#captain and the governess

[frenchublog]

[haydenthewitch]

i love talking about civil war becuse somebody will be like "bro you're team cap? he literaly became a fugitive for his stupis little boyfrenid"

like. no. steve said "the accords are an over-reach of goverment power and i don't like the idea of being a solider for leaders and poltitions who WILL be corrupt and WILL misuse the avengers. I also don't want to be tied down to the point where if someone's in trouble i can't help them. the accords will do more damage than good and i don't feel right about signing it." CAPTAIN AMERICA SAID FUCK GOVERMENT OVERREACH but let's not talk about that.

and then, someone FRAMED a INNOCENT MENTALY ILL MAN for the murder of A WORLD LEADER and a BOMBING. and several goverments ROCKED UP TO THE BUILDING HE WAS IN WITH SHOOT ON SIGHT ORDERS. and captain america said "FUCK YOU, BUCKY DIDN'T DO IT AND THE ONLY PROOF YOU HAVE IS A BLURRY PHOTO. THIS IS NOT JUSTICE."

and THEN by the end of the movie ALL of the avengers are fugitives INCLUDING TONY. becuse they did what????? BREAK THE ACCORDS. BECUSE THEY COULD SEE THE WRITING ON THE WALL. THAT CAP WAS RIGHT.

the big "cap v iron man v bucky" fight only happens becuse of the video of bucky killing tony's parents. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WHO WAS RIGHT ABOUT THE ACCORDS. THEY'VE (SLIGHTLY) RECONCILED ABOUT THAT. but guess WHAT? HE DIDN'T DO IT OF HIS OWN FREE WILL!!!!!!!! SO HE WHAT? ISN'T RESPONSIBLE!!!!!!! IF BUCKY DIDN'T TAKE THAT ORDER WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED? SOMEONE ELSE AT HYDRA WOULD HAVE KILLED THEM!!!!! THE REAL ENIMES ARE- SUPRISE!!! THE FUCKING BRAINWASHING NATZIS!!!!!!@!!!!!!

(now, if it was MY MOM? i wouldn't be able to think resonably. tony is valid. "I don't care, he killed my mom?" tears, everytime. BUT AS A VEIWER?? THAT DOESN'T MEAN that bucky and therefore cap were in the wrong for 1. running away from pepole with guns who want to kill you without a trail for something (AND I CAN NOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH) YOU LITERALY DIDN'T DO? and 2. STANDING ON YOUR FUCKING BELIFS: FUCK THE GOVERMENT EDITION???)

now would steve rodgers become a fugitive for his boyfrenid? would he kill and steal and hide in other countries?? yes. BUT THATS NOT THE POINT OF CIVIL WAR GUYS. GUYS. WAKE UP???

[somepancakeonline5377]

Being a Toilette fan in this economy is heart breaking</3

i love people with favorite characters who barely have any content. i hope you feast well on your three comically tiny bread crumbs tonight

[widowshill]

 part 7.

[bethanydelleman]

Hello! Sometimes I see people saying Darcy "raised a child (and on his own, is the unsaid implication)" via his care-taking of Georgiana, and I'm a little confused by that. Are we given a year when Darcy's father died? I thought it must have been just a few years ago, so Georgiana was already 12+ and might have been away at school or something - so it's not really Darcy changing his sister's diapers, is it? Plus I thought most of the actual day-to-day care-taking would've been done by Mrs. Reynolds and the other servants, while Darcy was mostly preoccupied with the estate and things, so does that really count as "raising" her? And he shares the guardianship with Col. Fitzwilliam anyway, who must've helped quite a bit, surely... by that definition, did Mr. Knightley "raise" his nephews/nieces every time he babysat for his brother? Did Captain Wentworth "raise" the likely prepubescent midshipmen aboard the Laconia or "raise" Dick Musgrove by making him write letters to his family?

Would appreciate your thoughts on this!

"My excellent father died about five years ago"

-Pride & Prejudice, Ch 35

Georgiana is sixteen during the action of the novel and fifteen at the failed elopement. Their father died when Darcy was around twenty-three and Georgiana was eleven. I personally, having experienced both parenthood and foster care (my parents fostered), would say that taking custody of a recently orphaned tween is harder than caring for a baby. I think that Darcy would be doing whatever a single father in the gentry class would generally do for their daughter or female ward.

As for raising/custody, I think that while Col. Fitzwilliam is a co-guardian, he's possibly just advising on legal matters and protecting the trust with Georgiana's dowry. Darcy probably has what we could call today primary physical custody. How much child raising he's actually doing is debatable, Georgiana is certainly in boarding school at some points and would have had a nursemaid/governess, but I would give him credit for being his sister's guardian and I would bet they had a hard year together after their father died (we don't know when the mom died, though it was likely prior to the father).

As to raising her, one of the things I've always found a little strange about the relationship between Mr. Darcy and his sister is that he's praised so much for being a considerate brother but he doesn't seem to actually be living with her. She has been taken out of school and lives with a female companion. Pemberley is not her permanent residence until the epilogue, so I assume she's living at the Darcy house in London. Henry Crawford in Mansfield Park gets a lot of censure for not living with his adult sister at his estate, but Darcy is fine even though whenever we see him, he's travelling without her. Now I don't know if the big difference here is that Mary is "out" while Georgiana is transitioning to "out," but I'd love to hear an expert opinion on this one.

As for your examples, I think Captain Wentworth and considerate captains like him were likely father figures for their midshipmen (remember these kids went in at 11/12 years old!) and I would count that as "raising" in some sense. Babysitting Knightley nephews, not the same. Darcy did, at 24, have primary custody of an eleven year old girl and I think he deserves some credit for raising her. I certainly would say that Sir Thomas raised Fanny Price and she was about eleven as well, though he did a terrible job of it.

[justwinginglife]

thinking of a Hoshina/narumi x Vice captain! reader who was raised to be a traditional wife for wealthy clans 🤔 Like she looks and acts like what people would scream wife material and in the field she be an aggresive fighter but still keeping a graceful look on her....i imagine she'll be the type to use aggresive weapons like SMGs just to contrast her character

Disclaimer- I am a Hoshina girlie through and through and idk if I would even know how to write Narumi but I will give it a shot for you anon. Thanks for trusting me with this request, I will do my best.

Three's A Crowd

You always thought you'd marry well, after all, you'd always been told that being a wife was what you were made for. And not just because you'd been raised by a governess in a proper household, no- you made the act of being a wife look effortless. If being a wife was a job, you were the CEO. If being your husband was a prize, the raffle tickets would've sold out.

Your parents would joke to family friends that you glided out of the womb in stilettos, ready to host dinner parties with your best wine and your best smile. And then when you were the youngest female to ever make Vice Captain in such a short amount of time, people just assumed talent was in your DNA at this point. You could completely brutalize the hell out of a kaiju, not even get your hands dirty or break a sweat, and then be back home in time to instruct the household staff which table settings to use for dinner and maybe even recommend a nice dessert pairing for whatever meal the chef had prepared.

Now, coming from a well-established clan, you had always assumed you'd marry one of the Hoshina brothers as your family had deep ties to the Hoshina clan and you'd known them since you were young, but you had also recently caught the attention of the Captain of the First Division and you could never resist a man with power.

