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the-geek-librarian · 2 years

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BLACK CLOVER HEADCANONS

Ships addition

The ships in question: Vanica x Megicula ( VanMeg?), Yuno x Leo ( YuLeo?), Lolopechka x Gadjah, Asta x Noelle (asunoe)

The hc will be on : 🌑Nightmares, 💍 Wedding day, 🧒 Kids, ❤ Love language and 🏀 activities they like to do together

ASTA x NOELLE

🌑: both Asta and Noelle have their fare amount

Of Nightmares, so whenever one of them as a Nightmare the other will do their best to calm the other down and ground them. Then they will probably cuddle and if that is not enough they will go star gazing

💍: Asta and Noelle's wedding day was large and grand even tho it happened in Hage. Asta's grommets were: Yuno, Magna, Leo, Luck and Gadjah while Noelle's on the other hand were Lolopechka, Mimosa, Nero, Kahono, and Vanessa!

While waiting for Noelle to walk down the aisle Asta was sweating like an animal bc he was worried that Noelle was taking to long and that something had happened. But Gadjah assured him that it was normal for the bride to come in later, so when Noelle came in with Yami by her side and the girls right behind her he broke down and started crying(p.s they hadn't seen each other before the wedding)

🧒: Noelle and Asta have two children an older girl named Acier and a boy named Isaac with a 5 years differences. Acier has long grey hair like Licita and has green and pink eyes, her magic is like her uncle Mercury and she serves in the silver eagles alongside her mother. Isaac on the other hand has short straight silver hair and green eyes, his magic in contrast to his sis is water and services in the bbs

❤: Asta's love language is both physically touch and acts of service. Bc my boy never learned what boundaries are so he can and will cuddle for hours on end and acts of service...dos it really need an explosion?

Noelle's love language on the other hand is just acts of service and maybe quality time? Idk bc of her childhood she never learned how to properly react to affection none the less give it to someone else( but asta, lolo and Mimosa are doing their best to help)

🏀: Asta and Noelle are both very physically active and they enjoy sparring, working out just anything that requires movement and that applies to their kids as well

YUNO x LEO

🌑: The one that was Nightmares not the most but entirely in there relationship is Yuno his Nightmares are not rare but they aren't common either they mostly revolve around the Zeno vs GD fight. What Leo dose in order to calm yuno down is hug him for you see Leo is like a warm blanket he may be sorter but he sure as hell is wider

💍: To many people surprise there wedding happened at the heart kingdom bc Leo was scared that his grandparents were going to crash it. So Lolo being the sweetest big sis she is agreed immediately, and so there wedding happened on the beach bc Leo and lolo have style+ Leo's grommets were: Randell, Luck, Gareth and Floga, while Yuno's where: Klaus, langris, David and Asta.

🧒: To cut a long story short, Yuno and Leo do eventually want to adopt kids but first they need to deal with both Leo's grandparents and see exactly what is going to happen with Yuno's heritage to the Spade thrown and go from there.

❤: Now in terms of love language Yuno is a Corben copy of Asta the only man difference between the two is that Yuno knows what boundaries are. Leo's love language is physical touch and quality time and I don't think that really needs an expansion. Like man's will make you feel like royalty and like you are the center of the world

🏀: In their spare time I feel like they would either train or sit in front of the fireplace cuddle up in blankets with a cup of tea ( Yuno) and a cup of hot chocolate (Leo).

LOLOPECHKA x GADJAH

🌑: Ok now look Gadjah is one of the lucky mf on the planet like he has no idea what experiencing a Nightmare is like bc he as never EVER had one ( and he never will ). But now Lolo on the other hand as Nightmares almost every night, now most of the nightmares Lolo does have are normally pretty tame but there are those times when they are not tame like at all. In those times Lolo panics like a lot and if nothing is done she will have an all-out panic attack so Gadjah does his best to came her down insert lots of cuddles, head pats and hot chocolate.

💍: So when Gadjah and Lolo got married it was like the entire kingdom was having a large Festival although the only people that were allowed in the era of the wedding, were those that were invited. Gadjah's grommets were: Floga, Smurik, Potrof, asta and luck while lolo's were Noelle , Nero, Mimosa, Kahono and Sarado. ( Ps a handful of days before the wedding many of the people left gifts and cards with well-wishes in front of the palace, lolo broke down and Gadjah almost cried )

🧒: Because of the law that all the Heart Queens must conform to they can not have any biological children. So after an attack on a research facility that did illegal experiments on children with special magic attributes, there was only one survivor a young girl with bright orange hair, ocean blue eyes and plasma magic named Freya who they end up adopting

❤️: As for Love language Gadjah is one smooth-ass bastard so words of affirmation and acts of service which is Self-explanatory. And for our beloved Lolo, we have physically touch like she will smother Gadjah to the point that he will not know what to do with himself and quality time, she is willing to do anything but her work

🏀: when they are not working they enjoy taking long nature walks which was one of the first family activities they did along with Freya! But beyond that love to cuddle with each other

VANICA x MEGICULA

🌑: Very similar to Lolo, Vanica has had nightmares even night since she was young ( like 4-5). But because of that, she was grown used to the feeling of waking up in cold sweat so in the unlikely event that she does in fact have a nightmare that scars her that much Megi will make her a hot chocolate and cuddle her to sleep. Now if it is the other way around and Megi is the one having them then she goes into full panic mode and vanica needs to sing to her. Vanica doesn't know why but it always seems to soothe her

💍: although yes they legally are married they didn't have a wedding! They just went down to Damantios's office on a Tuesday and some signed papers later there married. But granted Asta did give them the week off sooo

🧒: Alright, so out of everyone in this list vanica and megicula are the ones with the most kids coming in with 3! The oldest a boy named Arthur, with long wavy black hair and bright red eyes who in fact has two magic types soul, and curses warding. The two others are Twins named Anastasia and Julius, they both have short straight white hair and dark red eyes, similarly to Arthur they both have two magic types for Ana we have cursed blood and devil bone magic while Julius has cursed blood and devil spatial magic. Ironically enough Ana is in the silver eagles with Acier, Julius is in the black bulls with Isaac ( they are bffs) and Arthur is in the research facilities with Meg ( ps he has a thing of Acier)

❤️: Now love language is a little difficult I can imagine Vanica would be physical touch and quality time so she can spoil the hell out of Meg both physically and materially. As for Meg, I would say acts of service and quality time now similar to Noelle Meg was never good at expressing love and affection but Vanica, Sally and Makusa have helped a lot.

🏀: As of things they like to do together Vanica loves helping Meg brainstorm ideas for new curses. They will sit for hours on end talking about new ideas. Another thing they enjoy is cuddling and when the kids join in it is even better.

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eusuntgratie · 2 years

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camboy buck because I'm pretty sure that was my fault and also untitled isaac and chris and derek and FEELINGS please

camboy buck

this one's definitely your fault. i think this was originally your idea and you threw it at me? you at least strongly enabled me and even made me some graphics that i still have ready to go in the doc 👀🥹🥰

i would LOVE to copy and paste a big chunk of our text convo in here but i won't do that to you 😘

nothing concrete written, but long story short, buck's gotta pay for that loft somehow and that ain't happenin' on a firefighter's salary (enter: onlyfans) MEANWHILE eddie is maybe having some realizations and decides to do some browsing bc he's just curious, okay?!?! and hmm what could happen from there who knows who could say?!???

untitled isaac and chris and derek and FEELINGS

this one's old old... i started poking at it after daniel sharman and jr bourne did an insta live together and then just started swirling with derek and chris and isaac feelings. this one would be canon divergent ish and focus heavily on the fallout of 3b and early season 4 if the show had continued to acknowledge isaac's existence. derek's dealing with the fallout of kate deaging him or whatever in early s4 and chris calls derek because he needs to go to beacon hills to help scott but won't leave isaac alone. derek feels like he can't help isaac but chris knows that derek is exactly who he needs.

finishing this one and keeping it and canon-integrated as i intended would require some rewatching which OOF but i really do love the concept.

here's a bit:

His phone rings in the middle of the night. He shoots up, heart in his throat. He wasn't asleep anyway. Hasn't slept since...hasn't slept in a long time.

"Chris? What's wrong?"

"He needs you. I… fuck, you know I love the kid but I can't… I gotta come back, Derek. Scott told me about-"

"Kate" Derek growls.

"It's gotta be me, Derek. I have to end it. After everything she's done. I can't let her. I have to end it. But I can't leave him. I can’t leave him alone."

“Bring him home, Chris. I’m not- I can’t- but I won’t leave him alone. Bring him home.”

Derek sits in his cold, empty bed in his cold, empty loft, hugging his knees to his chest and cries. Cries like he hasn’t let himself since Boyd and wishes his Mama were here to tell him what to do. He’s fucked everything up, lost all of his betas, lost Isaac’s trust. But he won’t let him drown. Not like he did for years. He’ll pick himself up off the floor, drag himself out of the darkness, for Isaac. He just wishes he knew where to start.

wip game | ask me about my wips!

#wip game #camboy buck #untitled chris and derek and feelings #grace writes #poe tag

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uomo-accattivante · 2 years

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At this point in its history, Marvel isn’t known for tinkering with its proven superhero formula. And yet “Moon Knight,” the studio’s current Disney+ series, has taken some unexpected chances.

Its debut episode introduced Steven Grant, a maladroit museum gift-shop clerk with a dodgy British accent, played by Oscar Isaac. Isaac also plays Marc Spector, a grizzled American mercenary who shares the same body with Grant — and who is also Moon Knight, the crime-fighting avatar of an ancient Egyptian deity.

As the story of “Moon Knight” has revealed, Spector has had dissociative identity disorder, or D.I.D., since childhood, and Grant is an alternate identity he created to shield himself from trauma and abuse.

“Moon Knight” was a risk for Isaac, too, even though his résumé already includes some of the biggest fantasy franchises Hollywood has produced. While he has made a whole career of projects that are many orders of magnitude smaller — performing “Hamlet” and “Romeo and Juliet” for the Public Theater and starring in intimate dramas like “The Card Counter” and “Scenes From a Marriage” — he has also been featured in film series like “Star Wars” and “X-Men.” Those blockbusters elevated Isaac to greater levels of recognition, but the grueling work they require and lack of input they typically allow made him hesitant when Marvel sought him for “Moon Knight.”

As Isaac, 43, explained in a video interview last week, the pleasure of “Moon Knight” was getting to explore the title character in a way that felt right to him, even if his approach did not always fit the Marvel mold.

Whether Moon Knight moves on to his own movie or a superteam like the Avengers “doesn’t matter so much,” Isaac said from the offices of the production company that he and his wife, the writer-director Elvira Lind, operate in Brooklyn.

“It’s a new character that we’re taking a chance on,” he said. “The nature of the story is this investigation, this slow-reveal mystery.”

“If it goes somewhere else, that’s great,” he added. “I’m glad it’s not just an advertisement for synergy.”

Ahead of the “Moon Knight” finale on Wednesday, Isaac spoke about the making of the series, of which he is also an executive producer. He also spoke about the unexpected oscillations of his career and about working for Disney while the company weathers a political firestorm. These are edited excerpts from that conversation.

Do you get two paychecks for playing two roles on “Moon Knight”?

I should, man. It’s funny because that’s what I was apprehensive about: I didn’t want it to feel like this masturbatory thing. When I started off, I was very adamant that I didn’t want to do the gimmicky, switching back and forth, Jekyll and Hyde part of it. I really segregated Marc and Steven, even asked if we could shoot them on different days. Just do it through reflections and don’t ask me to put on a different hat.

Some actors say they accept immediately when Marvel comes calling, but you didn’t. Why not?

I wasn’t, at that point, super eager to jump into a big production. I wanted to fall in love with acting again. I was a bit tired. I’ve got two young kids, and I was ready to take a step back, do smaller films that weren’t as big of a commitment. When this came, my immediate sense was, ugh, this is bad timing.

As a comics fan, did you feel like you were getting a B- or C-list character foisted on you?

Yeah, they’re pretty much down to the dregs. Although people said that for Iron Man, too — then it changes cinema forever and what an amazing performance that was. Part of the attraction was its obscurity, to be honest.

What were your inspirations for how you play Steven Grant?

It’s an homage to the things I love, like Peter Sellers and the British “Office” and “Stath Lets Flats” and Karl Pilkington. I was also watching “Love on the Spectrum” — these people are going on these dates, who are autistic, who are feeling all the same things that we all would feel, but they haven’t developed these masks to hide it all. It’s all out there in the open. There was something I found so moving about that. I started doing the character at home, and my kids were asking me to do him all the time

You spoke of feeling burned out on big-budget projects. When did you start experiencing that?

Toward the middle to end of the run on “Star Wars.” The commitment of time was such a long one, and the windows of availability were very specific. I started to get hungry for those character studies and working with those great directors.

You had worked professionally as an actor for several years and had some prominent theater roles. But did you find that big-budget films gave you some breakthrough opportunities?

There were a few supporting performances that gave me the opportunity to do really different characters on these big stages, like “Robin Hood” and “Sucker Punch.” What was fun was that nobody had any idea who I was. I played the King of England in “Robin Hood,” and nobody had a problem with that. Now that I’m more known, suddenly it’s like, can he play English? Should he play English? In this age, we know everything about everybody, and of course people have a problem with suspension of disbelief.

So as a Juilliard alumnus and a veteran Shakespeare performer, you didn’t think these types of films were somehow beneath you?

No, I didn’t feel like that. I wanted to make a living as an actor. I didn’t have the luxury of ethics; I didn’t have the luxury of integrity. [Laughs.] I felt like I could bring my point of view to whatever came my way. Early on, I was like, “If I had the one shot, I could prove …” And then I would get a chance, it would come and it would go, and I would realize, Oh! I guess I need another shot now. After a while, it was clear the only thing you can control is your craft and staying curious, and exercising that craft in whatever comes your way that you think is good.

Did starring in “Inside Llewyn Davis” feel like one of those opportunities for you?

That was completely life-altering in every single way. That was my first lead role. It was a Coen brothers movie. I played music. I still can’t believe that happened. I wanted it so badly and just worked my ass off beforehand. It was the serendipity of the moment that I did what I intended to do and the Coens took the risk on someone relatively unknown.

Was it strange that it led to even more fantasy franchise roles? Like, this is what they think of me?

I’ve been doing it long enough to know that there’s no “they” — it’s just people trying to make movies, whether they’re on a huge scale or a small scale. J.J. [Abrams] wanted to meet me [for “The Force Awakens”] while I was still shooting “A Most Violent Year.” I remember because Albert Brooks [his co-star on “A Most Violent Year”] left me a really funny message pretending to be J.J. before I went to go meet J.J. You take a leap of faith. And sure, had I not done that, perhaps I would have been available for some other thing that would have come my way. But no one ever knows.

You got an earlier shot at comic-book adaptations with “X-Men: Apocalypse.” It wasn’t well received, though I think it gets a bad rap. Is that a role you’ve disowned?

No, I don’t disown it. I know exactly what I went in there wanting to do and the reasons why. There were these amazing actors involved that I really wanted to work with, [James] McAvoy and [Michael] Fassbender and Jennifer Lawrence. I collected X-Men growing up, and I loved Apocalypse, I just found him such a freaky, weird character. And then you get there and you’re like, Oh my God, I’ve got all these prosthetics on. I’ve got a suit on. I can’t move. I can’t see anybody. All these actors I wanted to work with — I can’t even see who they are. I still think back to that time with fondness. I wish it would have been a better film and that they would have taken care of the character a little better, but those are the risks.

