#her and bertha are just so lovely together

[fuckyeah-dragrace]

soa is how i greet everyone oml "hello my caucasians!!"

[irenespring]

Look at my evil princess. I love her so much. She's an unstoppable force of chaos that is simultaneously bent on assimilation. She is the worst person ever yet I am always rooting for her. Companies rise and fall based on who she wants to invite to dinner. I want her to destroy the world.

[draculas-hairy-palms]

Here’s my question. Carmilla comes to Laura’s castle (cue big staged carriage “accident”) after having (presumably) seduced and killed the General’s daughter.

Is Laura truly special, or did Carmilla fall in love with Bertha just as she did with Laura?

Did Carmilla also promise Bertha an eternity of death together — “to die as lovers may—to die together, so that they may live together”?

Does Carmilla even know how to turn someone else into a vampire? (All the girls she’s preying on in the village don’t seem to be rising from their graves, so it isn’t automatic.)

Or is she cursed to spend an eternity falling in love, again and again, killing lover after lover in a futile attempt to keep them with her forever?

[gogandmagog]

Anne of the Island, by L.M. Montgomery

Anne of the Island, Chapter Three!

Here comes Redmond! It would be on a Monday, too.

Two things I really, really love: that Di and Anne wanted to drive to the station together, and Anne’s sense of foreboding/little “presentiment” that she was actually leaving Green Gables forever. Of course, we readers know this to be true, but we thankfully have the advantage of knowing yet another truth... that yes, Anne can be happy somewhere else. I also wonder how much of Anne’s foresight is linked, in terms of the bends-in-the-road, to the appeal and/or dread of the ferry itself (as last time she was a passenger, it brought her from the asylum to Green Gables), because it seems to be the very vehicle of Anne’s shifting futures.

“Dora […] was one of those fortunate creatures who are seldom disturbed by anything.” Funny. I can’t tell if this is supposed to be her natural-born disposition or if it’s a defense mechanism learned by way of necessity, on account of having Davy for a brother.

Something else (of virtual inconsequence) that I like to note about the boat interlude, is that Anne’s internal monologue demonstrates clear annoyance towards Charlie, supposing that he’d be only pretending to be sentimental about watching PEI disappear from their sight... when only one or two lines later, it’s Gilbert that’s actually openly unsentimentally commenting, “Well, we’re off!” But Anne is somehow rather fine with that, lmao. I suppose it’s just the pretense that bugs her. Or maybe it’s the pretense of Charlie being able to relate to her feelings that bugs her? Meanwhile, there’s zero pretense in Anne’s ability to comfortably share her truest feelings with Gilbert. Cute!

That Gilbert’s not-so-very-sentimental over leaving Avonlea is not particularly strange, either. He is 21, and he has been largely out of his parents home, experiencing self-reliance, for over a year now, while boarding and teaching at White Sands. The age gap between Anne and Gilbert is nearly always negligible, but here in this one book I do think it’s occasionally a little glaring. Anne’s just a wee and nervous fledgling, dipping a pinky toe into the pool of independence, where as Gilbert’s wings are strong, and already maturely developed. 

Anne of the Island, Chapter Four!

Anne of the Island, by L.M. Montgomery

Every time I read this chapter, I’m reminded of the main difference between Anne of Windy Poplars and Anne of Windy Willows… which is that the Canadian publisher, for Windy Poplars, was mighty concerned about Maud’s fixation on graves and cemeteries and gruesome deaths throughout the text, and asked for quite a lot of it to be cut out. The English (Windy Willows, that is), however, really said doooon’t care. 🤓

Much respect and credit due to the Montgomery scholars, who have over the years hunted up and presented the following photos of Old St. Paul’s Burying Ground in Halifax, as close as possible to how it would’ve looked, for Anne and Pris and Phil.

Pris feeling like an ‘elephant’ at registration because of her considerable height, besides just making me sad for her, is always a source of curiosity for me. Anne is tall too... but she is proud of this, and when people speak of Anne being tall, it’s always in a tone of admiration. So, I wager we can guess that Pris must dwarf Anne’s tall? In the 1880s, historical data generalises that the average Canadian woman was 160 cm or 5’3[ish]. Anne, being ‘tall’, was probably 165 cm or 5’5, soooo Pris, markedly feeling enormous, maybe 172 cm? 5’8? This would be boyishly tall, since the average man of this time-period was the same 172 cm or 5'8.

Phil! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Btw who’s gonna take one for the team and dream up an “Anne of Mount Holly” fic, an (obvious) AU where Anne’s mum Bertha and Phil’s mum were pals (since they’re from the same city, after all), and it ends up it’s actually the Gordon’s that take Anne in, when her parents pass. An Anne from luxury, instead of an asylum.

“Thanks,” laughed Anne, “but Priscilla and I are so firmly convinced of our own good looks that we don’t need any assurance about them, so you needn’t trouble.” How far Anne has come. I think of that Louisa May Alcott quote, “love is a great beautifier.” Maud also leans heavily into love as transformative/beautifier for so many of her girls, and imo this is a pretty great message and overall universal truth, security and kindness giving way to confidence.

Okay, but between the two, as described, am I on crack or is the obvious choice not Alec? Or maybe I’m prejudiced against the name Alonzo, as well.

Anne going cold on Phil the second she mentions finding Gilbert ‘really handsome’ is soooy charmingly Anneish. Bonus points to Pris here, because evidentially she knew to begin preparing to leave in that moment too. Girlish solidarity.

The connection between Phil and Ruby is yet another point of interest to me. They share nearly the very same lines, sometimes, here specifically when we march steadily backwards to Anne of Green Gables when of Ruby the narrative asserts for her, "Frank Stockley had lots more dash and go, but then he wasn’t half as good-looking as Gilbert and she really couldn’t decide which she liked best!" Compared of course to Phil’s, “I like them both so much that I really don’t know which I like the better.”

Anne of the Island, Chapter Five!

Anne of the Island, by L.M. Montgomery

Gilbert Blythe is good at everything he puts the tiniest amount of effort into. 😌😌😌😌😌😌😌😌😌 He’s class president, he’s football captain, and he’s singled out among the other members of the freshman class, to join a frat. Niiiiice. I know I’ve totally yapped about it before, but I think it’s wildly intriguing that Maud put Gilbert into Lamba Theta, when irl there were only three frats existing across all of Canada. Even when she attended Dalhousie, almost two decades after Anne and Gilbert attend Redmond. Small potatoes Dalhousie wouldn’t have a proper frat until 1923. So, I’m dying to know where from she gathered her frat info, especially as she’s obviously familiar with hazing/initiation processes. Elsewhere, the good news is: a Victorian-era frat was a legitimate intellectual and debate society, not a collection of dudebros in Sperrys, having beer pong championships at 9 am on a Tuesday.

“Gilbert Blythe won’t take any notice of me, except to look at me as if I were a nice little kitten he’d like to pat. Too well I know the reason. I owe you a grudge, Queen Anne.” Gilbert Blythe also has tunnel vision. You can line up every single one of the above ^ accolades, but none of them hold as strong or are even half so appealing as this; Gilbert’s capacity for fidelity. Phil’s the best-looking girl in her class, and besides which is also enormously clever and funny and affluent, and yet her attempts (“won’t take any notice of me” implies that Phil did try, and did seek said attention) fall flat. His heart has been spoken for since he was 13, you see.

Officially entering ‘Queen Anne’ 👑 into the registry of Anneisms.

"Even the grumpy old professor of Mathematics, who detested coeds, and had bitterly opposed their admission to Redmond, couldn’t floor her [Phil]." This was reputedly a real fellow iirc. In a magazine article from I think, 1912, A. Wylie Mahon published a review of Anne of the Island, in which he stated emphatically that “Redmond College is Dalhousie University” (true) and that the 'grumpy old professor of Mathematics, who detested coeds,' “was known to the students of his day as ‘Charlie'...” (possibly true).

“I don’t believe any but fools enter the ministry nowadays,” she wrote bitterly. PFFFT 😭😭😭 I laugh every time I read this letter. I wish I could correspond with Mrs Rachel.

I do wish I could forget about the ugly ‘big black man’ story that Davy shares, but is anyone familiar with “the old Harry” he refers to? 🧐 I’ve never been able to tell if this is a Mi’kmaq Gugwe reference or if it’s just supposed to mean literally like… some guy… named Harry. Orr?