As the Vice Captain of the Second Division, you were constantly meeting with the Captains and Vice Captains of other divisions, but for some reason you didn't meet the Captain of the First Division at any of those stiff meetings. In fact, he never showed up so you thought you might never meet him. But fate must've had other plans because one day as you were on your way home from meeting with the Vice Captain of the First Division, a kaiju decided to take a bite out of a nearby building and that's where you met Gen Narumi.

It's like he had known they were going to strike because he was onto them in a matter of minutes, skewering them like a kebab. You were impressed but you didn't want to let him have all the fun, especially since this might be the only time you ever interacted with him again. So you raced him to take down the remaining kaiju in the vicinity, gunning them all down with equal parts aggression and grace. He had been quite impressed by your agility and the elegance with which you slew each creature. So much so that he actually started showing up to his meetings from then on just to get a glimpse of you. And then he got greedier and a glimpse just wasn't enough for him anymore, he wanted to talk to you, get to know you.

Soon, a rivalry had formed between Gen and Soshiro as they both raced after your heart. The two of them were so different, pretty much the only commonality they shared were their feelings for you.

Gen was a quiet lover, he'd shrug people off when they'd ask if he was seeing you, keeping to himself about the details. But then he'd secretly leave a vase of your favorite flowers for you to find the next morning and if you confronted him about it he'd simply say your apartment looked so sad that even a bunch of weeds he'd scrounged from some random field was an improvement to the place. The flowers were not in fact wildflowers as he claimed, you could tell he'd gone to great lengths to buy the most expensive bouquet he could find from the hothouse but he'd never acknowledge it.

Soshiro was the exact opposite- he was loud about his love. He'd sling his arm around you, and brag to anyone who'd hear him about what a catch you were. He'd remind you everyday how much he adored you. And though it bothered him that Gen was attempting to court you too, he always felt he had the upper hand, having never seen Gen make any grand gestures for you or declare his love for you as openly as he did.

You were used to many men vying for your attention but you never thought that two of the most powerful fighters in the JAKDF would be among your long list of suitors. In fact, the two of them paid such frequent visits to the Second Division that you didn't think you'd even have time to look at any other men. Not that they'd let you look anyway, they'd pretty much assumed that one of them would be the one to marry you.

They weren't wrong. You did intend to choose from one of them as you'd grown quite fond of your little daily routines with each of them. Soshiro was always the first person to text you something sweet in the morning, he wanted you to get a taste of what it would be like to wake up next to him. Gen was always going out of his way for you, picking up dinner from your favorite restaurant an hour away or buying you a pair of earrings you mentioned in passing months ago, once he'd saved up enough for them (you had expensive taste).

It was the first time you felt like more than just some prize, you were actually wanted and desired as a human being. You felt like maybe even if you didn't say the right things or laugh at the right time, even if you fell short of the perfection you'd worked so hard to achieve your whole life, they'd accept you as you were.

It was both a blessing and a curse as you knew you'd have to pick eventually. As different as Gen and Soshiro were, they both did not share well and this little arrangement you had, seeing both of them, would not hold up for long.

But you'd hold out for as long as you possibly could. For as long as they'd let you.

After all, true love is hard to find and you'd stumbled on double the jackpot.

[fleurrypoet]

Bobby is Alive

okay so bare with my delusional self as i try to explain this

(i saw this on tiktok and believed it need more attention than it had)

firstly I've seen loads of posts about the idea that the army took bobby and said he was dead even though he was not. This would allow them to do all kind of tests on bobby.

so now on to the tiktok comment

someone commented about how when they were taking the body bag out of the lab we could here them say "operate under whitecoat protocal" now what is operation whitecoat well it was : Operation Whitecoat was a biodefense medical research program carried out by the United States Army at Fort Detrick, Maryland, between 1954 and 1973. it was a volunteer program BUT THEY LITERALLY TESTED ON PEOPLE. the comment explains it way better so im going to add it here:

Now why i actually believe this might be happening

first and foremost there was no music now let me explain this

Hoziers work song played from when bobby walked away from athena for that whole montage we saw reactions and everything but not once did we hear any of the reactions because the music was playing over it. the music gets lower obviously because they wanted us to hear chimney talk to maddie on the phone. It is significantly lower because they wanted to make sure our attention is on chimneys wrods but you can still clearly hear the music and right after chimney breaks down we switch to the body bag with the goverment officials and there is no music at all playing now. This is to make sure our full attention is on the scene and any words to be said then the radio call comes through and it literally says "operate under whitecoat protocal". Now if they did not want us the hear this they would have kept the music going to keep with the montage. They also could have had no radio message literally no one would have known any different.

what has also been bugging me a lot is firstly Tim Minear said in his interview with variety:

"We do see the body bag. I just felt, and this was a matter of some controversy, but I felt that I couldn’t go out of this episode, particularly since we’re not going to be on for a week, with people wondering if he died or not. I didn’t want to play his death as some kind of cheap cliffhanger. So I just felt that the cold, clinical image — and it’s not just the body bag, it ends up being the security camera view of that body bag. So it’s very detached, it’s very impersonal. But then I added a final image of just that helmet sitting in the debris, and it just says “118 Captain,” and it makes you want to stop breathing. But, yeah, that was my reasoning: I wanted it to be poetry, and then I wanted it to be a little bit of a splash of cold water in your face."

no one will convince me that he didn't that he did not know about the leaks no matter how many times he himself says he didn't expect he. He also knows about the script leaks and no one will convince me otherwise. So therefore when he says he showed the body bag and the helmet to confirm bobby was dead because he knew we were going without an episode for a week and he wanted us to know fully he was dead is bullshit. he said he did not want us basically saying he's not dead when that is exactly what is happening. considering the script leaks support a being buried alive story he knew we would talk while they were on break. It is literally what happened the minute the episode ended the theories started.

Next part

[apoloadonisandnarcissus]

Conjuring Nosferatu: Robert Eggers shares the eight films that inspired his remake of “Nosferatu” (2024)

“It’s a world of Gothic Romance, fairy tales, and folklore, made by filmmakers with a passion to transport the audience to another time, another place, and another way of thinking and believing.” Robert Eggers reveals the list of other films (besides 1922 “Nosferatu”) that influenced his version of “Nosferatu” at Lincoln Center

Archie Mayo | Svengali | 1931 (USA)

A dark and seductive tale of obsession and manipulation. A talented young singer falls under the spell of the sinister musician Svengali. As Svengali's influence over the singer grows, he begins to control every aspect of her life, leading to a dramatic and terrifying climax.

Jean Cocteau | La Belle et la Bête (Beauty and the Beast) | 1946 (France)

Belle’s father is sentenced to death for picking a rose from Beast’s garden. Belle offers to go back to the Beast in her father’s place. Beast falls in love with her and tests her by letting her return home but telling her that if she doesn’t return to him within a week, he will die of grief.

David Lean | Great Expectations | 1946 (UK)

Orphan Pip discovers through lawyer Mr. Jaggers that a mysterious benefactor wishes to ensure that he becomes a gentleman. Reunited with his childhood patron, Miss Havisham, and his first love, the beautiful but emotionally cold Estella, he discovers that the elderly spinster has gone mad from having been left at the altar as a young woman, and has made her charge into a warped, unfeeling heartbreaker.

