#i prefer charles gray

[hotmonkeelove]

Don't get me started on how they blatantly downplayed all of Mey-Rin's scenes and dialogue in the anime. I nearly cried rewatching it this week. Also, Charles Grey is a big jerk!

{my only complaint is that thIS DIDN’T MAKE IT INTO THE BOM ADAPTATION IN BEAUTIFUL ANIMATED COLOR. I FEEL CHEATED}

[ninadove]

I'm honestly shocked that since Emotion/Representation aired I've yet to see anyone do anything at all with Felix and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein??? I think about it every day it's literally THE Felix piece of media. It's his entire character thesis. What are we doing guys

I KNOW I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT IT THE OTHER DAY

To be fair I have seen a few people headcanoning it as one of Felix’s favourite books (Which yes. Absolutely. 1,000,000%) but there hasn’t been any fics/art/edits/etc. about it yet to my knowledge. My copy is at my parents’ and in French but I am tempted to find an English PDF since it’s been public domain for a good while now. The web weave potential is insane.

I have many thoughts about Felix and literature in general… I have him quote Cyrano de Bergerac all the time in my fics, for example. I was thinking of starting a list of works of art and literature he’d enjoy, so I’ll take this as a sign to get writing! I can get my fandom friends to make some suggestions as well! 📝

Edit: @bittersweetresilience got us covered, our honour is safe 💜🦚

[bigboysfalldeep]

spiral&chill

Ben first encountered Charles on a quiet evening, scrolling through Grindr out of boredom more than intent. He wasn’t the kind of guy to often meet strangers from the app—he preferred getting to know someone a bit first. But when Charles messaged him, something about the man’s profile struck a chord.

Charles had a slim, athletic build, a sharp jawline accentuated by a neatly trimmed goatee, and eyes that seemed to sparkle even through a screen. His messages were witty, confident, and just the right mix of playful and direct. They chatted back and forth for a week before deciding to meet at a local bar.

When Ben walked in that night, scanning the crowd nervously, Charles had stood out immediately. He looked just as good as his pictures, maybe even better. There was an air of ease about him, a self-assuredness that put Ben at ease too. His French accent only added to his appeal, each word dripping with charm. By the end of the night, Ben was smitten, though he hadn’t let it show too much.

So when Charles invited him over for a casual evening of “Netflix and chill,” Ben had hesitated at first. It wasn’t something he usually did, and he had a hard and fast rule about not rushing into things. But Charles was different. Just being near him made Ben feel good in a way he couldn’t explain. Relaxed. Safe. Drawn in.

That’s how he found himself standing in front of Charles’ apartment door a few weeks later, shifting his weight nervously as he knocked. He’d gone for his usual laid-back look: a simple shirt, shorts, and sneakers. Nothing too flashy, but he felt comfortable. He bit his lip as he waited, butterflies flitting in his stomach.

The door opened, and there was Charles, more handsome than ever. He was dressed casually in gray joggers, a tight-fitting shirt that showed off his lean physique, and socks. His face lit up with a serene smile, but his eyes sparkled with something playful, something knowing.

“Benny,” Charles greeted warmly, his voice as smooth as ever. His gaze swept over Ben, not in a way that made him feel self-conscious, but appreciated. “Come in.”

Ben stepped inside, and Charles led him into the living room. The space was minimal but stylish, with clean lines and soft lighting. On the coffee table sat a bottle of wine, two glasses, and an assortment of snacks. It was cozy, inviting. Ben’s initial nerves began to melt away.

“I already picked a movie,” Charles said as he gestured for Ben to sit. “You’ll like it. It’s… so meaningful.”

Ben chuckled, unsure what that meant. “Okay, I’m intrigued.”

Charles settled in beside him, close enough that their shoulders almost touched. Ben could feel the warmth radiating from him, and his presence was calming, magnetic. Charles poured them each a glass of wine, handed one to Ben, and picked up the remote.

“Let’s see,” Charles said with a smile, pointing the remote at the TV.

The screen lit up, and instead of the Netflix homepage Ben expected, a vibrant, colorful spiral burst to life. It twisted and turned, the hues shifting seamlessly in mesmerizing patterns. Ben blinked, momentarily confused.

“What’s this?” he asked, his voice light with curiosity.

Charles chuckled softly. “Just watch it, Benny. It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

Ben’s eyes were drawn back to the screen almost instinctively. The spiral was indeed beautiful, each movement smooth and hypnotic. He couldn’t look away.

Charles’ voice came again, low and soothing. “So beautiful, so alluring. You don’t need to think about it too much. Just let yourself watch it.”

Ben shifted in his seat, trying to focus on what Charles was saying, but his gaze kept returning to the spiral. There was something so calming about it.

“Do you feel it, Benny?” Charles continued. His voice seemed to deepen, each word drawing Ben closer. “How your body begins to feel warm? So relaxed, so tingly. Like all the stress of the week is melting away.”

Ben blinked slowly. His limbs felt heavy, yet a pleasant warmth spread through him, lulling him into a sense of ease he hadn’t known he needed.

“Yeah…” he murmured, not even sure why he responded.

Charles smiled, his hand resting lightly on Ben’s arm. “It’s been a long week, hasn’t it? Wouldn’t it be nice to just… focus for a while? On my voice, on my words.”

Ben wanted to question it, wanted to ask what was happening, but his mouth wouldn’t form the words. He just kept staring at the spiral, its endless motion captivating him more with each second.

“That’s it,” Charles said, his tone soft yet commanding. “Feel your body relax, Benny. Let your muscles go limp, one by one. Just let go. You can trust me.”

Ben’s shoulders sagged, his body melting into the couch. A part of his mind screamed that this wasn’t normal, that he should snap out of it, but the rest of him felt so… good. Safe.

“Your body rests, and your mind begins to rest with it,” Charles continued, his voice wrapping around Ben like a blanket. “Doesn’t it feel nice? To let me in?”

Ben nodded weakly, his lips barely moving. The spiral was all he could see, and Charles’ voice was all he could hear. The rest of the world faded away, leaving only this moment.

And then Charles leaned closer, his lips near Ben’s ear. “Good boy, Benny. You’re doing so well. Now, let’s go even deeper…”

Ben’s head lolled against the back of the couch, his lips slightly parted as he stared into the swirling abyss on the television screen. Time felt slippery—had it been minutes? Hours? He didn’t know, and he didn’t care. The sensations coursing through him were all that mattered. Charles’ voice guided him like a tether, soothing and irresistible, each word wrapping around him like a warm, silken cocoon.

“You stopped wondering what was happening a while ago,” Charles murmured, his tone intimate and laced with authority. He was close—Ben could feel the faint brush of his breath. “Or has it been hours, Benny? You can’t tell anymore, can you?”

Ben’s lips moved, but no sound came out. The thought of speaking felt distant, irrelevant. All he could do was sink deeper into the pleasurable haze Charles was weaving around him.

“Everything is just a pleasurable swamp of need now,” Charles continued, his voice curling into Ben’s thoughts like tendrils of smoke. “Your body. Your mind. It doesn’t matter. All that matters is how good you feel.”

Ben’s body responded involuntarily, a soft shiver coursing through him. He was dimly aware of his limbs moving, of his body shifting, but the hows and whys were lost to him. The effort of questioning seemed insurmountable, like wading through molasses. Instead, he let himself drift, wrapped in warmth and the promise of pleasure.

“Just the idea of resisting… it feels like too much work, doesn’t it?” Charles asked, his voice almost teasing. “Why fight the pleasure? The warmth that surrounds you. That engulfs you. That entices you.”

Ben felt a wave of heat bloom from his core, spreading outward until it seemed to touch every nerve. His mind, already softened and pliable, melted further under the weight of Charles’ words. Thoughts bubbled up like steam and then evaporated, leaving behind only a need that pulsed in time with his racing heart.

“The pleasure melts your thoughts, Benny,” Charles said softly. “It makes them leak out. And how could you resist when there’s nothing left? When your thoughts have just… dripped away.”

Ben’s breath hitched, a quiet gasp escaping him. Somewhere, deep down, a part of him recognized the oddity of what was happening—the way it felt like he was observing himself from a distance, like an outsider looking in. But even that flicker of awareness was fleeting, drowned by the steady rhythm of Charles’ voice and the seductive pull of the spiral.

“It’s funny, isn’t it?” Charles said, his voice taking on a conspiratorial edge. “It feels like you’re having a conversation in your head, doesn’t it? Like someone else is talking about you, but not to you. But that’s silly, isn’t it? You’re alone, Benny. There’s only you.”

And Charles, Ben thought faintly, though the notion seemed to dissolve as quickly as it formed.

“I can’t resist,” Ben whispered, startled by the sound of his own voice. It came out clear and unbidden, as if it had been planted there and simply bloomed into existence. A tiny spark of panic tried to ignite, but it was extinguished instantly by a sudden, overwhelming burst of pleasure.

It started in his core, a white-hot bloom that radiated outward in waves. Ben gasped, his body arching slightly as the sensation consumed him. He felt his arousal peak, trembling on the edge of release, but it didn’t happen. Instead, the pleasure held him there, suspended, teasing him with its intensity.

“I am a good boy,” he heard himself say, the words slipping out without thought or hesitation.

The moment the words left his lips, the pleasure intensified, flooding him with another surge of heat. His mind felt like it was unraveling, each thread of thought dissolving into nothingness as his body obeyed without question. His hand moved—he wasn’t sure when it had started, or how—but it moved in slow, rhythmic motions, driven by a force he couldn’t control.

“Deeper down,” Charles coaxed, his voice a steady anchor. “Feel the pleasure guide you. Let it take you deeper, Benny. Let it wash through you.”

Ben’s hand moved in time with Charles’ words, and his mind followed. Each pulse of pleasure pulled him further down, stripping away what little resistance remained. He felt weightless, untethered, floating in a sea of warmth and arousal. His thoughts, already thin and fragile, collapsed entirely.

