#god. agatha is so fascinating

[iamdeltas]

#agatha is just so interesting to me because she really can justify anything to herself but you still see in small moments like this how it#hurts her to do so but she does and then she just moves on because she /has/ to because she can't dwell on it#she'd be drown from the onslaught of all she's done if she allowed herself to falter on just one thing#she has to be decisive. she has to be callous. because she can't afford to stop or look back#i also don't think agatha truly wanted to bring jen into this either#i know some ppl are thinking she purposefully bound but i truly believe she didn't know or realize who was going to be effected by it#or even after who /had/ been effected by it. i think agatha wasn't actually lying when she said that she chose to leave jen alone#I do think it didn’t give her as much of a pause as sharon and alice did because the reasons she left jen alone hasn’t been for a century#I honestly think the easiest person for her to drag into this was Lilia and then Lilia also ends up being the first she shows kindness too#and honestly that scene was so good because I think she would have shown kindness to her either way because Agatha knows death#she knows grief and how the pain lingers and burrows into your very bones#so I think no matter what she probably would’ve had the same reaction#but I also just wonder if Lilia’s comment of ‘try to save Agatha’ effected her as well#because I think Agatha gets what Lilia’s deal is or at least has an idea. and while she did pause for a second. she played it off quickly#but I wonder if that did really hit her#because Agatha is a witch killer. she has this power that she can’t totally fully control that takes and takes and she’s never once been#thought in her life to be good or kind or anything like that (except by Nicky or Rio) and it’s clear when she was with Nicky they needed to#take from the witches to hide from death to allow Nicky to live and Agatha cannot take without killing#if the witches knew what she was/how her power worked/how Nicky survived they would be killed just like her mother’s coven tried to do#no one would be willing to risk teaching her to risk sheltering them if they knew#she knows that firsthand and anyone who knows anything about Agatha Harkness would rather see her dead#and then Lilia comes in. Lilia who read her immediately. who /knows/ who she is. she says to try to save /agatha/#I don’t think Agatha would allow herself to fully believe it (which is smart because that’s not actually what she was saying)#but god. I bet that stuck with her (via @roots-symphony)

I was going through the scene where the other witches arrived in Agatha's home. And I noticed something when Alice arrived:

Agatha actually didn't look happy.

Agatha didn't think Alice would arrive—she knew what she planned to do—and she didn't think they would open the Road. Agatha was more than okay that Alice wouldn't join but Alice still arrived.

And then when she was going to recruit Sharon, Agatha paused and closed her eyes.

I thought Agatha was just gathering strength because she was not as social as she presented. But now I realize Agatha was also trying to make peace with what she was about to do.

Agatha doesn't have regrets, but that doesn't mean they don't get to her sometimes. Also, she's had three years off from killing, and even though she doesn't remember that time fully, it was still a break from her usual.

This is why she was blasé about Sharon Davis's death, she knew one way or another she was dragging poor Sharon to her doom. This was the split second beat where Agatha makes peace with the idea that she could live with this choice.

[rootspiral]

Agatha All Along deep dive: episode 4 part 3

(Wandavision entries: [1][2][3])

(AAA entries: ep1 [1][2][3][4] ep2 [1][2][3][4] ep3 [1][2][3] ep4 [1][2][3])

Lilia is bickering with Jen in episode 7. she turns around and SEES ALICE, WHO WAS KILLED IN EPISODE 5

alice, don't try to save agatha! but she's whisked ever further back to episode 2 before she can finish the sentence. imagine having the power of communicating with the past but it's never enough to warn them. seeing the dead and talking to them, knowing what's going to come next. and you wonder why she chose exile and solitude.

meanwhile agatha has collected her wits long enough to decide what her short term strategy with rio is gonna be: keep her distracted, isolate her from the others, keep her away from billy. see how she takes a moment to focus and get into character? she knows rio is about to follow her like a moth to a flame

just going on a trip with my best gal pals and a random teen boy, nothing to see here!!!! and agatha knows that rio knows that she's lying. hello, rio is PERFECTLY aware that there's no Road out there capable of magicking her into a glam rock sex den. but maybe, just maybe, agatha can keep her focused on something else. honestly it would be such a waste to not put all that combined cleavage to good use!

there she was, having a chat with sharon down in the dirt, and you guys went and dragged her up. like perfect morons. I love how she brought the flower along and it ends up working really well with the outfit

oh, rio knows. she knows everything.

and agatha SHOOTS UP and GETS TOO CLOSE and FLIRTS. oh my god this bitch. just like she did in episode 1, except now she's more collected and ever more deliberate. flirting is her best weapon of mass distraction against rio. because look, rio might know all her tricks but she's only (very marginally) human! who can blame her if she lets herself be seduced a little bit, just a little bit! for old times' sake! in rio's defense her wife is very hot and she misses her very much, your honor

rio is like, bitch I got you allllll figure out but also lemme gently caress your thigh. to enhance your acting performance. what's a little supportive yes, and between exes

she's sooo hamming it up. compare her face here with the genuine yearning at the end of the episode

oh this is hilarious. the others hear rio's flirting over the PA and panic, but no, girls, enthusing about murder is legit how they talk dirty!! (lol at lilia being like, right in front of my salad???)

"gasp!!!! that's my coVEN you're talking abOUT!!!! I'm not that kiND OF wiTCH anYMOWRE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" the ham! the ham! she might just bring the whole deli cart over at this point

and rio with her lil delighted laugh again. she doesn't get mad for one second, she didn't expect anything else. oh agatha, you silly goose, you're so damaged and so cute

let's recap what this fucker achieved with her latest performance, because it's always fascinating to study what's going on in agatha's ferociously scheming brain. she 1) distracted rio from billy. or at least tried to. 2) hinted at Rio's true nature to the others - who knows, maybe she can manipulate them into allying against her later on? 3) pretended to flirt but also flirted a lil bit forreal because there was a lot of skin showing and the flesh is weak etc etc 4) backpedaled alllllllll the way out when things got too intimate because she's too scared and resentful to get close to rio again. playing with fire as usual. or, as the kids say today, fucking around, about to find out

alice's trial has the best aesthetic fr fr. the 70s font!

I'm not 100% sure bcs it goes by so quickly but I think rio is dancing to the cursed music???

not the turntable!! that shit's vintage!!!!!!!

*brian de palma zoom*

*dramatic pause*

WE'VE BEEN CURSED (I love you patti lupone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

INJECT THIS AESTHETIC DIRECTLY INTO MY VEINS. also alice is red, billy and agatha are blue with purple undertones. the colors in this trial seem very deliberate

"she's a tourist." "she's a PSYCHO." look she never gets to just hang out and do fun things anymore, let her be!!

rio and lilia having a little staring contest as she plays with the knife. doing their own cute archnemeses thing

agatha shaking her head at billy and going shhh when he says 'maybe this curse isn't so bad.' like KID will you stop speaking HORRORS into existence?!?

alice standing with her back straight for the first time since like, ever? or since her mom died? did everyone in the family have their own personal demon or did it switch after killing the previous person? or wait, wait, was the curse only like, a metaphor until billy accidentally turned it into a disgusting 1970s animatronic harpy??