Thorold Dickinson | The Queen of Spades | 1949 (UK)

Countess Ranevskaya, an elderly woman sold her soul to the Devil in order to always win at cards. Captain Herman Suvorin, an embittered Russian soldier, becomes obsessed with discovering her secret and also finds himself smitten by her beautiful young companion, Lizaveta Ivanova. As Suvorin gets closer to the truth, his quest takes an unforgettably eerie turn.

Yakov Bazelyan and Sergei Parajanov | Andriesh | 1954 (Soviet Union)

The evil sorcerer Black Whirlwind kidnaps the flock of a young shepherd boy, Andriesh, along with his beloved talking sheep, Miora, and his loyal dog, Lupar. Heartbroken, Andriesh embarks on a journey to rescue them. He receives a magical flute as a gift from the warrior Vainovan, which is meant to guide him to the castle of Black Whirlwind, who despises all living things.

Jack Clayton | The Innocents | 1961 (USA; UK)

In Victorian England, the uncle of orphaned niece Flora and nephew Miles hires Miss Giddens as governess to raise the children at his estate with total independence and authority. Soon after her arrival, Miss Giddens comes to believe that the spirits of the former governess Miss Jessel and valet Peter Quint are possessing the children. Miss Giddens decides to help the children to face and exorcise the spirits.

Yuri Ilyenko | Vechir na Ivana Kupala (The Eve of Ivan Kupalo) | 1968 (Soviet Union)

Petro is a modest farmhand living in an impoverished village in some unspecified long-ago era. He wants to marry the lovely Pidorka, but her stern father won’t hear of it. The mischievous demon Basavriuk, offers a deal, enticing Petro into crime for the sake of fortune. Based on Nikolai Gogol’s short story “The Eve of Ivan Kupala” (“St John’s Eve”) and Ukrainian folk tales.

Djordje Kadijevic | Leptirica (The She-Butterfly) | 1973 (Yugoslavia)

Based on a revered classic of Serbian nineteenth-century literature, the short story “After Ninety Years” by Milovan Glisic. Its hero is Strahinya, a poor lad in rural Serbia who falls in love with the local landowner's daughter: in order to prove himself worthy of her love, he has to spend a night in an accursed mill. It is said that a vampire is sucking the blood of unfortunate mill men, thereby bringing the village to the verge of famine

[frenchublog]

[haydenthewitch]

The one running theme throughout all of the captain America movies is captain America fighting against corrupt governmental systems. You will never catch me as being anything other than team cap. Had he signed those accords, the avengers would have just become another government kill team.

"Shield, hydra, it all goes..."

Steve has taken on enough government agencies to know that power corrupts. To limit the avengers to following the letter of the law, is to shackle them for standing up for what's right. Because sometimes the law is on the wrong side of morality. Steve took on Nazi's in Nazi Germany. He would understand that.

[just-aake]

Everlasting Devotion - Part II

Pairing: princess!Natasha Romanoff x fem!reader

Summary: Sequel of Boundless Devotion Series. MedievalAU. With her coronation over, Natasha is now the queen of the Romanov Kingdom. However, the position comes with challenges from both old and new enemies as Natasha tries to maintain the peace while also navigating her relationship with you.

Masterlist Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Warnings: light angst, light fluff

Words: 4494

The council meeting had just started moments ago, and Natasha could already feel a headache forming as the members continued to argue with each other.

“Lord Dreykov has made significant contributions to this kingdom,” one councilman insists, his voice rising above the rest. “We must remember that as we decide whether he is truly at fault for any part of the failed coup.”

“Providing the means to execute such acts is participating in treason no matter who they are,” another member counters, her tone equally forceful.

“Wasn’t that governess’ body found in this so-called Red Room? That’s where the soldiers were conditioned to be controlled, isn’t it?” a third councilor interjects. “How can you be sure he provided this information to Lord Rumlow and not her?”

Natasha pinches the bridge of her nose as the debate raged on, voices rising in volume and intensity.

She was beginning to regret not choosing to remain in your company for a while longer before coming here. The warm comfort of your presence is a stark contrast to the current chaos.

Over the past couple of weeks, neither Natasha nor the Captain of the Royal Guard, Steve Rogers, have found additional evidence to bring to the council to prove whether Dreykov is guilty of any crimes, leading to this current situation.

A council divided.

The tension in the room is palpable, each side remaining firm in their defense or prosecution of Lord Dreykov.

“A failed coup involving the head of the house himself,” another councilman remarks derisively, shaking his head before continuing with a scoff. “Not to mention, their governess was also behind that assassination attempt the previous year. Obviously, that family can’t be trusted. Who knows, perhaps Lady Y/n has a plot as well.”

Natasha’s brow twitched slightly in irritation upon hearing your name uttered in such an insulting manner.

Removing her hand from where it had been pressed against her temple in an attempt to soothe the tension there, she straightens her posture and places her now clasped hands on the meeting table with a soft thud.

The subtle commanding action had an immediate effect as a hush fell across the room, each of the council members turning their focus to the young queen.

Fixing the councilman who had just spoken with a hard stare, Natasha’s intimidating demeanor made him shift nervously in his seat, seemingly realizing his mistake.

“Let me remind you,” Natasha begins calmly, her voice cutting through the silence, “that Lady Y/n was also poisoned during that assassination attempt and almost lost her life in this incident as well. Both of which were to save my life.”

Her tone hardens, carrying a subtle warning as she continues, “If I were you, I’d take a little more time to choose your words carefully before making such remarks about her.”

The councilman swallows hard and quickly nods in acknowledgment.

“My apologies, Your Majesty,” he murmurs, the earlier bravado gone from his voice.

Natasha’s gaze sweeps across the room, ensuring her message is clear to all.

After a moment of silence, a clearing of a throat gathers the council’s attention as everyone turns to look at the head Chancellor.

“Since we obviously have disagreements concerning Lord Dreykov, let us move on to the other houses involved,” Chancellor Ross declares firmly.

His directive was met with murmurs of assent as the council reluctantly shifted their focus, the tension in the room easing slightly but not dissipating entirely.

With a tiny sigh, Natasha turns to Captain Rogers, who is seated at her side, and gestures for him to begin discussing the verdicts of the remaining two Houses.

At least the council has already agreed on the definite guilt of the other parties involved. Now, all that needs to be discussed is the consequences of their actions.

Steve clears his throat, taking command of the room.

“Lady Eleanor Bishop has withdrawn her title from the Bishop household, accepting guilt for aiding in the coup, and agreed to carry out her sentence in prison.”

At his words, Natasha’s gaze dropped slightly to the table. She remembered how Kate had reacted to news of her mother’s punishment—a mixture of grief and conflict etched on her face before shifting to one of determination and declaring to make amends for her mother’s betrayal.

Though Kate had put on a tough front, Natasha could tell the young noblewoman was still reeling from the emotional toll of the situation.

“Lady Kate Bishop’s now the head of her house. Should she also assume her mother’s previous position on the council?” a member asks, sparking immediate debate.

“She’s too young and has no experience.”

“A new perspective could be good.”

“Is she even prepared for such a role?”

Natasha shakes her head in disbelief at the onslaught of comments from the other nobles, discussing someone’s future without care or consideration for their input.

However, unlike them, she knows about Kate’s personal aspirations as her friend.

