#it talks about more than just wealthy people nonsense but also stuff like gender and gender deviance

[earth-wyrms]

You're 100% correct. That social spiral is convoluted on purpose. It excludes the people who cannot afford - either with time or with money - to learn the nuances of the dance. Its why so much weight is put on the details of the aesthetics and etiquette and why so much of that "high quality rich people stuff" is actually really cumbersome to use: if I have the time or the money to afford to go to extra effort just for the aesthetics of something I can signal my social class (better than everyone who cant). Its why you'll look at absurdly wealthy mansions with the most uncomfortable looking chair-like-objects you've ever seen and wonder, "why would anyone sit on that?". You're not supposed to. If you'd ask you'd find out that the pseudo-chairs are $6,000 each - but you're not supposed to ask. If you were like me you'd already know that this chair-moeba was $6,000 and it is never to be used. The fact that you had to ask or dared to sit, signals that you are not in the know about the haute interior designer of the season; the guy who's work is the current symbol of our superiority. The fact that it changes is also the point. If you cannot spend the energy to be on the pulse of the present wealthy zeitgeist and if you do not have the money to change your chairs out every season, then you are a lower class of person than me. It's the mixture of social signalling that has literally always existed (powdering unwashed faces), combined with conspicuous consumption. You indicate how much money you have by burning it in frivolous ways that help no one else. (like shooting your car into space) So yeah rich people stuff is cumbersome and hard to use on purpose. Comfortable chairs are shunted off to a back room where they are actually used, but comfort should never be displayed. Out where you do your entertaining - where you communicate your status - is where you show off. Showing off and getting comfortable are opposites. Oh and the exclusivity becomes and ouroboros, btw. That's the spiral you pointed out. Thats why the zeitgeist changes and why you'll have people chiseling out their honeycomb calcite (beautiful, literally only found in the US state of Utah) countertops if too many of their peers also start installing honeycomb calcite countertops. Via my exclusivity not only am I better than the people who cannot afford (time, money, effort) to have this, I am better than my peers. I am better than the people I desire to impress. One-of-a-kind-ness that also cost thousands of dollars to buy is a sure-fire way to signal to everyone that I am a higher social class than them. Anyways. A LOT of this (and more) can be found in Dress Codes: How the Laws of Fashion Made History, by Richard Ford Thompson who goes into this kind of material social dance through the lens of clothing. Who is allowed to, or should be excluded from, wearing what kind of clothing. Why is it so important, ect. - ask if your local library has it, can get it for you, or if you can snag an inter-library loan - or buy it from a small bookshop HERE

The hyper-wealthy need broken rules and abandoned morals/ethics to survive.

[emersonfreepress]

okay so is there content that you had planned for the ROs and story in general but then scrapped cause there wasn’t a good place in the story to stick it in? and if so, can you share what it was? 👀 👀 👀

yes, definitely. *rubs hands together* oh man, you done asked THE question today xD I can't wait to get into this 😁

Academics. I almost decided to have classes and grades be a minor part of gameplay, but the more time I spent designing it the more I realized I wanted nothing to do with it 😂 I haven’t really enjoyed academic gameplay in other interactive fiction because I 1) hate having to choose between studying and interacting with awesome characters, 2) have terrible short term memory, and 3) hate school in general!! So instead I just opted to have the MC be really good at school, point blank period so I could focus on social drama and relationships instead! 😆

Physical skills. I spent literal months crafting the catering scene around setting up stats for stamina/endurance, dexterity, and strength instead of just magnetism, confidence, and persuasion. They had their own backstories with the MC’s parents being overly invested sports parents instead and I think the background choices were like... martial arts, gymnastics, and track? But yeah, I ended up scrapping it all because I was spending hours on research about those individual sports so I could integrate them into the MC’s narrative organically but like... when I tried to think of what use they would be in the actual story, I came up blank. Best decision yet, esp since it means a lot less coding!

Skin tone customization. For one, I noticed that a lot of my favorite IFs don’t offer that customization and it hasn’t impacted my experience at all. For two, I originally realized I might as well not implement it since I am striving real hard not to introduce any customization that won’t actually be mentioned in interesting or meaningful ways in-story. I don’t think it’s really all that common for real life friends (esp in high school?) to comment or compliment each other’s skin and like... when it comes from someone who doesn’t share a similar complexion or ethnic background, that type of commentary gets... d i c e y. So then I wanted to be sensitive to that but what’s the pay-off? An RO mentioning how they love your skin tone once? Awkward sentences with the MC referring to their own skin color? Idk, just wasn’t vibing with it. I’m open to revisiting it in beta or something but for now it’s scrapped.

Singing, Rapping, and Gaming as Hobbies/Talents. I feel bad about scrapping these, honestly 😂 They’re great and I really wanted to incorporate them but it just came down to already having a lot of stuff to code. Plus, I know I can write the Hobbies/Talents I stuck with far better. And for Book 2 purposes, as well!

Leo. as @sourandflightypeaches ​​ asked me about a long while ago, I had to scrap an entire RO 😢 His name is Leo, he was the nephew of wealthy west African diplomats residing in Emerson, and I love him dearly! His backstory was largely based on my mother’s childhood and the circumstances she lived through after immigrating to America. and... ok, i’m about to go on one hell of a tangent so buckle up and bear with me if you can 😅

my intention with this story, aside from writing things that I personally enjoy (graphic violence, spooky woods, social drama, romance, conspiracies 😚), is to explore greed, wealth, and how the ways people and families interact with those two things influence young people and who they grow up to be. here i go sounding pretentious af 😝 and here’s where I apply a cut for those who want to preserve a little mystery to the main characters!

With Gabe, we’ve got someone who grew up with very little stability or financial security but who has found unscrupulous methods to gain status and money, with both noble and selfish motivations.

Kile has some of that childhood experience in common with Gabe, having been in the foster care system since infancy, but they lucked out when they were adopted into massive wealth by a caring, loving couple—a couple that uses their wealth and privilege to be far more lenient and protective of Kile than is actually reasonable or responsible.

Jack comes from a prestigious wealthy family on his dad’s side who he loves dearly but there’s no getting around the fact that they love him back as much as they despise his working class mom.

Jessie is a spoiled sweet heiress (being the baby of her family and the only girl) and while she lives blissfully ignorant of the harmful source and impact of her father's income and career, she bears the weight of the expectation to fulfill very traditional gender roles, including her behavior and appearance, but also extending to her career and life plans.

Rain's wealth led to them growing up sheltered and isolated but also extremely accommodated, giving them maximum freedom and opportunity to discover and develop their personal talents and interests. However, they have almost no positive relationship with their parents who have essentially decided to give up on a kid that couldn't be exactly the accessory they tried to mold them to be—both in terms of their identity and personality.

Rupan/Rohan, at their very core, rejects everything about conformity, self-importance, and excessive luxury—which means they have never, ever truly fit in with their peers. Going full non-conformist, however, has resulted in them becoming alienated from much of their family, as well, despite them all loving each other very much. Their history with false friends and betrayals has led them to over-indulge in their vices and reckless behavior to compensate for that isolation. Sometimes, they just get in over their head and many times, they know better. Every time, it's just that the feeling of finally belonging is utterly intoxicating.

Vivian/Vincent has two extremely successful parents who didn't inherit but instead built up their wealth and they aspire to be just like them, to a degree that is well and truly unhealthy. Their mother specifically is an over-achiever and applies mountainous pressure for them to follow in her footsteps, especially academically. Vi is completely capable of achieving what their mom expects of them, but they were already an extremely sensitive perfectionist so this has made them intensely critical of themself. This is a large part of why they are such a rigid, no-nonsense person and that in turn has made them one of the most disliked people among their peers—which is a huge personal failure to them since their father is a very well-liked and socially successful person in town.

And the Emersons are peak privilege: inherent high social status, brains, looks, charisma, athleticism, and massive wealth. They could never have been anything less than extremely popular, just by virtue of their last name and the nature of the town's social dynamics and politics. And they do enjoy that privilege (esp Curt lol). However, it should go without saying that being so high profile, even (or maybe especially) just in the isolated scope of your hometown, isn't always a boon. Their family's and their own perceived failings are widely discussed and privately mocked and/or celebrated. Real friends are scarce while fake ones and snakes are plentiful. Plus their dad is a gigantic dickhead who sees his kids as extensions of his own status and reputation and not much else. Public shortcomings make for an unbearable time at home and the world outside the estate is at once overly accommodating, full of assumptions, and even subtly hostile at times—all unrelated to their own actions or character.

And with the MC, I think the narrative will make it clear there are several ways that story can go. You start off with irresponsible parents that have lost their wealth due to their own mismanagement and material ambitions—how that affects any individual MC should differ based on choices and consequences!

So why bring any of that up when I was supposed to be talking about my cut OC? 😂😂

Leo was going to be the unwelcome recent addition to his uncle’s household, the son of a brother his aunt hates for (petty af) Reasons, and she took that resentment out on him directly by restricting his access to nearly every aspect of the family's wealth. Especially material goods and living conditions. He was basically treated like the help, tasked with playing nanny for his many younger cousins and burdened with doing the homework and providing academic cover for his dumb as rocks cousin in the same grade as you all. To sum it up, he was basically a victim of trafficking at the hands of his own family with his uncle out of town enough to feign ignorance to how bad his wife was treating his nephew and his aunt going out of her way to keep him busy, at home, and isolated. This is sadly a super common form of trafficking in Francophone African cultures (although I don't think most people view it as trafficking. and I’m sure the same is true of other cultures but I don’t want to speak outside of my purview). And like I mentioned above, it’s how my own mom's (and idek how many cousins') child/teenhood went.

