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margridarnauds · 5 years

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the takarazuka production of 1789 please ✨

BABY MUSICAL. BABY PRODUCTION. WHICH I NEED TO WATCH AGAIN SOON BECAUSE I *MISS* IT.

So, this is definitely one of those things that I don’t think I can conceivably put ALL my thoughts into in one place, because it’s a LOT. This was definitely the production that got me back into the saddle after my 1789 phase when I was a teenager (You know. Back in my Ronan/Olympe 5ever days.), it was the one that got me into writing fanfiction, it was the one that made me dip a toe into Takarazuka. I love Toho very, very deeply, I still have a LOT of affection towards the French even if I relentlessly make fun of it every chance I get, but the Zuka really is IT.

There’s a lot of things that we kind of take for granted that the Zuka KICKED INTO GEAR by basically scrapping all but the most basic elements of the story and building around it. Evil!Artois? A fully sympathetic Antoinette? Solène having more than 10-15 minutes of screen time in a two hour musical? An expanded look at Ronan’s relationship with the revolutionaries? Olympe with a gun? Olympe in a soldier’s costume? The added Peyronan content? LUCILE? (Like, don’t get me wrong, I criticize it as well, but like. It did a LOT)

There are some things that I’ll never be 100% HAPPY with, while also acknowledging that they HAD to do some things to suit Zuka’s tastes. Am I necessarily HAPPY with the domestication of Solène? Or Camille taking Je Veux le Monde? (Though I personally think that Toho handled it WORSE in the sense that we’re forced to see her “apologize” to the poor, aggrieved bakers for....doing pretty much. Exactly what Ronan had done. In the first act.) Or the forced Ronan/Olympe kiss? (Or any Ronan/Olympe kiss? Or the concept of Ronan/Olympe in canon in general, which I manage to block out of my mind?) Not REALLY. But with MOST of those things, I can also understand why they did them. It’s kind of a matter for me of...if I want to see a western production, the French is right there and Parrot!Laz’s arms are wide open. But if I want to see a Zuka production, then I have to accept that I’m playing by their rules. I mean. I CAN complain. But it’s unlikely to go anywhere because I’m not exactly the target audience.

Ryuu Masaki is still, to this day, my ultimate favorite Ronan, with Teppei Koike coming VERY close. Both of them have similar takes on the role, with Ronan being less an Alpha Male-esque figure with some toxic masculinity issues and more a dumbass little twink shit who ends up getting himself into Lazare’s bedroom situations that he can’t easily get out of but who CARES for people, even though he still has some issues when it comes to being an 18th century male. (See: Solène.) She has a bit of a problem actually seeming like she’s in PAIN when Laz tortures him, but. You know what? That’s actually for the best. There’s this wonderful, naive “I’M IN LOVE AND I CAN TAKE ON THE WORLD” feeling to her Tomber dans sans yeux that gives me feels because I stan a dumbass puppy.

Which, tbh, is important. There NEEDS to be that spark to Ronan, that idealism, that life that also exists outside the bitterness. He’s PISSED, but a decent part of it is that he believes that things could be so much better. You need to be thinking at the end “Damn, if he’d lived in a different world, he had so much to live for.” Especially since I tend to estimate him at being no more than about ~22. Which seems old when you’re 17 and watching the French but then when you’re standing at the edge of 21, it starts to look a lot younger. He makes dumbass decisions because he never had the time to learn from them.

It’s so FUNNY seeing the concept drawings though because you can SEE how the concept artist was imagining Ronan and then Masao came in and did her Thing on the role. And tbh? It’s much better for it. That and knowing that someone actually PLANNED OUT the yellow jacket.

Likewise, Chapi as Marie Antoinette is still probably my ultimate favorite take on the role. MA isn’t really an EASY role to pull off, because an actress has to sell both Act 1 AND Act 2 Antoinette, charting that development to her inevitable fate, as well as obviously being able to sing the Hell out of the role. And her domestication, but THAT’S another rant. And Chapi SOLD it, both in terms of her acting and in terms of her singing. She really, really sells the party girl from the 1st act to the grieving mother and then the dignified, doomed queen. It’s funny because, looking at the Toho, I do think that Masao actually took a few cues from Chapi when it came time for her to don the fluffy dress.

On the subject of Iconic Characters...it PAINS me, given what’s come out, but Magee’s Laz really is an Iconic take on the role. I’m not going to say that I’m ever going to be 100% behind Villain!Laz as a concept; a part of me always favors him being portrayed as a much more gray figure, ala the French but...well. It’s one of those things that I can’t really hold against it because 1789′s always HAD a villain problem, and Laz being a straight up villain (Well...insofar as any part of Laz can be described as “straight), DOES pair nicely against Artois, as the two of them essentially become the embodiment of the darker side of the Ancien Régime while Louis, Marie, and Olympe form the brighter side that simply turned a blind eye to the dark. (Do I think that’s what they were REALLY going for? Maybe not, but it’s what I’m going for.)

And it also leads to a fantastic villain combo of Laz being Ronan’s primary villain/Artois being Olympe’s. (This wasn’t AS much of an Olympe-centered production as, say, the French or the Toho, the system being what it is, but it still packed a lot in there. This particular show was REALLY good at being an ensemble production and giving everyone a chance to show off.) And Magee’s take in particular is absolutely BRUTAL, haughty, cold, with a temper that flares up when he’s defied, but with something slick about it as well. He’s an aristocrat, with the mannerisms that you’d expect from it, but he’s also an officer, and he’s one who can force his way either with words or with force. And Masao and Magee had PHENOMENAL chemistry. There are a few moments here or there where you can almost SEE something work beneath the surface before it’s smothered, and then he doubles down on the brutality, possibly to convince himself just as much as the audience. He’s completely unrepentant and has no redeeming qualities, but my GOD is it compelling. I can’t say that she’s my FAVORITE take on the role, not anymore, but her take on the role was definitely what made me really start to focus on Laz as a character.

Miya Rurika’s Artois is phenomenal. Like, there are two things that I think most people walk away from this musical remembering: Maniaque, for obvious reasons, and Je Suis un Dieu. Because it’s a HELL of a villain song and you can practically see Artois (and Miya as well tbh) having the time of her life loudly proclaiming himself as a God on stage. The entire sequence is just...gorgeously done and wonderfully goth with the church backdrop and the smoke lifting up from the aphrodisiacs. And it goes from a song sung by the comedy relief in Olympe’s creepy furry sex dream to being a pretty chilling villain song in its own right. And Miya Rurika is PHENOMENAL at facial expressions, which leads to some truly fantastic moments like when Olympe finally pulls the gun on him, where there’s that sudden moment where he’s truly face to face with his own mortality for the first time. (ALSO. BABY ASAMI JUN IN THE SHINKO. EVIL BABY.) Also, even though obviously “Predatory Evil Bisexual” isn’t...STELLAR from a rep standpoint, I do appreciate Artois hitting on Fersen and Necker as well. Because what a thot. I was so disappointed when Toho ruined my Nartois dreams.

