go on a dangerous expedition deep in peru to fetch quinine (essential for the treatment of malaria) despite the debilitating injury that almost cost him a leg. every expedition before his has yielded no results apart from dead bodies, but merrick has family history deep in the country so he goes against his better judgement. there, he meets raphael, a priest surrounded by strange stories of disappearances, cursed woods and living stones, and who might hold the key to his family's past.

i kisssed shara wheleer // casey mcquiston ➡️ ya fiction | romance | contemporary | lgbt+ | a month before graduation, chloe green's academic rival shara kisses her before disappearing. now, chloe is on a hunt for answers alongside unlikely allies.

the other merlin // robyn schneider ➡️ ya fiction | fantasy | arthuriana | retelling | bbc merlin meets a knight's tale but make it gay | years after her father's, legendary court wizard merlin, disappearance, emry takes her far less talented twin brother's place when he is summoned to camelot to train and become prince arthur's right hand wizard. studying magic properly is everything she hoped for, but posing as her brother isn't as easy as it seems. not to mention those sparks that are flying between her and arthur.

book lovers // emily henry ➡️ romance | contemporary | enemies to lovers | nora stephens is a big city cutthroat literary agent, the opposite of a laid-back, small-town, lovable romance novel heroine. which is why her sister drags her to the picturesque town setting of one of nora's client's books for a month-long holiday/life makeover. of course, once she's there she runs into charlie lastra, a no-nonsense book editor she knows (and loathes) from nyc.

v for vendetta // alan moore ➡️ graphic novel | science fiction | dystopia | alternate history | in a future british dystopian society, a shadowy freedom fighter, known only by the alias of "V", plots to overthrow the tyrannical government - with the help of a young woman.

the wayfinders // wade davis ➡️ non-fiction | anthropology | sociology | spirituality | history | every culture is a unique answer to a fundamental question: what does it mean to be human and alive?

time is a mother // ocean vuong  ➡️ poetry | lgbt+

dracula // bram stoker ➡️ horror | gothic fiction | 19th c. | y'all know what this is about.

brotherhood // mike chen ➡️ star wars | anakin & obi-wan adventure set right after aotc

master & apprentice // claudia gray ➡️ star wars | qui-gon & obi-wan adventure set before tpm

padawan // kiersten white ➡️ star wars | 16 yo obi-wan heads out on his own for a solo mission in the midst of doubts about his master. and his pace in the order.

[cartoonnonsensegirl]

Headcanons for Fire Emblem avatar names:

Robin: Robin (male), Robyn (female)

Corrin: Cory (male), Corrine (female), Kamui (original name given by Mikoto before being kidnapped)

Byleth: Byleth (male), Blythe (female)

Alear: Alear (male), Raela, Leara (female)

[cartoonnonsensegirl]

The idea of one having the crest stone and the other not sounds like a cool idea. The question is "Which one makes more sense to carry it and fuse with Sothis?" My personal take would be that it'd make more sense for Rhea to revive the goddess in a female body (Sitri was the previous attempt), but that's just my opinion.

Also, they can have variations of the original name to avoid having to use the same name for both of them (alternate spellings, anagrams, similar names in general). Ex. I like to do "Cory" and "Corrine" for "Corrin", and while I haven't played Awakening, I thought of "Robin" and "Robyn" (this is the only one keeping a canon name). For Byleth, I call the male "Byford", and the female "Blythe" (I got really attached to the latter because it just sounds super cute; I use it for all my fanart and fanfics involving female Byleth).

Some other name choices for Byleth I would suggest are: Byron, Beth, Byrne, Belle, etc.

As for personality, I'd leave it largely the same, but if one is to possess the crest stone but not the other, then the one without the crest stone should maybe be a bit more expressive. I would also personally prefer them as siblings to be raised by Jeralt.

Now, for the story. A really interesting idea would be that one teaches one class, and another teaches another class. (the third class might be a toss-up between Manuela and Hanneman, or anyone else willing to teach). That would make for some interesting drama once the "Flame Emperor" reveal happens, and how it'll affect everything from the Battle of Garreg Mach to the Timeskip. This could even impact class transfers; because you can have both Byleths competing to see how many students they can recruit from whichever class they're not teaching.

