#if there was ever a romance hero that was marriage material........... it's him

[triviareads]

So uh, it just clicked for me but Talia Hibbert tends towards writing her South Asian heroes as daddy types which is WILDLY hilarious to me because just from personal experience desi men are like the opposite of that, like, genuinely the most mama's boy-types.

[nicsnort]

The Dark Kiss (part 3)

Ascended Astarion/Fem!Tav dark power-couple romance. Cross-posted from Ao3 (link) General CWs for blood drinking, battle, and sexy times

Part 1 Previous

“Nearly one year ago the army of the Absolute tried to take this city, an elder brain empowered with ancient magic attempted to transform our citizens into its loyal thralls. And on that day the people of Baldur’s Gate rose in solidarity to fight back! We have faced many trials as a city but this was our greatest. And we overcame! Now a year after that horrific event it is a time to remember those we lost but also to celebrate what we have gained. That is why I thank you all for attending today. Now I know the wedding ceremony was long so I won’t go on for much longer myself. Eat, drink, be merry, and remember the alcohol is free!”

Cheers erupted around the courtyard of the Silvershield manor. “To Duke Silvershield and Lord Accunin!” 

Up on the balcony where Tav had given her speech Astarion swept her into his arms and kissed her deeply. The newlywed couple eventually parted lips and made their way to the reception area. Two throne-like chairs had been erected on a pavilion for them to receive gifts and greet guests. As they sat the servers handed them each a glass of rich Amnian wine. Any stranger looking in would believe the pair royalty holding court and accepting tithes from their subjects - yet that would not be far off in the couple’s point of view.

The first to greet them were the other members of the Council of Four. There was no gift presented but that was because their gift was given earlier. Grand Duke Ravengaurd was stepping down as leader of the Flaming Fist and they all agreed that when Tav returned from her honeymoon in a month she would be announced as the new Grand Duke. Nothing could have been a finer present for the power-hungry couple - not that they presented themselves as such, Tav pretended to be humbled and honored by the offer.

Next Rolan, Master of Ramathiz’s Tower, and his siblings gave Tav a volume of romance fiction - when asked for an explanation Rolan merely winked and told her to examine it closely later, there was an air of magic about the tome, an illusion perhaps. Astarion was gifted a gem of seeing set in a monocle which would allow him to see through any disguise when it was looked through. For each of their manors, they were also gifted a cleansing stone - when touched it would clean all dirt and grime off the person who touched it. Perfect for their foyers.

The parade of guests continued most barely notable people giving easily forgotten gifts. Tav barely paid attention until more of their old allies stepped forward. 

Barcus Wroot and the Ironhands gave them some of their latest inventions inspired by the infernal engines of the Steel Watchers. Alfira performed for them a song a celebration she wrote just for the occasion. Hope sent a manic letter with a prayer for a happy marriage and some very ancient books from Raphael’s former collection which were delivered by an imp forcibly dressed as an angel. Dame Aylin and Isobel gave them a precious moonstone statue imbued with divine energy to keep evil from their home. Lady Jannath and Oskar presented several oil paintings including one the artist had made of the couple together. A representative of the tiefling refugees presented the plans for a statue they were building in honor of the Heroes of Baldur's Gate. 

A Gith emissary of the Comet Rebellion delivered a box of rare alchemical and magical ingredients from the Outer Planes as Lae’zel was unable to come in person. The avatar of Dekarios bestowed upon them a blessing - apparently his first - that their ambitions be ever-growing and ever in their grasp. Wyll and Karlach - the latter of whom had her heart finally stabilized enough for the material plane - presented the head of Haarlep in a bloody sack with a fancy bow along with the blade used to remove his head now enchanted due to the blood. Haslin, as a druid, didn't have much material wealth for a gift but instead gave them a massive wooden relief of an owlbear carved from an ancient oak that had died in the Shadowlands. Shadowheart gave them each a shard of purified mirror of loss so they may never forget the past and those they lost along the way - it seemed to be a warning but not a threat.

Once all the guests had been greeted and all the gifts presented the party truly began. While they all had been drinking and eating during the procedure of formal greeting and gift-giving now the music turned lively for a true celebration. Astarion stood, offering Tav a hand, and they made their way into the center of the courtyard. They began a classic courtly dance, stepping in time with the music their eyes never leaving each other as their bodies moved in perfect precision. Slowly others joined in the dance the newlyweds staying in the center, never switching partners nor missing a single step.

“I’m hungry,” Tav told Astarion when the song ended. “Let’s get some food.”

“Of course, my love, today is yours to enjoy because tonight is mine.”

Arm in arm they walked out of the dancing area to a table laden with food. All of them were Tav’s favorites, after all, they didn’t know if she would be able to eat food after her transformation. Today was her last day to experience life to its fullest as tonight the ritual to bring her into undeath would begin. 

Despite Astarion’s original promises, he revealed that he did not know which of his abilities or benefits would be extended to her. He knew that she would be able to walk in sunlight as a single drop of his blood given to a spawn allowed them to do so. But other than that it may be that she merely would come out of the ritual with the normal powers of a fledging vampire. Yet, as the bride of the vampire ascendant, they were both confident that she would have more power than any other consort to ever be created through the sacrament.

Hours of revelry and celebration passed. At some point, Tav and Astarion separated to engage in differing conversations with the guests. Dekarios’ avatar approached Tav as Lady Jannath and Oskar stepped away. This avatar looked just like the old Gale though instead of brown his eyes were silver. “You look less divine today,” Tav commented as they greeted each other.

“I did not want to outshine the bride on her wedding day,” he replied with a smile, his voice like that of old Gale. “Besides, I have been practicing projecting my form. Nothing unusual, yes?”

“Your eyes are silver but other than that you look perfectly human.”

“Excellent.”

“So, this form you have taken. Are you actually here yourself like at the party or is this an advanced form of that mirror image you would make?”

“Both. An avatar of a divine is the divine itself, it is rather difficult to explain to a mortal. Think of it like a river with an island in the center. The water parts, creating two streams but both are still the river.”

Tav hummed with interest. “Fascinating…have you been enjoying the shrine?”

“Oh yes,” Dekarios replied with a grin, “I thank you for the courtesy. You and Astarion are both ambitious enough to rival my mortal dreams. Perhaps one day I shall welcome you both among the divines as well. Until then, the prayers are deeply appreciated.”

“Astarion already fancies himself the god of vampires, in a few centuries as he comes into his powers he just may be divine or close enough to it. As for me, it is not currently my ambition to achieve godhood, though who knows what the future will hold. For now, I am content to remain mortal.”

Dekarios chuckled. “I know the ambitious ceremony you two are about to part take in. Mortal certainly seems the last thing on your mind to remain.”

“Content to remain focused on the material realm and concerns of mortal affairs then.”

“Fair enough, divinity does not suit all. However, if you ever find the ambition within yourself…”

“I shall let you know,” Tav finished with a smile raising her wine glass to him.

He inclined his head and made to leave before remembering something. “Ah, yes. I was going to give this to you as a birthday present but the time slipped away from me in Elysium once more. Here. The key to my tower in Waterdeep. It is yours along with all the knowledge and artifacts it contains. My only request is that you turn it into a pilgrimage site with a shrine to me.”

“Of course and thank you.” Tav took the key and tucked it into her bosom safely. “And my thanks again for the blessing Dekarios it was an honor.”

With Gale-like mannerisms Dekarios gave a half-bow before departing. Tav returned to the food table and began picking at some succulent grapes from Amn. They were so sweet and juicy and the pop they made in her mouth was marvelous.

“Why are you marrying him,” Shadowheart asked quietly from behind her.

“The question is why did I marry him,” Tav corrected turning and smiling at her old companion. “And the answer is because I love him.”

“A poor reason to marry a monster. Even one of your own creation.”

“A vampire is a monster whether spawn or the ascendant himself. I would have married Astarion as a spawn, would you have complained then?”

Shadowheart scowled. “Astarion as a spawn was not a monster, not truly, and you know it. The Ascended sacrificed over seven thousand souls to rise, that is a monster.”

“And he only did so with my help. Am I not a monster then?”

“Of course not, you made an error of judgment out of love…though I suppose it seems you made another. I never thought you would return to him after what he said to you. How can you be sure he will not follow through on his words and abuse your love?”

“Because he has nothing to gain from that. I am Duke Tavita Silvershield, soon-to-be Grand Duke, my magic is nearly at the level of an archmage. I make a dangerous foe but I make a more valuable ally. Besides, Shadowheart, he loves me.”

“Are you sure that love will still be there when you are his slave? His puppet? His spawn?” There was venom in her voice but then her expression softened. “I am sorry, but I am worried about you my friend.”

Tav smiled and placed a comforting hand on Shadowheart’s shoulder. “I am not going to be turned into his spawn.”

“How can you be so sure about that? All he needs to do is drain you of your blood.”

While Tav was not going to reveal to Shadowheart their plan or any information about the Dark Kiss her answer was the same. “Even now Astarion values consent, at least, my consent. If he had truly just wanted to possess me as a spawn there has been ample opportunity these past six months. Hells, he could have forced me that night a year ago.”

“I still do not understand how you can trust him. I suppose though, it is your choice and I never understood many of your choices. You helped so many of us, so many people, but then you let Gale and Astarion become the worst versions of themselves.”

“I allowed them to make their own decisions.”

“And it was my decision to become a Justicar but you talked me out of it.”

“No I didn’t,” Tav told her with a smile and small laugh. “When we stood before Dame Aylin I told you that ‘you know what you had to do’ to ‘make the right choice’ and then I let you choose. Just like I reminded Lae’zel that Vaalkith had named us enemies for trying to survive, she chose to dedicate herself to Orpheus. I pointed out to Gale that Mystra asking him to blow himself up was wrong, and that he should not listen to her anymore; he chose to take the crown and become a god in his own right. All I did for my companions, my friends, was support their decisions and aid them where I could. Can you not do the same for me?”

Shadowheart furrowed her brow, still concerned but unable to rebuke the point that Tav made. “Very well. But please Tav, if you ever need my help, let me know. Truly. I will help you in whatever way I can.”

Tav nodded. “Thank you, Shadowheart, my dear friend.”

“Having a good time, my love,” Astarion asked suddenly materializing beside her his arm automatically wrapping around her waist possessively.

“I am indeed, this day has been perfect,” she told him leaning against him, the jewels in the brocade of his shirt pressed against her head but the discomfort with worth giving her affection.

“And the night is just beginning,” he reminded her. Indeed the sun was starting to set those who lived outside of the Upper City but were not staying the night at the Silvershield manor had to head home before the Watch kicked them out.

“Yes, I suppose I must be heading back to the Elfsong,” Shadowheart commented having been immediately forgotten about by Tav when Astarion showed up.

“You are still welcome to spend the night Shadowheart,” Tav told her. “All of our other companions are.”

“Thank you for the offer but I feel more comfortable in the Lower City, being waited on by servants doesn’t appeal to me.”

“Farewell then, our dear cleric,” Astarion told her with a grin that showed his fangs. “Stay safe, there are still plenty of cultists we have yet to root out. I would hate for you to meet an unfortunate end on such a glorious day.”

“You almost say that like a threat,” Shadowheart replied warily her eyes flitting between the pair.

“Not at all. Just a warning.” There was a dangerous tone to Astarion’s voice. Tav lifted her hand and placed it on his chest. Under her touch, Astarion’s body relaxed. When he spoke again the edge was gone from his words. “After all, we do not need anything happening to our friend, one of the heroes of Baldur’s Gate so close to the anniversary of the Absolute’s defeat.”

“Of course,” Shadowheart inclined her head. They said their farewells and the cleric left still obviously worried about Tav and now herself. She was not the first nor the last to leave. As the newlyweds said farewell to the departing guests Astarion was becoming restless. His hand never left Tav’s side, she could feel him squeezing and caressing her while they spoke to people. Eventually, he began pressing kisses against her shoulder, neck, cheek, and the top of her head.

“You’re being naughty,” Tav playfully scolded as Barcus ran away from them blushing heavily after Astarion cupped her breast through her dress while kissing her cheek as the gnome was saying farewell.

“I am merely anxious to have you all to myself, can you truly blame me for that,” he purred in her ear before pressing a soft kiss to her lobe.

“Not at all but you are usually better at showing restraint.”

“I do not believe anyone here would blame you if you two retired for the evening,” Halsin said stepping up to them with a jovial and rather drunken smile. “The sun has set after all.”

“What an excellent idea, Halsin,” Astarion said, immediately lifting Tav like the bride she was. Tav yelped in surprise, her wine glass shattered on the ground as she flung her arms around his neck in shock.

A deep chuckle left Halsin. “My apologies, Tav. Have a good time on your honeymoon.”

“Yes, thank you, Halsin,” she replied still trying to act dignified.

“Say farewell to everyone, pet,” Astarion instructed, “I cannot contain myself any longer. I need to claim my bride.”

“Astarion,” Tav hissed forcing anger even as her lips curved into a smile. The vampire grinned as well, his ruby eyes capturing hers, desire pouring out of them. “You promised we wouldn’t leave until after the sunset. We still have one minute and six seconds until the sun is properly below the horizon.”

“Far be it from me to break a promise, little love. One minute, let us finish the goodbyes.” In a flash of unnatural speed, Astarion began carrying her to the remaining party guests of importance - Dekarios, Wyll, and Karlach.

“If you aren’t gonna put her down, I’m hugging both of you,” Karlach told Astarion right before she sandwiched Tav and him in between her arms.

“As warm as always,” Tav commented as the barbarian released them. “I am glad we will be able to see more of each other. I look forward to your wedding to Dammon…whenever you finally ask him.”

“A bit too early for that, soldier.” 

Astarion’s arms tightened around Tav. “That’s time, pet.”

“I sensed it too, love. Farewell, Karlach, it's time for my wedding night. I promised him from sunset to sunrise.”

Before Karlach or anyone else could say another word Astarion teleported himself and his bride back to the Crimson Palace. It was time for the Sacrament of the Dark Kiss to begin.

_____

Next

The presents from Rolan are actual magic items from D&D 5e. The "romance book" is the Duplicitous Manuscript from Tasha's Cauldron of Everything - it is a spellbook that grants several illusion spells and makes it so your illusions are harder to see through. Astarion receives the Gem of Seeing from the DM's Guide/Basic Rules which grants Truesight (can see through any illusion, magical darkness, invisibility, and true form of shapechangers) 3 times a day for 10 minutes each. The foyer gifts are Cleansing Stones from Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron.

Fanfic Masterlist

[gunilslaugh]

hi^ this is my first time asking and don't know how to do this exactly 😅 but what do you think are the romantic troupes that fit xdinary heroes the best? (fated soulmates, friends-to-lovers, coworkers-to-lovers, etc) danke!

Thank you so much for requesting. I had a lot of fun writing this 😊

All Members <;3 Summary: Xdinary Heroes and what romantic tropes they would be.

WC:1.5k

Warnings:grammar

photo not mine credits to owner

Gunil

• Co-workers to Lovers/ Office Romance

Gunil’s cubicle is directly in front of yours, meaning that you share the front wall. Gunil fully uses this to his advantage. One of his favorite things to do is write you sticky notes. Reaching his hand over the short wall dividing the two of you and placing it somewhere on your side of  the wall. Some are work related, with information about deadlines, resources, materials or just other information relevant to current projects. Others are encouraging messages. Saying things like You’re doing great! :) or  You did really well on this project :]. Finally there are the pickup lines. Some are super cringey, others are so stupid they’re funny, but all of them make you smile. Whenever you would leave your own sticky notes on his side of the wall, Gunil’s heart just melts. 

He also enjoys popping his head over the wall to talk to you. This most often occurs when it’s time for your lunch breaks. Gunil also always insists on walking you to your car at the end of working hours. He must ensure that his favorite coworker is safe. 

Today was going like any other day. It was almost time to pack up and go home when you saw an all too familiar hand reach over and stick a sticky note. However this time it wasn’t about work or an encouraging message or a pickup line. Instead it read Can I take you out on a date?. You pick up a pen and write down your answer before reaching your hand over the wall and sticking the note. 

Jungsu

• Marriage Pact 

You were 19 and going through a hard break up when you and Jungsu made your marriage pact. Your ex at the time broke up with you because they said they didn’t see your relationship going anywhere serious. That you weren’t a person they could settle down with. It was the last part that messed you up. What was wrong with you that made them not want to settle down with you? Were you really that bad? Why couldn’t that relationship go anywhere serious? These questions haunted your mind.

“Y/n there is nothing wrong with you,” Jungsu tried to reassure you.

“But what if there is? What if no one ever wants something serious with me? What if no one wants to marry me?” You began to ramble.

“I’ll marry you,” Jungsu states easily.

“What?” you questioned his unexpected remark.

“If we're both not married by the time we’re 30 I’ll marry you ok?” He suggested.

“Promise?” you asked, sticking out your pinky finger.

“Promise,” he answered, linking your finger together with his.

Jungsu did end up being the one you married, but at the age of 27. Having realized there was no one else you would rather spend your life with. You also found out that when Jungsu initially said he would marry back when you were 19 he meant then and there. 

Jiseok/Gaon

• Matchmaker Gone Wrong

Jiseok was one of your acquaintances. You had met him at a cafe the both of you are frequent visitors at. Whenever you happen to run into each other you guys always exchange small talk. One day he visited the cafe with one of his friends. He saw you sitting at a table and naturally went over to talk to you, telling his friend to order for him. His friend later came over with their drinks in his hands. He thanked his friend before grabbing his drink from him.

“Y/n, this is my friend,” he introduced you guys to one another 

“No wonder you like coming to this cafe,” his friend told him as they exited.

“Should I get their number for you?” Jiseok teased his friend. Not really thinking much of it.

“Are you serious? You’re not into them?” his friend quizzes him.

“We’re just acquaintances. Allow me to play cupid for you,” Jiseok says excitedly at the thought of playing cupid for his friend.

The next time he sees you at the cafe he informs you about his friend's interest in you and asks if he can give your number to him. You agreed, remembering that his friend did seem to be pretty close to your type.

It wasn’t until Jiseok saw you and his friend on a date that an uneasy almost nauseous feeling set into his stomach. The feeling of realization hit him like a punch in the face. He liked you too.

O.de/Seungmin

• Roommates to Lovers

After three years of living with your friend they decided that they wanted to move out and  move in with their current boyfriend. This meant that you had to find a new roommate. That’s how Seungmin entered your life. He was an amazing roommate. The two of you got along great and everything was well. That was until you started to fall for him, that is. You want to blame it on your massive workload that was stressing you out to your core,but realistically you probably would have fallen for him at one point or another anyway. You really couldn’t help it though, just as you were on the verge of a mental breakdown. There was a gentle knock on your door frame. There Seungmin stood with very concerned eyes and a cup of tea in his hands. 

“How about you take a break for a bit?  We can watch a movie,” he suggested carefully. How that turned into you crying in his arms you’re not quite sure. You do know though that as he soothingly rubbed your back and stroked your hair that you wanted to be in his arms more often. Little did you know that this is also the same night he fell for you. Realizing he wanted to be the one to comfort you. He also wanted you to be in his arms more too, which is why he decided that after you get done with your workload and distress he’ll ask you out on a date.

Hyeongjun/Junhan

• Healing one another/ Emotional Scars

Burnt out  and just wanting everything to stop. The noise in your brian was too loud, it felt like you couldn’t even think. That’s how you felt when you first met Hyeongjun. You went on a trip to clear your head (run away from your problems). You thought time away would help you regroup yourself, but you can’t exactly get away from your own head. Hyeongjun seemingly had the same idea as you. He too left on a trip in effort to pull himself back together. Maybe it was your broken souls that gravitated you towards one another.

All you know is one night you found yourself seated on the same bench as him.

“So much for getting away being a reset,” you had said out loud, but it was more for yourself.

“You’re having a hard time too,” the voice of the guy next to you spoke.

“I don’t know what to do anymore, well I mean I have to work I know that, but work makes me want to smash my into a wall,” you pause before realizing your rambling to a stranger. “Sorry that was a bit much,”

“It’s ok I know exactly how you feel. Everything feels like a chore and the noise in my brain,”

“Is too loud,” you say with him. Although you found that when you’re with each other your brains are quieter.

Jooyeon

• Oblivious to Love/ Belated Love Realization 

“I got the email!” you exclaimed, rushing into Jooyeon’s apartment. The email was about your future. It held the result of if you got your dream job. 

“What did it say?” he asked just excitedly.

“I don’t know. I came here first. I’m too scared to open it too,” you explained to him.

“Ok let me open it,” he said, taking your phone from your hand, tapping on the email.

“Wait! I’m scared.” you say, causing Jooyeon to laugh before it comfortingly tells you.

“Hey whatever the results are you’ll be ok,” It all falls silent as he reads the email. You think you can almost hear your heart pounding in your chest. 

“Well!” You yell at him impatiently. He looks at you for a moment and just as you think your heart’s going to sink.

“You got it!” he exclaims crushing you with a hug. You felt exhilarated and began to jump up and down chanting. 

“I got it!” Jooyeon was just as excitedly jumping with you when it hit him. That means you're leaving.  Leaving home, leaving him. Suddenly his heart was the one that was sinking, but he didn’t exactly know why. He couldn’t ruin your day though, so instead he put his happy face back on and celebrated with you.

“I love you,” Jooyeon spoke. It was two days before your flight. Jooyeon insisted on helping you pack everything up. That’s how you found yourself where you're at now, laying on the floor of your packed up apartment staring at the ceiling eyes wide at his confession. “I’m not asking you to stay. In fact I’ll be mad if you don’t go, but I wanted to tell you before you leave that I’m in love with you and I’ll wait for you,”

[penig]

Scot’s The Talisman Readalong

Seems I’m putting more literature than sims on here right now, but it’s not my fault Dracula Daily happened or that I’m stalled doing sims writing right now, which was a legit response to the August I had (I think I’m almost ready to go back to Widespot, but almost isn’t yet and also the game is crashing a lot), and @oldshrewsburyian seems to feel lonesome in her Talisman Readalong comments, so I may as well spill what I’ve got.

I haven’t read The Talisman before. Ivanhoe didn’t blow me away enough at 13 (unlike Dickens at 12 and 13, when I read all the novels in chronological order; I think Scot just isn’t funny enough to appeal to middle-school me) to tempt me on to a novel about the Crusades, a series of wars I’ve always considered particularly stupid, even back then. But now that I’m in my 60s I figured, eh, why not? The e-book was only 99 cents. I’m reading slowly on purpose, interspersing it with queer historical romances, so as not to run ahead of the book group, which does seem to be rather small. Next chapter for me is X, so I have the brakes on. At the moment nothing profound has struck me, but I find that I keep running it past middle-school me, which I don’t normally do even when reading books written for her age group, which pads out the ideas a bit.

