#elizabeth story

[lgbtqreads]

Exclusive Cover Reveal: These Fragile Graces, This Fugitive Heart by Izzy Wasserstein

You probably know Izzy Wasserstein from her short fiction, but today I’m thrilled to have her on the site to reveal the cover of her very first novella, These Fragile Graces, This Fugitive Heart, releasing March 12, 2024 from Tachyon Publications! Here’s the story: In a queer, noir technothriller of fractured identity and corporate intrigue, a trans woman faces her fear of losing her community as…

[chloesimaginationthings]

The Afton kids deserved better in FNAF..

[ashfae]

The thing about romance is, it makes a good story.

As soon as Neil described season 2 as "quiet, gentle, romantic" I figured we'd be in for it, because as he's the first to point out, writers are liars. And the best way to deceive is with truth.

Season 2 is romantic. The trappings of romance are everywhere. Crowley tries to set up Nina and Maggie by trapping them under an awning during a rainstorm, a classic cinematic bonding technique. Aziraphale's chosen method comes from his beloved books: the ball, the dancing, appearing as a pair in public, hands held as you twirl gracefully with your heart thrilled and racing. If they can set up a sensational kiss that will unlock the happy ever after. They've lived on earth, they've studied the tropes, they know how romance works.

The problem is a story is only a story.

Nina and Maggie had the classic romantic setup completely by accident before Aziraphale and Crowley ever began trying to interfere with them. They get locked in Nina's coffeeshop. They can't escape or communicate with anyone else, they end up talking by candlelight because there's no electricity, Nina offers wine. Maggie mentions how she'd hoped for a chance to talk to Nina, and now here they are. It's every bit as much a standard as what Aziraphale and Crowley attempt to arrange. Blanket scenarios galore exist because of that starting point. We love that story. And there's nothing wrong with that.

But it's still only a story, it's not enough. Because once that moment of connection is over, however lovely it was, all the rest of the world comes flooding back in in the form of dozens of angry text messages. Nina's messy entrapping relationship hasn't magically gone away just because she and Maggie shared a romantic encounter.

And it's so tempting think oh well, that's easy. We'll just give them more romantic encounters and eventually those will overwhelm the rest of the baggage. Must do, because it'll make them fall in love, and once they realize they're in love that trumps all other considerations, right? So it'll be fine. Love Conquers All.

Neil also mentioned Pride and Prejudice.

Darcy knows he's in love early on and makes a disasterous proposal that shows that he has no understanding of Elizabeth's perspective, possibly hasn't even thought about it. They've been meeting in forest lanes for walks, conversing, had tete-a-tetes in the sitting room, danced at a ball. And while his turn of phrase isn't as flattering as he thinks, he's still offering her everything he thinks she wants and needs: affection, security, his good name, wealth, an escape from the embarrassments of her situation, the world. How can there be anything to object to? Why would anyone ever refuse so much of value?

Elizabeth quite rightly cuts him to pieces. He lashes back with a few hard truths of his own and they separate. During that separation, he thinks and he learns. He takes to heart the criticisms she offered, re-examines his assumptions, opens his eyes. Thinks about her perspective and how sometimes the only difference between pride and arrogance is where you're standing. He does the work. When they meet again he tries to demonstrate that he's learned--not in order to court her again (yet), but because the only real apology he can offer, the only one that would have weight, is to show that he's grown, he listened to her. He changed.

Elizabeth of course has her own journey, accepting that many of her own conclusions about Darcy were erroneous because they were formed without her having the full picture to hand, and once she's done that she has to apply it to her own situation as well. She loves her family, but they do place her at a disadvantage on a number of levels, leading eventually to full-out disaster as her younger sister carelessly ruins all of their reputations. It's hard to admit, it's mortifying, but Darcy was offering her a great deal she needs. His offer did have worth for all that she dismissed it as an insult. And as she learns to value his own character more highly, and then as she sees that he did listen to her even though she insulted him so thoroughly...well, she grows too. And when they do eventually come together it's not because of courting and balls. There's a big romantic gesture in his rescue of her sister but even that isn't why they'll get their happy ever after. It was just the catalyst for the conversation. They win because they've learned how to understand each other and how to communicate for the future. How they can strengthen and support each other, how to balance their strengths and weaknesses. The films leave them at the wedding, but the book shows a bit of their marriage too, and during it they keep learning from each other. Their relationship is held up as a superior love story for good reasons.