[atlasdoe]

hiii, have any unpopular hcs on some characters not well talked about in the marauders era? i literally adore they way u think (specifically not the main groups) :))

HELLO!!!!

when it comes to the unknown characters it's hard to say what's exactly popular and what isn't but to my knowledge these are some headcanons i have that are unpopular :)

(also by the "main groups" i'm going to assume you mean the marauders, skittles, snapes gang and lily, mary and marlene so i won't be speaking of specifically any of them in this post but if you want any hcs for any of them let me know :)

ik a lot of people like to group them all together and call them the "amethysts" (which i'm so curious to know how that name came about) and i am so not onboard with this hc i can't lie 😭 i do not think they were all friends with each other or that they even all spoke to each other

I only really have hcs for two friend groups for the majority of them

Edgar Bones, Amelia Bones, Fabian Prewett & Gideon Prewett (i call them the blackbirds because they're all hufflepuffs and their patronus' are all birds) and they're also friends with Benjy Fenwick, Caradoc Dearborn and Pandora Ollivander

Emma Vanity, Florence Greengrass, Septima Vector, Bertha Jorkins and Aurora Sinistra (i see these girls as like the IT girls of Hogwarts and 2 years above the marauders)

the rest i obviously see as having friends but it's less organised friendgroups if that makes sense

some other unpopular headcanons i have

- Benjy Fenwick was a Slytherin and his parents were death eaters (his father agreed with Voldemort but his mother didn't and told Benjy to earn Dumbledores trust so that he could escape the death eaters)

- Emmeline Vance was not alternative/emo (and i've been seeing a lot of Emmeline being friends with Evan Rosier and I literally have no idea where that came from and hate it (sorry to anyone who likes it)

- Edgar and Amelia didn't have pink/dyed hair. Their family was very conservative and there's no way they would've gotten away with that

- Hestia Jones was a Ravenclaw (i see a lot of people hc her as a Hufflepuff) and kind of a mean girl. She was very headstrong and blunt

- Benjy Fenwick and Amelia Bones were head boy and girl in 1976-1977 school year

- Amelia Bones was a lesbian and madly in love with Pandora Ollivander but never told her how the really felt because she knew Pandora didn't feel the same

- Amelia Bones also figure skates

- Sybill Trelawney and Hestia Jones are best friends and Hestia is the only person who doesn't call Sybill weird

- Fabian and Gideon Prewett were Hufflepuffs and not ginger (i see them more as a dirty blondeish)

To top it off allow me to use this as an excuse to push some of my fave ships :)

Emmeline Vance & Edgar Bones (MY BELOVEDS)

Hestia Jones & Alexander Stabbins

Florence Greengrass & Aurora Sinistra (even though i hc that Florence cheats on her and it ruins their entire friendship group)

Camelia Solis & Dahlia Fleur-Peri

Amelia Bones & Pandora Ollivander (tho as i said i never actually hc that they get together)

Benjy Fenwick & Caradoc Dearborn (these guys are pretty popular but i had to include them)

Gideon Prewett & Septima Vector

I'm having trouble coming up with any others the are specifically going against the more popular version of these characters that i can say without me going on a two day context rant 😭 for now i hope it's enough

thank you so much for your ask and kind words, if you want to know any hcs for specific characters/groups/ships just let me know i'm more then happy to rant about any of these guys <3

[greeniebeanieships]

This has been in my drafts for soooo long and I'm finally getting to it. I've wanted to do this for a while teehee.

OG post here. Credit goes to @brutally-loving. Thank you!!

What do your F/O's hugs feel like?

Big and warm and so, so soft. Lottie is aware of her strength and, if she allowed herself, her hugs would be bone crushing. But she makes sure her hugs are so soft.

What are your favorite dates to have with them?

A late evening date on the beach. We're both in our sundresses and our shoes are abandoned at our matching towels. We don't go swimming, but we do walk along the shoreline, letting the water run over our feet. We pick up any pretty shell we come across and show one another before putting it back. But we keep one for a souvenir.

What are their favorite dates to have with you?

A cozy night in. We both have steaming hot cocoa in our matching mugs. She has whipped cream, I have marshmallows. We're on the edge of a food coma from the filling dinner we made together. We both have our own fluffy blankets so that one doesn't have more blanket than the other. A movie plays quietly on the television.

Do you have any songs that remind you of them? Do they have any songs that make them think of you?

I have quite a few that remind me of her. [Can't Help Falling in Love by Elvis Presley] [You'll be in My Heart by Phil Collins] [Hey Lover by The Daughters of Eve]

For Charlotte, she thinks of me when she listens to; [Oh My Angel by Bertha Tillman] [Ma Belle Evangeline from Princess and the Frog] and [Can't Help Falling in Love] as well

What's the height difference between you and your F/O?

I'm 5'4". Charlotte is 5'11"

On a 1-10 scale, with 1 being the least and 10 being the most, how much do they like PDA with you?

About 3 for both of us. We don't like blatant PDA but we like to hold hands. The most we would do is small kisses on the cheek but that's only when we're comfortable.

What's your favorite feature about your F/O?

I can't just pick one! Everything about her is absolutely beautiful and perfect. Especially her imperfections. I think they're some of my favorite features about her. Her imperfections are what make her so, so beautiful. From her uneven skin to her unibrow. It's all so beautiful.

What do you think they smell like?

Realistically? ...not great. But that's okay, I help her wash up and get on her own two feet when we're okay. I think she smells like a candle I have, driftwood and sea salt. But still have a sort of musky scent to her that doesn't have an explanation. It's just her.

What is your F/O's biggest love languages? They don't have to be one of the "five", it can be anything specific they use to show you love.

Like me, she can't stick to any one love language. She shows her love through a little bit of each. But something she knows I love is letting her guard down around me, showing me she trusts me. You know that slow blink cats do? Yeah, she does that often.

Do you guys sleep in the same bed? If so, what's it like sleeping with them?

It depends on what we're feeling that night. We have separate rooms in case one of us needs some alone time, which is not quite often. But when we do choose whose room we're staying in for the night, it's nothing but the softest touches and quietest whispered nothings before we eventually fall asleep.

While asleep, she's a light sleeper and sleeps completely still. I'm a mover in my sleep but she's gotten used to me so much that her brain lets her stay asleep when I move a smidge too much that would normally wake her up.

What's your favorite headcanon of your F/O?

Aw man. Same thing with the favorite feature one. I can't just pick one!

Charlotte's usual laugh is like a deep chuckle. Not too loud. But when something gets to her and she really laughs, it's loud. It's the kind of laugh that makes her face scrunch up, her eyes squint, her shoulders bounce. And she snorts. Cutest thing to ever exist.

She has a lot of pent up emotions from having to be "strong". But when she feels safe enough to let it out, she's an ugly cryer. It's loud and messy. But that's okay. She needs it.

Charlotte's favorite ice cream flavor is strawberry, with vanilla coming at a close second. She likes the "soft" flavors.

Animals love her. They seem to sense her gentle soul past her exterior. She's a Disney princess.

What is the dynamic you and your F/O have?

I fell first, she fell harder.

What does your F/O do for you when you're having a rough day?

She actually doesn't really have to do anything. Just her presence is enough to calm me. I could be holding all the rage in the world, look at her, and it all dissipates in a second.

Do you like to hold hands? If so, what's that like?

Absolutely. Her big, rough, scarred hands in mine is one of the best feelings ever. We actually prefer clasping our hands instead of interlocking our fingers, if that makes sense.

Do they like to give you little kisses? If so, where is their favorite place to kiss? (Face, hands, etc)

That's the only kind of kiss she gives. Either quick pecks or slow kisses, they're all the softest kisses on earth. She loves kissing my cheeks and hands, I think they're her favorite places to kiss me.

Vice versa, do YOU like to give them little kisses? If so, where is YOUR favorite place to kiss?

I'm mostly the same. She loves it when I give her soft kisses. I love kissing her lips and especially her scars. I know she loves it when I show love on her scars.

What's your favorite silly leisure activity to do with your F/O?

One word; stickers. Stickers everywhere. We have a large selection of stickers. Normal, scented, puffy, textured. When we have free time, we put on a random cartoon for background noise as we store our stickers in sticker paper books, which we have countless of.

What is your favorite compliment that your F/O gives you? What is your favorite nickname that they have for you, if they have one?

Charlotte's never one for nicknames, but she loves complimenting small things I do. How I did my hair, how I put on the small amount of makeup.