For example: Let's say Mr. Eisner teaches the Black Eagles, while Miss Eisner teaches the Blue Lions, and they want to see how many they can each recruit from Golden Deer into their respective classes. You could have an even number of recruits (assuming Hilda remains loyal to Claude), or one gets more recruits than the other. Maybe Marianne, Lysithea, and Lorenz side with the Adrestian Empire due to Edelgard's anti-crest ideology (Gloucester's Imperial sympathies in Lorenz's case), while Raphael, Leonie, and Ignatz side with Faerghus. If we factor in the Ashen Wolves, it would make most sense for each to return to their native homelands (Yuri in the Blue Lions, Constance in the Black Eagles, Balthus in the Golden Deer...Hapi could go either Eagles or Lions, but I would prefer Eagles due to her dislike of the church). You could also raise the drama with post-timeskip recruiting during major battles (a good example would be an Adrestian-aligned Lorenz surrendering to Dimitri at the Great Bridge of Myrddin).

And then you have the issue of Flayn; maybe she can pick which Byleth she feels more comfortable with after the kidnapping episode. (if joining the Eagles, however, she could either leave with the church or transfer classes when the big moment happens). Also, when the "Flame Emperor" reveal happens, does an Eagles-aligned Byleth side with Edelgard or with Rhea?

Another thing to consider would be if Jeralt can survive or not. What if when he's supposed to be assassinated, one of the Byleths is able to successfully stop it (with or without Divine Pulse), or Thales is just that powerful to intervene and Kronya successfully carries out the assassination every time?

Bonus question! Should both Byleths disappear during the big battle, or only one? There are a lot of variables to consider here.

fire emblem three houses/byleth eisner enjoyers i need some assistance

i feel like there's a small group of people who headcanon or depict the two versions of byleth as two separate entities that coexist with one another. siblings, even. that's cool!! i do that with robin and corrin, and i wanna extend a similar treatment to the byleths, but not sure how to go about it

for one, i always struggled with coming up with a separate name for them. i know the two genders have a different name in japanese, but it always sounded awkward in english. was wondering if anyone had any alternative approaches to naming them

also, just wondering how three house's plot would be affected if there were two byleths. mainly, for people that think about this sort of thing, how do people rewrite three house's story or byleth's character (if at all) to accommodate the two? (i realize the 'what if the byleths were siblings' concept is probably just a cute doodle idea and not a deep rewrite project like i'm trying to set out to do but i might as well ask anyway)

been thinking of just making one of them Normal without any crest or Sothis shenanigans. that's sort of how i approach my robin siblings au where one of them is just a guy while the other is the vessel as seen in the original game.

BASICALLY i wanna see if i can get some ideas and inspiration from other creatives that like to depict the byleths as two separate characters. i don't really plan on making any sort of work based on my findings, it's mainly an itch i wanna scratch since again i've given a similar treatment to the past avatar characters.

many thanks to those who wish to contribute ^^

[othcrhalf]

who: blythe beesley ( @blythefm )​​​​ when: right after robyn’s talk with twig; training day one, early morning where: district seven’s area in the tower, not far from where twig is

IT’S OVER BEFORE they know it, and once they turn to walk away and give Twig his space back, they feel it: a weight, lifting from their shoulders. They understand that there is more left to carry, but the sudden lightness surprises them. It’s an odd feeling, one that they hadn’t expected to receive coming in, but it seems they’ve quite sorely misinterpreted Twig Elphineson. He cares about Harbor, far more than Robyn could have ever imagined he would. Enough to want to set aside years of misunderstanding and conflict so the two of them may, freely and without incident, talk, and come together for Harbor’s sake. 

Blythe Beesley is a different character altogether. Whereas Robyn had thought Twig a mystery for the longest time, Blythe is an open book beside him. A rather loud one, with large lettering and bolded phrases and a frightening amount of exclamatory declarations. Volatile, angry, and with a reputation for excessive radicalism, Blythe has never once hesitated to give them a piece of her mind — never once opted not to let them know precisely what she thought of them and their inaction subsequent to Harbor’s disappearance. Blythe had called them out on their fear and their inability to move, and Robyn had hated it and thought it unfair.

