#interactions | kate barlow

[violentdelightstheseviolentends]

This place really was the type of place she had always tried to avoid in the past. It just felt like a different type of prison to her. Though really, any normal life had ended up feeling like that. Had she been happy? No. But she had been free, and after everything that was all she could really wish for. Here though? Here she didn’t feel either. It wasn’t something she could let anyone know, and her past, whilst she was here would have to remain a secret. To be Miss Katherine again, hopefully she could pull it off. Well one way to try was to go back to making spiced peaches, she had always been good at that, even if she had made too many. “Oh excuse me sugar, would you like some spiced peaches? I accidently made far too many and I’d hate for any to go to waste” she said with a smile. Well stranger danger might exist, but she did have several very concealed weapons on her.

@ivycovestarters

[violentdelightstheseviolentends]

"Long as your sure. No one deserves that" and it seemed like things really hadn't changed. Or perhaps he was from a time similar to her own and hadn't realised that people had changed.

"Why do you think you won't be?" well it was unlikely, but she'd always made karma happen. Though her methods wouldn't be accepted here.

.｡.:*☆ "I am fine, do not worry." Amy had learned that people like this were not worth wasting any time on thinking about them. and still, she did. She mentally kicked the man for thinking a waitress was beneath him, in any way.

"You see, karma is going to bite his ass at some point. I am only sad I'll most likely not be around to watch it happening."

[oftimeslostlongago]

This place really was the type of place she had always tried to avoid in the past. It just felt like a different type of prison to her. Though really, any normal life had ended up feeling like that. Had she been happy? No. But she had been free, and after everything that was all she could really wish for. Here though? Here she didn't feel either. It wasn't something she could let anyone know, and her past, whilst she was here would have to remain a secret. To be Miss Katherine again, hopefully she could pull it off. Well one way to try was to go back to making spiced peaches, she had always been good at that, even if she had made too many. "Oh excuse me sugar, would you like some spiced peaches? I accidently made far too many and I'd hate for any to go to waste" she said with a smile. Well stranger danger might exist, but she did have several very concealed weapons on her.

@walstarterblog

[bosbas]

Chapter 10: even my daddy just loves him

series masterlist previous part || next part

pairing: colin bridgerton x enemy!fem!reader WC: 3.5k words

Warnings: period-typical gender roles, small part of the dialogue in French, period- and class-typical views about the economy, idiots in love being idiots in love, heavy on the idiots, heavy on the in love

Summary: It took precisely two days in England for you to utterly despise Colin Bridgerton. It took him approximately twelve hours after that to hate you right back. But he doesn't care that you're the only person in the ton who doesn't like him. You're set to marry someone else anyway, right?

A/N: the first TTPD chapter title :,) also no interaction between reader and colin in this one IM SORRY it'll come soon i promise

June 23, 1816 – In the wake of yesterday's lackluster ball, one can't help but lament the dreary fashion choices on display, particularly the Featheringtons' blinding ensembles in shades of yellow. Sadly, the absence of Lady Y/N Montclair was acutely felt, as her impeccable gowns and Parisian flair were sorely missed. However, tonight at the Ashbury ball proves a wonderful opportunity for her to dazzle us with her sense of style.

“Well, don't you look gorgeous tonight,” gushed Eloise upon seeing you, kissing your cheeks in greeting. 

Your heart soared, delighted that your best friend had taken to your French customs so easily. 

“I didn’t particularly have a choice after Whistledown’s column today,” you joked, smoothing out your skirts. 

Of course, it was flattering to have the ton’s most trusted source speak about you in such a positive manner, but at times it did build a fair amount of undue pressure. Though you supposed you preferred feeling pressure to dress well over pressure to marry someone as you had with Lord Barlow.

“Either way, you look stunning. I’ve caught more than a few gentlemen staring at you already. You’d think they would have been able to pick up their jaws off the floor by now,” Eloise teased, linking arms with you, and leading you toward the far end of the ballroom. 

You politely covered your laugh with your hand, shaking your head as you assessed who was present at the ball today. More accurately, you were assessing whether Colin Bridgerton was present. 

It had been two weeks since you’d even seen him, and you were exerting more mental energy than you cared to admit pretending that you were unbothered. You supposed you couldn’t blame him. You were the one who had asked him not to speak with you anymore, and he’d listened to you better than you could have hoped. 

Secretly, you’d been hoping he would still have shown up and tried to talk to you. It was an absurd desire, you knew, but you couldn’t help it. Apart from balls like these where all you did was speak with Eloise, you had to admit that arguing with Colin was the most fun you’d had in England, and perhaps everywhere else, too. 

You hated him, you reminded yourself. And he hated you, too. Worse, actually. He had no respect for you. Or any woman in general. Which only brought you back to the shameful burning at the top of your ears every time you searched for him in a crowd.  

But you were only human. And there were times when you couldn’t help but give in to your self-sabotaging. “Is the rest of your family in attendance tonight?” you asked Eloise, trying to seem casual and uninterested. 

“Anthony and Kate are,” she responded brightly. “Benedict was able to weasel his way out of this one, I’m afraid. But it’s all for the better. He was being quite irritating at dinner last night.”

You turned to her, eyebrows raised. “I assumed you’d stay home if Benedict stayed home, too. I thought you hated these things.”

“Oh, not at all! Now that you aren’t being swarmed by suitors at every moment and I have you somewhat to myself, the balls are far more enjoyable.”

Shaking your head at her fondly, you laughed in disbelief. She was truly the only reason you hadn’t gone completely mad these past two weeks. 

Lady Whistledown, whoever she was, had proven to be quite perceptive. As she had reported, you effectively had laid your parents’ dreams of marrying you off to an Englishman to rest. You’d only told Pen and Eloise about your disillusionment, but you supposed it was rather obvious to everyone else given that you barely danced with anyone anymore. 

You looked through the crowd once again searching for the face you knew would not be there, and you felt your gut twist, but you couldn’t quite tell if it was in relief or disappointment. 

“And what about Colin?” you asked, internally cringing at not being able to help yourself. “Has he left the country again?”

Eloise looked at you carefully, noting your barely hidden grimace and shifting eyes. She would’ve laughed at how obviously painful the question was for you if she didn’t completely understand what was happening. Eloise still had no idea why you hated Colin in the first place, but she could tell that it was tearing you up inside anyway.

“No, he’s still at home, believe it or not. He just doesn’t particularly enjoy these kinds of events anymore, I suppose. It must be the ambitious mamas wanting to auction him off to their daughters,” Eloise finally responded, trying to keep her tone light. 

Although that wasn’t the whole truth, Eloise couldn’t just come out and tell you that her brother was completely in love with you and that you had broken his heart enough that he had no desire to come to ton events anymore. It would have been unusually cruel for her to do so.

Besides, she could tell you had been feeling the same way. The only difference was that your parents were not as forgiving as Violet Bridgerton, and you had to come to most balls whether you wanted to or not.

“Oh, that’s a shame, I guess,” you said, not particularly knowing how to respond. In a pathetic attempt to make it seem like you truly were unbothered, you added, “It’s rather nice when he isn’t here, though, isn’t it?”

Eloise stared at you suspiciously. Though she always thought it easier to stay away from your conflict with Colin, the curiosity was killing her. And she could only go so long before she went insane trying to figure it out.

“Why do the two of you hate each other so much, anyway?” she asked, hoping her disinterested tone would make you more likely to open up.  

No one seemed to know why you hated Colin. You weren’t particularly forthcoming with the information, but Eloise could sense that it wasn’t something trivial. Having grown to know you fairly well over your time in England, Eloise was still perplexed by this specific detail. 

Next to Eloise, you were tactfully avoiding eye contact and staring intently at the floor in front of you. You couldn’t tell her. You simply couldn’t. It wasn’t that you were worried about your reputation. You knew Eloise well enough to know that she wouldn’t spread rumors that would sully your image. 