• Middle-school me is sitting up and taking notice of the Saracen, the eastern cavalier, the Moslem, the Emir, the eastern warrior - wow, these two have fought, called truce, eaten and drunk together, exchanged highly personal views on things like marriage and religion, and agreed to travel together awhile before, in Ch. III, one of them finally brings up the question of what their names are. Sir Kenneth, Knight of the Leopard, though obviously the hero (being not only Christian but blond and Scottish), is a bore, of pedestrian wit at best, and kind of a jerk, but Sheerkouf, Lion of the Mountain, is suave and sassy and potential crush material. I’m afraid middle-school me has so far drunk the milk of imperialism unawares as to have had a bit of a fetish for the Exotic. Even grownup me hopes devoutly for the whole enemies-to-friends process and will be disappointed if he doesn’t play a major, crushworthy, role in the book. • Ooh, Sheerkouf is part djinn! Definitely crush material, please feature him enough in this story to give middle-school me something to work with! • The hermit, however, needs therapy. You don’t scourge yourself like that if you don’t. Repentance is all very well but it does no one any good without atonement and how is he supposed to do anything constructive to atone out here in the middle of nowhere? Torturing yourself is not a virtue, dude - get off your ass and feed the poor or something. Preferably something that addresses the sort of wrong you did in order to get so down on yourself. (That’s all grown up me; middle-school me had not yet considered this question at all, ever.) Presumably his great sin will be revealed as plot-relevant at some point, or it’d hardly be made such a mystery of now. • Rats! After the djinn bit I was half ready to believe Sir Walter was giving Sir Kenneth actual miraculous visions. I would have had less trouble suspending my belief about the secret door if there’d been miraculous visions, but now I’m asking all sorts of inconvenient questions about who made the chapel and why these women are here and where they’re hiding and where’s their knightly escort and where’d the rosebuds come from, because I doubt very much roses bloom in the landscape described? The fact that one of them is Sir Kenneth’s lady love to whom he has never spoken and whose history and interior life we get a rundown on without any indication that the woman can speak doesn’t help. Edith - her name is Edith, supporting my contention that one generation’s dowdy middle-aged name became so due to a previous generation’s conviction that it was Romantic causing them to give it to too many girls who turned out to be ordinary women. I hope she gets to say and do a few things before the book ends. • I also notice that Sir Kenneth is doing the whole courtly love pure and chaste from afar thing and Edith has more real-world ideas on the subject. • Middle-school me is angry at Scot for calling the dwarfs ugly and talking about their behavior and conversation as if he assumes it to be natural to them and not a show put on, passive-aggressively, when big people are around. I bet they sweep that floor perfectly well when they don’t have an audience. But this is what knights and such people think dwarfs are like so by golly they’ll just be like that. Presumably they’ll have a role to play later, too, and I cringe in anticipation. • And then we change scene to the English camp and Richard the Lion-Heart. I’ve never really liked Richard the Lion-Heart. He wasn’t a very good king, as far as I can tell. And he’s not making any great impression on me here, either. • Wow, Sir Kenneth is humble and practical enough to live in the same miserable tent as his squire and servant and dog, and to give his sick squire the good bed, but also proud enough to insist on retaining as much ground in the camp as he needed when he had a proper knightly following. That’s actual character stuff beyond “valiant knight of his time,” good for him. • Finally getting some exposition on things like what Sir Kenneth’s mission was and where the women in the Chapel came from is not helping me buy into them particularly. How the heck did so many of the women in camp, including Richard’s wife, just slip out (and presumably back in again by now) without causing a huge stir and gossip? • Wait - Engeddi? That whole hermit/secret chapel business is in the plains of Engeddi? As in Vineyards of Engeddi? From the Song of Solomon? Hoo boy, if you’ve ever read the Song of Solomon this knowledge definitely puts a more down-to-earth spin on Sir Kenneth/Edith, whether he acknowledges it or not. • And King Richard isn’t buying the whole courtly love deal, either, from the hints he’s dropping, which is hard lines on Kenny boy, who is not, in fact, daring to hope for anything even as tangible as those rosebuds. (Where are those, anyhow? No way he just tossed them out. Are they dried somewhere in his luggage, or concealed next to his heart, waiting for a crucial moment to fall out of it?) • Wow, this whole camp is a nest of jocks and vipers, huh? This sort of thing is exactly why I think of the Crusades as a series of train wrecks that never should’ve happened. • The physician is behaving really well in the face of a lot of rudeness. Just give the king some medicine already! I hope we go to Saladin’s camp. His entourage can’t be any worse than this, and Sheerkouf is presumably there. Definitely the most attractive character so far. There’s nothing particularly wrong with Sir Ken but there’s nothing particularly right with him so far, either, except for taking care of his people.

[brisownworld]

Doing Business Different

This curated group of books was inspired directly by the ending of the first book on the list, Duchess by Design. I was so blown away by that ending that it redefined in my mind how much I could expect from romance, particularly historicals, in terms of female agency, questioning the patriarchy in a much more stringently patriarchal time, and book business owners. Please enjoy the other two books on this list as well, of business owners striving to make a difference one way or another through their profession.

Get new recommendations every Friday

Duchess by Design by Maya Rodale. Adeline Black, a broke aspiring dressmaker in Gilded Age NYC, accidentally knocks the broke English Duke of Kingston off his course. Kingston has arrived in NYC to woo an American heiress to save his crumbling dukedom and his mother and sister, but after becoming instantly obsessed with Adeline, she teaches him that perhaps there’s a third option other than a loveless marriage to a wealthy woman and complete financial ruin. A fun twist on dukes in historical romance, where he has to learn feminism and hard work rather than being simply a savior of a downtrodden hot lady.

This book has stuck with me ever since I read it. It didn’t end at all where I expected it to, and up until the final few chapters I was convinced there was no way she could get us back to a happily ever after. There’s just too many obstacles, practical and otherwise! And yet. And yet!! I love Adeline and I love that her big thing is pockets in dresses. 

Rating: 4.5/5

How hot? 🔥🔥🔥

Read the other two reviews:

The Hellion and The Hero by Emily Sullivan. Lady Georgiana Arlington has lived her entire life for others, even agreeing to a loveless marriage to save her father and her family. But now she’s widowed and ready to rumble, starting with the business she inherited from her late husband that she intends to make a haven for laborers, particularly female ones, making her a target for the other business owners in the area who don’t appreciate having to offer competitive wages, benefits, and treatment now.

When the target on her back starts to get more threatening, her brother hires someone to look into it and keep an eye on her: Captain Henry Harris, PI, war hero, and the one who got away years and years ago when Georgiana was a debutant and he was a penniless fortune hunter. He’s still smarting from her choosing someone else (though he doesn’t know why), and she’s got her own baggage from before, but together, they’re pretty much unstoppable.

Rating: 4.5/5

How hot? 🔥🔥🔥🔥

How The Duke Was Won by Lenora Bell. James, unexpected Duke of Harland, thought he was safe from ducal responsibility as the second son. But when his father and perfect older brother perish from a carriage accident, he’s dragged back from his travels and adventures to take his rightful palace in the peerage and is in need of a wife. Because he can’t be bothered to care about much of this, as he’s accustomed to his freedom and is working to establish a cocoa manufacturing plant that doesn’t rely on slave labor or exploiting workers that can give chocolate to people of all classes, he selects a series of debutants at random to come to his estate and compete for his hand.

Charlene is the illegitimate daughter of an earl and a courtesan, who bears a striking resemblance to her half sister, the earl’s acknowledged daughter Lady Dorothea. When James invites Dorothea to his estate for the Marriage Games, she’s unfortunately out of town, so the earl’s wife convinces Charlene (whose mother and sister are in danger from a very bad man) to pretend to be Dorthea to secure the duke’s hand in exchange for a healthy payout. In dire straights, Charlene agrees, even though she’s far from duchess material. Luckily, James is far from duke material, so as you might expect, it’s a match made in heaven, despite much of their courtship happening with Charlene pretending to be someone else.

Every part of these shenanigans did it for me. I love that Charlene knows self defense and kinda kicks James’s ass upon first meeting (he’s pretending to be a servant to test the way the debutants treat their staff, then he comes on to her and she does not react demurely). I love that James cares so much about the family he’s built in spite of the family he came from. I love how Charlene can’t help but be herself despite all she has riding on this deal, and how instantly James fights by her side despite her deception. All of this book is great. 

Rating: 4.5/5

How hot? 🔥🔥🔥🔥

[neesieiumz]

6 Months {Izuku Midoriya x Reader}

(Pro-hero!Izuku Midoriya x Former Pro-hero!Reader)

[PART ONE] [PART TWO]

L E A V E.

Summary: You were done. Done with everything. So what do you do? You move on. What's new? What's old? And who makes an even bigger space in your heart?

A/n: So this isn't based on another song, well technically it's still based on Sorry, but it's more like a part two to sorry than it being it's own separate part, you feel me? I know it took longer than expected, but there were so many paths I wanted to take and I didnt feel like rushing it. I really wanted to focus on flashbacks for this final part, your decision to leave the pro-hero scene, when Izuku and Melissa started to see each other... etc... I always made a gateway... in case I wanted to continue you and someone else's romance if I ever felt like it... So enjoy!

Support me on Kofi! Commissions are open!

Word Count: 8.0k

Warnings: Implied NFSW, but no deed is actually done, light drinking, (all in good fun)

___

Falling into your mother’s arms, you spilled everything from last night and this morning. On how you eavesdropped on his conversation, the confrontations from both this morning and at the brunch. Your father wasn’t home, left earlier this morning for his job. Both you and your brother moved out not too long after high school, him going on to college to become an engineer, and you moving into an apartment with Mina and Jirou while you worked for the same hero agency. Your mother was your closest confidant, she was the only one who could come to mind to tell her about what happened. She just held you, rocking you as you cried, cried about your broken marriage, and seeing the girl your husband abandoned you for. You cried about how both she, your dad, and your brother were right. How you should have never listened to him about giving up everything you worked so hard for. She held you in her loving arms, whispering sweet things in your ear.

“I should have listened to you,” you sobbed, holding one of the throw pillows close to you as you sat up on your couch, leaving her hold on you.

Your dress was bunched up to your knees so you pulled the wrinkled material out from under you as you shifted around on your mother’s leather couch. She pulled you into one last hug, the warm embrace making silent tears fall down your face. Your mom pushed the braids falling out of your now-loose bun from your tear-stricken face. Continuing to caress your face slowly, her slightly rough hands provided a familiar comfort from your childhood.

“This is not your fault, you can not blame yourself for his infidelity, nor can you blame yourself for sticking by your husband’s side and decisions. You did what you thought was right and absolutely no one can give you shit for believing in your marriage.” Her soft voice provides extra comfort to you.

“WHAT?!?”

You were in your family home, six years ago. You still had a couple of bandages around your face and arms. Recently, you just completed physical therapy, nearly regaining full control over your limbs. The fight you had was brutal, nearly leveled the entire city. However, you came out successful from it, even if it put you out of commission for over a year. However, since you’ve woken up, you and Izuku have been having intense conversations about the two of you and your futures together, which led you to the decision you’ve made today.

“YOU’RE RETIRING?!?!” Your brother yelled, standing up swiftly out of his chair.

You took a deep breath, keeping your head down as you nodded your head. It was just you, your parents, and your brother here, Izuku currently being in the top 25 heroes, had a lot of work to do so he could join you as you broke the news to them.

“Izuku and I have been talking and seeing how fast he’s going in the Hero Charts. This incident caused us to do some major thinking. The two of us worrying about each other on the job isn’t healthy. Having two heroes in a relationship, especially two who are going as high in the ranks as us as quickly as we are. Considering how there are a lot more people expecting Izuku to go higher since he’s All Might’s prodigy. So, I’ll be retiring and helping Izuku with his career from the sidelines.”

You let out another deep breath as you finished your monologue, your fingers twitching in your lap. You knew this was a decision your family wasn’t going to agree with, after all, it’s not like you don’t have your legacy to meet up with. Your mother, before Miruko, was the highest-ranked female pro hero in all of Japan. You had her legacy to go after since your brother decided to go into the family business with pro-hero gear.

“You can’t be serious!! After everything, you’ve worked for?!?! You’re just gonna give it up BECAUSE IZUKU SAID SO?!”

Your brother was the most pissed, after all, it was always both you and his plan that the two of you would live up to our parent’s legacy. He would become the best support gear inventor and you would become the best pro hero. So saying this puts a damper on the dreams you both had.

“You had one bad fight with a villain, but the doctors said you’re going to be cleared right?” You nodded your head at his question, “so why? Why would you need to retire after that one fight?!”

“Izuku proposed.”

Gasps of shock flew from heri mouths, you smiled sadly as you pulled your hand from under the other, revealing the small, silver ring with the pure cut diamond sitting perfectly in the middle of it.

“He’s the love of my life, and he’s the man who I want to spend the rest of my life with… to have kids with. We both understand how difficult this job is, and we both know how much I wanted to become a pro hero, but since he’s my endgame… something had to give. And so I did.”

Next was your father, having raised you since you were 3 years old. He saw how much you looked up to your mother, and to your grandmother as well. You come from a line from female pro heroes, and it was always your dream to continue that. He’s always supported you throughout the years, remembering all the times the two of you would work in his workshop on new hero gear, both with your brother and without as well.

“Y/n, don’t you think you’re rushing into this decision? This is everything you’ve been working for, and you’re gonna throw it away?”

“I know your concerns but this is for the best for me and him. I know being a pro hero was what I wanted, but…” you trailed off, looking away from your trembling hands.

Your mother, who was sitting beside you, could only stare at your trembling hands. Almost reminds her of the time she told her mother who she was marrying. How nervous she was, not because she was putting her career on the back burner, but because of what happened the last time she decided to pursue a romantic relationship with someone. She got you out of it, but it was still a painful journey. She took a deep breath, before shifting herself to where you were. She placed her hand on top of your own, making you look down at them before slowly turning your head to look at her.

“Are you happy?”

The question caught everyone off guard, their heads turning towards your mother. You slowly nodded your head, smiling at all the memories you’ve made with Izuku. When you first met as a transfer student, your first date and everything else.

“Yeah Mom, I’m happy.”

You took a deep breath, leaning forward as you shook the memory out of your head.

Meanwhile, your mom tried to lighten the mood, “Well, let’s hope your father doesn’t get to him… you know he doesn’t play about you… or your brother either.”

“He won’t be able to land a hit on him unless Izuku lets him.”

“Well, he better let him then!”

You laughed out loud at that, throwing your head back against the back of the couch. You could feel your mom get off the couch, leaning up as she headed to the dining table. Looking through the papers stacked on the wooden table, she pulled out a business card before walking back to where you were still seated on the couch. Your mom sat back down in her original seat, before handing you the same card of laminated cardboard paper.

Renai Miya, divorce attorney at law.

“Renai is a good friend of mine, she gave me that in case anyone I knew was getting advice soon. I’m sure she didn’t expect my daughter but I’m sure she’ll be able to help you out.”

You looked over at your mother, who just gave you another knowing smile. She just rubbed at your shoulders in comfort as you pulled out your phone.

---

Izuku was sitting at his office, ignoring the texts from both Shoto and Katsuki. After the argument and confrontation from this morning, he decided to stay in the office today and complete some overdue paperwork. Typing away on his computer, his mind began to shift from the email he was sent to the hero commission to the argument that happened between him, Kacchan, and Shoto.

“I’m sorry, YOUR WIFE JUST TRIED TO KILL YOU! We don’t know what would have happened if we hadn't come when we did!” Katsuki yelled, throwing his jacket off of his body.

“Izuku, this is a serious matter. We need to know what happened,” Shoto explained next, kneeling in front of Izuku’s crouching figure.

Izuku just shook his head, diving his head into the insides of his elbows. Shoto and Katsuki looked at each other, the concern shining in their eyes. They looked back at their trembling friend, who was now starting to rock back and forth while whispering “I fucked up.” over and over again.

“Izuku,” Katsuki started tentatively, “what did you do?”

Izuku stopped trembling and his rocking ceased as he raised his head slowly, locking eyes with his childhood friend. Katsuki’s leg began moving up and down in anticipation, waiting for him to say something.

“I don’t want to report this, trust me. So just pretend you never saw that.” That was all he said before standing up, pushing past them.

Izuku shook his head, focusing back on his emails. He sent the long paragraph he was typing, after making sure there were grammatical or spelling errors. He then leaned back against his office chair, throwing his head back. A gross, yet very familiar feeling was arising from his stomach, it was slimy, it was painful, it was guilt. He felt guilty, remembering how his wife looked at him at breakfast and right before she left. How the look in her eyes felt more painful than other villains could ever inflict on him.

Closing his eyes, his mind slowly drifted to a memory, a memory from three months ago.

It was dark, and Izuku was tired, so very tired from the shift he worked. However, he needed to do this. He needed to end whatever the hell he and Melissa had. The way they were conversing over private messages was getting too much. In a week would be his wedding Anniversary, and how his wife, Y/n, surprised him, reminded him about what he and Melissa had.

And how wrong it was.

He wore a black, sleeveless turtleneck, paired with a dark coat along with dark jeans. He had fake glasses on his face and his curly was positioned to cover his face so people wouldn’t recognize him. He kept his head forward as he approached the apartment complex Melissa mentioned she was moving into. After living on I-island for all of her life, she wanted a change of pace, especially since what happened with her father way back when. So she got a job as a top hero support inventor at the company where Izuku got his extra gear from. Since it’s also where Hatsume worked as well. He opened the door and walked into the lobby. He looked around the expensive-looking area, seeing the receptionist, and only one other person sitting on the complementary couch talking on the phone. He walked to the receptionist, who greeted him with a smile.

“Are you here to see someone?”

He nodded and gave his fake name, the one he told Melissa he’d be using, along with the apartment number that she gave him. The receptionist simply smiled before typing in her computer, before reaching over to the phone and pressing a couple of the buttons. Izuku could hear someone pick up, a muffled voice through the phone.

“Yes, Ms. Shield, A Iseada L/n is here to see you.”

Izuku took a deep breath, hearing the fake name he gave along with his wife’s maiden name. The receptionist gave off acknowledging hums to the person on the phone, who Izuku knew was Melissa. He rocked himself against his heels, feeling his fingers twitch around in his pockets.

“Alright, I’ll send him right up!” She ended the call, placing the phone back in its holder.

She then smiled at Izuku before pointing at the elevators behind him, “you can use an elevator. Ms. Shield lives on the fifth floor.”

Izuku nodded and thanked her before turning around to the elevators. He picked on towards the left and stepped inside of it, waiting for it to close before choosing the button that said “five.” The doors closed as generic elevator music played throughout the rising mechanical box. Izuku sighed, pulling off the fake glasses, before pushing his curls out of his face.

Third floor…

Fourth floor…

The elevator dinged as the door opened, revealing the fifth floor. Izuku stepped out of the elevator, using the signs on the walls to find his way to Melissa’s apartment. Walking past all the other doors, of the patrons of the apartment, who were currently sleeping to the world. Unaware that their number one hero was sneaking past them, claiming to be ending an illicit relationship.” Seeing the apartment number up ahead, Izuu could feel his heart beat faster. Taking another deep breath, he stopped right in front of the pitch-black door. Swallowing his spit, he closed his eyes before knocking on the door a couple of times. Almost immediately after he knocked, the door opened, causing Izuku’s eyes to shoot open, jumping back a little as Melissa stepped into the doorframe. Izuku was about to speak when his eyes drifted down to what she was wearing. It was a simple white t-shirt, ending right at her upper thigh. Izuku licked his dry lips, before looking back up at Melissa’s face who was giving him a knowing smile, that looked smug as well.

“Izuku,” her usually peachy tone came out a little subtle, silky and sultry, “I’m so happy to see you after so long. Come in.”

Izuku simply nodded as Messlia stepped to the side, allowing him to enter her expensive apartment, which could be classified as a penthouse. Izuku looked around, his eyes landing on all the decorations around her living room. He walked toward her wall, where she hung pictures. There were pictures of Melissa with her dad, her mom, All Might, and a couple of her friends from I-island. He continued looking around, before his eyes landing on a picture of the two of them, back when he was a first-year.

“You were so short back then,” Izuku heard Melissa say, as she came to stand next to him.

Izuku just nodded, continuing to look at the frames. He was enveloped in the nostalgia he was facing when he didn’t even notice Melissa coming up behind him. He only noticed her when he felt a hand coming up around his waist. He froze, his heart pounding away in his ears. She then stood right behind him, before pressing up against his back next, her hands now circling his waist.

“Melissa…” he started, feeling her fingers mess with his zipper and belt under his overcoat jacket.

God, was she wearing anything under that shirt? He could feel her breasts, her hardened nipples pressing against his back. He took another deep breath, licking his lips before moving his hands to where her own was and prying them off his belt, just as she was beginning to unbuckle it.

“Melissa, we can’t do this. I’m married. Happily married at that. I can’t keep doing this to her.”

Melissa only hummed, moving her body from behind his own, stepping in front of him. She was wet, her long wavy dripping down her face and body. The water from her wet hair dripped onto her shirt, her white, very thin shirt. Izuku’s breath hitched as he slowly glanced down her body, her nipples visibly being shown through the fabric.

“Yet, you can’t keep your eyes off me Izuku.” Hands grabbed at his jacket, pulling him closer to her.

Izuku gasped as Melissa brought her hand, cupping his face before bringing it down. Izuku gasped once again as he felt lips upon his own, feeling her other hand reach inside his jacket to pull him closer by the waist. Izuku was about to push her away, he needed to push her away. God, he was married for fucks sake, to someone who loved him dearly. But her lips, they felt so good to him. Glossed from the shower she took, they tasted of mint and strawberries. Izuku, taking a deep breath, went to push off his jacket, never letting go of the kiss. Mellissa, smirking into the kiss, helped him out of the jacket before squealing as Izuku scooped her up before slamming her on the wall.

“This is a one-time thing,” he mumbled against her lips, using his hips to hold her up against the wall as he took off his shirt next.

“Yeah…” Mellissa said with a skeptical tone, feeling his hands go under her wet shirt next.

“A one-time thing…”

Izuku groaned, throwing the papers in his hands across his desk. Taking a deep breath, he pushed himself out of his desk. He stood up from out of his chair, walking over to the wall which was replaced with windows, looking down upon the city of Mustafa. He could hear the faint sounds of cars driving and honking, he could see the civilians, everyone he protects. Looking across the street, he could see a cafe. It was one that he frequents since it’s so close. The door opened, and it revealed a couple. A laughing couple. The man was holding a medium-sized bag, with the logo of the cafe plastered across the bag. He was wearing a dark brown suede jacket that was buttoned shut. The woman was wearing a matching jacket, wearing as a dress, her curly hair pulled up in a bun. She held their coffees as they walked along the sidewalk. Izuku smiled sadly, before looking over to the couch in his office.

Laughter rang out inside the office, the sun had already gone down a long time ago and the night shift heroes were all out patrolling, leaving Izuku, a couple of sidekicks, and a couple of more janitors. It was your anniversary, but unfortunately, a string of villain attacks happened today. This pulled Deku out of his day off and kept him away. So, you decided to surprise me with dinner at his office. You cooked shrimp alfredo, packing it in pretty containers, before stopping by a couple of stores, buying a fancy cake that said “Happy Anniversary.” The last thing you bought was some expensive alcohol, a bottle of wine and champagne just in case. She then dressed up, a dark green silk dress paired with a matching coat and heeled shoes. She brought a few decorations before carrying all of that, using your clouds. Izuku smiled once he walked into the office with everything, abandoning his work and helped you set up the table.

The two of you enjoyed dinner together, talking about your day, specifically on how Izuku was swamped with back-to-back villain attacks. To the point where he was the same police officer twice in two different scenes. After dinner, the two of you move to the couch, still holding your wine glasses now filled with champagne.

“I have a gift for you,” Izuku mentioned, pushing himself up off the couch before going behind his desk, going through the drawers.

You giggled, shifting around the couch to get a little more comfortable, your jacket long discarded. Izuku hissed out a “here it is!”, before pulling out a neatly wrapped box, closing the drawer with his foot. You took another sip of your bubbly alcohol as Izuku skipped over to you with the box in hand.

“Here you go, darling!”

You smiled, placing your glass on the small lamp table to the right of you before sitting up and taking the box from your husband. He smiled at you as he sat beside you, seeing you begging to open up the carefully placed wrapping paper. Once all the wrapping paper was removed from the box, you gasped, seeing the logo on the box. BVLGARI. A smile slowly appeared on your face as you untied the golden silk ribbon. Slowly lifting the top of the box, you pulled out of the pure white tissue paper. This revealed one of the most beautiful necklaces and earrings you’ve ever seen. It was an emerald necklace, it had two emeralds, and also was decorated with mini diamonds along the border, and considering the brand, you knew it was real. The earrings were dangly and matched the way the smaller emerald looked on the necklace.