In response, they had casted her out, and denied her completely, despite knowing full well how true her words were. Pride is a dangerous thing, and it can hinder, and it can blind. Selfishness can too.

For these reasons, Robyn is terrified of approaching her. They’ve walked a distance far enough away from Twig, but they can’t quite bring themself to close the gap between Blythe and themself. They don’t know if she’d been listening, or if she cared enough to even want to talk to them. For all they know, she’s given up on them a long time ago. They would deserve it, should that be the case. Still, they want to try. They have to. They don’t notice how much their hands are trembling until the tremors reach their arms, and they briefly ball their hands into fists, opening and closing, trying desperately to get rid of the jitters. They step forward once but stop suddenly, and from where they stand, they look at her. 

“Blythe.” Robyn’s voice practically echoes in the hall, the sound of it bouncing from wall to wall. Or it could have just been their imagination. It’s become so quiet, one would’ve heard a pin drop. It’s as if they know what to say, but not how to say it. Wordlessly, they try to communicate, to ask for permission to move into her space. In her eyes, they search for something. A hint of understanding? Not quite forgiveness yet; they know they have to earn that. But perhaps a readiness to forgive. A willingness to listen. 

In her eyes, they search for the Blythe that had given them brief moments of softness. The Blythe that they had chosen to ignore because it always became so hard to talk to her in times like it. The Blythe that would look at them directly, without reservation, imploring them to help. The Blythe that would suddenly moderate her tone. The Blythe that would try to appeal to their emotions more than to their sense of self-preservation. Long shot though it is, they hope that that Blythe is still there, buried somewhere beneath her rage.

It feels like an entire lifetime has passed in the span of a mere few seconds.

“Can we talk?”

[swannscngs]

𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘁 𝟰 || 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗮𝘆

mentions: @blythefm, @givcnup, @rouxselkirk, @othcrhalf, @ncllysnge, @aldcra, marina tidestrum, abe iss, harbor gazel. trigger/content warnings: alcohol abuse, trauma, panic attack, dissociation.

❛ 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬, 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴 ❜

A plan had been set in place, one grounded by her inability to sit gagged and bound by the capitol any longer in the face of their cruelty. So she set the bottle down — just as she had promised Blythe when they solidified their alliance, and just as she had nearly a year ago in solidarity with Griffin — and she put herself to work. Day in and day out she would train. No longer was it the hour or so mandatory training she had Roux were forced into for appearances: training became her life in the waiting period between the announcement and the reaping.

There was no alternative for her other than to volunteer. The thoughts of who would be at risk became the vehicles for her fury rather the weights holding her back and pulling her into a drunken haze. Memories of running along the beaches with her younger cousin and sibling in their childhoods, snippets of conversations with Robyn, saved handwritten letters from Nelly over the years, and the infectious warmth of Aldera’s smile drove her punches in harder, increased the finesse with which she wielded her trident, and fueled the speed of her movements both offensive and defensive.

Come reaping day, Swann finds herself stronger than she’s ever been, more confident than she’s ever been. Emotions pushed away and covered beneath the surface allow for her to become the weapon they had always hoped her to be, and the weapon they forgot about the moment they placed the crown of a victor upon her head. 

As Robyn takes center stage, it’s not hard to notice the clear signs of hesitation on their face. But it doesn’t matter, whatever name is on that piece of paper, she will volunteer. — But then he reads it out, and before she can step in Roux already makes the move to do just that. 

He’s denied, and the tears on his face trigger something in her.

Reset. Recenter. Restart.

By now, it’s second nature. A sort of autopilot. Swann finds the cameras and quickly positions herself as inconspicuously as possible in front of Roux. She can’t protect him from this heartbreak. She can’t volunteer for him or for Marina, but she can at least try and protect him from the scrutiny of the capitol with their insatiable desire for trauma. Tomorrow — she knows — they will dive their teeth into the pure love that her cousin shared with Marina, but today they get nothing but her clenched jaw on screen, and Roux gets a moment of safety.

When it’s Abe’s turn to be called, she doesn’t flinch. Swann waits, gives the newest tribute his time, and then — while keeping her protective barrier between Roux and the cameras — she leads them to the train.