I'm convinced rio could see the demon from the beginning. look at her face here, she's the only one who sees both lilia burning and what's causing it

poor lilia must be thinking, burning witches? soooo original and not traumatic at all (lol at patti being a pro at screaming and writhing in pain on the floor. PROFESSIONAL ACTING)

no no no that's the reaping knife careful careful careful careful

alice's spell: expelle hoc malum, expel this evil. (rio when agatha tries it on her later: WHO ARE YOU CALLING EVIL)

lol. lmao, even. (just don't think about how jen has grown seLFISH TO SURVIVE AFTER HAVING TO LIVE POWERLESS AND DEFENSELESS FOR A CENTURY AND HOW SHE BECOMES MORE AND MORE GENEROUS AS SHE SPENDS TIME WITH ALICE AND LILIA)

oh noes my character just had a beast's giant talons perched on her shoulders i should flash the twins real quick so you can see it better

everyone else: EXTREME PANICKING

rio: stops reading her magazine to glance at the disgusting invisible harpy flapping around the room. goes back to the magazine.

and with this I'm off to my extreme friday night (tea and blankie and a book). ciao!

[meraki-yao]

okay WOW that new episode of Agatha All Along blew me away

I think this is what I prefer in media that allows for creative storytelling? Unconventional timelines and devices. It's what made me like Wandavision (first 3 episodes entirely different from what we expect from Marvel with zero context) and Winter Soldier (absolutely not knowing what is going on or who to trust besides Steve, the POV character) so much. Telling the story out of order, or rather, in Lilia's order was fascinating. Also I like Tarots, so this episode was really fun for me personally!!!

And oh my God, Lilia :(((

The ending broke my heart :((((

[m1ss-n0mer]

Me: Okay, I know I say I'll ship Fyodor with anyone, but I'm gonna stick to mainstream ships like Fyolai and Fyozai because there's more content.

The fascinating dynamic he has with Chuuya because Chuuya is the vessel for a non-Christian god:

The way he seems to admire Sigma for being so far from humanity, and understand his feelings of isolation and loneliness, but still manipulates him seemingly without care:

The fact that he and Bram could have been one of the few reoccurring elements in each others' lives:

Him being uncomfortable and enraged by Atsushi's show of vulnerability:

Ranpo being similarly smart to him, but in a different way and therefore offering a different challenge to Dazai:

He and Agatha both being super elegant and feminine looking and giving villain couple vibes:

Yosano's ability and his being parallels (she can heal others by fatally hurting them, he can heal himself and kill others by making them fatally hurt him):

Oda and Fyodor both being heavily influential forces in Dazai's lives, and the fact that Oda is knowledgeable about the bible:

Jouno having white hair and being willing to kill Fyodor, not to mention that Jouno is a redeemed villain:

Kyouka and him having similar vibes, and the potential for her to be recruited by the DoA in an AU where they get to her before the PM or after the PM but before the ADA:

Seriously I'm pretty sure you can take two completely unrelated characters and find at least one similarity or difference that could make them an interesting ship and I love that!!

[skippiefritz]

reqs from @idanit and @beetle-goth (sorry for tags I'll untag if asked ^^;)

long rambly post ahead! Unlike what I normally post but its my account so I can do what I want lol

(This probably isn't the most historical thing I’ve ever written but! I will fix as I work on it more lol)

the implications of Bertie's bachelorhood if he were a bachelorette fascinate me endlessly

I read this post and it gave me brain worms and I've been designing an au around it ever since

In this au it's a complete genderswap with all characters, uncle Alistair (aunt Agatha) becomes more old fashioned sexist to Bertie, not thinking she can take care of herself. (sorry Agatha stans)

Which like. She can't. But it's nothing to do with her being a woman.

Bertie keeps her core character traits, but by merely being a woman living alone in 1920s London, she inherently becomes more independent and rebellious.

She's sneakier about her escapades, still stealing hats off bobby's and the like, but tries to be subtle about it. Emphasis on tries, she's still a Wooster at her core, and thus a very

big klutz.

Bertie is just completely and unapologetically her/himself regardless of gender, for better or for worse.

If humble pie is being served, she will surely go back for seconds every time.

I can picture her leaning very hard into the roaring twenties flapper persona, but still being a homebody at heart. Big of heart, dumb of ass.

The biggest issue of course is the engagements, it’s a lot harder for a woman (particularly one whose family wants her to get married) to get out of engagements. THIS is where the fun new plots come in

Obviously there’s the classic setting up her fiances with other women, so they call it off and marry their true loves. And the occasional making herself seem unsuitable to be married. (though, this would usually backfire, that would make it seem like she needed to be married more, so she had a man to take care of her and make her settle down)

Instead of focusing on making it seem she herself is un-weddable, she (and by she I mean Jeeves) concocts byzantine schemes to paint her potential suitors in the worst light possible, or to make them seem negligible so one family or the other would call it off.

I’ve been working on one such story, I haven't ironed out all the details but it ends with Gussie pushing Bertie into a lake. Of course. (I may make  a comic abt it when done)

Jeeves’ character is fascinating too, I see her being the classic “quiet competent woman who gets shit done”. She would be less respected than m!jeeves, but still far more respected than the average maidservant of her time.

I can see her need for fashion clashing with the maidservant outfits of the time, part of me is tempted to keep her design the exact same and make her a big beautiful butch, but…I know that's probably not how it would go.

Jeeves would wear the classic Maidservant outfit of the time, though I can see her styling it subtly to suit her more.

Her control over Bertie’s wardrobe, while still being “God this bitch has no fashion”, also has an undercurrent of internalized sexism. She’s discomforted by the more risque (by those times) outfits Bertie enjoys wearing, like her flashy flapper dresses and the like.

Of course, she’s also uncomfortable by how attractive she finds her in said risque clothes. (drama!!)

And they end up compromising !!! and Jeeves has a lil arc in learning to accept the new fashion wave and embracing bodies and whatnot.

Their dynamic would essentially be the same, homoeroticism, Jeeves being morosexual, Bertie being endlessly impressed by her.

also because of the ridiculous british nicknames most the characters are referred to the same, they just have diff first names, here's a quick cheat sheet

(I tried to keep them similar and also extremely english)

Reginald Jeeves = Regina Jeeves

Bertam "Bertie" Wooster = Bertha "Bertie" Wooster

Reginald Jeeves = Regina Jeeves

Aunt Agatha/Dahlia = uncle Alistor/Dahl

Augustus "Gussie" Fink-Nottle = August "Gussie" Fink-Nottle

Charles "Biffy" Biffen = Charlotte "Biffy" Biffen

Marmaduke "Chuffy" Chuffnell = Marigold "Chuffy" Chuffnell

Stephanie "Stiffy" Byng = Stewart "Stiffy" Byng (the implications of a man being named Stiffy are. different but Wodehouse had to know what he was doing with that name)

Richard "Bingo" little = Richenda "Bingo" Little

and so on and so forth!

Anyway uh, this went on for a while lol

I’m working on designs for them and will gladly share if asked! But they’re nowhere near done dhjdsh thanks for coming to my ted talk.