It’s a perspective on modern wealth, privilege and greed that I really, really wanted to tell. I am confident in saying it hasn't been explored in interactive fiction yet (though correct me—and direct me 👀—if I'm wrong) and out of all the wealth/greed explorations I came up with, it's the one I have the closest personal ties to and the strongest feelings about. The characters and plans I had for it were detailed and I'm proud of them but at the end of the day... I just couldn't find a place for Leo in the story at large.

Leo was, in fact, the last main character I came up with, when I had already designed and fleshed out the larger story and started crafting the timeline of major events. I think the worst thing I could have done for a story and perspective that I care about this much is shove it into a plot that didn't have room for it at the very base level, regardless of how well the character or his story is written. Shoe-horned characters always stick out. I didn’t want to disservice Leo by having him be the character that did nothing or could be removed from the main plot without affecting it at all, y’know? That’s so much worse than just forgoing the indulgence, imo :((

ugh.... Leooooo 😭 I'm so sorry bb, I failed youuu 😥

[illnessfaker]

[ cw: f-slur, rape mention ]

no reblogs pls. this is a long vent.

haha not to be a hysterical faggot crippled shut-in freak or anything but the way ppl talk abt the defensiveness around the f-slur that some gay/bi male users (and some transfem users) on here as if it's some kind superiority pissing contest thing and not primarily about...respecting the boundaries and experiences of those gay/bi male (and transfem) users. like...being on this site as a fag-adjacent person (i say that half-jokingly because it sounds silly on one hand but on the other that's the most accurate descriptor of my gender identity, lol) is becoming increasingly draining and upsetting with how "progressive" homophobia against gay/bi men is apparently becoming, like, a meme among lgbtq people and that's acceptable somehow bc lgbtq people aren't cishets or because it's "only online" and therefore doesn't matter.

like idgaf abt ppl who aren't gay/bi men (or transfem) using the f-slur in every single context possible. if they're affectionately referring to their gay/bi male (or transfem) friends with that word (so long as said friends are comfortable with it) that's one thing. who cares. i even rb'd something where a cis butch (iirc) lesbian was talking about a gay man she knew who she was affectionatly calling a faggot and the things she said warmed my heart. if they're throwing it around at every opportunity or using it as an edgy insult against random strangers on the internet, that's another. the users on here who do the latter also regularly display behavior that like...shows a pretty clear disdain for gay/bi men (or transfem ppl) not apart of their online or "irl" circlejerks and echo chambers, and that is in no way disconnected from their love of using the f-slur, lol.

the "it's only online and so it's unimportant uwu go outside" thing also really feels like such a spit in the face as someone who both lives in a rural area full of cishet white men with guns that might try to kill me if i walked out of the house in drag (not to mention i live with my bf and his family and his parents are homophobes themselves i'm sure), and is also someone with health issues that usually keep me at home and in bed when i'm not working. i didn't always live here but even in my hometown the only "lgbtq space" i had was the high school GSA which didn't do shit other than the day of silence and was attended by people i did not feel safe around (e.g. my ex-friend who was very emotionally manipulative and ended up raping someone.) i don't have any other lgbtq spaces to go to other than online ones. if i never joined tumblr i might still be a self-hating cishet girl, or i might be dead, who knows. like, i've accepted at this point that personhood isn't something i'm allowed in (outside of my whiteness) so fuck me i guess if we need to but the idea that other young, impressionable, and/or traumatized lgbtq people who only can meet other lgbtq people and learn about lgbtq things online for whatever reason don't deserve to have us make an effort on cultivating internet spaces that are as accessible and safe for them as possible, or that their experiences and feelings are somehow unimportant is just...vile. like ofc not everyone needs to "pander" to "logged on" disabled fags like myself maybe but if you have any kind of large following on social media maybe consider that the things you say and do on said social media have like...an actual effect on other people instead of pretending that it's "just online" and therefore consequences for your actions either don't matter enough (to you personally) or somehow don't exist.

but going back to the fag thing, most popular lgbtq tumblr users on my dash i see nowadays just...simply do not give a shit whatsoever about gay/bi men, to the point they're normalizing "progressive" and "acceptable" homphobia against us bc they've convinced themselves due to the bigotry some gay/bi men (often cis, white, and wealthy mind you) exhibit we are "the cishets of the lgbtq community," despite horrific violence still being committed against us every day and despite other lgbtq people being capable of engaging in that violence themselves. ppl make thinly veiled jokes and memes where the punchline is men having sex with each other or effeminacy as if those things aren't primary avenues for gay/bi men being abused, assaulted, and killed (including acts of abuse and assault of a sexually-driven nature), as if said jokes and memes don't serve to normalize the mentalities that drive homophobic hate crimes. it's not like...a coincidence that most lgbtq people who makes these jokes aren't gay/bi men (or transfem). this doesn't even get into how things like homophobia and anti-effeminacy can pretty much boot certain gay/bi men from manhood...or womanhood...or any place in gender altogether.

call me exlusionary if you want but i think it's fair to say that the chances of people who aren't gay/bi men (or transfem*) facing the repurcussions of those mentalities in any meaningful way, the chances of these people actually having lived as or going to live as "faggots" is any meaningful sense is slim to none, and that's why they're so comfortable participating in this shit, and that's why i'm triggered(tm) by them "reclaiming" faggot (which doesn't really involve reclamation bc calling random strangers on the internet or gay/bi men you hate a slur isn't reclamation you morons), because frankly if you're not apart of either of those groups, you're just not a fucking faggot. it's not your word just because some rando on overwatch called you it for picking hanzo in comp. period. end of story. it's also just extremely absurd to try and claim faggotry as something you experience while...readily and happily engaging in homophobia and fag-hate (which isn't synonymous with the former term but i'm talking abt ppl who probably seldom ever engage which discussions and theory surrounding how homophobia instrumentates itself in society - or at least that which doesn't conform to their worldview). within the gay/bi male community there's plentu of masc "straight-acting" gays who weaponize this shit against fem gays and they (should) get held accountable in the same way. you're not special.

and god, being told my gendered experiences as a fag-adjacent person where (white) cafab women are fully capable of engaging in social forms of "oppression" against me and other fags in undeniably gendered ways is somehow an outlier and therefore not reflective of broader social by (white) masc urbanite tbros with definitively more social standing than i'll ever have in my life, as if i somehow developed this understanding of gendered violence just based off my own life and not...the reported and sometimes even recorded experiences of countless other fags who get mocked and silenced because anything that deviates from a watered down, shoddy cis feminist take on gender is fake news(tm) or bordering on saying misandry exists (like no it doesn't exist but acting as if homophobic shit like anti-sodomy laws, for example, has zero to do with gay/bi men's manhood is just nonsensical). convos on here abt gender being mostly dominated by (white) cafab women or sometimes (white) masc trans guys is such a mistake lmao.

anyway i'm tired and stressed and pretty done with having "acceptable" homophobic shit shoved in my face on a daily basis both online and offline but nevertheless i must persist because i'm not lucky enough to have anywhere else to go, really. just...think critically abt ur actions regarding gay/bi male sexuality and gender-stuff pretty please. please.

( *disclaimer just in case that i definitely don't see transfems as some "type" of gay/bi men. there are transfems who identify with gay/bi manhood and/or faggotry. there are transfems who don't. that's entirely up to them. thank u. )

[interludcs]

          BENEDETTA   PORCAROLI   ,   CIS   FEMALE   ,   SHE   /   HER   →   according   to   the   school   records   ,   GIOVANNA   ELOISA   ARGENTI   has   been   attending   sacred   heart   for   the   past   two   years   .   i   last   saw   them   hanging   around   stan's   place   ;   i   think   they   were   tying   cherry   stems   into   knots   .   at   twenty   -   one   ,   gio   has   been   studying   classics   and   get   this   ,   i   heard   that   her   bloodline   has   long   been   cursed   to   succumb   to   inevitable   madness   and   it’s   been   the   cause   of   many   mysterious   deaths   in   the   family   already   —   figure   it’s   true   ?   everyone   around   here   always   associates   them   with   biting   into   an   apple   only   to   realize   it’s   rotten   ,   a   bloody   nose   dripping   onto   silk   stockings   ,   and   the   distorted   screech   of   a   violin   coming   from   another   room   .   in   the   time   since   these   strange   happenings   ,   they   have   encountered   unexplained   occurrences   .  