“Izuku… it’s beautiful…”

He smiled, taking the box out of your hands before taking the necklace out of the box. He whispered at you to turn around. Following his instructions, you swept your goddess braids to the side as he placed the necklace around your neck, the cool feeling of the metal tingly against your warm skin. Izuku then connected the chain, letting the necklace fall against your nape before leaning over your shoulder and placing a light kiss on top of her almost-bare shoulder. You shuddered, leaning into his touch as his hands moved from your shoulders, trailing down your body to rest them on your hips. You let out a moan, feeling him give your neck a nip, reaching up to grab him by his messy curls. You smirked, before sighing into the neck kisses he was leaving on your neck.

“You smell,” he inhaled slowly, “really fucking good.”

Giggling at his words, you placed your own hands on top of his own before turning around. You lifted yourself off the chair. Izuku lifted an eyebrow as you placed your hands behind your back.

“I have a gift for you too, it’s not a material gift but…” you trialed off as you reached up the straps of your dress, before beginning to slowly pull them down, revealing the thin straps of your expensive lingerie.

Izuku’s eyes sparkled as your dress trailed down your body, revealing the expensive material cut and crafted to fit your body perfectly. The way the emerald green clashed perfectly with your deeper skin. Your manicured hands trailed down your body as your dress pooled at your feet, leaving you in nothing but the sinful lingerie and the heels to match. Izuku licked his bottom lip as you slowly walked over to him, dragging your heels with each step. Lifting yourself, you slowly placed yourself on his lap, feeling Izuku’s hands immediately attach themselves to your hips. He gave you a sly smile, looking up at you.

“And you look so amazing,” he gave your body another glance, making you smirk and lean back, using your arms and hands to steady you.

You smiled, wrapping your arms around his neck before diving into a kiss. His lips tasted of mint and strawberries, it was a new taste but one you didn’t mind. Deepening the kiss, you gasped as you felt Izuku’s hard on all the way through his pants.

“I love you so much, Izuku Midoriya.”

A moment of silence went by.

“I love you too, Y/n Midoriya.”

Izuku took a deep breath and was about to open the next one when his phone, his personal one, started ringing. He reached in the drawer and pulled it out and looked at the screen. Sweetheart was calling, a picture of you and Izuku at your wedding anniversary plastered across the screen. Izuku was less blacked up back then, and you still had a crutch from your physical therapy from your incident. But god did you both look so beautiful and happy. Izuku was wearing his suit from the wedding but without the jacket and a couple of buttons unfastened. You, however, changed out of your wedding dress into a white velvet dress that was strapless and came with these long gloves in the similar fabric that you only wore for official pictures. Izuku was carrying you bridal style along with the rest of you and his family and his closest friends.

Izuku simply smiled sadly, before answering the call.

“Y/n?”

He heard nothing at first, nothing but the phone static so he called out your name again. This time he heard someone take a deep, trembling breath as if they had been crying for a long time.

“Izuku.” Your voice was scratchy, and hoars too. Izuku could feel his heartbreak and drop to his ass all at the same time. He did that.

God he was supposed to be a hero, save people and never let them down.

Now he may have just ruined his marriage.

“Y/n.” He said again, “how- how are you?”

“I’ve called a divorce lawyer.”

Oh. Straight to the bullet.

“We can’t- we can’t talk about this?”

“What’s there to talk about? You did this to me. You did this to us. Now face the fucking consequences of your actions.” Your voice was scratchy, the rasp appearing with each word you say.

“I know what I did.”

“And yet, you still did it.”

Izuku took a deep breath, leaning back into his chair. He looked up at the ceiling of his office, looking at the dazzling, overhanging chandelier in the middle of it.

“So there’s nothing I can say or do to convince you to stay?”

“You can have the house, as long as you pay me alimony for the next two-three years, for a reasonable price of course.”

You completely ignored his question, going straight into what was going to happen next. Izuku took another deep breath, this time leaning against his hand as he placed his elbow, pointed up, against his desk.

“So this is it?”

“This is it, Izuku. I told myself I would never lessen myself for a man, and I already broke that when I quit my job. I’m not gonna keep doing that to myself.”

“I-I love you.”

You gave off an airy chuckle as if you couldn't believe the words coming out of his mouth. And with that you ended the call, those being one of the last words you’ll be saying to him until the meetings between the two of you and your divorce lawyers.

---

“Y/n?” A muffled voice called out, pulling you out of your sleep along with knocks on your door

You pushed yourself off the bed, throwing the hotel blankets off your body. It was late at night, you went back home after your impromptu visit with your mother. You packed up what you could in one go before stuffing it in your car. You couldn’t see Izuku after that, so you tried your best to remove any trace of yourself from that house. You were just about to fall asleep, the tv playing a random 90s show for background noise. Digging through one of your suitcases, you found a robe to wrap around your body before moving towards the door.

You summoned lightning in one hand as you checked who was at the door. Seeing red-and-white hair, along with a bright blue eye and a dull grey eye, you took a deep sigh of relief before slowly opening the door. Standing there, wearing a raincoat and holding a closed umbrella was Shoto Todoroki. His hair that grew since high school was pulled back in a ponytail as he looked down upon with concerned eyes.

“Y/n…”

You took a deep breath, closing your eyes as he said your name. You then opened them back up before giving him a sad smile.

“Shoto… can I help you?” You leaned against the doorway, placing a hand in your waist.

“I heard from Izuku, the two of you are getting a divorce?”

You leaned into the hallway, looking to see if anyone saw him before pulling him into your hotel room. You closed the door and locked it behind you immediately before turning on the light. Shoto looked around the luxury rented room, seeing all of your suitcases and other items stacked up against a wall. Feeling your hands tremble, you sat on your bed, folding your hands underneath themselves.

“How did-“ your voice came out raspy and dry, so you cleared your throat before speaking again.

“How did you find me? I didn’t tell anyone where I was.”

Shoto simply smiled, “being the #3 hero has its perks. I figured you didn’t want a lot of people crowding around you so I said I’d talk to you.”

Hearing that, you lifted your head swiftly, “people already know about the divorce?”

Shot shrugged off his raincoat, revealing the long sleeve black turtleneck he was wearing. He placed his umbrella in a random corner before going to sit beside you on the bed.

“After what happened this morning, Izuku only told us that you’re leaving him… and wouldn’t tell us why. We called everyone, Uraraka, Iida, Kirishima, we even called his mom and All Might… all he said was that his marriage was over. No reason as to why…”

You let out a slight chuckle, your shoulders jumping slightly at the irony of the situation.

“So the only person you could come to was me, right?”

Shoto simply nodded his head, shifting his body closer to you.

“Y/n… I know you… you aren’t this rash person. You wouldn’t come to this decision on a whim. I thought you and Izuku were okay?”

Taking a deep breath, you spoke, “I thought we were okay too… Shoto I… he…”

Your body shuddered and shook as sobs flew out of your mouth. As tears fell, you covered your face and turned away from Shoto, hunching over yourself. That’s when you feel hands, one warm and the other cold, pull at you, grabbing at your waist before pulling you into a warm body. Shoto’s comforting hands and his placing you on the fireside of his body allowed him to let it all out once again. He didn’t say a word, only letting out soft shushes in your ear as you continued to cry.

You could hear nothing else other than the air conditioning and your cries echo throughout your room. It felt like an eternity before you slowly started to quiet down. Taking a deep breath, you slowly pushed yourself out of Shoto’s hold before getting up to get a water bottle. Shoto, his eyes still shining with concern, said nothing as you twisted the cap open and drank half the bottle.

As the pudding of your head slowly went away, you placed the bottle on the desk before sitting back on the bed.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to cry my eyes out all over you,” you apologized, grabbing one of the pillows to hold closer to your body.

Shoto shook his head, waving off your concerns, “it’s okay, it’s black anyways.”

You just nodded your head and looked away.

“Are you gonna tell me what’s wrong? Why are you and Izuku getting a divorce?”

You took a deep breath, your mind racing with everything you’ve been through… the day you met Izuku, the day you asked him out for the first time, the day he asked to be your girlfriend, the day he proposed… the day you two got married… everything.

“Izuku… he cheated on me…”

It was silent after that, the buzz of the air conditioning and the beeps of the cars below the two of you filling the tense air.

“He… he what?”

You bit your bottom lip as you spoke again, “he cheated on me, with Mellissa, you remember her right? Melissa Shield? All Might’s “niece”?”

Shoto nodded his head, shifting his body to face forward as he leaned forward, using his hands to steady himself. He lifted his head to the ceiling as he fully processed your words.

“Oh… oh wow… I never thought that he would do that.”

You scoffed, flopping back into the bed, “well me neither, and yet… here we are.”

You started to laugh, laugh at this situation, laugh at here you are now. God, everything was so fucked, wasn’t it? Feeling the bed shift, you could feel Shoto lay down on the bed beside you. He wrapped his arms around you before pulling you into him once again, this time leaving you on his right side so you could cool down. The feeling left sighing, leaning into his touch even more.

“Izuku is an absolute idiot, and I’m glad that you’re leaving him at the first sight of disrespect.”

Coming from Todoroki and his background, those meant a lot to you. You smiled before lifting your head to look at him.

“Thanks, Shoto, that means a lot.”

He smiled, before slowly removing his hands from your waist.

“I should let you sleep, I just wanted to come to check up on you.” He bent over to grab at his umbrella before turning around to grab his raincoat.

Sniffling, you nodded your head, wiping away your tears before getting up to see him off, “thanks for coming to check up on me… even though the way you found me was a little creepy.”

—-

You officially divorced three months after that day, Izuku tried to hold out as long as he could but soon enough even the number one hero couldn't hold out that long. The number of times you had to tell him you weren't going to come back to him was astounding, his stubbornness knew no bounds. You allowed Izuku to keep the house and he was to pay you a hefty amount of alimony along with the money he was to pay you for spousal distress.

When news came out that the number one hero and his wife would be divorcing, the media went into a frenzy. Even bigger than the one about your wedding. You had to rely on your family to help you out until the news and paparazzi left you alone. It was even worse on Deku, being the top hero and not even able to save his marriage? Talk about a blow to his reputation, it almost cost him the #1 spot. If it wasn't for the Incident at the Kasona Mall, where a villain decided to blow up a mall, where he saved over 50 people in one swoop, Bakugo would have finally been able to claim that #1 spot.

Speaking of pro-heroes.

H/n is back on the scene! Officially signing with The Todoroki Agency!!

You were a pro-hero again, stepping back into the spotlight after over six years. After not much deliberation, and encouragement from friends alike, you decided to come out of retirement once more. You had to retake the licensing process and test of course, but you passed with ease. Being a hero was almost like riding a bike, it was ingrained within you. After The Hero Commission reinstated you, you got so many offers. From Fatgum to LeMillion, and Gang Orca. However, you already promised a certain person that you would join up with him.

“You sure you want me Shoto?” You were sitting in his penthouse, visiting him after he got hurt in the Incident at Kasona mall.

The two of you had gotten closer ever since that day he found you in your hotel room. He helped you get back on your feet, helped you pick out a new house to live in, (since you left the house to Izuku), and helped you study to retake the test. He nodded, shifting his position on his couch. The movement however, caused him to wince as he had to move his arm, which slung into a cast. You immediately got up and helped him move into a more comfortable position without straining himself. He thanked you for the help as you sat back down, grabbing your glass of wine.

“Yeah, you were an amazing hero when you were active years ago. I know this is a decision I’ll lose no sleep over.”

You chuckled, sipping on the wine he put out for the two of you. He smiled softly at you, his intense stare causing your body to heat up slightly, or that could be from the alcohol, you honestly didn't know. You licked your lips, shifting your legs to help lessen that heated throb between your thighs.

“Alright, I guess I’m joining your agency.”

You grew out of your old outfit, so with the help of Hatsume and other designers, you got a whole new outfit. Instead of the original leotard/bodysuit you had when you were younger, along with the thigh boots, it all connected into all one large jumpsuit. It was black with purple accents adorning all across the outfit along with a brand new cape. You turned around, summoning clouds to lift you as you twirled around. Hatsume, the designer who made your new hero costume, Hokkaido, and Mina, who you also told about the true reason you and Izuku got divorced, all smiled as you felt out your new outfit.

“Well?” Mina asked, smiling as you landed on your feet.

You turned around, trailing your hands down your body, feeling the aft fabric and metal accents clash together on your body before smiling at yourself in the mirror.

“I love it.”

Your office was on the same floor as Shoto’s, him constantly relying on your knowledge and wisdom on other matters. The two of you were the leaders in the recent missions the two of you had taken together. This whole process was a lot like riding a bike, coming back easily. You had missed this, you had missed this so much, and you could tell the world and missed you too.

The media accepted your return with open arms, jumping right back to the top 20s. You were a very powerful hero after all.

After three months of coming back, making it six months since your divorce, your parents decided to throw a party for you. To celebrate you coming back, and ranking high on the Billboard Chart in so little time. You tried to get yourself out of it but they took no excuses. So you decided to make the most of it, you felt like a whole new woman. Placing your braids in a bun, you wore a strapless black velvet dress with matching long-sleeved gloves. You slipped on some ankle-strap, black stilettos, and pearl jewelry set to complete the look. The party was small but it was filled with life, all of your old classmates and even your old co-workers from your old agency even came. Mina, Jirou, Tsu, and even Yaomomo, as busy as she is, came. Kirishima even got Bakugou to come. Everyone was so excited to see you come out of retirement and take to the streets again. Some did try to pry into your broken relationship with Izuku, but you just ignored them and told them to enjoy themselves at the party.

“Y/n.”

You turned around to see Shoto standing there with two champagne flutes in his hands. You smiled and walked up to him, hands extended out for a hug. He wrapped his arms around the best he could with the two drinks in his hands. You giggled at his struggle as he tried to step back without spilling the drinks.

“I see your hands are full, Boss.” You winked as you took one of the flutes of champagne out of his hands.

He just chuckled as you guys cheered, clinking your glasses together before taking a sip. As the sweet liquid hit your tongue, your eyes trailed down his body at the suit he was wearing. All black suit with the jacket, with a white dress shirt, red tie and tailored to perfection. You licked your lips as he breathed in, seeing his chest press up against the white fabric. Clearing your throat, you pulled your eyes away from his chest as you looked up at him finishing his drink. You smiled at him and he returned it as he placed the glasses on an empty table.

“You seem so much happier.” You heard Shoto comment behind you.

You turned to face him and couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow.

“What do you mean?”

Shoto walked up to you, the proximity between you two making your heart pound this a little faster. He leaned down, using his right hand to make you look in his eyes.

“When you first announced your retirement, and when I saw you after that… I do not doubt that you were happy but…” he trailed, his grip on your chin tightening slightly.

“But… but what?” You let out a whisper, feeling his thumb softly move against your skin.

“There was still this sadness in your eyes, that I could never pinpoint but now… I can’t see it at all.” He let go of you after that, taking a couple of steps back.

You took another deep breath, pressing a hand against your chest to feel your beating heart.

Smiling at Shoto, “thank you, that means a lot.”

The two of you continued to drink together, whether it be champagne or something stronger. The more the drinks came around you two, the two of you drank, and the more you two drank, the more handsy the two of you got. Shoto’s arms never left your waist and would find themselves trailing lower and lower down your body. You would find ways and excuses to slowly caress his face or his chest. The two of you would just get closer and closer. Luckily, most everyone around was drunk so even if they did notice, it was unlikely that they would notice. Soon enough, people began to leave, wishing you the best of luck and congratulations.

Then it was just the two of you. Shoto, despite being as drunk as you are, helped carry you to your bed upstairs. As he laid you in the bed, you reached out to him, pulling him down onto you and your bed. You giggled as he flopped on his back, allowing you to quickly straddle him.

“Y/n,” he giggled, he was more emotional, happy drunk, “Y/n why are you doing?”

You smiled, licking and biting at your lips as your hands trailed down his body. Feeling at his chest, before trailing down his abs, your hands and fingers going ever ripple and ridge on his body before landing right in the top of his pelvic area, feeling his hard-on poke out through his slacks. You hissed slowly as you began to rock into him, your dress riding up with every movement you made. Your movements caused him to whisper curses under his breath, his hips buck as he grabbed onto your waist tightly. You gripped at his shoulders as he guided you up and down his waist, his touch leaving your skin electrified, the opposite temperatures causing trembles throughout your body. You then leaned down to plant light kisses against his neck

“You’re so fucking handsome,” you whispered against his skin, your fingers fumbling with the buttons on his dress shirt.

He just smirked before flipping you on your back, using his knee to spread your legs.

——

It was a week after the party and you had just gotten back from your shift of patrol. It was early in the morning, say almost 4 am, and you were ready to go home and get some sleep. Saying goodbye to your sidekick, you walked towards your office to get some final papers before going home. As you opened the door, you could feel dull light entering your vision. So you turned and followed where it was coming from only to find yourself right outside of Shoto’s door. That’s where you could hear the argument.

“Izuku I—”

“NO— I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU, YOU’RE SLEEPING WITH MY EX-WIFE!”

“I think you’re the last person to be concerned about what she does now!”

“You’re one of my closest friends, I’ve known you the longest! And you just stab me in the back like this!?”

“I think that you should leave Izuku before I make you. What Y/n and I have, it’s none of your business.”

You could hear a slam, and hear something break before hearing heavy stomps echo throughout the room. You hoped it didn’t come to them full-on fighting, you knew Shoto could handle himself against, however, when Izuku was mad, Lord did he get mad. You hope you won't have to face him again, after all this time.

“I don’t want to hear a word you have to say!! I should have known, you’ve ALWAYS been chasing after her! Since our time at U.A!

You tilted your head at that, confused at what he meant. Shoto has been chasing after you since high school? You thought that Shoto always had a thing for Yaomomo, despite her and Jirou getting engaged recently. It was because of that, you believed Shoto had shifted his focus onto you…

“So what? I thought I left her in good hands, out of all my friends, you were the ONLY one that I thought could give her a good life. I thought you could love her and only be with her! Now I see that I couldn’t even trust you with that! So you don’t get to decide how she spends her time and who she spends it with! Not after what you did to her!”

It went quiet after that, but you could still see the heavy breathing out of both of them. You bit your lip, heart pounding as you grasped at the wall, staring to hear to see if they speak under their breath.

“What… what are you talking about?”

“She told me… she told me what you did... How you cheated on her with Melissa. Don’t give me that look, I’m not gonna tell anyone. She asked me not to, it’ll do no one any good if it got all. They’ll just hound her for months for this.”

You could feel your body begin to rock back and forth, you could feel the tension rising all the way from the place where you would stand.

“So I say again, you have no right to have any say about what she does in her own time. Even when she was married to you, she was never yours! She’s her own woman, and after being suffocated by you, she deserves to do whatever she wants. I’ll be here, no matter what, and I’ll stick by her because that’s what people who truly love someone do!”

You couldn’t help but smile at his words, you could feel tears swell in your waterline. Taking a deep breath, you stood up slowly, brushing off any dirt or dust collected on your lap before walking towards the door. You gave a knock on the door, before slowly turning the doorknob to reveal a trashed office. Plants turning upside down, smaller tables flipped around, and books spread all across the floor. Your eyes then landed on the two of them, standing behind the bigger office desk. Izuku was holding Shoto by his shirt, and the two of them had intense looks on their faces. You took another deep breath, seeing the way Izuku looks after so long. He grew out his beard, despite him hating it so much. His already scruffy, curly hair grew even more unruly. His eyes turned towards you, the shock after seeing you so long causing him to lose his grip on Shoto.

“Y/n…”

You closed your eyes and rolled your neck before closing the door behind you.

“Shoto is correct, what I do with my time is absolutely none of your business Izuku. We’re done, we’ve been done for six months. If I’m going, to be honest, we’ve been done for a year… since you had an affair with Melissa for six months as well,” you stated, slowly walking up towards the two of them.

“So what I do with him, what I do with anyone… is no longer your business. Now get out!”

Izuku stood there, shocked at your words, slowly turning his body to face you.

“Y/n I…” You made a motion with your hands, quieting him.

“Izuku Midoriya, get out now!”

He jumped back, before turning back to Shoto, giving him one last glare before walking past you towards the door. You kept your back towards him, and the door as well, as he opened it before walking out, shutting it behind him. With that, you then turned to the last man standing in the room. You gave him a soft smile, slowly shaking your head as you amble across to him. You placed your hands on his biceps as he wrapped his arms around your waist. He smiled down at you, before leaning in for a soft kiss. You chuckled and smiled into the kiss, tightening your grip on his arms. You could feel the grip you had on you tighten with every second of the kiss. Once you let go, you slowly reached up to caress the side of his face with the scar with your hand.

“You look stressed… is it because of your day? Or because of the walking trash that just walked out?”

He chuckled softly at your words, shaking his head. You smiled as you walked towards his desk, moving some of the papers off before sitting on top of his desk. Shoto gave you an up and down glance, before walking towards you and standing in between your legs.

“So… why was Izuku here?” You asked him, rubbing at his shoulders and arms.

Shoto took a deep breath before leaning forward and laying his head on top of your shoulders.

“He came up here, accusing me of different things. I never found out he found out that the two of us were seeing each other… I was more focused on other things…”

Izuku was always so stubborn, that could be a good or bad thing depending on who side you were on. You sighed, nodding your head as you wrapped your arms around him.

“Let’s go to your place? I’m really tired and I honestly just want to get as much sleep as I can.”

You could feel Shoto smile into your shoulder, before nodding. You were about to push him off of you, so you could both get what you need and walk out together, a sudden force whooshed you off your feet, arms grabbing at you and carrying you in a bridal position.

“Shoto!” You squealed, holding on to his shoulders.

He just softly chuckled once more, as he carried you out of the office, nothing but smiles on the two of you’s faces.

___

Taglist: @tremendouswolfsaladranch @simi0603 @tanakasprayer @kirishimaisthatbitch @theadorkablezaza @katemocha @pineapplejuic3 @kehlaniwwe @honeylavender13 @p102ab @maybeisthemoon @dark-yuh @introvertatitsfinest @lazymooneye @yzviea @fan-girling-over-everything @@chscklvr @dragonsdreamoffire @superheros-and-others @gabbygibbsgirl

[insurrection-if]

"The Golden" Retriever (CARDINALS)

“The Golden” Retriever | 32 | Elite Soldier | Metal Manipulation | Minor Romance

Once a renowned hero, a beacon for the future of the Gifted, Retriever has fallen far from his greatest heights. Still, his heart and intentions remain much the same as before. Even as he seeks to cleanse himself of past vices, or silently redeem himself from wayward paths, Retriever will not lose his faith in the future he envisions. It is only then he will allow himself to rest in obscurity once more.

Retriever aims to be a reliable friend to anyone in need. Humble, compassionate, and hesitant are common and fitting words to describe him. Really, in all realms but love and danger, Retriever depends on an extra push from a friend to take action and pursue what he wants. In the past, he had fallen deeply under the spell of material things and momentary pleasures, but he has walked a hard road to leave those instantaneous gratifications behind him. Born from modest and cluttered roots, Retriever enjoys all things that are simple and familiar.

Within the CARDINALS, Retriever tries to act as a voice of reason and mercy for his more brutal compatriots, hoping to somehow reform the more dreadful aspects of the organization's reputation from within. After a deep and personal betrayal set his career as a hero in flames, Retriever felt indebted to Curadora and her allies for allowing him a second chance at life. This second chance to set things right. And though his bones ache to rest, he knows that he cannot allow his selfishness to once again overcome what is needed from him.