Ben's breathing quickened as he sat transfixed by the spiral on the screen, his mind melting into the swirling colors and Charles’ intoxicating voice. His body was warm and heavy, the tension in his muscles long since dissolved. The arousal burning through him was undeniable now, sharp and aching, straining against the fabric of his shorts. He wasn’t sure when it had begun, but it was impossible to ignore.

Charles chuckled softly, the sound low and intimate. “You’re so close, Benny,” he murmured, his hand resting lightly on Ben’s thigh. The touch was warm, firm, and grounding in a way that made Ben’s already scrambled thoughts dissolve further. “I can feel it. You’re holding so much inside, aren’t you? So much tension. So much need.”

Ben swallowed hard, his body shivering as Charles’ hand moved slowly, teasingly. The pressure on his thigh sent sparks of pleasure racing through him, each one pulling him deeper into the haze.

“You don’t need to hold it back,” Charles said, his tone both soothing and commanding. “Let me take care of you. Let me guide you, Benny.”

Ben moaned softly, his hips shifting involuntarily as the tension inside him built to an unbearable peak. He felt Charles’ fingers trail higher, pausing just shy of his cock. The anticipation was maddening, and yet he couldn’t bring himself to speak or move.

“You’re so good,” Charles continued, his hand now firmly cupping Ben’s bulge through the strained fabric of his shorts. “So obedient. So ready to let go.”

The contact made Ben gasp, his body trembling as pleasure surged through him. He was leaking now, the damp spot on his shorts unmistakable. Charles chuckled again, a note of playful satisfaction in his voice.

“Such a good boy,” he teased, applying just enough pressure to make Ben squirm. “You feel it, don’t you? How close you are? How much you need this?”

Ben nodded weakly, his head lolling to the side as his need consumed him. His body was no longer his own—every movement, every sensation was dictated by Charles’ touch, his voice.

Charles’ other hand came up to cradle Ben’s face, his thumb brushing gently over his cheek. “Look at you,” he said softly. “Completely mine. Isn’t that right, Benny?”

Ben’s lips moved, but no words came out. His thoughts were too scattered, too drenched in pleasure to form anything coherent. He felt himself leaning into Charles’ touch, his entire being surrendering to the man who had claimed him so thoroughly.

“Say it,” Charles coaxed, his voice a velvet whisper. “Say you’re mine, Benny. Let go. Let me have you.”

“I’m yours,” Ben whispered, the words tumbling from his lips without hesitation. His voice was breathy, broken, but filled with certainty.

The moment he said it, Charles leaned closer, his lips brushing against Ben’s ear. “Good boy,” he murmured. “Let go, Benny. Become mine.”

Ben’s entire body shuddered as the command sank into him, deeper than anything he’d ever felt. The pleasure, already overwhelming, surged to new heights, washing over him in wave after wave until he thought he might drown in it. His mind, already blank, dissolved entirely, leaving nothing but the echo of Charles’ words and the bliss that consumed him.

His back arched sharply, a strangled moan escaping his lips as he released against Charles’ hand. The thin fabric of his shorts clung to him, darkened by the evidence of his surrender, unable to contain the full extent of his release.

Charles’ chuckle was low and satisfied, a sound that made Ben shudder with lingering arousal. His hand remained firm, teasing and encouraging. “That’s it, Benny,” Charles said, his voice smooth and approving. “Keep going. Don’t hold back. Let it all out.”

Ben whimpered, his head tilting back as his eyes rolled. The pleasure didn’t ebb; it built and twisted inside him, pushing him to the brink again and again. His body trembled uncontrollably, his muscles spasming before finally going limp, leaving him slumped against the couch.

“Good boy,” Charles murmured, his tone dripping with warmth and pride. His hand moved from Ben’s soaked shorts to his face, caressing his cheek with gentle fingers. The touch was soothing, grounding, a stark contrast to the intensity of what had just happened.

Ben’s chest rose and fell rapidly as he tried to catch his breath, his mind still swimming in the aftermath. His thoughts were soft and distant, his body utterly spent, but the sound of Charles’ voice anchored him.

“You’ve done so well,” Charles continued, brushing a stray strand of hair from Ben’s forehead. “You’re perfect, Benny. My good boy.”

Ben sighed softly, leaning into the touch. He felt weightless, floating in the warmth of Charles’ approval. Nothing else mattered—only this moment, and the man who had claimed him so completely.

Charles leaned back on the couch, a satisfied smirk playing at the edges of his lips as he took in the sight before him. Ben was a picture of pure surrender—his body slumped and trembling, his shirt clinging to his sweat-slicked skin. The fabric of his shorts was soaked, sticking to his thighs, and Charles’ own hand bore the evidence of Ben’s unrestrained release, sticky and glistening.

Ben’s eyes were unfocused, half-lidded and glazed over, staring at nothing. His jaw hung slack, soft breaths escaping in uneven intervals. His chest rose and fell rapidly as he tried to catch his breath, the effort leaving him even more vulnerable.

Charles tilted his head, his sharp gaze drinking in every detail—the tremor in Ben’s limbs, the flush that painted his cheeks, the way his body seemed to hum with the remnants of pleasure.

“You’re utterly spent,” Charles murmured, his voice filled with quiet satisfaction. “Completely gone, aren’t you, Benny?”

Ben gave no response, his mind too far gone to process the words. It was as if every ounce of him had been drained, leaving only an empty vessel behind.

Charles leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees, his expression softening as he reached out to brush a finger along Ben’s slackened jaw. The simple touch drew a faint sigh from Ben’s lips, a small sound that only deepened Charles’ amusement.

“You’ve done so well for me,” Charles said softly, his voice almost a purr. “Such a good boy. Just look at you.”

He chuckled again, low and indulgent, savoring the sight of Ben in his utterly surrendered state. There was no need to rush—Ben wasn’t going anywhere. He was right where Charles wanted him, lost and malleable, a masterpiece of submission.

Charles leaned back once more, his smirk broadening as he picked up his glass of wine, taking a slow sip. The night was far from over, but for now, he was content to simply bask in the result of his work. Ben, sweaty and trembling, completely undone, was the perfect picture of blissful ruin.

The spiral on the screen continued its mesmerizing dance, its colors swirling in endless, hypnotic patterns. Even in his utterly spent state, Ben’s body moved on its own, his hand sliding over the damp fabric of his shorts. The wetness clung to his skin, but he didn’t seem to care. He was lost, his mind floating in the pleasurable haze that Charles had woven around him.

Charles chuckled softly, the sound laced with amusement and satisfaction. “Silly boy,” he murmured, watching as Ben’s fingers toyed with himself through the soaked fabric, a faint, needy whimper escaping his lips.

With a click of the remote, the TV screen went black, plunging the room into a sudden stillness. The absence of the swirling spiral only seemed to emphasize the quiet, intimate atmosphere. Charles leaned forward again, his hand coming to rest gently on Ben’s face. His thumb traced along Ben’s cheek, wiping away the faint trail of drool that had escaped his slackened lips.

Ben sighed softly at the touch, leaning into Charles’ hand instinctively, his body responding even though his mind was still far away.

“I’m so glad we matched” Charles murmured, his voice warm and low. His thumb moved to brush over Ben’s bottom lip, his touch both tender and possessive. “You’re so handsome, Benny. My handsome boy.”

The words wrapped around Ben like a cocoon, drawing another faint moan from his lips. His eyes fluttered, but they remained unfocused, his body pliant under Charles’ hand.

Charles leaned closer, pressing his forehead against Ben’s for a moment, the intimacy of the gesture deepening the bond he had so carefully cultivated. “You’re mine now,” he whispered, his voice barely audible. “Aren’t you, my beautiful boy?”

Ben’s lips moved faintly, the words forming without thought, a soft and automatic response. “Yours,” he whispered, his voice fragile but certain.

Charles smiled, his satisfaction evident as he pulled back slightly to admire his work. His hand lingered on Ben’s face, his fingers brushing against his jawline as if to reassure him. “That’s right,” he said softly. “You’re mine, Benny. Always.”

Charles' hand moved with deliberate intent, his fingers brushing over the wet, clinging fabric of Ben's shorts. He pressed firmly against the sensitive flesh beneath, eliciting a shuddering gasp from Ben. The sound was soft, barely audible, but it was enough to make Charles’ smirk deepen.

“And this,” Charles murmured, his voice low and commanding, “this is mine too.”

Ben’s body responded instantly, a tremor running through him as Charles’ grip tightened slightly, possessive and unyielding. Ben’s head lolled to the side, his lips parting in a faint moan, his entire being surrendering to the touch.

“You feel that, Benny?” Charles asked, his tone teasing but laced with authority. “Every part of you belongs to me now. Isn’t that right?”

Ben whimpered, his hips shifting instinctively toward Charles’ hand. His words, when they came, were barely above a whisper. “Yours…”

Charles’ chuckle was quiet, almost tender, as he leaned closer, his face mere inches from Ben’s. “Good boy,” he said softly, his thumb brushing against the damp fabric, savoring the way Ben’s body shivered beneath him.

“This is just the beginning,” Charles added, his voice a seductive promise. “You’ll learn, Benny. You’ll understand what it means to be mine.”

Ben couldn’t respond—his mind was too far gone, his body too overwhelmed. All he could do was surrender, letting Charles guide him further into the haze of pleasure and submission.

[mayisgoingnuts]

MT!ROY

I decided to accept that he's not that deep (/hj) and made my own version of him, mostly because of lore reasons.