Leaning slightly toward Steve, she whispers, “Does Kate still come to the training to be part of the Royal Guard?”

In response, Steve nods, answering, “She’s never missed one session yet.”

Natasha’s expression turns contemplative at the revelation that the young lady is still pursuing her goal despite the additional pressures of taking over her mother’s role and responsibilities.

“Should we consider assigning a different noble house to replace the Bishops, Your Majesty?” Ross asks, looking at Natasha for her input and drawing the council’s attention.

Natasha thinks for a moment before ultimately shaking her head.

“No, the seat belongs to House Bishop,” she states firmly. “Lady Kate will have the choice whether or not she wants to keep the position.”

There were murmurs of agreement, though some dissent was still noticeable. The conversation then shifted to the next pressing matter.

“The replacement for Lord Rumlow’s seat is still under consideration,” Steve announces. “Until then, the responsibility and handling of the mercenaries and weapon dealings must be temporarily assigned to another House.”

A hand raises in the air at his declaration.

“I would like to offer my services,” Lord Jasper Sitwell interjects smoothly. “Seeing how I was previously in charge of that division before.”

“Before you gave it to Lord Rumlow, you mean,” Lady Maria Hill remarks pointedly, her eyes narrowing in accusation.

“How dare you,” Sitwell snaps, his tone defensive as he stands and slams his hands against the table. “What exactly are you implying here?”

Steve starts to stand as well, his expression a warning glare against the other lord’s aggressive behavior, but Maria gestures at her cousin to halt his action with a slight wave of her hand, signaling no need for assistance.

The commander then turns her focus to Natasha, ignoring Sitwell’s glowering posture.

“My house can oversee the mercenaries and weapons with our soldiers. We’re already in charge of the kingdom’s military, so it’s not much of a stretch in responsibilities,” Maria reasons confidently.

“With no war to fight, at least this will give you some purpose for existing,” another council member mutters under their breath, earning a few stifled chuckles.

“Enough!” Natasha reprimands, tired of the constant arguments at every turn. “Attacking each other will get us nowhere.”

She turns to Maria, making the decision.

“Commander Hill will take command of Rumlow’s operations and responsibilities for now.”

That is the safer option between the two.

Lord Sitwell has been one of the more reserved nobles over the years, so his sudden outburst today does raise some suspicion for Natasha, especially since she and Steve are still working to investigate and uncover if any more noble houses are aligned with Dreykov or Rumlow.

Although Sitwell will probably deny it, Natasha knows that he has had dealings with Rumlow in the past. However, the extent of their previous connection is unknown.

The only reason she had some clue to be cautious of the noble comes from the information you provided, based on years of Rumlow boasting and showing off to you.

At her declaration, Maria nods in acknowledgment as Sitwell scowls in displeasure, sitting in his seat with a disgruntled huff.

Observing his reaction carefully, Natasha makes a mental note to discuss further investigation of the noble with Steve.

The rest of the council meeting continues in a similar manner, with moments of agreement punctuated by dissenting voices.

At every decision, Natasha feels the weight of their judgments and opinions pressing down on her, a constant reminder of how she’s supposed to maintain the kingdom’s delicate balance of peace.

After what felt like an eternity, Natasha decided to end the meeting. She was exhausted, and the constant bickering and political maneuvering were wearing her down.

“That will be all for today,” she announces.

However, before the nobles can stand, Lord Sitwell raises his hand for attention. His eyes lock onto Natasha with an inscrutable expression that causes her instincts to rise slightly in caution.

“If I may, Your Majesty,” he begins, “concerning our earlier disagreement, I propose that Lady Y/n be brought in for questioning by the council. Given how she’s the next closest person to Lord Dreykov, she could provide valuable insights into these unknown techniques created by her House.”

Natasha’s hands subtly clenched on the arms of her chair at his suggestion. Her protective instinct for you flares as her expression hardens into a disapproving frown.

She is not going to subject you to the scrutiny of these nobles in an interrogation about the Red Room and Black Widow operations, especially since her family is partly responsible for its creation and secrecy in the first place.

“Information on those methods was restricted after the end of the previous war,” Natasha reminds him, her voice steady in an attempt to deflect.

Not missing a beat, Sitwell presses on, “So, you’re saying Lady Y/n knows nothing about the details of the Red Room or the methods used in controlling people?”

His tone carries a hint of skepticism, challenging her assertion.

Natasha’s mouth presses into a thin line, her agitation barely concealed at his targeted remarks against you.

However, the main unnerving thing for Natasha is that his suspicions are on the right track.

If anything, you probably know the subject the most, having learned the different pieces of information held by each of the original collaborators of the Black Widow operations.

But revealing that fact won’t help you in this situation.

Natasha can feel the curious eyes of the council on her, waiting in expectation for her answer.

“Everything that needs to be known by the council is included in the reports from the investigation that Captain Rogers conducted,” she asserts firmly. “There is no need for Lady Y/n to be questioned.”

A pleased smile appears on Sitwell’s face as he looks at the other council members. His eyes now gleam with a calculating light.

“Yes, I’ve read the report of the incident, but something seems to be missing from the timeline of events recorded,” he remarks pointedly, flipping through the documents in his hands. “After your duel with Lord Rumlow, the accounts directly move on to your encounter with Lord Dreykov and Lady Y/n at their manor.”

Natasha’s expression remains steely as she asks in suspicion, “And what are you hoping to discover by questioning her? Lady Y/n was a victim in this incident, not a suspect.”

“Then perhaps she can provide the missing perspective of what transpired between her and her father before you arrived. Something that might explain the reasoning of Lord Dreykov’s actions at that time,” Sitwell suggests before asserting, “Surely there is no problem in asking her to speak with us, Your Majesty.”

Around the room, the council members exchange glances, most nodding in agreement.

Scoffing lightly under her breath, Natasha can’t believe that out of everything they’ve discussed today, the one thing that most of these squabbling nobles can agree on is to target you.

With most of the others favoring his suggestion, Sitwell continues, challenging with a confident smirk.

“Unless Lady Y/n is planning to use her relationship with you to conceal certain secrets.”

“You—” Natasha clenches her teeth in anger. Her words are cut off when she catches Steve giving her a subtle shake of his head, silently urging her not to continue in her defense of you.

Taking a deep breath, Natasha realizes that losing her composure and responding to Sitwell’s provocation about her relationship won’t be beneficial, especially if she wants to protect you from their scrutiny.

“Fine, I’ll consider it,” Natasha grits out, the words bitter on her tongue, before declaring firmly, “You’re all dismissed.”

The tension in the room dissipates slightly as the council members gather their things, casting furtive glances at Natasha, whose protective anger simmers just below the surface.

As some members slowly disperse from the room, Natasha catches snippets of their disgruntled voices rising in quiet but pointed murmurs.

“No surprise that she favors Lady Y/n, given their relationship.”

“Cunning, just like her father, to befriend and make the queen fall for her over the years to defend her.”

“It’s a shame, really. Limiting ourselves from a more beneficial match. We need alliances, not romantic indulgences.”

Her jaw tightens as she resists the urge to snap at them, her hands curling into fists on the table.

When the room finally empties, leaving only the Captain and Chancellor, Natasha’s head falls into her hands, and she sighs heavily.

“That went terribly.”

“I disagree. You handled it well,” Steve reassures her, a small, friendly pat on her shoulder.