But if you told her the truth, she’d be heartbroken. If someone were to tell you that they hated one of your brothers for the same reason you hated Colin, you would crumble. You were incredibly close with them, and knowing that they thought of women that way would crush you. And you couldn’t bring yourself to do the same to Eloise. 

Luckily, some man you’d never spoken to before asked you for a dance right at that moment. He had barely finished speaking before you placed your hand on his elbow and rushed him to the ballroom. Dancing with someone was far easier than having to figure out what you were going to say to Eloise. 

Eloise stared silently as you were whisked away to dance. She let out a small laugh in disbelief, amazed that her question had been what finally propelled you to start dancing at balls again. 

But her work tonight was not done. Shaking her head, Eloise looked around the ballroom, looking for your brother. Unsurprisingly, he was by the refreshments. 

“Hello, Louis,” greeted the Bridgerton. “I believe you might have some information that would be of interest to me.”

“I do?” asked Louis, confused. 

Eloise nodded over to where you were dancing and smiling politely and turned back to your brother with an expectant look. 

“Oh,” said Louis, catching onto what your friend was saying. “I don’t, unfortunately.”

“Are you serious?” she responded, exasperated. “She would rather dance with that…man than tell me why she hates Colin!”

Louis shot her a sympathetic look. “She won’t tell me either. But she’s never been this upset over someone, so I wager it must have been something serious.”

“Colin doesn’t even know! And he only hates her because she hated him first! It’s terribly unreasonable.” 

Having overheard the conversation about you and Colin from a few paces away, Carlos quickly joined Eloise and Louis with a knowing smile. He considered himself to be somewhat of an expert when it came to matters of the heart, having found a true love match after falling completely head over heels for your sister.

“Yes, but Colin is completely in love with Y/N,” he said. “So, I suppose he doesn’t hate her that much.”

“We know,” responded Eloise dejectedly. “That’s why I need to know why she hates him.”

“Excuse me, we? We know?” scoffed Louis. “I most certainly did not know this. What do you mean Colin loves Y/N? I should think that I would know if someone was in love with my little sister.”

Eloise looked at him, unimpressed. “I fear you only have yourself to blame, then. Colin came to every single event on the social calendar until your sister told him to stop talking to her, and he hasn’t come to another one since. Why exactly did you think that was?”

“I don’t know! I suppose I thought… I don’t know what I thought! But it doesn’t matter. He does not love her, Eloise. I know because Y/N is the exact same with Colin as he is with her.”

This time Carlos looked at Louis in disbelief. “Yes, Louis. Precisely,” he spoke slowly, nodding to make sure your brother understood.

Louis furrowed his eyebrows, eyes widening as he came to grips with the realization. “What do you mean? Does this mean that…”

“Yes,” confirmed Carlos. “Y/N loves him too.”

“What? How did I miss this?”

---

Colin was standing in Anthony’s study, arms crossed tightly over his chest as he glared at his eldest brother. 

“I won’t go,” he said defiantly.

“You will, and you will be the perfect gentleman while you’re there.”

“Why do I even need to be there? It’s not like I know what I’m doing when I hunt, anyway,” Colin huffed, uncrossing his arms and fiddling with a quill on Anthony’s desk.

Watching his brother, Anthony sighed, exasperated. “Because it would be impossibly rude not to go. And the Bridgertons, especially Colin Bridgerton, if I recall correctly, are never impossibly rude.”

Colin groaned. “It’s one hunt without me! Please-”

“Y/N won’t be there if that’s what you’re worried about. She and Eloise went to the modiste and won’t be back until later.”

“But what if-”

“She won’t be there,” assured Anthony firmly. He had an inkling about why the Montclairs had suddenly invited the Bridgerton brothers on a hunting outing, and he was not about to let Colin ruin what were most likely some very well-laid-out plans.

Colin blinked and licked his lips, still considering whether being rude to your family was worth the risk of running into you. Resigned, he sighed and turned away from his brother.

“Very well. But this is the only time I’m doing it. I’m not particularly eager to have a run-in with the woman who wishes I didn’t even exist.”

Not seeing you for two weeks had proven to be an extraordinarily difficult challenge. But it was better than having to look at your face and know that he would never be in your good graces. You wanted nothing to do with him, and it was more than he could take. 

Even though Colin had relatively successfully convinced himself that the only reason he was upset at your rejection was because he wanted to maintain his status as the best-liked member of the ton, he’d still barely been able to get out of bed since he’d last seen you. His heart ached too much when he thought of seeing you at any events. Yet it also ached when he thought of not seeing you. So he was confined to his chambers night after night, pacing as he thought of you laughing with someone else while he sat in agony at home.

“Oh, don’t be so dramatic. She can’t hate you that much,” said Anthony, rolling his eyes as he patted his brother on the back, leading him out of his study.

“You’d be surprised,” muttered Colin lowly.

---

“Frères, il nous faut causer,” announced Louis upon entering the mudroom (Brothers, we need to talk).

Seeing Edward preparing for the afternoon’s upcoming hunt alongside Philippe and Jacques, Louis cleared his throat and tried again. 

“Brothers, we must have a chat. And Edward too, I suppose.”

Philippe and Jacques looked up at their younger brother in surprise.

“A chat about what, pray tell,” asked Jacques, fiddling with his hunting boots as he placed them on his feet.

“It has come to my attention that our dearest sister Y/N might be in love with Colin Bridgerton. I thought it best to discuss the matter between us before we go out and hunt with him.”

Philippe shot his youngest brother an amused look. “Well, yes, Louis. That’s why we’re having this hunting trip.”

Louis’ face contorted into an expression that was a funny mixture of disbelief and annoyance. He most certainly did not like to be the only one out of his siblings who didn’t know something. “How does everyone know this except for me? Am I truly that clueless?”

Laughing, Jacques clapped his younger brother on the back. “I suppose it’s a certain sensibility that comes once you’re married, Louis. Don’t feel too badly about it.”

“A sensibility that comes from your wife telling you that the man is obviously in love with Y/N, is what you mean, Jacques,” Philippe quipped, looking even more amused. 

“I would’ve been able to tell!” argued Jacques. “If Chiara hadn’t told me within five minutes, I could’ve figured it out. Probably. In a few days. Who cares! We still have an advantage over Louis because we’re married, and our wives are more attuned to those things than we are.”

“Carlos was the one who told me, actually,” commented Edward. “Charlotte would have been the one to do it, but she thought it was so obvious that it wasn’t worth mentioning. I doubt I would have been able to tell on my own, anyway.” 

Louis laughed, not feeling so bad about how oblivious he was anymore. “I suppose you’re right. But I still want to be included in the scheming! How is our little hunting trip going to help Colin and Y/N come to their senses?”

Philippe sighed deeply, and Louis got the impression that he had aged about ten years in the making of this plan. “Y/N has been spectacularly miserable these past couple of weeks. That is certainly no secret. And as much as it is not in my nature to meddle in her affairs, I don’t take any joy in seeing her like this.”

Jacques nodded in agreement. “Especially after what Nigel Berbrooke said to her, we think it would be nice for her to get a love match. Something that has been made much easier by the fact that she is already in love, even if she doesn’t know it.”

Although it had been two weeks since you’d told the rest of your siblings what Mr. Berbooke had said, Louis still felt a surge of anger rise in him when he remembered his words. “He’s worse than Barlow, that one.”

“I was at Eton with Berbrooke, and I assure you it was torture,” agreed Edward, crinkling his nose as he recalled his younger years alongside Nigel. 

Sending his brother-in-law a sympathetic look, Louis continued, “That still doesn’t solve the main problem. Even if Y/N does love Colin, she still absolutely hates him. Despises him, actually.”

“Actually, the main problem is that Father wants his daughters to marry a title and a fortune. No offense, Edward.”

But Edward, ever agreeable, waved Philippe’s apology away. “Not at all. It was an advantageous match for me, too. I’m just lucky we grew to love each other. But I do recall your father being quite insistent that she marry nobility.”