TW for mentions of CSA and parent issues

Tagging the crew @merwynsartblog @clownazon @sunny6677 @bulldog-geckorahhhhh @catsockpuppet @royphobia @luzxii @articus-icecream

Leaving the info under the cut because it's long

PERSONALITY/HIMSELF

— His "toughness" changes depending who he's talking to. He'll easily be an ass to people who he can clearly beat up, but it changes if it's someone his age for example. The only thing that makes him truly chicken out is if he notices that he has ZERO, NO chance or if the other person is clearly nuts. Other factors can creep him out aswell but then it's specific.

— Gray-ace, experiences sexual attraction very rarely. However he doesn't care enough about labels to search more about, and simply thinks that he's bisexual.

— Roy is more of a cat person but also really likes dogs. He just finds both of them dumb and funny./pos

— His vision isn't THAT bad right now, but it'll get worse with time. He does forget, but when he notices it he pretends not to.

— Resting pissed face.

— Tends to stim whenever he's too happy, either verbally or physically. He'll either start to stutter a bunch of gibberish or move his hands, normally pulling his sweater.

— 97% of the things he says with his friends would get him hated on the internet. Most of them are fucked up jokes. (<- don't feel bad for his friends they're just as fucked up they laugh their asses off)

FAMILY

— Vanido comes from Carmen, while Richelieu comes from Richard. His uncle is named Charles Richelieu, and is Richard's brother.

— Talks more easily to his dad than to his mom. Although it's mostly either short talks or awkward.

— Roy does loves them but still wish they were nicer and "less annoying". It mostly goes to his mom.

— Charles was a "disappointment" to his type of family and consequently Carmen disliked him, but Richard still has an attachment since they were quite close. That's also why he trusted Roy to go visit him by himself sometimes.

— Carmen almost ended up being more strict than she already is, but harsher demands caused Roy to actually express sadness, discomfort or panic, which made her feel bad and give up.

— They don't like him wearing eyeliner because they think it doesn't fit him at all.

— The only reason Roy won't stay up late (since he gets to be alone) it's because his parents won't let him. If he's caught awake after 00:00 he's scolded, and depending on how many times consecutive, grounded.

SCHOOL

— Studies in a private school and can't tolerate half of his colleagues. There's some cool ones there, but meh.

— Roy already participated in a LOT of school activities, or just activities in general, because his parents wanted him to. It includes violin, golf, advanced classes, swimming, badminton and ice skating. He hates most of these, but has a 'special spot' for badminton.

— Cheats a lot. He has the potential to be smart, but prefers to not take the effort to not explode./hj

— Most teachers don't like him and he's fully aware of that, but every year there's atleast ONE who'll hold a grudge after a single misbehaviour and then proceed to annoy him for no reason.

— Hates the uniform. It has short sleeves and he doesn't like short sleeves. Plus he just finds it ugly.

MENTAL HEALTH (?)

— Neither Roy or his family knows about his BPD or autism, in a diagnosis sense. They just think he's stubborn and going through puberty at maximum, while Roy himself just doesn't know nothing about it. He knows a little about autism because Robert's family is autistic, but assumed he has nothing to do with it for being the complete opposite of them.

— Has a horrible habit of pulling his own hair when too angry and/or stressed. Ross and Robert try to make him stop doing that, and to not have them to worry, Roy decided to try something else, such as biting his cap. It works, but only does it sometimes because he feels like an animal (/vneg) and because he's afraid he might ruin his hat.

— Roy nowadays feels really shitty in the dark thanks to the mansion. It's not exactly scared, more like uncomfortable. Feels worse if it's a big space.

— Roy already fought with Ross and Robert once, and it ended up making him see them as the wrong ones and just bad people because of a single fail. He hated staying by himself, and had thanked God that they decided to approach and apologize, because Roy didn't had the guts to.

— Bullying other kids without being stopped makes him better as he finally feels like being in charge of something.

— As much as Roy finally "knowledged" his own SA, he didn't fully did. Since his struggles with his family are more obvious and constant, that part ended up being "pushed aside" and he still finds it not a big deal; specially because Roy didn't even know what was happening at the time. He'll only face it in the future.

[docholligay]

@thoughtfulfuri sorry this took me so long! A revised list of books you should look into reading this year. I could have added more ahaha, but this will keep you plenty busy.

Deeply informed by your list and the brief of:  “Books that have deeply influenced the thrust of the genre and media broadly” 

I also went for breadth over depth--you had some authors with a TON of books on your list, and if you’re looking for understanding of media influence I’m not sure that’s the best use of your time. THis isn’t a perfect list but I think it’ll provide a better net than your original. I do not know what you have an haven’t read. Spots where I think you might have read my recommendation I supplied a second. An incomplete list, because no list is ever complete, and always has huge gaps in judgment. WE can always make a new list next year! 

Agatha Christie -- And Then There Were None This was already on your list and it’s perfect. I prefer Murder On the Orient Express, but in fairness, those are the only two Christie novels I’ve ever read. And I’d keep it to one from each author. 

The Art of War — Sun Tzu  From your list, I have no issue with it

Kurt Vonnegut -- Slaughterhouse Five  This is his best and most enduring work. IF you’re looking for incredible influence, this is the one. 

Octavia Butler -- Kindred  I winnowed down your multiple Butler works to this big hitter. 

Isaac Asimov -- I, Robot From your list, make total sense

Daphne DuMaurier -- Rebecca You had My Cousin Rachel, which is great fun, but Rebecca is THE DuMaurier book. 

Leo Tolstoy -- War and Peace I replaced Crime and Pnishment with this not because I don’t like Crime and Punishment, but because if you’re going to commit to a russian novel, you may as well make it the most influential one ever written. This is routinely hailed as the best fucking novel ever written. It is in fact great. I will reread it with you this year! 

Frank Herbert -- Dune. This is from your original list and it’s fine I guess. I think reading Dune is a waste of time unless you’re super into sci-fi, but I won’t fight it. 

JRR Tolkien-- The Fellowship of the Ring From your original list and yeah absolutely. Cannot hope to ujnderstand fantasy as a genre without reading this. If you like it I recommend the whole series, but Tolkien can be hard for people. 

Harper Lee -- To Kill A Mockingbird From your list. Yes, this is an incredibly important American piece. 

Jane Austen -- Pride and Predjudice. There is no more influential Austen novel. You gotta. If you’ve read P&P read Sense and Sensibility, which has the added benefit of being at least four times better (according to people named Doc, who are me, who do not like P&P) 

Ray Bradbury -- Fahrenheit 451. I actually prefer Something Wicked from your list, but F451 is much more influential. If you’ve read Farenheit, read 1984 by George Orwell. IF you’ve read that, read Brave New World by Huxley. If you’re read that, scrap totally, your list is very sci-fi weighted anyhow. 

Oscar Wilde -- The Picture of Dorian Gray. Replaced A Woman of No Importance, which most people haven’t even heard of, with Picture, a deeply and widely referenced novel. If you’ve read picture, read “The Importance of Being Earnest” or better, watch a proshot of a play. 

Gregory McGuire--- Wicked. I dunno that I think this deserves a spot on your list, but I get that everyone’s talking about it right now. And I like the book! But it’s just not very genre influential, it’s more deeply influenced BY the genre. I left it, because I get wanting to engage with everyone talking about it, but those are my reservations.

WE ARE OFF YOUR LIST TOTALLY NOW. So I took a bunch of repeats off your list. I admire wanting to track influential books, and broaden your understanding of media generally, but I think you were sorta getting into the weeds. So I added a few others that have huge media impact. 

Charles Dickens -- David Copperfield    Boy did this suck for me to try and pick. I fucking love Charles Dickens. He was a dick in a lot of ways, revolutionary in others, and the man could write his ass off. He knew how to write a serial style that also keeps track of itself, and there is stuff that blows my mind as a modern reader even now. (If I hadn’t unintentionally made last years book clubs essentially Brit Lit 2: Brit harder i would be doing a Dickens novel for book club. I do have an idea of theming this year as “The American Answer” so like, we did Brideshead last year and the, well, an, American answer to that book is the Secret History. Here On Earth for Wuthering Heights. I don’t know. Actually, there’s an AMerican restyling of David Copperfield in my to-reads for this year) BUT ANYWAY, I ended up picking David Copperfield. It was Dickens’ own favorite, it’s one of his only first person novels, and it is the clearest example of Dickens’ tendency to impress himself upon a character. It has its flaws, of course, but I think centering yourself on David, a nostalgic, emotional writer trying to make his way in the world up from poverty, gives you a great understanding of both Dickens’ incredible influence and his own understanding of HIMSELF. Wow that was a lot of words. I have feelings about Charles Dickens. Sorry. 

Toni Morrison -- Beloved I didn’t like this book, when I read it. But it is good, it won the fucking Pulitzer Prize. I think Song of Solomon is better for me though. Anyway, you have to read Toni Morrison. The way she weaves in the Black American experience with undertones of magical realism impacts the way stories of what I’m going to call “difficult narratives” are allowed to be told today, influencing even people outside of the Black community. 

Salman Rushdie -- The Satanic Verses A masterwork of parallel storytelling, people keep trying to kill Rushdie over this book, a fantastic story about the immigrant experience in Great Britian. 

And some genre stuff for flavor: 

Spy Novels:

Ian Fleming -- Casino Royale  You know who james fucking Bond is. He was a book character first! 

John LeCarre -- The Spy who Came in From the Cold Okay, I am gonna level with you that this and fleming are two opposite poles, but I think they are two opposite poles that give you a really good look at what the spy novel can be and has been. I really enjoy John LeCarre despite not being huge into the genre

Horror: 

Shirley Jackson -- The Haunting of Hill House  This is the novel that launched Stephen King of all people, among others. Jackson is a fucking genius. 

Stephen King -- The Shining Horror is hard, because I read and love a lot of it. But The Shining had a huge influence on both horror and the American consciousness broadly. 

Fantasy:

TH White-- The Once and Future King. Were you at the book club for this? I cannot fucking remember to save my own life. Anyway, if you weren’t, this and LoTR changed fantasy forever. Same time period, even. How we understand fantwasy broadly today comes out of how Tolkien and White were thinking of it. If you read this, read The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis. 