You have glimpsed what most others will never witness: the burned scars that haphazardly coat his arms. Burly arms that lead to calloused palms so large and reaching and oftentimes careful with the world around him. Beneath his helmet, too, you have seen the brownish-blonde locks reach just barely past his brow when unstyled by his exertion and sweat. In the light of a lantern, you could then catch the light brown hues of his eyes and the sun-kissed tone of his defined cheeks. On an average day, Retriever comes close to perfectly capturing an ideal of All-American handsomeness. He has seen the envious eyes that fixate his muscular frame that stands at 6’1”, and he has endured ceaseless compliments towards the Hollywood-esque definition of his features. Had it not been for the numerous scars collected over his years of heroism, he might’ve held more confidence and pride in his blatant good looks. Nowadays, he finds it difficult to glance into a mirror without fixating on the darkness that has begun to settle beneath his eyes, the faint traces of old wounds never healed quite right, and the dimness that has started to settle on his once beaming grins.

As a civilian Retriever dresses in the comfortable fashion of old jeans, denim shirts, leather belts, a straw cowboy hat, and sturdy boots with a favor for light shades of cream or blue. Among friends, however, he feels more comfortable peeling back his sleeves or dressing himself in tank tops that reveal more of his marked skin. Yet his iconic look known across the world consists of knightly armor gilded in gold that he would manipulate as a shield and weapon in the heat of battle: hence the media-given name “The Golden” Retriever for his public persona and image in his early hero career.

As a Minor Romance . . .

Route One : You're fun company to have. Company he surely wouldn’t shirk if you ever desired another desirous encounter with him. He can manage to bite back the slight infatuation he holds towards you. A mere attraction he knows will blossom into nothing greater. As he awaits his dream, he may find some companionable comfort with you and your presence a few times more.

Route Two (Extra Condition: You seem receptive to the idea of marriage and children, as well as him as a partner.): He thinks . . . call him a fool, and a fool he might well be, but he thinks that maybe you could be the one. The partner he has sought. Someone to cherish and hold dear. Enemies you may be, yes, and near strangers too but— if you would so kindly do him the honor and . . . away from the eyes of his compatriots, before every excursion where he may chance to meet you again, he hides on his person an old heirloom so precious to him.

A ring. Maybe once he gathers the courage, he can try his luck on you.

Retriever possess the gift to manipulate all metals.

[latte-fairytaekwoon]

❥𝓟𝓮𝓻𝓼𝓮𝓾𝓼 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓐𝓷𝓭𝓻𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓭𝓪

𝑃𝑎𝑖𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔: 𝑃𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑒𝑢𝑠! 𝐶ℎ𝑜𝑖 𝐽𝑜𝑛𝑔ℎ𝑜× 𝐴𝑛𝑑𝑟𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑑𝑎! 𝑅𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑟 (𝐹𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑙𝑒)

𝐺𝑒𝑛𝑟𝑒: 𝐴𝑛𝑔𝑠𝑡, 𝐹𝑙𝑢𝑓𝑓, 𝐹𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑠𝑦/𝐺𝑟𝑒𝑒𝑘 𝑀𝑦𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑦 𝐴𝑈

𝑊𝑜𝑟𝑑 𝐶𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡: 7.8𝐾

𝑊𝑎𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠: 𝑀𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑟𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑔𝑖𝑜𝑛, 𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑎𝑙 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠, 𝑑𝑒𝑎𝑡ℎ, 𝑤𝑟𝑎𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑔𝑜𝑑𝑠, 𝑖𝑛𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑒, 𝑠𝑒𝑎 𝑚𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑓𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑠𝑦/𝑚𝑎𝑔𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑠𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑠

“𝐹𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑎𝑦 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑤𝑎𝑙𝑘𝑒𝑑 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑜 𝑚𝑦 𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑒, 𝑦𝑜𝑢'𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝐼 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑘 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡.

𝑌𝑜𝑢'𝑟𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑜𝑛 𝐼 𝑏𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑡ℎ𝑒, 𝑦𝑜𝑢'𝑟𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑟𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑚𝑦 𝑠𝑘𝑦…..

𝑌𝑜𝑢'𝑟𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑚𝑦 𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑒.”- 𝑈𝑛𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤𝑛

༺═──────────────═༻

The young woman lifted her head up slowly, her eyes still not opening. Instead, they scrunched up as the sun's rays pierced through the slight opening of the silk turquoise drapes that covered the large glass window of her balcony. She felt a slight tingling sensation of pins in needles run down her back as she straightened up and stretched out her back, which was very sore from sleeping on her chair and desk, bent over the book she had gotten lost into the night before.

Humming softly, she scooted her chair back and got up, cramping up slightly. She picked up her treasured book and put it back on the shelf, laying it to rest along with its fellow literary companions that never failed to bring her joy as she poured over their contents time and time again, never getting bored of what her mother would often call 'silly and unrealistic romance fables'. Her mother was on the more practical side of things, when she wasn't on the other side of her mirror that is. It was no secret her mother was the most vain and self loving woman the kingdom, constantly boasting about her looks, her arrogance and pride could be heard from miles away.

The young princess hurried to dress herself, a task she had preferred doing with no help from her hand maidens since 2 years ago, knowing they'd only fashion her in the flashy and extravagant style her mother preferred, which was not at all to her liking. She was more comfortable in simple tunics with no ornaments at all, but today her mother specifically requested her to put on her best dress as it was to be a special day for her. So there she was, dressing herself in a luxurious forest green robe with golden flowers threaded onto the sleeves and hem of the dress. The scratchy material irritated her skin, but still she had to admit she looked very pretty. Fastening her hair with a gold colored brooch that was shaped like a leaf, she walked out into the long corridor, the passing servants greeting her as she made her way to the throne room where her father was probably already waiting.

"Morning father."

She came up and kissed his head, giving him a warm and fond smile.

"How are you my little star?" He greeted her with the nickname he's called her since she was a child.

"Ready to help you out in the inventories and with sorting through the official documents and drafts."

Over time, she'd grown to help take over some of the duties her father attended to since there was never a male heir.

Her father waved a hand dismissively.

"Not today I'm afraid. Today.....there's is something else that must be taken care of."

Before she could even ask what that was, the glorious queen herself bursted through the doors.

"Andromeda my darling daughter!"

Her mother smothered her in a crushing embrace that was more painful than endearing. The poor girl was being suffocated by her mother's strength and her overwhelming lavender scent she always sprayed on.

"Mmom- mom, remember we aren't supposed to call me by that name until I was married."

That was how it was in their kingdom: babies were given 2 names, 1 which they were called as they grew up by everyone around them and 1 which they'd be referred to after they got married. Which is why it shocked Y/N that her mother was calling her that now.

"Which will actually happen very soon my dear."

Y/N turned to look at her father, her face asking for an explanation. His smile was meant to be reassuring, but instead it felt forced and almost as if he was feeling pity for her.

"We......have picked out the best match for you."

Y/N knew this day would come sooner or later. As the princess of the kingdom, she'd be married off to the best suitor to come forward and ask for her hand. She was not scared of this prospect ahead of her, in fact, she had often daydreamed of meeting her future husband and falling in love with him like she often read about in her stories. She was often imagining a young and handsome lad coming to ask for her, with strong arms and athletic build. She wanted someone like the hero Heracles, who was known for his superior strength and good looks.

"And he's already here! So straighten up Andromeda, chin up, make yourself look more alive for goodness sakes."

Her mother began her usual fussing again, smoothing out imaginary wrinkles on her daughter's dress and pulling out strands of her hair to compliment her features even more. She went as far as pinching Y/N's cheeks.

"Ow! What was that for?" Y/N cupped her cheeks, not wanting them to be abused by her mother's bony fingers and long nails.

"To give them a little pink tint." Her mother looked at her as if she was stupid.

"My dear Cassiopeia, I think the child has had enough. She looks beautiful all right?"

The queen pouted her bottom lip.

"But I'm still the most beautiful one right?"

There it was, her mother couldn't even resist having someone tell her how pretty she was or compliment her appearance. Her husband rolled his eyes.

"You're the most beautiful in all of Joppa." He replied, simply just to get her off his case and go back to what was really important here.

The royal family got in their respective places, awaiting the arrival of Y/N's future husband. She tugged on the fabric of her dress, nervous yet excited at meeting who her parents had deemed suitable for her.

The doors opened and Y/N held her breath as a royal announcer came in, hand over his chest as he proclaimed:

"Announcing his royal Majesty, Phineas, King of Cyprus."

Y/N's heart sank when she heard who was just announced.

'No no no....please mighty gods in the heavens..."

She wanted the earth to swallow her as she looked at the man in front of her, not a stranger, but an all too familiar and not welcomed face to her. Out of all the people in the land......

Why did her parents have to choose him? A king who was 20 years her senior, had already been married once and was not only particularly displeasing in figure, but more so in personality?

"My dear friend! So nice to see you again!"

The regal queen greeted the neighboring monarch warmly, delighted at the thought of having him there with them.

"My dear queen Cassiopeia. You haven't changed at all. Still the most beautiful creature that has ever walked on this earth." He complimented her as he kissed her hand.

Her husband just sat there, so used to the flattery bestowed upon his wife by the old fool. Y/N on the other hand wanted to run away from there, crawl into her bed and cry her eyes out. Her mother was having none of that though.

"Andromeda. Come here and say hello to your future husband."

She looked at her father, eyes begging him to intervene, but his eyes just looked at her sadly and at that moment she knew she had no choice. Her future had been decided and there was no going back. Taking a deep breath, she took slow and heavy steps until she stood in front of Phineas. Bowing her head, she greeted him with a very hushed voice, which the king mistakenly misinterpreted as timidness.

"My lovely bride do not be so shy. We shall soon be happily married and I promise to make you the happiest woman alive. And I know you shall make me a very happy man and bear me lots of heirs."

Y/N nearly gagged at the thought.

"Heirs?" Her vision was beginning to get blurry.

When the man in front of her took her hand in his own, she nearly yanked it back.

"Yes. Many children with the God's blessings." He chuckled, but she did not find any of it amusing.

She felt so repulsed and sick she didn't realize what was happening until she heard people calling out her name and her body hit the floor underneath her, vision going completely black as she fainted due to the shock.

༺═──────────────═༻

She awoke hours later, one of her handmaidens, Sophiya, was stirring a cup in her hand.

"Miss, you're awake."

Y/N sat up, her head still spinning somewhat.

"What on earth happened?" She rubbed her temples, trying to recollect her memories.

Sophiya held out the cup and saucer out to her.

"It seems you fainted."

Right. She remembered now. She was betrothed to an old geezer and couldn't handle it so she passed out in front of everybody. She sighed as she stirred the chamomile tea inside her cup, the smell of it already helping clear her head.

"Why him? Why out of all the people in the world, I have to be married to him?" She wondered out loud before sipping some of her tea carefully.

She wasn't afraid of speaking her mind with Sophiya around. Not only was she a loyal and discreet maid, she was the closest friend she had in the palace, the one often listening to her and offering advice at times.

"Well from a political perspective, it's a very desirable match. Your father's northern territories share a border with Phineas' kingdom. Uniting two states by marriage would be beneficial both politically and commercially." Sophiya stated.

Y/N set her cup on her dresser rather harshly.

"It's not fair though. I don't want someone old enough to be my father as a husband, let alone someone who treats women like they're just objects instead of people."

"No? Then what do you want Y/N?"

Sophiya had a mischievous grin on her face, knowing fully well what her friend's answer would be. Grabbing a pillow, Y/N chucked it at her, causing her to double over in laughter.

"Shut up! Don't start."

Y/N got up and went to her vanity and began arranging her hair which was now poking out from several places. She cringed a little and was about to reach for her comb but Sophiya beat her to it.

"It's been a while since I've done this." Sophiya hummed a little tune like she always did whenever she combed through Y/N's hair.

"I can do it myself you know." Y/N reminded her.

Sophiya snorted. "Yeah and that's why your hair always looks messy and unkempt."

Y/N widened her eyes.

"Does it?"

But her friend's inability to contain her laugh made her realize she was only messing around with her again. At least it took her mind off the current situation that displeased her.......

Until her mother came barging into her room.

"Ahhh Y/N. You're awake at last."

She gestured for Sophiya to move aside so she could take over. Y/N already dreaded having her mother comb her hair, she was always so rough and pulled her hair so tightly she'd end up with a pounding headache before the day was over. Her mother held a strand of her daughter's hair and grimaced slightly.

"Your hair is becoming rather dry." She pointed out.

"Really? I didn't notice." Y/N responded.

Her mother let out an exasperated sigh.

"Y/N don't you know you must take care of every part of your body in order to remain looking beautiful and young?"

Her mother took a glance at the mirror in front of them.

"Just look at me darling. How many women my age do you know to have such luscious, thick, long and healthy hair?"

She then turned her attention to the girl standing next to them.

"Don't you think so Sophiya?"

Knowing fully well how to put honey in the queen's ear, Sophiya admired her.

"Not a single strand of grey hair your Highness."

Her response made the queen extremely happy. Y/N and Sophiya both looked at each other and tried not to laugh right then and there.

"See honey? This is why I'm always advising you on proper beauty care."

She made Y/N turn and stare at her reflection once more.

"I'm so proud to have had such a beautiful daughter like you. And you'll become even more beautiful I just know it."

Y/N at this point just decided to tune out her mothers words, not wanting to listen once more to another vain speech.

"You're the prettiest girl in all of Joppa. No one compares to you."

'As if I've never heard that one before.' Y/N thought.

"If even dare say you're the most beautiful princess in the entire world."

Now Y/N began to feel uneasy, feeling her mother was escalating things too far.

With a proud and arrogant smirk, her mother then finally boasted:

"You're more beautiful than all the daughters of Poseidon. The Nereids can't even come close to owning half of your beauty."

Both Y/N and Sophiya began to panic at her words. If there was one thing the gods hated more than anything it would a mortal's pride. And the panic soon turned into terror when the earth shook, all of the glass dials on Y/N's dresser fell to the floor, all their contents spilling. Some of the painting either tilted or crashed onto ground. The all tried to run out the door, but they all toppled over, Y/N and Sophiya holding onto each other, praying for the earth to stop shaking while the queen was screaming hysterically while trying to crawl to the door.

Suddenly everything stopped and an eerie hush fell upon them. Sophiya inspected Y/N, inquiring about her well being.

"I'm fine....but what was that?" She wondered.

"Is it finally over?" Her mother asked, hands covered protectively over her head.

Loud rumbling outside made them shudder, the sunlight that was shining moments ago now was darkened as clouds covered the sky. Thunder got louder and rain started to heavily pour down, even though the rainy season had ceased 3 months ago. That could only mean one thing.

"Somebody has angered the gods."

༺═──────────────═༻

Y/N tried to keep the smile on her face as her future husband kept going on about his kingdom, its financial contribution in the trade market and, her absolute favorite, all the duties and responsibilities that the queen would have to take up. From knowing how to run dozens of servants, to organizing banquets and festivities, to being a role model for all the women in the empire.

"She must exhibit perfect conduct at all times, must display modesty, integrity, loyalty to her husband and kingdom..."

Y/N could only pretend to listen to his words. Every word uttered felt like someone was pushing a threading needle in her skin.

"Y/N? Are you listening to me?"

Phineas question brought her back to reality.

"Huh? Oh yes! Of course I was."

She hoped he wouldn't notice that she was nervous, but he ended up attributing to her being overwhelmed by the responsibilities she'd have.

"I can understand that for a young girl such as yourself, who has been frivolous for most of her life, being thrusted into such a position which requires great responsibility must be daunting and bewildering. But fear not my lovely bride, I promise you I shall never reproach you for any mistakes you make."

It took every fiber in her being to keep from rolling her eyes at that statement. If anything, she was everything but frivolous, she already knew so much from observing and studying under her father's guidance. For goodness sakes, she already mastered the art of war strategies and this man actually thought her incapable of ruling a country? She wanted to laugh at that.

"And you must not despair. I have a housekeeper already prepared back home who will instruct you in all the arrangements and etiquette of the palace. Wonderful lady who has served me for a great many years. Completely dedicated and exemplary in her work."

Y/N could already picture a strict and dogmatic old woman, whom she no doubt would end up hating if King Phineas admired her so. But that was the least of her worries at the moment. She spotted out of the corner of her eye two servants whispering something to her father, who looked agitated and full of concern. Y/N could guess that they were reporting another dreadful catastrophe that besieged their kingdom. Ever since that day with the earthquake and thunderstorm, more phenomenons started to happen throughout the land. A second earthquake buried and destroyed dozens of homes, the west province was affected by a flash flood that wiped out most of the crops, and a tremendous tidal wave swept away some of the coastal villages in the south province. Thousands of innocent people were affected greatly and it pained Y/N to see it happen, and she had an idea she knew why this was all happening. Not caring if she was rude, she excused herself and left King Phineas' side to approach her father.

"What news did they bring?" She made sure to keep her voice low so as to not alarm anyone.

Her father inhaled deeply.

"Lighting storm struck the east coast now. Hundreds of homes were burned."

Y/N of course expected bad news. Nothing good ever came from the messengers.

"I just don't understand Y/N. Why us? What have we done to offend the gods? We sacrifice to all of them, we are faithful and pious people, so why are they punishing us?"

She truly didn't have the answer. All she could do was rest her head on her father's shoulder and embrace him.

"I don't know. We can only hope things don't get worse."

At that moment, one of the young men who went out daily to the docks to haul in fish for the palace came rushing in, drenched in water, barefoot and face filled with horror.

"A sea monster! A sea monster has been sent to us!"

All of the people in the room fixed their eyes on him, some gasping or covering their mouths, while others thought he was crazy. Y/N and her father approached the lad.

"What do you mean?" Her father demanded.

The boy trembled in fear as he began recounting his experience:

"My lord! We were out at sea, reeling in our catch for the day when we heard a strange bellowing noise from underneath the boat. It was then silent for a while when suddenly, a large sea creature emerged and split our boat in half. It was frightening! It had razor sharp teeth, a serpent's tongue, bloodshot eyes and it was simply enormous! I watched as it devoured some of my fellow comrades-"

The lad fell to his knees, sobbing uncontrollably as images of the traumatic scene flashed once more across his mind. The king bent down and placed a gentle hand on the boy's back, his head in deep thought as if trying to recollect any wrong doings anyone might have done. He then signaled for someone to take the boy away and give him fresh clothes and food to eat.

Y/N closed her eyes and sighed. It was getting worse and worse every day, and it seemed it wouldn't be stopped. She flinched when she saw her father draw out his sword and knocked down one of the vases that adorned the hall.

"Speak oh mighty gods! What have we done to anger you? Why are you punishing us!?"

No one spoke up, fear was in all of their eyes and no one could blame them.

"I......I'm the guilty one."

All heads turned to the source of the voice and stared in shock as the queen herself stepped up, her visage looking thinner than normal and with dark circles under her eyes, signaling lack of sleep.

"I have offended Poseidon by boasting that Andromeda was more beautiful than his sea nymphs...."

Everyone let out gasps and screeches of horror at her confession. Her father looked absolutely furious and was trying hard to contain himself from losing his temper. Accepting all responsibility, the queen continued:

"If I must pay the price with my own life then so be it."

Her father shook his head.

"The price is for Poseidon to decide. Send in the Oracle. We must find out how to appease the god of the sea."

༺═──────────────═༻

"Why must he be so angry at us over one person's mistake?"

Y/N and her father stared blankly at the horizon. It seemed both of them had been spending more and more time in the royal orchard ever since more and more disastrous news reached their ears. Y/N sat on a stone bench while her father leaned back on one of the several olive trees that surrounded the place. So far he had kept quiet and just listened to her pour her heart out.

"I always asked myself that when I was a little boy and I listened to the stories my father told me. Why the gods always punished mortals who claimed to be better than them."

Y/N observed her father who stood there with a pensive gaze.

"I think......I understand...... the gods want us to respect the natural order every creature has in this universe."

Pulling out a leave from one of the branches, he continued:

"Insects have their place in this world. Animals have theirs. We mortals have our place above these creatures and that's why we dominate them....

And the gods have their place, above us mortals. We are so far below them that none of us should aspire to be greater than the place that was designated for us. Or it could mean our downfall."

Releasing the leave, he let it slowly fall down, sinking into the water of the small pond in front of them. Y/N stared at the leaf, understanding the point her father was trying to get across, but still it bothered her.

"But still. In all of the stories, the guilty one was punished, not innocent people. So why are they paying the price now?"

Her father stiffened at her question, unsure of how to answer.

"The ways of the gods are difficult for us to understand."

Y/N got up from her seat and staged at the fields in front of her. She frowned, unable to accept that answer.

"It's not their fault...."

Her father sighed as he rubbed his temples.

"Y/N please.......I can't comprehend this as much as you can. We'll just have to wait and see what the Oracle says. Hopefully there's still a way to make things right."

They both went back inside the palace, the Oracle had to be done communicating with the other world and must have an answer by then. The ministers were already gathered at the conference hall, awaiting instructions. Y/N and her father took their place in the middle of the crowd, waiting for the elder man to come in. Everyone hushed as soon as he came in. He walked even slower than usual, holding his walking staff with 2 hands, his eyebrows were furrowed as if he was in deep thought and troubled by what he had to reveal. No one dared ask him what was going to happen, afraid of what he'd say.

"Tell us. What does mighty Poseidon ask from us?" Her father inquired.

The old man lifted his head to the sky and closed his eyes before saying:

"This is what the god of the sea has spoken: 'You have summoned my wrath by offending me and my sea nymphs with your pride and vanity. I have a mind to exterminate the entire land to pay for your sins.......

But as an act of mercy, I will stop all the disasters if you offer me a sacrifice. In 2 days time, you must chain the selected person to a rock at the sea's edge for my sea monster, Cetus, to devour and atone for your foolishness. If you don't follow my instructions, I will continue to lay rampage throughout your kingdom until you have all perished."

The nobles all began to murmur amongst themselves, some already agreeing to the demands for the sake of the people.

"We are all ready to do as our lord, Poseidon, asks of us. Tell us Mylos, who are we to offer to him?"

Y/N's mother was already stepping up, all of them expecting her of course to be the one to die, but the old Oracle shook his head as he revealed a shocking fact.

"Poseidon has asked for your daughter, Y/N."

At the mention of her name, Y/N paled and nearly fell over had her father not being next to her to prevent her from falling. Many were shocked and horrified at the choice, some of the ladies already wailing at the thought of losing their beloved princess. Y/N felt Sophiya run up to her and hold her tightly, tears already spilling out her eyes. But the one who was most distressed by it was none other than her mother.

"No! He can't take Y/N! He can't take my only daughter! I won't let him! Please! Let me die in her place instead!"

The queen got on her knees, begging for her daughter's life to be saved as all the people in the room were now divided by how to proceed with this.

"Cepheus you cannot allow this! She's your child!" She was now clutching her husband's robe, desperately trying to persuade him not to allow this insanity to happen.

"Poseidon has spoken! His words must be fulfilled! If he wants the princess, we must give her to him!" One of the nobles protested.

Her father became enraged.

"Has he no pity?! She's my only child! I can't let him have her!"

"You are a king before a father and a king's duty is to his people. Please! We don't want anymore bloodshed to happen!" Someone else counteracted.

Soon it was an intense debate between all of the gentlemen in the hall. All of them screamed one after the other, not bothering to listen. All throughout it, her father refused to budge.

"Phineas, she's betrothed to you. What have you to say?"

All eyes fell on the other monarch, who had kept quiet until now. Meeting his eyes, Y/N for once looked at him with tenderness, silently pleading him to vouch for her. Instead, and unsurprisingly, he looked down.

"If that's what the God of the sea has declared, it must be done."

Her father shook his head, resisting the urge to draw his sword and kill him right then and there.

"And this from the very man who said he'd die for her hand in marriage? Pitiful."

"No matter that! Poseidon must be obeyed!"

Y/N drowned out the chaos that was happening. She truly was frightened by the situation, appalled that the God would choose her to be the sacrifice. But she had no tears to cry, she simply stood there, blank faced as she pondered over all the events that had happened in the past week, all the houses destroyed, all the innocent lives taken, it wasn't fair.........