“Precisely,” agreed Jacques. “I’ll wager that Y/N will realize she loves Colin quicker than Father will come around to the idea of her marrying for love.”

Louis hummed thoughtfully. “But what if it goes wrong? What if Father hates Colin, and this hunting trip only makes it more difficult for him and Y/N?”

“Not a chance.”

“Absolutely not.”

“That won’t happen.”

Louis just stared at the three men in front of him, looking entirely unconvinced. “How can all three of you be so sure?”

“Because it’s Colin Bridgerton!” said Edward. “Everybody likes Colin. He’s the ton favorite.”

“Y/N doesn’t like him,” argued Louis, still unsure about how effective the plan would be. 

“But she loves him, so that’s different,” said Philippe, smiling brightly. “Don’t worry, Louis. Father will surely like him and it’ll be a step in the right direction. Now, are you ready? I believe the Bridgertons should be arriving shortly.”

---

All in all, Colin was having a lovely time this afternoon. As Anthony had assured, you were at the modiste when he arrived at your home, and he was barely there long enough to spend time looking for any trace of you. It was just as well because he feared what would have happened if he did find anything that reminded you of him.

Hunting, and specifically shooting, was not Colin’s greatest strength. As a result, he’d been mostly hanging toward the back of the group, chatting pleasantly with Edward, who didn’t seem to be very enthusiastic about hunting either.

That is until your father started talking about his travels. Truly, Colin’s biggest weakness was the opportunity to talk about his time abroad. That and you, he thought longingly. 

Colin jogged to catch up to your father, Anthony, and Jacques so he could join the conversation.

“You and Chiara are settled in Tuscany, then?” asked your father.

Jacques laughed. “More than settled, I think. Hello, Colin! Lovely afternoon out, isn’t it?” 

“Quite,” Colin agreed. “You would think it would make me a better shot, but I think this just proves I’m completely hopeless.”

Lord Montclair laughed, and Jacques felt an internal sense of pride as he saw their plan progressing. 

“My sons tell me you’ve traveled a lot,” said your father, turning his gaze to the younger Bridgerton. “Have your travels taken you to the Persian Gulf, perchance? I am contemplating investing in pearl diving there.”

“Indeed, I have,” confirmed Colin. “However, if you seek pearls, might I suggest Ceylon instead? I visited last year and witnessed firsthand the expanding pearl industry.”

“Really?” said Lord Montclair, immediately immersed in the conversation. “But wouldn’t the Persian Gulf offer the most promising returns?”

“It certainly would right now, but trust me, Ceylon holds vast untapped potential.” Colin was in his element. This was practically all he did, and he was glad it was proving useful, and interesting, for once. “The industry there is on the precipice of greatness. In five years' time, mark my words, it shall surpass all others. I've even noted down a particular lagoon in my journals that I think will be particularly successful, based on what the locals have said.”

Impressed, Lord Montclair arched an eyebrow in interest. “You have my attention, Colin. Shall we meet next week to explore this further? A partnership between us could prove quite lucrative.”

Colin’s eyes widened, momentarily taken aback by your father’s offer. “Absolutely, my Lord. It would be my pleasure.”

“Please, call me Philippe,” he replied, clapping Colin on the back. 

Turning to Jacques, your father spoke softly, “Je suppose qu'un titre n'est pas tout” (I suppose a title isn’t everything). 

—

previous part || next part || buy me a ko-fi!

I no longer have a taglist for this fic, but turn on post notifications for @bosbas-library to stay updated when I post!

[violentdelightstheseviolentends]

As far as she could tell, this life was fake. Yet she had the memories of a sister, and they looked so alike. All of it was so confusing. She wasn't really sure what to do with any of it, only that she had to keep up the sweet act. It was a little easier with the family she had here, she did like them. That aside, she had over cooked again, it really hadn't been on purpose this time. "Hey hun, I come bearing cake".

@upgrxded for Francesca

[violentdelightstheseviolentends]

"Oh, are you sure sugar?" and that was usually her trick. Be sickly sweet and people tended to trust you. Although this girl really did just seem to be oozing in naivety. "I know how much work goes into them, and I'm sure many people would like them".

@violentdelightstheseviolentends [Event Starter: You Pick!]

Location: Coruscant

"Hi! I'm Bridget and I was wondering if you'd like some cookies." She had a basket in her arms with about four cookies wrapped together, and there were about fifty of those inside of the basket. "I kept it safe with chocolate chips, but please take some."

[witchyleehibernates]

Background Characters

Cherry is Bob's girlfriend who writes letters to him, she draws pictures and doodles too. Bob fucking adores her, and it's obvious to to Ponyboy, though clearly it wasn't to everyone else. Cherry's great-great-great aunt would be this universes version of "Kissin' Kate Barlow", a fact of which she hides from people, though she secretly is very proud of.

Marcia is Randy's girlfriend who also writes letters to him, although she doesn't write as much as Cherry does. She adds little postcard pictures that she draws.

Bev is dating Brill, who is another kid at the camp. I don't know much about either of these two characters so they are mostly just mentioned.

Evie is Steve's girlfriend, and the only reason Ponyboy knows he "has a heart", which was a private thought of Ponyboy's. She writes every two weeks like clockwork, which Ponyboy learns pretty quickly during his first two months.

Sandy is still Sodapop's girlfriend, but bad luck still strikes and she leaves him, though she is pregnant with his baby. Which Sodapop learns after she's gone and left.

Ponyboy had gotten glances at both girls(Cherry and Marcia's) art and he was inspired by it, he'd draw a little himself, never showing anyone.

Ponyboy doesn't interact much with Brill or Trip, or even Chet and Chet's in the same tent as him.

Ponyboy was devastated to learn that Sandy had left Soda and took their baby (unknowingly) too (aka, Soda finds out about the baby after she's left and it's a two letter thing, and Ponyboy hurts because Sodapop hurts).

Ponyboy also learns that Steve struggles with reading and a bit of spelling. Ponyboy, by Month three, offers to help him. Not that he would read Steve's letters, which Ponyboy had to clarify, he just helped with spelling whenever Steve asked. It helps build a bond between the two and it eventually leads to a tentative frienship… after Month 4.

[pezboisworld]

For the time travel au: I love more of the idea of d-tent just watching the events of Sam and Kate's romance as ghosts not really able to interact or change things. It be more intriguing. Especially Stanley and Hector. Maybe they can even watch all the flashbacks. From the start of the curse with Madame Zeroni and Yelnats clan. Who would cry the most at Sam's murder out of the d-tent boys?

Would love to see how the D-tent boys would react to a Kate Barlow reveal. Of the boys, only Stanley and Zero ever know that the treasure was connected to the lipstick tube. And beyond that known of the boys ever learn about Kate and Sam. In the book and movie it's only revealed to the audience.

I imagined the time travel being the D-tent boys going back, waking up in the past inhabiting another body. That body belonging to a citizen of Green Lake. Then they are forced to live as them until they figure out how to get back.

[angelenohq]

Welcome to ANGELENOHQ, everyone! Under the cut, you will find all the accepted applicants. For those of you who have been accepted, you have TWENTY FOUR HOURS to get your account to the main page. Once you have it made, send in a message letting us know, and we’ll get you connected to the discord chat. Take a peek at the NEW PLAYER’S CHECKLIST. Information regarding the opening event, End of the Trail Music Festival can be read HERE. Now that acceptance is officially posted, the group is open for interaction!

California, here we come...

CHLOE BAILEY – Asha Dean, exotic dancer, OnlyFans model, and waitress. | Penned by Jay.

MICHAEL EVANS BEHLING – Josiah Carrington, actor and model. | Penned by Steph.

DYLAN O'BRIEN -- Romanyuk Konstenko/Roman Kon, professional dancer, concentration ballet for the Los Angeles Ballet Academy | Penned by Danii.