The cousins work just like the waves in their district: Roux ebbs, pulling Robyn into a separate room, and Swann flows, tending to the newest tributes in her best attempt to make them as comfortable as possible. Then, when Roux returns in search of Marina, the tides reverse and Swann pulls Abe and Robyn to discuss personal questions and concerns.

Unable to register anything of what she’s saying or doing, just allowing her body to do it’s work — the work expected of her and the only work left to do — Swann doesn’t come into her own body until the five of them are stationed in front of a screen to watch the reapings. Not until the name of her former escort is called out for District Seven, and just like that, Swann’s sense of self leaves her once more. It’s Robyn’s voice calling out and then their body sliding to the ground. Swann’s hands on her cousin’s cheeks telling him to introduce Marina and Abe to the team of stylists. A promise that she’ll find him. The sound of heavy, forced breathing. Panic stricken face of Marina. Tears soaking. Arms wrapping and holding.

She comes to, once, maybe twice. Holding them in her arms, she does her best to keep them from falling apart. A promise that she’s not going anywhere slips between the gentle brushing of fingers through their hair. A reassurance that he can take all of the time that he needs, to just focus on his breathing, finds itself nestled between a kiss to his temple a deep inhale and exhale from herself. 

Not until she’s taken them to bed, given them water, and reminded them that they can come sleep with her if need be does she finally drag herself to her own room. The ever increasing proximity to privacy ignites the heavy, distorted breathing emitting from her own chest. Black dots intrude into her periphery, taking up space where the corner of her bed and the doorframe to her bathroom should be. Fully clothed, she stumbles into the shower, letting her body sink to the tiled floor. It’s only when the warm water hits her face — when she’s sure the pressurized stream tearing at her skin will drown out the sound — that the small ripples of disjointed breath transform into crashing and relenting heaves of sobs drowned out by the water filling her mouth.

How can she carry them — all of them — when she can hardly carry herself at all?

[embersrpg]

𝐓𝐖𝐈𝐆 𝐄𝐋𝐏𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐎𝐍

Age: 38

Gender: Cis Man | he/him

District: Seven

Job: Victor & Mentor

FC: Marwan Kenzari

𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐑 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝟓𝟑𝐫𝐝 𝐀𝐍𝐍𝐔𝐀𝐋 𝐇𝐔𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑 𝐆𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐒

You weren’t one for the trees, but your family was responsible for mending and sharpening tools on the daily. Your hands always red and torn from cuts from sharpening axes. They called you a blacksmith from the way you were able to wield things together. It wasn’t exactly legal, but what you could make, sure did make the job a lot easier. It’s what ended up saving you in the games, being able to make your own weapons from a wide array of things. No one really thought you could stand a chance until you made it to the halfway point, and they could see what you were really made of.

After that, you quickly became a capitol favorite. You’re still not too sure why you’re regarded so well, you know you don’t quite have the most striking personality, just a knack for making things that kill people. But maybe that’s why they’re so fond of you, you’re the least bit challenging and the most potentially dangerous, given the moment. There’s a shiver that slides up your back, thinking that they might need you for your skills again one day.

𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒

BLYTHE BEESLEY: You know Blythe doesn’t like you. They’re not subtle in the slightest. That’s fine, frankly. It’s not like you’re particularly fond of Blythe’s antics either. So you keep your distance from them. It’s better that way, anyways. That’s what you tell yourself. You’re far too adored, and Blythe is far too volatile to get any bit close to. But they are your home, so you do feel an ounce responsible for them.

DAWN HARDIN: What you lack with Blythe, you make up for with Dawn. You admire everything about them. You’ve been around long enough to know the full of their story, and the pain they’ve suffer. But you and Dawn are also close enough to have shared those details. There are few you feel truly comfortable with. And there are nights the two of you share a drink, and talk about those dark things you don’t dare whisper in another room.

ROBYN GAZEL: You and their twin dated years ago. You’re not really sure how it started, but they were good, and one day, you just found yourself wanting to care for them, unlike you’ve cared for any other. While it wasn’t a secret, you both didn’t want your relationship to be a spectacle. But Robyn’s twin was a lot more radical than you ever thought. Towards the end, their disdain for the Capitol felt unsafe. And you chose your own safety over them. Then, they disappeared. Just like everyone else, you figure they’re dead, but you’re not sure if you had anything to do with it.