"Tu es très belle, mon amour."

What's your favorite compliment to give THEM? What is your favorite nickname to call them?

I love calling her My Lottie. Something about it is so personal and specific. She blushes whenever I call her that and I love it so much. I love complimenting Charlotte on anything. Literally anything. Anything and everything I can about her.

[ash5monster01]

Perfect to Love

Pairing: Steve Harrington x FemReader!PlusSize

Warnings: fluff, mentions of bullying, body image issues, fat shaming, angst, trust issues.

Summary: Beth Walker was used to living in the shadows. She had only one friend and anyone else who paid her mind usually bullied her for her size. So she learned to keep her mouth shut, her head down, and her heart closed because she had to accept the fact that she would be nothing more than the fat girl to people. That is until Robin decides Beth needs more in life and that might just include a boy who she never would’ve thought could see her for who she truly was.

word count: 1,326

→ Part 1

Masterlist

"Bertha!" chuckles from teenage boys followed the sneer that came from Colin Matterson's mouth, football captain, and all around douche. Beth recoiled into her self as heads turned to look at her and her peers chuckled. People thought they were clever adding two little letters to her name, instead they were just mean.

"Eat shit Matterson!" Robin stood and yelled to which the boy just brushed off and continued on his way to a seat in the bleachers. Beth felt her breaths coming out in heavy paces but she appreciated Robin for sticking up for her. "Don't listen to him Beth, he's an asshole"

"You know I ignore him" Beth told her, adjusting the strap to her marching band helmet. Robin took notice of how her flute trembled in her hand despite the tough facade she was putting on.

"Still Beth, people like him aren't going to matter by the end of the year" Vickie piped in. Ever since the three had been placed beside each other in the line up they had gotten to know each other. They also learned that Beth was super cool despite being silent most of the time. Things used to not be so bad until Barb Holland passed away, leaving her to be the only bigger girl left in their grade.

"I know, just hurts that he's right" both girls instantly gave offended looks, quickly muttering off how she was one of the most prettiest girls they knew but sometimes those comments didn't hold a lot of weight opposed to the mean ones. Beth knew it was wrong to not think her friends were sincere but if Colin Matterson was the one calling her beautiful things would be a bit different. Being seen at all by somebody new would be different.

"Beth nobody is perfect and you in comparison to Colin Matterson is a thousand times better and I mean it. You have more personality and good qualities in your pinky finger than he does all together" Beth offered a smile because a small part of her knew she was right. Yet after years of opposite comments there was still a small part of her that believed Robin was just saying it to make her feel better.

"Thanks Rob" but Robin knew she still didn’t get through to the girl and that thought frustrated her more than anything. Beth deserved to be seen for the amazing person she was, somebody like that shouldn’t have to hide from the world because of some stupid standard of beauty. It pissed Robin off to no end especially when she knew if Beth looked how people thought she should look she would be the most popular girl in school.

Robin kept this in mind throughout the entirety of the pep rally, walking Beth to her car, and waiting for Steve to pick her up. She was frustrated not only trying to find a way for others to see how amazing Beth was but for Beth to see herself as such. Robin knew what hating yourself could be like, it took years for her to accept being gay. Some things you can’t change and the sooner you learn to accept them the happier you’ll be. Yet since she couldn’t come up with a sure fire way she continued to be frustrated.

“What’s with you?” Robing looked up from the returns she was stacking to see Steve leaned against the counter giving her a confused look.

“What do you mean?” she asked and he quickly chuckled, a shake of his head swaying some stray hairs loose.

“You’ve barely said a word since we’ve gotten here. Normally you’re going on and on about how cute Vickie was at band practice today. You being quiet is weird” Steve told her and Robin finally sighed, falling against the counter like she had finally given up.

“It’s Beth” Steve rose his eyebrows in a suggestive way and Robin shook her head against the counter top, a sign that it wasn’t like he thought.

“Beth Walker, you remember her?” Robin asked and Steve shook his head which only caused Robin to sigh harder.

“She’s my friend and easily the sweetest girl on this planet but she gets terrorized at school, she doesn’t even know how cool she is because of how terrible to other students are to her” Robin explained and Steve suddenly felt guilty for not knowing her despite being a grade ahead.

“Why are they bullying her?” Steve asked, curious as to what reason someone would have to treat a sweet girl badly.

“She’s bigger, kinda like Barb but shorter. They call her Bertha” Steve cringed at the mean name, even he could feel the sting of it.

“That’s awful Rob” he told her and she nodded as she lifted her head from the counter.

“It is and Steve she is so great. Like the coolest chick you’d ever meet. She drives a brand new corvette and the kids still treat her like shit” Steve smiled at Robins defense for the girl, the thought comforting him to know she’d do the same for him.

“Have you tried telling her this?” Robin let out a small groan as she started to pick at a stray string on her shirt.

“All the time but I know she doesn’t listen. I can’t blame her though, when the same people keep building you up and hundreds of strangers tear you down it doesn’t do much. That’s a battle meant to be lost” Robin wished that her words could resonate with the girl but the only way they would is if someone like Colin Matterson finally came around and started saying them. Then suddenly it hit her. “You used to be a dick right?”

“Woah, what the hell?” Steve held his hands up and Robin rolled her eyes.

“You know what I mean Steve, you weren’t the best guy back in the day” Robin defended and he dropped his head.

“That’s way harsh Rob, you know I’m not like that anymore” Robin nodded and began to move around the counter to face him.

“Well yeah, you’re super cool now. But guys like Colin Matterson still think you’re King of Hawkins?” Steve thought about it before nodding, he graduated with the Mr. Popular reputation even if he still didn’t feel like he had it.

“Not that I’m proud of it but yeah, those guys all still think I’m hot shit” Steve said as he crossed his arms. “So what’re you getting at?”

“Meet Beth, hang out with her in public, if people see you with her they might realize it’s not her size that matters” Steves eyes widened, totally not seeing where this conversation was going.

“I don’t know Rob-”

“Please Steve, she’s so great. It doesn’t have to be right away, I can bring her to a movie night or something. She just deserves to be seen for who she is and I can’t help her with that but you can” Steve pressed his hand to his eyes, thinking about it for a moment before turning to her.

“One movie night, then I’ll think about it” he told her as he pointed a finger at her and she began to jump and cheer. “You’re something else”

“And you’re the best Steve Harrington, truly” Steve tried to hide his smile but he couldn’t help it as he watched Robin become so happy over the thought that she could help a friend.

If Robin had claimed this girl was so special maybe it was worth a shot. Hell he never even really thought of Barb as big, it was mainly Tommy and Carol that ever bullied people for things like that. Yet he realized he wasn’t much better never even realizing her when he knew most of her grade because of Nancy. The size didn’t matter to him, but if he didn’t like her and started bringing her around wouldn’t that be just like using her?

a/n: if this is a story you guys would be interested in plz let me know, I am also aware I have not finished my Rooster Series yet but I do have the outlines for the remaining chapters so I wanted to get a head start on this. I think the concept would be cute and I’m a sucker for the fact I think Steve Harrington would be all about plus size girls. I think this could be a cute short little series <3

let me know if you want to be added to the tag list

[dontforgetoctober3rd]

Masterlist of my fics so far

Forgot how frustrating writing was but also how much I used to love it (I was churning out fanfics every other day when I was 14 lmaooo)

A lot of them I genuinely pulled out of my ass, a few I had to entirely rewrite before publishing on here and a couple are unfinished BUT this is them! It's a wide variety (Mostly House of The Dragon, my current obsession, but there's other fandoms too!)

Not This Time

A short, Cregan Stark-centric drabble about his grief during Jacaerys' visit to Winterfell. This is a sad, doomed-by-the-narrative fic.

A Piece Of Home

A oneshot Aemond Targaryen X Yi Ti OC fic. Nothing but cute and peaceful domestic fluff!

Come Go With Me

An extremely cheesy, corny, Michael Gavey oneshot where he meets his dream girl at the bread and butter, 'ol reliable of every meet-cute fanfiction: a coffee shop. I love it tho! Tried my best to keep Michael's personality canon compliant (imo)

Life Eternal

A multi-chatper hotd fic based off another incredible hotd fic (which I highly recommend), Second Sons by @avengingangelfanfic .