Would you count your time making “Dune” with Denis Villeneuve as one of your typical franchise film experiences?

Denis was the reason to do that. When he came to me, he actually didn’t have a role in mind for me yet. He was like, “I’m doing ‘Dune,’ are you interested? What role is interesting to you?” We decided it was Leto. It was challenging to be a very specific sound in a big symphony.

And you knew, going in, that it’s a character with a limited life span?

Yes, that was part of the attraction.

Was “Star Wars” your closest frame of reference when Marvel sought you for “Moon Knight”? Was that what made you wary?

They are such big, huge films. As fun as they can be, you’re outputting a lot of energy and then you leave and you’re just exhausted. That was part of the fear. I didn’t anticipate how much creative flexibility there was going to be — how much energy it gave me back.

How so?

Once Mohamed [Diab, a director on “Moon Knight”] and I started talking about what it could be if we could put our lens on it, we were like, it’s way more important that we’re true to D.I.D. than to some kind of comic-book back story. When you do the research on what causes D.I.D., it’s not like one thing. It’s not, you watched something horrible happen and suddenly you break out into all these different personalities. It’s from sustained trauma and abuse over time. This is a survival mechanism that clicks into place for someone who’s experiencing that. That they’re able to fracture their mind to survive it is kind of astounding.

For much of the series, Marc and Steven would interact in discreet ways, like talking to each other in a mirror’s reflection. How did you handle the sequences we saw in last week’s episode, where the two were often standing side-by-side?

I had my brother, Michael [the actor Michael Benjamin Hernandez], who is a great actor and shares my DNA, stand in as my alter. Other times, it was a huge challenge technically as sometimes, especially in the wide shots, I’d have to act with no one and remember the blocking I had done as the other character and respond to the lines being fed to me in an earpiece I wore.

Was D.I.D. a subject you knew about before making “Moon Knight”?

I didn’t. I had just done “The Card Counter,” which was all about trauma and living with P.T.S.D. I had been doing some research into that, and there was something that felt organic about seeing what’s on the other end of the spectrum.

Does “Moon Knight” speak to why stories about alternate identities and multiverses are becoming increasingly popular?

We live in a post-reality world. Things used to feel a lot clearer, and now they’re not. Nothing can be true or authentic anymore, and I think that’s being reflected in a lot of our popular culture.

You’re a prominent ambassador of Disney’s brand at a time when the company is experiencing conservative backlash and political retribution for its opposition to Florida’s “Parental Rights in Education” law, which its critics call “Don’t Say Gay.” Is this something you feel a personal investment in, and does that backlash affect you individually?

No, I’m not experiencing that. I’m not on social media, so luckily, if that is coming my way, I’m ignorant of it. But everything has a political undercurrent at the moment. Disney was forced to take a stand, and I’m glad that they took the right stand there. Sometimes silence or neutrality is just not going to work. It’s astounding to watch a vindictive politician try to own the libs. I grew up in Florida, and I recognize how dysfunctional the state is. But it’s an interesting time where everything is parsed, and if Disney is going to own so much of the entertainment industry, they’ve got to expect to come up against some tough decisions.

Are these the kinds of considerations you’re going to have to make now whenever you work for a major studio?

I’d rather not. [Laughs.] That’s going to require me to do a whole lot of research beforehand that I’d rather not do. I’d rather spend that time figuring out a good character.

There has to be some conscientiousness about it, but at the same time, you’re also trying to make a living and you’re trying to live in the world. I just want to make good stuff and hopefully try to do it in a responsible way.

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#oscar isaac #moon knight #marvel #mohamed diab #disney #star wars #dune #inside llewyn davis #x men: apocalypse #michael hernandez #mike hernandez #the card counter #a most violent year #robin hood #new york times

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incorrect-ikevamp-quotes · 3 years

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What’s your opinion for Leo’s reaction to finding out the mc was immortal as well- not necessarily a vampire, maybe they’re some other type of supernatural. I’m really curious because Leo seems like he’s mainly in love with the mc bec they are human.

Hi lovely!!! Always wonderful to see you, hope you’re well! 💛💛💛💛💛

Tbh I think my opinion remains the same about something like this? I'm going to link to an ask I wrote up a while ago, only because it's v pertinent to the subject matter and good background for what I’m going to expand on here.

That being said, I'm happy to kind of tl;dr/expand on what I talked about there. Basically I had the feeling that Leonardo choosing MC as a lover was more circumstantial--regarding the state of his life in the moment, regarding his general feelings about vampires and vampire society, and regarding his unresolved trauma as a young kid.

I guess my answer to that question--and forgive me if it seems like a cop out--is that it really depends, I feel? I think his attraction has a lot more to do with the kind of person somebody is, their sensibility, more than it has to do with mortal vs immortal. If it was an immortal MC that showed ridiculous fortitude and self-control, measured patience and maturity, I really don’t see him not noticing that? I think he would be wary at first (assuming it’s all a front) but with time would likely feel a great deal of love if they were interested in a life together. If they were able to see and understand what he needs and answered those needs, I guess I just really doubt his ability to say no. It’s all he’s really looking for, and the fact that he hasn’t found it after so long really speaks to his frightened evasiveness and the rare nature of that kind of unshakeable strength.

I also think a lot of his hinging away from purebloods (true immortals, in other words) is that he 100% does not want his familia having any involvement in his meaningful relationships. Which might be why he shows more acceptance towards turned vampires, or potentially different supernatural beings.

But I also don’t like giving a vague answer without some kind of explanation as to how I got, to that conclusion, so a boatload of analysis follows below the content warning.

Spoilers for Leonardo’s route and a few mentions of JPN ver content:

I think he has less of an obsession with the idea of mortality, and more like a constant association of goodness and freedom and maturity with humanity. And while it's understandable, there are signs that--when he has the proper time and space to heal--his views seem to soften from those extremes. I mean his decision to live with Comte is pretty much his first step in that direction; it was him acknowledging for the first time that vampires aren't inherently loathsome or incapable of normal living. (On a revealing note, I think it says a lot that he agrees with MC that she is living in a “wolves’ den” but also feels the need to clarify the men are basically the domesticated equivalent. They don’t pose the same threat other vampires typically do to humans because of their lifestyle and sire.) Additionally, his tsun-like behavior towards Comte also seems to solidify this concept for me: Leonardo’s trying to come to terms with something he's sworn to reject since he was young, but also can't entirely deny that Comte is as chill and mature as purebloods come lmao

[There was also an event in the JPN ver–which seems to be approaching the ENG version rapidly, though only the first part is here right now–in which Leonardo fully offers to turn her. MC is essentially on her death bed, and Leonardo doesn’t want to lose her after so little time together; it’s MC that rejects the future as a vampire out of sheer principle. Even more noteworthy is that, when a reincarnation of MC is reunited with Leonardo in modern times, he is revealed to be exceptionally shaken by that loss. There are suggestions he can’t take losing her again, which could mean succumbing to the desire to bite her.]

Two things I feel are necessary to hit home:

The first being that, at least within the storyline so far, the most mature and human-like vampires we’ve seen are Leonardo and Comte. They seek to emulate the maturity they see reflected in the human beings they’ve known all their lives. Given how vampire society and their hierarchies work, I get the feeling humans are nothing more than amusing tools to them--a way to survive and creatures to exercise control over. There’s an objectification and delusion that comes with what I’ve seen, and I think it’s important in this discussion? If the vast majority of vampires behave this way (because I’m ngl, Leonardo and Comte don’t seem very keen on remaining in touch with other vampires all that much) then it only makes sense they prefer the company of humans who can at least share this sensibility of “been there, done that--stop hurting people bc you’re bored/repressed, grow up.”

One event story where this was exceedingly evident was actually Leonardo’s proposal story. If y’all remember, an old pal/acquaintance of Leonardo’s finds out he’s gunning for a human woman and basically goes “lmao not on my watch.” His name was Adam iirc, and he felt he had every liberty to try and pressure Leonardo into turning MC. Failing that, he insisted they should break up and not be together anymore. Now, on the one hand, it’s fair to say that he was looking out for Leonardo in a way–he didn’t want him to end up miserable and alone when she was gone. But at the same time I feel that Adam’s behavior is deeply revealing of vampire society as well lmao. He doesn’t really try to understand the situation, just immediately assumes it’s the only appropriate outcome. It does insinuate a lowkey cultural disdain for humanity: they are imperfect, they do not last or cannot have real value without preservation. If Adam was really Leonardo’s friend, wouldn’t he realize that Leonardo considers vampirism nothing more than a burden that he would wish on no one, much less his future wife? Additionally, wouldn’t he also keep in mind that Leonardo considers human beings beautiful just as they are? Since he fails these basic requirements to understand Leonardo, my impression is that he is influenced by the larger vampire culture to some extent. Furthermore, it underscores just how thoroughly Leonardo has been trained to keep his cards close to his chest for fear of ridicule/violent reprisal: no vampires know his true feelings on the matter because he would be vehemently rejected outright.

[One can also offer that maybe Adam wasn’t being malicious, maybe vampires find human women they fall in love with all the time and turn them (or any other permutation of companionship that occurs), so he doesn’t understand why Leonardo wouldn’t. But even then, to try to force them to break up if she doesn’t turn? A bit overkill imo but also revealing--Leonardo’s will is being ignored for the sake of upholding a kind of ill-founded superiority complex lmao]

While Leonardo does have a somewhat overbearing need to control the pacing of his relationship and who sacrifices what, I don’t think it’s wrong to be cautious--to want to think things through. I think it’s fair to be afraid that the person you’re with can’t handle what you’ve seen/known. But that also leads me to a core issue I have with MC: she doesn’t inspire much confidence that she can handle the life he’s lived, and that’s a problem of both incapacity and incompatibility. I have to wonder how he reacts when he’s with somebody at the same maturity level, or at the very least somebody with whom he can see her strength with time. When MC’s life was dying out he was desperate enough to accept biting her because he didn’t want to lose her–human or not. It’s MC that rejects this solution, which leads me to further believe that he just doesn’t care about the divide when it comes down to it; it has more to do with his difficulty with being vulnerable and fully trusting someone to care about him. (Assuming they also have the fortitude to stay hopeful and relatively strong over the course of a very long life.)

In line with that, the second thing I think it’s important to acknowledge is how deeply hurt Leonardo is as a result of his family treating him like a fool/black sheep. He outright says and heavily insinuates that his family would write her off as worthless, that they’d never accept her--that's his first thought:

Leonardo: “My familia would call you frail. I think you’re strong and beautiful. You do more with your time than we try to do with ours.”

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MC: “And those letters were from your familia?”

Leonardo: “Yeah. I don’t talk to them or see them anymore. We don’t agree...on a lot of things.”

[Brief intermission here. But lmao. Who does that sound like? If any of you guessed Isaac, that’s exactly what I’m alluding to. Isaac says in his own route smth along the lines of “Why bother trying to get through to people when no amount of talking does any good or gets you any closer to being understood?” Which also explains the way they get along to uncanny degrees: they find comfort in making things/researching because it means being able to avoid the distress that comes with being blatantly misunderstood by others. Their pain simply comes in different dimensions; for Leo it’s about loss and hiding who he is out of fear of rejection, for Isaac it’s about betrayal and people turning on him--ultimately abandonment for both. But I digress, back to the main argument.]

Leonardo: “Once they discovered my location, they began hounding me with letters again. They don’t want me to be with just anyone...They want more purebloods. I’m no more than one half of an equation for them.”

There is a clear implication that his desire to choose somebody that truly makes him happy means jack shit to them. They keep talking over him and trying to wear him down to force him into what they want. It’s no wonder--imo--that he has such a hard time just saying what he wants in his life, to feel like he has the freedom to wish and pursue anything freely. It’s no wonder he just expects MC to spit on everything that’s important to him. It appears as though only other human beings in general and Comte have ever come close to understanding him.

At some point MC realizes that his insistence on being compagni provvisori was originally just another act of sacrifice, and that he was fine with giving up his time and a little privacy if it meant she would be safe. The thing she doesn’t seem to realize in the course of this--and he struggles to say it until later on--is that it stopped being blind generosity. He really did start to fall in love with her, and that’s the whole reason things became even more messy; because he didn’t anticipate not being able to let go on top of the vulnerability. And it’s a big part of why he’s hesitating to speak. He feels he has no right to those feelings, and that he’s imposing on her--not that he’ll be welcome.

And when she did finally admit those feelings were welcome, it was compounded by the parroted views of his family and larger vampire society as a whole. Saying that she herself wasn’t enough, that she had to become a vampire to make him happy. Imo that sounds very potentially retraumatizing given his experiences (people trying to force him into marriages with other vampires who didn’t remotely understand or care about him because it was “the right way of things”). It’s no wonder he freaks out and does something incredibly stupid and insensitive–which is pretty insanely ooc for him.

Leonardo: “...It shocked them. Quieted them down a bit. Hard to get peace when your familia is immortal. Grazie, cara mia.”

Leonardo: “You’re strong, and you’re kind. So probably you won’t cry while I’m here to see it. But when I’m not looking, you’ll cry. If I had done that to you (bitten her, in other words), you’d still be crying when I wasn’t watching... Maybe it’s selfish of me, after what I did, but I just wanted to make you happy. You always look pretty, cara mia, but your smile takes my breath away...It’s not your destiny to love someone who will only make you cry.”

This man literally cannot handle anyone deeply sad or in despair. He’s always going to try to cheer people up and care about them, but general tragedy/emotional discord affects him very powerfully--and it’s likely a reflection of what I’ve mentioned before. He can’t bear to see people feeling helpless or miserable because he’s just been there too many times to be able to cope. He wants to help and heal (even if he’s suffering from prolonged compassion fatigue), but he knows that his powers are limited--even if he is a pureblood.

And the thing is? While it’s misguided to believe she would cry alone when it comes to the context of healthy romantic love (bc the idea would be that you lean on each other when something upsetting happens) he has zero reference point. He was not born as a result of authentic love (his parents never married, he was the result of a procreative arrangement), his family talks over every wish and belief he has and they still claim it’s done out of love/honest concern for him. One can only imagine the serpentine and obnoxious lengths to which his family has deceived or tried to force him into reconnecting with them. Every person that ever did know him/care about him in a real way is gone. Love, for him, has only been a series of losses that left his heart hollowed out; I don’t really blame him for expecting further disappointment and isolation and exhaustion.

He’s also not wrong in the sense that he partially saw MC do what he outlined, and it’s a big part about what he loves about her. When she was feeling alone and lost–powerless–all she did was shrug and move forward. That doesn’t make it hurt any less, but focusing on what you can do instead of what you can’t do is healthier. And they both have the tendency to hide when they’re in pain or feeling lost, all because they don’t want to trouble anyone. Remember that when he says this, it’s a reflection of himself too: because even if he was heartbroken beyond measure, all he would do is hide it every second; he would never expect anyone to see right through him or care.

I mean I tend think of that one post I saw that talked about how people often see themselves as a social burden when most of their life has just been a series of neglect and loss. They don’t really have a concept of “you’re not heavy because I want to stay with you. It’s my choice to care about you.” How do you feel worthwhile an existence when four hundred years later your family still won’t treat you with basic dignity. The men in the mansion also all look to him for guidance and soothing because of the kind of person he is–he’s either silent in the periphery or helping. He never betrays so much as an inkling of insecurity or distress.