━  ˙ ˖  ☆     QUICK  STATS  !

full  name  :   giovanna   eloisa   argenti

nickname(s)  :   gio   ,   gigi   (   although   she   likes   to   think   she   outgrew   it  )

zodiac  :   scorpio   sun   ,   gemini   moon   (  click   !  )

sexuality  :   bisexual   .

occupation  :   student   &   heiress   .

birthplace  :   rome   ,   italy   .

current residence  :   sacred   heart   academy   . 

pinterest   :   (   click   !   )  

━  ˙ ˖  ☆     BACKSTORY  !  (   tw   :   depression   ,   murder   ,   suicide   &   drug   abuse   )

born   in   1953   to   one   of   the  wealthiest   families   in   italy   !   the   argenti's   posses   a   ridiculous  and   tbh   kinda   disgusting   fortune   because   of   their   distant   ties   to   the   old   italian   monarchy   ...   and   are   also   long   rumored   to   have   been   cursed   hundreds   of   years   ago   as   divine   punishment    for   the   sins   of   a   past    family   member   . 

the   family    has    a    long   and   gruesome   history   —   good   husbands   turning   into   killers   ,   more   than   one   argenti   woman    flinging   herself   off   one   of    the   many   balconies   in   the   family   estate   ,   children   who   hear   voices   in   the   night   .   more   often    than    people   care   to   count   ,   these   fits   of   madness   are   seemingly   inexplicable   .        

giovanna   was   born   on   chilly   autumn   night   .   she   would   be   her   mother’s   first   and   last   child   ,   but   lucianna   argenti   saw   her   baby   girl   as   anything   but   a   miracle   .   when   she   was   only   five   months   old   ,   a   nanny   discovered   the   woman   trying   to   drown   giovanna   in   the   bathtub   ,   stuck   in   a   trance   she’d   later   have   no   recollection   of   being   in   .   long   in   denial   of   the   family   curse   ,    marco   argenti   hired   nearly   every   notable   doctor   in   italy   ,   but   none   of   them   could   find   a   sound   explanation   for   the   violent   and   nonsensical   trances   his   wife   would   experience   for   the   next   three   years   before   ultimately   taking   her   own   life   .        

leaving   giovanna   to   grow   up   all   alone   in   the   too   big   family   estate   at   the   hands   of   nannies   ,   marco   argenti   would  spend   the   better   years   of   his   only   daughter’s   life   traveling   all   around   europe   ,   desperate   to   shake   the   ghost   of   his   wife   ,   but   never    succeeding   . 

despite   all   the   tragedy   early   on   in   gio’s   life   ,   she   had   an   almost   typical   upbringing   for   someone  in   her   socioeconomic   circle   .   a   childhood   devoid   of   the   love   her   parents   were   supposed   to   give   ,   nannies   who   gave   in   to   the   rotten   demands   only   a    wealthy   child   and   sole   heir   could   conjure   up   ,    a    house   that   never   felt   like   a   home   .

by   the   time   she   was   a   teenager   ,   gio   had   grown   up   to   be   a   different   kind   of   monster   —   not   the   madwomen   her   classmates   would   snicker   about   when   speaking   ill   of   the   blood   that   flowed   through   her   veins   ,    but   something   perhaps   more   dangerous   ,   a   selfish   girl   too   clever   and   too   beautiful   for   her   own   good   . 

on   the   eve   of   her   18th   birthday   her   father   makes   his   grand   return   home  ,   gone   so   long   he   mistakes   his   daughter   for   a   maid   before   a   groundskeeper   politely   informs   him   of   his   mistake   .   causing   more  tension   still   was   the   brand   new   gold   band   on   his   ring   finger   ,   as   well   as   the   announcement   that   he’s   selling   the   estate  ,   and   that   gio’s   to   come   live   with   his   new   wife   and   three   small   children   in   france   .

the   day   giovanna   argenti   turns   18   is   a   day   she   can   no   longer   remember  save  for   waking   up   in   the   remnants   of   a   burnt   down   home   ,   ash   caked   underneath   her   fingernails   ,   smoke   burning   her   lungs   .   servants   who   have   been   loyal   to   the   argenti   family   for   decades   will   later   testify   that  there   had   been   a   terrible   accident   lighting   the   birthday   cake   that   night   ,   that   marco  argenti   had   never   returned   home   the   night   before   ,    and   that   the   family   of   four   in   paris   crying   murder   were   nothing    but   scammers   after   the   family   fortune   .

gio   spends   the   next   year   scrambling   to   piece   together   the   mysterious   events   ,   a   tiny   voice   inside   her   head   insisting   something   wasn’t   right   with   the   story   she’d   been   fed   by   the   people   who  raised   her   ,   albeit   confused   as   to   why   they’d   hide   the   truth   if   something   sinister   had   indeed   happened  that   night  .  she   could   have   sworn   the   memory   of   her   father   coming   home   was   a   real   one   —   until   she   gets   a   letter   in   the   mail  ,   signed   marco   argenti   ,   polaroid  attached  ,   a   blurry   shot   of   a   man   who   bears   the   family   resemblance  standing   in   front   of   the   statue   of   liberty   .

cue   the   drug   abuse   (   coke   being   her   poison  of   choice   )   ,   the   reckless   and   dangerous   stunts   all   in   the   name   of   having   a   good   time   ,   the   mind   numbing   sex   with   strangers   .   heart   heavy   with   the   idea   that   she   was   indeed   going   insane   ,   following   in   the   footsteps   of   all   the   argenti’s   that   had   come   before   her   ,   giovanna   was   left   with   the   haunting   sensation   that   her   life   was   already   doomed   ,   and   so   she   might   as   well   make   the   most   of   it   .  on   the   flip   side   of   this   she   also   came   to   the   realization   that   she   could   pretty   much   ....   do   whatever   she   wanted   and   get   away   with   it   ?   people   already   thought   she   was   cursed   and   crazy   ...   might   as    well   act   the   part   ...   a    little    self   fulfilling   prophecy  ...   as   a   treat   <3      

in   a   feeble   attempt   to   save   her   from  an   untimely   and   rather   stupid   demise   ,   she   is   shipped   off   to   sacred   heart   academy   ,   a   place   a   distant   cousin   once   attended   .   mind   clouded   by   addiction   and   unresolved   trauma   alike   ,   giovanna   can’t   be   sure   the   strange   happenings   at   sacred   heart   are   real   at   all   or   just   a   product   of   a   dark   and   overactive   imagination   .   

━  ˙ ˖  ☆     PERSONALITY  +  TIDBITS  !

first   &   foremost   ...   gio   was   inspired   loosely   by   some   sexy   women   including   miss   effy   stonem   from   skins   ,   choi   sooji   from   tempted   ,   ludo   from   baby   ,   villanelle   from   killing   eve   &   lady   macbeth   minus   the   murder   (   ...   unless   ?   😏   )   ,   as   well   as   more   lana   del   rey   songs   than   i   care   to   admit   so   we   won’t   be   talking   about   it   aha   x

yes   what   i’m   trying   to   say   is   she’s   a   little   unhinged   ...   but   in   that   fun   sexy   way   like   when   amy   dunne   gives   the   cool   girl   speech   in   gone   girl   .

speaking   of    cool   girls   ...   gio   is   one   😌   you   would   think   growing   up   with   a   last   name   that’s   literally   famous   for   being   cursed    would   have   put   a   bigger    damper   on   her    popularity   among   people   but   there’s   a   certain   fascination   gio   holds   and   she   knows   it   .   this   isn’t   to   say   she’s   got   a   lot   of   friends   because   she   definitely   doesn’t   ,   she   just   knows   how   to   get   people’s   attention   .

at   her    core   she   is   clever   ,    charming   ,    everything   someone   who   grew   up   with   money   is   bound   to   be   .   but   unlike   the   selfishness   of    other   trust   fund   babies   ,   gio’s    operates   on   a   different   scale   .   she’s   self   obsessed   ,    not   because   she   views   herself   as   better   than   anyone   else   ,   but  because   she’s    so   haunted    by   the   idea   that   something   terrible   and   wicked   exists   inside   of   her   and   it’s   only   a   matter   of   time   before   darkness   takes   over   .

in   an   effort   to   counter   that   weight   ,    she   breezes   through   life   without   taking   much   seriously   .    toying   with   people   ,   the   mind   games   she   plays   ,    it’s   all   an   effort   to   distract   herself   ,   to   entertain   her   brain   with   thoughts   that   somehow   seem   lighter   in   comparison   to   her   own   inevitable   self   destruction   although   the   people   she   plays   with   might   say   otherwise   . 

consequences   should   scare   her   more   than   they   do   ,   but   honestly   she’s   got   a   penchant   for   doing   the   things   deemed   bad   for   her   .   on   one   hand   she   figures   little   matters   if   she’s   truly   cursed   ,    on   the   other   hand   she   figures   if    she   is   cursed   than   whatever   consequence   comes   her   way   is   deserved   .

flirty   ,    but   most   of   the   time   it   never   means   anything   .   she   is   prone   to   intense   infatuations   ,   however   ,   all   of   which   have   ended   tragically   so   far   so   proceed   with   caution   .

she’s   definitely   someone   most   people   would   know   of   ,    as    she’s   got   an   almost   bad   habit   of   striking   up   conversations   with   whoever   ,   but   ask   someone   to   name   her   favorite   color   or   any   profound   fact   about   her   and   they   probably   wouldn’t   be   able   to   .

very  nosy   due   to   her   childhood   of   people   watching  and   intensely   studying   the   adults   who   raised   her   ,   and   so   the   habit   has   carried   on   into   her   adult   life   .   she   won’t   outwardly   pry   ,   but   if   you   catch   her   interest   she’ll   unabashedly   observe   you   like   she’s   an   actor   trying   to   better   understand   their   part   .