Status: unfinished

The Lesson

A short Rhaemond (Rhaena X Aemond) drabble where Aemond basically openly simps for his wife Rhaena via caring for her hair and has...issues with how some men perceive that as demeaning. So he handles it lol

Untitled Aemond X Rhaena fic

Pure fluff. I never gave this a title, but all the same here is the summary: Pregnant Rhaena craves limes/lime-flavored things so her husband Aemond of course does everything he can, causing innkeeper Hotpie some difficulties in the process. Hotpie is actually the star of this fic lmao

Untitled Aemond X Rhaena fic 2

More random Rhaemond fluff. A no dance of dragons AU where everyone gets along, the lovely couple is at a ball having a discussion on when is the appropriate time to say the "L" word to someone.

A Keen Eye

A mini Aemond x Rhaena fic that they aren't actually in but it's still about them! It's a bunch of highborn girls gossiping about their marriage.

Untitled Daemon X Rhea Royce fluff

Exactly what it says on the tin. Not really a coherent story but little snippets of their life together if their marriage had been a happy one.

Spillways

A multi-chapter The Gilded Age fic featuring Marian and an OC who is a future Earl! Agnes is also a huge part of this story, I love her character!

Status: unfinished

One Day

Another Gilded Age fanfic, this one is just a little snippet of Bertha's mother's life in Ireland before she married.

He Is

However cheesy you might find my Michael Gavey fic, this oneshot out cheeses it for sure. A crossover Bridgerton/HOTD fic with some Skyrim mentions, it's a timeskip to where Philomena Finch is of age and on the marriage mart. Except, she doesn't want to marry. She wants to write! Aemond also loves to write! Well, well well...and yes, the title is another Ghost song surprise surprise.

[greenerteacups]

Oooh can you talk more about fashion in Lionheart? I love love Narcissa’s letters to Draco in the beginning, loving him more than tea and champagne and silk pillowcases—the glamour and indulgence of it all!

[rubs hands together] Well. I'm going to take advantage of these asks and go full-indulgence, then.

Since you mentioned Narcissa, I'll run with it: Cissa is always wearing black. Always. Usually she's wearing a gown or elaborate dress, modeled after the Edwardian style; sometimes, a nightgown; and sometimes it's "leathers," which I interpret as some kind of corseted fighting habit with a knee-length skirt and light armoring — in fact, heavily modeled after the outfit that Bellatrix wears in the films, only she'd wear a blouse underneath it (she's not indecent).

The color does a couple of things for her. First, it's obviously a nod to her family. (Sirius, incidentally, also wears black all the time. In fairness, black leather was having kind of a moment in the 90's, and he's a bit of a punk himself, but there's still a parallel there if you want to see it.) Black is also a color of mourning, and Narcissa is someone who lives heavily in the shadow of the past; in her prologue to Book 4, we see that she wakes up in the morning thinking about Andy and Bellatrix, and then has an imaginary conversation with one of her hallucinations while she gets dressed. None of this seems unusual to her. She's quite literally haunted — she's a woman trapped in an old English country estate with only servants and ghosts for company, slowly going mad, while the social order around her crumbles; it's all very Jane Eyre, very Turn of the Screw, very Gothic. It's like if Rochester had died and left the house and Adele to Bertha. And she dresses for the part! When her son rocks up with an unwanted houseguest, she swans down to dinner in white tie! She's saying, yeah, I am that bitch, and you should be intimidated by me, and this is not like the houses you're used to. Say what you want about Narcissa, you can't say she doesn't have panache.

Then you have her hair. I made a conscious decision to tweak the Black sisters' hair from the books, where they all have radically different hair colors and textures, because I wanted to underscore their similarities, not their differences. They're sisters; they grew up together; it's not realistic that some of them Just Are better/sweeter/nicer people, and I don't like what it suggests about the morality of the HP universe if that's how it works. Anyway, so I gave Andy and Bella basically identical hair, and I cribbed Narcissa's hair from the movies, where she has this cool two-tone black-and-white bouffant going on. The thematic reasons for this are (1) it looks sick as fuck, (2) it looks sick as FUCK, and (3) I think there's something really interesting about the idea that Narcissa either chooses to dye her hair to resemble her sisters or dyes it to differentiate herself. Whatever her natural hair color is, she's changed it to try and take control of her relationship to her family/past, and the reasons for that are intriguing.

[olithetalker]

Speculation: Why many people find Ben Florian unlikeable

Okay so just for the record, this is essentially an analysis post on the Disney series - Descendants. Specifically on the character of Ben Florian, but more so about the reception of his character and why I think people have responded to him the way they have. Gonna be fairly longish so yeah. Anyways, hope you enjoy! :)

Introduction

Pretty much ever since I first saw Descendants, I have been a huge fan of Ben. (Which is no secret if you've read my blog ;)). I think Mitchell Hope did a fantastic job with the character, and his performance really drove it home.

So it's always been quite... Confusing to me that so many people don't like his character. Tumblr isn't too anti Ben, but on YouTube videos and on TikTok, a lot of analysis around him is typically quite negative. The charms of the character that I see and that really make the series for me, really don't work on everyone. And that's something I've found very hard to understand.

But as of a conversation I have had with @hannahhook7744.. I had an epiphany. As to why this character just seems to be a breeze of annoyance to many. And I think the answer lies in tropes and expectations.

First let's talk a bit about another character, a fan favourite - Audrey Rose.

What role does the character of Audrey Rose play in feelings of spite toward Ben?

I think most dislike for Ben stems from the story of his ex girlfriend -Audrey. We get shown it to some extent in the first movie, but it's much more explicit in the third.

In Descendants 1, Ben and Audrey were together. And while under the influence of a love spell cast on him by protagonist Mal Bertha, he performs a love song to Mal in front of the entire school. Naturally humiliating Audrey and breaking her heart.

After the performance, Mal and Ben start dating each other, much to Audrey's understandable anger.

The movie ends with Ben and Mal happy together and everyone is delighted about it yada yada. And then we get an entire sequel where Audrey does not make a appearance.

It's then in Descendants 3 that she makes a comeback. We see that she and Ben have been friends since childhood, and that she's still hung up on him.

Then, again publicly, Ben proposes to Mal. Mal happily agrees and everyone is delighted, except of course, Audrey. She is further heartbroken by this.

The devastation Audrey feels from losing Ben to a girl who literally enchanted him, causes her to have a emotionally moving breakdown in her bedroom, singing "Queen of Mean", a song about heartbreak from rejection.... At least that's what it's about at first.

It then turns into a song of vengeance. Audrey swears revenge on Mal and Ben for the ordeal she has been put through. She takes Malificient's sceptre from the Auradon Museum, and it changes her look, style of talking etc etc. She's a new person. A person hellbent on getting even with the two people who are (intentionally or not) responsible for her heartbreak.

And that's where we enter - the tropes.

The Tropes

The kind of character arc Audrey has had is pretty common. A girl gets her heart broken by a guy. Maybe he cheats on her. Maybe he breaks up with her in a unfair manner (like in this case). And the girl decides to get even with the guy and the "other girl" who has taken her place in his life.

Except... Here's the thing.

Most of the time in this story archetype, the guy really is a heartbreaking douchey thob.

I mean think of any time you've seen this storyline other than Descendants. When is the guy who has dismissed the girl ever really portrayed in a decent light?

In this specific situation, it's not that simple. Yes, Ben did break up with Audrey by publicly humiliating her. And yes, that's extremely brutal. But he didn't choose to. He was acting under a mind controlling love spell.

But nonetheless, this is probably the only instance where the guy breaking the girl's heart like that genuinely was not his fault. It's pretty odd to get a situation where the guy cheating on the girl really didn't willingly do anything wrong. But nonetheless that's what this is.

Ultimately 9 times out of 10, the role Ben plays in this archetype storyline really is of the bad guy. And so it is very compelling to see this the same way. To overlook how at least as far as the break up incident itself, Ben was not at fault, and just see him as the jerk who hurt Audrey.

Audrey's story is also relatable to real life stories too

Another thing which sadly does not go in Ben's favour either, is that this kind of story isn't just found in fiction. Art reflects life, and what Audrey is unfortunate to experience, for the most part, is all too real.

Many people are unfortunate to get hurt by their partners in real life through things like cheating, or just something involving a "other girl/woman". And the pain from this.... Is not forgettable.

And so I think a revenge fantasy of hurting the unfaithful person and their new consort is very common.