Tbh, Saotome Wakaba’s Olympe is probably the single most influential Olympe as far as how I write her. She didn’t have AS much to do as, say, her Toho or her French counterpart, all of her solos were taken away and given to other characters, but she still shone. Wakaba has this fantastic ability to look like she’s dying on the inside, and even though we make fun of it a little whenever a Ronan/Olympe scene comes on #Mood Wakaba, #Mood, she does a fantastic job of having that distinctive little tightening of the lips from time to time, where it’s like there’s a hundred things she wants to say but she can’t because it’s too dangerous and she knows her place. Her Olympe, possibly more than any of the others (Though I suspect that Nene Yumesaki took a few cues from her in the Toho), is someone who is basically split into two between the acting that she has to do to survive palace life and what she actually feels, and she uses her mind to work her way out of complicated situations that require tact and lethal politeness.

Solène doesn’t have all that much to do so I’m not going to DWELL on her too much, but I really love both of the actresses who played her. Harune Aki’s take on the role in particular is GUT WRENCHING during La Nuit M’Appelle, and one thing that I’ll ALWAYS love about this production is Ronan trying to initiate that hug. Like, I can understand how people complain about it centering Ronan (Though. He IS our protagonist. Like, love him or hate him, Ronan Mazurier is very much our protagonist and it’s a Top Star world), in a scene that’s supposed to be SOLÈNE’S, but, at the same time, it’s a fantastic moment for Ronan realizing EXACTLY how badly he fucked up but not being able to do anything about it. Because it’s too late for that, there’s always going to be that little bruise between the two of them. And you’ve got Solène LOOKING RONAN IN THE FACE when she sings about how she was “abandoned by [her] brother.” Possibly more than any single production that came before or after it, this is Solène CONFRONTING Ronan for what he did, and it’s sad and it’s gut wrenching but there’s also an odd sense of power that comes with it as well. And I do appreciate that this version DID give us the Mazurier Sibs Reunion albeit via forcing respectability on Solène which...see above. Not what **I** would have done, but I’m not Zuka, I don’t have their cultural context, and I don’t have to create for their audience. Basically, ANY Mazurier Sibs content is good content, because that was something that was a huge hole in the French production.

Also not to be gay on main but Harune Aki is GORGEOUS.

...I said i wouldn’t dwell too much and then one long-ass paragraph later...

I love the Revolutionary Bros as well, but I don’t TEND to focus on them the same, so I’m going to lightly skip in the interest of preserving space. As much as I can preserve space on ANYTHING.

One thing that I really, really liked with this production was how they utilized music that had been cut. Pour un Nouveau Monde is FANTASTIC, and tbh it’s a little bone-chilling when Artois takes control of the song, as you see who’s REALLY pulling the strings of the meeting. I LOVE the Toho puppets, but I also like Civics Lessons With Uncle Artois. And it also replaced the non-musical scene from the French that...well...I’m not going to say that NO ONE likes it, because some people do, I’m sure. But in years of either streaming or attending streams, I’ve never really heard anyone say they LIKE it and many, many groans. Likewise for “ Les mots qu'on ne dit pas” which...tbh...I STILL love as an Act 1 finale. I really like how they bring all the main cast on stage in that one, the way that we go through all the central character’s arcs, and, of course, Peyronan being paired together.

Don’t mind me, I’m appreciating the masterful choreography.

Also I REALLY love the use of the turn table during Pour la Peine, I think that it did a really good job of showing off the cast as they put in their bit of the song, and Laz SEEMING (?) to turn away at the end never ceases to break me on multiple levels. Like, it really IS everyone who’s been involved in this playing their part, from the lowest class in society to the highest, villains and heroes, ALL of them saying that they changed history, and that’s something that I STILL think about regularly. It’s not AS dark as Toho!1789, because...Toho, but it’s still is a Lot for me to think about.

tl;dr: It’s really kind of impossible for me to talk about how MUCH I love this production, because how DO you really concisely talk about something that’s kind of defined my fandom experience for the last two years (and, really, my fandom experience in general, since I didn’t PUBLISH fanfiction before it, and my publishing fanfic in the first place was because [1] I had a GRE the next day and I finally had something I was terrified of more than a bad review and [2] There was so little fanfic in English that I basically put on my Artois hat and was like “THEY HAVE TO LIKE IT ONE WAY OR ANOTHER), but this really is my baby. My precious child. My precious, ridiculous trainwreck of a child that I will defend until my last breath even if I routinely forget that my self indulgent AU isn’t canon. It really probably saved my ass in the last stage of my undergrad because I would be FREAKING OUT on my Capstone Project and then I could turn this on and be like, “Ah. This is nice. Happy Calming Feel Good Musical. Oh no, Ronan got shot. Oh well. REVUE TIME.”

#1789 les amants de la bastille #this is such a rant #circecular

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missjackil · 6 years

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My 3 Year SPNnaversary!!

3 years ago yesterday, I was reluctantly introduced to these lovely men. I didn’t write this yesterday because it was Jensen’s birthday and wanted to just give him some praise. Also, it was actually Feb 29th that I first started watching, it was a Leap Year.

My longtime friend and I had been binge-watching shows on Netflix, taking turns as to whom picked what show. We had watched Making a Murderer, Shameless, Nurse Jackie, and House MD. Id picked last and picked House because I had already watched the series and she hadn’t. What we both loved most was House’s bromance with Wilson. It was this toxic yet beautiful love between best friends, and I’ve always loved that kind of thing. Unconditional, deep abiding love doesn't need to be romantic.

So my friend, Dawn, told me “Well if you love that kind of thing, have I got a show for you!” She told me about Supernatural and I was reluctant because horror isn't my thing, but she told me “Well the brothers do hunt monsters, and it is a little scary, but it's not overly gory. The main focus of the show is the relationship between the brothers, and their lives and all the crap the universe throws on them” I was like “Well it sounds good, but 10 seasons is a commitment!” and she said “Well it’s in season 11 now actually, I don't know if there's gonna be another season, but if there is, you can be all caught up when it starts.” So I agreed.

We started watching The Pilot and I thought it was decent. The boys were definitely adorable, but too young for my taste. She assured me they get better looking every season LOL and she said: “I think you’re just gonna LOVE Sam.” so I took her word for it. I must admit though, my early impressions weren't the best.

Though I did like both of the boys and thought they were adorable. I felt like Sam was snobby, and a bit inconsiderate of Dean, and I felt like Dean was a bit clingy and possessive, and more than a little bit bossy. He was also a little inconsiderate of Sam IMO. After about maybe 7 episodes, I told her I didn't really like the show. It wasn't scary, the effects were cheap and cheesy, and the boys, as cute as they are, arent very good actors. I'm not getting this unconditional love kind of chemistry. She sighed and assured me it gets better. She asked me to give it till the end of S2 and if I still didn't like it, I could pick the next one. So I agreed.

The episode Faith was a turning point for me. I saw Sam in a whole new light. He’s spiritual. A believer and with all his “I'm better than you” attitude, he crumbled at the thought of his brother dying. Okay, now you have my attention!