I mean the whole reason Leonardo comes to the mansion is because he has absolutely no issue helping Comte in a pivotal time of need without seeking much of anything in return. Remember that Comte explains how Leonardo came to the mansion in response to Comte’s distress about the future. This makes sense considering Comte was rapidly trying to stop Vlad by beating him to the punch, and had only enough time to plan the basics. He had no certainty things would work out, much less that his boys would thrive. But Comte, unlike the boys, has become acutely aware of how much Leonardo is hiding his fatigue and despair in the course of being helped. As such, he wants to return the favor--and tries to be a good friend to him as much as he can (handles his insane familia, keeps things light and silly time between them, takes him seriously as a person, doesn’t pry beyond what’s fair.)

[I also think of that psychology concept of “the good enough mother.” It’s not always about being perfect every second of your life. It’s about paying attention and acting where it really counts. I feel like people who grow up under an enormous burden of neglect or parental/mentor abuse have a hard time coming to terms with the idea. This notion that just trying is enough for a lot of people, that showing them they’re not alone is enough to make difficult memories bearable. Because it’s the oppressive silence and apathy that tends to kills people, imo--not people who mean well. But Leonardo doesn’t really understand any kind of reciprocal or non-self-emptying model because the concept is beyond him. He has no experience with it beyond Comte and a select few humans he’s befriended.]

Let’s continue on this point of MC crying where he can’t see her, shall we? The reason this scares him so much is not because he doesn’t care, or doesn’t want to make the effort. It’s precisely that he cares to the point of madness. It’s that he is legitimately convinced nothing he has to say, nothing that he can do, no part of him is enough to ease what she will have to trade away to stay with him. The core issue is not one of disregard or objectification, I find it to be more about his belief that he just isn’t enough. He doesn’t trust that anyone can love him to the point where just the sight of him or time with him can heal. And while there is a foolishness to this belief, it’s understandable when you consider where he’s coming from. You can call it selfishness, but it just feels involuntary--he has a lot of fear when it comes to love.

I mean Comte even says it himself? His words here always strike me: “I want you to understand, it’s because he cherishes you just as you are--more than he cares about his future or his well-being.”

Comte is openly identifying the way that Leonardo has a tendency to give more than is healthy. That Leonardo isn’t hesitating because his feelings are lacking, he’s doing it because he knows it’s going to hurt like a bitch trying to love her and never ask beyond what feels reasonable. (Spoilers: no request is reasonable. That’s the problem here. He’s convinced he deserves nothing.) Therefore turning her into a vampire to stay with him is--consequently, to Leonardo--out of the question. This is the literal hingepoint at which Comte and Leonardo divide; Comte simply tells MC he’ll take full responsibility for asking so much of her. He intends to make her happy with every single resource and skill he has at his disposal. Even if he doubts his ability or fears losing her to vampire rhetoric madness, he’d rather try than live with the regret and immediate loss. Leonardo is more resistant because of his dour outlook, that her fear of immortality is never going to be something that either of them can overcome. And/or he’s likely afraid she’s only going to regret being together after so long, and might succumb to the ridiculous sort of power/greed complexes vampires seem so attracted to by nature.

I think Leonardo is still coming to terms with the idea that he isn't alone in the world in a lot of ways, and I think he's also coming to terms with the idea that immortality does not equate to evil. Sure, human beings on average are probably more open to flexible modes of thinking and living compared to vampires--their maturity is in some ways guaranteed due to the instances they're forced to adapt to survive. However, just one look at the ruling class and oligarchies of all kinds (even just stubborn human beings) reveals how they are not immune to the same sort of megalomania, arrogance, and thoughtless violence purebloods/vampires are capable of.

So I guess I hesitate when it comes to the thought that he only loves her because she's human. If anything, I think he loves her for the fact that she's very rooted in reality--not quite so bound by the extremes that trouble him. It's one of the many reasons I believe Leonardo needs a lot of maturity and patience; the ability to differentiate between his panicked/overwhelmed/hurt reactions versus his calm is a skill in and of itself considering his capacity for concealment. To say nothing of getting him to slow down when this happens, too.

I suppose I think about it in a way that’s similar to how Napoleon’s main story narrative is framed. While Leonardo’s route doesn’t focus on the grandeur of being a former emperor, there is a clear insinuation here that he also craves normalcy? Just a little life, with a person he loves dearly, where he can rest and be himself for once. I think because he gives off such an appearance of steadiness, people fail to see that he is barely holding on--not to mention the kind of experiences he’s been deprived of (the exact security and understanding he so expertly emulates).

Closer to your question, it’s worth mentioning that Leonardo’s life goal for a while was the creation of an immortal human being--in that he fully recognized human beings could not offer what he needed as they were.

He loves humans because of their adaptability, their frequent desire to keep seeking out hope and making the best of the broken pieces they have. But then again, it has more to do with the nature of how frequently that sensibility occurs in humans vs vampires (and immortality in general): mortality does demand some level of necessity to change and grow. Which is one of the largest trauma points for him; the vampires around him just refused to grow up, always demanding at him like children and obsessed with their power complexes.

Thing is I also don't know enough about vampire society to know how correct this perceived ratio is. However, given Comte's similar avoidance of other vampires and general inability to live with them (he and Vlad were literal childhood best friends and Comte can't stand him anymore lmao) I think Leonardo may have more validity here than people give him credit for. Which begs the question--why did he quit trying to make a human immortal? What was it that stopped him? Was it the horror of what needed to be done to achieve it? Or would a potential companion start to fall more in love with the idea of immortality than they do with life itself/him? I think it’s a worthwhile question to ask, given the disdain he seems to aim at Shakespeare in particular--once human, but now emulates all of the violence and insatiability marked by vampirism.

This is where the transition from human to vampire/immortal contains another hingepoint: is Leonardo so incapable of finding a middle ground because he feels like any choice he makes will be a wrong one? Marry a human, deprive them of a normal love where they can grow old together. Marry a human and turn them, what if they are reborn with immortal wounds/psychological harm? What if time proves they get bored of him or hateful, what if they begin to act like the predatory purebloods he hates so much? Marry a pureblood/immortal, and be hounded by his family for heirs--risk being with somebody who will never love him or their children, and only inspire more misery in the world.

Does it make sense how this can really start to become an anxious downspiral for someone like him? How the personal insecurity and life history comes together to just compound stress endlessly?

That's the thing that's important here, I think. Leonardo just needs somebody who is open-minded, firm, and not easily deceived. If one takes a look at Leonardo's main story route, the whole reason everything goes to shit so disastrously is because MC stops listening at a critical point. Granted Leonardo could have been more forthcoming for sure, but when she started assuming Shakespeare was right instead of seeing how Leonardo was feeling/reacting, she responded in ways Leonardo wasn't prepared for. He never wanted to shake her faith or insinuate whatever she is is not good enough for him, and tbh I think Leonardo downspiraled because it was just the same thing all over again. What he is--a vampire and immortal--keeps ruining everything he wants with his life.

#asks #ikevamp #ikemen vampire #ikevamp meta #ikevamp leonardo #ikevamp leo #ikevamp saint germain #ikevamp comte #can you tell i think too hard about these things kjhdglshf #sorry this reply took me a little longer than i meant to--but i really did want to do the topic proper justice!!#leonardo is such a dear person to me and I can't help but sympathize #people are free to disagree with this but it's just how i feel about the topic #the more i see about him in event stories--the sense this his trembling heart is slowly easing--the less i can believe such things matter #to him all that much tbh #i also think the event where he loses her is just all the more telling too?#i feel like if it really was a matter of principle and not love he would have just accepted it #humans have a v short lifespan--what can be done #sort of reaction #but that's not how he reacted at all: he was a man beside himself with dread and sadness #and even when he meets her reincarnation he can't help but want to be with her again #iirc he starts shaking at the slightest mention of when she died--and shows a lot less ability to resist the urge to turn her #so anywho brief summation is that i think this is more about so many sad boy hours and fear of widespread immortal megalomania #than it is abt hatred for immortality #he has no confidence good things can last without being warped--and that's the key issue here #'nothing gold can stay'#long post #rambles #not incorrect quotes #if you manage to read this without falling asleep i applaud you ajkhldghkfjsdg #thanks for the ask tho--i love any excuse to yell abt leo <333

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ash-and-books · 2 years

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Rating: 1/5

Book Blurb: A city bookshop owner heads to the English countryside for a holiday reunion— only to face her childhood enemy. Elinor Noel—Nory for short—is quite content running her secondhand bookshop in London. Forever torn between her working-class upbringing and her classmates’ extravagant lifestyles at the posh private school she attended on scholarship, Nory has finally figured out how to keep both at equal distance. So when two of her oldest friends invite their whole gang to spend the time leading up to their wedding together at the castle near their old school, Nory must prepare herself for an emotionally complicated few days. The reunion brings back fond memories, but also requires Nory to dodge an ill-advised former fling. When she falls quite literally into the arms of Isaac, the castle’s head gardener, who has nothing but contempt for the "snobby prep school kids," the attraction between them is undeniable. And as Nory spends more time with Isaac during the wedding festivities, she finds herself falling hard for the boy she used to consider an enemy. Nory and Isaac explore their common ground, but pressures mount on all sides, and Nory must decide what kind of life she wants to live and what sort of love is worth the risk . . .

Review:

A used bookstore owner is reunited with old friends for a holiday wedding at a castle. Secret relationships, old wounds, new romance, and family secrets all come to light as this tight knit group of friends are spending time together. Elinor “Nory” Noel is reunited with her old school mates and friends when two of her friends from her private school days are getting married in a castle. Along the way Nory finds herself encountering an old crush, the son of a gardener that she had a crush on when she was younger. When past relationship secrets get out and friendships are tested, things will get out of hand and this holiday romance will definitely take a turn. Isaac is the son of a gardener who is now the gardener for the castle and he has a huge dislike for Nory’s friend and for their private school privilege. I’m going to be real honest, I just was not feeling this book, the romance, or even the characters. I wasn’t invested in Nory and I was most definitely not seeing the chemistry between her and Isaac. I wasn’t even really getting a Christmas romance vibe from this book which was unfortunate. Nory and her friends were flawed, and honestly the rivalry between Nory and Issac wasn’t even much of a rivalry. he was a the poor son of a gardener and she was the fancy private school kid, but it doesn’t really discuss how their relationship was or how there was any grounds for romance between them. Honestly this one just missed the mark for me and i was hoping for a Christmas romance but unfortunately this one did not hit the spot. So while this one didn’t work for me, maybe it’ll be the right one for you. Definitely give it a go if you are looking for more drama romance story rather than Christmas romance.

*Thanks Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, G.P. Putnam's Sons for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

#book review #bookish #romance book #romance read #christmas in july book #christmas in july reading

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ofweirdestship · 2 years

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New Horizons!

Hi, I’m Rage and I deadass went on a nine-day trip to see my best friend & writing partner in person on June 2nd. So I JUST got to watch both of the currently released episodes of New Horizons just now.

I’m not gonna pretend to be spoiler-free, unfortunately that just won’t work if I’m going to get things started over here again, but for the courtesy of this post I’ll be putting the info regarding it below the cut.

While this post will not be pinned, I will reblog with updates with each released episode. This blog IS canon-divergent from the point right before Identity pts 1 & 2 in season 2, however I’m going to see what I can/will retain of the story within my own canon. I will be posting a refresher course on my canon-divergent story as an accompanying post to this one.

Electric Sheep: This one’s a keep, with changes. Contending for the canon, this takes place in the Star Trek/Federation universe, thus features some of the Starfleet crew featured on my main blog, @starbcrn-kids. I am retconning Gordon being “uncomfortable” with Isaac due to this-- because of the circumstances the Orville crew has been through with him in my particular canon, even considering his initial betrayal, NO ONE who was on the Orville crew prior to Identity would EVER doubt Isaac if he did come back around and help them. They’d feel the pain of it, but they would trust him again. HOWEVER, I will be keeping Marcus’ response, and this timeline of events does properly intersect with Charly Burke joining the crew when she does (speaking of, this post will also act as her tag dump, don’t mind me). I don’t intend to change any part of Charly’s story or character as seen thus far. I like her so far even if I don’t agree with her and I’m interested to see where she goes.

Shadow Realms: Ew. But, keep. I don’t see much I’d have to do to adapt this one into my timeline tbh. Besides actually placing it, anyways.

Mortality Paradox: HOLY SHIT Y E S. Keep, just a matter of where I put it.

Gently Falling Rain: Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god. OH MY GOD??? OH MY GOD!! OH! MY! GOD! Okay. Okay. I’m okay. OHMYGOD. Okay. This one I will be keeping BUT I’m not sure how. Because of the timeline of my canon, this takes place in my Trekverse, with my Trek muses, and the reality of the situation is that there’s no way in hell that would have gone down like that in my canon, which I don’t like, but I acknowledge nonetheless. I have no idea what’s going to happen or what’s going on. What I know for sure is I will have to WRITE this story OUT within my canon to figure out what went down. It’s the only way to place it correctly in my story. Stay tuned, I guess?

A Tale of Two Topas: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA. Ahem. Keep! No changes, just fit it in where I can. No change is necessary, this episode was perfect.

Twice in a Lifetime: As emotionally moving as this episode was? Discard. None of what happened is necessary as literally the only character/relationship development that happened (Gordon’s, Talla/John, and Isaac & Charly) either unhappened (Gordon) or could be inserted anywhere for the same effect. And frankly, in a show canon sense and as a viewer, while I personally LOVED that we circled back to Gordon falling in love with a girl from 2015, and showed that what could have been, I hate how Gordon becomes regarding her. I absolutely cannot stand what he is with her. I choose not to perceive the circling back beyond the show-canon narrative, and since I’m canon-divergent, I’m disregarding the episode itself and re-inserting major developments that didn’t disappear elsewhere in my own canon.

From Unknown Graves: I AM A FUCKING MESS. I HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY FUCKING EMOTIONALLY DESTROYED AND I DON’T KNOW IF I WILL EVER RECOVER. Keepn’t. I think this one, like Gently Falling Rain, will require a rewrite within my canon to figure out what’s going on. It shouldn’t need a ton of changes (the Janisi plot should remain completely untouched, for example) but some things will be going differently or may diverge from future plans (Isaac’s emotions. I can see they may revisit this and work this out on their own, but with my OC additions I may end up altering how that goes). UPDATE (07/21/2022): I have written the retelling of the ending of this episode within my canon.

Midnight Blue: Being totally honest with you, I couldn’t stomach watching this episode in full. I watched about 20 minutes of it in total-- watched the beginning up till Haveena asked Topa to help her with communicating with her smugglers, watched Haveena with Dolly, and then skipped to Gordon telling the Moclans OFF and watched the end. I physically couldn’t stomach it, but piecing together my understanding of what happened, I’ll be keeping this episode canon and glossing over talking about events I didn’t see.

Domino: WHAT JUST HAPPENED. NO, SERIOUSLY, WHAT. THE FUCK. JUST HAPPENED. I am-- I am emotionally destroyed, I can’t stop fucking crying, I don’t understand anything, I have been shattered. What the fuck? What the fuck was that!! Ohmygod. And I think the worst part is... this is a keep. I have to. I don’t know that I want to, but I have to. Just. Just don’t touch me right now. Thanks.

Future Unknown: Um, is this even a question?! Keep! Though it may require the tiniest bit of editing for my canon. As far as my reaction? ... I can’t fucking process this one, actually. I mean, in nearly every episode, I was able to compare something that happened to my actual rp shit. But this week’s was so wildly comparable I don’t even know how to put anything into WORDS. I loved EVERYTHING about this but I’m in shock. I’ll come back to this later.