I don't know if any of this made sense, sorry if it doesn’t.

also for a bonus here's a quick messy collage I made of f!Bertie

[iamverynormalaboutsge]

What if the Storian orchestrated... Everything?

It has been established that the Storian was 'sealed to the two schools, bound to be ruled with balance and to not be influenced/fall into the wrong hands'. Right so that is just a load of bull. Why? Because there was always ONE Peter Pen until the Twins. And even after the evil one remained the pen balanced the injustice out by MAKING good win. That or he just never wrote the stories in which evil did win for over a century on purpose!

We also saw it SEE into the future in the main series. We also saw how it nearly killed Sophie for just coming CLOSE to it! I don't know HOW Tedros chained it in book 2, maybe the same way Rafal grabbed it to stab Agatha BUT STILL. It feels like the Storian CHOOSES when to be a God or just a pen.

Also, you can't tell me some old men or wizards decided the pen needed protectors. NO. I think it was LITERALLY the Storian orchestrating its farming grounds where he would pluck out pre-teens and teens who are FULL of emotion and make great characters to write in that aspect between waiting for them to ripen before collecting them.

I refuse to believe that the Storian isn't literally how a writer would be with its fantasy world. They choose when to allow the characters to indulge themselves with 'winning' or not before doing as it pleases.

The Storian started to draw Rafal just to then make Rhian's blue eyes. IF the Storian wanted he could have stopped Rhian. But he didn't. However, he still punished him. Does it make sense? Hello?

The Storian is so complex it both terrifies me and fascinates me.

[sizzlingstarlightsky]

Our favorite Azriel stan 🦇🖤💙 !!

1. Why is Azriel one of your favorite characters?

2. Is there a specific scene that made you like them?

3. What theories/headcanons do you have for Azriel?

4. Feel free to share anything else about Azriel that the questions didn’t cover!

OMG THANK YOU ✨️🖤 You're too kind.

I'll always find reasons to bring our Shadow Daddy up. So I love this, and I'm honored!

1. I'm mean... how could he not be a favorite? 🤭 Honestly though, he's exactly my type. Well, one half of it, lol. His mind intrigues me. I'm fascinated with the dark and mysterious, so it only makes sense. I like complex characters.

2. It wasn't until he was shot by Jurian that I fully realized Rhys wasn't my fictional husband.

But there was the little sentence when Feyre was eating with the IC for the first time. I can find the quote, but it's something about him having a facial reaction to her story. I was intrigued. I wanted to know more. Then, seeing his quiet sarcastic personality solidified it for me. Confirmed with the tree scene in ACOWAR. I grew up with a huge crush on Danny Phantom and Shego, so is anyone surprised?

3. Theory wise: I'm terrified tbh. I don't trust SJM and her character development.

Az is absolutely more powerful than we know. I do feel he's connected to the stars but I haven't finished TOG or even thought about reading CC so idk all the lore. I want to see him deal with Illyria. Let him tear the place apart and wreck havoc. Gods, I also desperately need a chapter minimum just on his torture. I need to understand the inner workings of his brain.

Headcanons: He would love Agatha Christie books. He'd be a big Tool, Rush, and Pink Floyd fan. The best dancer of the Bat Boys. Tells his mom more than anyone else. She probably knows all his secrets, I love her. He feeds stray animals whenever he can. Probably has spare snacks, just in case. Would be a goth stoner. Loves gossip, but only shares to his shadows and tea club (of coursemama shadow is included). He's a side sleeper. Does hand exercises for the scar tissue.

I feel like he smiles when he tortures. Like, that part of him is happy to have a release.

You know the relationship is getting more serious when he starts leaving blades around your place.

I also believe this male is a pussy and cock CONNOISSEUR.

I saw someone headcanon that Illyrians have knots. Do with that as you will.

I can't think of anything else, so here's some outfits I could see Azriel wearing/ want him to wear 🖤🤭💙

[drinkyourvillainjuice]

Result from the Google Form (part 2/x)

Parasitical

Very interesting premise! You’re a cultist living in a behemoth’s carcass managing the fine line of living day-to-day and the unease of a commune straining under the seemingly all-seeing authority that governs it. And then certain characters arrive to explode that fine line into smithereens (naturally). Unfortunately this is how I found out author nuked their tumblr :( but the demo is still on

Lost Lambs

Murder-mystery whodunit but from the POV of the killer. You’re gearing up to join an Agatha Christie-like ensemble of cast, but before that: kill, learn about your past, and customize your skills and covers. Meet your partner in murder. UNFORTUNATELY INACTIVE but its Fun give it some love (and the author also!)

God-Cursed

Writing it has brought some much-needed light into my life, and I'd quite like to share that with others.

Fervency

Well first off, the creator is a mutual, so I have to rep. But also it's a (light) horror IF where you're turned into a monster and now have to contend with a strange hunger for flesh or blood while attending a masquerade. And there's bisexual vampires, and the only RO I've ever fallen for. :)

Stay?

yummy flavor text, so many posibilities, so many outcomes, time loops, too many of them, can you save them all? Its intriguing to connect the dots on each time loop, fascinating. You can even marry the RO! till death do us apart

One Knight Stand

Insane amount of choices that have big impact on the game!! Super fun and has a really compelling story.

[shiryawashere]

Okay because we are both deLulu over Agatha All Along that's what I'm choosing for you for the blorbo ask game

ALRIGHT LET'S GO I'M LOCKED IN

blorbo (favorite character, character I think about the most): At this point probably Agatha though it's subject to change lol. I find the shifts in her demeanor fascinating and her mystery compels me.

scrunkly (my “baby”, character that gives me cuteness aggression, character that is So Shaped): RIO VIDAL

scrimblo bimblo (underrated/underappreciated fave): I feel like my faves are very mainstream lol but I will name Lilia Calderu anyway because I would die for her

glup shitto (obscure fave, character that can appear in the background for 0.2 seconds and I won’t shut up about it for a week): Listen. Hear me out. Sharon Davis okay every time I saw Sharon Davis I was hyped she's just happy to be there and by god I respect it

poor little meow meow (“problematic”/unpopular/controversial/otherwise pathetic fave): I mean I feel like Agatha is by far the poor little meow meowest of them all

horse plinko (character I would torment for fun, for whatever reason): AGATHA lmao <3 *slaps roof of her* this badboy can fit so much angst in her

eeby deeby (character I would send to superhell): Agatha's mom smh

Thanks for the ask!

[the-darkness-does-not-bargain]

SCP-XXXX: “Ava”, chapter 4 preview

Just a tidbit of what I’m working on.  Hope you guys are still excited for this!

SCP-XXXX: Do you mean it?

Dr. Young: Mean what?

SCP-XXXX: About all this.  Will you really teach me about cells and stuff?

Dr. Young smiles.

Dr. Young: Yes, Ava, if you’re willing to learn, I will teach you.  Do you like learning about science?

SCP-XXXX shrugs.