This is the first time I saw unconditional love, and there was much more to this Sam character than being the smart little brother with psychic visions, and now I wanted to know his story. I wanted to know their story! And Dawn was right, it did get better. Season 2 was a lot better, there were a lot of new twists and turns and heartbreak. I thought Jensen was a decent actor by this point, I still wasn't sold on Jared’s acting skills yet. As much as I enjoyed Playthings, IMO I thought his drunk acting needed some work. However, it seemed like once Sam got the cast off, Jared’s acting got better. He was absolutely amazing, if not a bit terrifying in Born Under a Bad sign. He broke my heart in Heart (not to mention how his body impressed me... good lord kid, could you just not?) and even better, I learned that he prays all the time in Houses of the Holy, so it was season 2 I officially became a Sam girl. Then of course, All Hell Breaks Loose ruined me. After I was done sobbing and also falling in love with Dean for how devastated he was that Sam died, and how he thought nothing about selling his soul for him, Dawn asked me So, do we keep watching?” and I gave her a big “Yes!”

I was hooked now, but I had yet to drink The Kool-Aid. Season 3 was kinda bad IMO aside from a few episodes I really liked. Fresh Blood, Mystery Spot and Night Shifter. To be perfectly honest, if S4 hadn't turned up the volume, I think I would have stopped. However, it blew me away!! Sam’s superpowers, the demon blood arc, and the whole Winchester Gospels thing were exactly what I needed to become obsessed! I was scared though, Dawn wouldn't give me spoilers, but I loved Sam and I was afraid he would become a bad guy and I wouldn't love him anymore. Dawn said “I just want you to remember, they're both good guys, and they're always the good guys even if it looks bad for a little bit” And I'm so thankful she was right.

I have been head over heels in love since then. 3 years now, and Lord willing and my finances allow, I'm going to meet these 2 beautiful men in September and I hope I'm calm enough to form words and tell them how wonderful they are, and how happy they have made these last 3 years for me. I hope they have many years left in them for this show. I don't see me ever tiring of it, any more than I would get tired of a long friendship. And I know, that dreadful day that it does come to an end, will feel like losing my best friend. (I have lived through this very thing twice, and I know this is what it will feel like)

So you won't ever hear me wishing it would end or talking about beating a dead horse. I don't care if some episodes or story arcs suck, I'm thankful they’re still here.

#supernatural #my 3 year anniversary #show positive #sam and dean forever

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themermaidstar · 6 years

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The Mermaid Star watches the Bleach Live Action Movie

(Note: I'm not very good at remembering names, so forgive me when I refer the actors simply as ex: "Ichigo's actor". Also, I am a very open IchiRuki shipper, but I will try to keep this as unbiased as I possibly can.)

First of all, I will admit that like most people, I didn't expect too much for this live action adaptation of Bleach. Not only because I knew live movie versions of animes almost never go well, but also because I did not particularly part ways with Bleach in a happy manner.

So when I first heard the news of the live action movie, I was not happy. This is obviously bait for Kubo and co. to see if there was still enough demand for Bleach to continue as a franchise And honestly, after that terrible last arc and the disappointing ending, nobody really asked for this. I honestly did not care for Bleach to continue on with the new generation.

Still, despite everything, I could not resist my curiosity as trailers of the movie came out. They looked pretty decent at the very least, the actors were a bit unexpected, but the effects were pretty okay. Somehow I wanted to give this movie a chance. After all, I did have quite a long history with Bleach.

And now that the movie's been posted early on Netflix, of course I couldn't resist watching the movie! So without further ado, here are my impressions of the live action Bleach movie:

The beginning part of the movie gave me a "Hm, ok." impression, especially the part where Ichigo first meets Rukia. I gotta admit that their first meeting was a bit underwhelming for me. But I suppose in real life, it would be unrealistic for the scene to go as comical as it did in the manga/anime. But then the fight with that first hollow came, and the pace began to move better. I was pretty impressed with the special effects for the hollows. Ichigo's sword could've been better, but I didn't mind it too much. I was satisfied with the way the scene went. Except for the part where they skipped Ichigo and Rukia's iconic first exchange of names. There were several changes made to the plotline, which were quite understandable, though there are moments where I felt that they're cramming a bit, especially the Grand Fisher part. Still, the movie overall was a surprisingly good watch, probably one of the better made live action movies from shounen animes/mangas. It didn't compromise too much with its storyline, and the essence of what made Bleach, well, "Bleach", was still there, which was definitely what mattered most. I especially liked the latter part of the movie where things began to get serious. Of course, I won't deny that there are several parts that could've been done better. But overall, it's a movie that satisfied me as a former Bleach fan, and something I would definitely watch again.

Ichigo's actor had moments where I wasn't fully convinced of his facial expressions. I think I've always had this impression with a lot of Japanese actors/actresses' mannerisms that they're either overreacting or too dull. Ichigo seemed to be the former at times. That said, I will not deny that he does have a lot of moments where he really becomes "Ichigo", especially during the fight scenes. I could've sworn that I could sometimes hear the original voice of Ichigo. He does bring out a bit of, say, a "kawaii" side to Ichigo, like the high-five scene which I wouldn't think the original Ichigo would've ever done due to his consciousness about his tough reputation. It's not a negative per say, but it does bring a different side of Ichigo to light without completely compromising with his character. His action scenes are quite well-done too, so I was impressed and satisfied with the actor overall.

Rukia's actress was initially not what I expected to be. Like Ichigo, I think this version of Rukia is a bit less guarded with her emotions, which is not necessarily a bad thing. She really did grow on me and has somewhat fit into the role of Rukia, she was able to capture the essence of Rukia's character even if their mannerisms are not totally alike. Her ability to make very believable facial expressions made me completely sold to her as an actress. I really think this girl will go far in the Japanese acting industry.

Ichigo and Rukia's bond was really emphasized in this movie, as it should be since it was the focus of the first arc and is essential to pretty much all the arcs and Ichigo's development. I initially had doubts about the two actors' chemistry when the posters and trailers came out, I wanted them to bring justice the most unbreakable bond in Bleach's story. Well, it turns out that these two have MASSIVE chemistry! I really couldn't help smiling and giggling at their interactions. These two acted so naturally with each other, I couldn't deny that these two were "Ichigo and Rukia" in the flesh. Those training scenes were probably the best thing they've added to the story, especially since it makes Ichigo's growth of strength more realistic and believable rather than just relying on pure power and adrenaline. You could really see how their relationship naturally grew even in that short amount of time; from strangers who had no choice but to begrudgingly work together, to becoming each others' close confidants who would do anything in their power to protect each other. I mean, all that "You could stay here in our world" and "I could be your friend" lines from Ichigo? All the times Rukia kept denying her attachment to Ichigo but then would state that she was happy to hear him say those words? OH MY HEART!!! I can never get enough of their scenes together! I've always thought that these two shine the most when they're together, and I'm really happy that I get the same feeling in the movie. I admit that I did get a bit emotional at the part where Rukia had to pretend to insult Ichigo and physically detain him in order to protect him from Byakuya, especially when she said that he would forget all about her after all this is done. God, the painful expressions of both Ichigo and Rukia! I could feel both of their pain at being torn apart like this. It's without a doubt that Ichigo and Rukia's strong bond was the main highlight of the movie, and arguably the best and most accurate element from the original storyline. It really made me nostalgic, so despite the fact that this movie could've been done better, I'm glad that this movie has somewhat become a reminder to us fans of how good the Bleach series used to be in the first part.