#* ooc {captain on the bridge}#* new horizons {and... maytheforcebewithyou}#* headcanon {defect of my species. we never give up hope}#* muse {charly burke}

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nafeary · 4 years

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Can I have some really short headcanons with MC spending time with the Ikevamp boys?

✧✎ A/N: Hiii sweets! As I’m dealing with pretty heavy topics right, both in life and writing (my cheating!mc headcanon, oh my), I decided to make this short fluffy one first. Make sure to drink water and to sleep well :))))

Also, these kept on getting longer (and longer and longer)... I dunno how that happened 🤷‍♀️

Napoleon Bonaparte

While you enjoyed accompanying the former emperor and Isaac to teach the children in town

Or going for tranquil evening strolls

Or watching him spar with Jean (HOT)

Both of your favourite past time by far was you waking him, and the cuddling that would always follow (among other... activities *wink wink*)

He’d nuzzle up against your neck, enklindling giggles from you as he protested about you wanting to help Sebastian with breakfast

You couldn’t bring yourself to care too much (sorry Sebas)

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Music is the centre of his life; but so are you

He had to learn to give you the attention you deserved, and he’d often wonder if you were were truly content with sitting beside him as he played

You’d love to watch the genius in action, humming and singing along when you happen to recognize his songs

If you don’t already know, he’d teach you to play the piano and the violin

And despite being the ever strict instructor, you’d often catch his tranquil simper as his hands would ghost over your own

Leonardo Da Vinci

After all your chores would be completed, you’d hunt down the Renaissance man

Which would be quite time consuming, as he could be anywhere. Literally.

Once you succeeded in your mission, you’d sit beside wherever he decided to sleep this time (sometimes with one of your heads resting on the other’s lap) and you’d talk. As simple as that

You were, of course, aware of the scientist’s unquenchable thirst for knowledge, and you were more than glad to tell him about everything you knew about your time in detail

In return, he’d find a way to charge your phone, as you always expressed the desire to show him actual pictures of your old life

Curious boi is impressed

Arthur Conan Doyle

If his girlfriend were to be a social butterfly, you’d probably enjoy tagging along with the third wheel Theo to their regular bars, sharing embarrassing anecdotes of each other

Both of you could often be seen taking Vic for a walk, and Arthur would, no fail, try to get your attention away from the dog acting as his love rival

You could only roll your eyes at his histeronic behavior as he pulled you close, hiding his flaming cheeks at your teasing

If you tend to be more quiet loving, you’d indulge in some alone time in his room [goddammit, not that type of indulging]. As you listened to his calming puffs or air, he’d sometimes ask you to read some of his drafts

Whatever the case was, it would always end with Arthur sweetly pecking your purses lips, a smile gracing his handsome face

Vincent Van Gogh

Wanderlust is a mutual feeling you two shared, and Theodorus had to come to terms with the fact that you two could disappear for hours to end

As soon as you two would find a stunning location, he’d unpack his painting supplies while asking you questions about your old life

You two preferred to stay until the sun would retire for the moon to reign, so that the artist’s canvas had the chance to dry

Sebas would always prepare some snacks for you two upon Comte’s suggestion (because Sugar Daddy takes care of his kids)

As the picnic blanket lay beneath you two, Vincent would pull you close, basking in the serene serenity of your embrace

Thedorus Van Gogh

Baking!

Whether you know or don’t know (in which case Sebastian would gladly help you out) how to cook, the others would find the resident couple in the kitchen as Theo judged your pastries

Of course, he might be mean about it, but that was just apart of him that you’ve learnt to live with; after all, you weren’t perfect either

You discovered that he preferred his sweets... well, sweet, so you have grown used to making two batches of every dough/custard/anything, really: one for you and the other residents, and one solely for him

He’d sometimes saunter behind you, swiftly swiping some saccharine cream onto his finger from a bowl you were currently using. Before you could utter your protests, he’d paint your lips with it, a smirk parading across his cheeks

Successfully shutting you up with a tooth rottingly sweet kiss, he’d say, “Your creations are quite delicious, wouldn’t you agree, knabbletje?” [Would you look at that, Food Play!Theo has returned]

Your knee joints were seemingly replaced by the jelly chilling in the basement

Dazai Osamu

When he’d require inspiration for his novels (or simply felt trapped in his own misery), he’d find himself looking across the vast expanse of le Comte’s land

And somehow, he’d find you more than often amongst the flowers, waving at him to join you

He’d assist you as you cared for the flowers, watching your lithe and nimble hands as they practically danced across the fields

A few butterflies would appear, and he somehow had the ability to make them land on his finger as he explained each of their meanings, explanations spanning from eastern culture to Native American even

You’re always so fixed on the little butterflies resting on him, the writer can’t help himself but kiss your forehead, the subsequent crimson staining your face eliciting such a calm expression from him that you can’t help but smile at his joy

Isaac Newton

As you were both more than busy during the day, you’d vacate your time as the first stars speckled the horizon, Isaac busying himself with mapping the stars

You’d sometimes ask him to teach you, but you tended to zone out as the lectures became more and more scientific and “can you please repeat that in English”-like

Despite the ire lining his voice when he noticed your blank stare, his pouting made it rather apparent that he didn’t mind

He’d scoff whenever you’d start with astrology. “But you’re determined, just like a Capricorn.” “That doesn’t mean anything.”

As more and more stars would appear, you’d catch yourselves gaze more into each other’s eyes than the sky, alabaster rays illumining your loving eyes

His research would be entirely forgotten as your head rested upon his shoulder, liking the prospect of your figurative weight resting on him

Jean d’Arc

You want to watch him spar

Soft boi doesn’t want you to watch him spar

You want to try using his foil

Soft boi doesn’t want you to try using his foil

More than adamant about not revealing his dark side (you couldn’t care less, him sparing was hot but you didn’t know how to bring that up)

As such, you’d ask him to go shopping with you, arguing that his presence would act as the perfect protection

Foolproof way to persuade the stoic soldier: Volume I

You’d enjoy spending time with him in quiet cafes, enjoying him struggle to contain his expressions of content upon trying all the delicacies

Stone on the outside, panic in the inside when you decided to lower yourself onto his lap, telling him that no one could see you two (soldier life did not prepare him for his flirty amour)

William Shakespeare

Stabbing is his favourite past time

To Theo’s disgust, whenever you and and his broer would visit THE creep, he’d often return alone, relying your wish of staying at his mansion for a little while longer

He’d be besotted by all the stories you relayed to him, all the anecdotes of modern life

As you saw his latest works, you were glad he wasn’t using the residents for his drama anymore

He also liked dancing with you, in the moment the clock would hit midnight. As you would both sway beneath the moon’s embrace, he had never felt more at peace

Comte de Saint-Germain

Sugar Daddy likes buying you stuff, that’s it. That’s the headcanon

Jk, but he genuinely enjoys the prospect of shopping clothes with you

He’d even draft some on his own (I mean, have you seen his fashion style? Yes babayyy). If you were a fan of design, you’d both make outfits for one another

Would buy you the best silk if you wanted it... would buy you holo fabric from the future if you wanted it

After your shopping would be done, you’d walk along the Seine, reminiscing about the times none of you have gotten to life in

He enjoyed having you in his office, allowing you to vent about noble ladies that thought they could do as they please and parade around your man

As your ire left your ears fuming, he’d muse how scrumptiously adorable your jealousy it

He’d probably lift you ontop his desk to show you that you had absolutely nothing to fear— if you get what I mean ;)

...What are you talking about? I wasn’t talking about that 🙄. He’d simply show you all the designs you’ve made together smh

Sebastian

Vampires were goddamn lucky creatures. They, unlike him, didn’t have to deal with those horrid muscle cramps

However, his pain was more than familiar to you. Thus, one evening, you proposed as you prepared for bed if he’d like a massage from you

It would... sometimes lead to other acts, but that’s a story for another time 🙃

...I- that’s- I was talking about him massaging her... I should probably omit these insinuations

Now, you’d also spent time by adjusting your (and Dazai’s) favourite Japanese dishes with ingredients the 19th century France granted

This would oftentimes lead to questionable results, but you two would laugh it off with mirth enjoying your company

I am physically unable to write a Theo without foodplay, or Dazai without angsty undertones

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yakocchi · 4 years

Photo

My Darling’s the Strongest (Scenario Event) // Leonardo

(graphic is separate from the event)

me: wow i wonder what cool and amazing new content there will be for white day week cybird: we heard from no one that u like reprints that only have new ranking avatars. so heres another reprint that only has new ranking avatars me:

…….cybird it’s ok to not make every event have ranking cards. yea i know they make gangbusters versus events without cards, but if it results in less new scenario events overall… that’s not great

anyway, it’s been like 4 months since a new Count scenario event has been released (which is a better track record than several charas) and i wanted to do a longer string of text to test out a keyboard i ordered. yea im very fickle with my output but ehehe what’s new i archive leo events sometimes, so i decided to dredge one up to translate. i actually wanted to do vlad’s first post-main-route event as a sort of celebration for when it would inevitably happen, but then said scenario event appeared and it ended up being an AU. why does this game like AUs so much? the canon universe already pretty farfetched… u literally have dracula and ure telling me u would rather put him in a situation where he would not be dracula. cowards

This event (first released ~July 2020) was made for the 3rd Anniversary of JP Ikevam later that month. The event was split into two parts, where iirc the first part contained the Count, Arthur, and Mozart. Leo was in the second part with Napo and Isaac.

Spoilers under the cut!! Please credit if you take any of it, thenk u (･ω･*) image-heavy!!

…

The master of the manse, from time to time, starts his conversations with the most unexpected topics. One of those “times”, was today.

...

[Count]: “—So, I’d like the two of you to go out for the Best Couples’ Contest.” [Leonardo & Kara]: “Huh…?” As soon as we had excused ourselves into his quarters, the Count had said something completely unexpected. Leonardo and I had responded with a confused noise spilling out of our lips. (The “Best Couples’ Contest” is that event where they pick the best couple in Paris, right?) (I wonder why he suddenly decided to say he wants us to go.) Even as the two of us stood bewildered in front of him, the Count’s smile remained, untarnished. Leonardo then heaved a massive sigh…

[Leonardo]: “Now, I’m used to you telling me crazy things—" [Leonardo]: “But at the very least, could you give us the entire story, O’ great Count?” The Count began to speak once more—

[Count]: “Well—” [Count]: “Last night, I had visited an acquaintance upon them telling me that they had gotten their hands on some good wine.” [Count]: “At one point, they informed me that they were going to hold a contest to determine the best couple.” [Count]: “Then, they asked me if I was acquainted with any prospective couples for it.” Leonardo then took over from Count as if he had read this story before.

[Leonardo]: “Then, in your drunken state you selfishly entered me and the little sweetheart to the contest, did you?” (And that means… the Count thinks me and Leonardo would have a chance?)

The Count responded to Leonardo’s summation of the events with apparent amusement. [Count]: “I do believe I wasn’t drunk at the time, I’ll have you know?” [Leonardo]: “That’s even worse, then.”

[Count]: “Oh my, Leonardo. Is it really all right for you to say that?” [Leonardo]: “Hah?” [Kara]: “gh-…” The Count had turned in my direction— and so Leonardo, as if in pursuit of the gentleman, then turned to face me as well. Their gazes seemed to urge me to confess my true feelings on the matter, and I earnestly comply.

[Kara]: “Ah-, I… I just thought it sounded fun.” [Kara]: “And on top of that, I’d be really happy if everyone acknowledged me and Leonardo as the best couple.” (Even though I’d be nervous to stand in front of so many people,) (I’d be able to boast that such a wonderful person is my lover…) (And I also think it’d be a good opportunity to see if I’m able to become a suitable woman for Leonardo.)

[Leonardo]: “…” A surprised expression appeared on Leonardo’s face for a moment, before it was replaced with a smile…

[Leonardo]: “Shall we partake?” [Kara]: “Huh? Is it okay?” I had blurted out my question, and Leonardo gently patted my head. [Leonardo]: “This situation’s turned into nothing but a good opportunity, so we might as well have some fun and aim to win this thing, yeah?” [Kara]: “gh- Okay…!” Glad that Leonardo was also interested, my voice naturally gained a bounce to it.

[Kara]: “But, I wonder how they’re going to determine the best couple?” Muttering this, the Count then handed me the invitation, which had a general outline of the event written inside. Promptly opening it, written was—

(The contest is to be a few days from now, and I can look forward to what we’ll be tested on… on the day itself?) The portion I wanted to know about most of all hadn’t been written, and I internally slumped my shoulders. The invitation concluded with a single line— “The key to victory is to have a mind and soul of love towards one another,” (I guess the ‘mind and soul of love’ is supposed to be a hint, but…) [Kara]: “Hmm… With just this, I don’t know what the contest could be about, at all.” [Leonardo]: “Don’t sweat it, sweetheart.” (Huh?) Leonardo brought his face up close to the Count… And as if he had devised a scheme, a mischievous smile had turned the corners of his lips. [Leonardo]: “You’re close with the contest organizer, right? I’m led to believe that they have some sort of hint on ‘em.” [Count]: “Leonardo…?” [Leonardo]: “We may have willingly chose to participate in the contest— but it doesn’t change the reality that it was our lovely Count who dragged us into this in the first place.” [Leonardo]: “So, naturally, you’re gonna cooperate with us, no?”

As a result of forcing the Count (against his will) to spill the details, we were able to make a guess on what we’d be doing in the contest. But…

most everyone else in this event: (thinking hard on what to do bc they dont kno what the contest is going to cover) leo: fuc it CHEAT

…

[Leonardo]: “…” (…Leonardo has an awfully complicated look on his face right now.) In my mind, I think over our discussion from a moment ago:

The organizer of the couples’ contest appears to have hosted several dance contests as well. To put it plainly, the organizer is both a huge socialite and a huge fan of dances. (So, individuals are called from high society circles to be chosen as the “best couple”, and) (The probability of competing based on our dancing… is high.)

[Leonardo]: ��Hagh…” [Kara]: “…Hehe.” Seeing Leonardo’s pouting face, I unwittingly laughed. Then— [Leonardo]: “What are you laughing for, sweetheart?”

[Kara]: “I just remembered something from back before we became lovers.” The conversation of that day, the day where a weakness of his had been exposed, replayed in my head—

…

[Leonardo]: “…I can’t dance.” (Huh…?) [Kara]: “You’ve got to be kidding, right…? You can build and play instruments, and yet…” [Kara]: “Is it because you don’t go to many socialite parties to begin with, so you haven’t had many opportunities to dance….?” [Leonardo]: “No, I’ve participated in ‘em the point where I’ve even had a hand in producing those sorts of dazzling venues.” [Kara]: “’Producing’…” (This person really can do anything and everything. No, no, that’s not true…) [Kara]: “Leonardo, the mystery that surrounds you is only getting deeper and deeper.”

[Leonardo]: “I avoided having to do it.” [Kara]: “…’Avoid’?” [Leonardo]: “…Try to imagine it. Me, dancing?” [Leonardo]: “It doesn’t suit me, I don’t have the look required for it…” (…What… is this?)

[Kara]: “…Hehe, ahaha!” [Leonardo]: “…Hey, sweetheart. What are you laughing for?