Grr Martin-- A Game of Thrones Oh, I’m gonna get letters. But genuinely this book changed the game in fantasy, and had a huge cultural impact on America and many other Western countries.

[myesc8petw0rld]

My Favourite Multiple Characters Preferences/Reactions

@okay-j-hannah

They Love You’re Curvy Merlin, Arthur Pendragon, Paul Atreides

They Give You Practice Kisses Bucky Barnes, Steven Grant, Marc Spector, Loki

You Give Them Neck Kisses Steven Grant, Theseus Scamander, Spencer Reid

You Give Them Neck Kisses Loki, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black

@darling-i-read-it

React to Having a Crush on a Very Flirt Girl Benoit Blanc, Ramsay Bolton, Erik Lehnsherr, Newt (MR) and Norman Bates

Reacting to You Sitting on Their Lap and Ask for a Kiss Adrian Chase, Jesper Fahey, Darkling and Billy Hargrove

Reacting To Neck Kisses and a Good Massage Matt Murdock and Bruce Wayne

Reacting to Neck Kisses Charles Lee Ray, Aaron Hotchner, Indiana Jones, Dorian Gray and The Dark

Getting Jealous and Confessing Their Feelings Loki, Dr. Strange, Homelander and the Darkling

If you know someone to put in my rec list, let me know

[forthegothicheroine]

Do you have any gothic novels that you can recommend off the top of your head? Especially to people who want to try their hand at the genre? I've hit a wall in my project and I need to get some fresh inspiration, but I don't know where to start and the book side of tumblr failed me the last time I tried asking them for recs

Hell yeah! I made some old posts for this a while back, but it's good to look at it again with my more recent taste! Let's see...

Classic Gothics

Dracula: The one, the only. Often imitated, never equalled.

Frankenstein: Short, sad and world changing! Can get a little slow at parts, but definitely worth it. (True story, my parents read this to me as a fetus to calm my kicking, so it's part of my personal mythology!)

The Case of Charles Dexter Ward: The most gothic of Lovecraft's work, and possibly my favorite. Novella length, usually found in collections.

The Picture of Dorian Gray: Sinister, sexy, philosophical, with a main character I want to punch in the face!

Carmilla: Another novella, about as lush and swooning as vampire stories get.

The Hound of the Baskervilles: A very readable gothic mystery.

Confessions of a Justified Sinner: This one isn't as action packed, but if you have big religious issues like me, it's incredibly haunting.

The Monk: Like the above, but sleazier and crazier!

Northanger Abbey: A gentle parody of early gothics, starring an adorable proto-goth girl.

The Italian: I'll be honest, I find Anne Radcliffe kind of a slog, but if you liked Northanger Abbey and want to read what Catherine Morland reads, this is probably the most accessible.

A Long Fatal Love Chase: This starts as campy and then takes a plunge into gut-wrenchingly intense. The book Jo March was always trying to write!

The Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: Another novella, and Stevenson is one of the best writers out there for excitement!

The Werewolf of Paris: Gothic monster as serial killer, still scary today.

Rebecca: The foundation of all gothic romance to come afterwards. A ghost story without a ghost, with an ending that's still debated as happy or sad!

Jane Eyre: The other foundation of all gothic romance to come afterwards. I bounced off the child abuse-heavy beginning a few times, but I'm very glad I finally read to the good stuff!

The Castle of Otranto: Considered the first gothic novel, a goofy b-movie in written form.

Modern-ish Gothics (post-1950 or so)

The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein: Fuck the haters, I love this book.

Mexican Gothic: Genuinely scary, genuinely romantic, genuinely creative. A favorite.

Blackwater: A southern gothic saga of a family in a flooded town, whose scion marries a woman who isn't quite human. A whirlwind ride!

A Bloodsmoor Romance: Another family saga, this one northern gothic, with sisters whose lives all go off the rails in different supernatural ways. Give this a try before writing Joyce Carol Oates off entirely!

The Silver Devil: A nasty, problematic bodice ripper where you'll cheer for the heroine to bring the hero down low!

Interview with the Vampire: To be honest again, I'm not super into Anne Rice, but this is a page-turner, and every vampire book that has come after it has had to respond to it in one way or another. Read the next two Vampire Chronicles books if you like it!

A Taste of Blood Wine: My own preferred sexy vampire romance!

The Bloody Chamber: The ultimate dark sexy fairy tale work, accept no substitutes.

Haunted Castles: Contains the brilliant novella Sardonicus, as well as some other campy gothic stories!

A Great and Terrible Beauty: Many millennials were introduced to the gothic genre via this, Fear Street Sagas, or A Series of Unfortunate Events. This is my favorite of the three, though the sequels are a bit of a letdown.

Gormenghast: This series is a throwback to the pseudo-medieval, Otranto-style gothic, but much better. Don't read Titus Alone.

[ilovemenlolz]

! MY INTRODUCTION !

Hello hello there !! Thanks for dropping by :D

My name is Nathan, but I go by Nikou / N as well!

• I use he/they pronouns, as well as any neopronouns ! (I'm trans as well :D)

• I am a minor, so please act accordingly around me .

• I have autism, I apologize in advance if I come off as rude / overly annoying at times ... I'd also prefer to have tonetags used while talking to me ! /nf

• I'm an artist, but I also enjoy singing, voice acting (not professionally.), acting in general, analyzing, and I write! I'm not sure if I'll ever post my works here, as I ... Am really not confident in my ability to write characters that aren't my own. But-- Who knows !! I'll definitely post an analysis or two at some point ... hopefully ......

(Current) hyperfixations ! :

Danganronpa Despair Time, Tetro Danganronpa Pink, Alien Stage, Moriarty The Patriot, Ace Attorney.

Other interests include ! :

Bang Dream! Girls Band Party, Project Sekai: Colorful Stage, vocaloid, OMORI, Pokemon, Process of Elimination, Project: Eden's Garden, Danganronpa Another, MILGRAM, Total Drama Island, Steven Universe, Genshin Impact, Death Note, Blooming Panic, SeekL, A Date with Death, Sims, Doki Doki Literature Club, Holostars, Hololive, VShojo, Meadowlark, Dungeons and Dragons, Cradle (on book 6 currently), The Golden Idol, Escape The Night, Ramshackle, musicals (Hamilton, SIX, Heathers, Mean Girls, Ride The Cyclone, ect.), true crime, and probably some more things that I forgot ...

Content creators I enjoy watching ! :

CarynandConnie, Smosh, Shooshimooshi, Save Data, FunkyFrogBait, Kubz Scouts, Rotten Mango, Game/Film Theory, CyYu, Amalee, Markiplier, Dropout . . . there's so many those are the main ones rn ..

Music I listen to ! :

Mitski, Will Wood, Jhariah, TV girl, The Crane Wives, Will Stetson, Laufey, Rio Romeo, Yaelokre, Steven Universe soundtracks, Mother Mother, Liana Flores, Ricky Montgomery, Bo Burnham, Sushi Soucy, Jack Stauber, vocaloid, musicals, MARINA, Pomplamoose, Miracle Musical, Kaden Mackay, Ado, Phantom Siita, ATARASHII GAKKO, Mori Calliope, Emei, Random Encounters, Leo., Shayfer James, Lemon Demon, Fish in a Birdcage, Beabadoobee, Chappell Roan, Penelope Scott, Conan Gray, YOASOBI, and. Again. A lot more. My Spotify is linked below if someone's actually curious as to what I listen to / check out my oc playlists (#shamelessplug)

Characters I kin ! :

Refer to list above .

(Akito and Ena Shinonome, Furina, Shiho Hinomori, Chiba Airi, Ace Markey, Charles Cuevas, Monika (ddlc), Miles Edgeworth, Shidou Kirasaki.)

OTHER PLACES WHERE YOU CAN FIND ME ! :

The easiest way to reach out to me is through discord, nikou.nathan .

↓ MY YOUTUBE !!! I post skit animatics (for now?)

DNI criteria + what makes me uncomfortable.

DNI:

Anyone under 13.

People who are: racist, homophobic, transphobic, ableist, ect.

Things that make me uncomfortable:

Graphic descriptions / imagery of pills and needles.

NSFW jokes made about me. (In general, I don't mind them much. Depending on the situation.)

Telling me to end my life if you are not a very close friend.

All in all, I'm just a nerd . And a loser .

Don't be afraid to shoot me a DM anywhere, or ask to be mutuals / friends !! :D I'd love to !!

! THANK YOU FOR READING <3 !

[rebelwrites]

Three: He Was Checking You Out

Charles Leclerc x Nova Teller (OC)

Till The Wheels Fall Off Masterlist

Small town meets the fast lane. What happens when two souls meet? Will it end in happiness or will they both crash and burn?

As always reblogs and feedback is highly appreciated ❤️ if you want tagging in future parts let me know ❤️

“Auntie Nova,” Elenor shouted over the sound of the shower.

“What’s up princess?” I smiled, poking my head around the shower curtain, making sure my body was covered.

“Poppy, called me your name today,” she whispered with an air of sadness in her voice. She was too young to fully understand Pops’ health concerns, but she knew something was wrong with him, there was no way we could hide that from anyone.

Retreating behind the shower curtain I ran my hands over my face. How the fuck was I meant to explain to her that her Poppy’s memory was getting worse? I took a deep breath before speaking. “Poppy just got confused, baby, he was watching the race and when I was your age, I used to sit on his knee watching with him.”

“Okay,” she hummed, slowly nodding her head as she chewed the inside of her mouth. I could tell by her reaction it was not the response she was seeking but I let out a small sigh of relief when she asked no more questions on the subject. For now, I had dodged a bullet, but I needed to warn Jax that at some point we needed to try to find a way to explain everything to Elenor that wouldn’t scare her. She loved her Poppy to bits and the last thing we wanted to do was cause her to worry.