The end of season one was romantic too. Crowley stopped time rather than face a world where Aziraphale would never speak to him again, Aziraphale walked into hell to protect Crowley, they dined at the Ritz and toasted the world. But then they stopped. Sure they spent time together, talked, enjoyed each other's company. But if they were talking about important things would Crowley still be living in his car? They had a bit of respite but all that real world baggage that exists outside of the romantic moment hasn't been faced, none of it. Four or five years sounds like a long while but for beings who are quite literally older than the earth? That's just an intermission.

Nina's relationship ends, leaving her with a tangled mess; Maggie realises the sweet dream of love she's been longing for isn't as important as the real Nina. They talk. They plan. Nina will sort through her life, get closure, figure out what went wrong with Lindsay and what she wants from a relationship, learn how to ask for respect instead of just bending under her partner's demands. Maggie will support Nina the way Nina needs, which sometimes means helping her get oat milk for the shop and sometimes means giving her processing space. They're on the same page; they're going to do the work. That's why most likely they'll succeed. To quote one of my favourite fanfics: it's not happily ever after, but it's a chance. It's all going to be okay. (The Profane Comedy by Mussimm, who absolutely nailed this theme)

The romance is nice, it's lovely. We need it to keep ourselves going. To give ourselves the dreams that help us get through the days and nights. But it's not the relationship. It's not enough on its own. The wedding can be the grandest most beautiful ceremony ever with doves flying and sweeping music and bells ringing, but that doesn't guarantee the marriage will last.

Crowley and Aziraphale have had their romantic gestures, oodles of them. One wing raised to protect the other from falling stars, another from rain. Shared ground, shared interests, hands offered in friendship and held on a bus. They've tried to get to the same page, they really have. They just aren't there yet. The biggest most important things still haven't been talked about, and season 2 showed there are even more of those big important things than we'd realised.

The show paints Maggie as Aziraphale's foil and Nina as Crowley's, even to the point of Nina casually calling Maggie 'angel'. But Aziraphale's baggage is Nina's. The toxic relationship has to be processed and understood and closed, and it hasn't been, despite season one. Lindsay never really liked Nina very much, for all that they tried to keep her trapped; Heaven never really liked Aziraphale very much for all that he believed in it. They both let themselves be used. But Lindsay left Nina and went to their sister's, whereas now the head of Heaven has reached out to Aziraphale and said here, we can fix this, you can fix this, don't you want to fix this? Others are already writing about that and maybe I'll add to it later, not sure. And Crowley, like Maggie, has had a sweet dream that he has to set aside. Maybe he'll be able to pick it up again eventually, maybe not. But sometimes you offer support by buying oat milk or rescuing your beloved from the legions of hell, and sometimes you do it by standing back while they sort through their shit.

Quiet, gentle, romantic. It was.

But that's only part of the story. Now they have to do the work. They thought they had, but they were wrong, because there's so much they just hadn't touched yet and tried to cover over with relief and sleight of hand and alcohol and forgiveness. The apology dance doesn't mean much without showing that you listened and learned. They've faced so much trauma already and that should have been enough, we wanted it to be enough and so did they and it's such a blow for it to turn out that there's still more to do, that the baggage hasn't just gone away and can't be hidden under blankets or soothed with cocoa. The texts are still coming in and demanding answers.

But it'll be okay. It will. It's still a chance. And one that in the long run makes them better, builds something real that lasts.

The best stories, the ones that last longest and become classics, are the ones that don't end with the kiss under the awning or the blanket scenario or the wedding. They're the ones that heal us while the characters heal themselves. It's hard to accept that there's still more to do. Harder to imagine how it can possibly work out. And yes, bloody frustrating to wait and see.