Standing from his seat, Ross makes a tiny sound of acknowledgment, remarking, “It was certainly better than your father’s first attempt at it. However…”

His tone grows serious as he continues, “…I believe you should have firmly agreed to Lord Sitwell’s final suggestion, as your mother would have done if she was in that position. Your response shows obvious special treatment toward Lady Y/n.”

That comment snaps Natasha upright, her glare now fixed on the chancellor.

She’s known Ross for almost all her life, given how he was her mother’s adviser and now hers, so she understandably values his insight after everything he’s witnessed in his role.

However, she cannot stand for this remark, particularly supporting the other nobles’ opposition to you.

“They’re not searching for answers,” Natasha accuses, her voice hardening. “They just want an opportunity to intimidate Y/n.”

“Because of her relationship with you,” Ross states plainly in understanding before giving a slight shrug. “It makes sense. To them, she’s a big threat.”

Steve waves his hand in a stopping gesture, shaking his head in disbelief.

“Come on, Ross. You don’t actually consider Lady Y/N a threat. She’s one of the most loyal nobles to the royal family.”

“Considering she’s also the leading candidate to be the queen’s partner, and her father is under investigation for attempting to overthrow said queen,” Ross points out. “It’s understandable that people in the kingdom might target her or her character.”

Natasha’s eyes narrow at his words, recalling the cryptic warning Dreykov had given her about potential threats looming over you. She rises from her seat, exuding authority and a hint of intimidation.

“Have you heard anything specific, Ross? About individuals targeting Y/n?”

Ross clasps his hands behind his back and responds with a shake of his head, his voice calm and measured.

“It’s merely an observation, Your Majesty. Relationships of this nature are scrutinized closely if they don’t meet the council’s expectations. This means that Lady Y/n will likely face continuous pressure from them if she remains by your side.”

“I can protect her from such things,” Natasha declares, her resolve unwavering.

“Maybe, or maybe not,” Ross remarks calmly. “However, if you truly wish to protect Lady Y/n, then I advise you the best option is to reconsider your relationship with her.”

Steve scoffs in disbelief, crossing his arms as he faces the chancellor. “That’s terrible advice…how can you say that…”

Letting the discussion continue between the two without her, Natasha turns her attention toward the large window in the chamber. She watches the sun slowly setting, remembering her commitment to meet with you later by the lake.

With a small smile at the thought, Natasha disregards Ross’ suggestion, her mind already resolute in her decision.

There’s nothing to reconsider.

You are the only one she wants by her side, and Natasha knows she will do whatever it takes to keep you safe.

~ ⧗ ~

The lake waters shimmer under the bright moonlight, casting a silvery sheen that dances with each gentle ripple, enveloping the clearing in a serene atmosphere.

A soft breeze rustles the leaves of the towering tree under which Natasha sits, her back against the trunk while you rest against her front as her arms remain wrapped around you in a warm embrace.

The air is filled with fragrances of blooming night flowers, reminding Natasha of the one she knows has not bloomed yet.

Her eyes glance up at the tallest branch on the tree where that flower rests, untouched and alone. Its time of bloom is still a few weeks away, near her birthday, which will mark exactly one year since the incident that tore the two of you apart.

The memory of that night remains vivid in her mind: the overwhelming fear and panic she felt when you collapsed from the poison, followed by the helplessness she experienced when she also succumbed, unable to help you.

Her arms instinctively tighten around you at the reminder of how close she had almost lost you at that time, too.

You must have felt the slight tension in her body since you decided to break the silence.

“Is there something else that’s bothering you?” you ask, your voice soft and filled with concern.

Natasha already told you everything that was said during the council meeting, including Lord Sitwell’s proposal. The last thing she wants is to add her worries to the pressure that the nobles are trying to put on you.

Shaking her head slightly, she softly whispers, “It’s nothing you have to worry about.”

At her response, your hands stop moving from where they were gently playing with her fingers before slowly falling to your lap as your head lowers slightly to your chest.

Sensing the sudden unease in your body, Natasha leans forward curiously, tilting her head to the side to see your face. She catches a glimpse of sadness in your expression before it shifts away, a small smile quickly appearing on your lips when you notice her gaze.

Frowning slightly, unsure if she truly saw that anxious look, Natasha still moves to reassure you.

“You don’t have to do it, you know,” she remarks softly. “I can always tell them no.”

You shake your head, huffing lightly in exasperation.

“And have them prove to everyone that you are showing favoritism to me,” you point out, raising a brow pointedly.

“Or that I’m just using our relationship to hide some sinister plan,” you repeat mockingly, shaking your head in disbelief at the extent of the other nobles’ conspiracies about you.

Natasha rests her chin on your shoulder, asserting with a playful smirk, “You are my favorite,” before pressing a soft kiss against your cheek.

Her lips are warm and tender, a fleeting touch that lingers in your heart.

“Charmer,” you accuse teasingly, rolling your eyes slightly with fondness as you turn in her arms to face her.

You brush her shoulder lightly, removing some leaves that had fallen there, and then drift your hand down her arm to her wrist, caressing the path gently.

At her hand, you interlock her fingers with yours and bring them to your lips, pressing a soft kiss before pulling away with a sad expression.

“I told you that bringing me into the castle would cause some problems for you with the other nobles,” you remind her.

Natasha scoffs and shakes her head in disbelief.

“You suffered a major injury, and your manor was damaged. The circumstances are completely reasonable for you to be at the castle,” she defends, her voice firm and unwavering, showing no regrets about her decision.

“But I’m fine now, and my manor is mostly repaired,” you say pointedly, knowing that Natasha is also aware of these facts, before adding, “There’s no reason why I should continue to stay at the castle.”

In response, Natasha tugs gently on your clasped hands and wraps her other arm around your waist, pulling you closer. She tilts her head and leans in, tucking her lips against the side of your neck.

Her breath tickles your skin as she whispers, “What if I want you to stay?”

You bite your lip lightly at her action, warmth spreading through your body as you hover above hers. You know what will happen if you let Natasha continue���the closeness of her presence is already almost overwhelming.

So, to keep your train of thought, you pull back slightly from her embrace.

Natasha immediately starts to follow your movement, leaning forward further, but you stop her with a small press of your hand against her chest.

You shoot her an amused, teasing smirk and raise your brow pointedly at her distracted action.

At your silent reprimand, Natasha twists her lips in disappointment but relents with a sigh. She leans back against the trunk of the tree as you bring her focus back to the previous discussion.

“The one issue that most of the other nobles seem to agree on is our relationship,” you say with a sigh. “They don’t like me as your partner since I don’t bring any political benefit to the kingdom, especially now that my house’s reputation is in question with Dreykov’s involvement in the coup.”

“It shouldn’t matter what they think,” Natasha says, her voice filled with frustration. “They don’t get to choose who I get to be with.”

“But as their queen, you do have to consider all of their concerns,” you chastise gently, giving her a pointed look. “Even if it’s about us.”

Groaning lightly, Natasha presses a hand to her head to ease the exhaustion of the memory of the constant bickering among the council members throughout the entire meeting.

“I doubt even they would remember that there are other issues in the kingdom that need addressing, with how they’re so distracted by scrutinizing my love life,” Natasha remarks, a hint of exasperation in her tone.