tons   of   fun   at   parties   ,   but   also   in   class   ,   considering   she’s   snorting   enough   coke   on   the   daily   to   treat   school   like   it’s   one   big   social   gathering   .   life’s   a   beach   baby   <3

studying   classics   because   she   likes   how   intense   the   stories   and   history   are  ,   but   she’s   surprised   herself   by   being   rather   good   at   the   language   aspect   of   the   major   .

deep   deep   down   ...  there   is   the   desire   to  be   understood   and   loved   despite   whatever   uninhibited   thing   she’s   convinced   lurks   around   inside   her  but   that   is   constantly   in   conflict   with   the   idea   that   she’s   fundamentally   undeserving   of   real   affection   ...   just  girly   things  you   know    🥺

━  ˙ ˖  ☆     WANTED  CONNECTIONS  !  (  all  open  to  all  genders  )

 my   brain   is   quite   literally   all   rot   rn   im   just   gonna   list   stuff   with  minimal   elaboration  please   vibe   with   me   ...

people   she   gets   high   with  <3   

ex   infatuations   that   ended   tragically   lets   get   that   angst

spare   parental   figures   ...   any   professors   out   there   want   a   demon   child   who   will   idolize   u   but   not   know   how   to   deal   with   that   so   they   just   act   up   all   the   while   hoping   for   forgiveness   and   the   attention   they   never   got   from   their   own   parents   </3      

speaking   of   professors   i   will   play   into   the   problematic  trope   of   a   student   being   obsessed   with   a   professor   -___-   solely   because  i   would   lov   to   have   gio   go   full   throttle   crazy   ...   as   a   treat   ...   this   has   nothing   to   do   with   that   one   line   in   lorde’s   writer   in   the   dark   u   know   the   one   truly   this   does   not   have   to   be   reciprocated   at   ALL            

a   confidant   /    someone   she   probably   considers   her   closest  friend   who   she   is   constantly  disgusted   with   herself   for   opening   up   to   but   also   truly   not   able   to   live   without   so   it’s   a   fun  cycle   of   push   and   pull   but  truly  she’d   probably  die  for   them  just   don’t  ask   her   that   she’ll   say   no   

i   think   it   would   be   fun   to    have   someone   who   knows   about   the   supposed   argenti   curse   maybe   their  family   had   some   associations   to   gio’s   or   maybe   they   spent   some  time  in  italy   at   some   point   growing   up   and   met   her   there   idk   im   cute   not   smart   ...

we’ve  all   been   begging  and  begging   i   will   jump   on   the   bandwagon   and   ask   for   a   sexy   rival   doesnt   mean   anything   if   u   say   i   hate  u   after   hooking  up     

someone   she   keeps   bumping   into  when   she’s   sneaking   out   past   curfew   or   cutting   class   and   at   first   it   was   like   dude   seriously   do   we   have   to   start   alternating   but   now   it   turned  into   like   wow   i   really   hope   we   bump   into   each   other   again   would   u   like   a  cigarette   wanna   listen   to   some   music   together   

 someone   she   sees   a   lot   at   stan’s   place   .   perhaps   on   campus   they   have   a   very   different  relationship   but   off   campus   they  feel   free   to  have   another

current   hookups   we   love   to   see   it   there’s   so   many   directions   to   go   in    maybe   its   purely   a   casual   thing   ,    maybe   it’s   casual   for   gio   but   not   for   them   ,   or    maybe   gio’s   the   one   like   worm   maybe   i  would   like   more   than   sex   ,    maybe   it’s   like   a   we   only   hookup   when   we’re   high   at   parties   thing  ,   perhaps   it’s   a   secret   hookup   thing   so   it   gets   angsty      

maybe   a   rival   or   someone   she   swears   she   hates   and   they   swear   the   same   but   they   accidentally   bond   along   the   way   and   it’s   like   well   i   thought   i   hated   u   but   perhaps  we   are   more   similar   than   we   thought   but   also   we   only   know   how   to   be  enemies  so   how   do   we   even   move   past   this   ...

perhaps   someone   gio   goes   to   when   she’s   especially   fucked   up   and   they   take   care   of   her   /   start   to   resent   her   for   seemingly   caring   so   little   abt   her   own   well   being   and   she   resents   them   for   caring   too  much   bc   it’s   not   liked   she   asked   but   she   keeps   showing   up   at   their   door   and   they   keep   letting   her   in   

someone   she   can   be   in   cahoots   with   ...   go   absolutely   bonkers   with   knowing   they   won’t   judge   her   and   she   won’t   judge   them

perhaps   someone   she   can   be   a   bad   influence   on

also   someone   who   makes   her   want   to   be   a   better   person   bc   we   need   balance

a   group   of   girls   gio   can   be   like   men   r   disgusting   with   but   then   they  catch   her   hooking   up   with   said   stinky   man   and   it’s   just   a   cycle   like   please   get   some  help  luv   

a   dealer   mayhaps   ?   

someone   whose   favorite   pen   she   stole   but   blatantly   lied   and   said   she   didn’t   steal   it   but   she   uses   it   everyday  in   class   so   u   know   she   did   in  fact   steal   ur   pen

ok   she’s   out   of   juice   i’m   she      

i   wont   lie   to   u   ive   been   writing   this   all  damn   day   …   but   we   finally   made   it   baby   😭😭😭   im   sosososo  sorry   for   the   length   &  the   wait   …   also   i   feel   like   my   charas   always   change   a  lil   once   i   actually   start   plotting   &   writing   so   sorry   again   if   u   see   me   finally   writing   as   giovanna   on   the   dash   and   ur   like   lit   rally   who   is   that   …  JSDBWJBDWBDJ   also   side   note   i   promise   u   im   almost  done   word   vomiting   all   over   the   place   but   it   must   b   said   ...   u   know   how   there’s   that   trope   that   supposed   insanity   is   like   not   always  real    like   how   female   hysteria   was   a   whole   as   thing   or   like   how   in   haunting   of   hill   house   where   the   charas   weren’t   really   haunted   by   ghosts   at   all   more   so   by   their   trauma   ...   that   was   my   whole   inspo   with   the   argenti’s   like   are   they   even  cursed   at   all   ?   who   is   to   say   ...   PLEASE  come  message  me  on  discord  to  plot   !   @ you are my soulmate ʕ´• ᴥ•̥`ʔ#8172   maybe  …   give   this   a   like   if   u   wanna   …   do   that   hehehe   thank   u   for   reading   all   this   ur   so   brave   for   that   stay   sexy   stan   loona  x  

[oswald-privileges]

i don't recall who Rollo is so 💗 and 👽 for them, 📓 and 🗺️ for Ginger, 🗣️ and ⚖️ for Vin, and ⚡ and 💍 for Saul?

Rollo Rutherford III is a cultsim oc! Imagine if Bertie Wooster gained some braincells and an interest in the occult. He was quietly put on a shelf for a while bc of some nonsense pertaining to the game, but I am back to hecking around with him and his story. 

Relationships? Who are their friends, their family relations, lover(s), foes? What sort of personalities really tick them off and what others do they like? Is there anything that’d ruin a friendship for them?

Rollo is one of the final dying branches of what was once a very wealthy, socially privileged family tree. The only remaining relative he’s in contact with is his much reviled Aunt M. The disdain is mutual. 

He tends to get along with pretty much everyone, and doesn’t really dislike a particular type of personality so much as anybody who gets in the way of his aims or comfort (see: aunts, solicitors, policemen). As long as you don’t 

He also has a long string of interchangeable lovers of all genders, rarely sticking with one person for more than a few weeks. This is generally conducted covertly, considering the society he lives in. 

Describe your OC as if they were an urban legend or myth!

You’ll need a gathering to make this work. Cover the walls in crimson drapery, light red candles of tallow, and leave your doors wide open to invite him in. It helps if your guests are masked, though it’s not necessary. The drumbeat should lead the music, the dancing should be all spinning and stamping. When he takes your hand in the middle of the crowd, don’t ask who he is or try to get his name. You’ll keep up with his pace if you let him lead you. The hunger you feel won’t be yours, but it won’t be his either. It’s all communal. The red wine and rare meat you laid out won’t be enough. Let your teeth satisfy their own itching. Swallow first, question later, or never. Dance. Devour. Be devoured. 

Ginger 

Write a typical diary/journal page by your OC! (or if you’d rather not, describe their journal. Do they keep one, why?)

Ginger doesn’t keep a journal, because she has never had cause to learn how to write beyond what’s necessary to keep track of a dairy or a granary or a butchers. She can read a little bit, and has tried to learn to write a few times, but never stuck with it. There’s always been a lot more practical things to focus on. 

Does your OC like going on adventures? Have they ever discovered something really interesting and significant or are they just too busy getting lost? Where is their favourite place they’ve been? Least favourite?

Ginger thinks she would like to go on an adventure very much!

Ginger turns out to be horribly wrong!!!

Vincent Willoughby

What are the most painful words that can be said to your OC to utterly break them? What are the words that you could tell them to cheer them up? Maybe some advice to give them the boost they need!