MELISSA BARRERA – Barrett Valentina, firefighter. | Penned by Lydia.

CHASE STOKES – Theodore “Theo” Lewis, photographer. | Penned by Lindsey.

OLIVIA COOKE – Nicolette “Nicky” Johansson. freelance graphic designer. | Penned by Cake.

CAMILA MORRONE – Diana Kirby Aguero, part time bar tender, former pro surfer.  | Penned by Alyssa.

CASEY DEIDRICK – Emmett Warden, owner of 360 gym. | Penned by Rose.

JACOB ELORDI – Alex Novak, drug dealer. | Penned by Jam.

LEE DO-HYUN – Kim Dong-yul/Don Kim, actor and stunt coordinator.  | Penned by Mel.

MEGHANN FAHY – Darcy James, musician, part time bartender and record store manager.  | Penned by Hannah.

SUKI WATERHOUSE – Aurelia “Paisley” Carter, singer/songwriter, musician | Penned by Ellie.

RILEY KEOUGH – Jolie St. Clair, musician and producer.  | Penned by Em.

FRIDA GUSTAVSSON – Thea Ellis Barlow, actress.  | Penned by Kate.

ZURI REED – Noemie Wilson, stand up comedian. | Penned by DJ.

BEN BARNES – Jacob Hartland, cardiothoracic surgeon, medical researcher/part time professor at UCLA. | Penned by AJ.

ZION MORENO – Renata Cortes, model and social media influencer. | Penned by Kit.

TOM HOLLAND – Dale “DJ” Jagger, personal trainer and personal chef.  | Penned by Ale.

NYLE DIMARCO – Owen Mason, ER nurse.  | Penned by Meranda.

[violentdelightstheseviolentends]

Well all of this was mildly annoying, but she had lived through worse. This place was far more interesting. Though she knew not everyone would think that, and even if this wasn't Earth, she wasn't about to risk everything she'd done in Ivy until she knew for certain she was safe here. Which for now meant playing it safe, especially when she head footsteps. "Hi, you must be my roommate? I'm Kate".

                  gwen  didnt  know  what  to  do  at  this  point  ,  she  had  finally  found  peter  and  had  gotten  used  to  ivycove.  now  shes  here  ,  gwen  didnt  know  where  she  was  or  how  they  had  gotten  there  and  it  was  pissing  her  off.  gwen  opened  the  door  carefully  with  one  hand  while  holding  onto  some  books  that  could  hopefully  help  her  figure  out  what  could  be  coming  on  when  she  saw  the  other  in  the  living  room.  ‘  hello.  ‘  /  gwen  &  kate  barlow  :  @violentdelightstheseviolentends

[notlikegcds]

♢ Straddling their lap and holding their face to yours for a deep kiss. ( from Angela in the Barlow verse. bonus points Kate walks in & then just ' oh, jesus christ you two -- ' & quickly leaves, & then later gives Armi a talking to about how they should put a sock on the door or something )

Affectionate Things / @praecedens for Kate and @dierationem for Angelanever denying

♢ Straddling their lap and holding their face to yours for a deep kiss.  ft. a LOL FORM KATE.

     She slips into the confines of their room, the cloth patting along blonde tresses before she tosses the lick of fabric onto the mattress. Thumbs hooking into the belt of her trousers to adjust it along her torso. “Hey there.” Words are uttered to the other woman who had been busy within her wardrobe. Attention skim the surface of the bed for her shirts and when gaze catches them she plucks them off while she turns to sit down. “Ya’know I was thinkin’ bout headin’ to town in the morning-” 

       Eyes lift with the movements, softening to meet Angela’s just as palms come to cup the sides of her face. Unable to help the lift of a hand to gentle clasp fingers around hers, smiling softly with the brush of a thumb along the back of a knuckle. All previous notions immediately forgotten with the gentle touch of her. She never expected to fall hard the way she did, not after Clementine- an the way that was forced to an end.

      But she didn’t expect to survive the gunfire the way she did either, and in that regard she owed Angela her life, and it is with that sentiment that the other woman claimed her heart.

      Spine straightens just as the distance closes between them quickly, just as a kiss mesh together with the lift and tilt of Armistice’s chin. Hands settle at her hip and at a thigh when she pushes up against her, helping her adjust her weight when a thigh swings over with the prop of her knee on the bed. And it is with Angela’s settle into her lap Armistice makes a low sound with the wanting shift of her hips upward. A gentle palm settling to caress the side of Angela’s face; another hooking around her hip to pull her flush against her chest. Deepening the kiss further while-

     The door opens.

     Armistice’s shoulders jerk and lift with the further tug of the other woman against her, a reaction that would have pulled her behind her if needed. But it was a short lived response with the words the echoed into the air. It was Kate.

    “ oh, jesus christ you two -- “ Followed by the prompted steps OUT.

     Head had settled into the crook of Angela’s neck when surprise had pulled their kiss apart, and now she shifted with the settle of her forehead against the top of her chest. Shoulders twitching while low snickering gives way into a low fit of laughter.

[ofstoriesandstardust]

burning house (jake “hangman” seresin)

a/n: i don’t know if anyone will read this, or even like this. this story is inspired by two different book series, romeo and juliet, bonnie and clyde, a costume the dance moms girls wore in season 7, a clip of sytycd’s old west opening number recently, rango, holes/kissin’ kate barlow, and a fleetwood mac song. it’s got so many elements of other things to create something so entirely unique. hollywood could never. my advisors would be disappointed in me, for two wildly different reasons. this story plays into almost every stereotype about the old west, ones i know as a history major to be inaccurate. but the heart wants what it wants and this is what i wanted. it’s my passion project and my sister is tired of hearing me talk about it. this may at some point get moved to just ao3, as i’m afraid it will be too dark for tumblr, but i’m posting the first part here to see how it fares. 

serious note: this story is going to contain descriptions of violence, murder, gun fights, a massive fire, sex and seduction, references of rape, and prostitution and brothels in the 1800′s. it’s a much darker take on the old western movies. one of my advisors is a scholar on the old west and he and i have discussed at length brothels and prostitution in the old west. it’s the only historically accurate part of this story. this is going to be a good story but it will be a dark one. therefore, it’s best to say that this has a Mature audience rating and I’m going to be keeping a closer eye on who interacts with it. cool? cool. 

summary: Hangman is a cowboy known around the West for the way he leaves those who cross him. He wanders into a town at sundown, weary from long travels. The sheriff’s son, Coyote, an up-and-coming cowboy in his own right, offers him respite. Carolina, one of the town’s notorious prostitutes, makes a move on Hangman, but, much to her dismay, is turned away. Hangman is warned away by Coyote, citing that Carolina will bring nothing but trouble. Hangman likes trouble, seeks it out, but he knows that Carolina is not the trouble he’s looking for. For Carolina, Hangman is exactly the trouble she has been looking for. (one more time this has a Mature audience rating I’m serious)

title comes from “burning house” by cam

folks who wanted to be tagged: @kyramaximoff​​

main masterlist | top gun: maverick masterlist | ghost town story description/masterlist

warnings: old west/cowboy!au, fire/mentions of people dying from fire, brief description of injuries from fire, prositution and brothels, accusations of rape but nothing graphic just mentions that it happened, discussion of seducation, brief mention of nudity, Hangman earns his name for a different reason, discussion of hanging people as punishment, mentions of a gun/firing a gun but no one is harmed, sporting women and soiled doves are another word from the 1800′s used to refer to prostitutes, mature audience rating i’m serious

word count: 3,330

The dust blew around Hangman’s body as the sun set in the distance. He kept his head low to keep from the dust getting into his face, his horse moving slowly as he made his way into the town. The loud cheers from the saloon brought a certain familiarity, all saloons out in the West having the same kind of drunk, raucous laughter. His travel from the last town had been lonely and weary and he (and his horse) needed a break. Reaching the horse post outside of the post office, he slipped from the horse easily, tying her up. 