TWIG ELPHINESON IS CURRENTLY TAKEN BY JESS

[sealedchasm]

a little oc x canon for the holiday 💯💯💯💯

[rainbowtopten]

Rainbow Top 20

August 11, 2019

1 Kygo/Whitney Houston - Higher Love (Lother Remix)

2 Caravan Palace - Plume

3 Lizzo/Missy Elliott - Tempo

4 Ella Fitzgerald - Too Darn Hot (RAC Mix)

5 Prince - Sex Shooter

6 Toddrick Hall - I Like Boys

7 Prince - Make-Up

8 Steve Aoki/Darren Criss - Crash Into Me

9 Alice Francis - Too Damn Hot (Phos Toni Remix)

10 Ryan Blyth/Robin S - Luv 4 Luv

11 New Parachute Collective - Rise Up (Diesel Mix)

12 Swing Bot - Waves Of 84

13 Lizzo - Truth Hurts

14 Kool & The Gang - Get Down On It (Father Funk Remix)

15 Club 27 - Sympathy For The Devil

16 SonReal/Jessie Reyez - Healing

17 Celine Dion - Flying On My Own (Kay Staffer Remix) 🆕

18 Da Tweekaz - Back & Forth 🆕

19 Willows - Dance With Me

20 Sam Smith - How Do You Sleep (Arun Kumassi Remix) 🆕

[videoreligion]

Deathrow Gameshow (1987)

“For a while there it seemed like reality TV was going to fully engulf the entire viewing schedule when it came to broadcast television. It was easy money I would assume. Nudging attention starved loose cannons in entertaining directions must be an easier task than say, writing a story worth watching for any reason. Although it seems to have quelled a bit as of late, the channels are filled with shows “observing” the day to day of “real” people. Whole channels once dedicated to PG sex-ed and general educational programs have become 24 hour hubs for fake swamp people and Alaskans. The 80's didn't really have that problem per say, but it did have inklings in the way things would go down, through the state of sports, sensationalist news, etc., as well as a good idea about how far someone would go for capital. The concept of entertainment being taken to extremes manifested in this time as several classic trash films that showed the era's current trends in media, game shows and competitive sports, being pushed to deadly limits. Maybe the most remembered of all, Roger Corman's Death Race 2000, based very loosely on a short science fiction story with similar subject matter which predicted a world in near ruins. Its people disillusioned but active spectators of cross country blood sports possibly motivated by population control. Another less mentioned entry Deathrow Gameshow (1987) took the thought experiment down a different route...”-RevTerry

Read the Full Review

[deezeeashfrost]

afternoon, second day after the reception ( @alderapitleaf​. )

Now that he’s heard a bit from Robyn, too, he’s taken it upon himself to do a sort of casual headcount of all of them to see how many people actually were taken, and maybe try to paint a clearer picture of why. It’s mostly because he doesn’t know what the fuck else to do. This sort of thing isn’t his strong suit, helping to make plans, figuring out the logistical parts of things; he’s a better soldier, than a strategist, better at taking other people’s instructions and following through, when he wants to, than making his own. But Blythe is full of righteous fury right now, and it the thought of giving into the white hot anger that’s always under the surface, always spurred on by Blythe’s is a little terrifying. So he’s trying for concrete, strategic help, first.

He doesn’t think he should let himself give into the rage right now without a plan in place, because he’s not sure he’ll manage to come back from it, and the last thing they all need is him making any more messes, especially if that mess is broadcast to all of Panem, calling more attention to them all, when apparently they’re getting picked off like flies.

Heading down the hall, on a mission, but not really knowing where to start that mission, DeeZee sees Aldera coming around the corner, and is immediately reminded of their conversation at the reception. This feels like something concrete he can do, now that they’re back in the harsh reality of things, more possible to actually try to understand her hesitance; although he thinks maybe he’s starting to get it a little, by virtue of everything going on around them.

“Hey, Aldera,” he calls as he heads towards her, waving a little lamely. Start simple. “Everyone in Eleven still safe and sound for now?”