I gotta admit, I was also mostly impressed by Ishida. He was probably the most accurate to the original character, and not only did he look the part, the actor did a very good job capturing Ishida's mannerisms. I loved the Quincy arrow and bow effects too. I did think that his acceptance of Ichigo was a bit too fast, but I'll let that slide. I'm glad that Uryu at least had his fair time to shine in this movie, as he should have.

Chad and Orihime were pretty meh in the movie. They pretty much haven't contributed anyting important to the storyline, only being reduced to mere observants on the sidelines. Again, this is understandable because of the movie's limited time. Still, it is nice to see that these two were at least not cut out completely. I did kinda like the part where they showed Chad protecting their classmates using his strength, at least they didn't forget that he was naturally strong even for a normal human. Although I kinda thought his scene in the beginning of the movie seemed a bit random. As for the actor, I wished that they could've gotten a real Eurasian guy to act as Chad. But oh well, I think he did okay as Chad considering how small his role was. I also wished we saw a bit of a glimpse of Orihime's Shun Shun Rikka, maybe a bit of glimmer from her hair clips to hint their awakening powers. At first I was kinda disappointed with her actress when she was revealed in the promos, but she eventually grew on me and I saw her appeal. I did not like however how she was pretty much reduced to the moping lovesick girl whose only lines were most if not all just concerning Ichigo. I kinda missed her, well, ditzy moments which added to the comedy and light-heartedness of the series. It would've been funny to at least see Inoue bring some of her rather unique cooking to school. But again, even the original Inoue's vast imagination would not be realistic in real life, so that's fine too. Like Chad, I thought Orihime's actress did okay and was pretty enough to look like Orihime. Despite lacking Orihime's flowing locks, I quite liked her hair being brown and medium-length and pinned to one side, it made her look cute without looking immature. I'm a bit disappointed though to not see her and Rukia's friendship grow, which was supposed to be one of the reasons why Rukia became more attached to the Human World. Again, time constraints.

Byakuya and Renji were probably the most disappointing ones for me. At first I was really excited to see Byakuya, he looked really good in the promos. I thought his hair was done well considering how complicated it's supposed to be. But while watching the movie, I slowly grew more and more disappointed in their portrayal of Byakuya. He somewhat gave me this rockstar, swaggish vibe, instead of the refined, aloof aristocrat he was supposed to be. I understand that his actor was a musician. Still, I expected more from him, and I was let down. I did not like how he seemingly enjoys taunting Rukia and Ichigo when he's supposed to be inwardly conflicted about Rukia's sentence. I did like that one scene though where he was sizing up a weakened Ichigo, and while he did not say anything, you can see in his eyes that he recognised something in Ichigo's eyes that slightly changed his perspective of him. I'd like to believe that this is the scene where he realized how much Ichigo resembled Kaien, which gave him even more reason to kill him for Rukia. Renji is also another character who I did not appreciate very much in the movie. I wished the actor was a bit taller, more menacing. But honestly, he was not convincing, instead coming off as quite irritating, especially with his weird tongue mannerism. At the very least, I'm glad that they did the scene where he saw Ichigo's unwavering resolve to save Rukia, and was shown to be somewhat affected by it, and at least he seems more reluctant to kill Rukia than Byakuya. I've always liked the sort of "rivalry" Ichigo and Renji shared in the original series, and I think this movie portrayed it pretty well despite my reservations about Ichigo and Renji's respective actors.

I won't bother commenting about the other characters since my common comment for them is that their unique characters were reduced to pretty much ordinary people. It's quite disappointing, especially Tatsuki and Karin, but like i said multiple times before, it's understandable. I'm surprisingly also disappointed that Kon wasn't around even though I completely understand how useless he would be to the plot. Even just his lifeless doll being used as an easter egg would've made me smile. I missed that plushy perverted mascot. He deserved a lot more screentime ever since the Arrancar arc.

Overall, I'd score this movie a 7/10. A lot of work still needs to be done, but it was still satisfying enough for me. The heart of Bleach was there, and that's what matters most. It was definitely good enough for me to start rewatching the Bleach anime again (not the manga though) due to the nostalgia it brings. At the very least, it reminded me that despite the disappointing last arcs and ending, there are still enough good moments worth watching in Bleach.

#bleach #bleach live action #ichiruki #bleach movie

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thebrochtuarachs · 7 years

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Recap on 3x09: The Doldrums

I loved this transition episode and this might be my favorite episode so far the entire season!!! (Yes, probably more over the reunion episode)

P.S. I’ve stopped reading the “Voyager” so that I don’t really know what to expect in the coming episodes. I’ll re-read once the season is over. This is exciting.

1. INTRO CHANGES ARE AMAZING!!! That African remix in the theme song plus the new footages are just adds so much more intrigue on what’s going to happen in the next half of the season! I mean, The greenery, the sea, the shipwreck, Jamaica, Turtle Soup? I can’t even already and it’s just the start of the episode.

2. I honestly had no idea what “doldrums” mean.

3. Oh, they didn’t show the passage to France,well, we need to run the story fast so I’m fine with it. It so nice to see Jared again. I wonder how much richer he’s gotten since his main rival in the business is gone.

4. Young Ian can be sold as long as he doesn’t get into trouble…well, let’s cross our fingers for this one.

5. Tension still there between Jamie and Claire. Despite the fact, he still allows himself to be vulnerable to Claire, even confessing that God maybe punishing him for wanting it all too much. I love this character development. Moreover, I actually love this tension more than when they getting to know each other in S1. Sam and Cait have nailed being an “older, married” couple without losing their sexiness and chemistry.

6. James Fraser is totally unreal and we shall all swoon about it. Here’s a man confessing his love but still willing to let his woman go (will even escort her back personally!) if it’s what she wants. Claire, on her end, knows she won’t leave Jamie but doesn’t want to tell him yet (cheeky! get the men on their heels, joke!). But with her coming with Jamie, I assume she accepts the man he is now for the man she knew once before? ;) I mean, I understand why parting this time maybe more okay cause at least they both know that each other lives but they both know that it ain’t going to happen no matter how crazy their situation is.

7. Claire trying to comfort Jamie with her hand in his arm and back. I’ve been waiting for this Claire Fraser to come back and here she is. Also, the Frasers handholding gives me much life. I need more pure scenes like these.

8. Jamie asking Claire to touch the horseshoe because of superstition but she only touches it because it’ll make him happy. I honestly can’t. My bbys are coming back.

9. When Jamie just said women and red heads are both bad luck but Claire only acknowledges Jamie’s. HAHAHAHA married.

10. Wow, I didn’t expect Jamie and Claire PDA but I am loving this. I love how automatic their hands are with each other in this hug. All these banana talk is too telling. I love cuddly Frasers.

11. Besides Fergus, yet again, interrupting a sweet moment…FERSALI HAS ARRIVED (and married)!!

12. I love Jamie’s sarcastic face talking to Fergus and Marsali. “You hardly know each other” - JAMES, JAMES, have you forgotten your own wedding? ;)

13. Marsali’s annoyance with Claire is seeping. She just calls her names even when Jamie and Fergus asks her not to. Also, I kinda liked that she defended her mother because she’s her family first despite what she’s done. I remember Lauren Lyle’s tweet that Marsali not being the “meek and obedient” type and she was right. Well, girl, you’re just like Claire more that you like. Plus, I love that Claire doesn’t hide the fact that, she too, doesn’t like Marsali all that much.