Add onto that that lines Audrey speaks in D3 are written to be relatable and impactful. ("There's nothing to lose when you're lonely and friendless, I won't let another person take advantage of me, the anger burns my skin third degree, now my blood's boiling hotter than a fiery sea etc)

I think with that, it's all too easy for victims of these sort of situations to project their own case onto Audrey's. To see Ben the same way they see the guy who hurt them. And in some cases, to see Mal as how they see their homewrecker, and perhaps want to see her get hurt by Audrey too.

And in real life, there is no love spell that makes people cheat against their will, like there was for Ben. People in reality who do the thing that Ben did really are responsible for their hurtful actions.

So ultimately, the sorts of real life people Ben is being associated to by viewers, aren't particularly decent.

Also, the revelation that Ben and Audrey are childhood friends just exaggerates all these feelings. The people who have been hurt by partners who actually had significant meaning to them are the ones who will naturally relate to Audrey most. And again, project their own experiences onto this girl and the people in her life.

The mistake Ben DID make; wrong but taken out of proportion

Ultimately, while what Spell!Ben did is the sort of thing that gets done all the time irl, it is also pretty evident that as I keep saying; he wasn't in control of himself when he did it. So for many people, even the ones who can relate to Audrey, that fact will be acknowledged.

But the truth is, there is a mistake Ben made. After the love spell was lifted, Ben never went to see Audrey to comfort her after what happened. No doubt that inaction would have fuelled the already existing heartbreak. I mean if Ben had had a word with her, maybe he could have given her closure and made her feel better. But he didn't.

There is no justification for this. Ben was in the wrong for this failure.

But it should also be considered that Ben isn't a 40 year old man who has just left his wife of 10 years. He is a teenager. He is still developing in terms of maturity.

Communication, especially about difficult topics, isn't something teenagers are the best at. I mean if Ben were to approach Audrey, we can tell that it would have clearly been very understandably awkward for him (again, not an excuse, but a point to consider). I mean, if you had just done something so awful to your childhood friend/ex girlfriend, regardless of whether or not it was your fault, approaching someone who you'd expect is probably very angry about it is quite unnerving.

But none of these factors would be considered by a lot of audience members, and for understandable reason:

Because of the tropes, expectations and their personal experiences, they are pre set to see Ben in a negative light. So the thing he WAS wrong for, they understandably will find it harder to empathize with and see from his perspective.

[el-moscorrofio-y-el-mercachifle]

As you recently posted that you are worried about the third series without Gaitan I would ask some questions. First, what did you thing of the second series *Ecomoda*? What would you want Betty, Armando, et al. to be up to decades later? Are there aspects of the original series you would like to see followed up?

Hiii thanks for the questions!🥰

Tbh, I never watched Ecomoda. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for the cute Armando/Betty fluff, but I really saw no point in it (and it always looked so oversaturated with colors that it was unappealing to me lol). So some of the things I'd love to see might have been answered already in Ecomoda and I judt don't know lmao. Although That's also part of my issue with this new coming series!

Regarding what I would like to see, new and continued, and in no particular order, I'd love:

Tributes and/or mentiones of the original cast members that are no longer with us. Perhaps Hugo keeping a portrait of Inesita on his desk and occasionally making comments to it (("ay, Inés, ¿está viendo usted la porquería de puntadas que son estas? No, es que esta gente es alérgica al talento, de verdad" while he's in the middle of one of those tantrums or something before moving on. Just general and occasional comments in a way that leaves the viewer with the sure knowledge that Hugo loves and misses Inesita, and that for him she'll forever be his best friend and she is never forgotten but also not to an unhealthy degree you know??)). Bertha talking about her Gordito on the phone or to the Cuartel (just because the actor passed doesn't mean the character has to, too). Betty mentioning something like Catalina moved to another country or something but that they are still the best of friends and keep in contact often; or Camila saying she's planning to go on vacations with her Aunt Cata for the summer. Just in general, I'd love for this new part to not forget those who participated in the original, and for all the relationships and friendships that were so cute and strong to remain as such in the new one.

Betty and Armando still in love. I want them to be so in love and devoted to each other, but I also want to see them as a team working together in Ecomoda. I also want them to be respected. Maybe the Cuartel is not so aprovechado anymore? Lol

Flashbacks. I want some more details about their lives, things that we missed for the past 20+ years

Clues about the characters' pasts. I want to know Marcela and Armando's childhood. I want to know when Nicolás and Betty became besties. I don't need big full scenes, but a casual mention like, Armando going "oh, sí, yo tenía tu edad cuando...". Just to fill in gaps that the original left (although I'm also fearful of too much info considering Gaitan is no longer the one writing them)

Unfortunately, there are characters that aren't coming back even though the actors are still around. I want to know what happened to Daniel, to Sofia, to Jenny. I want to know what happened to Daniel after being so stupid as to invest every single penny he owned and put it in a proyect that led nowhere lmao. I want to know what happened to Jenny.

I'd love to see Freddy and Jimmy being good friends. Jimmy doesn't have to call him dad, but I want it to be super clear that Freddy basically is and they love each other as father and son (as seen in ysblf). Just imagine their bond now, after so many years! Hopefully Freddy and Aura María are still going strong

I don't remember if Mariana is coming back, but I'd loved to see her actually getting a modeling career like she wanted

I want to see the relationship between Betty and her in laws

I want to see how Marcela came back into their lives (which is honestly baffling and I'm still unsure about this decision, but I understand they had to bring back the iconic duo)

I REALLY don't want Patricia to be redeemed. I don't. She never seemed like she wanted to be redeemed. But if she is, they better give a super good explanation

I also don't want Mario redeemed lmao. I hope he still is the hedonistic womanizer with no sense of morality. Again, I don't think he wanted to be redeemed.

In general, my only three real expectations are: Betty and Armando still together, good and faithful characters, and a good story. I really don't see the need (besides money lmao) to bring it back, so I'm not having much hopes ((especially regarding the characters. I really hope they aren't further flanderized!))

Thank you for your question🥰🥰

[irenespring]

Thoughts on Bertha Russell (Many Thoughts)

I am So curious about Bertha Russell's backstory. We have little snippets:

Her father was a potato farmer.

She has lots of mommy issues. (George mentions her mother said she was the only child "worthy of her dreams" to which Bertha angrily responds that her mother's dreams were worthless because she died with nothing which is A Lot)

She has sibling issues. (George offers to invite her sister to a thing and she refuses)

She and George met when they were both poor, they made the fortune together.

She had a distinct learning curve when they first got to New York. She bought The Wrong House and made The Wrong Friends and had to learn and relearn things over a period of years. (I am especially interested about this time, because she would know Nothing, being the ultimate outsider, but she is a tactical genius and viciously ambitious...I want to see young!Bertha in the early stages of the struggle before she knows how to dress/talk/act).

I hope we will learn more about her because more than any of the other characters she wants things. Things that are nebulous, but she doesn't seem to realize are nebulous, because she has clear goals but they don't satisfy her so she has to make another goal. Loving husband doing well? Not enough. They have enough money to hear the call of the guillotine? It's not enough, they need status. They have status? Not enough, they need to beat Lina Astor. Now they've beaten Lina Astor, but I don't think anyone thinks that's going to be enough. George points out multiple times that he is content where he is and content to let their children marry for love to people of what Bertha considers middling station. She's the sole driving force for continued social climbing. And it doesn't matter how high they get, she wants to go higher, she wants to go "all the way" but there isn't an all the way unless I guess you're Empress of the World. But then the moon starts looking awfully conquerable.

She claims she's doing it for their children, but both children have said her suggestions aren't what they want. And it is heavily implied she just sold her only daughter to the Duke so he would attend an opera performance. She wants Gladys to marry the Duke so that she will be grandmother to English nobility. It's for her. So she is willing to use her children, her alleged motivation, as pawns. They aren't her real motivation after all, even if she may think they are. I do think she loves her children and George. I also think that she thinks she's helping Gladys, but I also think there's a limit to that love because it exists beside the yawning void of hunger within her psyche. George outright asks her if his love for her is enough to make her happy early in s1, because her love is enough for him. She says it's "almost enough" and that's significant and enough for him, which is telling, when usually any answer other than "yes of course" would be taken by a love interest as a searing betrayal. Anyway, the point is, her kids/her family are, at least, not her entire motivation and might not factor into her motivation at all, if she is fully honest with herself.