[blythefm]

@othcrhalf​  when: just know this also happens after her talk with griffin where: seven’s floor

Blythe is hard at work, finding innovative ways to keep herself busy so she doesn’t end up doing something stupider than what she’s been doing. She wants to think she is kind of good at keeping it together while Harbor is around since she doesn’t want him to worry, but she doesn’t know how true that is. 

They watch him as he finishes his breakfast, her right hand playing with a knife she hasn’t realized she’s been been keeping close to her for days now. She is on guard, ready to go on attack at any moment now. Harbor excuses himself, and Blythe lovingly tells him to have a good day before they’re gone.

Robyn’s presence startles her. She figures someone let them in, which annoys her since she wants everyone on Seven to be extra careful. But whatever, they’re there now. 

“You look like shit.“

[dcwnhardin]

seven’s common area, afternoon, right before dinner ( @othcrhalf​. )

Not for the first time, Dawn wishes there were more hours in the day. Or maybe rather that he could hit a pause button and stop time for a bit to give everyone as much as they truly deserved. As it stands, though, he’s worn a little thin. Seven is always enough on its own, but clearly this year it’s a dozen times more complicated, more support than ever needed for mentors and tributes alike. Two is another things entirely, his time split fairly equally between the two groups, although he can’t lie and say Slate hasn’t been given most of it, so much to grapple with, care needed so desperately, something he wants to give in spades, too. And then there’s everyone else. They’re all falling apart in new and exciting ways that’s making him feel a little like he’s losing his mind, but not his stability. Blythe has joked before that he might as well be stylist and escort for Seven; now it feels kind of like he’s escorting half the tower to keep them from falling apart.

Well, not entirely. Because Bandi’s been doing so much, too, and he’s talked to her about it, of course, but so has Robyn, taking on so much, caring for so many people, having such pain inflicted on them by the Capitol because of caring so deeply. It makes him think of what he’s considered so much lately with Slate, the Capitol having punished him for caring, tried to show it makes him weak, brings nothing but pain. It feels like that’s a danger with Robyn, too, and he can’t stand the thought of Robyn feeling like that; worse, he can’t stand the thought of Robyn dealing with all of this on his own, nearly every person he relies on in that pain. Tonight, he resolves to change that. It’s upsetting to think that Harbor, his change, his disappearance is what made them close, seeing someone then, too, who needed support so desperately, and now here they are again, a new sort of pain, in terrifyingly similar patterns.

So he waits for them. It’s easy enough to catch Robyn before they manage to make it to the door, because he’s waiting for him, perched on the arm of the couch, watching for them to reappear from talking with Harbor, embroidery in hand, as if holding it is going to get it finished by the interviews. He’s already up when Robyn does, heading straight for the door through the mess of the common area, but Dawn intercepts him, holding up a hand, needle still pinched between two fingers, stopping them in their tracks. 

“No,” Dawn says simply, not a demand, not an order, just a certain little no, Robyn is not leaving the suite without talking to him. The only choice Robyn has here is doing it in the chaos of the common area, or in the pristine organization of Dawn’s own private quarters. “Do you want to talk here, or do you want to go into my suite? Your choice.”

[virgobydcsign]

@othcrhalf

when: late, first night in the Capitol

They don’t know what they need. To carve out the secret that haunts them, maybe, pass the burden onto someone more worthy, but that’s impossible. Doing so would mean admitting culpability and they just can’t do that. So they’re stuck. In the bleak inbetween, flitting from one person to the next in the hopes that someone can tell them what they’re supposed to be doing. Avoiding their sister. Hiding behind their team (Riggs especially) who need their support now more than ever. Searching for a familiar face in the crowd whose advice has always served them well and coming up empty. 

It’s desperation that leads them to sit, cross-legged, on the floor by Robyn’s room. They could’ve tried Roux or Astraea but Virgo’s sense of self-preservation means they opt for the least intimidating of the three. There’s something off about the escort. Shallow, cracked. Maybe they’re projecting but it’s hard not to feel for them after the way Blythe had spoken of their twin. They wish they’d brought flowers.

There isn’t time to second guess themselves before they hear footsteps. Virgo stands and brushes non-existent dirt from their backside. They plaster on a smile, too-bright, and work hard to sound chipper. “Excuse me.” Too brusque, they pare it back a touch and swing their arms beside them. Head in the clouds, unaffected. “Where’s Swann?”