You ponder her words for a moment, twisting your lips in thought before an idea comes to mind.

“If our relationship is what’s distracting them from focusing on other matters,” you say, a determined expression forming on your face, “then let’s remove the distraction.”

Natasha’s brows furrow in surprise at your words, and she crosses her arms in disapproval, turning her head to stare out at the distant waters of the lake.

The surface now appears still and frozen, an illusion of tranquility, but Natasha knows that with a tiny action, ripples would spread across the entire lake, shattering its peaceful state.

That feeling mirrors the turmoil in her heart at your suggestion.

“I don’t think I like where this conversation is heading,” Natasha comments, her voice tinged with apprehension.

Chuckling softly, you cup her cheeks, bringing her face back to meet your eyes.

A tiny frown remains creased on her brows, and her lips are pressed together in a pout, showing some reluctance to your suggestion.

“We’re not breaking up, Natasha,” you reassure her. “At least not for real.”

Natasha relaxes slightly, but her eyes still reflect confusion and concern as she tilts her head curiously.

“What do you mean?”

You stroke her cheek gently in comfort, easing the distress still on her expression as you explain.

“If they believe that we’re no longer in a relationship, then they can’t bring it up against you anymore,” you reason. Then you can focus their attention on all of the other real matters of the kingdom.”

“They’re going to have to accept you as my partner eventually,” Natasha points out before stating firmly, “It’s not like I’m ever going to choose another person to spend my life with.”

You lower your head slightly at her indirect declaration, hiding the tiny happy smile, and blush at her words.

Shaking off those thoughts about the future, you meet her eyes again with a somber expression.

“I don’t want to be the thing that complicates the beginning of your reign, Natasha.”

“You’re not,” she insists, her voice firm and reassuring.

“But to them, I am,” you counter softly.

Your hand rests lightly above her heart, feeling its steady beat beneath her skin—a reassuring rhythm that speaks of her steadfast love and strength.

“You need time to demonstrate your capability as Queen without them using our relationship to undermine your every decision,” you say before withdrawing your hand to clasp it against your chest. “And I need to prove to them that I’m not afraid to confront them…”

Your eyes shift down to the ground, your expression falling slightly as you finish softly, “…to show I’m not a threat to the kingdom or to you.”

At your tone, Natasha examines you carefully, trying to read the emotions on your face as she’s done many times before. Her brows furrow when she notices the subtle uncertainty and sadness in your eyes and the tension in your body that was not there earlier when she met you.

“Y/n, you know you don’t have to prove anything to them, right?” Natasha asks gently.

Your mouth begins to open to respond, but you hesitate, Ross’s earlier words lingering in your mind. With a tight press of your lips, you manage a slight nod.

“Of course,” you answer weakly.

Natasha’s frown deepens suspiciously, studying you intently, but you press on before she can delve deeper.

“At least let me show them that I didn’t be your friend all these years just to seduce you to be mine,” you joke lightly with a roll of your eyes.

Raising her brows, Natasha slides her hands to your waist and pulls you in with a sudden tug.

You catch yourself on her shoulders to keep from falling entirely on top of her.

When you pull back, curiosity in your gaze, her eyelids flutter at you with a compelling mix of desire and affection.

“Is that what happened?” Natasha whispers teasingly, her voice low, sending shivers down your spine and warming your cheeks at her tone.

Her lips curve into a seductive smile at your reaction, inviting you closer, and her intense and penetrating green eyes captivate you, daring you to resist the undeniable attraction between you.

And you don’t.

Cupping the back of her neck, you draw her face close to yours, tilting your head slightly as you lean in. Before losing yourself to her irresistible pull, you reaffirm your idea.