…

(He said the same thing back then.) Unable to hold it in, I continued to giggle… [Leonardo]: “Don’t laugh.” [Kara]: “I think you’re the one smiling here, though?” [Leonardo]: “…I’m just feeling terribly nostalgic right now.” Answering me, his eyes held a gentle light within them as if cherishing those days, [Kara]: “You still hate dancing, I assume?” [Leonardo]: “Even to this day, I find it embarrassing to do. Radiant, cheerful stuff doesn’t mesh with me. But—" (Huh?)

The second I wondered if Leonardo was going to start something, he suddenly pulled my waist towards him for an embrace… [Kara]: “Woah, woah-…!” Regaining my senses— Led by Leonardo himself, I properly danced. [Leonardo]: “I’m able to dance like the average person now— and it’s all because you came to keep me company.” While I was still surprised, Leonardo dropped a light kiss on my forehead. [Kara]: “Nn-…” Flustered, I looked up to find a completely composed smile on his face… [Kara]: “…ngh-“ An impulse overwhelming me, I lean my head against his chest.

[Kara]: “…Sly as usual.” [Leonardo]: “Hm?” [Kara]: “Even though I thought I had finally found a weakness of yours, you’ll get over that hurdle too pretty soon.” [Kara]: “When you do things like that, you become sly so smoothly, exquisitely.”

(When he shows this side of him… I get driven to work even harder than before so I can catch up to him.) While even feeling a frustration from it, I turned my gaze back to Leonardo.

[Kara]: “It seems like this world is going to become one where there’s absolutely nothing you can’t do.”

[Leonardo]: “…Maybe?” (…Hm?) For a second it felt as if he were pondering over something, a particular emotion washing over his face.

But before I could say anything, I was swiftly embraced, and that thought of mine scattered, and vanished. [Kara]: “l- Leonardo?” [Leonardo]: “Hey, look there, sweetheart.” (Huh?)

Following Leonardo’s gaze— I could see the dusk dying the sky from a distance away. (Pretty…) The view that he showed me, was beautiful. But, at the same time… my chest was tightened by this sorrow. (Although the scene before our eyes is the same between us, time passes differently between us…) (During moments like this, I feel that difference.) (However— When we became lovers, I had decided that no matter how different we are, I’m going to embrace the present, make the most out of it.) (I’m going to savor even the passing seconds, cherish them… as we live together, as two.)

As if to confirm he was really there, I embraced his warmth in return… [Kara]: “Leonardo, I’m looking forward to the contest.” [Leonardo]: “Mhm.” In the vivid sunset, we smiled to each other.

…

—Time passed, and the night of the contest arrived at last.

…

(W-Wow…) When we had entered the venue in our formalwear, there were several couples eagerly waiting for the contest to start. (All of the people here have to be participants for the contest, huh. …Somehow, my heart’s pounding.) I took a deep breath to calm myself down, and when I did that— Leonardo, as if to soothe my heart, lightly stroked my hair. [Leonardo]: “Why is it necessary for you to feel all anxious?” [Kara]: “Leonardo?” [Leonardo]: “To the point where there’s just no way we can lose to any couple here— I love you, you know.”

[Leonardo]: “—Well, and you?” Inquiring me, his smile was brimming with self-confidence… And caught up in his mood, I smiled cheerfully.

[Kara]: “I love you too— to the point where it’s impossible for us lose to anyone…!”

[Leonardo]: “Heh… Very nice, then.” [Judge]: “—And so, the contest shall begin now. The means of competition is to be by dance.” (Ah-…!) We look to each other, and Leonardo, extending his hand towards me, says, [Leonardo]: “Kara… You’ll do me the honor of a dance, no…?”

PREMIUM END

[Kara]: “Yes, I’d be delighted!” (Even though I was so nervous about this until now… Now, I can’t help but just be excited about it.) (I want everyone to quickly feast their eyes on our dancing, and our bond!) Taking his hand, I nestled close to him as an elegant melody began to echo within the dance hall. To become a flower that offsets the man before me, I step forward—

…

—When the contest had ended without a hitch, the both of us walked along the moonlit Seine as we made our way home. The chilly breeze felt pleasant on my heated skin. [Kara]: “We really were able to win!” (I was able to prove my bond with Leonardo to all of Paris… I’m so happy that I can’t stop a smile from showing on my face.) [Leonardo]: “I did say we wouldn’t lose to anyone, didn’t I?” [Leonardo]: “But, well, to think… the winning prize was a year’s supply of wine of all things. ‘Guess sensuality and allure are as good as goddamn useless to them.”

he’s trying to say that he doesn’t like the prize cuz it isn’t very sensual/sexy (suppose he imagined a prize for a lovers’ contest would be more along those lines). even Arthur in the epilogue is like “…thought the prize for a best couples’ contest would be more special”….

[Kara]: Hehe, it’s a nice prize, isn’t it? Let’s drink it with everyone else in the manse.” [Leonardo]: “If you’re satisfied with it, that’s good, I suppose.” As he spoke, Leonardo looked to be the same as usual, but his eyes reflected some kind of joy from within. (I’m glad that this will become a lovely memory I’ll have about him.) (…But, even then) The very sight of Leonardo of when I had danced with him in the dance hall, wouldn’t leave my head. [Kara]: “Your dancing was really, really stunning.” [Kara]: “As I had always thought… you’re the strongest one around.” [Leonardo]: “What’s all this about, hmm?”

i probably should’ve bothered explaining it last year since i used the title “My Darling’s the Strongest” for the other translation but uh might as well do it now that it’s explicitly used in the story so by “strongest”, it doesn’t necessarily mean physical strength (though it can be). It’s “strongest” as in a form of “mightiest” or “most powerful”, kind of like when someone says “my baseball team is the strongest in the league”,

[Kara]: “I just think that you’re the mightiest lover as there’s nothing you can’t do.” Carried away by the thrill of victory, I professed my thoughts. In doing so Leonardo’s brows lowered, and a bit of a troubled smile graced his lips. [Leonardo]: “If I’m able to put some effort into it, then I guess there’s really nothing I can’t do. But…”

[Leonardo]: “There is something I simply cannot do, no matter how hard I try.” (Huh…?) [Kara]: “Something you can’t do… I can’t imagine such a thing existing.” He was undoubtedly an almighty genius, and was also the type of person willing to confront even his awkward dancing skills head-on.

At my murmurs, Leonardo continued as if the topic was no big deal.

[Leonardo]: “It exists.” [Leonardo]: “I cannot become an ordinary human.”

(gh-…) His words had vanished into the night breeze.

I inadvertently stopped in my tracks, and he stopped as well… and the both of us stood still in that one corner.

In my current view, the moonlight illuminated his figure as he stood before me. [Leonardo]: “As a pureblood vampire,” [Leonardo]: “I give you much loneliness— A loneliness that, if I were an ordinary human, you would never have to experience.” [Leonardo]: “However, if I went and lamented over every single little detail of that truth, I would be rendered unable to be with you. —Thus from the very beginning, I do not intend to lament either.” [Leonardo]: “I’m going to use as much of my power as I possibly can to grant your wishes, and that’s all.” (Using his power, my wishes…) I recalled the exchange we had a few days ago:

…

[Kara]: “Ah-, I… I just thought it sounded fun.” [Kara]: “And on top of that, I’d be really happy if everyone acknowledged me and Leonardo as the best couple.” [Leonardo]: “…”

…

[Kara]: “Did… you say that we should go and try to win the contest… merely because I…” With a smile, Leonardo proceeded to stare intently at me. [Leonardo]: “Well, there’s that, but additionally… I had the same motive as you had.” [Leonardo]: “I also had wanted the both of us to be acknowledged as the best couple.” [Leonardo]: “I wanted news to spread that I had been able to become the man of such a wonderful woman, you know.” (gh- Leonardo…) Leonardo, whenever and wherever, envelops me in his great, unparalleled affection. Roused by the surging love within me, I went to grip his hand.

[Kara]: “…Leonardo, I want to be by your side tonight, and all night.” (I want to give him, in return for the love I received from him… those same feelings, that same love.) (I want him… to feel my love as well.)

[Leonardo]: “…” [Kara]: “gh- Ah-!” I was suddenly yanked towards him; and almost stumbling over my feet, it had closed the distance between us. Bringing his lips to my ear, he whispered:

[Leonardo]: “What a coincidence. I was just thinking the same thing.”

…

—As soon as we entered his room, we melded, deeply kissing each other. [Leonardo]: “…Hah-, Kara…” He called my name with a wet, heady timbre between kisses, the sensuality of it making me go lightheaded. Crowded atop the bed, he pried my lips open with his finger… [Leonardo]: “Thinking about it, I haven’t received a reward from you yet.” [Kara]: “’Reward’…?” [Leonardo]: “When I’m feeling, touching you like this… I know that you’re not so dumb to be oblivious to what I want?” [Kara]: “ngh-…” Taking a guess on what he desired from me, I slowly brought my face closer to his.

[Leonardo]: “Good girl. Come on— Try to turn me on with a kiss?”

FIN

yes the event really stops here before the epilogue teaser. cybird when a sexi scene is about to start:

since this was a glorified keyboard test, this is mostly a one-off… so don’t expect leo translations from me otherwise ahah

u know, it’s always weird to me that leo’s stuff is always very sorrowful bc of the vast diff in lifespan, humans vs. vampires thing. like, does he not plan to turn her into a vampire? the wedding stuff makes it sound like they’d like to be together forever but they still don’t really like to broach the topic itself……… kinda sus given that the Count’s stuff gets several mentions of biting in events and vlad clearly doesn’t mind biting whenever (and is just waiting for her to give him the go-ahead). ive seen some ppl talk about how maybe leo likes her because she’s human (both as in being a literal human and the figurative idea of being “human”) and honestly……… it is kinda messed up to think about, but i can see it LOL now im not saying the other pureblood x mc relationships are super healthy but that’s a convo for another time

well at least these guys don’t have to ask someone for vampire-turning assistance. im imagining one of the other charas having to ask the Count to bite mc akin to how teenagers have to ask their parents to drive them and their friends around to do stuff…….. who wants to relive that nightmare

also sorry if like leo’s voice doesn’t match up with w/e the official engl localization does. ive literally never played an engl cybird game in my life, so it’s a crime of ignorance i swear. tho imo if they’re not making him sound like a rascal… that’s very lame, im not gonna lie

the epilogue is obviously not available for purchase rn, but please buy it and/or support the game with purchases when you can!!

As always, thanks for reading!

(gif source)

#ikevam #ikemen vampire #wats this fools tag #ikevam leonardo #?? i guess #spoilers #leonardo da vinci #seems a bit improper to do the one connected with the real guy

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mandaloriangf · 4 years

Note

Something that I find hilarious is the fact that the Disney Trilogy is such a dead end in terms of story possibilities and profit. Those movies were such a mess and have so little potential for further stories or spin-offs that literally NONE of the new announced shows/movies have anything to do with that era. And since none of the actors want to return to Star Wars, with Boyega and Isaac even outright scorning the idea, there’s no way that their stories can be continued in live action. And even if they DID want to continue the story, what would it even be ABOUT?? The rebuilding of the New Republic and making a new Jedi order after the old one was destroyed?? That’s just a literal rehash of the Disney trilogy LMAO ☠️

And in terms of profit, this trilogy is dead in the water. It made its box office money, sure, but aside from that, it’s not going to be a long-term moneymaker since none of the merch related to it sells. Like the profits on the merch were so overwhelmingly bad that when they unveiled the merch for the 40th anniversary of ESB, there was NO new merch for the sequels, even though the Mandalorian and Jedi:Fallen Order got a whole bunch. There were literal executives at toy companies complaining about how much money they lost on making merch for the Disney trilogy, and they outright stated that it doesn’t sell. And I know that Disney’s hoping for another prequels situation where fan reception got better over time, banking on kids being a future generation of fans who will grow up, express appreciation for the trilogy, and spend money on it because they love it out of nostalgia, but that won’t work because that would require today’s generation of kids liking it in the first place?? Nostalgia only works when people liked something as a kid, and today’s kids don’t care about Star Wars — they care about the MCU. So today’s kids won’t grow up to be a generation of fans who will loyally buy merch for the Disney trilogy. Instead, the only people who will bring in continuing profits for the Disney trilogy are the current fans, and as we have mentioned before, they are so few/dispassionate that Disney’s actually LOSING money on merch

LMAAAO, like at this point, Disney should just cut its losses, stick the Disney trilogy into an alternate universe, and replace it with a new post-ROTJ trilogy. Maybe that way, we can actually get a trilogy that gives us a coherent narrative arc, respects the successes and personalities of the OT trio, treats its nonwhite characters with respect, gives us storylines that aren’t just boring rehashes of Empire vs Rebels, and actually allows POC to be the main characters. I guarantee that THAT will bring in a lot more fan passion and money in the long run

i really do hope that disney and other companies can at least learn a lesson from this so it never happens again. they really thought that by using nostalgia they could make a HUGE profit but star wars fans aren’t like other fanbases.

#ask amanda #anonymous

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storysnapshot · 4 years

Text

Pnat Secret Santa 2!

@pnatsecretsanta

@mylkshaek I’m your paranatural secret santa! Here’s a short story about Max and Isaac being friends!

A Proper Teenage Birthday

“Coo-ee! Maaaaax! One of your friends is here to see you!”

The musical intonation of his dad’s voice caused Max to stir in bed.

“The one with the spiiiiiky haaaaair!”

Max groaned and got out of bed. What could Isaac want? On a Saturday, no less. Max changed into a comfortable Insolent Children hoodie, and sulked into some slippers.

Lefty hung in the air, disapprovingly.

“It’s a Saturday! I’m not getting dressed.” Max waved the disembodied hand away as Lefty floated slowly through the wall.

Downstairs, Isaac was waiting for him.

“ ‘Sup, man?” Max yawned his greeting, ignoring the million dollar smile his dad was putting on. Well, hundred dollar. Before taxes.

“Big day coming up Max.” Isaac whispered conspiratorially.

“Something…” Max lowered his tone to a whisper as he pretended to check out the shelves. “Spectral?”

“No! Your birthday!” Isaac beamed at him.

“What? You woke me up at…” Max peered outside at the midday sun “The crack of dawn just to talk about an event happening in a MONTH?”

“Yes.”

“Why? It’s not like I’m even sure I’m inviting you yet.” Max smirked wickedly

Isaac feigned being injured, “Oh, Max, you wound me so. I’m here to HELP you, ya dork.”

“What could I possibly need your help with? It’s MY birthday. And it’s in a MONTH.”

Isaac casually tossed a Vegi-rap (Made of real Vegetarian Rappers!) into his shopping cart. “Because, young Max, you’re going to be a teenager. And I am a teenager. And as such,” he paused to dramatically gesture with his hand “I’m going to make sure you have a Proper Teenage Birthday!” He held the pose for a moment, seemingly expecting applause. None came. Max coughed, awkwardly.

“I was just going to have a few of you guys around and eat junk food, play video games, and stay up late.”

“Which guys?”

“Um. The club, I guess? Not Mr. Spender - I feel like he’d try to get an invitation.”

“Great! Teenage birthdays are all about small groups of people you actually like. We’re done with that ‘the whole class gets an invite’ stuff. That’s kid stuff.”

“Isaac. Why are you so into this?”

“It’s important! First birthday as a teenager!” Isaac double checked his cart. “Any chance of a discount?” he smiled, a rare sight on the broody 13-year-olds face.