And she couldn't allow it to continue.

"I will do it."

But no one heard her because they were too busy fighting. So she stepped in the center and firmly declared:

"I will do it! I will sacrifice myself if that's what Poseidon wants!"

༺═──────────────═༻

The people all looked in awe and admiration as the princess walked up the stone pavement through the streets. Dressed in pure white robes, hair curled into ringlets, she looked like an actual angel sent to save them all. But behind that gaze that showed dignity and bravery, there was fear in each of her bones, her hands shaking every now and then at the thought of what was to come. Her father and mother both stayed behind, not allowed to accompany her any further out of fear that they'd try and stop the priests from chaining her to her destiny. Y/N stared at some of the wildflowers that were shattered along the path, somehow they seemed to calm her down. She kept repeating the same words over and over again in her head:

"I'm a princess. I must die with dignity and grace."

But her courage soon failed her when she reached the steps leading down to the edge of the sea. Her body froze, unwilling to take another step. She was about to ran back the way she came, but the priests grabbed her wrists and began trying to get her down the steps, but Y/N began to struggle. She looked back at her parents, their faces blurry from the tears brimming at her eyes.

"Father! Mother! Save me!"

Her mother hid her face in her hands, unable to watch anymore, while her father was being held back by some of his guards, strictly ordered to keep him from interfering. At this point, Y/N heard a familiar voice scream from among the crowds. Turning she saw none other than Sophiya try to run to her, but she was stopped by a couple of guards.

"You can't do this to her! She's innocent! Y/N you don't have to do this! Let me go!"

It took both of the guards to subdue her and lift her up to take her away and keep her from freeing Y/N, but Sophiya kept fighting and shouting protests to be released and to help her friend. When she saw Phineas, she did not hide her disgust and shame.

"Aren't you supposed to protect her?! Be her champion! Slay the monster for her! Do you not care enough for her?!"

But her words fell upon deaf ears, no one would dare step up for Y/N. The priests dragged her down the narrow staircase. Once they reached the bottom, they held her hands behind her back and pressed her firmly against the cold stone pillar. They tied the rope around several times, making sure it was fastened tightly before saying a small and quick prayer for her and to ask forgiveness to the god. Y/N watched them climb back up the stairs and slowly disappear, along with the rest of the people who went to see her off. No one wanted to watch as Poseidon carried out his punishment and have his sea monster eat a poor, helpless young girl.

Hours passed, the sun was now covered by clouds, adding an even more eerie atmosphere to the place. The tide was rising, the water that before was only at Y/N's feet. Now was well above her knees, the cold water freezing her muscles. Y/N wondered if perhaps the gods would have mercy on her and let her drown instead of having Cetus tear into her flesh and eat her while she was still alive. The more she thought about it, the more she began panicking.

"I don't want to die! Please! Can anybody help me?! Somebody, anybody! Help!!"

Her throat was now sore from screaming on top of her lungs, her face red from all the tears pouring out, her arms aching from being bound behind her, her palms no doubt bleeding and scratched from scraping against the stone behind them. Y/N lowered her head, resigning to her fate and only praying that it would be quick and painless.

Far above her head, soaring through the clouds, at that moment, a shining white horse with wings flew across the sky. Sitting on top of the majestic creature, a handsome and strong young man calmly guided his companion through the vast ocean. The horse suddenly stopped in midair, sensing something.

"Whoah whoah whoah, steady there Pegasus. What's wrong?"

He ran his hand across the horse's mane, scratching the back of his ear in an effort to calm him. He looked towards where the horse was staring at and was confused when he saw a girl chained to a stone. Feeling curious, he whispered in Pegasus ear.

"Do you feel like going on another adventure?"

The winged horse let out a high pitched neigh before changing direction and swooping down to land on top of the stairs of the ledge. Dismounting and signaling for him to stay put, the mysterious man walked down the steps, being careful not to slip due to the water that had splashed onto the pavement. He tilted his head, trying to get a better view of the girl in front of him, trying to see if she was alive or not since she had her head down and didn't seem to be moving. She certainly hadn't drowned yet, even though the water was already below her chest, and it seemed it wouldn't stop yet.

He waved a hand in front of her.

"Hello?"

He heard a low moan come from her lips before she slowly lifted her head up, affirming she was still alive. He was taken aback by how pretty she was, even with her hair semi drenched in the salty seawater. It seemed to add a more captivating look to her. Y/N on the other hand, couldn't understand if she was seeing things or was already dead.

"Is this where I get on the boat that'll take me to the Underworld?"

Her question made the man raise an eyebrow.

"No....... you're not dead and this is Joppa I believe?"

"Oh great. Then that means I'm not dead.....yet." Y/N let out an exasperated sigh.

"Why can't you just get it over with? Stop making me wait, send your sea monster to gobble me up already."

She kept babbling on and on, she completely forgot about the stranger in front of her who was listening intently.

"What on earth are you taking about? Who chained you here anyway?"

Y/N looked in the direction of the stairs.

"The priests. I'm supposed to be sacrificed to Poseidon's sea monster."

The man shook his head.

"Why?"

"Because my mother boasted that I was more beautiful than the Nereids and therefore I have to appease the God of the sea with my death." She explained, not caring how ridiculous she sounded right now.

The man bent down, tugging at the ropes binding her to her fate.

"You still shouldn't be here......then again..."

He looked up at her and smiled softly.

"Perhaps we were fated to meet."

For the first time since all of it happened, Y/N genuinely smiled.

"I'm Jongho by a way." He finally introduced himself.

"I'm Y/N." She replied.

Her smile soon faded when she felt the water rise up even more, startling her and making her attempt to break free once again. Sensing how little time they had before her head was submerged completely underwater, Jongho drew out his sword and stepped down further into the water. He stood in front of Y/N.

"Don't worry. I'll get you out of here before-"

A loud bellowing cry interrupted him. The earth once again began to shake and as they both turned their heads to the right, they watched as a monstrous reptile swam straight toward them, its head coming out from the water.

"Stay here! Don't move!" He ordered her as he ran back up the stairs to divert the monster's attention from Y/N and instead to himself, completely ignoring the fact even if she wanted to, Y/N couldn't move at all.

Jongho stood at the top of the cliff. Raising his sword above his head, he waved it around to get the serpent to look at him, which it did. The beast made it's way towards him, bearing its sharp teeth at him. It lunged at him, but Jongho quickly ducked and shifted to the other side. He tried to pierce his sword into the monster's head but his sword only clashed against an armor of scales surrounding it.

"Oh great." Jongho breathed out when it lunged for him again, this time Jongho barely escaped its clutches.

He whistled for Pegasus to come over, which it promptly did. The horse trotted over to his master, who quickly hopped up and got on top of him before directing him to fly above the monster's neck. If Y/N wasn't so concerned about the water's level rising, she would have been more astonished at seeing an actual winged horse in front of her. Jongho scanned the munsters body, if there's anything he knew in his lifetime of slaying beasts it was that they all had a weak spot, that if found, it would be easy to defeat them.

The monster shifted its body around, causing the waters to splashed violently against Y/N's face. She coughed out the water that had gotten in her mouth and wheezed as she tried to regain her breath. Realizing he was running out of time, Jongho knew he had no other alternative and had to make use of his special weapon. Reaching into the copper colored bag on Pegasus' saddle, he looked over at Y/N and called out:

"Close your eyes! Don't open them under no circumstance!"

Y/N immediately shut her eyes, afraid of seeing what was going to happen. Jongho then took out a frightening and horrifying severed head that had now deceased snakes on its scalp. Making sure the monster was looking right at him, he held the head up so it could see the still glowing green eyes. In that moment, the sea serpent began shrieking out in pain as its body began to crystallize and turn into hard stone. Starting at its tail and going up to his neck, Jongho watched as the monster then fully transformed into a monument of stone, no longer moving and completely void of any life now. He tucked the head back in the pouch before looking back down at Y/N.

"Oh almighty Zeus."

He rushed down there with Pegasus when he saw that her head was now submerged underwater. He didn't even bother waiting for Pegasus to land, he jumped right in the water and swam over to her. Taking out a dagger from his pocket, he cut through several of the rope ties and quickly tugged them off of her. Once he felt them loosen up enough, he took her unconsciously body in his arms and swam back up. He gasped once he reached the surface, grabbing onto Pegasus' bridle. Pegasus then used his strength to pull them back up enough for Jongho to lift Y/N into his arms and climb back up the stairs to high land, safe away from the tide.

"Come on Y/N, don't give up on me."

He tilted her chin up before placing his hands against her chest. He pushed down hard, trying to get the water she swallowed out of her lungs.

"Please gods on Olympus. Help"

He pressed down even harder, but still nothing. Having left no choice, he bent down and parted her lips before blowing air into her mouth. He pulled back and inhaled before repeating the same process. Stepping back, he held onto Y/N's back when she began coughing violently, helping her sit up slighty so she could regain her composure.

"Are you all right?" He scanned to make sure she was ok.

Y/N took deep breaths before answering in a raspy voice.

"I think so..."

She looked up and blushed when she noticed their close proximity. Now having him mere inches from her face, Y/N could clearly see how handsome Jongho was, with dazzling brown eyes that seemed to hypnotize her.

"Thank you....for saving my life..." She whispered.

Jongho carefully swept his hand over her face, brushing off some of her wet hair out of it before leaning in closer to her.

"Oh don't thank me. Like I said, maybe we were fated to meet."

Y/N closed her eyes when she felt his face come closer to hers, his lips hovering above hers, she waited for him to kiss her, but unfortunately they were interrupted by a sharp voice:

"Y/N! You're alive!"

Jongho helped Y/N get up on her feet as her parents, Sophiya, Phineas and several others ran over to see what was happening. Sophiya wrapped her arms around Y/N, her voice hoarse from all the screaming she had done before.

"Thank the gods you're alive!"

Her parents also surrounds her, thankful she wasn't dead. Jongho just stood by the sides, smiling fondly at the touching scene. Not forgetting about him, Y/N went over to him and took his hand before looking over at her parents.

"Mom, dad. This is Jongho. He's the one who saved me."

Jongho smiled sheepishly as he waved his hand dismissively.

"Please, I had a little help."

The crowd looked over at the beast's head poking out from the cliff, immobile and never to move again.

"How on earth could a mere mortal turn a fearsome creature into stone?" Her father asked.

"Oh very easy. You see..."

Jongho whistled for Pegasus, who trotted up next to him. Several people began murmuring amongst themselves, wondering who really was this man who flew in such a majestic creature and could perform such miracles. Jongho pointed to the bag on the saddle.

"I'm afraid I can't show you all directly since even after I slayed the Gorgon, her face can still turn to stone anyone who looks at it."

A collective gasp was emitted from all those present, even Y/N was shocked when she realized who it really was that was standing in front of her.

"You're....you're..." She pointed a trembling finger to Jongho who merely chuckled.

"I see you heard the story about how I killed Medusa, although you probably heard the name given to me by the gods....

I am indeed Perseus."

Y/N covered her mouth as did most of the people present.

"The champion son of Zeus, standing right before our eyes."

At her father's words, everyone bowed down in respect to Jongho. Y/N's father dropped to his knees in front of him and held his hand.

"You have done me a great service by saving my beloved and only daughter. I shall forever be in your debt. Please, if there is anything I can offer you, say it and it shall be yours."

Jongho shot a glance back at Y/N, who kept looking at him in admiration. He winked at her before requesting:

"My dear king, if it pleases you..... I ask only for your daughter hand in marriage."

Y/N swore her heart jumped out of her body when he said those words. She looked to her father, who was ready to say yes until Phineas stepped forward to declare:

"Wait! Andromeda is already betrothed to me! You can't have her!"

But that didn't deter Jongho. He simply turned to look at the man in front of him. Crossing his arms, he sneered.

"If she betrothed to you, where were you when she was in danger? Why didn't you step up to die with her or for her instead of hiding away like a coward?"

Phineus stood there quiet, unable to answer that question, which didn't surprise Jongho.

"Exactly. So if it's all right with you, I ask for her father's blessing to allow me to marry her."

Slinging an arm protectively around her waist, Jongho pulled Y/N against him, refusing to budge even for 1 moment. Phineus reached over and drew his sword.

"Over my dead body."

Jongho raised an eyebrow.

"I'm a son of Zeus, I've slayed Medusa and killed Poseidon's beast, not to mention I'm more than half your age and have much vigor in me. Do you really dare to challenge me? Cause if that's the case."

Jongho covered Y/N's eyes and judging from all the panicked shuffling going on, she guessed he was reaching for Medusa's severed head to use against his rival.

Having to admit defeat, Phineas dropped his sword.

"Keep her. Keep Y/N."

Y/N bounced giddily at the thought of getting to marry Jongho, someone who embodied everything she always wanted in a husband: young, beautiful, strong and brave. And more than that, he was highly favored by the gods themselves.

"You could have been a queen Y/N. You'll regret your decision." Phineus declared before storming out of there.

Taking one look at Jongho, Y/N absolutely knew she wouldn't regret it.

༺═──────────────═༻p>

The couple stood in front of each other, lost in each other's eyes as their hands were joined together. Her parents watched in earnest as the priest spoke out the next words:

"Do you, Jongho, son of almighty Zeus and of Danaë, daughter of Acrisius, king of Argos, take Y/N, Princess of Joppa, daughter of Cepheus and Cassiopeia, king and queen of Aethiopia, as your lawfully wedded wife until death do you part?"

Without any hesitation, Jongho swore:

"I do."

The priest now turned to Y/N and repeated the same question to her, to which she responded:

"I do."

Her mother and Sophiya were already crying for joy at seeing Y/N so happy, while her father tried hard to contain his emotions. The priest proceeded to utter a small prayer before announcing:

"From this day forward, you shall both be known as Perseus and Andromeda. You have both sworn that from this day forward, you will spend the rest of your lives together, in front of all of those in attendance and before the very gods. May the Olympians bless this holy marriage."

Before the priest could even gesture for the torchbearers to light the sacrifice, a lighting bolt suddenly fired from the sky and set it ablaze, causing everyone to erupt in cheers and applause.

"Seems even Zeus approves of the marriage." Y/N's father whispered to his wife.

"And why should he not? They're perfect for each other. I can't be happier for our daughter. Although I'm going to miss her terribly." Her mother wiped her eyes with the handkerchief Sophiya handed to her.

The happy couple walked down the aisle, waving goodbye to their guests as they made their way out of the castle and down to one of the southern bays, where Pegasus was already waiting for them by the dock.

"I thought we were going back to your hometown Tiryns." Y/N pointed out.

"We are." Jongho calmly said.

"Well where's the boat?"

Jongho bursted out laughing at that.

"Sweetheart, Sophiya is the only one taking a boat to meet us there later. We.......are flying on dear Pegasus here."

Before she could protest, Jongho swept her off her feet and helped her mount the horse before saddling up behind her.

"Come on love, don't be scared. I promise nothing will happen to you."

Still sensing her apprehension, Jongho tilted her head to look at him.

"Hey look at me. I saved you from Poseidon's beast. Can't you trust me to safely take you to my home to meet my mother?"

Y/N smiled softly before nodding.

"I trust you entirely......"

She blushed before confessing:

"I love you."

Jongho leaned in and captured her lips in a gentle and loving kiss.

"I love you too my precious star."

Jongho then patted Pegasus ' side.

"Come on buddy. Take us home."

༺═──────────────═༻

[arabian-batboy]

I like Selina & batcat but imo its so overdone. Im tired of 'The One' idea, how love interests are pitted against each other for that, how 1 is shown in a negative light to boost the other. Theres another movie where shes most probably going to be the ultimate love interest. I just think they should show other Lis like Talia instead of redoing the same story. Not saying 1 is better than the other, Id just like more variety, both women shown positively with more focus on them not who they romance

When it comes to comic characters, I only like having “soulmates” love interests between characters who have been with each other forever, like Clark and Lois for example, I can accept them not being with anyone but each other since they obviously were meant for each other since day one.

But that was never the case with Bruce, he had multiple love interests through the decades and he was equally in love with each of them as far as I know, so it’s hard for me take Selina being “the one” seriously when you look at other women that were Bruce’s “the one.” Like in the 70′s and 80′s Bruce and Talia relationship was much more domestic and lovely-dovey to the point where they even got married in an Elseworld comic, while Bruce and Selina relationship at that time period, came off more as friends with benefits, but with a side of “guilty-pleasure” because Selina is a “criminal” and he is a “hero”, so it was wrong for him to lust after her.

Yet in the 2010′s they switched it around, now Talia is the criminal who Bruce sometimes sleeps with and Selina is his true soulmate whom he gets all lovey-dovey with and almost got married to. Which is funny because you have writers like Tom King who said that Talia wasn’t “wife material” even though in the wedding issue he wrote, Selina’s reasons for calling of the marriage were exactly the same as Talia’s reasons for calling of her marriage with Bruce in Batman: Son of The Demon. So she’s not “wife material” yet her actions as a wife were good enough to recycle them for Selina to use?

So yeah, Bruce was never a character that had the one and only true love soulmate nor do I ever see DC making him permanently settle down with anyone in main canon at least (hence why they didn’t go through with the Batcat wedding), so they need to be fair toward all of his love interests and not pretend like Selina was always “the one” all along, while the rest of his love interests are suddenly not as important as her. It’s just sexist to make this some type of a competition.

Also do you know how many Batman’s books are published each year? Trust me there’s enough room and time for all of them to be with him at one point, you don’t have to choose.

[jojikawa]

[🍉] Not Good Enough [🍓]

 💥Summary: Katsuki is unable to come to terms with his feelings for Reader-chan and ultimately, his jealousy consumes him at the possibility that he lost his chance with her.

💥Pairing: Katsuki Bakugou/Reader

💥Word Count: 3,862 words 20,633 characters 

You were a popular individual. Your parents were top heroes and you were now in the spotlight to become a top hero. Therefore, you got into U.A. with a plethora of recommendations. You were often compared to Shouto Todoroki because of your raw power and ability. By being opposite gender, it was natural to get “shipped” with him by the class.

It was also rumored that his father, Flame Hero Endeavor, approved of you. It wasn’t said explicitly but in events during the Sports Festival, he implied that you and his son would do great things together. 

Your quirk was called “Aura”. You can channel your emotions and aura (along with others’ emotion and aura) to create armor and super powered punches, kicks, etc. You were definitely a fighter. You were the only girl that had gone through training before attending school.

Just like Shouto, your father had trained you in mastering your quirk but he was a lot nicer than Enji. You really did come from a good home. In class 1-A, you made tons of friends with the exception of Mineta. The little guy made you feel really uneasy and it didn’t help that he was always trying to look up your skirt.

Your best friend was, of course, Shouto. You both shared the same burden of being put on a pedestal for greatness. Bonding came naturally. During some of your conversations during any sort of recess such as lunch or to dorms, Shouto would tell you that your classmate, Katsuki Bakugo, would stare at you a lot and would try to show off and be fancy with his quirk. 

You had thought it was a coincidence because you knew Bakugo-kun to always show off. It was just apart of him to act like he’s better than everyone else. How could someone like him be attracted to you? 

Katsuki liking you back gave you a glimmer of hope on the inside. Your crush liking you back was something you felt only happened in movies and cheesy romance novels. You had only exchanged a few words with him but you observed a lot of his personality from being in the 1-A friends circle.

His quirk seemed generic at first but you saw the way he handled himself. He was definitely pro material. Not only was he talented, his raging always made you giggle and laugh. You didn’t know why but what’s funny is funny.

He was kinda cute as well. His spiked hair and red eyes were to die for. It was so easy to imagine yourself with him while you were in private. Sometimes, you would daydream, looking out the window, thinking about Bakugo. Your imagination ran wild. Having him confess to you when you were alone. It was blissful. 

The reality was that your father and Shouto’s father would compromise on an arranged marriage if you couldn’t find a boyfriend your father approved of. You hoped that maybe things could change. Shouto didn’t mind though, of course, he would never tell you. He had an attraction to you of his own right but he knew that you could never truly return his feelings.

On the other side, Bakugo was plotting. He had been for a long time. He had to tell you how he really felt. You were too close to “icy-hot” and the “Shouto-(y/n)” ship didn’t fly with him. He tried his best not to show his anger for Mina’s teasing because he’d indirectly confess before he felt ready.

Kirishima gave Bakugo some tips on how he could confess. His first idea was to visit her dorm at night and leave a letter. Bakugo declined. 

Second idea was to tell you in person after classes had finished. He declined.

Third idea was to take you out on the weekend and do it then. He also said no.

So, how was he supposed to do it? That was just the tip of the iceberg. He was out of luck on what to do. No idea suited his style. Until one night in the dorms.

Mina and Momo put together plans for a game night. It was an off-day and you guys spent the day doing indoor activities. At the end of the night, everyone was tired and talking amongst themselves. Bakugo wasn’t talking to anyone. He was just watching you.

Icy-hot was trying so hard to flirt with you and from what it looked like, you were going for it. The way you laughed at what he was saying, the whispering, the casual arm touching and contact. Not to mention, you didn’t have some ordinary pajamas on. After game night, you were going to poke around for a little, so instead of skimpy pajamas, you were wearing a beautiful cherry blossom kimono. It ended at your thighs so you were able to show off your thigh-highs. You took inspiration from Kimetsu No Yaiba. The female Hashiras were so pretty to you.

The two of you were dating. You had to be. Even the class thought you were dating. Why were the two of you so close? Why did you have to touch him? Your thighs were touching. Was he not impressive enough? Was Bakugo not good enough for you? Why were you giggling so hard? Surely, Shouto wasn’t that funny.

These questions just ate at him. He didn’t even realize how much time had been passing. It was about 2am. Normally, Bakugo would have went to bed around 8pm. This was very unlike him. Was he really ruining his perfect sleep schedule over you? Luckily, Shouto informed you that he was getting sleepy and would take it in before you. You were sleepy as well but had decided to stay in the living space. You wanted to take some snacks to your room before bed. 

When one does it, the rest are soon to follow. One by one, everyone had scattered until it was just you and Bakugo. He was too attractive, you could never look him in the face while alone.

You yawned. “Ara~ Baku-chan. I’m extremely tired. I’ll be off to bed, now.” You stood up, adjusting the length of your skirt. Bakugo had only grunted in response until you turned away. 

“Why Icy-hot?” He was also standing now. You didn’t quite catch what he said. “Hm?” You tilted your head, smiling warmly at him. He hated that. He hated how smug you were sometimes. 

“You heard me. Why Icy-hot?” He questioned harshly. From watching you, he noticed all of the smallest things. He suspect that you do, indeed, have feelings for Shouto and he’s doing no good job of covering it up either. 

“Why? Like, what? Is Icy-hot supposed to be Shouto?” You asked. “Well, that’s clever, I suppose. Are you asking why I chose him to be my best friend? Its a bit...personal.” You giggled at your own rambling. 

“No-” Katsuki blurted out, cutting himself off at the sound of his uneven voice volume. “I know you’re dating icy-hot, okay. I don’t know what you see in him but...” his mouth was dry. Was he really going to confess to you right now?

“Me and Shouto?” You repeated, wondering what else would come out of his mouth. “We aren’t dating. That’s absurd, Baku-”

“Cut the crap, (y/n)! You can stop lying to me now. I don’t know if you wanna fucking protect my feelings or what. I never asked you to do that shit. All this time, I would do so much for you and you never even gave me a thought. At the sports festival, I made sure to beat that Icy-hot freak so that I could give you a chance. I took that stupid internship with Best Jeanist so that I could impress you. Anytime you wanted extras at lunch, I gave them to you. On the train, I would give up my seat for you.” Katsuki put a hand on his head to silence himself. 

What the fuck was he saying?