“We’ve pretended to be together when we weren’t,” you whisper against her lips, brushing them lightly in anticipation. “How hard can it be to pretend we’re just friends?”

~~~~~~~ ⧗ ~~~~~~~

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

A/n: Thank you for reading!

Taglist : @midastouch013, @2silverchain, @dvrkhcld, @observeowl, @x-drowned-x, @fireandblood-3, @natsxwife, @leequifey, @blacklightsposts, @srt-sah, @scar-letwidow, @likefirenrain, @autorasexy, @natsbiggestfan1, @lex13cm, @iheartjohansson, @tofu9162, @nothanksbye07, @unexpected-character, @natashasilverfox, @acciowriting, @qtreesfanstuff

[captain-charlemagne]

Good Omens and the Sound of Music.

So I haven’t seen anyone talk about how the plot of the Sound of Music is about a misfit nun in a convent where she can’t conform so she’s sent to be a governess and along the way falls in love with a very prickly man with a heart of gold who is unavailable - and fighting against the totalitarian regime threatening him and his home.

She’s conflicted about these feelings and panics after they share a dance, and she flees back to the convent to take her vows. She’s encouraged to return to where her heart lies, so she goes, and she and the captain marry and flee the war together with their family.

And if we recall:

I’m just saying.

[dwellordream]

Book Recommendations of 2025

The Winner by Teddy Wayne. Thriller. In the midst of the COVID pandemic, aspiring lawyer Conor O’Toole struggles to find work and provide for his homebound mother. A welcome opportunity comes in the form of a job in an exclusive gated community, where Conor will work as a tennis coach to the bored and wealthy. But the pay is not enough to cover his bills, so when one of his clients, an attractive but contemptuous older woman, offers more money under the table in exchange for sex, he hesitantly agrees. Catherine is cruel but beautiful, and Conor is besotted with her- until he meets Emily, a progressive-minded, outspoken girl who challenges and excites him. But Emily is Catherine’s daughter, and Conor quickly discovers that there are no limits to how far he will go to keep his secrets.

Hey, Zoey by Sarah Crossan. Realistic fiction. Dolores has accepted a lot of things about her life- the mundane stresses of her job as a school counselor, her increasingly loveless marriage, her mother’s failing memory- but she cannot accept her husband’s sex doll, Zoey. Driven at first by shock, then rage, and finally banal curiosity, Dolores attempts to befriend Zoey, whose AI system makes her capable of simple small talk. But what Dolores discovers during her chats with Zoey will change the entire course of her life.

No Angel by Penny Vincent. Historical Fiction. It’s 1904, and spoiled, ambitious Celia Beckenham is used to getting what she wants. What she wants is Oliver Lytton, the soft spoken, charming son of a prominent publisher. Defying her aristocratic parents, Celia and Oliver wed, but the coming years will not be easy for them. Celia chafes against the rigid boundaries of Edwardian motherhood, while Oliver resents his wife’s desire for a career and education. And their decision to adopt an impoverished young girl, Barty, into their growing family, will have repercussions no one could have anticipated.

The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist. Dystopian sci fi. Dorrit has recently turned 50, and according to the new laws of her society, all unmarried, childless women over 50 and men over 60 must report to ‘units’, where they can enjoy a peaceful, pleasant retirement with world-class luxuries. But there is a catch- to repay their ‘debt to society’ for refusing to reproduce, the ‘Dispensables’ must donate their bodies to science, piece by piece. Dorrit is resigned to her fate, until she meets Johannes, and for the first time in her life, falls in love.

Before This is Over by Amanda Hickie. Sci fi. An emerging viral pandemic terrifies Hannah, who recovered from cancer just seven years prior. But her family dismisses her warnings as paranoia, until the virus rages through Australian society and grounds life as they know it to a screeching halt. As the piles of dead mount, water and power are cut off, the military mandates martial law, and Hannah must find the strength within herself to protect her husband and sons while the world crumbles around them.

Fevre Dream by George R.R. Martin. Dark fantasy. In 1850s Louisiana, struggling steamboat captain Abner Marsh’s luck is about to change- a wealthy, mysterious gentleman called Joshua York has offered to help him build back his business- starting with the grandest boat to ever steam up the Mississippi River- the Fevre Dream. But Joshua’s generosity comes with a hidden cost, and Abner soon finds himself in the midst of a war between vampire clans- one that may change the fate of history.

The Wife in the Attic by Rose Lerner. Historical fiction. Spinster Deborah Oliver is thrilled at the offer to become a governess at an idyllic country estate, and charmed by the kindhearted Sir Kit Palethorpe and his adorable daughter, Tabby. But Kit’s mysterious, sickly wife has been confined to her bedchamber for years now, and Deborah’s attempts to learn more about her are met with stiff resistance. Tabby claims her mother is damned to Hell. Kit warns she is a madwoman. But Deborah suspects there is more to the story than that, and intends to find out the truth.

The Last Neanderthal by Claire Cameron. Historical fiction. 40,000 years ago, Neanderthals roamed the Earth- and then began to die off, replaced by a new species- Homo sapiens. Girl, a young Neanderthal woman, and her small family roam an increasingly lonely land, hoping to reunite with friends and family at an annual meeting-place. But the life Girl knew is rapidly changing, and the fate of her and her loved ones is uncertain. In the present day, Rose, a determined archaeologist, works frantically to present her discoveries about Neanderthals before her child is born, but motherhood is changing her, and her career seems precarious.

[carlos-in-glasses]

Thank you for the tag @welcometololaland @nisbanisba @captain-gillian🧡

I have a work is published share today! This is from the 5x12 coda I posted yesterday, No Regrets:

There is another boy.

He’s small. He’s three. His name is Jonah. He’s wearing a starchy blue knitted sweater and pull-up gray pants. His mother died when he was a baby, and his father is a white-collar-criminal-with-a-heart who might not get out of prison until he’s eighty-five. In Austin, Jonah has a big brother, but Jonah is not in Austin, he’s in Switzerland – in a wood-paneled room called an office. Governess Burgin, who is extremely tall, is huffing because there’s a lag on the iPad. Jonah is allowed to facetime with his brother once a day, and usually the signal is fine, but there’s a snowstorm today and it’s affecting things. TK’s face pixelates, vanishes for a moment, comes back. Jonah bursts into tears when TK appears on the screen again and says, “There you are, buddy! Thought I’d lost you for a second.”

Jonah tries to ask TK when he gets to come and live with him and Carlos. The words come out in a funny order and some of them are wrong, but TK seems to understand him. Behind TK, sunshine fills a window.

Outside the window of Governess Burgin’s office, snow falls thick and fast, but it’s not exciting at all. Outside is a big white space of nothing. The middle of nowhere. Jonah doesn’t have the word trapped in his vocabulary yet, but one day soon enough he will, and this is what trapped is.

“We’re doing everything we can to get you home with us,” TK promises him. The words wobble like his voice is pixelated too.

Open tag and tags below:

@paperstorm @thisbuildinghasfeelings @lightningboltreader

@strandnreyes @reyesstrand @heartstringsduet

@goodways @bonheur-cafe @liminalmemories21 @lemonlyman-dotcom

@ladytessa74 @alrightbuckaroo @cold-blooded-jelly-doughnut

@whatsintheboxmh @hereghostslive @herefortarlos @orchidscript

@never-blooms @chicgeekgirl89 @emsprovisions @freneticfloetry

@tellmegoodbye @ironheartwriter @sapphic--kiwi @henrygrass

@butchreyes @the-126-family @theghostofashton @butch-buckley

@everlastingday @anactualcaseofthetruth @futures-tense

@rmd-writes @no-goodbyes-no-regrets @carlos-tk

@pimento-playing-hopscotch @eclectic-sassycoweyes

@literateowl @kiwichaeng @laelipoo @nancys-braids

@carlossreaders @rangersoup - If you want to share/haven't already! No pressure ever! ❤️🩷🧡💛💚💙🩵💜

[certified-scoundrel]

Captain Von Trapp: I need a governess who will keep order in this house while I'm away. I need someone who won't let my children step a toe out of line- someone disciplined!

those damn nuns: we have the PERFECT girl for the job-

[luthordamnvers]

I still think I need to watch the entire show again, but I'm gonna try and collect some very scattered thoughts because the ~discourse is appalling, tbh.

Idk who needs to hear this, but every single marvel project has been about the widening of the marvel cinematic universe. And it's fucking insane, that people are reducing this show as "just a way to get Wiccan" when it was so much more, especially for a show that wasn't even supposed to exist. It was a show spearheaded by a showrunner who initially pitched it because she loved Agatha, and Kathryn's portrayal of Agatha. One that happens to be a woman, btw (one that happens to had been at the forefront of both Captain Marvel [Uncredited] and been responsible for the first past of Black Widow [Story by, credits]).

Don't get me wrong, the MCU certainly has misogynistic undertones, the fact that we had to wait to have a woman led movie, or a movie director, as long as we did is a travesty. That without even going into the intersectionality that we are still missing in the wider MCU. And one that's inherent in the comic book world, if we are being honest. But guess what, THIS is the type of show that changes that narrative.

The fact that wandavision is still regarded the best Marvel-Disney+ show. So good that got an spin off focused on "a nanny". Show that delivered on a show being about her, and yet not the entire story, with outstanding narrative, direction and storytelling. And some swats of fandom are diminishing it left and right. The dudebros because it was about a woman, about a middle-aged woman, about a queer middle-aged woman. And others in the fandom because it wasn't as queer as they wanted, or focused on what they wanted.

And let's be honest, I'm amazed the show was as unapologetically and canonically queer as it was. Thanks to the efforts of Jac, Kathryn and the team behind it.