"Hey there, stranger.” A voice called. He glanced up to the sheriff’s office across the dusty road, a dark-skinned figure leaned up against the awning of the building. Hangman moved towards the stranger, removing his hat as the dusty pink of sunset turned into the purple of evening dusk. “Anything I can do for ya?”

“Well, I’d be mighty grateful for a place to sleep and somewhere to get a drink. Shadow here and I need a break.”

“I’d be happy to do that for you. Claudia down at the stables can get your horse all settled. As for the drink, I know just the place.”

“Well, thank ya.” 

“Not often we get cowboys in this part. Least I can do for you.” Hangman bowed his head gratefully.

“Name’s Hangman.” The figure pauses from where he’s moving off the steps, raising an eyebrow.

“You’ve earned quite the reputation.” Hangman cocks his head, a smirk playing on his lips.

“Well, what can I say? I know how to give those out West a warning.” Cross me and you’ll hang.

The stranger smirks back. “I’m Coyote. Earned a reputation in my own right out in these parts.” Hangman nods. He’s heard rumblings of the cowboy named Coyote, son of a Sheriff. Hadn’t realized he’d stumbled right into another cowboy’s territory. 

“Well, no worries Coyote. Won’t be here long. I’ll be gone by morning.” The man offered him a smile and a shake of his head, finally moving off the steps and grasping his shoulder. 

“None of that. Happy to have a cowboy of your caliber here. Let’s go get you a drink. Margaret?”

“Yes?” 

“Go grab Claudia from the stables will you?” A woman moved out from behind the wooden doors, taking in the sight of the two cowboys. “Get this nice  gentleman’s horse out to the stables and well-taken care of.” She nodded. 

“I’ll see to it immediately.” Coyote let go of Hangman’s shoulders as Hangman places his hat back on his head, moving down towards the loud bar at the end of the main road. The two enter and Hangman relishes in the quiet comfort the familiarity of this scene brings him. The drunk men surrounding every part of the bar, loudly fighting and laughing and singing and gambling. There’s sporting women scattered around the bar, noticeable from their dress and hair. Some are draped over the men that have chosen them, other clearly seducing the men in front of them, too drunk to really know what they’re doing. Coyote claps him on the shoulder again, shaking him. 

“It’s not much, but it’s our towns best reprieve.” Hangman’s not sure if Coyote’s referring to the prostitutes or the drinking, but he doesn’t ask as the men move towards the bar. “Two whiskey please. On me.” The bartender, a stocky man with an overgrown beard nods, pouring the drinks for them while Hangman lifts the hat off his head, placing it on the dirty countertop. Hangman takes the drink and knocks it back, welcoming the burn as the liquid slides down his throat. 

“Coyote!” A man yelled and they turn to see a group of men. The man who yelled is waving him over with his hat and Coyote claps him on the shoulder once more. 

“I’ll be right back.” He says and disappears into the crowd. Hangman catches the bartender’s eye and nods, signaling a refill. He pours the drink as a woman sidles up next to him, her arm sliding across his back. 

“Well, hey there stranger. Haven’t seen you around in these parts before.” She drawls and his eyes flicker over to her, taking her in. Her dress is a cream white, smudges of dirt and dust on it. Same for her face, which is framed by stray pieces of a messy updo and dark lipstick. The dress has leather straps at the top and he briefly entertains the thought of unclasping them from her shoulders, revealing what he could imagine to be the very nicest of breasts if her figure is anything to go by, his mouth fanning hot breath over her bare shoulders and skin. He blinks the thought away and bites his bottom lip. “You look weary, traveler. What do you say we get out of here? I could relieve some of your stress.” She whispers, moving in closer. His eyes flicker down to the darkness of her lips once more and he knows that it would be so easy to just move down and capture them with his own. 

“Sorry darling, but I’m not looking for a soiled dove like you.” He bit out, reeling himself back in. He prided himself on not falling to the seduction of prostitutes in any town. They were fine for some cowboys but prostitutes often brought trouble if you weren’t careful and for cowboys of his reputation, it was better to stay away from them entirely. Still, she was enticing, which meant she was trouble. The more seductive, the more trouble. And Hangman did not want the kind of trouble she would bring him.

The girl physically recoiled at the insult, arm dropping from his back, a dark look appearing in her eyes. Before she could retort, Coyote’s voice was whistling. 

“Carolina! You know damn well not to be hanging around the people I bring in here.” A fire alighted on the girls face as he watched on curiously. Carolina, he thought. Pretty name for a pretty girl. She’d be prettier if she cleaned herself up and stopped selling her body, he thought. 

“If I’d known he was here with you, I never would’ve approached him.” Her voice was venomous, a dark tone to match the browns of her eyes, orbs swirling with anger and an emotion he couldn’t quite place.

“Get lost Carolina, before I have you arrested.” She huffed, gathering her dress up and moving further into the bar. 

“A word of advice, if I may, Hangman.” Coyote said and Hangman nodded, encouraging the man to speak. “Stay away from Carolina. We look the other way when it comes to prostitution around these parts, what with the brothel being next door, but Carolina’s more trouble than she’s worth.” The statement sounded personal to the man and he briefly wondered why this man hated her so deeply. Still, it only confirmed what he had first perceived about the girl. His eyes flicker over his shoulder, watching the girl drape herself over another man, feeling anger stir in his chest as the man roughly and aggressively pulled her in, with little care for her comfort or well-being. Hangman turned away and knocked his whiskey back, grip tight on the glass, as he forced the girl out of his mind. 

-

He tossed in the bed, unable to get the images of the girl out of his mind. Flickers of moments that had not happened, of a desire he would never give into, played in his brain as the night passed. He finally pulled himself from the bed, electing to get out of the stuffy room above the saloon and take a walk out among the quiet town. He should be sleeping, getting well-rested for the journey to the next place, to the next adventure, but he couldn’t, not when the thought of Carolina was seared into his brain. She had clawed her way in to his brain and he could not get her out. His back burned where she had touched him and as he weaved his way through the town, the night stars twinkling down at him, he could not undo what she had done to him. He’d been approached by many girls like her, turned them down, and they had all been so easy to forget. So why wasn’t she?

The screams reached him first, and then the smell of smoke. He felt his feet taking off towards the sounds before his brain caught up to him. When he arrived at the building, he recognized it to be the brothel Coyote had pointed out to him earlier in the night, and it was up in flames. The whole thing was almost gone and there were a few late-night strollers around, stopped in morbid horror, but no one was doing anything. He grabbed the nearest man, shaking him. 

“Why’re you just standing here? Go get someone!” He shouted, noticing a figure stumbling out of the wreckage, what was left of the charred building. The flames licking the wood were slowly following her and he threw the man, racing towards the steps to pull her out. He realized upon closer inspection it was Carolina stumbling out of the building and given by the wreckage, the flames that were slowly closing in, she may have been the only survivor. Her already dirty dress was sooted with ash and she was hobbling, burns apparent, bent over with coughs from the smoke. He pulled her up into his arms and safe from the flames, feet moving in a desperate attempt to get away from the burning heat. “Hey, you’re okay.” He whispers as she coughs into his shoulder. “You’re safe. Was there anyone still in there?” She shook her head, coughing again. 

“No, no- it- it came on- so quickly, I-” He shook his head. 

“Stop talking, you’re only gonna make it worse.” He says, setting the girl down in the dust. The town is awake now as he takes in the way they gawk at his figure crouched over her body, the way Coyote is shouting at men who are trying to quell the flames. There’s not much they could do, the building in charred ruins by the time it’s put out. He’s kept his head down, eyes on Carolina, who’s sat in the dust, trembling. A gun cocks and without thinking, he reached for his own, but upon looking up, he realizes the pistol is aimed at the girl in front of him. He stands up quickly, moving in between him and the girl who’s staring at Coyote with wide, fearful eyes. “Hey, hey, what’re you doing?” 