14. Marsali will not be bug down. Jamie is surrounded by fierce, outspoken women in his life. His mother, sister, wife, daughters…

15. “We’ve been parted for 20 years and you want me to room with her?” I think we all know what Claire’s plans were ;) HAHAHA Plus, I love that even in their rocky start, Claire still knows her hold over Jamie and I love it. I miss this dynamic.

16. Jamie Fraser, the king of all men, cannot sing, cannot wink and cannot stand being in the sea. I know that somewhere deep down Claire is temporarily enjoying Jamie’s state of disposition.

17. Claire and Jamie talking about Fergus like the family conversations they missed the past 20 years. These two, no matter how awkward their situation is, they will always choose to say what they need to and actually have a decent conversation.

18. Claire and Jamie talking about their wedding like it was three (and not twenty) years ago gives me the feels. I love that they remember it still so much.

19. Our things? Love that she was surprised it’s BOTH their stuff. Love that Claire didn’t think someone would save something of hers the past 20 years. Love that the first thing she thought was being practical and that she would’ve been fine with it being gone. Love that Jamie but in so quickly that he couldn’t bear losing memories of her. Love that Claire recognized her cloak and didn’t like Marseli wearing it. Love that Claire finally has some change of clothes. Love that Jamie says that there’s still more clothes saved back home. PS. Can someone make a FF where Jamie is just reminiscing through the clothes please? :) Also, there’s some debate on whether it was right that Jamie kept and not sold them for money as Lallybroch was struggling (See @OutlanderCostum tweets). Honestly, for me, sentimental things as such are priceless. If it were the not the really, really, really, last resort, I wouldn’t let them go either.

20. Humorous Frasers are my favorite. I love their inside jokes. Ahhh, seriously, this couple destroys me with feels.

21. Of course, something goes awry and who’s fault is it? Our favorite duo. Seriously, can’t they catch a break, at least once? BTW, I love seeing Dr. C.E.B.R Fraser in action!

22. Father-Son moment with Jamie and Fergus. “If you were forced to marry milady, then I’m forced to breath, my heart, it is forced to beat” THIS IS HONESTLY ONE OF THE BEST AND MOST ROMANTIC LINES. Fergus sees and knows how true their love is, no matter how much each downplays it. I love that Fergus remembers their brief time together all those years and how that feelings never changed. Jamie is still not making good arguments. So far, everything is biting him back in the behind. (Is their a FF where Fergus tells Marseli memories of Jamie and Claire and shares how pure they truly were?)

23. I may have rolled my eyes when Jamie imposed Fergus to be TOTALLY HONEST with Marseli about his rendezvous past. I mean, come on.

24. I thought Claire, being a woman of the 20th century, would probably have knowledge and amenable to superstitions and how much it wouldn’t bother following them if without harm. After all, she grew up with an archaeologist and was married to a historian, so for sure, she knows many cultures and traditions. And here she is, dining with the captain, questioning why she should follow the ridiculous ideas of the seas. But still, I love that Claire shares her insight still, and thank goodness, the captain is a little bit more open-minded about this. Just a thought.

25. MR. WILLOUGHBY/YI TIEN CHO IS HERE!!! His threat to Jamie’s manhood is very convincing.

26. Claire and Marseli in each other throats and no one is backing down. Love that Claire, assuming as she was, doesn’t back down to Marseli nor does try to explain herself.

27. Caitriona Balfe just looks gorgeous in that blue outfit. I love the added belt and bag. I love that it doesn’t go all the way down to the floor and shows her gorgeous shoes. This is, so far, probably my favorite Claire look! The sun is so good on their skins too. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE HER HAIR. I love tan Jamie and Claire!

28. I wonder how Jamie and Claire survived weeks with Jamie’s vomiting and I wonder where their conversation would have gone hadn’t Marseli and Fergus interrupted them.

29. I love how they both turn around as Marseli and Fergus approach them. Like what’s that about? :D

30. I must give so much credit to Fergus and Marseli for fighting for their relationship. I must give credit to Claire for trying to help them out. Marsalis face when Claire defended them was priceless. Jamie acting like the “stoic dad” and Claire as the “convincer mom” and this indirect parenting scene gives me so much joy.

31. Yi Tien Cho and Claire friendship is marvelous. I love that Claire has genuine interest in getting to know him. “A story told is a life lived” line is so powerful, at least to me.

32. Claire VO scene. I love that she’s smiling making the medicines. The script had a deleted scene where Claire was actually singing and humming but at least, one can see that Claire is actually enjoying the voyage….SO FAR. ;)

33. I love that she go grabs Jamie to listen to some songs :D

34. I love the acupuncture scene. My favorite of the episode. I love how shocked Jamie and Mr. Willoughby was, being caught on act. And enter Claire, who bears the look more of surprised amusement rather than the fury they were expecting. I love that we see just how deep Jamie’s fears of losing Claire is - that something as simple as offending her ginger tea will make her run away. We see him bracing himself for another round of arguments of why she needs to stay with him because up until this point in the episode, Claire hadn’t really committed herself back to him - she gave direct statements on the cliff, hadn’t really answered about staying with him, when he offered her return to the 20th century, she reasoned Young Ian. Not their relationship. Then Claire, bless her soul, finally said the answer we’re all eager to hear with all the love and it was the perfect. (I currently have Claire’s response as my phone wallpaper for good vibes and feels).

35. She makes him ginger tea twice a day for three weeks and she’ll make them still hadn’t she caught them - if that isn’t love, I don’t know what is.

36. With that argument out of the way, the relief on their faces that immediately changes to that look of love we all know and miss from these two. I mean just look at Claire - like there’s no issue anymore, nothing that she holds against him, doesn’t ask him to explain further, doesn’t ask him for conditions - and neither does he. Because they know that going forward and being together is the most important thing. And then they joke and intimacy resumes without shyness.

37. Jamie and Claire kissing while laughing may have destroyed my feels. I love them so much and this moment is what they deserve for all time. Also, ESKIMO KISSES.

38. Jamie has forgotten about his acupuncture face and Captain Raines, hilariously, calls him out. HAHAHAHA! Mr. Willoughby trying so hard to explain the treatment, the crews horror looks, and Jamie trying to distract them.

39. We are just blessed with so many Claire and Jamie moments this episode! I just love this. A rare private moment for our twosome. Love how Claire approaches him after he’s done with his prayers, Jamie unmoving in her presence. Love how she approaches him first and initiates the intimacy because Jamie is still unsure where his boundaries lie. Love how she kisses him on the cheek and grabs him by the arms. Love how their foreheads touch. Love how they only have love eyes for each other. Love the hugging and kissing. Love that it is soft and tender like the still of the night. Like they’re part of the night. Love how perfect they fit together in the embrace. Like it was always meant to be that way. Love that they have a moment to reflect about Brianna. Love how he hugged her closer to assure her of her decision. Love how they stay that way until the end of the frame. I would have loved though if they included the part where they look at Bree’s pictures again but nonetheless, this scene was beautiful, heartbreaking and perfect. Sam and Cait just nailed this especially the last 10 seconds of this scene.