You did notice that Katsuki would have your back, but you just felt like he was being nice. I mean, you were THE (y/n) (l/n), Aura Guardian and daughter of two notable heroes. Who wouldn’t do nice things for you? But you failed to notice that random nice gestures wasn’t Katsuki Bakugo’s style. 

“Bakugo-kun, what are you trying to say? I don’t understand.” You frowned at the ruined atmosphere. Why was he so angry? You always thanked him.

“I....I FUCKING LIKE YOU, OKAY?” Bakugo shouted, surely the others heard. Who wouldn’t have? His raise in octaves pierced your sensitive ears. No ones ever yelled at you like that, nor anything that nice.

“Y-You like me?” A dusted pink tint covered your cheeks. Maybe crushes liking you back wasn’t something that just happened in movies?

“Yeah, I fucking said it. I like you and all you do is ogle over a dumb ass like half and half! What the fuck does he do for you that I haven’t done ten times over?”

You took in this information, piece by piece. His emotions, the words he was saying. It was just...a lot.

“I-I like you too.” You said, nervously. Your voice was significantly quieter than this. “Everyone does nice things for me, so when you were doing favors for me, I just thought it was you having my ba-”

“Shut up!”

You were stood there, startled like a deer in headlights. “You think I believe that crap? I’m not good enough for you. I’m not good enough for anybody. I got captured by villains, fucking, twice, I failed the licensing exam and needed to do it over, I put an end to All Might. I just fuck everything up!”

“No, Katsuki, you don’t..fuck...everything up.” You cringed at yourself for using such foul language. “You don’t have to blame yourself for All Might, he knew what he was getting into. You don’t even have to blame yourself for being captured. Nothing is your fault.” You reassured him, moving closer. “I’m deeply sorry for ignoring you. It was just hard for me to believe that you would like someone like me. Legitimately. I don’t have a boyfriend because I’ve always run into partners who just see me as an asset.” You explained. 

You really didn’t expect to open up to him.

“Well, you’re fucking not. You’re a lot more but that doesn’t explain why you been all over that freak. What the fuck does he have that I don’t? HUH?”

He raised his voice again, causing you to back off a bit. Now, he was realizing that he was pushing you away. You returned his feelings but why was he still angry?

Was he upset that you were clueless? You had a good reason but he was still angry.

“Shouto isn’t a freak! We’re just friends and he knows that. We just share similar history and when I came here, he was familiar to me. No one can understand what it’s like having everything you want and still being unhappy. My father is friends with his father. They have the same way of thinking. I was kept away from my siblings, my mother and any friends I made to just train and master my skill. I felt so e-empty.” You whispered, your eyes were glossy from holding back tears. 

Shouto was the only one who understood.

“You can trust me, idiot!”

Now it was your turn to get angry. “And how was I supposed to know? You do all of these nice things but you barely say anything to me. You could just be another person trying to get close and use my name for leverage.” You spat, but your voice was still quiet. You could never ruin your vocal cords with meaningless screaming. Not now, anyway. 

“I-” Now Katsuki was out of things to say. You had good reason to not associate with him. You had every right to be with Shouto instead of him. You guys were just... made for each other, ya know? Quirk marriage babies seem to get along just swell. 

Was that just their thing? If they’re made right then they get all the sympathy points? Attractive, untouchable, powerful, tragic backstory and are able to just be better than everyone. It fucking sucked that he couldn’t relate to you or comfort you in any way. He just fucked things up and a possible relationship with you was beginning to be one of them. 

“Don’t say anything.” You used the long sleeves of your kimono to dry the tears before they could spill out of your eyes. You told yourself that would never soil your perfect skin with salt angel tears. 

“I’m sorry for getting emotional. This isn’t about me. You were just upset that I didn’t acknowledge you the way you did me. I did appreciate you very much. I can say that now that I know how you truly feel, I can make a decision.” You informed him. 

“What? What the hell are you talking about?” Katsuki asked. By this time, you could hear birds chirping and the sun beginning to rise with the black of night turning dark blue.

“My father told me that he would marry me off to Shouto if I couldn’t find a partner he approved of. I was hoping that maybe I could give us a try.” You muttered with a smile, playing with loose strands of your hair. You never asked anyone out but this felt good. It gave you a rush of excitement.

Katsuki’s eyes widened. Were you really...?

“Ah, shit, I really gotta get some sleep. I’m not thinking straight.” He told you before swiftly walking by. He even made sure not to brush you when you went by. He hasn’t been up this late before. Surely, he was dreaming. He had to be.

“Baku-chan.” You called, reaching out for him but your arm fell short. It was better to let him sleep off the anger. You forgot about your snacks and went to bed. That was so emotionally exhausting. You had so many mixed feelings.

Bakugo confessed to you but also kinda rejected you? Well, he didn’t say no but there was no ‘yes’ as well.

You just decided to get to your room and sleep for the night. Maybe you both were just tired. 

In the morning, Mina came to wake you up as usual while Momo made breakfast with Ochaco and Toru. You were asked to help but you weren’t too experienced in things such as cooking and cleaning. It was usually done for you, but you gave it a try. 

The boys were doing morning stretches so you didn’t see Katsuki at all. Honestly, it made you nervous. You had been cutting fruit when the boys came back to eat before class. No one showed you how to but you were kinda figuring it out. You cut enough for everyone when you came to the conclusion you wanted more so when breakfast was being served, you went to cut yourself some more when someone had entered the kitchen.

It was Katsuki. He was returning his dishes to the sink. At the sight of you, he was visibly moved and didn’t speak first. You figured that you should be nice until the awkwardness went away. 

“Good Morning!” You greeted his cheerfully, raising the knife instinctively. “Would you like some more fruit? It’s fresh and seems to be quite alright.” You said, referring to the sweetness. 

“Shut up.” Was all he said. “Oh-” You raised your eyebrows and cut yourself off when you had processed what he had said. “You’re cutting it wrong.” He added. “Who the fuck holds a knife like that? You’re gonna cut your damn fingers off.” 

He put his dish in the sink and went over to your side of the table, taking the knife from you and swiftly dicing the pineapple you were dicing before.

“Oh, thank you.” You said quietly, blushing from the embarrassment of needing him for such a simple task. You took some ate in silence while he stood there, a bit dumbfounded.

Why the fuck were you blushing? And why did you look so cute? He fucking hated it. 

“About last night...” You swallow what you were eating and looked down. “I’m sorry for pushing my feelings onto you like that. You were pouring your heart out to me and I was being insensitive.” You sighed.

Why were you the one apologizing? To him, you asked him out and he was too emotionally immature to realize what he was really getting angry about. Katsuki dropped the knife on the table. As you spoke to him about how sorry you were, his eyes traveled from yours to your lips. 

This was it. He could fix his mistake. Why do you have to apologize for how he acted? Your voice was like white noise when he moved in to roughly press his lips to yours. Your lips were sweet just like the pineapple you had. He loved it so much. He grabbed your face by your chin and squeezed lightly as he went deeper. 

Wait? Was Katsuki Bakugo really kissing you right now? How did this happen? Why?

You placed your hands on his chest, pushing lightly and signaling him to stop. He moved away and was surprised by what happened next.

“Katsuki!” You cried out, signaling for the others to come investigate your scream. “Shit!” Katsuki yelled, jumping away from you with a huge blush on his face.

‘the fuck did he just do?

Toru revealed herself and Mina had also come out of the woodwork. “Wow! He actually did it!” she cheered. Kiri came into the kitchen too, giving Katsuki a thumbs up. “I knew you had it in you, man.”

“You guys knew Katsuki would kiss me?” You cried, trying to hide the red in your face. “Well, no. We didn’t think he would kiss you, but I’ve never seen Bakugo eat so fast after you went into the kitchen. Clearly, it was to get some alone time with you.” Mina explained. You glanced at Katsuki, his face turning a deeper shade of red when your eyes fell on him.

“GODDAMIT!!” He yelled out. “STAY OUT OF MY DAMN BUSINESS!!” He yelled at the others.

Shoto was in the other room, enjoying his breakfast with a smirk on his face. He knew acting close to you would get under his skin. 

After a bit of teasing from your friends and yelling from Katsuki, everyone cleared out and did their own thing. That left you alone with Katsuki again. You felt so disconnected from him. The kiss said he liked you but the pulling away signified otherwise. 

“Why did you kiss me, Katsuki?” You asked, eating the left over fruit from the cutting board. There was a brief moment of silence between you two before he answered.

“I fucking like you, okay?”

This made you gasp. It was making sense now.

“I....I FUCKING LIKE YOU, OKAY?” 

He was just bad at returning the feelings. You smiled at him and gave him a big hug. You could his men’s body wash through his shirt mixed with a tiny bit of sweat from morning exercise. Or maybe the sweat was from being so nervous around you. Who knows.

Katsuki just grunted in response, thinking of how he could replicate without seeming desperate. The boy was a bit touched starved. The only contact he got from a girl was when his mom would smack him.

“If you wanted to get to know me, you could have just asked. I told you last night. I like you too, Katsuki. It was just hard for me to tell that you felt the same. I was being dumb.” You admitted, snuggling into his chest a bit more.

This made Katsuki frown. “You weren’t being dumb, idiot. It’s not like I made it easy for you. I just didn’t want to tell you how I felt when you and icy-hot were all buddy-buddy. Then I would’ve been the idiot.”

You giggled. “Maybe you are the idiot for worrying so much about him.” You could hear a quiet ‘tck’ come from Katsuki at irony of you calling him the idiot.

After that, the school day was normal. You were tired from staying up so late, so Katsuki insisted that you spend the evening in his dorm to ‘make sure you don’t go late night snacking’ and ruin your sleep schedule with your bad eating habits.

His room was neat and cooler than you thought it was be. Knowing him, you thought it would be messy, hot and bothering but it seems like he was brought up in a good household. It made him attractive. He was skilled in cooking and keeping up a basic room. Definitely husband material, but maybe it was a little too early to be thinking about that?

“Did you bring something to sleep in?” He asked, firmly but politer than usual. You nodded. “Yeah, I did.” 

He replied with a grunt. “I need to shower so just wait here or whatever.” He instructed before disappearing into his bathroom. You used this as a time to get changed, being too awkward to change in front of him. 

While the shower was going on, you let your eyes wonder around the room. He had a few All Might things, it was very minimal. He was clearly a fan. This only made excitement grow inside of you. You would really be cuddling with Katsuki! At least, you hoped it would get that far. 

When some time passed, Katsuki came out of the bathroom, dry and dressed with the exception of warm water droplets around his neck. All he wore was solid black joggers and he looked good.

“‘The hell you lookin’ at?” He commented, using his towel to get remaining water. “You.” You answered, teasing him. “You look good!” You added, giggling as well. 

A light pink dust covered his cheeks. “Shut up...” He replied but it wasn’t as harsh as he would usually say it. You patted the empty spot in bed next to you, telling him that it was okay to sleep together. He complied and you immediately scooted closer to him and laid down.

“You’re very kind for letting me sleep here. But there is no need to regulate my late night eating habits. I think you just want me here.” You squinted your eyes at him, letting him know you were onto his ideas.

The two of you were so close...you could kiss him. When he laid next to you, he was ever closer. He faced you as well. You tried to be smooth and steal a kiss, inching closer and closer...

Were you really doing it? Were you really going to kiss Katsuki first?

This is all Katsuki had dreamed of in the past 4 months.

You peppered his face with kisses, but it was clear you wee in a sleepy state. Your body was giving out on you. 

“Fucking sleep, idiot.” Katsuki spat with a huge blush on his face. He was still trying to be a tough guy. You said nothing and giggled, drifting off to sleep.

[franniebanana]

CQL Rewatch - Episode 12

So, we start this episode with our heroes having to give up their swords. I like that with everything he’s been through, Lan Wangji doesn’t put up a fight here. He willingly gives up his sword without any resistance. It’s the smart move: he’s already injured, the Cloud Recesses has been nearly destroyed, his brother is missing (and in the book, his father is also dying). And it stands to reason that Jin Zixuan is the one who protests—his clan so far has been protected from the Wen Clan: they are wealthy, they certainly are a large clan, and they have the resources to keep the Wens at bay, seemingly.

“Though I am disgusted with Wen Chao, I’m not gonna bring any trouble to our family during this time.” Welp. That was short-lived. I think this thought of his lasts for about 12 hours before he can’t take any more of Wen Chao’s shit.

As if regular Wen Chao wasn’t horrible enough, now we get sleazeball Wen Chao. This is, of course, important later, that he takes a liking to MianMian. She’s essentially marked from this point on. But can I say that I love how she’s the one who steps up to assuage Wen Chao, rather than the Jin Zixuan? She steps up like a boss, takes Wen Chao’s gross comments in her stride, and stops her master from making a big mistake.

And it’s nice to get some actual character development for Jin Zixuan too. Prior to this, we know he was engaged to Jiang Yanli, but had no interest in marrying her. He basically acted like a big dick, without any real redeeming qualities. But now we see that he is not interested in going along with the Wens’ indoctrination, even though his dad told him to just be a good boy. Brings in the theme of the younger generation wanting to pave their own path. The older generation (the majority of the clan leaders) end up being pushed aside. Their ways don’t work against the Wens. A lot of our heroes (I use that word lightly in some characters’ cases) end up being forced to grow up really fast here—they come of age as they are literally fighting a war. They form identities on those battlegrounds. Idk what I was saying, I started to ramble.

And just as a side note, Wei Wuxian kept glancing at Lan Wangji throughout that scene, maybe searching for a reaction, maybe an opening to speak, maybe just wanting Lan Wangji to look at him—seeking that connection. I think he is desperate to find out what has happened since they parted in Qinghe.

Ugh, Jiang Cheng, I couldn’t care less about your little crush on Wen Qing! Stop being so emo about her! Seriously, this is the dumbest thing they added into Untamed. This stupid “romance” that amounts to nothing and really adds nothing to either character, especially Wen Qing. Omg but imagine if they had gone with their original plans to make Wei Wuxian hook up with Wen Qing—the drama between him and Jiang Cheng! Or maybe this was the compromise. Like, “we need to make Wen Qing the romantic object for one of the boys…hmm…who should we pick…Eeny meeny miney mo….” I hate it, really. I don’t give a damn about the comb or the eventual life of loneliness that you have ahead of you, Jiang Cheng. Just stop. You’re not marriage material—you’re not fit for that, okay? You get to be a grumpy uncle, at best.

This will never not be funny to me. The absolute gall he has here, to gleefully volunteer to recite, and then to decidedly recite the wrong principles. But see what I mean about him immediately causing trouble? He’s looking for a window to talk to Lan Wangji and he finds it in misbehaving and forcing a punishment onto himself. It’s as if he’s fine behaving and being a good boy for the Jiang Clan, unless something is going on with Lan Wangji, which it most certainly is. More fuel for the fire for Jiang Cheng, I’m afraid, more proof that perhaps Wei Wuxian values Lan Wangji just a little bit more than him.

Also, everyone’s reactions here: Jiang Cheng is pissed (of course), Nie Huaisang is bemused (“Oh, you rascal!”), Jin Zixuan seems to be impressed (“You go, girl!”), and Lan Wangji…I think this is the first time that Lan Wangji actually looks at Wei Wuxian. They don’t make eye contact, but he looks up, and as his eyes flick back down, it’s as if he’s uttering a silent “thank you.” It’s such a quiet moment, juxtaposed to Wei Wuxian noisily reciting the Gusu Lan principles. I think Lan Wangji is just so appreciative here to know that he isn’t alone. He may seem alone—his clan lost many, his brother is missing—but he is most certainly not alone, because Wei Wuxian is here too. I’m getting all emotional now.

Okay, now they’re making eye contact, hahaha! Do I think Lan Wangji is a little annoyed that he has to cart shit around? Probably a little. But I actually think that he’s more annoyed that Wei Wuxian might be making things harder for them all in his desperation to have a talk with Lan Wangji. Like I said, Lan Wangji appreciates that Wei Wuxian is with him, making him feel that he’s not alone, but he also doesn’t want to make things worse. His clan is in a bad state right now, and at this point, he has to still be concerned that if they go too far against the Wens, that could come back and spell bad news for their families. Wei Wuxian has already forced that issue to the back of his mind, because he’s so focused on finding out what happened at Cloud Recesses. I can understand why Jiang Cheng is pissed, since Wei Wuxian told him he’d keep his head low, and he’s currently doing the opposite. More tension, I love it!

It’d be really easy to look at this scene and make it all about wangxian and how Lan Wangji loves Wei Wuxian so much and would do anything for him (this is, of course true), but that’s not what this scene is all about. It’s about three out of the five major clans seeing how oppressive the Wen Clan is, it’s about standing up for what’s right, even if it looks like you’re going to lose the fight. Jin Zixuan could have kept his head down and continued to shovel shit, but he didn’t. He stood up and used all the clout he had to try and put a stop to the abuse that Wen Chao is doing against Wei Wuxian. At this point, we know that Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian will help each other out—it’s happened before, it’s not news (not that I don’t fucking love it), but Jin Zixuan, who up until this point has had a pretty poor relationship with Wei Wuxian, didn’t have to do anything, but he did. He knows this is wrong, he can see what the Wen Clan is doing is wrong, but he’s mostly powerless to stop any of it. His threats are inherently empty, but nevertheless he tries. It doesn’t mean he likes Wei Wuxian, but it does mean that he knows Wei Wuxian is right to stand up to the Wens.

I love this. All of this. Lan Wangji putting himself between Wei Wuxian and Wen Chao, only to be whipped aside, and then getting up (on his broken leg) and doing it all over again. Just like Jin Zixuan, he’s literally standing up to injustice, but it’s different, right? It’s different because this is Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian, two people who’ve been through dangerous situations together, two people whose beginning was extremely rocky—but they are two people who grew to understand and need each other. I don’t think either one of them could pinpoint that need, but I think it’s there, just below the surface. Lan Wangji could never stand aside and watch Wei Wuxian be abused, and the same is true for Wei Wuxian. Right or wrong, they have a desire to protect each other. Because, like I said before, I think Lan Wangji knows they are all treading on thin ice right now. He’s seen his home destroyed and he likely doesn’t want the same thing to happen to Wei Wuxian. I would be amazed if he wasn’t thinking about that right about now—how will my actions affect him? Nevertheless, he won’t stand by and do nothing, even if it means taking that risk.

I also kind of wonder what Jiang Cheng would do here. I feel like he would try to protect Wei Wuxian (he does so later with his mother), but at the back of my mind, I still feel like Jiang Cheng has this deep resentment of Wei Wuxian that is always hiding just below the surface, just waiting to show itself. Wei Wuxian got himself into this mess, and maybe, in Jiang Cheng’s mind, he deserves the punishment. And that’s not to say that Jiang Cheng would agree with the Wen Clan, because obviously he does not, but part of me thinks he might be thinking, if only a flicker of a thought across his mind: “Serves him right.” I have a dark fascination for Jiang Cheng—I don’t want him to ever really be a good person hahaha.

Can I just point out that Lan Wangji never lets go of Wei Wuxian here, and it is a thing of beauty.

Until this moment, of course. Wen Chao asks if Lan Wangji wants to join Wei Wuxian in the dungeon, and 100% Lan Wangji was ready to do just that until Wei Wuxian stops him. He makes the decision to be taken alone. He doesn’t want Lan Wangji to get in any more trouble. He’s got to realize by now that Lan Wangji was taken to Qishan by force and probably finds that idea disturbing at the very least.

The look on his face really kills me here. Again Lan Wangji is in a situation where he is powerless. This is just like back at the Cloud Recesses. He fought—yes, he fought with everything he had, but in the end, he couldn’t stop them. He had to give up the Yin Iron shard, he had to go with the Wens to the indoctrination. And here is again: he tried to stand up to them, but ultimately he’s forced to give up and live to fight another day, as they say. And if you look at Jin Zixuan, he’s visibly annoyed—he feels like he shouldn’t be treated this way, that his standing in the Jin Clan should protect him from this. Lan Wangji, though? He looks defeated here. Not fall-on-the-ground-sobbing-defeated, but definitely defeated. He wants to do more, but realizes that he can’t. This whole mini arc for him is like one battle with himself after another. He’s struggling to find what exactly is his place in this world, what’s his place with Wei Wuxian, what’s his place in his own clan.

This fucking dog. I hate this. I hate that they went with practical over CG here. It looks so bad. Has anyone reading this seen Neverending Story? Yes? Okay, that’s what this reminds me of. 1980s special effects, but this was made in 2018. My friend and I are watching the series together (yes, I have two simultaneous rewatches going), and she likened this to Xena: Warrior Princess special effects. I think that’s pretty apt—1990s television, extremely cheesy and hokey. Honestly it ruins the whole scene for me. Xiao Zhan’s acting is great here—he is terrified of that fucking semi-animatronic dog at the other end of that cell. Although, I commented to my friend, if that had been a puppy, Wei Wuxian would have been just as terrified. I definitely relate. Dogs scare me—a lot sometimes. I had several dogs jump on me as a very young child and I’ve really never recovered. That doesn’t mean I don’t like dogs—I like them a lot! But I wouldn’t choose to be around a wild, poorly behaved dog. Like, just no.

Also, since I’m not really commenting on Wen Qing/Wen Ning stuff (because it’s mostly padding to me), but Wen Ning just wants to have friends! Wen Qing is coming from a good place, yes, but he has no fucking idea why she won’t let him talk to Wei Wuxian, a man who he clearly looks up to from the little interaction that they’ve had together. Honestly, I really wish they had kept in the archery contest when Wei Wuxian sees Wen Ning shooting arrows (I know they kind of moved it, but it’s not the same).

Wen Chao is really just trying to stop Wei Wuxian from actually breaking down this cheap-ass door. Seriously, it looks like it’s supposed to be rock, but it’s moving quite a bit. Now I’m just being mean, aren’t I? Honestly I love the low budget stuff (Mystery Science Theater 3000, anyone? I mean the good one. Not that crap that they put out recently), and I’m just poking fun.

Oh, my gosh, I just had a funny thought. How did Wen Chao know that Wei Wuxian was afraid of dogs? Maybe Jiang Cheng told him hahahaha. I mean, not like you’d need to be afraid of dogs to be terrified in that situation. It was a funny thought, in a dark way.

So I took this screenshot to set up a contrast. Lan Wangji is relieved to see Wei Wuxian alive and well, and in pretty good spirits for someone who spent the night with an enormous mythical-like dog. He doesn’t say anything—he just watches.

Jiang Cheng, on the other hand, at first is relieved to see Wei Wuxian, but he quickly pushes him away when Wei Wuxian attempts to make physical contact with him. This isn’t the first time. He did that in Lotus Pier as well. He doesn’t hesitate to brush Wei Wuxian off. I know that Jiang Cheng cares about Wei Wuxian—I know that—but he cares less about Wei Wuxian than he does about other things, like his family. There’s a distinction for him. Yanli, his mother, his father—they are all his family. Wei Wuxian was practically raised as his brother, but it’s clear that he doesn’t see him as a brother at all. He sees him as a subordinate, someone who should listen to him and report to him. I don’t think his anger here is that Wei Wuxian could have been killed, I think it’s more that Wei Wuxian could have caused the Jiangs trouble.

There’s a poignant sense of a loss of their youth here. So much has changed, and it’s changed for the worse. The sense that they took so much for granted is palpable. It’s really sad. And it’s not played for laughs at all. They all miss those days back at the Cloud Recesses when they goofed off, learned a lot, embarked on a journey to find the Yin Iron shards, a journey that ultimately was the root of all the chaos that they are currently living in (again, within CQL verse). I like how it’s just Jiang Cheng, Nie Huaisang, and Wei Wuxian who are actually having a conversation, but they keep panning over to Lan Wangji as they fondly remember their time in Gusu. Like the land he lives in, he has changed too. His scope of the world is so much bigger now: it’s not just about rules anymore, and who’s following or not following them. There are worse things than bringing Emperor’s Smile into the Cloud Recesses.