“Have you thought about what you want to wear tonight?” I asked, quickly changing the subject as I shut the water off. Reaching my arm out of the shower I fumbled until I found the towel.

“My Ferrari hoodie,” she giggled, making me smile. I had definitely taught her well when it came to which team to support.

“Good choice, baby,” I grinned to myself as I wrapped the towel around my body. I was so grateful that we made sure the bar had an apartment upstairs and that we all kept a spare change of clothes here. “Has Uncle Bobby made you anything to eat?”

“He made my favorite.” She beamed as I pulled back the shower curtain, stepping out over the edge of the bath. I didn’t need to ask her what she had, her go to was always chicken nuggets and curly fries. It was honestly quite scary how alike Elenor was to not only Jax but to myself as well, especially since I had no blood relation to either of them.

Once we were both back in the small bedroom I quickly dried myself and got dressed. The outfit I had was simple: a ribbed light gray cropped vest top, black high waisted skinny jeans, my oversized long gray cardigan and finishing the outfit off with my black boots. It was the perfect outfit for relieving Chibs for the rest of the night whilst maintaining that edgy look I preferred whilst working at the bar.

Staring at my reflection I let out a small breath, my whole life I had been battling with the demons. It had been a long road, but I was slowly loving the body I was in but some days the voices grew louder making them hard to ignore. Taking one final glance at my appearance I made sure I was satisfied, I had done my makeup in record time but decided to leave my hair as it was because drying it was more effort than I wanted to spare right now. Feeling Elenor take my hand, I tore my gaze from the mirror smiling down at my niece. “Come on then, trouble.” I hummed. “Let’s go find your Dad.”

The two of us ran down the stairs, quickly reaching the small hallway that ran through the entire building, at the end was the main bar area, on the right side was mine and Jax’s shared office which was off limits to everyone and then the kitchen and storage area were towards the back.

Elenor instantly made her way over to Jax who was sitting with some guys from the MC, whilst I dipped in the kitchen to check on Bobby.

“There's my favorite cook,” I hummed, entering the kitchen. “How’s it been tonight?” I asked, leaning against the stainless steel countertop, picking at the batch of curly fries that had just come out of the oven.

“Not too bad, it’s been pretty steady, to be honest,” Bobby nodded, “it’s nice that it’s just the usuals. Lord help me when the summer tourists finally hit. Might have to drag a prospect or two in to help.”

“Whatever you need, you know you’ve got it. All you need to do is say the words,” I smiled, as he passed me a bowl of chicken nuggets, cocking my brow at him he just smirked.

“You won’t eat otherwise, and picking at the fries doesn’t count either,” he said, giving me a knowing look. Leaning over I pressed a kiss against his cheek before pushing myself off the counter to go relieve Chibs from behind the bar.

As I entered the main room, chicken nuggets in hand, I took a moment to scan the area; it was still pretty early in the evening so the place was somewhat quiet, however I knew things would change once the lads finished work piling in the bar. But it was something I loved, this bar was the heart of the town.

As soon as I was behind the counter I abandoned my chicken nuggets on the side before placing a clean mug under the spout of the coffee machine, pressing the green button on the front of the appliance to make Pops a fresh brew. He rarely drank alcohol now, so we always made sure we had a good stock of fresh coffee grounds and soft drinks, not only for him but for Elenor, too.

Looking up from the machine, my heart melted as I watched Jax with his daughter. Elenor brought out a completely different side to him. When he was with her he became softer, watched his language and didn’t drink too much. Initially it was weird seeing Jax completely change, but it always made me smile. She definitely made him a better man.

My mind was spinning with what Elenor had revealed to me upstairs, my worries were getting worse when it came to Pops’ health. Now he was calling Elenor by my name. I had a strong feeling things were only going to get worse. I needed to speak to him; I needed to understand what was going on with him right now even if he wasn’t going to make any sense. Looking over to the booth that Pops was sitting in I saw a bright smile on his face, one I hadn’t seen for a couple of days, it always warmed my heart. But the main thing I noticed was he wasn’t sitting alone, there were two people sitting with him, both with their backs to the bar.

Taking a deep breath, I left them to it not wanting to disrupt the conversation that was causing Pops to be this ecstatic.

“He looks happy,” Chibs whispered, placing his hand on my shoulder.

“Yeah, he does. So anything I should know?” I asked, changing the subject, glancing at Chibs over my shoulder.

“Nope, you are all good to take over, lass,” Chibs winked, leaning against the bar, pulling the beer bottle to his lips. He was hiding something from me, the smirk on his face gave that away, in fact I knew when all the club members were keeping things from me, one of the numerous benefits of being brought up around the MC. Raising my brow at him, he just shook his head quickly changing the conversation. “Tig isn’t joining us tonight, so it's gonna be a quiet one.”

“Tiggy isn’t gracing us with his presence, has hell frozen over?” I chuckled, as I finished the coffee. “I swear he props the bar up most nights.”

“I think one of his kids is in town for a couple of days,” Chibs shrugged.

“Which one?”

“The crazy one.”

“Again which one?” I chuckled, cocking my brow at my favorite Scotsman.

When it came to Tig and his girls we all knew it was best not to interfere, letting him do what he needed to do because the last time one of us got involved it got messy.

It didn’t take long for the coffee to be ready but before I had a chance to take it over to Pops, Chibs had already picked the mug up from the counter. “Oh and lass, you never know who might be in the bar tonight,” he smirked, throwing me a wink as he exited the bar making his way through the room to join Pops and whoever was sharing the booth with him.

Shaking off his words I quickly found myself busy tending the bar along with serving food, even though Tig wasn’t gracing us with his presence tonight the place still had a buzz about it. Scanning the room I was greeted with the familiar faces of people I grew up with, most nights it was filled with members of the MC. This was practically our home, if you couldn’t find one of the guys around town, you knew they would be here.

More of the locals joined us when we hosted themed nights, quiz and karaoke evenings were definitely the most popular. I loved it when this place was packed, the sounds of everyone talking, laughing and having a good time with their friends and family.

It also made the hours pass quickly.

However, no matter what I did I couldn’t shake the feeling of worry, I needed to speak to Jax about Pops. We needed to sit down and work out what we were going to tell Elenor but we needed to figure it out sooner rather than later.

Eventually things quietened down, the mad rush of everyone finishing work had passed, giving me a chance to catch my breath, looking over to where Pops was sitting, noticing that his guests had left. Quickly I grabbed the two mugs of fresh coffee before making my way over the booth, sliding into the cherry red leather, automatically resting my head on his shoulder.

“How was your evening?” I asked, letting the familiar smell of coffee and aftershave wash over me.

“Pretty amazing, my sweet Nova,” Pops beamed. Pulling away from him I looked up noticing how wide his smile was, he had that sparkle back in his eyes. “I spent the whole evening talking to Charles Leclerc and Pierre Gasly.”

I had just taken a large sip of coffee as he spoke, his words caught me off guard causing me to choke on the caffeinated liquid.

The realization finally hit me like a ton of bricks, he had completely lost his mind.

Taking a deep breath, I tried to ignore the feeling of my stomach twisting into a tight knot. I knew there was no way he had spent the evening talking to two drivers that he had spent two hours watching on the TV.

“Of course you did Pops,” I mumbled, trying to mask my worry with a strangled laugh. “Let me go find Jax, he is your ride home tonight.”

Pushing myself to my feet I scurried back behind the bar, bouncing on the balls of my feet whilst I waited for Jax to finish conversation with Chibs. I found myself holding back tears as I tried to calm myself down. I was normally pretty good at holding it together and not showing any emotion to the outside world but right now I was failing.

Suddenly Jax was now standing in front of me, wrapping his arms around me providing a sense of comfort. Yes, me and Jax fought like biological siblings but when it came down to it I knew I could count on him when I felt weak and needed someone to be strong for me for once.

“Where’s your head at Squirt?” Jax hummed, guiding me from behind the bar and out onto the patio terrace.

“Can you take Pops home please?” I sniffled, pulling away from him, leaning against the wall. Automatically I ran my hands over my face before speaking again, Jax extended his hand holding out a smoke which I gratefully took. “I’m worried, Pops is getting worse. Tonight he told me he spent the evening talking to Leclerc and Gasly.”

“As in Charles Leclerc and Pierre Gasly?” Jax mocked, cocking his brow at me. There was something about the look on his face, I couldn't quite place. Normally I was pretty good at reading my brother but right now I was struggling.

“Yuup,” I hummed, popping the ‘p’, ignoring his playful tone. Right now wasn’t the time for him to be joking. “My head is spinning right now, he is getting worse. I don’t know if I have time to focus on Pops, the bar, and the cafe. I feel like I am drowning. I think we need to look at getting outside help.”

The moment the words left my lips I felt the bile rise in my throat. I hated myself for even saying them. Teller’s never quit on family, but saying those words made me feel like I was giving up on him, when in reality I was just struggling to keep my head above water. The look on Jax’s face changed, this look was something I knew all too well, it was a look that told me he felt guilty.

“Nova,” Jax breathed, draping his arm around my shoulder, pressing a kiss against my temple. “You deserve a break more than any of us. I know the last couple of weeks, hell even the past year with the custody hearings, I haven’t been around much and I am so fucking sorry,” his voice was quiet as he spoke. “I will take Pops home, don’t worry about anything else but the bar tonight. Tomorrow we will sit down and work out what we need to do to help him.”

Taking a deep breath, I silently nodded at Jax. “I just hope tomorrow is a better day,” I whispered.

“It will be, Squirt,” Jax hummed, “think positive. We are in this together, till the wheels fall off, remember.”