40. It’s moments like these where I wish Bree could have a way to know and see that her mom is okay and is with her dad and that they both love each other and her very much. I honestly can’t wait for Brianna to meet Jamie next season.

41. Bad luck after bad luck after bad luck… of course, our bbys are to blame. What’s new? :P

42. They are lucky Captain Raines is an open-minded person or else, they’ll be thrown out by now.

43. Jamie is an honorable man but I don’t know how he can make promises of not running out of water and evade a mob of angry sailors so fervently. Also, I love how frequent he refers to Claire as his “wife”. Like he missed calling her that so now he repeats it, over and over.

44. Claire taking charge as well is my favorite aesthetic.

45. YI TIEN CHO TO THE RESCUE. I love his monologue. I love hearing his story and back story. Love his quick thinking about superstitions and how he can make himself a picture of good luck by bringing wind and rain. Completely forgetting about the horseshoe incident. His timing is impeccable. Love how Claire and Jamie asks him after how he knew and appreciated him saving the day and everyone on the ship. And not just for the rain but personally, for helping them heal in some way.

46. Jamie and Claire’s mischievous look when Yi Tien Cho was depicting body parts. These guys have waited weeks and we know what’s coming.

47. Fergus and Marsali kissing behind Jamie and Claire’s backs is the ultimate family moment.

48. Hallway swinging, INTENTIONALLY falling to each other, “The Wedding” soundtrack starts to play in the background, laughing, breathing heavily, the electricity in their look. Claire and Jamie enter the first door they find. Weeks of abstinence, this intensely hot make-up follows.

49. OMG we get the bang this episode. I love these kisses more than in 306. More urgent, hungry, and loving. Cait’s jaw line is gorgeous. Claire asking him to hurry up. Pants must be harder to navigate than kilts. Claire complaining about the heat in the room - girl, i don’t think it’s just the room. LEGS. FUNNY BANTERS ABOUT GETTING CAUGHT I AM DEAD. CLAIRE/CAIT’S LAUGH IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ACTION. THIS IS LOVE. She holding his face to hers. They don’t care who hears them, they waited weeks for this. This is too hot for words. They don’t seem like 50-year old people to me, then again, what do I know? This is just beautiful because they come together just out of pure love for each other with abandon and nothing else weighing on them.

50. Whoever is in charge of cinematography this episode, I love you. These scenes are precious. I love how they’re sprawled together on the floor and love how her skirt beautifully covers them. I love their positioning. I love their content smiles. I love how their locked away in their own little bubble. I love how they fit together. I love how Jamie loves the grey. KING OF ALL MEN line- writers, I see what you did there. I love this love reaffirming scene between them because now, they brace for…

51. TROUBLE AHEAD. I should’ve known we won’t last in our happy bubble forever - or at least until the end of the episode. The British just can’t leave Claire and Jamie alone.

52. Claire’s pained face at the thought of being separated with Jamie again broke me. Shockingly, she didn’t protest to his plan this time and gave her promise immediately. Wow, they are older and wiser. I hate seeing them apart. These two just can’t get away from…adventure, can they?

53. TOM LENNON - I SEE YOU AND DON’T LIKE YOU.

54. Dr. CEBR Fraser is back and I love when she takes command. Jamie’s face when she talks medically is half proud and half scared. Claire’s horror face when Jamie refuses to let her see patients.

55. Props to Jamie for trying to talk Claire out of it. Props to them for talking about it like the mature married couple they should be. Props to Claire trying to explain to typhoid fever to comfort Jamie with the idea that she can’t catch a disease not yet known in 1768. I love that Claire takes so much pride and honor in her oath as a doctor just as equally the same as Jamie’s oath as a soldier. They both live dangerous lives and both respects and loves each other for pursuing it. I love that they kiss in agreement and that sexy look Claire gives Jamie after he agreed is just enough to leave him wanting more of her and them. Goodness, the chemistry between these two is electric.

56. RING TOUCHING. I NEED MORE FRASER HOLDING HANDS MOMENTS.

57. I love how Jamie will literally not take his eyes off the ship.

58. FEMALE SHIP SURGEONS IN 1768 PEOPLE!

59. THIS SHIP IS REEKING I CAN SMELL IT FROM THE TV. I almost gagged myself.

60. Dr. Claire giving instructions these men don’t want to be bothered with so Tom Lennon KIDNAPS her. WHAT THE HELL

61. CLAIRE’S PAINED LOOK AT BEING SEPARATED WITH JAMIE AGAIN. I JUST CANT.

Final thoughts:

Since I stopped reading Voyager, I go on watching the episodes with no expectations at all so this episode was freaking fantastic! Probably my favorite of season 3 yet. They gave us many Claire and Jamie moments because we’ll not see them together in a little while - AGAIN - but damn, those were precious scenes. It had a little bit of everything from drama, romance, comedy, action and of course, the ever effective, CLIFFHANGER that we have to wait out until the next episode comes. Can’t wait for more Fergus and Marseli. Can’t wait to see how the last 4 episode plays out. I love this show so much.

#outlander #3x09 #309 #the doldrums #jamie fraser #claire fraser #recap #review #sam heughan #caitriona balfe #starz #outlander starz #sorry if this is long #its what i had in mind while watching #personal

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theclaravoyant · 7 years

Note

also if you're up for it, S1 Skye finds Simmons in Fitz's bed post FZZT and in trying to explain that they are not dating or sleeping together, they end up talking about QPs and aromantic (and/or ace) identities (bonus points if Skye ends up joining them for all the platonic bed sharing feels)

AN ~ Always a pleasure to write for you! Thanks for the prompt

Also tagging @unlessimwrongwhichyouknowimnot bc they’re always down for QP FitzSimmons. Happy Pride!

(and for those of who who didn’t catch them last year, there’s more QP FS in Birds of a Feather and aro!Jemma (who unfortunately didn’t make it explicitly into this one) in Love is Not an Eight Letter Word.)

Read on AO3 (~1600wd).Fluff! Rated G/K+ for some light/brief mentions of sex.

Peas in a Pod

It was the morning after the scariest day of her life, and Skye woke with her heart pounding heavily in her chest. She couldn’t remember if she’d been dreaming, or if so, what it had been about, but in her state of panic she remembered the way her heart had dropped, her mouth had gone dry, her every thought had turned to death death death when Jemma had jumped. She would have survived and landed and gone on, and her friend would be dead. Gone. Forever. She’d never been that close to it before.

All of a sudden, she felt an urge to see Jemma’s face. Or Fitz’s, which if nothing else, would remind her that they’d come out of it after all. So, still in her pyjamas, Skye bolted across the hall and knocked on Jemma’s door. No answer? She tried Fitz’s instead, her whole body starting to shake, just in case, but then –

“Yeah, come in.”

Not screamingly enthusiastic, but definitely not the voice of a man who had lost his best friend the day before. Relieved, Skye pulled the door open, and yelped.

“AH! NO!” She spun on the spot and covered her eyes, unsure where to look or not look. Unsure what she had just seen or not seen.