So Wen Chao has laid it all out before them now: Cloud Recesses has been taken over, Qinghe is going to be taken over, Jin Clan is cooperating but will be attacked if Jin Zixuan steps out of line, and Jiang Clan could be next. Jiang Cheng is obviously upset about the prospect, not to mention Wen Chao called his father a coward. It’s nice to see Wei Wuxian, who only a few hours ago was on the other side, trying to restrain someone else. But he knows now that the Wens are not above anything—murder, torture, absolute destruction—and Wei Wuxian is one of those people who doesn’t mind harm coming to himself, but cannot abide harm coming to others, especially those he is close to. But Wei Wuxian is obviously pissed too, and it’s taking every fiber of his being to resist the urge to lash out again. He understands now: they need to watch themselves during this indoctrination.

There was a time when I might have turned a blind eye to Jiang Cheng’s remarks here, when I might have assumed he was coming from a place of concern. This is not that time. Wei Wuxian is so caring, so kind, so welcoming, and Jiang Cheng is just none of those things. He is very much a person who places his own safety (and his family’s safety) above anything else; he is a person who doesn’t really get it when they say on the plane, “put your own mask on first before assisting others” because he would literally never not put his own mask on first. Know what I mean? And I think the concept of working together here, seeing the Gusu Lan Clan as allies, doesn’t phase him. He’s like, it’s us or them, and he chooses us. And this is all logical, but I’m only saying it because that’s not what Wei Wuxian is about. Wei Wuxian’s “us” includes the Jiang Clan (yes), but it also includes Lan Wangji, Nie Huaisang, and the other clans that are being held ransom by the Wens.

And I still say that Jiang Cheng is continually jealous of the attention that Lan Wangji receives. He wants to be the most important person in Wei Wuxian’s eyes—he is the future clan leader, after all. He wants Wei Wuxian to support him and him alone. He doesn’t understand this loyalty to another clan, especially someone like Lan Wangji, who he still thinks dislikes and disdains Wei Wuxian.

I love their faces. I love how genuine Wei Wuxian is here. I love how he asks several times how Lan Wangji’s leg is. I love how Lan Wangji stoically answers each time that he’s fine. And I hate that the episode ends right here lol. Look at that smile, though! How could you say no to that smile?

Other episodes: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |

[comingoutofthecauldron]

Sometimes I'm like broooo how did leigh make such good books with soc and ck with such good characters and plots and wordbuilding but she had made a (very entertaining) trilogy but with so many grating 2D characters and sometimes the plot was just ... not it

Like soc and ck obviously have their flaws too but not to the same extent as the trilogy

Like did you feel leigh was very unnecessarily sympathetic to the darkling and treated Nikolai as a mostly good character in the text even though he did sooooo many shitty things

And that zoya was treated (unknowingly) with a lot of misogyny in the narrative which has caused many people in the fandom to hate her

And alarking and nikolina were romanticised in the books and in the fandom far too much

???

YES OKAY so this is a Big Thing for me. very controversially, i prefer tgt to soc solely because i find it much more enjoyable to read. HOWEVER, there's no denying that leigh's writing definitely improved from tgt to soc, i agree.

while i think that leigh clearly portrayed the darkling as a villain (she didn't tamper down his crimes or make them seem less horrific), i agree that the narrative was definitely (arguably too) sympathetic towards him. i could use a lot of examples for this, but none work quite so well as:

“Once more,” he said. “Speak my name once more.” He was ancient, I knew that. But in this moment he was just a boy – brilliant, blessed with too much power, burdened by eternity.

“Aleksander.”

His eyes fluttered shut. “Don’t let me be alone,” he murmured. And then he was gone.

leigh's choice to have alina, one of the people who suffered most at the darkling's hands, sympathise with him and even grant him his last wish, was a bad one. this man is a thousand year old p*dophilic mass murdering sex trafficker and she had the nerve to describe him as "just a boy" and "brilliant [...] blessed [...] burdened". of course you can argue that this is the residue of his grooming of alina, but i just think that after all the shit he'd done by this point, after a whole book of alina talking about how manipulated she felt and how much she hated him, these few words offer him clemency from the narrative that he does not deserve. all he did to earn alina's kindness (not forgiveness, to be fair to leigh) was die.

and yes, nikolai was hero worshipped by the text for absolutely no reason. even though we see both alina and mal put up a lot of resistance to him + the shit he pulls (punching him, criticizing him etc), the narrative basically shoves their eventual "pity" and "admiration" for nikolai down the readers' throats.

“[...] Nikolai might never have made it out of the Grand Palace.” It hurt me to say it, but I forced myself to speak the words. “He could be dead.”

and

The too-clever fox. Even once he’d abandoned his disguise as Sturmhond, that’s who Nikolai had been to me, always thinking, always scheming.

and

[to nikolai] “I’m just happy you’re alive,” I said, hastily blinking my eyes clear.

imo this sympathy + romanticisation is much worse and much more prominent throughout the latter half of s&s and the whole of r&r than the sympathy with the darkling, purely because the bad things nikolai does are essentially never acknowledged. there is (unsurprisingly ig) no talk of his imperialism, no talk of his pursuing alina when she's a minor, no talk of his racist remarks and generally very little talk of him being an asshole (particularly to mal).

moreover, i agree that nikolina + darklina were too romanticized by the text. i have a very complicated relationship with leigh's portrayal of alarkling, because a lot of alina's earlier feelings and sympathy for the darkling stem from his grooming and manipulation of her, which i think this quote from the start of r&r shows pretty well:

Even now, after everything he’d done, I wanted to believe the Darkling, to find some way to forgive him.

but then we get the whole mental house call thing that alina + the darkling do, in which they can visit each other and no one else can see the other. that was a mistake narratively. the ability to do this implies a sort of deeper bond, and even though the darkling then uses this bond to show alina the corpse of the only mother figure she'd ever known, it still carries almost romantic connotations with it throughout the rest of the book(s) for some reason. this dynamic is similar to a lot of "soulmate bonds" in mainstream ya (namely sjm's mating bonds), which helps to explain why so many people ship darklina; it is written & coded the same as the majority of (abusive) ya relationships, so readers pick up on this as a sign of romance rather than some attempt at narrative foils or something (bc in reality zoya is alina's foil). this isn't even mentioning the repetition of alina's desire to forgive the darkling and her confusion over her "feelings" for him, which once again just reinforces darklina as a viable ship in a lot of readers' minds.

as for nikolina, as a less prevalent ship in the series it gets less attention in the fandom. most often, i see people turn to nikolina because they don't like malina or the darkling, or because they wanted alina to become queen (to which i remind everyone that alina never wanted to be queen). at first i was alright with leigh's portrayal of them because alina punches nikolai + is angry with him for kissing her non-consensually etc, which is the closest the narrative ever comes to condemning him for his actions. but later on alina seems to forget all this and considers marrying nikolai, even joking with him a little when he proposes:

[during nikolai's marriage proposal]

“Stop that,” I said, still grinning.

“What?”

“Saying the right thing.”

there is zero acknowledgement of how predatory nikolai is, and instead the narrative goes on to sympathise with nikolai and have alina feel guilty for rejecting him. imo alina's characterization (her initial disdain for nikolai, which was much more in character) was sacrificed to raise up nikolai, and also show him to be a plausible and "likable" love interest for zoyalai, which is where leigh obviously intended for nikolai to end up (zoya is even mentioned during nikolai's proposal).

finally - yes, zoya in tgt is basically a manifestation of leigh's internalised misogyny. from alina's initial slut-shamey disdain for her, to leigh weaponising her against malina (repeated sexual encounters with mal), to zoya being seen as evil & a bitch by the other female characters just because she's powerful + isn't "nice", zoya's character was assassinated before it even had chance to materialize. even though zoya was also a victim of the darkling and is, as i mentioned before, alina's narrative foil, alina has very little sympathy for her and assumes that she's an evil bitch. tbf, this gets better with each book, but even in r&r there's a lot of tension between zoya and the other characters because she's seen as unlikable and difficult. i can't speak to her characterization in kos or soc, because i haven't read one and don't really remember the other, but i have heard that it improved from tgt to kos.

anyways this has been a long ass rant and i'm very sorry to anyone who scrolls past it on their dash. fuck the darkling, fuck nikolai lantsov, and stan malyen oretsev

[algernoninwonderland]

“Porter sur toi un nouveau regard”: basic outlines and preparatory notes

What better way to celebrate a fic being completed than me releasing some of the basic notes I took while planning it? Here they are, with a few additions.

 It all started as a prompt I got on Discord, the very simple “love at first sight” and I wasn’t quite sure what to do with it at first, but the idea of sight stuck with me. Are your first impressions the right ones? Can you learn to see someone a certain way or another? It’s ultimately a story about learning to see other people and yourself, isn’t it?

Which meant I had to take a certain point of view, because an omniscient floating eye is emotionally detached. Character POV may have a limited scope, but that may help empathise with them. This is a story about Kagami, so it was only fair for Kagami to be the centre of it.

Chapter 1: 

“How does Kagami truly feel about Marinette before Ikari Gozen”? 

While Marinette sees the two of them as rivals, that rivalry is one-sided, and Kagami wouldn’t take that girl seriously. She’s simply annoying. 

Kagami is a lonely character, who genuinely wants to make friends, still, and she’s anything but cool or smooth. She doesn’t know the other characters the way the audience does, at all.

Tomoe Tsurugi sucks.

Switching from “Dupain-Cheng” to “Marinette Dupain-Cheng” to “Marinette” would be a nice way to keep the reader hooked. Lots of tiny details that’ll come back later on!

Comphet. 

Lots of comphet already. What you “should” like, a calculated, conscious choice.

A few jabs at the show because why not.

Chapter 2:

Filling gaps in characterisation and timeline to make sure that everything hurts later on! Including pre-Adrigami. People thought the paperwork between Tomoe and Gabriel was a marriage contract, not quite, but an arranged relationship? Definitely from Tomoe’s side.

Are Kagami and Marinette already going on dates when they visit the city together all on their own? Isn’t that the true sapphic experience.

Also, the promise of them going to the terrace rooftop on sunny days! It’ll come back later on.

The Bike Motive. Marinette driving her forward.

“Your hair is beautiful” but make it much gayer. 

I hate the André scene in the finale, it sucks and it’s awful for everyone. It should be awful for both Marinette and Kagami. Comphet. So much comphet. 

Kagami’s impression of brokenness is something we’ll come back to over and over again.

Adrien doesn’t notice because he’s Adrien. The kiss. Nothing.

“K-Kagami!” End with a cliffhanger for more suffering.

As a side note, I made myself cry writing this chapter.

Chapter 3:

Everything hurts. Everything. Hurts. 

Identity reveals don’t solve anything, they still fail, and Marinette still isn’t willing to show herself to Kagami, still hiding behind a facade.

Just because Marinette understands things a little better doesn’t mean it hurts any less

They are both lying to each other and themselves and they don’t even realise it.

“Fixing the brokenness” through comphet.

Nothing is solved at all.

Falling asleep on a chaise longue plus blanket

Chapter 4:

Life as a socialite in Paris, concerts and restaurants, wearing clothes she hasn’t chosen

The Adrien routine, pulling chairs and flowers

It’s all miserable still, lots of “shoulds”

Fencing competition, fencing competition ahead. Tomoe is a terrible parent and a terrible coach.

Text conversations with Marinette, overdoes joy with emojis

The Bike Motive Returns, with more feelings, Marinette’s almost desperate gestures

(Kagami as the only person she can fully confide in, but still won’t)

An early birthday present… But Kagami is born in November, Marinette is a mess and so is her room.

Hug and first hint of reciprocated Marigami? Just the happiness of having someone like Kagami who admires her work as Marinette.

Falling asleep on a chaise longue plus blanket, part deux.

KAGAMI IN A SUIT!!!

Kisses on the cheek are really common in France, not Japan. A heavy kiss.

Dress or suit?

Marinette is a mess, texts at night. Difference between Adrien and Marinette’s texts, Adrien’s more self-centred.

No sense of space in Tokyo, jet lag and closed house. Closed spaces. 

Chapter 5:

I’m going to write a full chapter about sabre fencing and people will love it

Lots of sneaky (or not so sneaky) GL and Yuri manga/anime references. Make Juri Arisugawa part of the Jury.

All the locations are real

Marinette overdoes it again, Kagami can’t tell.

Kagami’s technique dissecting her opponents. She is a champion already.

Teach the readers about fencing whilst describing it. Have opponents be challenging in specific, understandable ways.

She chooses the suit. What even is subtlety.

As a side note: it was a really fun one to write.

Chapter 6:

Marinette internship phone call, Nathalie’s plan. No way Gabriel would accept to work with a kid. Flirting, Kagami as a muse?

The Foucault chapter. Everything is a prison. Restaurant, vertical stripes on wall as prison bars, the relationship, the self-locking car. This is no Utena car.

Everything is wrong, including the food

Adrigami friendship, much better than Adrigami romance. Rose/Chair. She doesn’t hate him at all, she just doesn’t love him… It wouldn’t work, she’s gay and he’s a liar.

Self-imposed gestures of affection.

Do not describe the kisses, they’re just a thing she has to do

Marinette is a mess, Ladybug is a mess, hell imagery, falling down a hole, almost dying. We are in the car with Kagami and we want to do something, anything, and we can’t.

Chapter 7:

The first step to things being alright again is to admit that they aren’t alright now

Nighttime conversation, Kagami letting Ladybug in

Marinette finally showing herself bare to Kagami but still tries not to until the dam breaks. Being a hero is miserable. Being the Guardian when you are a child with no guidance or support is miserable. Kagami as the only person she can trust.

Botched Lukanette date?

“I’m just so tired.”

“You are not a failure, you are so courageous, a genius fashion designer and my best friend”

(Additional note: I cried writing that passage)

Sharing the burden: help in more than just words.

“I hate that you have to see me like that.”

But showing your vulnerability and still being accepted as true love

Kagami truly sees Marinette now.

“Tutorship” and Tomoe being awful but excuse works. Help is material, homework, tidying up the room together.

“Stop feeling guilty about letting other people help you.”

Flirting hidden behind jokes, Kagami lying to herself. Way to ruin the mood.

Marigami baking.

Harlem 88, postal workers, acab

Watching television on the same couch, or rather watching Marinette watch television.

Umbrella scene with polka dots.

Kagami fully aware of her feeling and afraid of them, afraid that Marinette might feel the same

Chapter 8:

more fencing, Kagami absolutely rules

Worrying about Marinette alone with Gabriel, rightfully so, but can’t say that out loud

Stereotypical outdated Japanese-ness, Kagami can’t conform, doesn’t know how to put on her houmongi on her own. Tomoe and paradoxes, her daughter is both weak and “too muscular” at the same time.

The Palais Royal. The Buren columns are very climbable.

Gabriel, “quite miraculous”. Testing the waters, Kagami doesn’t notice. 

Jealousy when Adrien speaks of Marinette?

Ratatouille reference! Tatou. 

Tomoe playing the role of the exotic Japanese to be accepted. 

Drunk parents, drunk on power and self-satisfaction. 

Adrien’s kiss, forced to return it. 

Fear that Adrien might become Marinette’s muse

The bike motive once more

Barkk’s power is tracking magical signatures, each is different from the other

Marinette taking control over her own life, making plans to stop Hawk Moth instead of passively waiting for each attack, 

“She was never broken. She is in love with another girl.”

Marinette is in love with her too, but is ready to wait.

Chapter 9:

Adrien IS Chat Noir, up to the entitlement and his way of being physically affectionate. Stay true to canon and canon implications.

Adrigami/DJWifi double date, Alya means well but doesn’t know everything

Wordbuilding: of course the Ladyblog isn’t the only website ever, bad rival, Daily Bugle pun.

Not hating someone doesn’t mean you should be with them.

Hints of Adrigami friendship again, relief at avoiding romance.

Food at Kagami’s, cooker, formally perfect but not personal

Marinette and Barkk, closer to their goal

The Turtle Pearl bracelet: a shield, a great way to show feeling of danger, symbol of love

Kagami is the one to kiss Marinette on the cheek this time

Chapter 10:

Tomoe is a bad instructor episode 100

In which Adrien proves himself to truly be also Chat Noir, i.e. unable to understand personal barriers and entitlement. Still Kagami’s POV. He doesn’t think he’s doing anything wrong, insistence≠playfulness. certainly won’t apologise

The bike motive again. Scenic road and conversation

Going to Orsay, definitely a date!

Chat Noir was moody during akuma crisis because of course he was.

Chapter 11:

Adrigami “break”, Adrien sucks at admitting that he’s anything but perfect and being confronted with that.

Kagami bluntness.

Adrigami isn’t about Adrigami, it’s about the Tsurugi family’s status and Tomoe terrified of consequences. Attacking the room instead of Kagami herself.

The Turtle Pearl glows when wearer feels endangered or imminent danger

The museum pictures, the two of them together

Aquarium date?

“Voice of reason” isn’t the voice of reason at all.

Barkk is in the bag, smells everything

Chapter 12:

Kagami as Tomoe’s messenger

Agreste mansion as a mausoleum, setting up the geography, security cameras, cold. Painting of Émilie, goal is near

Nathalie being extremely good at pretending she didn’t just knock that kid unconscious months ago, she’s awful and it’s great.

Marinette internship, Gabriel wears a bowtie… Resembles a butterfly.

Barkk in the bag, smells everything.

Stressful phone call, feels feverish, it’s him and that’s undeniable.

Marinette the detective.

“Thanks for being there for me”

“Thank you for trusting me so much”

Having dinner with Hawk Moth, it’s awful and stressful

No more chair/rose

Adrien is miserable but not aggressive. Building up to final fight

Chapter 13:

Meet the Dupain-Chengs, short, awkward, sweet moment

Marinette’s room, perfectly clean

From creepy stalker to detective, without downplaying the former or overplaying the latter

The two are complementary, very concrete things, 

The plan: catch Hawk Moth red-handed, take it outside and expose him to the world

How the Kwami Pearls work: just like the Miraculouses themselves, feeding off the host, only more brutal. Marinette trying to reassure Kagami

Re-explain Turtle Pearl and other powers, illusion, thunder, time-rewind and portal

Gabriel owns original Degas painting since they are both assholes

Adrien/Chat still not great at all

Ice-cream but no biphobia/lesbophobia this time, just a regular shop suggested by Juleka.

The Pont des Arts, no more locks, just like in real life.

The confession, the kiss: consent and everything is right, but also desperate. Marinette really wants to do it well.

Longg is back, also, hype

Side note: I cried writing this one.

Chapters 14-15

Ryuko infiltrating the mansion, all in the details

I hate that Hawk Moth’s lair is an actual real physical space in the show, but if this needs to be material, then so be it. He was allowed to turn his house into that because he got help from the Mayor/Audrey.

Chat Noir can’t fight, near breakdown.

Nathalie knew. Remake of first fight, only Ryuko has clear upper hand.

Having missiles in your house isn’t a good idea.

The Turtle Pearl serves its purpose at last, 

Gabriel mostly defeats himself on his own, hubris, the whole extent of his power dynamic with Nathalie

Going back to the Champ de Mars, 

Teamwork, taking the butterfly down. Chat Noir rejects his father entirely, cataclysm-ed akuma.

The mansion again, entirely destroyed, paintings of Émilie burning. Spell book and tablet recovered.

Chapter 16:

Taking the big bad down is useless if you don’t take down the power structures that allowed him to strive in the first place. Killing Voldemort only solves that much.

Discovering it all on a phone screen, shut-in

ACAB no matter your gender

They are just following orders and happy to do so, and Gabriel still has some power over them

Tomoe plays by the rules, even though these rules are awful

Kagami’s anger

Chapter 17:

Aquarium date, aquarium date! Fish facts

Kagami’s anger still, doesn’t die out, render it through environment and senses

Water as a healing motive, fish facts

Hot outside - cold inside, ice-cream

Kagami nearly blows out because of kids after being slightly soothed

The power of love is strong but it can’t solve everything.

Additional note: someone in the comments asked me if Kagami had ASD, and the answer is, I don’t know, you tell me! If you think she is on the spectrum, then she is!

Addressing Kagami being closeted, because there’s simply no other way. This isn’t good. Having to live hidden out of fear isn’t good..

The bike motive, + ice cream

Kagami uses the word “lesbian” for the first time to describe her own experience.

Chapter 18:

Tomoe has feelings and these feelings suck. Under the guise of rules, abuse.

Kagami fighting back.

Power is material, through connections and money, nothing that can’t be bought

Kagami’s first demonstration, don’t make it too violent but still ACAB

Nino and Alya as reporters, Julerose and Luka seasoned protestors

The Palais de Justice’s gilded gates are closed vs the crowd

Marinette using her powers for something other than Hawk Moth, strong stance but also still a 15 yo kid’s understanding of the situation

Chapters 19-20:

No tanabata because Tomoe is terrible

The rooftop terrace at last, more Marigami wholesomeness

Dupain-Cheng house vs Tsurugi house, the furniture and dishes, the meal, more Tom and Sabine

Marinette has been cut from her Chinese heritage, exploring that (callback to Mandarin app, chapter 1) and bitterness of it

Adrien moving on in England, still Plagg with him, he’ll become a rich prep boy

Marinette as a Guardians, her own spell book

Duusuu is devouring Émilie’s soul and neither Marinette nor Kagami knows

Françoise Dupont at night, fencing classes, Marinette moves like Ladybug

The future: it is bright but bittersweet, let’s talk about it together

And there was only one bed

Oh, to cuddle with your girlfriend in her bed for the first time

Watching the sun rise together, calm breakfast

Side note: I also cried writing this one.

Chapter 21, epilogue

A new beginning

Kagami turning her back on her mother almost entirely

The bike motive, but Kagami no longer needs Marinette to show her the way now

New school, familiar faces but not only

An ordinary bracelet for Marinette, but proof of love despite everything

End on their hands.

[streets-in-paradise]

Fictional Sibling relationships i live for

I had been thinking about this topic lately and decided i would like to make a post about it because it is a very fun and interesting one for me. I had mentioned a few times here that in terms of fandom involvement i am more invested in family and frienships than in shippings, particulary i have a fixation with strong sibling bonds or sibling like friendships. I think it must be because i have a strong bond with my younger sister, i identify with that and that’s why i tend to get more involved and interested in this sort of character interactions. 

I will keep this just in movies, movie adaptations of books and tv shows because i don’t want it to be super long but still want to talk. In movie adaptations i will try to stay in movie’s territory as much as i can, if i add commentary on the book versions this would never end but i may slip a bit towards it because i can’t help it. 

As always, i make the disclaimer over the images i will use here, they belong to the sites where i found them.  

Sorry for my pathetic language skills in english. 

Note: this got so long that i will probably make a second part for more characters i coulnd’t include 

Boromir and Faramir in lotr 

Lotr is full of great material for people who, like me, obsess over families. Frodo and Bilbo, Merry and Pippin, Elrond and Arwen, Theoden ,Eowyn and Eomer are other great examples of family relationships i’m interested on from here ( i pretty much love to overthink stuff about almost all the lotr family relationships). I choose to talk about this bros because they have a particular place in my heart. How many times we had seen the common trope of a royal or noble family where the father is a dick who gives all his love and attention to the older brother, neglects the little one causing him to grow up resentfull and ending up as a villian while dad’s favourite is the hero of the tale? Not this time, and it is so refreshing. 

Boromir and Faramir choose each other over their father’s bullshit, you can see it in the lovely deleted scene the gif up here comes from. When Denethor shows up they are both annoyed, when he is mean to Faramir Boromir calls him out and tries so hard to make him show some appreciation for his youngest son. it is clear that, in this version, Boromir is more family to Faramir than his father ever was. I love how much they care for each other, how they pass beyond the differences. Boromir is a super amazing big bro, i love how he protects Faramir and is there for him instead of letting his father’s praise get in between. I could talk for hours about this two because i love them so much. I’m doing a hard effort in stopping myself from throwing a whole set of headcanons i have for them so i will stop now before i get too excited. 