Hours had passed, the work was steady which I was grateful for however I desperately needed sleep. Over the last month I had been opening up the cafe followed by a closing shift at the bar. Both businesses were short staffed due to people taking vacation time and illness, meaning I had to spread myself thin to make sure both establishments kept bringing in income for the club. I could have asked for help getting some of the prospects in to take some of the pressure off but the truth was I didn’t trust them. They hadn’t been patched yet and a lot of them still had to prove their loyalty to the club.

The moment I had put the lock on the main doors of the bar I let out a huge sigh of relief that was until I looked around the bar seeing the glasses scattered across the tables. The prospects that had been chosen to help around the bar really hadn’t pulled their weight this evening, confirming my decision not to ask for any help. I was definitely going to be having words with Jax about it.

Glancing at the time I groaned knowing that by the time I had finished the clean up it would be well past 2am, so once I had gotten to bed I would only end up having a couple of hours sleep before I had to be up to get the cafe ready for opening.

It made me wonder if it was even worth going to sleep tonight.

“Nova, go home,” Bobby said, appearing from the direction of the kitchen. He already had the large black plastic tub that we used for collecting the glasses tucked under his arms. “I’ve got this, you go get yourself in bed, sweetheart. The last thing we need is you collapsing from exhaustion.”

“You sure?” I asked, trying to hide the yarn that escaped from my lips.

“Absolutely,” he said, flashing me a soft smile.

Right now I was so grateful, I hated abandoning ship but I knew I could never win this fight with Bobby. He was someone that once he had set his mind on something you couldn’t do anything about it.

It didn’t take me long to round my things up, not when it comprised my phone, smokes, car keys and lighter. Slipping everything into my pockets I strolled over to Bobby giving him a hug.

As I was making my way out of the bar Bobby started speaking again. “I’m proud of you sweetheart, you acted better than we all expected tonight.”

“What are you on about?” I laughed, cocking my eyebrow at him in confusion.

“We were graced with the presence of your favorite Formula One driver tonight,” he said with a large smirk firmly planted on his face.

Great first Pops and now Bobby, was everyone losing their mind in this town?

I had two options: play along with it or call him out on him going crazy. After weighing up my options I decided to go along with this crazy story.

“I know right! I can’t believe they chose our small town, let alone our bar,” I squealed over dramatically whilst rolling my eyes. “Maybe they will come back tomorrow, we will fall madly in love before running off into the sunset together!”

“Kiddo with how the boy was checking you out, it wouldn’t surprise me if he became a regular,” Bobby replied, with a large smirk on his face.

“You’ve been reading Elenor too many stories, old man,” I scoffed, once again rolling my eyes at him. There was no way on this earth that two talented formula one drivers were in the bar let alone checking me out. “Maybe I need to send you with Pops to the memory clinic.”

“Sweetheart, he definitely was, I swear Jax was moments away from ripping his throat out with the way Leclerc was running his eyes over your body,” he chuckled, a large smirk gracing his face as he continued to collect glasses.

“Goodnight, you crazy old man, I will text you the details of Pops’ next appointment,” I hollered over my shoulder, making my way to the back exit.

For what felt like the millionth time this evening my mind was spinning.

Was it fuck with Nova day or something?

Clambering in the driver's seat of my old truck I rested my forehead against the steering wheel, I desperately needed sleep. I knew I would be fine in the morning and this would just be a bad dream.

The drive home went by in a blur, a small smile appeared on my face as I noticed Jax had left the porch light on for me. No matter how many times he did this it always warmed my heart.

All I wanted to do was crawl into bed and sleep, but there was something playing on my mind. I needed to know if Pops and Bobby were telling the truth because if they were I had made a complete fool of myself from the moment me and Jax got back from dirt biking. I just prayed that if he was in the bar, he wasn’t there when I was reciting Crofty’s commentary from Monza. Because if he was then I could never show my face in the bar again.

@withmyteeth @chibsytelford @stillbreathin @danzer8705 @keyweegirlie @celestialams @dragon-of-winterfell @ohthemisssery @a-distantdreamer @sgkophie @angywritesstuff @enchantedbytomandhenry @scribbuluswrites @dangerouspursepeachbear @buendiabebeta @ferrarifwendvale @theplobnrgone @charlesleclercje @queenslife @panicforspec @inesramoss30 @justme2042 @liv67 @derpinathebrave @clcspeonies @pleasantducktimetravel @raaaaabzzz @mehrmonga @sbgal @fangirl-lb @pitconfirmbutton @oslokij @tall-tanned-tattoo @bigcreatorwombatdreamer @pumpkin-spice-hate @talicat713 @band--psycho @little-diable @i-love-scott-mccall @fourthwallhateclub @theysayitscrazy @rosieposie0624 @choochoo284 @meteora-fc @beeroses @darklydeliciousdesires @the-jer-bear @extraneousred @youflickedtooharddamnit @babypink224221

[yours-the-author]

Stickmintober 2024 Day 24: [FAIL] and Day 25: Betrayal

Like I promised, it's a double feature! Get hype! Or don't! I don't own you! I have no mortal possessions! WHEE!

You think that your choices don't really matter, but the truth is that even the tiniest decision can be a matter of life or death.

(For the record, I do believe that vanilla has a good flavor that's not just "plain", but I don't have a particular preference for chocolate or vanilla; it depends on how I'm feeling that day.)

Anyway, here's day 25:

Originally, I wanted to recreate the image that Splatoon released when Deep Cut's "Big Betrayal" Song was first released, but that was too hard for my little baby brain to draw, so I simplified. Same energy, though.

Remember that trend of making your pet hold a sign listing what they did wrong when they did something bad? Pet-shaming, I think it's called? It's probably still a thing. Anyway, Henry's been a little silly, so Ellie and Charles decided to set him back on the right path... by beating him up until he says sorry.

I'm actually ridiculously proud of that black eye; I shouldn't be, it's literally just a round gray shape with a line inside it, but it makes me feel happy and accomplished. The wonders of the creative process!

Anyway, sorry for the wait; it's fair season and I was at the fair! For a really long time! It was a long and fun day, but I was very much not in the mood to think after midnight. See you tomorrow for day 26! GAH, Halloween's almost here! The year's almost over! I'm afraid of the never ending march of time, too long and yet never long enough! WHEE!

[unethicallypleistocene]

If you're still willing to take snippets... I'd love to read more about Blake!! He owns my X-Men heart fr <3 <3

Oh my gosh thank you so much! Sorry this was the bit late, I was having A Week when you sent this. Writing this really cheered me up today, I genuinely squealed when I finally got the time to write it!

Blake sat in front of the growing fire, wiggling his numb toes. He was feeling the afternoon lull, and the mansion sat suspiciously quiet as its inhabitants settled in to finish homework or curl up with a hot drink in the October chill. The wind gently jostled desiccated leaves from their trees, both parties bidding farewell as the sky grew a contented, cloudy gray. He found himself inside more often as the weather turned, preferring the constant dullness of his senses to the sharp emptiness that accompanied every journey through a dormant landscape. He shifted himself with great effort to pluck his guitar from the side of his chair, and felt the familiar divots of the uneven wood. Blake had little effect on organic material that was technically dead, but he had caught himself slightly warping the soundboard in sporadic times of extreme distress. He experimentally plucked the catgut strings, a small touch that Charles had picked up from a secondhand shop. Metal or nylon simply felt too foreign. He heaved himself out of his chair and ran a finger across the spines of the numerous hardcovers that lined the shelves of the study, all cloth-bound and varying fascinatingly in height and color. His hand was skirting across the spine of a Robert Burns collection when Kurt appeared directly in front of him. Blake knew he should be well-used to it by now, but he couldn't help but start and let out a small yelp.

"Blake! I was wondering where- ach! I hope I didn't disturb you." "No, no, I wasn't doing much, anyway." "Looking for more poems?" Kurt asked, noticing the small pile of books that Blake had accumulated on the coffee table from the past week. "Not like I'm starved for choice, I just... I'm feeling uninspired." "You could always try something in German," said Kurt, waggling his eyebrows. "I can live without your constructive criticism, Kurt," he replied lightly, recalling a past attempt to read untranslated Goethe out loud, to Kurt's immense amusement. "I tried to be nice," he giggled, "but now you know how it feels. The uh... mouth-feel can be hard." "But German is so- sharp. I had to hack around the syllables." Kurt rolled his eyes. "Ah, because English is so gentle." Blake absentmindedly strummed a G chord. "You're not wrong." At that, Kurt determinedly sat and crossed his legs on the carpet. "I'm never wrong. So, I think you must pick a poem at random and sing it for me." Blake sputtered. "You know it takes me hours to come up with the melodies!" "Come on, you need this! A challenge! Sing for me, bitte." Blake huffed, marching back to the bookshelf and yanking out The Iliad without looking. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me." Kurt's tail curled in merriment. "We'll be here for a while." Blake strummed a few harsh chords in reply.

[welp-back-on-my-bs]

Next is the Vampires

First of all fuck you cannon Jean is trans here. You can't change my mind. He is also asexual and would only do it to please his lover aftermarrage and Demiromantic and queer.

Napoleon: this man is Demi everything, Demi boy, Demi romantic, and Demi sexual. He just needs to get to know you before romance starts, but is generally careing and protective of others

Mozart: Grayromantic and Asexual, like, the ew sex Ace lol

Leonardo: probably some type of Ace and only does the do for lover and to himself, maybe let's his partner out. Biromantic tho-

Authur: he looks- so fruity- and he is- such a flirt and sweetheart- he is pansexual

Vincent: sweet baby boy, he is bisexual

Theodoreus: sweet and also Bi, he needs a hug

OMASU DAZAI: from the two series I've seen him in so far, this man- so fruity, he likes men- so much- Bi with male preference

Issac: probably gray romantic and graysexual. But when he is in love/in the mood, boy howdy does he ever let his liver know that he adores them. In private tho, in public it's like- pinky holds and he is a bit of a lost child around that lover

WILLIAM: this man- exists to be queer.