So, the hunger. The call to Rise. The rage that has her hyperventilating in bed alone after her failed party instead of crying in her husband's arms like most television characters would do. The instinct to look upon a room of people and think you will all bow to me you sniveling mortals. Why is it there? Like...why is she Like This? I think some of it has to come from what we can learn just from George's comment about impossibly ambitious, ruthless, low empathy Bertha being the only one "worthy of her mother's dreams." Which means her mother had dreams that were very important to her and that she never achieved. Her mother also guarded said dreams and judged her children harshly, we know Bertha has at least one sister, who is apparently judged not worthy in the eyes of her own mother. We know Bertha does not like talking about this and tries to dismiss it. Was there pressure on Bertha to be worthy? When could that have started and how did it manifest? Circling back to my interest in young!Bertha in NY, if the social rejection was bad in s1, it was probably worse then, and constant social failures would have made her angrier and more determined to both to become the queen of New York society and to see it burn. This is all stuff I want to learn more about in season 3.

HERE IS WHERE I PRETTY MUCH JUST DO PREDICTIONS (WHICH MAY BE TINFOIL, IDK):

Because I think we will finally get to see Bertha Russell: Season Villain. Every season needs a villain, and Bertha has pretty much vanquished all of them. The first couple seasons the overarching villain has been New York Society with its inequalities and pointless social cruelty, if that holds, Bertha is now the head of that system, having beaten Lina Astor and set herself up as the queen. Additionally, side opponents (not really villains) like Agnes also aren't in a position to make major problems for the protagonists because the Van Rhijn household is now the Forte household and cinnamon roll Ada is now in charge. Unless Agnes attempts to usurp her sister in a subplot (which I don't think will happen except for maybe one episode of hijinx) she's not in a powerful spot. The Society character is indisputably Bertha. And Bertha has been up to some serious villain shit. If she did agree to marry Gladys to the Duke, she's now against All the Protagonists---a sure sign of villain status. She's even against her husband, who swore to back Gladys in her choice of love match, and Gladys doesn't like the Duke. If Gladys wants out, Larry will almost certainly help her. And Saint Marian will help Larry either for love reasons or moral reasons, and hopefully Peggy has better things to do but she will probably get dragged into it somehow and if Marian's involved Ada's also involved and you see where this is going.

Also, show pacing wise, Bertha is due for a loss. I love her and I want her to win everything and be declared Empress of Earth and Moon but realistically that isn't going to happen. In a show where villains lose, it checks out. Gladys isn't going to marry the Duke, and if she does, everyone is going to regret it. One reason I think we will learn more about Bertha and her history is because if she loses she's going to Lose It. Dramatic monologue style. When she had a party and no one came she swore eternal vengeance and spent the night Angry Breathing and presumably fantasizing about the Red Wedding. She doesn't handle losing well. A big public loss after achieving every status symbol she could think of would probably break her mind, and she'll probably tell whoever she's talking to (probably George) enough backstory info that we the audience can fill in stuff. This is also where I would guess she and George would reconcile where he would see she is the person he loves and has not transformed into an automaton, she's just Messed Up, which he always knew and loved so he is Back In.

IN CONCLUSION:

This is who Marina was writing about. She is a primadonna girl, and all she ever wanted was the world. She cannot help that she needs it all, in this case the primadonna life: both the rise and the fall. She also knows exactly what she wants and who she wants to be. This is why she walks and talks like a machine. Unfortunately, she is becoming a self-fulfilled prophecy.

Oh, oh no. Oh no. Oh no. Oh.

[droughtofapathy]

DOA's Gilded Age of Broadway Divas: Fic Masterpost

I will fill this godforsaken world with my tangled web of lesbianism even if it kills me. Presenting over 800,000 words of femslash featuring our beloved Broadway Divas of The Gilded Age (HBO).

As the Tables Turn (Aurora Fane/Bertha Russell | 5,848 | E) Bertha Russell will do anything to earn Mrs. Astor's approval. Even if it means taking lessons from Aurora Fane.

Taking Mrs. Astor to Task (Aurora Fane/Lina Astor. Aurora Fane/Anne Morris, Lina Astor/Dorothy Scott, Lina Astor/Sylvia Chamberlain (past) | 30,989 | E) Mrs. Astor decides to sow the seeds of competition among her flock. She assigns five daunting tasks to the ladies of high society with herself as the grand price. The consequences end up being a little more…extreme than she’d anticipated.

Everything Was Possible (Aurora Fane/ Lina Astor, Lina Astor/Sylvia Chamberlain | 5,004 | M) Aurora just wants what's best for Lina. And if forcibly trapping her in a room with her long-lost lover is it, she's willing to make it happen. Though admittedly, Aunt Agnes's bedroom was a questionable choice of meeting.

Nothing's Gonna Harm You (Aurora Fane/Anne Morris, Aurora Fane/Lina Astor | 12,222 | M) Anne Morris goes off the rails and kidnaps Aurora Fane.

A Hundred and One Strokes (Aurora Fane/Anne Morris | 5,010 | E) A woman's hair was her crowning glory, and Aurora Fane couldn't keep her hands off of Anne Morris's. A hundred strokes with a boar-bristle brush, just like their mothers had taught them. And then one more for luck.

Getting To Know You (Aurora Fane/Sylvia Chamberlain | 61,856 | M) An unlikely friendship between a social butterfly and a social pariah brings up all sorts of decidedly unfriendly feelings.

On a Bright Cloud of Music, Shall We Fly? (Aurora Fane/Sylvia Chamberlain, Sylvia Chamberlain/Lina Astor, Aurora Fane/Sylvia Chamberlain/Lina Astor | 221,796 | E | Modern AU) A divorced and destitute Aurora Fane seeks out employment in an upscale boutique and inadvertently falls in love with a seamstress. And her wife.

Backstage Babble (Aurora Fane/Lina Astor | 7,791 | E) Twenty-five years after running away to become a famed opera singer, Aurora Fane returns to New York City and has a chance encounter with Lina Astor, who has never missed a performance.

When the Last Little Star has Left the Sky (Aurora Fane/Sylvia Chamberlain/Lina Astor, Anne Morris/Dorothy Scott | 56,609 | M) Snapshots in the lives of Lina Astor, Sylvia Chamberlain, and Aurora Fane as they grow old together. A continuation of "On a Bright Cloud of Music, Shall We Fly?"

She Said Silvio (Lina Astor/Sylvia Chamberlain | 12,039 | E | Modern AU) Five years after a bitter divorce, Lina Astor is ready to get back in the saddle. After nearly three-hundred messages over three weeks to a charming stranger on the internet by the name of Chromolume#7, Lina agrees to meet her Romeo for dinner. What happens when "Romeo" is a woman?

The Night Mysterious (Lina Astor/Sylvia Chamberlain, Aurora Fane/Anne Morris | 5,152 | E | 1950s AU) It was all Anne's fault. If Anne hadn't been away for so long, Aurora wouldn't have missed her so. And if she hadn't been as restless and ill-tempered, she would have never been awake at the witching hour and seen what she had. But Anne was away. And Aurora couldn't sleep.

Not Much Reason to Rejoice (Aurora Fane/Armstrong | 7,181 | E) She knew better than this. Every time she ventured down those stairs, she brought herself a little closer to her breaking point. But Aurora knew herself too well to believe she had any power to stop.

Some Have Longer, Some Have Never (Aurora Fane/Lina Astor, Aurora Fane/Sylvia Chamberlain, Aurora Fane/Anne Morris | 8,071 | T) In the wake of her death, Aurora's three great loves are drawn together in their shared grief as they try to understand why this happened, who has suffered more, and how they can possibly move on.

Heat (Lina Astor/Bertha Russell | 8,552 | E) In which Lina Astor and Bertha Russell engage in IUD™ (Insane, Unsafe, Dubiously consensual) hate sex.

Hit Me With a Hot Note and Watch Me Burn (Lina Astor/Aurora Fane | 8,666 | E | Ambiguously Modern AU) When the stress of such a high-powered career leaves Lina Astor itching for an outlet for her ire, Aurora Fane knows just what to do. A 1950s housewife frock, a hot meal, and a riding crop, just for fun.

The Beauty Is… (Lina Astor/Sylvia Chamberlain | 10,443 | E) Nearly forty years after breaking Lina Astor's heart, Sylvia sets out to right the wrong of yesteryear. Garbed in nothing but a thin nightdress and a string of pearls, she waits for Lina on a chaise lounge like a virgin sacrifice. But she has never been good a playing the blushing maiden.