“Get out of my way Hangman. I won’t hesitate to shoot you too.” He says darkly, eyes full of dark fury to match. 

“Now, there’s no need for that. What’s she done to warrant this kind of public execution? You said it yourself that y’all look the other way when it comes to prostitution. Can’t put her on trial for being in the building.” He says calmly, hoping Coyote will lower the gun.

“She was the only survivor.”

“So?”

“So my father was in that building. She’s the only survivor, and my father, a man she has accused of rape, a good man, is dead. She started that fire, I’m sure of it. And she deserves to die too.” Hangman looks down at the woman, who looks astounded at the charge. 

“No, please-”

“She’ll hang.” He says, looking Coyote firmly in the eyes. “She’ll hang for what she’s done. She’ll serve as a reminder and a warning.” Coyote lowers his gun, finally looking him in the eye. 

“I see where you get your name.”

“I never said it wasn’t earned.” 

Coyote nods to the man who’s looking on. “James, get her into a cell. You and Williams are tasked with watching her. She’ll hang at sunrise in two days time.” The man nods, pulling the girl roughly from the ground and she gasps. 

“No, please, I swear, I never would’ve, please-” Her sobs and pleas echo across the silent square as the town looks on. 

“Told you she was more trouble than she was worth.” Coyote murmurs and Hangman grasps his shoulder tightly. 

-

His boots sound heavy against the creaky wooden floor, the familiar colors of dusk settling into the sky, the last of sunlight flickering across the wall. Coyote’s slumped down in his chair, eyes firmly on the girl who curled in the corner or her cell, back turned from them. She doesn’t turn at the sound of him, and as he moves closer, he realizes she’s trembling. He turns from her and sets his eyes on the weary looking man. 

“Coyote, why don’t you go get yourself a drink and a hot meal? I’ll watch her.” He states and Coyote looks up at him. “Don’t want to be so exhausted you sleep through her hanging.” He jokes, the words tasting bitter on his tongue. The town was quick to blame her for the fire but he’s not so certain she did it. Still, this is not his jurisdiction and a world with one less prosititute like Carolina might be a better world. The man lets out a gruff chuckle and nods, standing up. 

“Thanks Hangman, I appreciate your kindness.” He shakes his head. 

“No worries, least I can do. I’ll watch her for the night. Get some food and some sleep.” He nods, wood creaking as he moves closer to the metal bars of her cell as Hangman settles in the rickety chair. 

“Tomorrow. You’ll pay.” He whispers. “That’s a promise.” He turns back to Hangman, nodding to the keys that are on the table. “Would you toss me those? Feel better knowing there’s no hope for escape for her. If anyone can withstand her seduction it’s you, but I’m taking no chances.” He nods, tossing the keys to the man who catches them easily. He tips his hat in gratitude and then the door of the jailhouse is shutting behind him. He hears Coyote’s footsteps fade away and he sighs, taking his hat off, setting it down on the table where the keys were. He settles back in the chair, crossing his arms, eyes on the girl who makes no movement other than he way her body trembles slightly, only noticeable to a trained eye like his. The darkness of the night settles in, the moonlight quickly replacing what had been the last of the daylight. He sighs after a good few hours. 

“Well, Carolina, I gotta tell you. You did a good number on that building.” Silence. “You wanna tell me why? Last confessions. Just between the two of us.” Silence. “Carolina, you’re not gonna get another chance.” Still silence. “Carolina, you’re going to hang tomorrow morning. In just a few hours, you know that? This town’s going to make an example of you and your kind.” She shifts, but doesn’t saying anything. “If you’ve got anything left to say at all, now’s your chance. Because in a few hours you’ll be a dead woman.” There’s silence again and he huffs out a sigh, settling back in his chair. 

“I didn’t do it.” The voice is soft, full of terror, cracking on the words, scratchy from disuse. He’d been told Carolina hadn’t said a word after the first hour of arrest, sobs and please disappearing, almost as fast as the fire within her did. She’d resigned herself to her fate. 

“What was that darling?” He taunts, leaning forward. She rolls around, face turning towards him. In the moonlight, he catches her dried tear tracks, the look of simultaneous fear and resignation in her eyes. 

“I didn’t do it.” She maintains, and he chuckles, shaking his head as he sits back in his seat. 

“You’re a very good liar, darling.” An anger alights in her face as she stands up, moving to the steel bars that separate her and him. 

“I’m not lying. I didn’t do it.” She stares at him defiantly. “Those were my friends in there. I wouldn’t have killed them.” Hangman takes in the sincerity in her eyes. “Please. You have to believe me. I wouldn’t have done it.” 

“Maybe the fire got out of control. Maybe you thought more of them would get out. Maybe they were a sacrifice you would make in order to get your revenge.”

“No.” She whispers, hands coming up to grasp the bars, head softly coming to rest on them. Hair falls down to frame her face and he resists the strange urge to reach out and brush them back. “No.” 

“This town seems to think you would.”

“This town hates me because I called out a vile man.” 

“Coyote tells me he was a good man.”

“Coyote’s blinded by love and respect for his father. They all are. We all know what he was truly like.” 

“And who's we darling?”

“Us. The workers. We knew what he was like. Our Madam had been trying to get rid of him for years, used what he did to me to make an example, but the town so deeply respects him for his work as Sheriff, they laid the blame in me. Easier to find a fault in a soiled dove than a good man.”

“And what exactly did he do to you darling?” 

“He-” Her breath catches and she looks up, the fresh tears glistening on her cheeks. “He raped me.” His vision tunnels as he takes in the way she bows her head, trying to hide her face. “I told him no, that I wasn’t working that night, that I wanted to be left alone, but he- he-” A sob escapes her throat and she lets go of the bars, moving back to collapse on to the cot. “I wanted him to pay but not at the cost of my friends. Please, you have to believe me.” He takes in the way her body is shuddering with sobs, the fear on her face, the way she had pleaded. He stands up and reaches for his gun. He cocks it and she looks up at him, eyes wide. “Hey, hey, what’re you- please-”

“When I tell you to run, you do it. Go to the stables. My horse Shadow is next to a Chestnut mare, Blossom. You grab her and get out of town. I’ll be right behind you.”

“What?”

“You do as I say, do you understand? I’m trying to save your life.” He doesn’t give the girl a chance to answer before the gun is firing off three rounds in quick succession, effectively breaking the lock on the cell. He winces at the loudness of the shots ringing out. “Run.” She slips past the swinging door, and out of the building as he kicks over the chair. He tips the lamp in the corner over. Although it hadn’t been lit, the shattered glass will do the job. He tips the table over, and moves the cot to look thrown about in a struggle. If he can make them think there was a struggle, that she’d forced him out at gunpoint, then he was buying them time, however little. Mere moments later, he was dashing to the stables, a little ways back from the jailhouse. Blossom was already untied and Carolina was sat upon her, hands on Shadow’s reigns. He grabbed them from her, already pulling himself up onto his saddle. He could hear distant shouting from the jailhouse and he looks at Carolina, a fearful look in her eyes. “I don’t care what happens, you ride. Don’t stop riding, no matter what happens.” She nods and he takes off, the girl close behind him. The sounds of hooves galloping against the road will attract attention from those living out at the edge but by the time the connection is made, they will be long gone. Hopefully. 

In search of adventure, he’d found trouble. 

In search of trouble, she’d found freedom. 

[michaels-blackhat]

I'd like to hear about In Love with Your Love and also send two stars about whichever fic you want to flail about because there is NOTHING BETTER THAN WATCHING A WRITER FLAIL ABOUT THEIR WORK.

“In Love with Your Love” was written purely as a gift for Marlo’s birthday. I am starting to realize that about 90% of my fics are probably due to Marlo. Her favorite tropes are outsider POV and soulmates and also who doesn’t love the power team of Kyle and Liz?