Comete: dad manz is a man manz (Probably Vlads ex hubby) so yeah bi with male preference

Sebastion: our lovely butler archetype, I think he is also Ace and gray romantic, will do the do if lover requests, otherwise he wont

Vlad: irl hubby with a bit more spice *a bucket is added XD* so he be Bisexual

Johann: omni with a male preference, graysexual

Charles: Bisexual, bo prefernces

[livingfictional]

can I have a rdr2 matchup 🥺

I prefer male matchup

My Appearance: Im around 5'4 ish female with a thin build and an hourglass figure, but rather flat. I have medium curls, dark brown hair with bangs though I usually wear my hair in a bun because I hate it long. I have downturned bluish-gray eyes. I have a condition called Keratosis that heavily affects my arms and legs and a little bit on my outer cheeks. I have veiny hands that are kind of wide, but I have a good grip strength so I don't mind. I always keep my nails short. I wear glasses but cannot stand contacts.

Personality: ISFP-T! (People who prefer the Constant Improvement Strategy are quiet, individualistic, perfectionistic, and success-driven, often spending a lot of time and effort ensuring the result of their work is the best it can be.) I'm soft spoken and don't usually like confrontations and I will actively avoid situations where I have to do a lot of talking. I'm nervous around strangers and people I haven't known for a while. Even with people I'm comfortable around I tend to let them do all the talking. I'm very adventurous though and I get bored very easily so if I'm with someone and I keep suggesting activities and all they want to do is sit around I'll get bored or insecure about being around them. Simply sitting quietly with someone isn't enough. I have a very open mind though and as long as an activity isn't hurting anyone i'm down to try it! I love to explore different kinds of activities.My main love languages are physical contact and gift giving and a little bit acts of service. I crave to be held or cuddled and I like it when people trace patterns on me. I'm not rich by any means but I love giving things to people because making people happy is really one of the main reasons to make me happy. I hate being alone because my thoughts are so loud and they concern me because I can't help but think of bad things when i'm alone so I like either having someone or something to distract me. I'm not gonna lie- I can get very over emotional and more often than not my emotions tend to control me. I'm a crybaby kinda.

Hobbies: Baking, Reading, Biking and Walks. I love making breads and cookies in particular but there's just something so calming about baking. Reading allows me to get lost in a fantasy- Im am a HUGE Daydreamer. Biking and going on walks is fun. I dont like to be in forests too much because i'm terrified of insects but biking and walking down roads is an activity I do often.

Habits: I bite my lips a lot and grind my teeth. I'm usually not aware of it but it does get painful which is usually when I know I'm doing it. I like biting things. Not like full on biting but soft nibbles and when there's nothing soft to bite on I will bite on my own arm.

Fun fact: I make really good coffee and Tea. I love hot drinks so I take time to make them and I largely enjoy others trying some drinks I make and I'd love nothing more than to share drinks with someone.

Sad fact: My relationship with my parents is complicated and I often feel scared to be around my family due to constant yelling, screaming, degrading, and emotional negligence so I tend to avoid people with authority.

I match you up with… Charles!

He does notice your nervous demeanor, especially in social situations. He makes conscious effort to give you the space you need. He’d never push you into uncomfortable situations.

Charles is a very stoic man, but your companionship calms him down even when there’s a turmoil within him. No one sees, except for you.

Given your love languages Charles will make sure to give you the affection you need.

Not a fan of PDA, but he will hold your hand or wrap his arm around your waist in public.

In private he will often offer you hugs, hold you close and whisper sweet nothings into your ear.

He’d happily let you tag along when he goes out to hunt or even for a ride.

[1-800-c3dr1c]

CHARACTERS I WILL WRITE FOR

requests : open! (will slowly but surely get to them, i have lots of unfinished ones at the moment.)

emoji anons always open! taken ones: none so far <3

if in bold i much prefer to write for these characters more.

if in italics i will only write sfw content of them.

let me know if you’d like to be in any of these character’s tag lists to be tagged whenever i post anything related to them, whether it be in a post with them, under this post, or my inbox asks! <3

also, please ask questions (if you have any) about what i will write below! i will answer them all to the best of my abilities, but currently, i’m obsessed with writing yandere characters. (I DO NOT CONDONE YANDERE ACTIVITIES/TENDENCIES OR ANYTHING ELSE IRL.)

SHADOWHUNTER CHRONICLES :

theresa “tessa” gray. james carstairs. william herondale. magnus bane. cecily herondale. gabriel lightwood. charlotte branwell. henry branwell. jessamine lovelace. gideon lightwood. sophie collins. james herondale. thomas lightwood. cordelia carstairs. lucie herondale. anna lightwood. christopher lightwood. jesse blackthorn. grace blackthorn. matthew fairchild. alastair carstairs. ariadne bridgestock. charles fairchild.

SIX OF CROWS :

kaz brekker. inej ghafa. nina zenik. matthias helvar. jesper fahey. wylan van eck.

SHADOW AND BONE :

adrik zhabin. alina starkov. david kostyk. genya safin. malyen oretsev. nikolai lantsov. tamar kir-bataar. the darkling. tolya yul-bataar. soya nazyalensky.

GENSHIN IMPACT :

aether. albedo. alhaitham. amber. arataki itto. baizhu. barbara. beidou. bennett. candace. collei. cyno. dehya. diluc. diona. dori. eula. faruzan. fischl. freminet. ganyu. gorou. hu tao. jean. kaedehara kazuha. kaeya. kamisato ayaka. kamisato ayato. kaveh. keqing. kirara. klee. kujou sara. kuki shinobu. layla. lisa. lumine. lynette. lyney. mona. nahida. neuvilette. nilou. ningguang. noelle. qiqi. raiden shogun. razor. rosaria. sangonomiya kokomi. sayu. shenhe. shikanoin heizou. sucrose. tartaglia. thoma. tighnari. venti. wanderer. wriothesley. xiangling. xiao. xinqiu. xinyan. yae miko. yanfei. yaoyao. yelan. yoimiya. yun jin. zhongli.

PERCY JACKSON AND THE OLYMPIANS :

percy jackson. luke castellan. annabeth chase. nico di angelo. grover underwood. clarisse la rue. will solace.

HONKAI: STAR RAIL :

arlan. asta. bailu. bronya. clara. dan heng. gepard. herta. himeko. hook. jing yuan. luocha. march 7th. natasha. pela. sampo. seele. serval. stelle. caelus. welt.

NIER AUTOMATA :

9S. 2B. A2.

THE SELECTION :

america singer. maxon schreave. aspen leger. marlee tames. celeste newsome.

THE MAZE RUNNER :

newt. gally. minho. teresa agnes. alby. chuck. thomas. aris jones. brenda. frypan. sonya. zart. winston. harriet. clint. jeff. ben.

HARRY POTTER :

lavender brown. cho chang. fleur delacour. cedric diggory. seamus finnigan. hermione granger. neville longbottom. luna lovegood. draco malfoy. harry potter. dean thomas. bill weasley. charlie weasley. fred weasley. george weasley. ginny weasley. percy weasley. ron weasley. oliver wood.

STRANGER THINGS :

eleven. mike wheeler. will byers. lucas sinclair. erica sinclair. max mayfield. dustin henderson. steve harrington. nancy wheeler. jonathan byers.

MEAN GIRLS :

regina george. karen smith. gretchen wieners. cady heron. aaron samuels. janis ian. damian.

ALICE IN BORDERLAND :

akane heiya. chota segawa. daikichi karube. hikari kuina. kodai tatta. mira kano. morizono aguni. rizuna an. ryohei arisu. shuntaro chishiya. suguru niragi. yuzuha usagi.

DIVERGENT :

beatrice prior. tobias eaton. caleb prior. peter. uriah pedrad. eric coulter. christina. tori wu.

THE HUNGER GAMES :

katniss everdeen. peeta mellark. rue. cato hadley. clove kentwell. gale hawthorne. primrose everdeen. finnick odair. johanna mason. young! coriolanus snow. sejanus plinth. clemensia dovecote.

SQUID GAME :

seong gi-hun. kang sae-byeok. hwang jun-ho. ali abdul.

ALL OF US ARE DEAD :

lee cheong-san. yoon gwi-nam. nam on-jo. lee su-hyeok. lee na-yeon. choi nam-ra.

THE WALKING DEAD :

daryl dixon. rick grimes. carl grimes. michonne. maggie rhee. shane walsh. glenn rhee.

MY HERO ACADEMIA :

shota aizawa. hizashi yamada. nemuri kayama. yuga aoyoma. mina ashido. tsuyu asui. tenya ida. ochako uraraka. mashirao ojiro. denki kaminari. eijiro kirishima. koji koda. rikido sato. mezo shoji. kyoka jiro. hanta sero. fumikage tokoyami. shoto todoroki. toru hagakure. katsuki bakugo. izuku midoriya. momo yaoyorozu. yosetsu awase. sen kaibara. togaru kamakiri. shihai kuroiro. itsuka kendo. yui kodai. kinoko komori. ibara shiozaki. jurota shishida. nirengeki shoda. pony tsunotori. kosei tsuburaba. tetsutetsu tetsutetsu. setsuna tokage. manga fukidashi. juzo honenuki. kojiro bondo. neito monoma. reiko yanagi. hiryu rin. mirio togata. nejire hado. tamaki amajiki. hitoshi shinso. mei hatsume. emi fukukado. camie utsushimi. keigo takami. rumi usagiyama. yu takeyama. tomura shigaraki. dabi. himiko toga. rody soul.

HAIKYUU!! :

kenma kozume. yu nishinoya. toru oikawa. tobio kageyama. tetsurō kuroo. kei tsukishima. shoyo hinata. kiyoko shimizu. kōtarō bokuto. asahi azumane. koshi sugawara. hitoka yachi. tadashi yamaguchi. ryūnosuke tanaka. hajime iwaizumi. daichi sawamura.