SCP-XXXX: It beat bible study by a mile.  Though that might have more to do with the teachers.  Sister Agatha taught all the science classes, such as they were.  She tried to make it a little fun… even did the whole mini volcano thing during the geology unit.  We thought that was the coolest shit.

Dr. Young: I’m not a geologist, but the study of volcanic activity is fascinating.  I’m sure the library here has books on it if you’re interested.

SCP-XXXX: I think I’ll stick with biology to start, not that rocks aren’t cool as shit.  Thanks, Bea.

Dr. Young: Of course, Ava.

Approximately 5 seconds of silence elapse.

SCP-XXXX: So… what about you?

Dr. Young: Hmm?  What about me?

SCP-XXXX shifts forward in her chair, shifting her weight to either side in a semi-regular rhythm.

SCP-XXXX: Well, obviously you like learning about science, but did you always want to study animals and cells and stuff?

Dr. Young taps her pen against her notepad.  3 seconds of silence elapse.  SCP-XXXX leans back and flushes.

SCP-XXXX: Sorry, you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.

Dr. Young smiles at SCP-XXXX.

Dr. Young: Given all the questions we expect you to answer, it’s more than fair for you to ask some in return.  I apologize for my absentmindedness.

SCP-XXXX: Oh, no worries.  It’s chill.

Dr. Young: To answer your question, no.  For a long time, I didn’t want to pursue a career in science at all.  I was always fascinated by it, but I never even considered earning a degree in it until I entered university.

SCP-XXXX leans forward again.

SCP-XXXX: What did you think you wanted to do?

Dr. Young: Don’t laugh when I tell you.  It seems quite strange in retrospect.

SCP-XXXX: Wouldn’t dream of it.

Dr. Young: Well… I actually wanted to study religion, and eventually join the church.  I was raised Catholic, and my family was very devout.

SCP-XXXX: Are they doctors too?  Or… religion-studiers or whatever?

Dr. Young chuckles.

Dr. Young: The term you want is theologian.  But no, they were politicians, diplomats.  When I showed less than zero interest in politics, they pushed me to study theology as the only suitable alternative.  They never neglected my education, so I knew that I enjoyed science before but… I also thought that a life devoted to faith would be good for me.

SCP-XXXX: Until?

Dr. Young: Until it came time for me to choose my classes for the first term, and I chose a biology elective.  I took it for fun, I never thought it would cause me to change anything about my path in life.

SCP-XXXX: But it did.

Dr. Young: But it did.  It didn’t happen all at once.  Actually, in hindsight, it was quite slow.  One class turned into more, but I continued to pursue my theology degree well into my third year.  At first, I thought that studying both would give me a richer understanding of my faith, and in many ways it did.

SCP-XXXX: Meaning?

Dr. Young shrugs.

Dr. Young: I believe that there are higher powers out there in the universe.  But what shape those powers take, I have no idea.  God may look nothing like I always imagined Him, but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing.

SCP-XXXX: …But he could be a weird tentacle guy.

Dr. Young laughs.

Dr. Young: He could be.  But there’s a kind of freedom in not knowing, don’t you think?  When you’re certain you know how the world works, you become limited within its perceived rules.  It’s only when you open yourself up to the possibility of being wrong that you can recognize how little you actually know about anything.  It’s a frightening revelation, but an exciting one too.  The rules you thought you were rigid and clearly defined fall away, and a universe of new potential opens up in their wake.  There’s something divine about that, I think.  A single moment of seeing the world as He must.

Approximately 2 seconds of elapse.

SCP-XXXX: So you’re, like, smart smart, huh?

Dr. Young laughs.

Dr. Young: What do you mean by that?

SCP-XXXX flushes and wiggles in her seat.

SCP-XXXX: I mean, like, you know stuff, but you also know stuff about stuff.  Shit, that sounds so stupid.  Forget I said anything.

Dr. Young: I understand what you meant.  It’s not stupid, Ava, and neither are you.

SCP-XXXX: Yeah, sure…

Dr. Young leans forward and rests her hand flat on the table.

Dr. Young: You’re not stupid, Ava.  Uneducated, perhaps, but that isn’t your fault.  And we’re going to fix that now, aren’t we?

SCP-XXXX looks away and bites her bottom lip, and then grins at Dr. Young, who grins back.

SCP-XXXX: Yeah, I guess we are.

[the-scarlet-witch-22]

The Darkhold Sonata (Agatha Harkness x Wanda Maximoff)

Word Count: 2.9K

Summary: Legendary film composer Agatha Harkness is given a new challenge when she’s asked to help Wanda Maximoff with the score for Stephen Strange’s newest movie.

A/N: Hi tumblr friends, I’m back with a new story! This was inspired by The Batman soundtrack, I love Michael Giacchino, and I think the overall ‘vibe’ is very Agatha coded. I’ve included the link to one of the songs that this story is based off of :) Anyways, I am not a composer or pianist so please keep that in mind while reading, but I hope y’all enjoy it. Please let me know your thoughts and as always my DM’s and asks are always open for questions! Oh, and if you would like to be added to the tag list please lemme know :)

The sound of thunderous applause roared throughout the packed Hollywood Bowl as Agatha took her final bow. Although she had been apprehensive at first of the LA Symphony’s idea of a “Maestra of the Movies” concert, she wasn’t displeased with the outcome. The concert sold out within hours, as many anxiously awaited the chance to hear some of her greatest compositions performed live. It was a fascinating experience, conducting her life’s work all at once; while she stood by every decision she ever made, it was interesting to watch her work progress over the years. From Academy Award winning scores to Grammy nominated soundtracks, Agatha Harkness knew she was the most decorated film composer the world had seen in decades.

Coming off her fifth Oscar win, Agatha made the difficult decision to take the next year off. There was a project she had waited years to start, and it would be near impossible to finish with some insipid director throwing deadlines at her. Exiting the stage, Agatha skillfully dodged members of the press who were hoping to get a quote, and she almost winced upon hearing the word ‘retirement.’ As her eyes scanned the crowd gathering backstage, she spotted the one individual who knew what she was working on. Stephen Strange. She figured he would be in attendance this evening. After all, most of the themes played were composed for his films.

Stephen Strange was one of the few directors Agatha could tolerate working with- even though he had an ego almost as big as her’s, they seemed to balance each other out. While most directors expected the score to fit the script, Stephen would always take Agatha’s opinions into consideration; although Agatha would usually bite the head off any director who tried to give a suggestion on what could be added to her music, Stephen gave constructive feedback that she could tolerate. They worked well together, and they had worked almost exclusively together for the past decade on various projects. It was also no secret that Stephen was struggling to find a new composer for his latest film, with Agatha taking her long sought hiatus.

“Strange,” Agatha greeted the director. “I didn’t realize you were coming.“

“And miss hearing the scores for most of my movies?” Stephen countered as a small smirk formed on his face.

Agatha rolled her eyes. “I believe you mean hearing the music that was accompanied by your homemade videos.”

Stephen laughed, shaking his head at the jab. “It’s good to see you, Agatha. Although, I’m surprised you agreed to this.” He motioned to the large crowd. “This doesn’t seem like your scene.”