Ooooh, that would be very dependent on who is saying them? Being told “I don’t want you” by someone he loves very much would probably do it for the first one. For the second, there isn’t really much in the way of general words that help, since like. he’s very aware of the nature and use of platitudes. Best thing to do with him when he’s miserable is to force him to talk about it. That’s only permissible if you’re @ky-the-squiddy‘s Charlie, though.

What is the biggest crime your OC has committed? Are they a thief, a cheat, a liar? What is the smallest, most petty crime they’ve committed? Or do they not do crime at all? 

Thieving, cheating, and lying are all career skills for Vin. Various petty crimes are just his way of living day-to-day, though blunt stuff like straight-up housebreaking or selling shit that fell off the back of a truck is kind of like... something he looks down on, preferring to think of himself as too clever for that. 

He once got paid to housesit for a mark who was going abroad, put it about that they were moving out, auctioned the furniture out of the house, sold the house, and then booked it before anyone could look too closely into it. That’s probably the maximum level of complexity/value he’s going to get involved in. 

(He got the idea from Dracula. By which I mean, I read about it there and am totally delighted with the concept.)

Saul

What are your OC’s phobias? Is there any reasoning behind these? How do they calm themselves down after getting scared? What are they like when they’re afraid? Is there any chance of them overcoming their fears?

Saul is a very small child, so they tend to be really scared of some things and totally fearless of others. If they get spooked, they tend to go to Ginger to get reassured that everything is all right. 

Saul will get over any fears they might have, considering that they’re gonna grow up in a really... unusual way. It’s a species thing. 

Does your OC have a specific item that is priceless to them but may (or may not) be completely worthless to someone else? Is there a story behind this item or is it just because they like it so much?

Saul doesn’t have any possessions, because they used to be a bird before being shot down, and only met people right after that. Also they’ve never heard of money. 

Ginger is priceless to them. 

[honeylikewords]

Gimme your thoughts about Us, I’m still dumb af - You know who it be

I’m putting off an essay to write this but let’s ROCK and ROLL, BABY!

So, spoilers below the cut, just as a warning for anyone who still wants to see Us (2019), dir. Jordan Peele. If you’re unable to see the movie for whatever reason, you can feel free to read this and garner some ideas from it, but I still suggest seeing the film, in the end. A lot of this won’t make sense unless you’ve seen Us!

I normally don’t go out for too much horror, but I do think the Jordan Peele movies are legitimately great works of art, and very culturally relevant, so if you want to be supportive of black artists, black art, and the vocalization of the black experience, I highly suggest going to see these movies or watching them at home. 

They’re not actually overly violent or exploitative, and understanding that the violence in the films is meant to be metaphorical for the systemic violence perpetrated against oppressed groups helps to contextualize the stuff you do end up seeing. So, without further ado, let’s get into some Thoughts about some Cinema.

So, first of all, I have to say that I haven’t stopped thinking about this movie since I saw it at, like, 5:30 pm on Sunday. It’s been on my mind non-stop, and I’ve been fixated on the soundtrack, particularly “Anthem” and “Pas de Deux”, along with the “Tethered Remix” of “I Got Five On It”. I love the intentionally jarring combination of sounds, and how “Anthem” is directly reflective of the idea of the “U.S. Anthem”. “Us Anthem”. 

Jordan himself has been very open about the fact that the title Us is meant to also represent “U.S.”, and when Red is asked “what she is” and she rasps out “We’re Americans” it just... stuck with me. 

The nonsense-singing of “Anthem”, too, fixates me, since the scorer for the film has talked about how it’s the “voices of the Tethered”, and how they’re “angry” and “ready to get free”. We know that the Tethered cannot speak, which is a major and interesting facet of their life, to me, since they’re never given “a voice” beyond this kind of animal screaming and groaning. 

It’s what makes a lot of viewers see them as “sub-human”, but always gets to my heart and makes me think about the fact that they are so very keenly human. It makes me think about the repression of “lesser” languages, native languages, “non-verbal” languages. The Tethered DO have a means of communication-- clicks and rasps, cries and screams-- which definitely do pull at the human fear of “unnatural” noises, but also remind me of native languages that utilize clicks or throat sounds often not found in English. 

The Tethered are deeply, intimately human. While it is mentioned by Red that two bodies cannot share the one soul, that doesn’t mean to me that the other is soulless. I really don’t think that about the Tethered. I think that they are their own people, and that their rising proves that. They’re not hollow machines that just mimic their “original” on the surface, but are just people with their own souls, people who have been wrongly oppressed and mistreated.

Us is openly a discussion about the way we, as people and as Americans, treat “others”. Whether that means the racial other, the cultural other, the class other, the gendered other, or anything other system we try to dichotomize, binarize, or diametrically oppose to something else, it’s very definitely about the ways we abuse and mistreat people in order to systemically oppress them and gain from that.

Adelaide represents this interesting kind of class-traitor, in a way, because she rises “above the others”, both literally and figuratively, and instead of making an effort to free those around her, she just rises to the top and forgets where she came from. Whether that’s about assimilating into white culture and “rejecting” the culture one came from (joining in the oppression of your own people by claiming to ‘not be one of those kinds’) or about rising to a wealthy position and oppressing the poor, forgetting what it was like to be poor one’s self, or about any number of other things, that’s up for interpretation. But the issue is still there.

Jordan intentionally left the specific meaning of the film open so that every viewer would be forced to engage with it personally. Who do you, personally, help to betray? Who do you, personally, help to oppress? Whose suffering do you, personally, benefit from? You’re forced to grapple with that, and forced to acknowledge the reality that every single one of us is part of the issue. You only climb higher by putting someone below you, and this movie forces you to recognize that. 

I’ve heard people complaining that Us isn’t as good as Get Out specifically because it’s more open-ended, but I think that’s what makes both films fantastic and beautiful. Get Out brazenly exposes the direct experience of everyday black horror, and is completely open about it. It’s a one-to-one analogy. But Us is for everyone, making you wrestle with yourself. You are your own Tethered. You are the good and the bad of yourself. And neither one is fully good and neither one is fully bad. Get Out was a master-class in analogy, but Us is more of a metaphor; it doesn’t need to have everything laid out. Its horror and its beauty lay inside of its intentional cloudiness.

I’m really obsessed with the rabbit imagery, too. I love bunnies, and seeing them become symbolic of this horror really was an interesting take. Jordan himself has expressed being uncomfortable with and scared of rabbits, specifically because he can see that they’re “soulless” inside; he says that if you took the brain of a rabbit and put it in a person, you’d get Michael Myers. Totally void, just ready to hurt. And I think that’s an interesting take on them. He also points out that the image of rabbit ears, the shape of their head, mirrors the shape of the scissors that the Tethereds use.

I also love the way that rabbits are largely docile little creatures, but can bite pretty hard if provoked, and I feel that’s a good way to look at the Tethered. I don’t see them as inherently evil or violent, just pushed beyond their own limitations. They did what we all did as Americans: they led a violent uprising against their oppressors, then ‘peacefully’ took their place, all the way across America. They are us, for better, for worse. 

The choice to use the 80′s references really often also caught my attention; Jordan talks about how the 80′s nostalgia is this double-edged sword, since everyone is longing to go back, but not realizing the costs and weights of that, the evil lurking under the placidity and “wholesome American image” that the 80′s sought to project.

The all-American, apple pie, small-town fun and games of the 80′s also came with the Reagan administration, the AIDs crisis, the war on drugs, a massive rift between the rich and the poor (with a steadily more wealthy middle class expanding from just middle class into rich, upper middle class individuals and extremely poor lower middle class), and “sublimated racism”. We pretended, as a nation, that we were now post-racial, but that was such, such, such a huge lie.

So setting the memory scenes in the 80′s, using 80′s film references, 80′s imagery, 80′s sound-a-likes, the Michael Jackson stuff: it all points to the duality of what we love, what we are nostalgic for. Michael was a hero of the 80′s, but now... 

Speaking of Michael Jackson, notice carefully the costuming of the Tethereds. Red jumpsuit, single glove, ‘the monster is not what it seems’, the “Thriller” t-shirt... why, Jordan, one might think that you made the Tethereds look like Michael in “Thriller”!

Which he obviously did, guh-doy.

I mean, the glove/sharp symbol also is an homage to good ol’ shithead Freddy Krueger, too, but it’s definitely a potent nod to Michael Jackson. We know that Adelaide (now Red) had seen the “Thriller” video as a child, and that she wanted the shirt with him on it, so the image of the Tethered is this combination between the Hands Across America symbols and the Michael Jackson look in “Thriller”. Adelaide (now Red) never forgot. 

Also, god, Hands Across America? Talk about 80′s false optimism! It’s incredible how potent that image is for the issue being discussed. For those of you who don’t know, Hands Across America was an initiative in the 80′s to help end hunger and homelessness in America. The idea was that every person in America would join hands and form a line “from sea to shining sea” across the entire lower 48 continental states, and for each person in line, $10 dollars would be donated to the cause.

The event, of course, failed in many ways. First, there’s no POSSIBLE way for people to join hands across the whole continent; the terrain of the US makes it entirely impossible. Plus, the time necessary to conduct that would be incredibly exhausting for people standing in line! But what’s worse? The project did successfully raise ~$34 million, but nearly $20 million of that disappeared into “event costs”: paying the celebrities that endorsed it, paying the event organizers, et cetera. Only around $15 millions made it to the homeless and hungry. While $15 mil. is no small number, that’s.... less than half of what was raised. So where did all that go? Into the pockets of the already rich. It’s such powerful symbolism, especially within the context of the film.