DEMON SLAYER :

giyu tomioka. mitsuri kanroji. obanai iguro. sanemi shinazugawa. gyomei himejima. muichiro tokito. shinobu kocho. kyojuro rengoku. kanae kocho. tengen uzui. kanao tsuyuri. tanjiro kamado. zenitsu agatsuma. inosuke hashibira. genya shinazugawa. aoi kanzaki. nezuko kamado. muzan kibutsuji. tamayo. yushiro yamamoto. susumaru. sabito. makomo. senjuro rengoku. hinatsuru uzui. makio uzui. suma uzui. kokushibo. doma. akaza. nakime. hantengu. gyokko. kaigaku. gyutaro. daki. enmu. rui.

THE PROMISED NEVERLAND :

emma. ray. norman. isabella. krone. don. gilda.

OBEY ME! SHALL WE DATE? :

lucifer. mammon. leviathan. satan. asmodeus. beelzebub. belphegor. diavolo. barbatos. luke. simeon. soloman.

YANDERE SIMULATOR :

ayano aishi. ayato aishi. osana najimi. osano najimi. amai odayaka. amao odayaka. kizana sunobu. kizano sunobu. oka ruto. asu rito. aso rito. muja kina. mujo kina. mida rana. mido rana. osoro shidesu. osorō shidesu. hanako yamada. hanakō yamada. megami saikou. megamo saikou. umeji kizuguchi.

TOP GUN :

pete “maverick” mitchell. bradley “rooster” bradshaw. jake “hangman” seresin. natasha “phoenix” trace. robert “bob” floyd. reuben “payback” fitch. mickey “fanboy” garcia.

[gffa]

hi lumi! pls don't feel pressured to answer this but i'm currently reading Phasma by delilah dawson (i'm loving it so far) and i was wondering if you would know some nice sequels' books and comics to get into (preferably the ones that delve more into the first order but anything works tbh)? I know your thing is mostly the prequels (it's more my thing too tbh) but i was wondering if you could help me or perhaps if you would know someone who could help me with it?

Hi! I actually do have a handful of sequels-centric content that I've liked! When the expanded world of SW comics and novels was first getting started, there was a lot of focus on the sequels and a lot of it was genuinely delightful and to this day I still heartily recommend them! Phasma is one of them (I loved that that book was just so joyfully batshit in exactly the way a Star Wars book should be) and my recs for other stuff you'll hopefully enjoy are:

Captain Phasma by Kelly Thompson (comic) - Gorgeous art, a solid story, and even some Feelings if you've read the Phasma novel, because it features some flashbacks from there.

Poe Dameron by Charles Soule (comic) - In addition to being one of the best SW comic runs out there, it's also a great look at Poe's character, has gorgeous art, and is just a fantastic read all the way around, I would put it at the top of my recs list.

Aftermath, Aftermath: Life Debt, Aftermath: Empire's End by Chuck Wendig (book) - I always recommend that I think this series almost MUST be in audiobook form, that I could not get into it in novel form, but the audiobooks were such a fun adventure. This does the most establishing of the galaxy after the Empire falls, it gets into several of the characters that would go on to help form the First Order. It's mostly a set of new characters (that I grew to love) and the OT characters, but I think it helps set the world a lot, so if you don't mine the lack of ST characters, it does lead into ST worldbuilding.

Bloodline by Claudia Gray (book) - Is a Leia story and is mostly about why she stops being a Senator and founds the Resistance, but it helps tell the foundation of the New Republic (along with the Aftermath trilogy) and the rising of the First Order. It's still quoted a lot for some pretty iconic Leia moments, but I think if you're looking for ST worldbuilding (as opposed to sequels characters), it's good for that, too.

Star Wars Battlefront II (game) - The story of Battlefront II is focused on the OT characters, but I like recommending it because it does a lot of great work in connecting the OT to the ST, including moments of how the First Order came to be, and has some really great Luke characterization. You can look up a "movie" version on YouTube and watch it that way!

Spark of the Resistance by Justina Ireland (book) - I hesitate to recommend this one whole-heartedly if you're not already hip-deep in SW books, because it is very referential to other SW comics/books, but I genuinely enjoyed it as connective tissue between the ST movies where it showed all the characters coming together in this fight. It was cute and charming and had some delightful moments of the main cast!

Resistance Reborn by Rebecca Roanhorse (book) - Is much in the same vein as Spark of the Resistance, it does a lot of good connective work, is a charming read, and has good focus on the main ST characters!

Age of Resistance by Tom Taylor (comic) - This was a series of one-shots focused around several main characters and they're solid, fun highlights of the characters. I remember especially enjoying the Rey and Rose ones!

Star Wars Adventures by various authors (comic) - There are two volumes of this (they rebooted the title a couple of years ago) and basically any issue that has the sequels characters is a fun read. I mean, the whole entire series tends to be really great for any era, but the sequels ones are fun--including a darling one from the first volume with Poe and Rose interaction that has forever made me pine for more team-ups with those two.

Allegiance by Ethan Stacks (comic) - A mini-series set post-TLJ where they're trying to gather allies for the Resistance and has some lovely character moments, I especially remember feeling a lot for Leia in her scenes of trying to rally people to stand up against the First Order, now knowing it was her own son leading them.

Join the Resistance by Ben Acker and Ben Blacker (book) - This is a cautious rec because it's set during the time of the Resistance, but it doesn't really have a lot to do with them or even particularly strong worldbuilding, I just REALLY FELL IN LOVE WITH THOSE KIDS over the course of the series.

Star Wars: Resistance (TV series) - This show isn't for everyone, it's much more kid-friendly and the animation doesn't do it for everyone, but I adored the characters (especially Kaz, the main character) and their main antagonist is the building First Order, as well as occasional guest appearances by Phasma or Kylo Ren. It had a lot of heart, it was really charming, but it's a cautious rec despite that I loved it very much.

Hopefully, this should help you find some stuff to read!

[illimitable-freedom]

Portraits of Thomas Jefferson, Sorted generally in order of my preference.

Edgehill Portrait by Gilbert Stuart

I quite like Gilbert Stuart's portraits, as a general rule. He did iconic portraits of Washington, Madison, Jay, Adamses, and Monroe https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilbert_Stuart. I think I like that they seem more 'republican' (small r) than aristocratic, with their muted colors and generally conservative dress (except for military officers who were painted in uniform).

In the version of the painting with a brown background from 1821, Jefferson's eyes are vibrant and captivating. The Edgehill portrait (blue background) was a family favorite and is generally agreed to be a good likeness.

John Trumbull, 1788 (depicting Jefferson as he looked in 1776, as part of the process of creating his Declaration of Independence painting). My preference is generally for portraits of the younger Jefferson,  with the red hair, more brightly colored clothes, and generally more youthful and slender appearance.

Charles Wilson Peale, 1791-1792

I like this portrait of a slightly younger Jefferson, featuring not-yet-totally gray hair. Love the upturned collar as well.

John Trumbull, 1788. This Jefferson is much more European than the Trumbull's other depiction.

Medallion Portrait by Gilbert Stuart

Similar to a Ceracchi bust, which was lost in a fire at the Library of Congress, this work portrays Jefferson in a style reminiscent of Rome. The fact that he and his family liked both 'Roman' versions may be because they appreciated the connection to Rome, or because, as they claimed, the likenesses were very good. Jefferson looks strong and muscular in this image.

Official Presidential Portrait by Rembrandt Peale, 1800

This is a very common image of Jefferson, but I don't have very strong positive or negative feelings about it. It's certainly very familiar. I feel like he is looking directly at me, and generally I don't feel very good about that (for example when I was reading The Art of Power and had to flip the book over every time I put it down because I couldn't take Jefferson staring at me).

Aquatint by Michel Sokolnicki (1760-1816), engraver, after Thaddeus Kosciuszko (1746-1817)

I was really hoping to like the Kosciuszko drawing, because wouldn't it be charming to have a portrait done by his friend. And I heard it was bad, but I was hoping it was bad in a likeable sort of way. But no, it's not charming; Jefferson looks rather angry and unlikeable. At least it got this quote from William Thornton:

"[W]hen I saw it, I did not wonder that he lost Poland—not that it is necessary a Genl should be a Painter, but he should be a man of such Sense as to discover that he is not a Painter."

Pasted from <https://www.monticello.org/research-education/thomas-jefferson-encyclopedia/jefferson-engraving-sokolnicki-engraving/>

Rembrandt Peale, 1805

I've never really been fond of this portrait. Probably because of the coat. I suppose it doesn't mesh well with the image in my head of a lithe, slender Jefferson. I'd rather see whatever red/orange coat he's wearing underneath.

Thomas Sully, 1821 (Copy by George Catlin). Jefferson wasn't captured in many full-length portraits; part of me wishes we had more. His head looks like it has been chopped off at the top, and he is hidden under many layers of clothing (and still wearing that hideous fur coat, or at least a similar one).

Mather Brown, 1786

Generally agreed to be a bad likeness of Jefferson, and depicting him of an irregularly European character. However, at least the painting is pleasant to look at.

By Charles Peale Polk, 1799-1820. It looks like the artist was working from one of Charles Wilson Peale's paintings, butchered Jefferson's hair, and dressed him in the outfit from Rembrandt Peale's presidential portrait.

Engraving by John B. Neagle, 4 Nov 1796 - 17 Sep 1865

Copy after Bass Otis, 1784 - 1861

Jefferson looks pained in this portrait (done in 1816). His hair looks almost feminine and his face seems distorted. William Thornton described it as an "injustice".

Pasted from <https://npg.si.edu/object/npg_NPG.82.207>

https://www.monticello.org/research-education/thomas-jefferson-encyclopedia/life-portraits-thomas-jefferson/