“I’ll ask my dad. You want to continue this conversation upstairs? I’m kind of interested in what you think a ‘teenage birthday’ should be like.”

Isaac purchased his stuff, Max managed to swindle a discount (friends, family, and ferret owners! Surprisingly, Isaac qualified for 2 out of the 3), and they ran upstairs to Max’s room.

Isaac conjured a spectral board on one wall, and began making notes, pacing the floors in a vague impersonation of Spender.

“Right, a proper teenage birthday party requires 3 things!” He gesticulated to the board.

“Firstly, food. There are limits here - I’m a Vegetarian, and Ed doesn’t eat anything with fewer than 3 artificial flavours or preservatives.”

Max looked incredulously; “You know we own a convenience store, right?”

“Great point! So that’s sorted - you can steal as much as needed, right?”

“We own it, Isaac. It’s not stealing.”

Isaac waved away Max’s logical reasoning.

“Theft is cooler. You’re a teenager now. Well, will be. Second thing! Music. I see you already have… advanced taste for your age,”

Max looked over to the Necromantid poster on the wall. “Yeah, and who doesn’t like Insolent Children?”

Isaac nodded, clearly impressed. “And Saint Hat Trick too! That’s unexpected for a pre-teen.”

Max bristled at the comment. “And third?”

“And THIRD: Games. What consoles do you have, and this is important - do you have enough controllers?”

“Uh… can I borrow like… two?” Max looked towards the slightly beat up console

“Aha! This was an important conversation then. I am vindicated. What games do you have?”

“Uh… Timothy Blackbird’s Semi-professional cyclist 2? Average Attack Associates? Puppet Monsters: Gotta Observe Them All?”

“Good selection, I’ll bring the controllers, and some other classic party games - Mimo From Accounts Wacky Racers, and Mimo From Accounts Celebration Board Game.”

“Oh I love those, I need to get my own copy!”

“Well, that’s a good idea! Don’t buy it before next month. For no particular reason.”

Max looked up at Isaac as he smiled, and the spectral board disappeared.

“This is going to be the Best. Birthday. Ever.”

“A Proper Teenage Birthday! See! Told ya this was good. I’ll text the group.”

Isaac flipped open his phone, and messaged the Activity Club group. Max’s phone buzzed in response. It was nice to have friends in this new town, he thought to himself. And a proper birthday coming up!

Max opened his own phone as it buzzed a second time.

“A PARTY? I’d LOVE to come!!! Who’s gonna text me the deets?”

Isaac had managed to text the group with Spender in it. Max smiled, despite himself. It WAS good to have friends.

#paranatural #pnat secret santa

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hysterialevi · 4 years

Text

His Name Was Isaac - Ch. 10

Fanfic summary: During a mission to avenge his mother’s death, Isaac hunts down the men responsible for her murder and kills them off one-by-one, only to discover that his last target is taking refuge among the Van der Linde gang. In an attempt to kill them, Isaac attacks the gang and unknowingly becomes enemies with his own father, who is in the process of fighting his own battle for redemption.

Point of view: third-person

Previous chapter | Next chapter

This story is also on AO3

THE NEXT MORNING

OWANJILA DAM, WEST ELIZABETH

Gazing out at the enormous lake, Dutch sat alone on the edge of the dam as he lost himself in the marvelous view laid out before him, letting his mind wander freely with the sounds of water trickling and birds chirping.

The mountains on the horizon formed a majestic, jagged border that separated the lake from the sky, and for as far as the naked eye could see, Dutch found nothing but a colony of lush trees dominating the landscape as the water beneath mirrored their reflection.

There were animals of all sorts gallivanting through the wilderness and disturbing the overall peace of the foliage, scuttering away from the people that traveled the roads.

The environment sang vigorously with life around Dutch, and yet, despite the serene state of the world surrounding him, the man himself could not have felt more hopeless on the inside.

Arthur... was gone.

He was actually gone.

After thirty years of riding together side-by-side and raising that man as a son, Arthur had finally turned his back on the gang. And now, Dutch was all alone.

Just like in the beginning.

Reaching into his coat, Dutch fumbled through his pockets for a bit before pulling out Arthur’s journal and delicately opening it, curious to skim through its mysterious contents.

Ever since Arthur was just a boy, he always found solace between the pages of a blank book, but never allowed anyone else to see his drawings. They were the “sacred texts,” so to speak.

Anytime someone tried to catch even a glimpse of his sketches, Arthur would always snatch the thing away and hide it somewhere safe from prying eyes. It was one of the few things he valued more than money, and as the years went by, everyone eventually learned to just leave it be.

That was, until now.

The clumsy man dropped the damned thing when he made a run for it back in Tall Trees. The flap on his satchel came loose sometime during the fight, and within a moment’s notice, it just... slipped out. Of course, there was no time to return the journal to its rightful owner, but Dutch didn’t have the heart to leave it lying in the mud either.

So, with a heavy heart, he decided to take the journal back to camp and keep it as a memento of what their family once was. Strangely enough though, instead of the comfort Dutch expected the item to bring, it offered nothing but a sense of loneliness.

Every time he flipped through its worn pages, he’d only be reminded of everything he’d lost over the years, and the son he loved dearly who abandoned him just like the rest of the gang.

It made Dutch’s blood boil to think about Arthur’s betrayal. He sacrificed life and limb to keep that boy safe, and within the span of a few weeks, the man had turned traitor and run off with a kid he hardly even knew.

Meanwhile, his family of thirty years got left behind in the dust during their time of need, and remained forgotten alongside their distant memories.

Dutch may have been old, and he may have been living on borrowed time, but before all this was over, he swore to himself that he would get closure.

Their gang had a code these days, and no one went against it without paying the price.

Not even Arthur.

“Boss?” Someone said, tearing Dutch from his thoughts. The man looked over his shoulder.

“Micah,” he said with relief, “you’re back. Got any news for me? How’d things go in Strawberry?”

Micah stood next to Dutch, taking in the view alongside him. “About as good as you’d expect, all things considered. We managed to replace most of our supplies with the stuff from the general store. It ain’t as fancy as what we had before, but it’ll keep us afloat for now.”

The older man nodded in approval, closing the journal. “Then it’s good enough. Listen, I sent Joe out scoutin’ earlier. He thinks we can set up a camp somewhere near here. It ain’t that far away from civilization, but we’ll have a reliable source of food and water. It’ll give us some time to gather our senses before we move on with the plan.”

Micah seemed to have no qualms. “Fine by me, boss. Whatever you think is right.”

Taking their minds off the gang’s current state for the moment, the two of them fell into a solemn silence as Micah closely observed Dutch’s expressions, clearly able to see that the man was far from happy.

“Dutch,” he said, trying to get the man’s attention. “I gotta ask you something.”

The other man brought his gaze back to the lake, letting out a series of coughs. “Yeah?”

“...What’re we gonna do about Arthur?”

Dutch sighed, glaring into the emptiness around him.

“The only thing we can do. We are gonna find that man, and we are gonna show him what it means to betray our gang. Freedom always comes at a price, and he’s gonna learn that. But it ain’t gonna be easy. You know Arthur. He’s as strong as he is smart, no matter how much he tries to deny it.”

The other man chuckled. “While that may be true, how well do you think he can fare against an entire gang? Even with that little shit helpin’ him out, I doubt he’ll stand much of a chance.”

Dutch shrugged. “I don’t know. The only thing that’s for certain, is we’d be fools to underestimate him. Arthur’s always been a force to be reckoned with, and if we ain’t careful, he’ll kill us all before any of them Pinkertons do.”

“And what about the boy?” Micah asked. “We plannin’ to kill Isaac, too?”

Dutch nodded. “Of course. He’s the man who started all this. He killed Cleet, he killed Shay, and I assume he’s responsible for sicking the Pinkertons on us back at the bank, too. We’ll do our damndest to survive this year, but I sure as hell plan on takin’ Isaac down with us if we don’t.”

Standing up from his seat, Dutch sauntered past Micah and quickly lit a cigar, preparing to take his leave.

“But first... let’s just focus on gettin’ this camp set up. We’ll be no use to anyone if we’re starving and exhausted. Let’s get some rest, and then we’ll talk about our next step.”

Micah removed himself from the dam, following Dutch’s actions. “Whatever you say, boss.”

~~~~~~~~~~

MEANWHILE

UPPER MONTANA RIVER

Wetting a small rag with some gun oil, Arthur gently cleaned his revolver as he relaxed in a rocking chair, keeping himself warm by the fireplace while Isaac slept on a nearby couch.

It was still pretty early in the morning -- roughly only an hour or two after dawn -- and Arthur had just woken up from a night of some much needed rest.

So far, no one had come wandering near their cabin aside from a few deer and a handful of coyotes, but overall, things were relatively calm in the region. And Arthur didn’t trust it one bit.

He never liked staying in the same place for too long. With the amount of people tracking him down these days, it was always one hell of a risk to remain in one location for more than a day.

Arthur couldn’t count the amount of times he’d been greeted by the barrel of a gun upon waking up in his tent, or ambushed by bounty hunters when he tried to cook a meal. And even though he knew Isaac was in serious need of some sleep, he couldn’t help but feel things were a little too peaceful, considering the circumstances.

Where was Dutch? Or the Pinkertons? Arthur supposed the Van der Linde gang would require some time to regroup as well, but the fact that he hadn’t seen any sign of the law out here made him suspicious.

It didn’t take him much effort to follow Isaac’s tracks to this cabin, so he found it difficult to believe that the Pinkertons didn’t know where they were either. They had a small army of men backing them up, so it was far more plausible that they had already discovered Arthur’s location, but were simply waiting for the right moment to strike.

He’d have to keep an extra close eye out today.

Placing the rag down, Arthur slipped the revolver back into his holster and reached for his hunting knife, wanting to sharpen it a bit before heading back out.

His hope for today was that he and Isaac would be able to catch some food in the wilderness once they got everything settled, but judging by how close the Pinkertons were to them, Arthur assumed they wouldn’t be the only ones hunting in the woods.

It just made him wonder when all this pandemonium would finally come to an end. Would he, by some miracle, actually manage to escape the world of outlaws and keep Isaac safe? Or would it all come crumbling down just like the gang, and throw them to the wolves?

He supposed only time would tell.

Dragging the stone down the edge of his blade, Arthur paused mid-action when he heard Isaac let out a sudden gasp, causing him to jolt his head in the boy’s direction.

It looked like the young man was still asleep, but at the moment, he was twisting restlessly on the couch and breathing in a panicked rhythm, moving his legs in a way that almost felt like he was trying to run away from something.

“Isaac?” Arthur said, attempting to wake the man, but to no avail. He put his knife down and walked over to the couch, kneeling beside the boy.

“Isaac.” He repeated, a bit more firmly this time.

The young man shook his head in fear, still trapped in his dreams.

“...No...” he muttered softly. “...S-Stop...!”

Arthur gripped Isaac’s shoulder, gently shaking him awake. “Isaac, wake up.”

Feeling the touch of Arthur’s hand, the boy suddenly sprung into consciousness and snapped his eyes open, frantically observing the room as his mind tried to calm itself from its alarmed state.

“What...?” Isaac exclaimed in a breathy voice, bringing himself into a sitting position. His gaze landed on Arthur. “...D-Dad?”

Arthur patted his shoulder in a comforting manner, giving him a reassuring smile. “You’re alright, kiddo. You was just havin’ a bad dream. Ain’t nothing wrong.”

Isaac sighed out of relief at the news and slouched in his seat, taking a moment to relax as Arthur eyed him worriedly.

“You okay?” The older man checked.

“Yeah...” Isaac replied, sliding a hand down his face. “I’m fine. I just... thought the dreams would stop by now.”

“These dreams happen often?”

“Almost every night.”

Arthur was quiet for a second, hesitant to ask his next question. “...Was it about Eliza?”

Isaac nodded, his eyes drooping with fatigue. “They always are. Though, it was different this time.”

“Different how?”

The boy waved a dismissive hand. “Ah... I don’t wanna bore you with the details. It ain’t that interesting, believe me.”

Arthur leaned in closer, grinning. “Try me.”

The young man flipped through his memories, trying to recall the events from his dreams.

“Well... usually, it’ll start off in my room back at mom’s cabin. I’m always a little kid in these nightmares, so everything’s taller than me. I’ll be playin’ with some of my toys, mindin’ my own business... when suddenly, I’ll hear a lotta commotion coming from downstairs. Like someone’s breakin’ into the house. I can tell something’s wrong, so I’ll hide under my bed. Meanwhile, there’ll be these men shouting at each other. They clearly ain’t friendly, so I won’t move from my hiding spot.”

“After a while, though,” Isaac carried on, “I’ll hear a gunshot. Followed by mom’s screaming. After that, I’ll hear a second gunshot, and the screamin’ stops. I’ll run downstairs and slam the door open, and mom’ll just be lyin’ there on the floor. Dead. Staring at me.”

Arthur admittedly found himself horrified by the details that Isaac described from memory, but brushed over it nonetheless.

“...And this time?”

Isaac’s expression fell flat. “This time... Shay was there, too. Normally, it’s just mom’s body that I find, but in this dream, Shay’s corpse was next to her. Staring at me just the same.”

The older man sighed morosely and rubbed his chin, thinking about everything the boy said.

“Sounds to me like you’re feelin’ guilty about killing him.”

Isaac shrugged. “Guilty? I dunno if I’d call it that, but... I sure as hell ain’t as content as I thought I’d be. It’s all just... so confusing.”

The young man gazed at Arthur inquisitively, curious about his experiences.

“Do you ever have dreams like that, Dad? Do you see the people you kill?”

Arthur nodded, somewhat ashamed to open up about his misdeeds in the past.

“Sometimes. It’s inevitable, after all. Takin’ a life ain’t easy, and it don’t come without a cost. When you kill someone, you’re also killin’ a part of yourself. If you’re still feelin’ conflicted about Shay’s death, then perhaps that means you haven’t lost yourself completely.”

Isaac glanced downwards, trying to make sense of his thoughts. “Maybe. I don’t know.”

He brought his focus back to Arthur, abruptly switching the topic.

“Anyway, I didn’t mean to ramble on about that for so long. We got things to do, and I imagine it’d be best if we got outta here as soon as possible. Any ideas on where we should start?”

Arthur rose to his feet, gesturing outside. “Well, since we got clear weather today, I figured we could go hunting for some food. Maybe stop by the river and catch a few fish, too.”

Isaac smiled in an impressed manner. “You a good fisherman?”

The other man scoffed. “Heh, not even close. But I get by. Well enough to survive, at least.”

“That’s good,” the boy remarked, “because I’d wager I’m even worse. Guess I know who I get it from now.”

Arthur laughed at that. “Who knows, if our luck holds up, maybe we’ll manage to catch some seaweed. Now, c’mon. We should get outta here.”

Isaac’s eyes widened in remembrance. “Oh, wait, before we leave, there is somethin’ else we should do first.”

“Yeah? What’s that?”

The boy stood up from the couch, stretching his arms. “You know that money I stole from your gang? Well, it was quite a good sum. Enough to keep us goin’ for a while. Problem is, I don’t have it with me. But I do know where it’s hidden... and it won’t be easy to reach.”

Arthur didn’t like where this was going. “Where’d you hide it?”

“Just outside Blackwater. It’s in the trunk of this big ol’ tree. I stuffed it in there ‘cause I assumed Dutch’s boys wouldn’t go anywhere near that town once they was done robbing the bank.”

Arthur let out a worried breath. “Well, you were correct. You think it’s worth the risk? How much money did you steal from us?”

Isaac whipped up a rough estimation. “Around two thousand.”

“Two thousand?” The older man repeated. “Jesus Christ. I didn’t realize Dutch had saved that much. He always made it sound like the gang was damn-near destitute. We could certainly use that money, but there’s a whole lotta Pinkertons swarmin’ that area.”

“I know, but it ain’t like we got any other options. Any good ones, that is.”

Isaac studied the look on his father’s face, interested to hear his advice on the matter.

“...So? What’re you thinking?”

Arthur contemplated their choices, clearly reluctant to head back to Blackwater. The town’s population had practically been entirely replaced by Pinkertons, after all, and with the Van der Lindes’ recent robbery at the bank, he imagined the law had only gotten tighter around there.

If he and Isaac were going to retrieve that money, they wouldn’t be able to let anyone see them. Not a single soul. They’d have to go in, and out. No questions asked, no traces left behind.

“Alright.” Arthur finally decided. “We’ll go. I’ll follow you for now, since you know where it’s hidden, but stay close to me, alright? And do as I say. I ain’t takin’ any chances around these Pinkertons.”

Isaac nodded firmly. “Sounds good. But... you can’t really follow me if you don’t have a horse of your own. I assume you left it at Tall Trees?”

“Yeah. Poor girl’s probably lost somewhere in that forest by now.”

The boy offered a suggestion. “Well, tell you what -- when we get the money back, I’ll go into Blackwater and buy you a new horse from the stables. I don’t have any wanted posters pinned up in that town, so it should be safe for me to roam around.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah,” Isaac replied. “We can’t always ride on the same horse. Besides, I think Aldo will appreciate not havin’ to carry double the weight.”

Arthur chuckled. “Fair point. Alright, then. We go to Blackwater, we get the money, you buy a new horse, and then we disappear from this goddamn state. Got it?”

“Got it.”

The older man gathered their things and headed for the door, holding tightly onto his guns.

“Then let’s get going.”