The actual process of writing the fic was easy, it has such a simple plot that all I really had to do was think of increasingly ridiculous ways for Kyle and Liz to try and get Michael and Alex back together. I don’t know if my favorite part is drunk!Liz complaining about the lack of babies or the entire interaction between Maria and Kyle about his over-investment in the relationship.

...I lied my favorite part is how even at the end Liz and Kyle are determined to Make Malex Happen (Again).

OTHER FIC!

I almost never get to talk about “And the Sun Rose Red”. I am, primarily, a Malex shipper and the fact that I have ever written another pairing is actually a genuine surprise for me too. But I did. It started out in the group chat when I said “I can fix that” about Michael’s tendency to fix things for people (Isobel and Maria shown in canon) and then I had the idea for a Kissing Kate Barlow au. It worked so well for Maria/Michael. It was in my head for about 3 weeks before I started writing. I write it in 2 days. I was a writer possessed.

There was a lot from the book/movie of Holes that I had to change, and I love the changes I made. I’m still in love with the imagery, the fire motif that spanned all present-day scenes and how it crept its was into the past. I love that I got to write about reptiles and buttes and cacti and all the things I love about the Southwest. I got to write a western and I’m still thrilled by it.

I was so terrified that I was over doing the imagery as I was writing. That fear definitely almost ruined the story. It needed those threads and it needed to show the mindset Maria was in as she traveled through the desert, knowing she was at her end.

It’s my favorite thing I have written in a long, long time. Added in that I got some wonderful people who don’t go for the pairing to read it, enjoy it, and give me feedback on it was also just a wonderful almost overwhelming feeling for me.

[violentdelightstheseviolentends]

For a moment something flashed in her eyes, something she had tried to hide here. She thought she was doing that, until that question. The problem was now she couldn't tell if that was just a normal question to ask in his galaxy, or if he could see right through her. "Normal? Is it where you're from?" she asked, that would explain matters. "Really sugar, do I seem like the type of girl to kill someone?" well the answer was yes, but this way she wasn't lying.

@violentdelightstheseviolentends || ❛  that is not an appropriate question to ask someone you just met .  ❜ Kate for Maul

"How is that an inappropriate question? Have you killed anyone feels like a normal question." Maul shrugged before looking at her. "You know I have, so I didn't think much of asking. I take it you'd like me to ask a different question? Didn't realize you'd be so uptight about it, sorry."

[afterpinkdiamond]

The Answer S2E22

It's time for the origin story of the sweet little lesbians that make up the square mom!

Fun fact: Ruby and Sapphire stones are the same chemical composition. Red Sapphires are literally just Rubies. I think this highlights an interesting point about classism on Homeworld, but also helps explain why Ruby and Sapphire are so compatible and stable as a fusion. More on that later, Now for The Answer.

The beginning shot shows Steven asleep in the barn, overshadowed by a mysterious being. Garnet wakes him up to wish him a Happy Birthday just as the clock strikes midnight. I love how this shot builds suspense only to payout with Garnet being an adorable mother figure and waking Steven up in the middle of the night just to tell him a story. Steven gets really excited when she reveals that she’s going to tell him about how Ruby and Sapphire met, since he had already discovered that Garnet is a fusion during the events of “Jailbreak”. She sets the time as 5,750 years ago. (Which puts the wedding during “Reunited” approximately 8 months after Steven’s Birthday. That’s a lot of havoc in less of the year, as Steven has literally convertedPeridotbubbledtheClusterstoppedMalachiteattemptedtorehabilitateLapislostJasperlearnedoftheexistenceoftheDiamondsfacedtheRubysquadgotsenthurtlingthroughspacewithamurderousRubydiscoveredtheshatteringofPinkDiamondlosthisdadtotheHumanZoosavedGregfrombeingfuckedbyeverysingleZumannarrowlyescapedBlueandYellowdealtwithAmethyst’sinsecurityissuesgayadventureswithPearlandMysteryWomanfoundBismuthinLionthreeexistentialcrisisesabouthisdestinyasthesonofRoseQuartzthediamondshatterersolvedalongstandingfeudbetweenGregandPearldreamwalkedwithLar’sbodyinhabitedKiki’snightmaresconfrontedRose’sroomaboutherdecisiontohavehimhadawholerivalrywithKevinasStevonnieincludingdragracingsavedmostofhishumanfriendsfrombeingkidnappedbyAquamarieandTopazfacedtrialasRoseQuartzonhomeworldescapedthediamondsandfoundtheOffColorswatchedLarsdieandresurrectedhimfoughtwithConnieoverhisdecisiontosurrendortohomeworlddefeatedandwatchJaspergetcorruptedattemptedtouncorruptNephritediscoveredSmokyQuartzfusiondgotStevonniestrandedonthejunglemoondroveLapisawayfromearthconfrontedPearlaboutshatteringPinkDiamonddiscoveredhismomWASPinkDiamondhelpedconvincebothRubyandSapphiretostayGarnetunbubbledandreconciledwithBismuthandplannedawholewedding and that’s just what I remember offhand) Garnet describes how Blue Diamond’s court was investigating the Rebel force that disrupted the building of the Earth colony. Sapphire, an elite gem, was called to make a prediction about the Rebellion and she told Blue the rebels would be captured that very day in the Cloud Arena.

We see a lot more characterization of both Ruby and Sapphire in their interactions in this scene. Ruby is shown to be the most levelheaded of those in her detail. She’s very cautious about Sapphire, apologizing profusely when she is pushed into her by mistake. Garnet says she was a common soldier, often sent in multiples to fuse into a larger ruby at the sight of danger. Yet she’s attentive to Sapphire, talking back when she probably shouldn’t. She definitely notices the blue gem. It’s subtle and implies what could have been said, but Ruby acts like she has a crush. It’s so cute.  Sapphire, on the other hand, is a straight forward gem. She doesn’t ask for direction or permission. She knows what is supposed to happen. She remarks on the beauty of Earth without any agency on trying to see more of it. She accepts the idea of fate, that her life has one trajectory. Even the eventuality of being poofed by the Rebels doesn’t make her want to even tempt her idea of fate. She’s seen one path of submissive future her whole life and can’t even comprehend questioning it.  

Then, Rose and Pearl attack the arena, calling themselves the Crystal Gems. Pearl is in blue shades but Rose... Rose is all in pink, even her skin appears pink. It’s been said that Blue utterly fails here by not recognizing Pink Diamond’s voice, yelled across a crowd shocked silent. Especially next to a Pearl very similar to the one made for Pink just a few thousand years before. But you know. Sometimes it be like that. Recognizing your own kid is hard. Pearl takes out two quartz guards immediately and Rose, without her sword (because preBismuth) takes on the three Rubies fused into one. With her bare hands. This Quartz is way OP. Pearl takes the stance to take down Sapphire when Ruby decides that she’s not okay with failure and tackles Sapphire out of the way. They accidentally fuse for the first time into Cotton Candy Garnet. 

Garnet is clearly shocked at her own existence, Pearl and Rose are just as distracted as the rest of the court but only leave a second later, realizing their lucky break. Ruby and Sapphire unfuse, both dazed from the experience as Blue’s court closes in. Blue is furious with Ruby for her inaccurate prediction but Ruby jumps up to take the blame. She is blamed for fusing with Sapphire and Blue Diamond sentences her to be shattered. This reminds me of the scene from Holes where Sam gets arrested for kissing Kate Barlow and she tries to defend him by saying she kissed him back, only to be told that it wasn’t illegal for her to kiss him. It’s racist and classist as hell to blame the already oppressed for “crimes” that shouldn’t logically be illegal. Like fusion is a natural ability of gems but is reserved for utilitarian purposes only. The thought of a common soldier fusing with an elite court member, even on pure accident, shouldn’t really be that controversial. And, back to my fun fact, they’re practically the same stone just different colors! The difference between “elite” and “common” in this society is how rare of a color you display! The more you think about the reactions of Blue and her court to Garnet, the clearer it is how messed up Homeworld’s class system is and just as Ruby is about to become it’s next victim, Sapphire decides to throw away fate to rescue the gem that rescued her. She grabs Ruby and jumps off the edge of the cloud arena to float them down to the safety of Earth. 