Jemma laughed and sat up, Fitz’s blankets pooling around her, now revealing most of the Sci-Tech Academy logo on the shirt she was wearing.

“It’s okay, Skye,” she assured her. “We’re both decent.”

Skye settled, and dropped her hand from her eyes. Fitz had crossed the room as if to open the door for her, and was frowning a little, confused by her reaction.

“It’s cool,” Skye said, shrugging to recover her casual exterior, though she was still a little flushed and breathless. “Extreme situations give rise to new relationships. All the time.”

“New relationships?” FitzSimmons shared a glance, and then snapped back to Skye, in unison.

“This is a new thing, right?” Skye checked, waving a finger between them. She may not be a long-time trained spy, but she wasn’t that thick. Besides, it had only been yesterday (such a long day) that Fitz had been snorting and guffawing and denying his chemistry with Jemma and even – if Skye was not mistaken – flirting with her instead. With no real reason to keep a secret from her – well, not one like that – the only other conclusion Skye could draw was that the two of them had finally been driven into each other’s arms by the previous day’s near-death experience. It happened.

It happened, but it was not what had happened here.

“Oh,” Simmons said, as if explaining aside to Fitz. “She thinks we slept together last night.”

“What?” Fitz baulked. “No! Of course not! I mean we slept but we didn’t… sleep…”

“Fitz and I aren’t together,” Simmons explained, cutting him off. “Well, not by your standards, anyway.”

“’My standards,’” Skye repeated, confused. “As opposed to what? Your standards? What, are you guys aliens or something?”

“What?” Fitz was momentarily alarmed.

“What?” Skye locked her eyes on his, wondering if she’d actually managed to catch him out. She’d always felt there was something weird about this place, and about FitzSimmons. And with everything that had happened recently, aliens wouldn’t be that much of a stretch, to be honest.

But Fitz seemed just as keen to catch her out as she was him, and so they stared each other down for a few seconds until Jemma waved them off again.

“No, I just meant… most people don’t understand the nature of our relationship.”

Skye snorted.

“Alright, Ms Grey,” she teased. “Now I know that can’t be as kinky as it sounded just now, so I’m curious. If you two aren’t aliens – which I’m not entirely sold on, by the way – what am I? What do you mean ‘my standards’?”

“I didn’t mean to offend, Skye,” Simmons apologised. “It’s just a little obscure. Fitz and I, we’re in what’s called a ‘queer-platonic’ relationship. It’s like, well it is friendship I suppose, but it’s… deeper than that. It’s like, friendship with the commitment of a romantic relationship. But without the actual romance.”

Skye frowned.

“Isn’t that just like, really good friendship?”

“Well, in a way, yes,” Simmons explained, and then took a deep breath that warned Skye she was in for an info-dump.

“But also, no. See, the term ‘platonic’ has its origins in Ancient Greek and could actually be used refer to any non-sexual non-familial love. It simply means ‘confined to thought and concept, and not resulting in action’, which in this case would be sex. So technically, non-sexual romantic acts are also platonic. Well, they were. I mean, the evolution of language does have to be taken into consideration, obviously, which is where the ‘queer’ part of it comes in. It doesn’t refer to Fitz’s or my orientations but rather, to the relationship itself - ‘queering’ the definition of platonic as we know it today, to make it more resembling of the older, wider version. At least, that’s how I see it.”

Skye blinked, speechless for a moment.

“Cool,” she said slowly, once she had run it over in her head and absorbed it. Fitz shook his head, and simplified.

“Skye. When you first met us, did you assume we were friends or a couple?”

“… a couple?” Skye confessed.

“When you found out we were ‘just friends,’ did that make sense to you?”

“Of course!”

Fitz and Jemma glared a little. Skye rolled her eyes, blushing with chagrin.

“Alright, I still wanted you two to get together and I still thought maybe you had or should have had something going on. But that happens to loads of friends, right?”

“Sure, probably,” Fitz agreed.

“Especially those of different sexes,” Simmons put in.

“But for us, we like to have the label,” Fitz explained. “It’s a different type of companionship, that’s all. It’s a very deep, very special connection that we share, that’s different to how we relate to other people. Some people might experience something similar and call it love; other people might call it friendship. We call it queerplatonic. It’s our special balance, that’s all.”

Skye frowned, still absorbing. It made as much sense as it didn’t make, and strangely enough, it seemed like a perfect concept to describe a relationship such as theirs. Two people who insisted they were not in love even though, by all accounts, they appeared to be. Perhaps they were not in denial after all, but simply, in a balance?

“Tell me more?” Skye requested.

“Of course!”

“We’d be glad to.”

Excited to share this oft-undiscovered part of their life with such an open mind as Skye’s, FitzSimmons beckoned her further into the room, so that all three of them sat on the bed – it was too small a space otherwise, anyway.

“Are you guys exclusive?” Skye wondered. “And, do you – you know – have sex? Or could you? Is queerplatonic a Thing? Do other ones work like yours?”

“It’s the same as with all relationships,” Fitz explained. “No two look exactly the same and like I said before, one person’s queerplatonic might be another’s romance or friendship or friends-with-benefits-ship. There are lots of different arrangements. Like, homosexual QPs exist too, and some with more than two partners. It all depends on the people.”

“As does the sex,” Simmons put in. “Some QPs have it, others stay away from it, for various reasons. Fitz and I, for example, we probably wouldn’t have sex because Fitz is ace.”

She gestured to him to explain, but before he could open his mouth, Skye exclaimed an interruption.

“Oh! I know that one!” she cried. “Not a fan of sex, right?”

She high-fived him, quite pleased with herself, and continued.

“I get it. I mean, I don’t get it because sex is The Bomb, but I respect it. What about you, Simmons? Are you two exclusive?”

Simmons shrugged.

“At the moment, we are,” she said lightly, “but that’s just by default. We haven’t really talked about it either way.”

“Well, you should,” Skye suggested, “because your boy’s been flirting with me and I’m not entirely sure he knows that’s what he’s been doing but maybe it’s time to get your chips in order.”

Fitz blushed, chagrined. Simmons blinked at him, a little surprised.

“By the way, sorry man,” Skye continued, “you’re a good guy but you’re just not my type. In case we’re getting our wires crossed here.”

Fitz raised his hands in surrender.

“I understand. No crossed wires.”

“It was worth a shot. I appreciate the appreciation.”

“My pleasure.”

“You’re a good guy and you’ll find a real romantic partner someday, if you want one,” Skye continued, putting a sympathetic hand on Fitz’s knee, and Fitz laughed.

“Is this a breakup speech? You shouldn’t have.”

“Hey, you’re my friend, and I’ll wingman you if you want me to. The offer still stands – I mean, if it’s okay with Jemma, I guess?” Skye glanced between them, still not sure exactly where the line lay on this sort of thing. Simmons waved her back to Fitz, who shrugged, and then put an arm around Simmons’ shoulders.

“No thanks.” He grinned. “I think I’ve got everyone I need right here.”

#fitzsimmons #fsfic #ace!fitz #thefitzsimmonsnetwork #aospositivitynet #prompt me stuff #brot3: bus kids #clara's fic tag #buskidsburgade

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lalainajanes · 7 years

Text

When I was stuck on Arbor Day things @thetourguidebarbie hit me with “she can make plants erupt from the ground and do her bidding” which turned into this. Hybrid!Klaus, college student turned Mutant!Caroline. Featuring tree!sex (as in *against* trees no with trees, just to clarify!).