~~~~~~~~~~

A WHILE LATER

SOMEWHERE OUTSIDE BLACKWATER

Trotting through the empty fields that surrounded Blackwater, Isaac scanned the landscape for a particularly large tree while Arthur kept a lookout for any Pinkertons, both of them on high alert.

There were a few scattered patrols traveling along the roads in the distance, but it didn’t look like any of them had noticed Arthur’s presence so far. They were mainly concerned with the city’s entrances more than anything, and appeared to be observing all the people who came into town.

If Isaac was going to head down to stables later, he’d have to avoid the law completely. He may not have had any posters hanging around the city, but Arthur still didn’t like the idea of him wandering too close to those vultures.

He had seen for himself just how untrustworthy they could be, and even though Isaac gave them that tip about the robbery, Arthur had no doubts that Ross would turn on Isaac in the blink of an eye if it meant he could get his next paycheck.

That man was even more a snake than Milton ever was, and Arthur had a feeling he would end up being far more trouble than he was worth.

That was usually how it went with these types of folk.

“There it is!” Isaac pointed out, gesturing to a tree not too far from them. “The money’s in the trunk.”

“Alright then,” Arthur replied, coughing into his elbow. “You go on and fetch it. I’ll keep an eye out.”

Hopping off of Aldo, Isaac swiftly made his way over to the tree and climbed on top of a boulder, allowing him to reach the hole in the trunk where the money had been hidden.

“Looks like it’s all still here.” He announced, counting the bills in his hand.

“Good. You think it’ll be enough to buy a new mount?”

“Should be.” Isaac stuffed a chunk of the money in his pocket, giving the rest to Arthur. “Here, take this. I won’t need all of it at the stables. Now... you got any preference? Any specific breed or color you want?”

The older man wasn’t too picky.

“Anything fast and strong’ll do me just fine,” he settled, getting off of Aldo. “Just... make sure it ain’t an Arabian.”

Isaac raised a brow. “You sure? Arabians are some of the best horses out there.”

“Yeah, and they’re also some of the tiniest. Do I look like I could fit on one of them?”

The boy chuckled at the image. “Fair enough. Okay then. I’ll go to the stables and find you a ‘not an Arabian.’ Wait here with Aldo. I’ll be back soon.”

Strolling off into the distance, Isaac covertly made his way into Blackwater as the Pinkertons circled the town around him, oblivious to his presence there.

Meanwhile, Arthur stood next to the tree and leaned against its trunk as Aldo casually munched on a clump of grass, patiently waiting for his owner to return.

Arthur had to admit -- despite practically having the entire world against him at the moment, he felt much more at peace now that he was with Isaac.

He still felt somewhat guilty for leaving Dutch behind after promising so much to him, but now that he was free from the old man’s iron fist, Arthur couldn’t deny that things were much better. Much calmer.

It was like he could finally breathe. He no longer had to worry about his every move, or setting Dutch off by saying the wrong thing. Right now, it was just him and his son, traveling alone in the American wilderness. And he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Don’t worry, boy,” Arthur said to Aldo, soothing the horse after it let out a nervous whinny. “Isaac’ll be back soon, and then you’ll have a new partner.”

“So will you, it seems.”

Whirling around at the sudden voice, Arthur went straight for his revolver and nearly yanked the thing out, only to freeze mid-action when he realized he had been cornered by Agent Ross himself.

The man was once again accompanied by his friend Agent Fordham, and had a hefty-looking shotgun resting on his shoulder. Judging by their calm temperament, Arthur assumed the two of them had been expecting to catch him alone today, and it only made him wonder just how long these snakes had been following him.

“What’re you doin’ here?” Arthur asked, his voice low and wary.

Edgar’s expression twisted with annoyance. “Cleaning up Dutch’s mess, obviously. You boys certainly caused quite the commotion at Blackwater’s bank, blowing it up with dynamite and whatnot. Robberies like that don’t just undo themselves, you know. It’s the civilized folk -- folk like me -- who have to sweep away the damage you savages cause. But I must admit... I’m surprised to see you’re not with Dutch any longer. I assume Mr. Van der Linde finally snapped?”

Arthur sighed in frustration. “The man snapped ages ago. Your people just sped up the process.”

“My people,” Edgar emphasized, “are simply doing what we must to survive. We wouldn’t have to constantly make use of the gallows if your people only followed the rules of our society. Society isn’t just run by one man, Mr. Morgan. It’s run by the politicians, the police officers, the responsible citizens of America -- by order. It’s what makes us... different from you.”

The outlaw scoffed, uninterested in the Pinkerton’s rhetoric.

“Whatever you say, agent. All I know is what I’ve seen. And from what I’ve seen, you lot is just as rotten as we are. Now, tell me what you’re doin’ here so we can get this over with.”

Edgar snickered in amusement. “Ooh, tough guy, aren’t you? Very well, then. Allow me to get straight to the point. I’m here to offer you a deal, Mr. Morgan.”

“A deal?” Arthur repeated in bewilderment. “I don’t deal with Pinkertons.”

“Just... hear me out.” The agent persisted, restraining his irritation. “Obviously, you care quite a big deal about that boy you’re traveling with. And before you ask, yes, we know all about Isaac. In fact, his file’s sitting on my desk right next to yours. He’s a tragic tale, really. Mother murdered at age six, father a well-known criminal. He’s a smart young man. It’s a shame he had to end up with the likes of you.”

“Which is why...” Edgar continued, “Agent Fordham and I have agreed to extend a hand of mercy here. Your son is still very young, Mr. Morgan. If he plays his cards right, he could make something of his life. So, here’s my offer. Turn yourself in, and we’ll leave Isaac alone. I can’t guarantee the law will show any leniency with you, but we’ll make sure the boy doesn’t swing.”

Arthur almost laughed at the incredibly dubious deal.

“You really expect me to believe you?”

“I expect you to be smart. Though, I don’t expect Isaac will be happy even if you accept. So sit down with him. Talk to him about my deal. Convince him not to come after you once we’ve taken you away, and let him live a civilized life. You’re his father, after all. Isn’t his happiness your main priority?”

Arthur glowered at Ross. “...My main priority is to keep him safe. I may not be the most intelligent man out there, Mr. Ross, but I ain’t a fool neither. For all I know, this is could just be some plan to separate me and the boy. That way, you can attack Isaac when he’s all alone, and I’m not there to protect him. Well, forget it.”

The Pinkerton didn’t seem fazed by the response. “Well, fortunately for you, I’m giving you three days to think about it. Decisions like this aren’t made overnight, I understand. But for your sake, and the boy’s, I hope you’ll come to your senses. All I ask... is that you consider it.”

The outlaw gave him a cautious look. “...And if I don’t accept?”

“Then we’ll just have to kill you both.” Edgar answered simply. “So I’d suggest that you sharpen up and realize... your life is already over, Mr Morgan. Now, it’s just a matter of how it ends. So choose wisely.”

Tugging on his horse’s reins, Edgar turned around and steadily began making his way back to Blackwater, beckoning Fordham to follow him.

“If you change your mind,” he called out, “come find me at my office in Blackwater. I’ve ordered my men to stand down for the next three days. Don’t make me regret it.”

Breaking into a sprint, the two Pinkertons galloped away from the scene and disappeared over the horizon, leaving Arthur alone with his thoughts as he waited for Isaac to come back.

The outlaw wasn’t sure what to make of all this. Was it possible that Edgar was being sincere for once? That man may have been a conniving bastard with a deceitful tongue, but Arthur knew Fordham to be more of an upstanding citizen. Perhaps this was his doing, and the deal was genuine.

If that was the case, then Arthur’s answer was pretty clear. The last thing he wanted was for any harm to come to Isaac, so if turning himself in was the only way to prevent it, then he would do it in a heartbeat.

On the flip side however... if this turned out to be just another one of Edgar’s traps, he couldn’t leave Isaac to deal with them alone.

The boy was skilled, that was for certain. But even he couldn’t fight them all on his own.

Arthur supposed he’d just have to sit the boy down and talk with him about it. He had a feeling he already knew what Isaac was going to say, but it was his safety that mattered here. Not Arthur’s.

He already lost the boy once thanks to Shay and his men all those years ago, and he definitely didn’t plan on letting it happen again. Not when so much was at stake.

“Dad?” Isaac called, returning to the tree with a new horse in his possession. “I’m back. I got you a nice Andalusian. They had a Shire horse sittin’ in there, but I thought he was too bulky. Figured you might like somethin’ with a bit more flexibility.”

When Arthur didn’t respond, the boy walked up to him and gazed at him worryingly, noticing his uneasy demeanor.

“...Dad?” He said again. “You okay?”

Arthur snapped out of his thoughts, still unnerved by his encounter with the Pinkertons. “Y-Yeah. Thank you, son. C’mon, let’s get outta here.”

“You sure?” Isaac checked. “You seem kinda... nervous.”

“Yes, I’m sure.” Arthur replied, sounding a bit more stern than he intended. “Now come on. We need to leave.”

The boy clearly wasn’t convinced, but decided to drop it nonetheless. “...Okay. I’m ready when you are.”

Mounting up, Arthur and Isaac quickly hopped onto their horses before removing themselves from the area, eager to get the hell out of West Elizabeth with the money. Lord knew this state had already caused them more than a lifetime’s worth of problems, but with Edgar’s deal now sitting in the back of Arthur’s mind, he couldn’t help but wonder if leaving the state was the best course of action right now.

They only had three days to decide, after all. If they wandered too far from Blackwater, they wouldn’t be able to make it back if Arthur chose to accept his deal. Perhaps they could’ve lingered around Strawberry for a little while, but of course, there was the risk of running into Dutch if they did that.

Arthur just didn’t know what to do anymore. He thought sticking with Isaac would provide him a sense of clarity, but instead, all he found so far was a new list of issues to tackle.

There seemed to be conflict no matter where he went, and with his future now hanging by a thread, Arthur questioned if Isaac would be better off without him.

The only thing he knew for certain was that, unlike before, he now had a family worth fighting for. He had no idea where this road was going to take them, or if they’d even reach the end, but protecting Isaac was the only thing he cared about now.

And he’d be damned if he let those Pinkertons get their hands on him.

#red dead redemption 2 #red dead redemption #rdr2 #arthur morgan #isaac morgan #dutch van der linde #Micah Bell #rdr2 fanfic #rdr2 oc

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irondadfics · 5 years

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Have any angsty kidnapped/tortured!peter a03 fics?

KIDNAPPED TROPE

Here’s a list we’ve compiled for you all! This list features plenty of angst and whump!

Pause by losingmymindtonight

Thanks to their ridiculously popular YouTube channel, the world has fallen in love with Tony and Peter. Unfortunately, that makes Peter a target. (Or: Peter’s kidnapping, as seen through videos.)

Without Deeds by AgentNerd

Peter survives a vicious kidnapping after having a huge argument with Tony. Now, more than ever, Tony knows he has to be there for him. They have a lot to work out, but Tony isn’t walking away so easily this time. He vowed to never abandon the kid again, and he’s going to keep that vow even if it kills him (or at the very least, makes him go grey). Sequel to “Five Times Peter Said Sorry to Tony Stark”.

That’s Not A Hug: Part 2 by ObservationalObsessive (AO3 account required to view)

The freezing cold of the sewer water seemed to attack him as it seeped rapidly through the material of his red and blue suit. It felt as if the grimy water was gnawing relentlessly at his flesh, so icy his skin was throbbing. He spluttered and coughed, flailing his limbs madly, creating more waves which crashed back against his body every time.

Revenge is a dish best served cold and afraid by wolfypuppypiles

Peter was walking home when the news broke out, and his phone had died half-way through fifth period so, he couldn’t pick up when Tony tried to call. He had no idea what was coming for him, and no clue as to what was playing on every news announcement on tv. Toomes had broken out of prison.

Breathe Deep by itsallAvengers

A deep, primal sort of fear struck him as he took it in. It wasn’t some fancy-schmancy death machine, it wasn’t intricate or even obviously threatening.It was just water. But that held the potential for many, many unpleasant things.

standing in the gallows by parkrstark

An enemy from Tony’s past comes back to get him. But he does something more painful than hurting him. He takes the most important person to Tony. Tony just doesn’t know it yet. Or the one where Peter is kidnapped and tortured and Tony realizes just how much this kid means to him.

To Kill a Songbird by TheQueenOfWhump

“He was completely, one-hundred percent screwed. No one was looking for him. He was in the most secure prison in the world, which was filled to the brim with armed personnel. He was wearing a shock collar. And if he somehow figured all that out, he still couldn’t swim. Yep. Screwed.” ——— Peter Parker died six months ago in a fire after a horrible chemical accident….or did he? At least, that’s what Tony believes when an unemployed Ross illegally imprisons the Avengers on the Raft, which was supposed to have been destroyed. ——— AU where the Accords were declared stupid, Ross was fired, Tony and Steve became friends again, and they all live together in Avengers tower. Peter Parker-Centric. (And Tony Stark-Centric) (Really just centric around their relationship, both with each other and the team)

It Wasn’t You by losingmymindtonight

They grab Peter right out from under Tony’s nose.

Heed my senses, I can’t do it alone by Webtrinsic

Peter thought things were going his way, he really did. His relationship with Tony was going great, his grades were steady, May was supporting his heroic debuts and his friendship with Ned had never been stronger.But when the man lurking in the shadows, whose all-consuming addiction to the senses affiliated with the red and blue vigilante kidnaps him, things quickly go south.In the meantime, Tony’s fearful he’ll never find the boy he’s come to see as his son.Will Peter ever be alright? Tony’s not sure, but he’ll do everything and anything to ensure that boy’s well-being. He just hopes the world isn’t too much. It’s Tony against the world, and for Peter, he’d win every time.