Agatha frowned at the number of people that were accumulating. She had always been a private person, and tried to avoid the public eye as much as possible, a fact that Stephen knew well. “It’s not, but this is my life’s work. I couldn’t just trust someone else with it.”

“Not that you trust anyone with anything,” Stephen quipped, and Agatha sighed.

“Yes, yes, very funny. Now I’m assuming you didn’t drive all the way over here to just mock me, hm?” Agatha questioned, before adding. “It is rather presumptuous of me to assume you drove at all. Did you take the private jet again? God forbid you sit in an hour of traffic like the rest of us mere peasants.”

“You really don’t get nearly enough credit for your wit,” Stephen commented lightly, and Agatha noted how he was avoiding her question of why he was here. “But then again, you do spend most of your time locked away with only your piano to keep you company.”

“Yet I still have one more Academy Award than you,” Agatha fired out, as she motioned for the director to follow her to her dressing room. “Perhaps you should reconsider those month-long vacations in Europe.”

Upon reaching her dressing room, Agatha all but slammed the door shut. “Why are you really here?”

Stephen took a seat in an empty armchair before replying. “Agatha, you’re the most successful composer in the industry. You know I’ve enjoyed our time working together over the years.”

Stephen was right, Agatha had worked with him for a long time. They had their fair share of victories, with almost every recent project resulting in an Academy Award win. That was why Agatha knew he wanted something. She had to restrain herself from rolling her eyes. It wasn’t a surprise, everyone in Hollywood was always looking for favors. She could list off the number of directors and actors who had tried to convince her to give their children piano or composition lessons. But what could Stephen possibly want? He knew Agatha was taking the year to work on an independent project, and he knew better than to push her; it never ended well for those who tried.

Agatha took a seat across from the director, folding her hands in her lap. “And you know I don’t need, or want, your help to inflate my ego. What do you want, Strange?”

“I found a composer for the film,” Stephen explained, pulling a folder out of his bag, sliding it across the table. “She has a similar style to you, actually, which is why I chose her. I’m sure you’ve heard of her, she’s become quite popular in Europe. Here’s what she wrote for the main character’s theme.”

Opening the folder, Agatha’s eyes scanned the score and she scowled when she saw it. Wanda Maximoff. Of course. Agatha had heard plenty of the Sokovian composer, and she wasn’t impressed. She was a newer composer on the scene, but she had become rather well established over the past five years. Though Wanda seemed to grasp the most basic composition skills, Agatha felt that she always fell flat in comparison to the work of other film composers. “Why are you showing me this, Stephen? We both know I’m not working on this film.”

“We’ve known each other for a long time, Agatha,” Stephen stated, and in the many years Agatha had been acquainted with the director this had to be the first time he appeared to be nervous. “And you know I wouldn’t be coming to you if I thought I had other options.”

“Spit it out,” Agatha practically growled, her patience wearing down. She needed a drink.

“Wanda is gifted, and I have no doubt that she’s going to excel at this. But I chose this project with you in mind,” Stephen continued, and Agatha attempted to envision where he was going with this. “I was hoping you would consider looking over her progress with the score, to make sure she’s on the right track? This film has the potential to make it all the way through awards season, and this could be monumental for me.”

Agatha took a moment to consider his request before repeating her earlier words. “But I’m not working on the film, how does this benefit me? What, I help this Sokovian princess compose a breathtaking score and she gets all the credit?”

“Wanda has the potential to be a fresh talent in Hollywood,” Stephen pointed out. “If she succeeds, and everyone knows you were backing her, well that certainly wouldn’t hurt your reputation, right?”

“I don’t need a pat on the back from anyone, and I’m not grooming her. Find someone else. Maybe Stark or one of his lackeys.”

“Agatha,” Stephen rubbed his temple, and Agatha could tell he was growing tired of this argument. “I’m coming to you as a friend. I’m asking you, as my friend, to help me. Please, will you work with Wanda on the score?”

It wasn’t like Stephen to ask anyone for help, and Agatha knew he was serious about the potentially astounding success this movie held. Although Agatha would never, ever, admit it out loud, Stephen was one of the few people in this industry whom she trusted; he was her friend.

Sighing, Agatha finally nodded. “Fine. Send her to my studio on Monday morning. I’ll look over the score then.”

Before Stephen could get another word in she added. “And you’re buying me a drink. Let’s go.”

That Monday morning Agatha entered her private studio with a large cup of coffee- she had had a small studio built on her property a few years ago, and she personally thought it was one of the best decisions she ever made. The studio was well lit, with lots of windows and light shining in, framing the grand piano in the main room, where Agatha did most of her writing. The walls were lined with her awards, an almost overwhelming amount at this point. She had a small kitchen installed as well, for the days where she was so focused on a project and didn’t want to walk back to the house. Finishing her coffee, she sat at the piano and decided to get to work until Wanda showed up.

The only time Agatha felt at peace was when she was composing music. She always had dozens of themes and melodies floating around her head, playing on a loop, and the only way to get them out was by sitting at the piano and figuring out how to construct them. While a lot of the newer composers preferred online software, Agatha swore by doing everything by hand. It was the only right way to do it, as she didn’t believe it to be possible to feel the music if you were doing it through a screen. Composing had always come naturally to Agatha, and she never had any difficulty finishing a project, except for the one she was currently trying to work through.

The staff paper was nearly blank, as it had remained for almost a decade. It was untitled, and besides the key signature scribbled in her messy scrawl, the only writing was a short phrase that came to her in a dream. Every time she tried to add on to it, to continue the phrase or begin a new one, she was unable to. She was stuck, and it was a complicated puzzle she was intent on solving. Usually when she had difficulties writing for a film, she would watch over the scene and take notes, all while the various themes began to form in her brain. That was easy. But she had never experienced this mental block before.

Checking the time on her Cartier watch, Agatha shook her head at how late Wanda was before focusing her attention on her music. Attempting to find some inspiration, she began playing various riffs and chords on the piano in the key of B-flat minor. Composing was a lot like telling a story, and each part held equal importance. The introduction had to lure the audience in, and be captivating enough to make them want more. However, it was essential to not show all of your cards at once. Throughout the middle it was important to maintain a constant pulse, for falling off rhythm would be both distressing to the musicians reading the music, as well as potentially derailing the entire film. The ending was arguably the most difficult- wrapping things up in a way that made it cohesive was never easy. On top of that, it was fundamental to incorporate the main themes heard throughout the score, all while making sure it fit the director’s vision.

When Agatha thought of the composers who inspired her work, there were a few that immediately came to mind. There was Mahler, of course. The way he wrote his symphonies made it feel as if the music he was writing was coming to life off the page. Tchaikovsky made Agatha think of beautiful, soaring melodies that left an audience teary eyed. His works brought out the deepest emotions in both the performer and listener. Then there was Shostakovich. His abrupt contrasts in his music, and darker themes were intoxicating. There were others, of course. Holst, Sibelius, Beethoven, and at least a dozen others that Agatha studied over the years. But there was something special about the former three, something that resonated with Agatha.