Once on Earth, Ruby panics and realizes that she’s duty bound to get Sapphire back to Blue’s court unharmed. All Sapphire can say in defense of her action is that they were going to break Ruby. Ruby protests that there are tons of Ruby and her being broken would not matter. But Sapphire couldn’t accept that at the moment. It’s like she barely understands her own motivations as she gets lost in the unpredictable nature of her impossible and uncertain future. She has to decide to go back to her position or stay on Earth to protect Ruby from getting shattered but she freezes up when confronted with possibilities. And this is when Ruby steps forward to help her again. This time she picks her up to carry her to a cave to get dry, breaking Sapphire out of being frozen on the spot. They get to the cave and Sapphire thanks Ruby, causing Ruby to get a bit heated and start a fire. Sapphire confesses that she’s never known that fusion makes you disappear, starting their conversation about Garnet. Ruby explains that same gem fusion doesn’t make you disappear, it just makes you more. The experience was new to her as well. Both shyly agree that it was a nice feeling. They later leave the cave and sing “Something New” as they explore Earth.

Ruby and Sapphire’s song plays out more like a conversation, where they discuss Garnet and their feelings and thoughts about cross gem fusion. As they explore the planet we see them enjoying the organic life and the beauty of nature on Earth. It’s not clearly specified how much time they spend wandering around but the change in scenery and weather suggest at least a few days if not weeks until they decide to fuse into Garnet again. I love that their fusion dance quickly becomes Ruby picking up Sapphire as they twirl. It shows how much they’ve come to understand and trust each other, that Sapphire is willing to be spun around that hard. Also Ruby’s pretty strong to be able to do that so effortlessly. 

Garnet, newly reformed, stumbles her way around, trying to get used to the feeling of a new shaped form, three eyes, and future vision, and of course stumbles right into a rose bush. OK KO Crossover Nexus made it canon that Garnet’s visor is prescription as well as helps enhance her ability to process her future vision. I think anyone with three eyes would probably need glasses just to make sense of the world. Also, it’s cute how she adjusts her visor when checking possible futures. But for now, she is just stumbling around in a blurry half colonized Earth.

In the rose bush, Garnet is confronted by Pearl and Rose. Pearl recognizes her from the Cloud Arena and Rose admits she’s glad they found her. Garnet starts to process through a lot of emotions and thoughts, but the first thing she notices is that Rose and Pearl aren’t immediately disgusted by her existence as a cross-gem fusion. In “Now We’re Only Falling Apart” we hear Pearl’s side of this story and see that Rose and Pearl had recently had their own experience fusing into Rainbow Quartz for the first time. Without that knowledge though, it’s odd that Rose doesn’t deny feeling uncomfortable about Garnet.. she just emphasizes that what Garnet is feeling is much more important and interesting. The rest of the scene doesn’t portray her as uncomfortable or on edge, probably because she is still amazed that this kind of fusion can exist. Also, her recent experience with Rainbow Quartz and the Very Gay feelings that lead to that fusion, Rose probably is excited for Ruby and Sapphire that they decided to fuse again. Garnet starts to ask a lot of questions about why she exists but Rose stops her and tells her that she already is the answer. Some people have pointed to this moment and suggested that Rose accidentally influenced Garnet to never ask questions again using Diamond power. I don’t agree. I think Garnet still had a ton of questions and a ton of growing to do from being welcomed into the Crystal Gems up until the present day. She had to figure herself and Ruby and Sapphire’s relationship out. She had to name herself. She had to fight in a war. Through it all, she grew and decided to find the answers to her questions within herself, inspired by Rose’s assurance that she could. Maybe she made a vow to herself, but I don’t think she was coerced into never asking questions again. 

Garnet’s story ends and Steven asks her what the “answer” was. She replies that it’s love and the the episode ends with the star iris blinking into little hearts. 

I love Garnet’s first form because in a lot of ways she reminds me of Stevonnie, which probably contributes to why she so utterly supportive of Stevonnie. Garnet’s first form combines Ruby and Sapphire’s outfits in a haphazard way and even better, the colors of the outfits bleed into each other. Sapphire’s blue glove takes on the black of Ruby’s outfit and the cuff of Ruby’s sleeve is now blue. The fluffy multicolored afro and the trichromatic eyes serve to show the blending of the two gems into one being in a way that isn’t completely cohesive yet.  On the topic of looking for clues about Pink Diamond, I think it’s interesting to note that just a few episodes ago Peridot was talking about Pearls being flaunted by the elites on Homeworld, and in this episode we get a shadowy figure of Blue Diamond with Blue Pearl at her side, and we see a very pink tinted Rose Quartz with her Renegade Pearl. Considering the first part of the story happens in the presence of Blue’s court, all elite blue gems, wouldn’t you expect more pearls? Yet the only two shown side by side with Pearls are Blue Diamond and Rose Quartz. It’s a small thing but it’s not like Blue got all suspicious hearing the voice of Pink Diamond coming from the rebel leader so it’s what we have to go on. This episode as a whole is a great bonding moment for Garnet and Steven and leads directly into the next episode, “Steven’s Birthday”

[andsoshespins]

Thursday’s Thoughts

The number of cookies I consumed alone since last night is astounding.

Sometimes a regular chocolate chip dessert is just what you need to hit the spot. 

Related: These are the days for which I freeze homemade cookie dough.

I do think that my general outlook on life is much different from (and more often than not, better) than those of some people who participate in social media posting, scrolling, and absorbing.  

I have some very extreme friends, on both ends of the spectrum; and it is very interesting to me. 

Will we ever move past this hyper-political, constantly-knee-jerking climate of interaction?  For example, I would like to pick up my earrings without being asked about my personal opinions on controversial topics in the news by someone I barely know.

Virtual parent-teacher conferences are not the same an in-person ones.  I know we do the best we can, and it is nice to be home early on a half day, that this is more convenient for many parents.  But I am kind of missing the late night and seeing parents with their children.

I have also been wondering lately about large, district-wide events and professional development experiences.  How long will it take to return to those kinds of gatherings?  Again, there are many benefits to the virtual learning, but I am craving that genuine energy from swapping Post-Its and sharing Sharpies with teachers from other buildings, learning about their students, and seeing where they live every day in the school building. 

Keeping a Hope Journal has been an interesting exercise.  I am trying to maintain this level of mindfulness.

I am starting to have strange bouts of anxiety over the end of Daylight Savings Time next weekend.  I am sometimes content that the hour is earlier than the sky intimates, but the darkening twilight at 4:30 PM is more often sad. 

Today I had to wear a real jacket.  And a scarf.  Sigh. 

In the morning, I am on duty to welcome and gather the students outside.  I don’t hate the ten minutes of fresh air in the sun.  I have a feeling that even when the temperatures drop, I will not mind this responsibility. 

Doing yoga counts as exercise, no?  Otherwise I haven’t worked out in two days. 

Related: I should do yoga more often because my body was extraordinarily tight and in dire need of stretching.  I have to go back to my once-or-twice-a-week routine. 

A neck massage would feel nice. 

I started watching Brooklyn Nine-Nine this week because I needed something light to elevate my energy, and I forgot how much I love Andy Samberg.  Also, although I am only a few episodes in, I have a feeling that this show fits RIGHT IN to that sweet spot around New Girl, The Mindy Project, and Happy Endings as they were all filmed within the same time frame.  Maybe I have a type.  Or an era. 

Rereading Holes because I may teach it to my students is invigorating.  It is STILL a great fucking story, even as an adult.  Or maybe even moreso.  Ah, Kissin’ Kate Barlow.  What a crazy bitch.