Oh, also, while still on the 80′s talk, the opening shot of the film features a VHS copy of the movie C.H.U.D., a movie about “sub-human underground sewer dwellers” who rose up to eat the surface humans. These “CHUDs” were one-to-one analogies for the homeless and impoverished.

I cannot get over how strong the storytelling is in Us, I just can’t. I’m obsessed with it. I cannot help but wanna talk about it all the time! It’s so GOOD and I’m so FRUSTRATED that I’m gonna cut myself off here to stop from ranting about every teeny tiny thing and every big major thing because no one will know what I’m on about, but, seriously, do yourselves a favor and go see Us. 

This movie will make you have to sit down and think about whose suffering you’ve benefited from, and what you need to do within yourself to change this.

Also, before I go, I just gotta say I love, love, love the decision Jordan made about having the 1980s version of the hall of mirrors be “Native American” themed, only to have that “politically corrected” in the 2010s to be “Merlin’s Hall Of Mirrors”, which is just a facade thrown up over a still-racist, exactly the same hall of mirrors. The problem lurks within, never gone, just covered.

Also, that ties to the Kubrick connection (The Shining is a major inspiration for Jordan) and the genocide connection, so, uh, it’s deep out here, lads.

Anyway, I have opinions about movies.

[robininthelabyrinth]

A Winter’s Tale - 3 - Ao3 link

Fandom: Flash, Legends Pairing: Mick Rory/Leonard Snart

Summary: Mick Rory is on a mission to save his family, and if it means kidnapping Mayor Leonard Snart, so be it.

Though he’s not expecting it to go like this.

(Dragons and Faeries and Metas - oh my!)

A/N: For the coldwave winter week, run by @coldwaveevents

Chapter 3: Inside Mick’s Novel + Mobsters / Crime Noir (+ Mistletoe)

———————————————————————————————–

"I can't believe the car flies," Snart says, peering out the window over the canyon they’re soaring over.

"It opens dimensional portals," Mick points out. "And you're impressed that it flies?"

Snart shrugs, continuing to inspect the car. "Yeah," he says after a while. "I don't know shit about dimensional breaches. But I know a bit about aerodynamics, and this car ain't got shit."

"You're thinking too small, Snart," Mick says. "This is a world with magic."

Snart looks skeptical.

He's...not wrong.

“I think part of the problem,” Snart says thoughtfully, “is that I can’t really imagine anyone bothering to put in all the work and risk all the danger you’re always telling me about magic to enchant an old convertible Honda Civic.”

“Hey, it’s the best type of car!”

“No. It ain’t.”

“…it’s a decent type of car.”

Snart snorts. "Still no."

“I have good memories of this type of car.”

“I’ll allow that,” Snart says. “How’d you get her?”

Mick pauses.

“Oh, now I’m going to press,” Snart says. “Any time you pause, it’s you hoping you can lie to me or evade the subject, and it never works. Just tell me now.”

Mick makes a face at him.

“Soulmates,” Snart reminds him. “I won’t mock you. Much.”

“Yeah, right.”

“Really! At most I’ll just tease you about it on every anniversary we have for the next twenty years. At most.”

Twenty years of anniversaries.

That…doesn’t sound too bad.

Mick kinda likes the idea of this guy sticking around for twenty years.

“Well,” Snart muses, “I’ll either tease you about it or about the fact that you wouldn’t tell me about it…”

Mick rolls his eyes. "Okay, remember what I said about using my Sight to find the Book of Brigid?"

"Given that you said it only about twenty minutes ago, and I ain’t a goldfish? Yeah, I remember. What is that? The Book? Some magic thing?"

"You could say that."

"You wanna say more than that?"

Mick winces. "It's a magic book that incarnates stuff that you write in it."

Snart is quiet for a long moment.

Mick braces himself. The Book of Brigid may not be as infamous in Snart’s world as it is here, but Snart’s an intelligent guy – and perhaps more importantly, a guy – and there’s only one place his brain’s gonna jump.

"So," Snart drawls, his eyes delighted, "if you were to write porn -"

Yep. There he goes.

“It requires creativity to function! You can’t just write a list of instructions or something. It’s got to be artistic.”

“So, what, you wrote erotica?”

"I wrote a romance," Mick says with dignity he totally doesn’t have. "Science fiction. Garima was the Queen of an alien planet and had samurai fighting powers."

"Samurai don't have powers."

"On your world, maybe."

Snart considers that, then shrugs in acceptance. "Alien, huh," he says. "If I promise not to judge, would you tell me if she had any, uh, special -"

"Three tits."

Snart presses his lips together.

"You said you wouldn't judge!"

"I said if. But as it happens, I can't blame you for giving a book like that a shot, and at least you did something interesting with it. Three tits is a good start. I’d be more disappointed if you’d just gone for something totally vanilla, like a secretary willing to bang you or something."

"S'not like the stuff the book creates lasts," Mick says, still embarrassed. Though at least Snart likes his creativity – that’s a positive sign. "Otherwise I would've just written me some loot or something."

Snart smirks. "Do I get a turn with the book?"

"Depends. You a creative type? Writer, artist, playwright..?"

Snart frowns. "I'm...really good at drawing blueprints?"

“Not quite what I meant,” Mick says, rolling his eyes. "But hey, if I ever need a temporary house built, I'm coming to you."

"I'm better at banks. Anyway, what's the point of building a house that doesn't last?"

"Dunno. Trap?"

"Hmm. Not a bad idea. So what's this book got to do with your flying, universe-hopping car...wait. No."

Mick grins. "Yep."

"You didn't."

"I did," Mick confirms, reaching out to pat the dashboard of his wonderful flying car fondly. "Meet Garima, in her newest incarnation."

The car purrs at him.

Snart bursts out laughing.

Mick can't really blame him.

"We're -" Snart chokes. "You telling me we're inside -"

He loses it again.

Mick smirks.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up," he says, unable to keep from smiling at Snart's irrepressible mirth. "You won't be laughing when we're dealing with dragons."

"If I can deal with a real life Chitty Chitty Bang Bang - emphasis on the bang bang, if you get my drift -"

Okay, that's enough to get Mick to start laughing, too.

"- then I think I can handle some measly dragons!"

"You'll need to stop sniggering if we're gonna make it in," Mick warns.

"I'll sober up in time to help us sneak in," Snart says, wiping his eyes. "I promise."

Actually, getting into the dragon meeting-hall is the easy part.

Even with Snart stopping to stare in awe at the dragons every five seconds. Not that Mick can blame him: dragons are majestic beings, with bodies the size of a moose and then wings and tails besides. Some of them even breathe fire.

They're also remarkably indifferent to humans wandering through their halls, but Mick's pretty sure that's only because they're a bit iffy on telling humans apart and don't want to accuse one of their own servants of being an intruder.

Dragons hate being embarrassed.

Unfortunately, that also means that they won't take being the victim of a theft lightly, so they're going to have to be careful, cautious, and -

"Are you staring again?" Mick hisses. "Snart, the dragons haven't changed! Get your head together and start planning!"

"I will, I will," Snart says. His voice is oddly strangled - more like he's trying not to laugh than the wonder that he'd had at first. "It ain't that. It's just - are - do dragons always talk like that?"

Mick frowns. He hadn't noticed anything unusual - the dragons, talking amongst themselves, just sounded like dragons always did. "Talk like what?"

"You know."

"If I knew, I wouldn't be asking, would I?"

Snart waves his hands as if that'll explain everything. "Like," he hesitates. "Well, like they've just escaped a Gotham gangster movie."

Mick scowls at him. "None of those words made sense."

"I don't know how else to explain it," Snart says defensively. "It's like they stepped out of the 30s or whatever. Prohibition-era, rum-running, gangster molls, the whole lot of 'em..."

"Snart. Not helping."

Snart sighs. "Yeah, I can tell. Does the accent at least match your Gotham?"

"...what's Gotham?"

Snart's eyes go wide. "Oh. Oh. This is your Gotham, ain't it?"

"You're talking nonsense."

"No, this is great," Snart says. "It makes no sense, but if it's true...tell me, is there a particularly wealthy dragon -"

"They're dragons. They sleep on gold and complain of poverty while they do it."

"Well, maybe gold isn't a valuable measure of currency for them," Snart says dismissively, like it hadn't taken humans an unreasonable number of generations to puzzle that out. "But I mean - especially wealthy, even among dragons. Indulge me; I'm testing out a theory."

"There's a few," Mick says. He has no idea where Snart is going with this. "Among the entirety of dragonkind? Or just local?"

"Local."

Mick thinks about it. "Uh," he says. "One by the name of Wayne, I guess?"

"I knew it!"

"Shhh!"

Snart shuts up and they continue walking through the hallways. The dragons might be oblivious, but they're not stupid.

"Why do you care, anyway?" Mick asks. "Wayne's a ditz, even for a dragon. Inherited his hoard from his parents."

Snart's eyes are bright with amusement. "I suppose that depends on whether this place has a bat problem."

"A what? No, wait, shit -"

It's too late. One of the dragons walking by has, for some reason, started to turn towards them - a fairly involved endeavor, but one that didn't take as much time as Mick would've preferred.