The World Is Wide (But I Feel So Small) by Buckets_Of_Stars

When Peter is abruptly taken from Tony by a mysterious criminal, the teen has to fight tooth and nail to make it out of the man’s clutches, testing him every step of the way as he tries desperately to get back to his Dad. Tony just wants to find his child and make the bastard responsible pay for his actions. By any means necessary.

And for those looking for more hurt/comfort and recovery-esque stories:

(While several of the fics above do feature recovery aspects, the fics below have been compiled to focus more on the aftermath of Peter’s kidnapping.)

Broken Thoughts (I Remember Everything) by blackwatchandromeda

“Peter, who am I?“He hesitates. “I’m sorry. I… I don’t know.” -Peter Parker has been missing for thirty-six days. When Tony Stark finally finds him, he’s wandering around New York with no memories, unaware of where and who he is. The missing month is a mystery, and nobody knows what happened to him - least of all the kid himself.Peter, meanwhile, is trying to piece together who he was. What doesn’t help is the big secret he’s sure Tony is keeping from him, or the way the man is avoiding him.Nobody notices how the missing month is catching up to them until everything goes wrong. -(Not Infinity War compliant, but takes place after Civil War.)

The Curly-Haired Boy In The Paper by agib

When Tony sees the blurry, grey scale photograph of someone he thought he had lost years ago, he follows the trail to a newspaper company, to a hospital, to an adoption agency, to the police station and finally to May Parker’s house.

Un-Comfortably Numb by Webtrinsic

This is to all you who wanted some Doctor Strange and Peter interactions. With some fatherly Tony too.When Peter is kidnapped and pumped full of drugs, no one would have ever thought he’d take home the drug they’d stuffed him with. And begin using it on his own. Luckily the sorcerer supreme caught on quick and knew how to help.

Lost Boy by winterda

Isaac Stark disappeared from a crowded park a few months shy of his third birthday. There were never any signs of him, and no arrest were ever made in connection to the case. It was as if the toddler had simply vanished off the face of the earth. Twelve years later, Peter Parker has a really bad day, which only get worse when his prints are put through the system.

The Art Of Being Found by Buckets_Of_Stars (series)

They took Peter years ago, snatched him away from his father and all he ever knew. Now, however, he found his way back home, back to Tony and to the life he left behind. The road to recovery is a long one, and unfortunately not always smooth, but with his Dad by his side, Peter knows that they will keep rolling no matter what challenges they face along the way.

#kidnapping #angst #whump #hurt/comfort #recovery #fic rec list

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incorrect-ikevamp-quotes · 4 years

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Do you think they would actually enjoy the modern world? Or would they want to stay in their current time period?

Hm, well, I think that may vary depending on each suitor if I’m honest! (I’ll be excluding Sebastian from this one, only because he is a modern man and I wager he would want to stay in the mansion in order to finish his thesis)

Under a cut bc it’s a long boi:

I think for people like Arthur and Theo, for instance--who always seem to live in the fast lane--it might not really prove much of a problem. They would continue enjoying the night life and move with their busy schedules. Tl;dr: (For them? Same shit, different day)

Vincent would likely be doing just fine given how Theo often provides assistance in places where he struggles; to promote his art, to spark intrigue in the general public and benefactors. He might be a little overwhelmed by the influx of stimuli that comes with the modern era, constant noise and interaction and movement--perhaps worry that people are losing their ability to live in the moment. (Not to mention what’s being done to the environment...) There might be a learning curve/adjustment, but I think Theo would help him ease in. Plus, it would be a little easier to promote his art given the less stringent restrictions on public exhibitions. He’d still have to work for his fame, but at least the van Goghs wouldn’t have to live in constant unease in the proximity of the cutthroat academy. Tl;dr: (Mixed feelings, but tries to stay positive about modern times)

Dazai is more familiar with this kind of life of quick turmoil and breakneck speed, if anything he falls back into his old coping mechanisms--hello writing, drinking, and smoking. An overwhelming influx of information and suffering would probably be hard for him to manage, despite how expertly he hides it. I think I would be worried he would lose himself in the dismal reality of diminished connection with other people. Yes I’m shoving him into therapy, I want him to start living for himself and taking care of himself ffs

That isn’t to say there aren’t happy possibilities for him, just that I think he really needs to heal first. I could see him very happy in a kind of writer’s circle with people he loves and trusts; less expending his energy in a desperate attempt to fill the void and please others, more cultivating his own happiness... Tl;dr: (Positive potential, but honestly part of me thinks the past quieter/simple/rural life suits him better...he still loves meme culture tho, he finds it so expansive and creative)

Isaac is in a similar boat as Dazai, I think! He has wonderful potential as a mentor and professor, and living in a world that has a little more patience and respect for genius might help encourage him to put himself out there. That being said, I think the pace of life would exhaust him though--he is very much the kind of person that prefers to keep to himself and just puzzle and tinker. Baby boy just wants to do equations, build little inventions, and read up on the recent discoveries in astrophysics (BRUH WHEN THE IMAGE OF THE BLACK HOLE CAME OUT HE FORGOT HOW TO B R E A T H E) Napoleon is the only reason he eats anything healthy or on any kind of regular schedule s m h. Tl;dr: (Not a lot changes, honestly? He was reclusive then, he still is now--he just has more toys/academic resources. If anything he might get a little too lost in his work because of it, somebody please make sure he’s eating/sleeping/socializing;;;)

Poor Jeanne is SUFFERING. Please release him from this nightmare he is begging. Jk jk, I don’t think it would be too bad for him--but I do think that he would have the aforementioned problem of too many stimuli and too much interaction. I think he would ease into it a little with Mozart’s help; he would just be awkward and wooden until he got the hang of it. Most people just find him quirky in an amusing way, and don’t think too hard about it. I’d wager he’d probably become literate at this point because of the abundance of resources and necessity to read/write (okay but imagine this baby with a little kid workbook iM GONNA CRY!!! TAKE ALL MY CRAYONS JEANNE).

Can you imagine this mofo at a Starbucks??? Tall and stoic, dark and debonair (EVERYONE IS S W O O N I N G), and he just asks in a light tenor “can I have a mocha with eight shots of expresso” with a completely straight face. “Sir, that could kill you” “Don’t worry, I’ve been dead a long time” And he just moves to wait for his order. 11/10 cryptid I could watch an entire show just about his daily adventures

He works with Napoleon a lot given their similar skillsets. They coach kids at high schools that have fencing teams (it’s really REALLY cute bc if they’re on the younger side, Jeanne will very dramatically lose bc he wants to encourage them and the kids are delighted--but the parents are INCHES from laughing so hard they’re in tears). Otherwise, he mostly takes up gigs as a security worker/bodyguard, only really works for the money. He prefers to spend his time in ways that feel meaningful if he can, so don’t be surprised if you see him in foster homes and in social working spaces. He has an uncanny understanding about him, a kind of silence/patience that doesn’t stifle; it makes the kids/teens calm down in milliseconds. They really listen when he does talk, and he sets good and clear boundaries--he knows how to be firm when it’s required. He gives them the structure and placid grounding they’ve never had, and really pays attention to what’s important to them. Brings them little things he notices; brings flowers to the one that likes to draw, brings CDs (he is bad with technology, but they usually only have access to older/outdated stuff anyway) to the one the one that struggles to write with white noise in the house, brings little plushies to the ones that lose theirs. He’s simple but solid, and he finds a lot of meaning in helping kids overcome the similar kind of struggles he faced. Tl;dr: (Steep learning curve, but he just sees it as all the same really--just more work to be done with the literacy requirement and adjustment to technology. Will be resistant at first, but when he gets accustomed and starts finding people who are important to him, he wouldn’t want to change anything/go back. But will admit there are some days he just wants to go to the most remote place he can access and just live there for a month with no human interaction whatsoever; people are inefficient and insufferable sometimes)

Mozart’s life honestly doesn’t change much? I feel like he would easily be able to keep composing and continue releasing his work as per usual. Given his quick capacity to schmooze and say what people want to hear when he must, he’d be more than able to network his way into success. I think the only thing he might struggle with now and again is inspiration, given the world operates on a very surface level in the modern era sometimes. Profound insight and depth are not quite as cultivated in many ways, and he can struggle to find something that just sparks motivation/novelty in his mind, makes him start composing at breakneck speed. He reads a lot and watches some TV shows/movies when he’s at really low inspiration levels, the kind of guy that sneers at Game of Thrones--but finds things like BBC’s Sherlock more passable (wants intrigue and complexity, doesn’t much enjoy the sensationalized drivel). When Arthur finds out he loves ATLA he about falls off his seat. “It’s a children’s show.” “Yes it is, with a remarkable level of depth and craftsmanship, what are you trying to say?” He begins to find a kind of rhythm in his composing, and Jeanne and Dazai often drop by with so many crazy stories he finds himself filled with music anyway LMAO Tl;dr: (Same as Isaac, really just keeps doing his thing without being impeded, and he enjoys the luxuries/conveniences of the modern era. Will be slightly resistant at first because of how alien some of the changes are, but will fall into the habits/customs slowly and surely. Fine with it, will whine a bit at the growing pains tho)

Leonardo actually canonically owns a bar, and does that really surprise anyone? He really enjoys the excitement of meeting new people and hearing about their myriad histories, the influx of cultures/languages/experiences. It’s a nice but lowkey place, people stop for a drink, listen to some good music--chat amiably and relax after a long day’s work--before heading out. There are regulars and people that just stop for that single day; tourists, vacationers, so on and so forth.

When asked, many people note a sleek black cat with sharp eyes that led them to the bar... Tl;dr: (Don’t Let the Existential Dread Set-in: The Prequel, adapts well to the modern era because of centuries of experience but also...he’s so tired...somebody please hold him I can’t watch him live like this, lord jesus)

Optimally, I see Comte filling his time with myriad pursuits; ranging from philanthropy, indulging in art/music/theatre (often a benefactor as well), and keeping track of his chirren (they may exist more independently now, but he still worries about them ;-;). Otherwise nothing much changes for him, still goes to galas and fancy gatherings, still enjoys fashion and spoiling people, still seeks to occupy himself with social interaction and care-taking--if he doesn’t have a family of his own. He’s basically just that meme that’s like DON’T LET THE EXISTENTIAL DREAD SET-IN. DON’T LET IT SET-IN!!!!!!!!! Tl;dr: (Not to repeat myself but also Don’t Let the Existential Dread Set-in: The Sequel, literally just desperately trying to fill the void please somebody help him he also just needs to be held fuck’s sake, I’m going to drag him kicking and screaming into happiness--but otherwise has no great trouble adjusting to the modern era. I feel like he would have a more minor form of what Dazai struggles with, maybe a lack of personable connection that he once had; fewer chances to be himself and relax. Also probably worried about the increasing unhappiness and turmoil building in the world in general...)

Napoleon is similar to Comte in that he often checks up on Isaac and Jeanne from time to time, and does the aforementioned fencing lessons with kids. He also takes a lot of basic security positions--for venues, concerts, museums--you name it. He dislikes the idea of sitting behind a desk a lot, so he prefers to do a lot of different things; he even cooks from time to time at the restaurants that know him very well. One gig he particularly enjoys is battle choreography for movies/theatre! He tends to stay away from anything too historically close to his era of origin, but he has fun coming up with realistic (smaller scale) hand-to-hand combat scenarios and duels. Tl;dr: (This era doesn’t feel like too much of a change. It’s a little more intensive in terms of pace, but he manages to keep up pretty well, it just exhausts him from time to time--and he usually goes on trips or hikes to unwind when he needs to like Jeanne LOL they do not go to their happy place, they go to their high lonesome place).

Shakespeare also continues to do his drama thing, organizes troupes on tons of different levels--from community level to more intense, skilled groups that re-enact his own work. His life doesn’t change all that much beyond a new form of theatre logistics, and he adjusts to the technology fairly easily out of necessity. He’ll stop by Vincent’s place from time to time to show him recordings of his latest shows, but otherwise is almost always on the move. Tl;dr: (So long as he can keep following his greatest passion, he doesn’t really mind the changes in how theatre happens--he doesn’t have any sizable issues with the modern era.)

Ability with technology (phones mostly):

Arthur: more than capable, well-versed, loves to do everything on his phone no prob--maybe lives a little too much on his phone (Vine/TikTok/Youtube can kill his productivity RIP) also yes he has a fidget spinner on his desk, no I will not be taking any constructive criticism at this time

Theo: yes but with a lot of cursing at first, had to do it for work and now looks down on anyone that can’t keep up with him (except for Vincent)

Vincent: knows the basics, taking and sending pictures, writing things in notes for later, texting (tho sending emails is a little harder for him); he does his best but he can be slow. Really really enjoys the paint programs on his iPad for when he’s on public transit, but he starts setting alarms after he gets the hang of it (he’s missed his stops before because of it LMAO)

Leonardo: what kind of stupid question? Man knows how to pick them apart and put ‘em back together for crying out loud, uses it like a pro--comes to him naturally, and he’s the guy that keeps coming up with ways to jailbreak Apple products and thwart their money-grubbing tactics. Catch him playing Minish Cap on his emulator on the way to work, brah

Comte: just vibing, keeps up with the times easily since he’s been doing it for so long, much like Theo uses it to keep in touch with the people around him--he’s the “prefers to call instead of text” sorta guy though, he worries about losing emotional subtleties and he likes to hear people’s voices. Doesn’t do anything special on phones, more just a tool; will read/listen to podcasts/does have emulators (courtesy of Leo) and enjoys playing Pokemon when he’s bored

Jeanne: types one finger at a time, it will take a while--but he’ll get there (deleted all his contacts by accident once and Mozart was just. HOW.) He barely knows how to use a phone, and it’s a steep learning curve for him

Mozart: purely functional when it comes to his phone, refuses to rely on it beyond the necessities that only tech can do (for instance, sending emails or reading articles or uploading compositions) he still writes his music before making more polished digital copies. He will sometimes listen to pieces digitally, but prefers to play them in-person; he feels that a lot of the soul in a piece is lost despite the convenience

Dazai: you absolute fools. you baboons. why would you ever give him this kind of power. it is 3AM and he has been on a wikipedia trail spanning hours, started with Cleopatra being the seventh in her line with that name all the way to cotton candy being called “daddy’s beard” in French. please help him he hasn’t slept in years. Also probably binges anime and manga lbr. He’s the one making vine references every other second, always up to date on the memes^TM

Isaac: also mostly uses it as a tool for research and calculations; it’s a way to keep track of information. He also likes to play background music while he’s working, so he finds the device nice and convenient--plus less having to go around pestering people in-person. he does start to get interested in coding and tinkering with apps/programs eventually, too

Shakespeare: finds it a delightful little contraption, so useful because it lets him jot down ideas as they come to him quickly, and he can edit his texts much more easily with digital interfaces. also likes that performances can be recorded, because now he can analyze his staging more efficiently--it gives him a good sense of what needs to be adjusted, and encourages him to keep streamlining/try new concepts

Napoleon: likes it because he can keep in touch with people more easily, the kind of guy to drop a line before checking on a friend. he really likes to look up recipes and find out more about cooking techniques he’s never encountered before. Isaac starts making an Instagram account just to show Napoleon’s impeccable plating, and Napo gets quite the following without knowing for a while

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