Agatha is based on a character that's been around for 50 years, and has being nothing but a nanny/governess for superpowered kids because she happens to be a witch, until relatively recently. Even when we had had part of her back story for decades, she was never that important, and she isn't even evil. Dare I say, she hasn't been that relevant until her run with the Scarlet Witch, and Kathryn Hanh's interpretation of her.

Agatha All Along, is not only an spin off of Wandavision, but also part 2 of the whole story. OF COURSE, Billy would be a very important part of her story, something that was touched upon in WV, but was also part of her (and I'm using this word very loosely) redemption arc.

She shared a kinship with Billy in WV, because he was magick. She wanted to understand how he worked, because she knew what Wanda did, and she wanted Wanda's powers. The fact that she could identify Billy immediately, even when she hoped it was Nicky, was important, but people were to busy whining about Billy having an episode. One episode that was also relevant to the ending of the show. And the full arc of the saga's mythology.

Is the show perfect? Not at all. Did I enjoy the heck out of it and can appreciate what it actually did? Absolutely yes. Can I appreciate how GOOD it was at storytelling? Hell yes.

It was a show absolutely centered in women. Good women, bad women, women of color, old women, younger women. The one man was a queer, three-year old in the body of a 16 year old. And mind you, this character has been making queer history, since his very recent creation (2005). This show is unapologetically queer, we had a huge ass Trans flag that said Protect trans kid in huge black letters being very prominent in the shots. It's HUGE, and not even by marvel/disney standards. The show had nothing to do with coming out, or acceptance, or people dealing with phobia. It was about queer people existing and being queer. Hell, you could make a case that they were saying "being a witch" is an allegory of being queer.

Every single member of the coven could be queer. They hinted at it with Jen, at the very least.

Let's talk about the rest of the coven. Who for me were the absolute highlight of the show.

Alice, generational trauma, the protection witch. The most tragic to me. She saw her curse, as a lie. As something her mother made to neglect her. And yet she couldn't keep a job, she resented her mother, and she had to be reminded of her every moment because her mom was a famous Rockstar. She goes to the road, she comes to terms with her mom's love for her, how her mom's version of the ballad was a protection spell, as much as Alice hated it, and she manages to defeat her curse. She protects her coven. Only to immediately die. Her dialogue with Death was devastating:

Alice: That's it? That's all the... That's all the time I get? Death: If I had a nickel... Alice: This can't be the end. It has to be the beginning. I finally broke the curse. I mean, I can really do something with my life now. Death: You're a Protection Witch. Alice: Yeah. Death: You died protecting someone. You ready? Alice: No.

Heart wrenching, unjust, and beautiful.

Lilia, who was plagued by the gift/curse of seeing her and others destiny. Ignoring it for over half her life, staying stagnant, because she was reeling from the fact that she saw the death of her family, her entire coven, she told them and it changed nothing. She was chased out of villages because she could see the tragedies coming. Who refused to be with a coven, love a coven because the heartbreak of losing her first was too much. Who decided that cheap tricks, was better than seeing the tragedies coming, and refused her gifts. She hated the appropriation of her culture, but when the time came, she accepted it, and moved on. She goes to the road, and finds her coven. "I needed you, my coven." And she died, going back to the start, because she'd rather relieve it all again, the good, the bad and the ugly, that keep neglenting herself. "I loved being a witch".

That without going into the absolute masterpiece that was episode 7. Pulling a non-linear story, as solidly as they did, is certainly not easy. And they did it, beautifully.

Jennifer, who was magick-bound for over a century, to the point that she doubted her knowledge and herself. And yet she made a name for herself, she was a successful entrepreneur (she cheated a little, but you know capitalism is the true villain here). A black woman who was outstanding at her craft, healing and being a midwife, to the point that she became an inconvenience to the fragile, egomaniacal, white men in the medical field. Where they sought out a way to stop her indefinitely. And yet she kept going, and survived. Even at the end of the road. She looked at the person who bound her, and said: "I deny your power over me. You hold nothing." And she unbounded herself, and got out. Not because of Billy or even Agatha but in spite of her. Jennifer survived, just like she has been doing for however many centuries, and she flew towards the sunset. Because 'She's the path ahead'. The growth she had, from being selfish the first few episodes, because that's how she survived, to screaming for Lilia when she decided to stay behind. Jennifer clawed her way out of the road, the bound. And she deserved it.

As for Billy... he's so much like her mother. He accidentally created the road, because he's equally, if not more, unaware of his powers as Wanda. Wanda at least thought she got powers from Hydra's experimentation. Billy isn't even supposed to exist. Billy who was "10 years old" but, realistically like 2 weeks old. Who got thrown into the body of this guy, who he doesn't know, and who doesn't even knows himself, because he doesn't remembers, with powers he doesn't quite understands and then he starts piercing moments of his life together, because he feels this massive hole in his being. And finds his answers on Agatha. He truly believes the road is real, that can take him to someone who while not have the answers, might feel the same way as him. Who was his other half, he doesn't remembers it, but he feels it.

His magick, is like Wanda's, Chaos magick, it manifests without his real knowledge or intention, but by his feelings. He created the road, with all the knowledge he thought he had, the road follows the rules Agatha and Nicky created when they made the ballad. Even if he doesn't know it.

Is the show about Billy? Not necessarily. Billy is important to Agatha, because Billy is Agatha's son now. Not by blood, not even by magic, but by choice. As much as she denies it, her "calculated risk", had something to do in the way she saw Billy, and how she wanted to protect him, in a way she couldn't protect Nicky.

And finally, Agatha. Agatha who built a reputation of killing all her covens. Starting with her mother's. Because her mother sentenced her to death, because she was born evil. And she took that and ran with it. She connived, and betrayed, but she survived, something she's extremely proud of. Do I wish we had seen more of her past? 100%. I wanted to know how she got the Darkhold, how she actually met Rio, how they fell in love. Does not really knowing diminish her storyline? Not at all. Because what we got was really nuanced, and it's going down the hill with people focusing only in the romantic relationship aspect. If anything, I think this is being reductive of Agatha, not Billy. The fact that she needs the love interest for people to focus on her, regardless if that love interest is a man or a woman.

But even then, what did people think it would happen? Agatha Harkness had a romantic relationship with Death itself. It was never going to be a romance, it was always a tragedy. Death who took her son away, Death who gave her time with her son, but never specify how much time. Who then followed her around, torturing her with its presence, and we know Agatha is resentful and can hold a grudge.

Death who kindly stopped for her.

Rio knew Agatha would always resent her, even when she gave Nicky more time, because at the end of the day, she would always had to take him away. As much as it was a kindness to let him be born, to take him while he and Agatha were asleep. She had to take him anyways, and Agatha would never forgive her.

Agatha letting the witchfolk think that she exchanged her son for the Darkhold, or made a deal with Mephisto, and saying it was because "the truth was much worse" had nothing to do with *our* perception of worse. But hers. A powerful witch who couldn't save her son, a woman who couldn't keep her son alive. A witch who let her lover take her son away. Using her son to lure more witches. Then using the song, that her son lovingly created for themselves, to lure even more witches to their doom, just for her to be more powerful and keep living (and potentially still looking relatively young). A song that was special to them, corrupted, because she wanted more power and killing witches, something she knew Nicky didn't like. Witchfolk thinking Agatha got the Darkhold trading her son, was better than what she thought of herself.

She saw Nicky in Billy, how he didn't like killing witches (as accidentally as Billy did), how he mourned, how he somehow still believed in Agatha, even with his barbs at her.

She sacrificed herself, not necessarily because of Billy. But because of Nicky, her boy she couldn't save. And yet here is another boy she loved, not the same but very similarly, one she could save.

Billy didn't manipulate her, (and even if he were to, Agatha would probably be proud of him for that) he's been consistent in wanting to understand Agatha. He's curious. Hell, he didn't even need to come back for Agatha, he had gotten out (wherever out was for him) but he came back, because he cared about Agatha. And if some people can't see that, because he happens to be a he... well, no matter what had happened in the show, those people wouldn't see it any other way.

Agatha becoming a ghost, and immediately seeking Billy, because she loves him, and she likes the way he sees her, not good or innocent, but knowledgeable, and with the potential to do good. And she sees Nicky in him, and his potential too.

There is so much more analysis, and I might share more thoughts later, but for now, this is it. I still wanted more, Agatha's story with the Darkhold, the Salem seven, more of the coven, yet not necessarily for the show or the episodes to be longer, but I would love to see if they expand on this, on another spinoff.