Taking a deep breath, the composer closed her eyes as her fingers moved over the keys. Visualizing the notes, she tried to channel what she was feeling. Normally, Agatha was by no means an overly emotional person; she saved it all for her compositions, whose intensity she was renowned for. To her, it was crucial that no matter the level of musical expertise the audience held,that they were able to be overcome with whatever emotion Agatha wanted them to feel. That was the power of music. Even in a huge blockbuster filled with adventure and wonder, one of the shining features should be the tantalizing orchestral melodies, or the blaring trumpet solo.

As her fingers hit the keys, Agatha fell into the rhythm of the slow melody. The untitled piece was currently in a compound meter, labeled as a 6/8 time signature. That put an emphasis on the feeling of two big beats, so as she began her lethargic triplets, she was silently counting them to stay steady. The main melodic line was a phrase that Agatha played in a dream. It was full of hope and longing, and seemed to slowly lead further and further until it disappeared. The other times she had attempted to add on to it were futile, until today. Today she knew how to build onto the existing phrase, and lead into the next. Just as she was able to fully envision where she wanted to go, there was a knock on the door.

Of course. Huffing at the interruption, Agatha scrapped the piano bench across the wooden floor, yanking the door to her studio open. There in front of her stood an annoyed looking Wanda Maximoff. About time she showed up. The Sokovian composer’s messy auburn hair was pulled back, and she was dressed comfortably in jeans and a sweater. For the briefest of moments Agatha was stunned at how pretty she was. Wanda had a deep frown on her face, and her eyes kept darting back and forth as if she was annoyed with being there.

“You’re late,” Agatha said in lieu of a greeting, holding her arm out in invitation for Wanda to enter.

“You never gave Stephen a time,” Wanda corrected her, and Agatha frowned as the younger woman brushed past her. “Should we get this over with?”

Agatha was stunned at her tone, what exactly was Wanda annoyed by? She should be thrilled that Agatha wanted to work with her at all, as Agatha could think of a dozen other things she’d rather be doing. Leading the redhead through her quaint studio, she took a seat at the table. Wanda followed suit, and set her leather work bag down next to her. Agatha assumed the polite hostess greeting would be to offer Wanda a drink, but the composer saw no point in that. She was the one who wanted to get this over with, not Wanda.

“Stephen mentioned you finished the main character’s theme,” Agatha said conversationally, trying to keep her tone as polite as possible.

Wanda gave a small nod. “He said you looked at it over the weekend.”

Despite only being in Wanda’s presence for a few minutes, Agatha was beginning to get the feeling that the woman was about as thrilled as she was to be in this situation. “I glanced at it, and it was good. Perhaps I could take a look at the rest of it?”

Wanda opened her bag and pulled out her laptop, and Agatha grimaced. Of course she was using her computer. Wanda noticed the frown, and looked up at her. “Is something the matter?“

“No, no,” Agatha replied, thinking of the multiple favors Stephen Strange was going to owe her after this. “Carry on.”

After taking a few moments to get her score pulled up, Wanda slid the laptop across the table for Agatha to grab it. The composer took one look at the score and frowned again. She read it slowly, looking over each measure Wanda had completed, all the while making mental notes for things she would change. It wasn’t bad, not bad at all. Wanda was talented, Stephen was right. But she was sloppy at times. There were certain instrumental parts and phrases that didn’t quite fit together in some areas. Luckily that was something that could be resolved, as long as Wanda put in more effort. When Agatha was done, she closed the laptop, and was immediately met with Wanda staring at her with an unreadable expression.

“It’s not bad,” Agatha politely stated, still keeping her tone in check. “There are just a few things that could use tweaking. I’d suggest adding in more strings in the beginning, and perhaps more accents to emphasize certain notes.”

Wanda gave her an incredulous look. “Stephen said you were just going to look at everything, not that you would be making changes to my work.”

Any patience Agatha had left disappeared at that point. “I’m sorry if this is news to you, Maximoff, but constructive criticism is a big part of composition.”

“This wasn’t my idea to come here and work with you,” Wanda pointed out, growing more defensive. “I didn’t sign up to have my work torn apart by a has-been composer.”

Agatha could feel her blood boil at that statement. How dare that ungrateful imbecile even think to say that to her. Seething, she stood up, heading over to the grand piano. “Get out of my studio. Now.”

Wanda left without another word, whilst Agatha stewed at the piano, hoping that would be the last interaction she ever had with Wanda Maximoff.

[killerandhealerqueen]

Helloo! Good evening! (It's evening in my country 😁)

Can you suggest me some good bromance dramas with crime and investigation as main genre?

I watched S.C.I Mystery, Killer and Healer, The Devil Judge, Under the Skin and Sleuth of ming dynasty.

Can you suggest me some good bromance dramas? Chinese dramas are more preferred. But korean ones are also fine.

Thank you!

Have a nice day! 😊❤️

Hello! Oh, you absolutely came to the right blog about this particular question, as crime dramas are what I mainly watch!

As I can see, you've watched pretty much all the dramas that I would recommend for good bromance and good crime dramas. But I do have some others to recommend.

Cdramas

Master, Wait a Moment is a good one, though it is subbed by MangoTV so the subs are kinda...iffy. But if you can watch it without subs, then you should be golden. Love the bromance and it has a good overarching case, which we like. You will find one of the female love interests insufferable and unfortunately, that's the only downside but it's okay, you can just skip over her scenes if you really can't stand her.

Another good one is Psych-Hunter. Again, you will find the female lead insufferable (if you took her out the drama would still literally be the same, just minus all the dumb romance plot they had to throw in to pass censorship). But again, it's okay because the cases are interesting and the chemistry between the main leads is great. The ending though will fuck with your brain a little, so just be prepared for that.

Now, this isn't a bromance, but Couple of Mirrors is glorious. Supposedly they're working on a season 2 (because the ending of season one is very open ended) but oh man, oh man will you love these girlies. You'll hate Youyi's husband though and want to kill him every time he opens his mouth so...yeah. He's insufferable and I hate him.

Checkmate is another good bromance. If you've seen My Roommate is a Detective, then you'll know that it's the same main leads from that drama in this drama. I've never actually finished MRIAD because I could not stand the female lead (no seriously, I got through ten episodes before I had to drop it because of how much I hated the female lead) but I did finish Checkmate and I loved it. A few of the cases are based off of Agatha Christie's books, like Murder on the Orient Express. It's really good, good overarching case, lots of twists that you don't see coming...I enjoyed this one a lot

A League of Nobleman is also another good bromance, it's very interesting how the leads are tied together and the cases are quite fascinating.