How to Handle a Desperate Housewife (Aurora Fane/Susan Blane, Aurora Fane/Susan Blane/Bertha Russell | 4,152 | E) Tucked up in Newport, in the partially-renovated drawing room of the Widow Blane, two unlikely souls take solace in each other’s company. Little do they know what lurks behind the heavy drop cloths just waiting to pounce.

People Get Hurt (Lina Astor/Agnes van Rhijn, Armstrong/Agnes van Rhijn (one-sided), Lina Astor/Agnes van Rhijn/Armstrong | 28,175 | E) The psychosexual obsession of one lady's maid towards her Mistress, and the homoerotic* tension she harbors for her Mistress's lover. More IUD™. *the homo- stands for homicide, in case there was any confusion.

Pretty Like Springtime (Aurora Fane/Anne Morris, Aurora Fane/Sylvia Chamberlain, Aurora Fane/Lina Astor | 1,000 | G) Aurora Fane knows she is pretty. Pretty like starlight twinkling up above. Pretty like clear blue skies. Pretty like spring. She throws herself at winter’s mercy, and chases down summer’s warmth. And she misses autumn so much that she cannot breathe.

Anne and Aurora at the Noir de Lune (Anne Morris/Aurora Fane/Dorothy Scott | 19,435 | E | Ambiguously Contemporary AU) Ladies, is it gay to find out your best friend has never had an orgasm and hire her an exclusive sex worker, but then insist on attending the session…for moral support?

A Difficult Conversation (Aurora Fane/Lina Astor | 3,161 | T) The worst part about Lina Astor's humiliating defeat at the opera was Aurora Fane's betrayal. Word had spread throughout the city like wildfire, helped along by the self-styled fun-maker herself, that Mrs. Astor was not receiving visitors. But Aurora Fane was no mere visitor.

Twelve Angry, Raucous, and Shamelessly Gilded Women (Gen with subtextual lesbian tension | 36,258 | M) Five widows, three housewives, two spinsters, a businesswoman and a cook walk into a jury deliberation room. At first, they are unanimous that a nineteen-year-old boy returned home one late night and killed his parents in cold blood. Until one jury member in a pretty blue frock dissents.

A Perfect Little Death (Agnes van Rhijn/Armstrong | 5,822 | M) For three blissful years, Agnes van Rhijn has not once been called upon to perform her wifely duties. But as the country enjoys a Christmas of peace at long last, her nightmare returns with a vengeance. Powerless to protect her Mistress from the master's cruelty, Armstrong does what she can to staunch the bleeding.

Everything's Different, Nothing's Changed (Agnes van Rhijn/Armstrong | 3,002 | T) At her age, whatever that might have been, Armstrong had no patience for the frivolity of birthday celebrations. If anyone were to ask (and no one ever did) she hadn't the faintest idea of the year or the day or even the month she had been born, and growing older didn't concern her. This was a lie.

Gilded Birds (Aurora Fane/Bertha Russell | 37,629 | M | Detective Noir AU) Brought low by hard times, Bertha Russell's made a reputation for herself as Manhattan's slickest gumshoe in the business. But when Charles Fane turns up dead in his car one wintery night, a pretty little songbird like Aurora Fane is going to have to do more than just sing for her supper if Bertha wants to save her from the gallows.

By the Blue Purple Yellow (Lina Astor/Sylvia Chamberlain, Aurora Fane/Sylvia Chamberlain, Aurora Fane/Sylvia Chamberlain/Lina Astor | 7,767 | M | Painter AU) An artist who immortalizes New York's high society in classic works of art, Sylvia Chamberlain is an irresistible temptation to one Mrs. Astor. And she gives into that temptation again and again for over twenty years. Until a pretty little socialite in blue brings the canvas crashing to the ground.

Lady Fair was She (Aurora Fane/Lina Astor, Sylvia Chamberlain/Lina Astor | 30,678 | M | 1910s AU) Aurora Fane answers an ad to become a companion to the reclusive Lina Astor. Featuring Sylvia Chamberlain as the flirtatious gardener.

The Sun Comes Up, I Think About You (Ideal Iselin (OFC)/Elaine Ferris (OFC) | 45,809 | E) The tragic love story of a lady and her maid, as played by the lates Marin Mazzie and Jan Maxwell, respectively.

Larks Never Will When They're Captive (Aurora Fane/Literally Every Other Woman in the Story | 84,191 | E | Murder Mystery AU) Ten people gather on Robins Island for an amusing, delightfully droll weekend in the country. When a harmless parlor game reveals troubling secrets, and their eccentric host drops dead on the sitting room floor, the guests soon realize their reputations aren't the only things at stake. And the bodies just keep piling up.

Familial Resemblances (Aurora Fane/Nancy Adams Bell | 62,36 | E) Nancy Adams Bell and Aurora Fane share a clandestine tryst while at one of Mamie Fish's parties.

Everybody Ought to Have a Maid (Lina Astor/OFC | 8,698 | E) Lina Astor gets spanked by her lady's maid and then absolutely railed.

Impertinent Queeries (Aurora Fane/Bertha Russel | 2,422 | M) Basking in the glow of post-coitus and waning afternoon sunlight, Bertha Russell asks her lover a rather personal question.

Goodbye Twelve, Goodbye Thirteen (Aurora Fane/Sylvia Chamberlain | 10,440 | E) Aurora gets edged a dozen times and survives to tell the tale.

Everybody Loves Aurora (Aurora Fane/Nancy Adams Bell | 37,445 | M | Edwardian AU) To her chagrin, Nancy Bell must share her quarters with fellow teacher Aurora Fane, and she is not pleased. If only Aurora were not so pretty and polite and perfect...

[ashesandhackles]

HP re-read: Goblet of Fire (Part 3)

Chapter 31,32, 33, 35,36,37

Harry hearing the trial is important because it deepens the seed in him for wanting to finish the war. He thinks about how it was Voldemort who had ripped Neville's parents away, and why BCJ went to Azkaban with his mother fainting and his father asking him to rot. His world has expanded.

Ron being a bb and being like how the extra jinxes they learnt is good training for them being Aurors. I love how childlike his assumption is that this is what the three of them will end up doing. Always the three of them against the world. <3

ooh Harry's initial shield charm is weak. Set up for when it gets stronger later in the series - it's one of the spells he uses in the final battle, one that protects Molly from Voldemort's wrath.

Sirius sending daily owls and then giving Harry a muddy paw print as a good luck card. I LOVE HIM.

Fudge apparently looking stern next to Maxime, and her eyes being "rather red" while Hagrid kept glancing at her from along the table. What a subtle way of telling us what happened here.

Cedric raising his wand to shower red sparks for Krum after being tortured by him. This is a good moment, because Cedric doesn't know Krum is under the Imperius, and he could have just let Harry do it. But he also raises his wand along with Harry, right after saying Krum would deserve being eaten by a passing Skrewt. Nice character work.

Harry politely asking the sphinx to move <3

the chapter really sets up its imagery: a dark overgrown graveyard, a church, a yew tree, an outline of an old house on the hillside. The yew, in particular, because its associated with Voldemort. (we also see baby! Voldemort being carried into this setting by Peter)

there is also something about Voldemort's father's house overlooking the rebirth at the graveyard - the above/below positioning of it all. Such a strong image.

"blank and expressionless as windows of a deserted house": as we note earlier, Avada Kedavra is a spell that releases the soul from its container. So this specific imagery of a deserted house - a body that no longer houses its soul is very eerie, very effective.

every image in this chapter is horrifying: Harry tied to Tom Snr's headstone, baby!Voldemort at his feet, Nagini circling the headstone.

Interesting what was Voldemort's understanding of why his father left his mother: "He didn't like magic, my father", "the fool who gave me his name - Tom Riddle". We know from HBP that he pieces together a story from Morfin's account of what happened - and he thinks it's his father who gave him the "ordinary" name. Even with Voldemort's hatred for his father, it is him Voldemort assumes an active role for, and not his mother. His negative feelings are directed against his father.

"may your loyalty never waver again Wormtail": Voldemort does gift giving and rewards with implied threats. XD

"one who I believe has left me forever, he will be killed of course" : Snape. I would kill for a conversation between Snape and Voldemort, when Snape comes in two hours late.

Peter convinces Bertha for a night time stroll. Where is Peter's adventures in Albania before he returns to Voldemort story? He has been quite busy.