And we'll get through that interim by telling even more stories. Because the story is never just a story. It's how we get through the work, it's what we tell ourselves so we can do the damn work. Stories are what we cling to and how we remind ourselves we're human and connect. A book is a person you can carry with you. We're not alone, none of us, stories connect us because we love them and see ourselves in them, which means we see each other.

Aziraphale's back up in Heaven to deal with his unfinished baggage; Crowley left his behind long ago and it's clearly going to come back and bite him in the arse however much he tries to go his own way. And they can't help each other with that. Not yet.

But they'll get there. So will we.

[samlizzy71]

Last year, I started drawing a comic for this story, but I realized there were many things I had to fix or change, so I rewrote the first chapters before continuing to draw the comic. I will remake the first pages of the comic to fit the new version, too. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the written version!

You can find it on AO3, and I'll post future chapters there too:

[agirlinteruppted]

"what do you want for christmas?"

me:

[sparrowlucero]

this is the iconic dinosaur horror jurassic park wishes it was

[softichill]

I love fnaf literally no one can agree on anythjng

[bothersomedirtchild]

Local spooky menaces

Ref under the cut!

[oizysian]

Heyy bestie

Can I request a Mommy!Lizzie x fem!reader where we make plans with her for lunch but her work schedule makes her miss it, then reader gets really sad and pouty and spams her phone but Lizzie doesn’t answer. And when she finally comes home she comes back with flowers and then makes it up to us with the strap and js some lovely sex🙂‍↕️

I’ve js been in my feels lately and want mommy to make it better 🙈

Tonight | Elizabeth Olsen

Pairing: Elizabeth Olsen x Fem!Reader

Warnings: strap use, dirty talk

Word count: 1.2k

AN: I’m sorry you’ve been in your feels. I hope this makes you feel better. (I also want mommy Lizzie to make things better.)

I looked at my phone for what felt like the hundredth time, checking to see if my girlfriend messaged me back. She was twenty minutes late already. I knew she was busy with work, but she could at least text me, right?

I sighed softly, placing my phone down on the table and finishing my drink. This wasn’t the first time I’d been stood up by her and I was sure it wouldn’t be the last.

I couldn’t be too angry with her though, she got worked like a dog and I’m sure it wasn’t her fault that she had no time to herself. If she wasn’t on set, she was giving an interview and if she wasn’t giving an interview, she was doing a photoshoot - there was literally just not enough time in the day for her to do it all and be with me.

I stood up from my chair and began cleaning up the unused dishes from our lunch. I didn’t know why I thought today would be different. I sighed sadly, pushing back tears as I placed my wine glass in the sink, placing the plates back in the cupboard and the forks and knives in the drawer. Hopefully she’d be home for dinner.

I picked up my phone from the table and messaged her again, hoping I’d get a text back before long. Or a phone call.

But I heard nothing. Throughout the rest of the day, I occasionally sent her a message, telling her I missed her and loved her and that I hoped she was having a good day and not working herself too hard.

Before I knew it, I had fallen asleep on the couch waiting for her to come home. I was woken up by the sound of keys jingling in the door and I rubbed my tired eyes, looking towards the front door where Lizzie was coming in from. She entered and closed the door behind her quietly, trying her best to not be too loud. What time was it?

“Hi, baby,” she greeted me softly, kneeling down next to me on the couch. “I’m sorry I didn’t text you.”

She handed me a beautiful bouquet of flowers and I teared up looking at them.

“They’re beautiful.” I sat up and took them from her. “Thank you.”

“You deserve them. I’ve been a horrible girlfriend, but I’m gonna make it up to you.”

I smiled at her, sniffling softly at her words.

“You don’t have to. Just being here with you is enough.”

“It’s not.” She said, resting her hand on my thigh. “We need to spend some time together and I’m hoping you’ll let me make it up to you.”

Her hand trailed up my thigh, soft, lingering touches just barely reaching my core. My breath hitched and I took my bottom lip between my teeth, a pink hue coloring my cheeks. It had been so long since we’d been intimate, I almost forgot what her touch felt like.