Jiang Hu Shao Nian Jue is a short drama, with like 20 eps and each episode is short but if you like the dynamic of Chen Yuzhi and Jiang Yuelou or Bai Yutong and Zhan Yao, then you'll really enjoy this one

Pledge of Allegiance is another good bromance (there's like romance between one of the leads and the female lead but like...there's more chemistry between the main leads so bromance) but whoo boy will this one fuck you up a little. But it's got a lot of whump if you like that. And the cases are interesting

Desire Catcher is a lot like S.C.I. but darker. Ho my god, is this drama darker. But again, good overarching cases, the bromance is *chef's kiss* but be warned, there are two episodes that have sexual assault (not seen of course but you know what's going on in those scenes) and there's a scene where a character slit their wrist (on dramacool it's blurred but you can still see it and apparently on youku, it's not blurred at all) so just be warned. But would definitely recommend this one

Order of the Sommelier isn't a case drama, per se, but oh my god the bromance is so good. Again, if you like the dynamic of Jiang Yuelou and Chen Yuzhi, that's what these two give off and I was living for it while watching it. (Episodes are really short, so there's a complied movie on youtube that's like four hours long. However, you're going to have to go to either dramacool or kisskh to watch the last epi because the movie doesn't have an important scene towards the end)

Original Sin is another good drama to watch. The ending is open because we were supposed to have a season 2 but I don't know if that's ever going to happen. I fucking hope it does but...*sigh*

This will get long, so I'm putting the rest under the cut

Jdramas

I don't know if you like jdramas but if you do, here are some good ones

Doubles (I always recommend this one. It's one of my favorites)

Nippon Noir: Detective Y’s Rebellion (a little trippy, it fucks with your head but it's good and the cases are interesting)

Sherlock: The Untold Stories (Can't go wrong with a Sherlock adaptation. This is probably my favorite adaption of Sherlock, just because I really like the actors)

Chiisana Kyojin (very police procedural, corruption, the usual in most japanese crime/police dramas)

Aozora No Tomago (good/interesting crime drama, we love the bromance between the leads...it's a good one)

Where Do I Come From? (Boku wa Doko Kara) (if you like yakuza, this one is also a good one. And while this is like a crime drama, sort of, you're really more focused on the leads)

Rinshou Hanzai Gakusha Himura Hideo no Suiri and Rinshou Hanzai Gakusha Himura Hideo no Suiri SP (I really enjoyed these and I think you will too)

Cold Case 

Cold Case S2 

Cold Case S3

(These three are mainly just crime/cold case dramas. No bromance but the cases are interesting)

BG: Personal Bodyguard  

BG: Personal Bodyguard 2

(These two aren't crime dramas, per se, but the cases they take are interesting and the two leads are great. One of the leads is a main from Rinshou Hanazai Gakusha Himura Hideo no Suiri)

The Night Beyond the Tricornered Window (this one is based off of a manga and it's great. Love the actors and love the bromance (even though the manga/anime is BL)

Rasen no Meikyu: DNA Kagaku Sosa (a very science based crime drama but we love the leads and they argue like an old married couple. I think you'll enjoy it)

Bokura no Shokutaku (Not a crime drama, but the sweetest BL you will ever watch, if you haven't watched it already)

Kdramas

Missing Noir M (A good crime drama, open ending, cases are dark and a little fucked up but still good)

Tell Me What You Saw (this drama is dark and also fucked up, no bromance but the cases are good but do not watch this at night, it will fuck you up)

The Good Detective (S1&S2) oh I love the drama. It's a really good case drama and there is some bromance there. Second season is a lot more fucked up than season 1 but season 1 is still pretty angsty. But highly recommend

Beyond Evil (you need to watch this one. Need to. It's a must. It will fuck with your head and you will cry at the end but you will have been so glad you watched this)

Nobleman Ryu’s Wedding (cute, short BL. Definitely good)

The Guest (good drama, very dark, would not recommend watching at night if you don't like horror but the bromance is good)

Color Rush (another good BL)

You Make Me Dance (a BL that made me cry so...it's a good BL)

The Veil (no bromance but it's a great action/case drama. Will fuck with your head a little but I still recommend it)

Chimera (A mixture of the Devil Judge and Killer and Healer. Definitely something to watch)

Tinted With You (a really sweet BL)

Bad and Crazy (great case drama and great bromance)

Through the Darkness (I haven't finished the last 4 eps (i need to) but from what I've seen so far, I really enjoyed it. But holy shit, it's dark. It's dark. It's fucked up. You need to watch this during the day time do not watch it at night)

TWDramas

Danger Zone Season 1

Danger Zone Season 2

This is a great drama, love the bromance between the leads but again, it's dark. It's probably one of the darker dramas, up there with Tell Me What You Saw, Desire Catcher, and Through the Darkness. This isn't a drama you should watch at night because it's gruesome. And violent. But oh my god, it's so good

These are all the dramas I have to recommend, so I hope you enjoy anon!

[prsague]

PHASE I: INTRODUCTION

A warm greeting to all of you who set foot on this site. Since you’ve found your way here, I can only assume that you’re interested in learning more about me, and I’m ready to share a glimpse.

I am Parissian Erland, but you can simply call me Paris or anything with proper respect. Having reached the age of legal adulthood, I prefer masculine pronouns. I’m astrologically aligned with the scales of Libra, and when it comes to personalities, I align with the archetype of an INTP. As of Demigods, if I were to entertain the possibility that I am descended from a Greek God, Hades’ Cabin 13 might call to me as a potential home.

—

PHASE II: INTEREST

Knowing more about me, these are some of my interests in several things. Who knows, maybe we might have the same interests in common, right?

My tastes in music are diverse and wide-ranging, covering a large number of genres that suit my taste. To elucidate, some of my favorite artists include ENHYPEN, IVE, Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, Kali Uchis, Reneé Rapp, NIKI, Taylor Swift, Dewa19, Juicy Luicy, 5 Second Of Summer, Conan Gray, and Olivia Rodrigo.

I am also fond of Formula One, with a specific affinity for Scuderia Ferrari as a team and for Charles Leclerc as a driver.

Talking about my pastime activities invariably includes mentioning my passion for reading books. Among my preferred ones are titles like The Song of Achilles, Circe, Once Upon a Broken Heart, the Percy Jackson series, The Sun & Star: Nico Di Angelo Adventure, and works from the Agatha Christie series, while my fascination with movies spans the genres of horror, romance, and fantasy. Pinpointing a single favorite is actually challenging, yet I’m inclined to label Corpse Bride, The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Everything Everywhere All at Once, Long Live Love, and The Murder on the Orient Express as my top five movies.

Last but not least, I also have a keen interest in poetry, with a particular fondness for the works of poets such as Nizar Qabbani, Franz Kafka, and Mahmoud Darwish.

—

PHASE III: DISCLAIMER

You might recognize me from my previous account, but it’d be wonderful if you avoided discussing any past occurrences.

I express my thoughts freely, occasionally using profanities. Please refrain from following me if you’re under 18 (MDNI), homophobic, or meet the basic criteria for DNFI.

The idea of engaging in conversations with people intrigued me, so feel free to hit me up, as my DMs are always open.