Voldemort Villain monologues the entire chapter. He is so overt with his immortality hints that I am surprised baby Reg is one who catches on. Speaks to his and Sirius' upbringing a bit.

"and now, you face me like a man, straightbacked and proud" : the crumbs we get of James Potter's characterisation and how Harry uses this taunt later to empower himself to fight. ("he was going to die upright like his father")

James arms Harry with knowledge of what he must do, whereas Lily's role is more to offer him comfort (its the nature of the books. Lily gains a more stronger role in last 2 books, whereas the first 5, James is central to Harry's development)

Harry leaps over the cup (his means of escape) to get to Cedric's body first - all this with a broken leg. What a pure boy. It is not only the fact that Cedric asked him to, but because he has also witnessed the desecration of a dead body in the ritual. He recognises it as a violation.

BCJ's father wound pouring out of his monologue, and the need Voldemort fulfills or one BCJ hopes he would fulfill is that he will be closer than a son, that he will be singular, noteworthy and special among Death Eaters in a way he wasn't to his own father.

@dragonlordette talked about how BCJ! Moody was in tune with people's feelings and she is right: the careful way he manipulated Cedric, Dobby, and planted a book with Neville well in advance shows someone who watches, catalogues people's behaviour, so he knows which buttons to push.

Rowling planting Snape's loyalties here: she emphasises Snape's face in BCJ's Foe Glass both when three of them burst the door open and once again when he enters to survey the room.

Crouch's mother's love as a destructive force that enabled the rise of Voldemort when she broke her son out and took his place in Azkaban. (love as destructive force is a theme that series plays with both in good way and bad way - and more overtly in HBP)

I love how seamlessly Dumbles, McGonagall and Snape work together. When McGonagall is losing it over the Dementor's Kiss, Snape sarcastically explains what Fudge has done (" he seems to feel his personal safety was in question" Imao)

Sirius spends all year obsessing over a plot in the tournament and that someone is out to get Harry, and he sees Harry in this state, his suspicions are confirmed in worst possible way. His hand shakes when he helps Harry into a chair .

Harry drawing comfort from Fawkes. <3

Sirius, noticing how Harry was avoiding Dumbles eyes, harshly tells Dumbledore that Harry needs sleep <3

the "gleam of triumph" in Dumbles eyes that set off so many fan forums when GOF first came out.

Sirius gets so upset when Harry mentions how James asked him to escape, so for the first time in the whole meeting, his face is in his hands. (instead of Harry's shoulder) In Sirius' eyes, he failed to protect Harry and James' ghost saves Harry instead. It is a reminder of his failure.

also hilarious that no one besides Madam Pomfrey questions the presence of an emotional support dog. (also like the best emotional support dog in question, Sirius growls at Fudge for insinuating Harry's liar. I would love to hear the cussing out Sirius is giving him)

Snape makes a "sudden movement" when Lucius' name is mentioned. Snape's feelings for the Malfoy family, despite actively working against them, is complicated.

also how throughout the altercation between Dumbles and Fudge, Mrs Weasley had to keep a hand on Harry's shoulder to prevent him from rising.

Another person who has had enough of Fudge in the scene is Snape. Snape showing his Dark Mark to the Minister of Magic is legitimately one of my favourite moments of him in the series. It's a stand he is making - and in rereads, his loyalty and commitment is clear as day.

Harry wants Sirius to stay. I love that Harry actually asks for what he needs when it comes to Sirius. BB :heart:

"He had no memory of being hugged like this, as though by a mother" AHHHHHHH.

ah Cho crying when they raise a toast to Cedric upsets Harry. He looks down in response :(

Impassive face Hermione = Hermione who has just been kissed goodbye by Krum. (also that Harry isn't surprised when Ginny later reveals that they did indeed kiss)

Ron asking for Krum's autograph makes Hermione smile, and him assuring Fleur her english is good enough already makes her scowl The range of emotions she experiences in this scene.

Harry asks the twins to buy a different set of dress robes for Ron and say they are from them. Harry learns how to be careful and sensitive with Ron's feelings. What a sweetheart.

[usergrantaire]

phew that sure was an episode of the gilded age

- we’re finally getting ✨DRAMA✨ and it is delicious

- also i loved peggy milking a cow in her fancy day dress

- finally larry’s fling with mrs blane is coming to an end…… but i don’t think that’s the last of this storyline we’ll see

- him saying “i thought we were going to get married and be together forever” is peak “im in my twenties” levels of delusion

- ok i know there won’t be a lesbian maud beaton….. but let me dream 🥲

- bertha clown moment switching out her and turner’s place cards. her entire tug of war with turner over the duke is hilarious and i cannot wait to see more of it

- speaking of turner!! we finally got a first name after a season and four episodes!!! it’s enid 💀

- her and oscar recognising each other at the dinner was a treat

- man after the way she lorded her academy box over bertha just to have it snatched from her by mrs astor AND had the duke snatched from her as well i just know she’ll be out for blood next episode

- ada and the reverend. i think they’re cute together but omg that proposal was so rushed? like so rushed im beginning to suspect he has a wife in the attic situation iykwim. and ada immediately says yes?? girl we have like half a season left 😭

- frances very unsubtly trying to set her dad and marian up and marian wants OUT

- since this is a fellowes show i don’t have high hopes but what i would LIKE to see is the striking workers absolutely fucking george’s shit up

- gladys wasn’t in this episode but i know that bertha’s gonna try to sell her off to the duke. and she’ll probably strong arm george into agreeing to it by holding the whole “naked lady’s maid in his bed and lying about it by omission” thing over his head

- “i don’t WANT other dukes, i want THIS duke! WE found him, and he’s MINE” immaculate and hysterical line delivery. very veruca salt core. no notes

that’s all for the week folks see you next week

[rose-of-oz]

Plot Bunny Game: Descendants, Ben and Mal ship?

Thanks so much for this, Charlie!! Gonna tag the rest of the Descendants gang @dancingsunflowers-ocs, @ginger-grimm, @auxiliarydetective, and @ginevrastilinski-ocs!! <3

NAME: RaeLynn Fitzherbert.

LOVE INTERESTS: Ben Beast + Mal Bertha.

SUMMARY: RaeLynn had always known that, despite being friends with the crown prince of Auradon her whole life, she was never going to be the one to marry him. It didn’t matter that she was of appropriate status to marry him, as the oldest princess and heir to the kingdom of Corona, or that she and Ben had gotten along like a house on fire since they were just babies in their cribs, or that Ben’s actual girlfriend was kind of an awful person - he and Audrey had been betrothed to each other since they were only toddlers, and that was enough to ensure that, no matter how close he and RaeLynn were or how either of them felt, they were both too bound by duty to ever be together. Which definitely sucks, considering that RaeLynn has had a big fat crush on her best friend for a few years now, but when Ben finally fulfills his dream of bringing some kids to Auradon from the Isle of the Lost and RaeLynn finds herself becoming close to the purple-haired daughter of Maleficent, she begins to hope that she might finally be able to let Ben go… only for that same girl to be the reason Ben finally breaks up with Audrey and be the subject of a very public love confession. Which definitely does not serve to make RaeLynn’s situation suck any less; it just makes her very, very confused.

EXTRA INFO:

Granted, I am not generally a fan of love triangles… except when they end in polyamory, which this one does!

Basically RaeLynn’s had a crush on Ben since they were in middle school, but Ben never developed feelings for her until their freshman year at Auradon Prep, and by then he’s already been betrothed to Audrey for years and he doesn’t want to disappoint his parents by backing out of it, so basically they’re both doing their best to hide their feelings because of their duties and because neither of them thinks the other feels the same - and then, of course, in comes Mal and the VKs.

RaeLynn’s heartbroken when Ben and Mal get together because she doesn’t realize Ben has a spell on him, but Mal very quickly started to develop feelings for RaeLynn after arriving in Auradon, and by the time the whole coronation situation happens she’s realized that Ben feels the same way about the princess and they agree to approach RaeLynn about starting a relationship - which, of course, goes very well!

She doesn’t have very much of her mother’s artistic ability, but she does have her otherworldly singing voice, a bit of a leftover from the sundrop flower’s magic. She’s been invited to sing at every school event and talent show since she was young, and though her voice doesn’t have any healing properties, anyone who hears it can’t help but stop to listen.

Did I name her after a country singer? Yes, yes I did.

send me a fandom and a faceclaim/love interest and i’ll make an oc!!