Fili and Kili in The Hobbit

Staying in Middle Earth for one more mention i had to talk about this two. Being fully honest, the movies broke my heart because they took the exact opposite way i would had wished for. When they were introduced In An Unexpected Journey this two adorable brothers were one of my favourite aspects of it because i loved their Merry and Pippin like dumb chaotic energy. One of my biggest complains with the Hobbit adaptation is to have shifted the narrative of the strongly family focused story arc of the Line of Durin. Kili’s romance with Tauriel shifted the focus and, in my particular perspective, i hated that because i was already super involved in the family story. Besides from the “I belong with my brother”  iconic line we don’t see much more of Fili and Kili’s bond after the introduction of Tauriel. In fact, Fili loses a lot of his initial screentime in Desolation of Smaug and Battle of the Five Armies.

 I love this two, the relationship with their uncle as it was introduced in the first film and i would had loved to see more of their family dinamic explored. One of my biggest complains, besides from the change of focus on their supposed ending, is that i’m convinced that they should had entered the mountain with the rest of the company. It is such an important moment they would probably waited for since they were children, is the legacy of their family. In short terms, i love them and i would had loved to keep seeing future developments of the Line of Durin story they had in AUJ. 

Hector and Paris in Troy 

This two represent the opposite case. The relationship they have in this movie is very different from the source material but i love the great development it has here. It is outstanding to see the importance the sibling bond has in a movie that is supposed to be about a war caused by a romantic passion. 

The sons of King Priam are absolute opposites. Hector is the embodiment of a true hero, a Steve Rogers of ancient times. His strong caring nature and will to protect everyone reminds me of Boromir as well. Unlike Faramir,Paris is a freaking mess. He is the careless, adventurous and reckless little brother Hector ends up protecting every single time he gets into trouble. I had stated before that i think Paris is a selfish prick but i think that is a slight confussion of mine with the original. This Paris is more a reckless dumbass and, unlike Iliad Paris, his arc in the movie it’s a bit more simpathetic. In this version Helen is trapped in a loveless marriage to an old prick who treats her like trash (in the director’s cut Menelaus jokes about how he only cares for his wife for breeding purposes on a conversation with Hector). I can understand at some point that, if he trully fell in love with her, he felt horrible for letting her stay there as a prisoner of her husband. Going back to the my focus for this talk, i like that the movie had decided to make this two close brothers who actually care for each other despite being absolute opposites instead of two guys who barely know each other, are barely aware of being brothers and share only hatefull interactions. 

Hector’s protectiveness over Paris warms my heart. He had threated him a few times ( director’s cut has the “ i will rip off your pretty face from your pretty skull” excharge. I love that scene), he gets furious at him for his foolishness, they argue but when the time comes he always chooses to protect him. Honestly, that’s such a big bro thing, i can’t help to feel identified. The weight that this relationship has in the development of the story is a surprising thing and it makes everything more tragic. Paris being the killer of Achilles has a more significant meaning because, now it’s not just the irony of the weakest character killing the strongest. Paris is aware that he owns the memory of his fallen brother so much, he wants revenge. Hector was there for him all his life, the least he can do for him is to kill his killer and avenge his death. Briseis begs him to stop but he can’t let himself do that, he owns it to Hector and that debt is bigger than anything. 

I will not delay this any longer, the family relationships on this movie are my favourite aspect of it and i have a soft spot for the bond between the trojan princes. Don’t get surprised if i one of this days i end up making an entire separate post talking about the family dinamics displayed in the film (same goes for lotr but that would take me ages and i would have to make an entire series of posts if i wanted to discuss every lotr family relationship i would want to talk about). 

Sam and Dean Winchester in Supernatural 

If you reached this point you may had noticed that i have a big thing with family tragedies involving siblings. Supernatural is my favourite show because it combines lots of elements i love. To mention just a few: horror, mythology,classic rock and a strong family approach in its pretty tragic but outstanding plot. 

Sam and Dean are one of my favourite duo of bros of all time. I don’t think i have a lot to say about them because their relationship has been analized lots of times by the very big fanbase of the show. My main difference with the common interpretation is that i don’t see the Winchester family in a similar way to the movie versions of the Steward of Gondor and his sons, which means i don’t think John has been the shittiest father ever despite his many mistakes. Unlike movie Denethor he tried hard and in the interactions we saw of him with his boys he actually cares for both of them. 

This bros were the ones that made me realize in an actual concient way of my tendency to get too attached to families, story arcs regarding them and sibling love. I’m super attached to this story, i don’t know what the hell i’m going to do with my life once it ends. 

I will end this post here. It is more than sure that there would be a part two because i have tons of more brothers,sisters and other family relationships to talk about. 

Thanks to everyone who has read my very long ramble 

[sareesonscreen]

S1 E4: Saucy Deep Dives: Third Person SIngular Number

After spending the last two months watching and examining Bollywood hits, it’s been very exciting for us to introduce our audience to hits from all across South Asia. In this episode, we are thrilled to be watching a Bangladeshi favorite made by one of the most famous contemporary directors there.

Mostofa Sarwar Farooki came into the scene in the early 2000s, at a time when mainstream television and cinema largely existed either in the form of family entertainment or copy-pasted “hero’s journey” scripts made for quick consumption. 

This is where Farooki came in with his more casual and approachable filmmaking. His stories revolved around the relatable everyday struggles of ordinary people. This also meant utilizing colloquial language in his cinema (which was rare, given that the media at the time would only depict formal Bangla or a standard dialectical Bangla [for rural stories]). 

Third Person Singular Number (2009) was Farooki’s third movie, which solidified his position as one of the most notable contemporary directors in Bangladesh.

Third Person Singular Number is conceptualized as a fairytale-like story of Ruba (played brilliantly by Nusrat Imroz Tisha, Farooki’s partner, and long-time muse), who is confronted by the challenges of being a single woman in South Asia, after her partner (note, not husband lol) is sent to jail. Ruba struggles with constant harassment as she attempts to find housing and employment. The Prince Charming character of this movie comes to us in the form of Ruba’s childhood friend - Topu (a successful musician in Bangladesh, both in the movie and IRL), whose support helps in making Ruba feel safe. Her feelings for Topu force Ruba to engage with her conflicted relationship with her mother (who left her father for her lover) as well as her fidelity to her jailed partner.

One of the most remarkable things about the film is its deliberate focus on Ruba and how it centers her perspective - this is extremely apparent in the cinematography and Farooki being able to employ the feminine gaze aptly. The first half of the movie depicts at length the various ways in which women become victims of sexual assault - be it at home, in public, or in professional spaces.

There's this one scene in particular, where Ruba becomes hesitant to go to the police station as she recalls a news story from a couple of weeks ago where a woman was r*ped at one. A male gaze retelling of this would tell the audience through action - a flashback where the woman is facing violence, or perhaps when Ruba was reading the paper, or conversing about it with someone. But in this story, Farooki chose to make this woman materialize in front of Ruba and tell the story herself. Not only giving voice to an unnamed woman who had met a horrible fate, but also creating a moment of emotional connection between the two women. It humanized what is often just reduced to news headlines, statistics, or water filter conversations. There are hints throughout that she is an unreliable narrator. Resulting in the (spoiler alert!) the fairytale-esque second half of the movie. Fairytales, historical romances, and fan-fictions often serve as great mediums for social commentary, particularly on the dynamics of power (esp. geared towards women). The fact that the only escape available to Ruba from her bleak reality is an absurd Prince Charming figure speaks heavily to the harsh reality of the real Rubas of the world. For them, her ending would not be a possibility.

The use of space in the visuals of the film was also noteworthy, with Ruba being shown to feel trapped or caged in the company of predatory men (even including her own partner, whom she feels stifled by later in the film). This is often done through the use of close and medium shots, along with physical obstructions in the shot. Meanwhile, her relationship with Topu is shown to be much more affectionate and easy-going; this is depicted with a wide shot of the beautiful kashbons of Bashundhara. Not only was this technique used to remark on the state of Ruba’s mind (which is rare given that male directors rarely highlight women’s perspectives), it also commentated on the wider issue of South Asian women and how they are often made to feel small and struggle to find space (be it physically or metaphorically).

This beautiful work with space is further used to remark on the silence of the other women in the film (notably, Ruba’s cousin, friend, and mother). Unlike Ruba, the only woman with a voice (and the narrator, of course), these women are often seen in the confines of layered cage-like homes (with distinct obstructions like columns, furniture, etc. present in every layer). These characters, like their real-life counterparts, often exist in the crevices of their own homes and are stifled by the domineering presence of the patriarchal structures and insecurities around them.

The two noteworthy women characters (aside from Ruba) are her cousin and her mother. Both of whom we know very little about. However, in their fleeting moments on the screen, some of them make attempts to defy patriarchal structures around them in small but significant ways – Ruba’s mother by being courageous enough to follow her heart and leave a marriage and her cousin by helping Ruba despite her mother-in-law’s objections.

Another interesting thing is that despite Topu being Prince Charming, his character was given depth by not making him entirely selfless and sacrificial. Topu’s expectations were conveyed to the audience in a subtle but effective manner, using scenes like his outrage in the forest after Ruba backs out of having sex with him (though sex was never mentioned, only alluded to), as well as the ever-awkward buying condoms at a chemist shop (an entirely silent and secretive transaction, btw).

Ruba’s character in the film is shown to be determined, independent and tenacious even while she struggles with the oppressive realities of being a woman under patriarchy. One of the focal points of the movie is her strained relationship with her mother (who passes away, leaving no possibility of redemption or reconciliation ). The film uses an interesting technique of showing Ruba’s internal demons manifesting as younger versions of herself, hypothesized to be metaphors for her id (6-year-old Ruba), ego (present Ruba), and superego (13-year-old Ruba) as she battles over her feelings for Topu and consequently her feelings of resentment for her mother. Though her relationship with her mother is significant to Ruba’s evolution as a character, very little is shown of her mother and her motivations. Despite trying to give Ruba some semblance of closure with her mother at the end, the film falls short in creating multiple well-written women to enhance the story and the emotional connection to the characters.

We’ve also had the pleasure of having Raidah of Raidahcal on this episode. She does wonderful work addressing contemporary feminist issues in Dhaka, Bangladesh. While we all had different takes on the movie, it was wonderful to have Raidah’s unique insights and perspectives. Be sure to check her out. We’ve also had the pleasure of collaborating with her on her podcast Raidahcal in an episode exploring feminist economics – we would love for you to check it out as well!

She also asked us a question that made us pause a bit: Why are men given passes for not portraying women's realities accurately just because they are creating sophisticated art?

And this made us realize that there is a very thin line between centering a woman's perspective in a film, versus presenting an intrusively voyeuristic gaze to watch her struggle. Ultimately if the author of the art is not able to distinguish the two for everyone watching the movie, is all that nuance pointless? This ambiguity within the film became more clear to us as we left our own echo chambers and were faced with a wonderfully challenging guest and the realization that the film is sometimes as good as the viewer wants it to be.

Even on our Sauce Meter, this film fared better than some of our previous takes. Here’s a breakdown of our scores.

1. Is there at least one character who adds a nuanced representation of a diverse South Asian identity, without stereotyping and tokenization?  

Ruba, the protagonist of the film is a complex, well-rounded character and a woman – the film also uses an unfamiliar perspective by centering the story around the experiences of a woman vs a man (which is considered the default) – but she is one of the few non-male characters that get significant screen time, so not full points.

0.5

2. Are the primary characters (especially women and marginalized characters) portrayed with agency, individuality, and motivation?

Despite Ruba being limited by the sexist nature of the social structures around her – notably her struggle to find housing and employment as a single woman, she is shown to have agency and individual motivation – she is also shown to want autonomy and finds ways to assert herself despite inhibiting circumstances.

0.75

3. Are women and marginalized characters shown to be cognizant of their identities and how they exist within the social context?

Taking half a point off because there are limited representations of women and other marginalized characters, but the glimpses we get into other women apart from Ruba all seem to be painfully aware of how their choices and abilities are limited by oppressive patriarchal structures. Notably, her cousin despite having limited control over her life and household still tries to help Ruba, and Ruba herself has several moments where she points to the tribulations of being a woman in society.

0.5

4. Do the women and marginalized characters have meaningful relationships with each other?

While the women’s relationships with each other are not given a lot of screen time, they remain focal plot points. In particular, Ruba’s relationship with her mother is instrumental in the evolution of Ruba’s character and arguably even her liberation, however, the movie does not do these relationships complete justice and dedicates very little time to other women or marginalized characters in the movie.

0.25

5. Does it challenge any flawed notions upheld by capitalism, patriarchy, and the caste system?

The movie successfully subverts stereotypical representations of women and even defies traditional ideas of marriage and power dynamics between men and women and for that, it gets a full point!

1

TOTAL SCORE ON THE SAUCE METER: 3/5

What did you think of our rating of Third Person Singular Number? Did we reach too hard? Let us know!

- Usha and Rekha

Listen Now

[mediaevalmusereads]

Brazen and the Beast. By Sarah MacLean. New York: Avon, 2019.

Rating: 3/5 stars

Genre: historical romance

Part of a Series? Yes, Bareknuckle Bastards #2

Summary: When Lady Henrietta Sedley declares her twenty-ninth year her own, she has plans to inherit her father’s business, to make her own fortune, and to live her own life. But first, she intends to experience a taste of the pleasure she’ll forgo as a confirmed spinster. Everything is going perfectly... until she discovers the most beautiful man she’s ever seen tied up in her carriage and threatening to ruin the Year of Hattie before it’s even begun. When he wakes in a carriage at Hattie’s feet, Whit, a king of Covent Garden known to all the world as Beast, can’t help but wonder about the strange woman who frees him—especially when he discovers she’s headed for a night of pleasure... on his turf. He is more than happy to offer Hattie all she desires... for a price. Soon, Hattie and Whit find themselves rivals in business and pleasure. She won’t give up her plans; he won’t give up his power... and neither of them sees that if they’re not careful, they’ll have no choice but to give up everything... including their hearts

***Full review under the cut.***

Content Warnings: explicit sexual content, blood, violence, references to child abuse, threat of bodily harm

Overview: I enjoyed the first book of this series, Wicked and the Wallflower, so I decided to keep going and see what else MacLean had in store for the Bareknuckle Bastards. Overall, I don’t think MacLean did anything wrong in Brazen and the Beast; the characters were fine, and the plot was ok. Romance readers will probably enjoy this story. But personally, I didn’t find it quite as emotionally fulfilling as Wicked, primarily because I thought MacLean repeated too many plot points and didn’t use her themes quite as well. Thus, this book only gets 3 stars from me.

Writing: MacLean’s prose isn’t wildly different from her previous book. It’s fairly simple, easy to get through, and communicates her points without weighing the reader down with a bunch of figurative speech. MacLean also has some nice statements concerning feminism and the type of choices that are taken away from women, which is always appreciated.

Unlike Wicked, however, I don’t think MacLean used her themes quite as well. Felicity had her lockpicking quirk that turned out to be both a metaphor for her personal desires and integral to the final phase of the plot, and the story of Janus turned out to be a nice commentary on Devil’s arc; however, Hattie’s head for business or her story about the sirens in The Odyssey aren’t integrated nearly as well, nor is Beast’s compulsive need to carry two watches. Whereas both Felicity and Devil had to help one another find value in themselves, it didn’t feel like Hattie’s and Beast’s arcs paralleled one another, even though one could argue that Hattie’s struggle to be seen as an equal is a counter-arc to Beast’s struggle to let her make decisions for herself (rather than positioning himself as her protector and thus the one with the power or authority in the relationship). It could have worked - the kernels were definitely there - but I think there just wasn’t enough surrounding material to tie the two together quite as well.

Plot: Most of my frustration with this book is the fact that the plot (aside from the romance) doesn’t seem to be sustained or given much shape from beginning to end. Whereas Wicked had a central conflict between the brothers with Felicity as a pawn, Brazen had different issues that seemed to pop up and get squashed at seemingly random points. We start with Hattie finding Beast in her carriage while she’s on her way to a brothel (which I found awkward - more on that below). From there, we learn that Hattie’s brother was involved in a slight against the Bareknuckle Bastards, stealing from them to avoid revealing that he had lost an entire shipment and needed to make up for the lost income. Hattie, who has always been better at running her family’s shipping business than her brother, has to balance keeping her brother safe and keeping the business afloat.

I think I would have enjoyed this plot if the tension between business and family/revenge had been more sustained. The business aspects only seem to be a real issue for maybe 1/3 of the book. Beast doesn’t really have any problem finding out that Hattie’s brother is responsible for robbing him and tying him up and Hattie negotiates a deal with him in a page or two. I did appreciate the way Hattie used her business acumen to temper Beast’s desire for vengeance, but I ultimately wished there had been more of a rivalry between them. I kind of wished Hattie and her family were also smugglers, and maybe her desire to succeed leads to a kind of turf war between her and Beast, with her success cutting into his profits. But alas, what we got instead was a vengeance plot that fizzled out the second Hattie offered to pay Beast back with interest, which gave rise to the “real” conflict, which was Marwick’s threat to harm Hattie if Beast didn’t give her up.

After Beast falls for Hattie, his bastard brother, the Duke of Marwick (who we meet in Wicked) shows up seemingly out of thin air. He’s supposed to be gone at this point, so when he turns up, it’s quite abrupt. Once Marwick sees that Beast has found someone to love, we basically get a rehashing of the plot as Wicked. This is where my rating went from around 4 stars to a solid 3. While I don’t think readers will be too disappointed if they haven’t read Wicked, readers who read the whole series might be a bit bored. I was tired at this point of Marwick being the constant boogeyman in the background, and I wish he had taken a backseat for this installation in the series.

My last complaint about the plot is personal preference, so take the following with a grain of salt. I mentioned earlier that Hattie finds Beast in her carriage while she is on her way to a bordello. It’s the bordello owned by the Bastards’ sister, the one which services female clients rather than male ones. While I have nothing against sex work, I found the recurring elements that came out of this plot point a bit awkward. Hattie resolves to go to the bordello to rid herself of her virginity, thinking that if she’s well and truly “ruined,” her father will stop trying to make her marry and instead be forced to consider other options (like giving her control of the family business). While Hattie does make it to the bordello, she doesn’t rid herself of her virginity because Beast catches up with her (Hattie tosses him out of her carriage before heading to the brothel). They make a deal that Beast will ruin Hattie in exchange for Hattie giving up her brother/returning what he stole from the Bastards. However, they never actually have sex at the time because Hattie’s ride home arrives, and she can’t stay longer. From there, the “deal” is used primarily as a way to create sexual tension between the two, sometimes a little angst and insecurity (as Hattie thinks Beast isn’t really attracted to her, he just wants to keep his end of the bargain). Personally, I found this scene strange, and while I understood Hattie’s motivations, I would have much preferred a scene where she was interacting with her father’s employees or something that showed her passion for the business. Instead of going to the bordello, maybe Hattie could have been on her way to check on something in a warehouse or on the docks. Then, the business rivalry could have kicked off on a more solid foundation, and we could have gotten a more immediate look at Hattie’s core desires.

Characters: Hattie, our heroine, is fairly likeable in that she knows her worth as a businesswoman. I really enjoyed her speeches about being good at what she does, her frustrations at not being taken seriously because of her gender, and the ruthlessness with which she pursues her goals. The main thing I didn’t like about her, however, was her insecurity over her looks. Hattie is about as insecure as Felicity, believing herself to be an old spinster without an ounce of physical beauty. While it made sense for Felicity to be so focused on looks (as she was a “wallflower” and was actively pursuing marriage), I felt like Hattie’s insecurity was just a repeat of Wicked. I would have preferred if Hattie wasn’t interested in looks, but maybe her insecurity came from self-doubt about her business abilities. That way, when Beast assures her that she is brilliant and smart and clever, Hattie’s arc could have either been about valuing herself as a competent businesswoman or about something external, like the glass ceiling.

Beast, our hero, is somewhat less of an edge lord than his brother, Devil, but is still self-hating enough where it felt like we were repeating things from Wicked. He constantly says he’s not deserving of Hattie because of his background, which is ok to an extent, but I think I would have liked to see something different from Devil’s main hang-up. For example, if Beast had been rather proud of the way he built a smuggling empire, even though his determination was born out of a desire to overcompensate for the ways in which he failed his siblings and his mother as a child - something just to differentiate him a little more. The fact that he doesn’t share a mother with Devil helped, but when much of his trauma comes from events which we explored in Wicked, it didn’t quite feel fresh or new. Admittedly, I did like that his central character flaw is his obsessive need to protect others; it took something that would normally be considered a good trait and twisted it into something problematic. But even so, I think this flaw could have been explored over the whole course of the book, like if we had gotten scenes of him being overprotective of his men or of his siblings to the point where Hattie’s presence forces him to reckon with his flaws (not just his protectiveness of her, but everyone, if that makes sense).

Side characters were mostly fine, serving much of the same purpose as in the previous book. I liked that Hattie had a female friend, Nora, who has a sharp tongue and enriches Hattie’s life, rather than being a shell of a character. I liked that Nora was explicitly attracted to women, and that MacLean hints at a relationship between her and Nik - I just wish we had gotten a side plot where that queer relationship is not relegated to the margins, something in the vein of The Suffragette Scandal.

I did think, however, that some side characters were underutilized. Hattie’s family, for example, didn’t seem to be present unless convenient, and though they treat her poorly, there’s not really any reckoning like there was in Wicked. Personally, I would have liked to see some sort of heart-to-heart between Hattie and her father, maybe after some event in which Hattie’s business acumen saves them from ruin or something, and the father sees his daughter the way she wants to be seen.

I also though Marwick had no real function in this book, and to be frank, I wish he wasn’t in it at all. He’s not really integral in the same way he was in Wicked, so he served more as a boogeyman in the background than a real threat. If we had to have him in Brazen, I think it would have been much more productive to have Beast be paranoid about his brother coming back, and part of Beast’s arc be about letting go of that paranoia. That way, we could have kept the obsessive need to keep people safe from his brother, while also having Beast grow and learning not to live in constant fear.

Romance: I’ll be honest, I didn’t find Hattie and Beast’s romance as emotionally fulfilling as Felicity and Devil’s. There were some things I liked: consent was clear, and much of Beast’s focus was on Hattie’s pleasure and comfort. I also liked that Beast supported Hattie and told her how brilliant she was, and that her father (and men in general) not realizing that was a travesty.

However, I also think MacLean could have done more to make their connection unique. In Wicked, Felicity and Devil had a lot of banter, which helped create chemistry; while there is some banter in Brazen, Beast is also not a very talkative person, so chemistry has to be built up in other ways. While I liked that we’re told that Beast enjoys hearing Hattie talk (the chatterbox/quiet person dynamic works pretty well), I think I would have liked to see MacLean expand on a seemingly throwaway line, where Hattie says that she’s learning to interpret Beast’s grunts and growls. Maybe over time, Hattie goes from being frustrated with Beast’s silence to learning how to be comfortable with it and even know what he’s thinking/feeling, even with so few words. That way, when he becomes more vocal when the two are together in private, his decision to become more talkative could be a sign of their emotional intimacy.

I also think the business rival dynamic could have been more of a central component, as both Beast and Hattie are characters determined to get what they want. I would have liked to see them constantly try to one-up each other or go head-to-head more often in ways that weren’t toxic, but led to mutual admiration. That way, when Beast betrays Hattie by buying her father’s business, the blow would have been more devastating to the reader.

TL;DR: Despite having its moments, Brazen and the Beast rehashes too many plot points and characterizations from Wicked and the Wallflower, making it a middling novel in the Bareknuckle Bastards series.