"What do you know about bats?" the dragon - a female, from the tone of her high-pitched, nasal voice, though who is Mick to know how dragons do gender? - asks. "You got something to say?"

"Depends," Snart drawls, his own voice suddenly gone nasal as well. "You got a name, doll?"

The dragon -

Giggles.

What in the name of fuck...?

"You're funny," she says. "I'm Harley."

Snart puts a hand to his chest. "Not Harley Quinn? I'm honored."

The dragon blinks. "You've heard of me?"

Now it's Mick's turn to blink. How could Snart've heard of the name of a dragon in a totally different universe?

"Oh, sure," Snart says. "Tough as nails and twice as funny, just like a harlequin play...you with Ivy now?"

Now the dragon really looks shocked. "You know Ivy?"

"I'm in the know."

"Clearly! Who youse got squealing to ya, anyway? Tell me!"

"Oh, you get to know all sorts of people and find out all sorts of interesting things in my line of work," Snart says vaguely. "Pass along a kiss under the mistletoe to Ivy, will you? Courtesy of my employer."

"Your employer. Ooooooh, you gotta tell me!”

"I ain't saying nothing," Snart says. "But if a wink'll do you -" He taps the side of his nose for some reason. "- then you might think of someone cold and squawky."

"Oswald!" the dragon - Harley, apparently? - squeals. "Oh, that's rich. What's he want?"

"Dunno," Snart says. "Something about some sorta spear or shit? Heavily guarded."

"The Spear of Destiny? Why's he want that?"

"New centerpiece?"

The dragon snorts fire when she laughs. "For the Iceberg Club? He would! Alright, c'mon, let's go get it for ya. If Ozzie wants to ask for trouble, he's welcome to it - Bats can handle retrieval, and we’ll all laugh it up."

"You're the best," Snart says, very sincerely.

Mick checks - for about the fifth time - to make absolutely sure the guy's a human.

They're walking out with the spear less than twenty minutes later.

"Snart," Mick says, then stops. Where does he even start?

"Gotham," Snart says with satisfaction, as if that means anything. "I'm a Central City boy born and bred, but every criminal knows the basic rules of play for Gotham."

"What is Gotham?" Mick demands.

"In my world? A city. A corrupt, stinking cesspit of a city, where everyone who ain't a supervillain knows what's what and those that are? Well, they’re are crazier than a crapload of cuckoos, and I’m pretty sure it’s just intentional blindness."

Mick shakes his head. "You're telling me you know the human equivalent of all those dragons?"

"Yup."

“…they really must be crazy.”

“No kidding.”

"Still…you were able to manipulate 'em all based on just what you knew about their personalities in your universe? How'd you know they’d still be the same? Especially since they’re dragons here!"

"Lucky guess."

Mick's eyebrows arch. He's not using his Sight right now, but the frequency of Snart's "lucky" guesses is starting to become a bit suspicious.

He opens his mouth to ask when Snart's own eyebrows suddenly go up.

"I suggest we hurry without looking like we're hurrying," he says.

"Why?" Mick asks, subtly speeding up already.

"See that dragon?" Snart asks, nodding at a short but unusually rotund dragon waddling towards the main hall with a small entourage of dragons and humans trailing behind him. "If I had to guess just based on looks, that's probably this world’s Oswald."

"...the guy you said sent us to get the spear?"

"Yeah. And Harley's gonna ask him about it when she sees him."

"And then she'll get embarrassed and swear vengeance on us. Great."

"Harley Quinn doesn't get embarrassed," Snart says. "She finds things funny. But, uh, just in case -"

"Race you to the car?"

"Right."

[ifleewroteotome]

#5 - Royal Pains

FULL AND TOTAL PREFACE that I do not support relationships between employees and employers there is a squicky power imbalance that complicates consent but this is fiction k? K.

THE SETTING

OKAY SO. FICTIONAL DEMOCRATIC CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHY with all gender lines of inheritance because it’s not a stupid fictional country. Royalty are basically figureheads – they have power but it’s in terms of public eye and influence not actual legislative power. MC is related to the reigning monarchs but like #10 in succession – close enough that she gets a lot of unwanted attention, not close enough that it’s likely she’ll ever sit on the throne. (Duchess? Marchioness? Countess? Just straight up princess?) One of her parents was a non-royal (which was a Big Deal) heir/ess-turned-actor/actress who was tremendously wealthy so she has a lot of independent wealth, but doesn’t like to use it on herself. Works an Actual Real Job in the midst of various royal receptions and appearances and ribbon cuttings.

THE PLOT

Heroine is the only one living in the family castle/manor and since it’s just her like, why bother with all the silly trappings and pomp/circumstance? But unbeknownst to her, her fiancé got engaged to her hoping to just live a lavish lifestyle, and when he realizes this isn’t going to happen, he hires a ragtag group of thieves to rob the castle in the middle of a charity gala hosted in the castle gardens BUT MC CATCHES THEM, dumps her fiance’s sorry tush, and berates the thieves like omg do you need jobs THAT badly that you’ve resorted to theft? Fine, why don’t you just live here until you’re back on your feet – as long as you do your fair share of chores it’s not like that wing is being used anyway.

THE HEROINE:

MC: RABID BUNNY. Very proper, elegant, diplomatic, sweet—on the outside. Inside she has just a fantastically vicious mental commentary running 24/7. She IS pretty elegant but mostly out of habit. Actually 100% tough as nails and Determined to Make a Difference. If she is involved in a charity function it isn’t for pics, people. Runs herself ragged between day job and royal obligations but always snaps herself into perfectly poised as soon as someone is so much as breathing in her direction. Independently extremely wealthy thanks to non-royal parent, but incredibly frugal (maybe even tightfisted) about own expenses because it seems wrong to spend it when all those charities need it more and stuff – but she will do her research and make sure they use it appropriately. Veteran like rest of fam. IDK what her ‘day’ job is yet. Large animal emergency Veterinarian (princess prevents pig pandemonium with plague prevention best practices!)? Accountant? Researcher? Honestly just wants to be a mechanic but it doesn’t fit the IMAGE you know? Does Not Have Time For This Nonsense, Please. Will do anything for her country and her family, even if it means not being her authentic self. People depend on her, you know? And there are perks - like cupcake store grand openings.

NON LOVE INTERESTS / SUPPORTING CAST

OLDER BROTHER: Brilliant, charming, beautiful jerk. Except not really, it’s just easier. Has to work very, very hard to not let the pressure of EXPECTATIONS get to him. Very caught up in appearances. THAT SAID - got the non-royal parent’s acting genes, and would love to be an actor, but gets his kick out of acting like someone he’s not. Most likely of the sibs to crack open a beer and eat pizza when it’s just them. (Other bro would rather have some random not readily available dish that’s a specialty of whatever small mountain region he just visited, MC is strict about health food, little sis would join him she just wouldn’t START it) also the first to talk about DUTY and OBLIGATIONS until other sibs throw stuff at him.  Stupidly in love with longterm partner so maybe sibs harass him about getting married when he starts stalking about obligations to them?

TWIN BROTHER: LAZY CAT, except when MC really, really needs him then he’s suddenly around. According to the public, he doesn’t have a ‘real’ job, just lays around looking pretty on boats. Does this fairly intentionally so the press focuses more on him than the other sibs – because what does he care? Actually a romance novelist and not at ALL above using his sister’s experiences as plot fodder. This leads to him giving occasionally questionable romantic advice. Travels a lot to random corners of the earth and occasionally. HORRIBLE PHOTOGRAPHER so big brother calls this a waste. ALSO probably a ‘Dear Abby’ advice columnist.

LITTLE SISTER: Circumspect, but dry-witted and prone to sarcasm when it’s just family or people can’t hear her muttering under her breath. Quiet, mostly as a result of being kind of a prop for most of her life and LOUDER older siblings– but she’s always thinking. Patient. Was always kind of a smartass. Taking every day one at a time. Was a combat medic in the country’s armed forces and is living with PTSD. Maybe working in a florist shop? I just like flowers okay. Happiest out of the spotlight and always has been. Trying to relearn things.

GRANDPARENTS: THE ROYALS. CRAZY IN THE BEST WAY.

THE LOVE INTERESTS

“TITLE” representing the chore they do in exchange for room & board and (title) representing their role in the would-be heist

“COOK” (the distraction/lookout): SWORE UP AND DOWN to MC that they were a gourmet chef so that she’d let them stay but can really only manage a basic grilled cheese sandwich – which, luckily for them, MC loves. Plus as long as she doesn’t have to make it, it’s a win. Student? Maybe? Also probably has had a crush on MC forever (maybe she volunteered at a charity event that benefited someone in their family) and all along was going to derail the heist because too much respect for MC to let it happen when they could stop it, even though it could be dangerous. Nurturing? Just wants to take care of people?

“CHAUFFEUR” (the getaway driver): THE GETAWAY DRIVER. Reckless wild child? Can’t stay still to save their life. Shameless Baby Driver rip off don’t you judge me – always drumming fingers and finding rhythms. Doesn’t talk much so you think they’re probably solemn and quiet but they’re definitely mischievous as all get out, just sneaky about it. Sees the world in color and sound and vibration, frequency of their inner pulse’s just a little off from everyone else’s. Slippery, because they have to keep moving, which includes their thoughts. Never stays stuck on anything for long.