She leaned in towards me, slowly, barely touching my lips with her own, as if she was nervous to be kissing me. I kissed her back, letting her know it was okay. She smiled against me and her thumb rubbed against my mound gently, just barely touching me.

“Lizzie,” I whispered, looking up into her beautiful green eyes. “I missed you.”

“I know, dove. But, I'm here now. I’m gonna take care of you.”

She stood from her crouching position and I followed her, standing up from the couch and taking her hand, placing the flowers on the couch before letting her lead me to the bedroom.

She wasted no time in undressing us, her eager lips still capturing my own in heated kisses. Her hands caressed my hips, pulling me close as she removed our clothing. When we were both naked, she stopped to admire me, making me blush a fierce red.

“You’re so beautiful.” She whispered and I wrapped my arms around her, kissing her neck softly.

“Let me taste you.” I kissed and nipped at her, her groans egging me on further.

“Not yet.” She said as she ran her hands over the swell of my ass, grabbing at me greedily. “I wanna be inside you.”

Heat rushed down between my legs, and I could feel my slick coating my inner thighs.

She smiled down at me and led me to the bed. I climbed onto it and got comfortable while she dug through our sex toys drawer, searching for just the right strap.

She pulled out a nice, girthy pink cock, one of my favorites, and slipped it on. She stroked it a few times and I licked my lips in anticipation. She got on the bed and spread my legs, settling between them. I raised myself up on my elbows to watch her as she slapped the cock against my slit, sliding it between my folds and letting it get wet.

“I can’t wait to be inside you.” She murmured to herself, thrusting the cock up against me.

I bit my lip and moaned as she continuously hit my clit, my hips rising slightly to meet her thrusts.

When she was satisfied, she slipped the tip into my aching cunt and let out a soft groan.

“Look at that greedy pussy. You take me so well, baby.” She said under her breath, sliding into me inch by delicious inch.

“Ah, Lizzie.” I whined, my brow furrowing as I watched her.

She kept her eyes on my pussy, watching as I took her hungrily. I fell back on the pillows and grabbed the sheets underneath me, my eyes rolling back as she finally bottomed out. I felt so full of her, so deliciously full, as she slowly fucked me.

“That’s right, baby. Take mommy’s cock.”

“Unh, m-mommy,” I let out a soft whimper and she groaned, pumping in and out of me. “Harder, mommy.”

She leaned over me, kissing me roughly as her hips moved against mine rapidly. She swallowed my moans, sucking my tongue into her mouth and biting down on it gently.

She pressed her forehead against mine, gasping for air as she fucked me roughly. She couldn’t get deep enough inside me and I couldn’t get enough of her trying to reach my deepest spot.

“I love you.” She moaned softly, looking into my eyes and I nearly cried at the sound of her voice. She sounded so sincere, so passionate.

“I love you.” I said back to her, kissing her fiercely.

I bit down on her lower lip as my orgasm quickly approached. Just being close to her was getting me off. The base of the strap rubbed against my clit and pushed me over the edge.

I moaned into her mouth, wrapping my legs around her and pulling her close as I came. She didn’t even have to touch me for me to cum.

“Already, baby?” She whispered against my lips and I nodded sheepishly.

She let out a soft chuckle, slowing her thrusts as I came down from my high.

“Can I taste you now?” I asked softly, wanting so desperately to please her.

“Tonight is about you.” She kissed me again and my heart swelled with love. “I’m gonna take care of you all night.”

[eobard-thawne]

FAVORITE SCENES FROM BECOMING ELIZABETH: 2/∞ "You must come to Spain. You must keep yourself safe. You cannot allow yourself to be sold off to another court."

[solarockk]

13 year old tea

designs // first meeting

shiny duo pokemon au "Pokémon’s Shiny Jewels Sun&Moonstone" by @wyvernspirit and I

[matchtheminrenown]

historical costumes + yellow

[chloesimaginationthings]

Elizabeth Afton bets on losing dogs in FNAF..

[aceinacloset]

Pov. Your William afton burning 🔥

[amengaga]

The Countess's lovers - American Horror Story: Hotel (2015)