[nobleriver]

tag 9 people you wanna get to know better!

tagged by: @spacewives-in-spacetime in this post (who already knows I'm wordy as crap so all of this is your fault)

three ships: OTP: Doctorriver (from Doctor Who, all incarnations), BatCat (Batman/Catwoman), SasuSaku (Sasuke/Sakura from Naruto/Boruto)

I am a huge romantic. Romance, to some capacity, is required in almost every story I read or watch. As a result, I have a lot of couples I like. But shipping is another level of interest. So I decided to go with these three because I spent the most money on them lol. I've bought comics, audio dramas, books, and boxsets. And for those wondering why I didn't put Klaus/Caroline from TVD...they broke my heart that's why. :(

last song: Over the Love by Florence and the Machine

last movie: Avatar 2

currently reading: *takes a deep breath*

Ariadne: The Novel. Literally just finished this morning, so my frustration is still fresh. I absolutely adore the story of Ariadne and Bacchus. I almost wrote a novel based on them when I was 19 but I decided not to continue. But because I am so familiar and fascinated by them, I should not have bought this book. The book itself is fine. It was just a mismatch of expectations.

Yes, in the Greco-Roman myths, there is a running theme that some individuals are heroes to men but dogs to women. And there are few variations to Ariadne's story, so one never knows which direction the author will go. But there is more to Ariadne than being a perpetual victim to all the men in her life. At least, to me, there is. This is why, if I have doubts, I usually check the middle of a book before I buy it. I checked this time too, and I thought I was safe, but it was actually the last pages that ruined it for me.

I wanted to read the liberation and empowerment of Ariadne, her conversion from the naive, discarded princess to the triumphant Libera, the ascendant goddess whose name literally means free; the woman who latched hold of a once in a lifetime opportunity and carved a place for herself in the halls of Olympia after her lover, Theseus, abandoned her to starve to death on the shores of Naxos; the Libera who watched, enthroned, as her would-be killer suffered a series of mishaps and fell from grace in the eyes of gods and man.

And were all those mishaps accidents? Or curses? And if so, by whom? Her? Bacchus? Another deity? Is Ariadne foolish or cunning, haughty or generous, vengeful or forgiving? There are so many routes her story can go. However, this book does not take the route of the empowered Libera. It has a negative character arc, which - again - is fine, just not for me. Unless it's about the protagonist turning into the villain in which case it's 100% for me.

Other books I'm currently reading because I do not read one book at a time: Francine Rivers's The Lady's Mine; Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None; Tom Baker's Scratchman; James Patterson and Emily Raymond's The Girl in the Castle; and Jacqueline Rayner's Legends of Camelot.

And don't get me started on the endless list of ongoing manga/manhua I read monthly.

currently watching: Nothing really. I've been meaning to watch the latest season of You. And I've rewatched a couple Doctor Who eps for research (fanfic) purposes. But I don't really watch tv anymore, at least I don't regularly follow any tv shows like I used to.

currently consuming: electrolyte water as prescribed

currently craving: Food. I'm hungry but I don't want to cook. But guess who promised to cook today? Me.

@iceinherheart-kissonherlips @livingdeadblondequeen @expelliarmus @wibblyowzah @whogirl42 @benoitblanc @nostalgia-tblr @watson-emma @clarabosswald

[saintsenara]

HUGE fan of your writing! that snape & mcgonagall fic… omg 😍😍🤩. would love to hear about any of M, R, and X you want to answer please!

thanks for the ask, pal!

[writing ask game here]

m: any premises on the back burner that you’d care to share?

a recent conversation about voldemort and gender identity has inspired me to get back to work on a fic which has been simmering on the hob for a while: the entire story, from 1926 onwards, but with a female voldemort.

now, i'll be honest, i don't really care for gender-swap stories as they tend to be understood in fandom [or, at least, in the fandom spaces I inhabit]. i read and write a lot of voldemort-centric slash pairings, and the non-voldemort character is very frequently made female in these for reasons i am never particularly comfortable with - e.g in gender-swap tomarry to make harry totally powerless in the pairing, which is a portrayal of harry which is very much not for me. i also hate that gender-swapping one character is sometimes used to render slash pairings more "palatable".

however, i love the nuance with which many of my favourite writers have approached gender in their stories - which is, imo, crucial, given the author whose work we consume - and i think that playing with gender in fics is fascinating. and i think, then, that approaching characters even through a binary gender-swap can be interesting and valuable in both general stories and ones based around pairings.

and voldemort is a very interesting choice for such a thing.

after all, how is a female voldemort building power? how is her loss of beauty perceived? does slughorn and dumbledore's treatment of her read as creepier than it does for the canon tom riddle? does hepzibah smith's read as less so? what is she called and how does she feel about her name? does she still call herself lord voldemort and why? is bellatrix still her favourite death eater? how does she groom ginny? what is like to know your mother died in childbirth when you possess the anatomy to have the same thing happen to you?

it's turning out to be quite complicated to answer these questions, so god knows when it'll be finished, but it is there cooking away for now...

r: are there any writers (fanfic or otherwise) you consider an influence?

i am an enormous murder mystery fan, and the basic structure of the murder mystery novel is how I start most of my multi-chapter writing. i'd like to think there's a certain agatha christie-ish tinge to my work, although for naming characters i like to channel the spirit of p.g. wodehouse.

my favourite authors, though, are vladimir nabokov and shirley jackson, and their style - the writing almost like cinematography, the lingering sense of societal ennui under the surface - is something i aspire to emulate.

x: a character you enjoy making suffer:

trevor the toad.

snape deserves the chance to kill him and give us all something real to argue about.

[spaceorphanssecondbreakfastclub]

Reading Agatha Christie: Crooked House

Crooked House is one of Christie's books that is ultimately remembered by the twist at the end -- kind of like The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. And is often placed on top ten lists of Christie's work -- even remembered by Christie as one of her favorites. Is it really that good? That's an interesting question, that doesn't have the easiest of answers...

The story revolves around the Leonides family and the murder of the patriarch - Aristotle Leonides. The novel is narrated by Charles Hayward, the love interest of Aristotle's granddaughter Sophia -- as he helps unravel the mystery behind the murder.

I think one of Christie's strong points is that she does these family dynamic murders really well. It's a theme that does continue to crop in her stories and I think while she does have a few trope-ish characters when it comes to these novels, she's able to shape them in a way that it doesn't feel redundant of things she's already written.

The thing about this novel is that the focus on the murder is the only thing going on. There really aren't any subplots, and there really aren't any diversions either. The book, as with so many of her novels in the 40s, becomes a character study -- more about those living in the house and under the influence of Leonides than it is about the murder.

But it all leads to that shocking twist at the end, which... God, I even hate to say it, might have been more shocking in 1949 then perhaps today.

The thing is -- I did remember how this one ends, and I did find it fascinating upon reread how well the twist becomes apparent? It didn't necessarily hinder my reading of it - I kind of enjoyed being able to peek behind the curtain as I was able to catch Christie's clever set ups and hints.

The thing that makes my thoughts on it complicated, though, is the fact that I think the novel feels somewhat thin; especially knowing where it's going. It's one of those books that I think does work really well when you first read it - because you become so emersed in who did it and why, but I think I did miss Christie's tangents and layering in of more complicated plots. It might be the tightest novel she's ever written, and somewhat simple, too which isn't a bad thing. But I guess I wish I had just gotten more.

Overall, yes, it is a good book. The characters are pretty well drawn and the story is effortlessly easy to follow. The ending is a bit unnerving, and it is one of her most unique twists. I do recommend it, even if I'm not over the moon in love with it.