“SECURITY” (logistics/the hacker): IT person who hacked into the (admittedly out of date) security in the first place. Rebel without a cause. Terrible diet. Keeps horrible hours. Little wild (not as wild as chauffeur), lives on the edge, also a huge nerd. Gets gleefully excited about technology, will spend actual hours fiddling and building robots and forget to stand up so their legs don’t work right when they do. Loves nature and takes inspiration from the mathematical patterns in it. Talks really fast or not at all.

“HOUSEKEEPER” (undercover paparazzi – hired muscle): Was really in this to get the inside scoop on some royals and make a few bucks. Completely jaded jerk. Wanted to be a global photojournalist but realized people just wanted pretty beaches and sunsets and didn’t actually care about people and their suffering unless it won them awards, and does it matter with social media everywhere. Probably tells MC he/she is a wedding photographer. Doesn’t like things to be ‘picture perfect’ so cleans but there’s always something left undone. Sarcastic grouch. Probably pairs up with lazy bro at end of route to get back to documenting alongside lazy bro’s travels.

“BUTLER/LADY’S MAID” (the mastermind) – was reluctant to take this job because ex-fiance is a dingbat, but did it anyway for IDK personal reasons. Not really all that bummed that it didn’t work out. If they work for MC they get into even more royal events and can learn the ins and outs of places, their habits and patterns. Thinks MC is way too uptight, gets a kick out of teasing her. Laidback, hard to ruffle, confident, all the things you expect a mastermind to be. Really good memory for physical spaces. Totally clueless when it doesn’t interest them though, maybe?

“GROUNDSKEEPER/GARDENER” (hired muscle/fencer) – IDK more to come CHILDHOOD FRIEND MAYBE gotta have that

[yoolee]

If lee wrote otome | #4 - Royal Pains

FULL AND TOTAL PREFACE that I do not support relationships between employees and employers there is a squicky power imbalance that complicates consent but this is fiction k? K.

THE SETTING

OKAY SO. FICTIONAL DEMOCRATIC CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHY with all gender lines of inheritance because it’s not a stupid fictional country. Royalty are basically figureheads – they have power but it’s in terms of public eye and influence not actual legislative power. MC is related to the reigning monarchs but like #10 in succession – close enough that she gets a lot of unwanted attention, not close enough that it’s likely she’ll ever sit on the throne. (Duchess? Marchioness? Countess? Just straight up princess?) One of her parents was a non-royal (which was a Big Deal) heir/ess-turned-actor/actress who was tremendously wealthy so she has a lot of independent wealth, but doesn’t like to use it on herself. Works an Actual Real Job in the midst of various royal receptions and appearances and ribbon cuttings.

THE PLOT

Heroine is the only one living in the family castle/manor and since it’s just her like, why bother with all the silly trappings and pomp/circumstance? But unbeknownst to her, her fiancé got engaged to her hoping to just live a lavish lifestyle, and when he realizes this isn’t going to happen, he hires a ragtag group of thieves to rob the castle in the middle of a charity gala hosted in the castle gardens BUT MC CATCHES THEM, dumps her fiance’s sorry tush, and berates the thieves like omg do you need jobs THAT badly that you’ve resorted to theft? Fine, why don’t you just live here until you’re back on your feet – as long as you do your fair share of chores it’s not like that wing is being used anyway.

THE HEROINE:

MC: RABID BUNNY. Very proper, elegant, diplomatic, sweet—on the outside. Inside she has just a fantastically vicious mental commentary running 24/7. She IS pretty elegant but mostly out of habit. Actually 100% tough as nails and Determined to Make a Difference. If she is involved in a charity function it isn’t for pics, people. Runs herself ragged between day job and royal obligations but always snaps herself into perfectly poised as soon as someone is so much as breathing in her direction. Independently extremely wealthy thanks to non-royal parent, but incredibly frugal (maybe even tightfisted) about own expenses because it seems wrong to spend it when all those charities need it more and stuff – but she will do her research and make sure they use it appropriately. Veteran like rest of fam. IDK what her ‘day’ job is yet. Large animal emergency Veterinarian (princess prevents pig pandemonium with plague prevention best practices!)? Accountant? Researcher? Honestly just wants to be a mechanic but it doesn’t fit the IMAGE you know? Does Not Have Time For This Nonsense, Please. Will do anything for her country and her family, even if it means not being her authentic self. People depend on her, you know? And there are perks - like cupcake store grand openings.

NON LOVE INTERESTS / SUPPORTING CAST

OLDER BROTHER: Brilliant, charming, beautiful jerk. Except not really, it’s just easier. Has to work very, very hard to not let the pressure of EXPECTATIONS get to him. Very caught up in appearances. THAT SAID - got the non-royal parent’s acting genes, and would love to be an actor, but gets his kick out of acting like someone he’s not. Most likely of the sibs to crack open a beer and eat pizza when it’s just them. (Other bro would rather have some random not readily available dish that’s a specialty of whatever small mountain region he just visited, MC is strict about health food, little sis would join him she just wouldn’t START it) also the first to talk about DUTY and OBLIGATIONS until other sibs throw stuff at him.  Stupidly in love with longterm partner so maybe sibs harass him about getting married when he starts stalking about obligations to them?

TWIN BROTHER: LAZY CAT, except when MC really, really needs him then he’s suddenly around. According to the public, he doesn’t have a ‘real’ job, just lays around looking pretty on boats. Does this fairly intentionally so the press focuses more on him than the other sibs – because what does he care? Actually a romance novelist and not at ALL above using his sister’s experiences as plot fodder. This leads to him giving occasionally questionable romantic advice. Travels a lot to random corners of the earth and occasionally. HORRIBLE PHOTOGRAPHER so big brother calls this a waste. ALSO probably a ‘Dear Abby’ advice columnist.

LITTLE SISTER: Circumspect, but dry-witted and prone to sarcasm when it’s just family or people can’t hear her muttering under her breath. Quiet, mostly as a result of being kind of a prop for most of her life and LOUDER older siblings– but she’s always thinking. Patient. Was always kind of a smartass. Taking every day one at a time. Was a combat medic in the country’s armed forces and is living with PTSD. Maybe working in a florist shop? I just like flowers okay. Happiest out of the spotlight and always has been. Trying to relearn things.

GRANDPARENTS: THE ROYALS. CRAZY IN THE BEST WAY.

THE LOVE INTERESTS 

“TITLE” representing the chore they do in exchange for room & board and (title) representing their role in the would-be heist

“COOK” (the distraction/lookout): SWORE UP AND DOWN to MC that they were a gourmet chef so that she’d let them stay but can really only manage a basic grilled cheese sandwich – which, luckily for them, MC loves. Plus as long as she doesn’t have to make it, it’s a win. Student? Maybe? Also probably has had a crush on MC forever (maybe she volunteered at a charity event that benefited someone in their family) and all along was going to derail the heist because too much respect for MC to let it happen when they could stop it, even though it could be dangerous. Nurturing? Just wants to take care of people?

“CHAUFFEUR” (the getaway driver): THE GETAWAY DRIVER. Reckless wild child? Can’t stay still to save their life. Shameless Baby Driver rip off don’t you judge me – always drumming fingers and finding rhythms. Doesn’t talk much so you think they’re probably solemn and quiet but they’re definitely mischievous as all get out, just sneaky about it. Sees the world in color and sound and vibration, frequency of their inner pulse’s just a little off from everyone else’s. Slippery, because they have to keep moving, which includes their thoughts. Never stays stuck on anything for long.

“SECURITY” (logistics/the hacker): IT person who hacked into the (admittedly out of date) security in the first place. Rebel without a cause. Terrible diet. Keeps horrible hours. Little wild (not as wild as chauffeur), lives on the edge, also a huge nerd. Gets gleefully excited about technology, will spend actual hours fiddling and building robots and forget to stand up so their legs don’t work right when they do. Loves nature and takes inspiration from the mathematical patterns in it. Talks really fast or not at all.

“HOUSEKEEPER” (undercover paparazzi – hired muscle): Was really in this to get the inside scoop on some royals and make a few bucks. Completely jaded jerk. Wanted to be a global photojournalist but realized people just wanted pretty beaches and sunsets and didn’t actually care about people and their suffering unless it won them awards, and does it matter with social media everywhere. Probably tells MC he/she is a wedding photographer. Doesn’t like things to be ‘picture perfect’ so cleans but there’s always something left undone. Sarcastic grouch. Probably pairs up with lazy bro at end of route to get back to documenting alongside lazy bro’s travels.

“BUTLER/LADY’S MAID” (the mastermind) – was reluctant to take this job because ex-fiance is a dingbat, but did it anyway for IDK personal reasons. Not really all that bummed that it didn’t work out. If they work for MC they get into even more royal events and can learn the ins and outs of places, their habits and patterns. Thinks MC is way too uptight, gets a kick out of teasing her. Laidback, hard to ruffle, confident, all the things you expect a mastermind to be. Really good memory for physical spaces. Totally clueless when it doesn’t interest them though, maybe?

“GROUNDSKEEPER/GARDENER” (hired muscle/fencer) – IDK more to come CHILDHOOD FRIEND MAYBE gotta have that

See the rest here