Short Shallow Gasps

The tiny huff of breath Klaus lets out – not quite annoyed but definitely impatient – is the last straw.

As they’d trekked through the bayou Caroline had ignored pointedly ignored his questions. What was her plan, how long did she think it would take etc. etc. Eventually, he’d gotten the hint and fallen silent. It wasn’t even that she didn’t want to answer, it was that she really couldn’t and she hated to admit it. Caroline was still figuring out her freaky mutant powers, what she could do, and they seemed to grow by leaps and bounds. It’s not like the crazies at Whitmore who’d experimented on her had provided a manual so she relied on instinct and a whole lot of trial and error. Once they’d arrived at a suitable location - enough space, decent tree cover – he’d taken to pacing. A pointed glare had nipped that in the bud.

She’d thought she could finally concentrate but nope. Did Klaus think that standing barefoot in the center of a clearing trying to coax life into being was her idea of a good time? She’d had big plans with Netflix and a batch of peanut butter cookies when he’d knocked on her door with what he’d termed an emergency.

Which it totally wasn’t but by the time she’d gotten the details they were already in the car and outside the city limits.

Caroline whirls, flips her hair out of her face, and stomps the few paces to where Klaus is leaning against a tree. His brows lift in interest as he surveys her but he doesn’t flinch away from her temper. “Is there a problem, love?”

She stops when they’re toe to toe, crossing her arms defiantly. “Yes, there is a problem. I am attempting to regrow a flower that has been extinct for fifty years. It’s not native to Louisiana, and oh yeah, I only have like three measly dried petals to work with. Do you seriously think that’s easy?”

He opens his mouth to reply but Caroline shakes her head, shifting forward and invading his space. It’s a classic-Klaus move, one she’d been on the receiving end of way too many times. She’s stopped finding it intimidating and Klaus doesn’t either, his lips curling in indulgent amusement. “Newsflash: it’s not.”

“I have the utmost faith in your abilities,” Klaus tells her. She narrows her eyes, searches for evidence that he’s patronizing her, but Klaus’ expression shows nothing but sincerity.

Maybe he actually meant it.

They’d met because of Caroline’s abilities, the predicament she’d found herself in where they’d been foisted upon her. Two years ago as a student at Whitmore College she’d been blissfully unaware of the unsavory activities that went on behind the scenes. Secret societies, experimentation on living subjects, the supernatural – the campus was a cesspool of dark and dangerous things. Caroline had been unwittingly sucked into the pit, had left it forever altered.

All because of a creep whose daddy was an Augustine bigwig. He’d objected to Caroline repeatedly kicking his ass in organic chemistry, had sought revenge, and tried to break her.

He’d failed.

She’d ended up in a cell, cold and hungry and confused. She’d yelled for help, had been so relieved when said creep, a classmate she’d recognized, had wandered up to the bars. Until he’d smiled, cold and eager, and told her that he had great plans for her, that she was sure she’d be so much less annoying when they were through with her.

Caroline had endured injections and pain and his endless speechifying. She’d screamed, cried, begged until her throat was raw. It hadn’t helped, no mercy was ever shown and no rescue came.

With no other options she’d begun to plan. Forced herself to focus on what her captors were saying, learned that they thought her too stupid and too far gone to save herself.

Oh, that had been a mistake.

An idea had formed but she’d just needed a little help, some extra muscle – that’s where Klaus had come in. They hadn’t been shy about mentioning his name, their plans for him and his family. Namely their deaths and the extinction of all vampire kind. Caroline had decided that he sounded like the ideal ally.

Once the evil scientist types were finished with her, her body different and no longer just human, they’d put her to work. Simple things at first – saving wilting bonsai trees, growing daisies from seeds to blooms, bending branches and vines to her will. Then they’d told her she was ready for a bigger task.

White oak.

A whole new world had opened up to Caroline – vampires, werewolves, witches. Battles that had waged for centuries between species she’d been sure were nothing more than fairy tales. She’d have been terrified if not for all that she’d already endured at the hands of the worst kind of humans. No matter what they said about The Originals, spoke of how vile and bloodthirsty and cruel they were, Caroline had been willing to take her chances.

Causing a minor cave in had been simple. The buildings the Augustine Society inhabited were old, surrounded by trees with deep, strong roots. Controlling them, and allowing her friendly cell neighbor (and vampire) Enzo to escape through a crack she ripped into the foundation, and speed away (with strict instructions to find Klaus and inform him of the plotting against him that was happening), had been trickier. She’d been immensely drained afterwards but it had ultimately been worth it.

Klaus had shown up, more quickly than Caroline had dared hope. He’d ripped the doors open and immediately gotten bloody, crushing bones and tearing out vital organs. His displeasure with the activities of The Augustine Society had been made abundantly clear.

No one in the building had survived.

Except Caroline. Because she’d made a bargain.

The terms of which were now complete – she’d tracked down each and every white oak sapling that the Augustine Society had forced her to grow. She’d been leery, had held her breath as the last one had burned, afraid that Klaus would turn on her and she’d never leave that forest in Romania. That he’d just been toying with her all along, that he hadn’t really been interested in her opinions and ambitions. She’d held herself rigidly, her heart racing, and there’s no way he could have missed her anxiety.

But Klaus hadn’t commented, hadn’t even tossed out one of the quips he thought oh so clever. He’d merely placed his palm on her back to usher her away, told her he had an excellent bottle of champagne waiting on ice for them in the plane. Only appropriate for a celebration, he’d murmured.

Caroline had gradually relaxed as they’d shared it. Klaus’ taste was impeccable, though she’d never tell him so. By the time they’d been in the air, headed back to New Orleans, he’d even coaxed a few smiles from her.

These days no one makes her feel safer.

As per their initial agreement she’d been free to leave the city, and Klaus’ reach, once the white oak was all destroyed. However, for about a million reasons Caroline’s done her damndest to shove into a tiny box in the back of her mind, she finds herself unwilling to go.

It’s not like she’s sitting around waiting for Klaus’ to throw her a bone. She had a tidy little business going, sold rare plants to human gardeners and supernatural types alike. She’s been having a great time exploring New Orleans, has enrolled in college again, made some friends. She’s living and she’s happy.

So what if she wakes up tangled in her sheets, sweaty and sensitive and panting Klaus’ name, more often than not? He was hot and she wasn’t blind. Klaus had an uncanny knack for showing up whenever she was considering doing more than just idle flirting and it had led to a lengthy dry spell. He’d waltz in and glare and snarl until any potential companions slowly backed away, terror painted on their faces.

She really needed to get him to stop doing that.

It’s her own fault that she keeps getting roped into pitching in with Klaus’ problems, Caroline will admit. Something about the dimples, a particularly wheedling tone he used, got her every time.

She lifts a hand, jabs her finger into his shoulder. He doesn’t budge. And her finger kind of hurts, damn him. Inhaling deeply she musters her hardest tone and attempts to drive her point into his thick, hybrid skull, “Lurking and sighing and breathing down my neck is not helpful.”

He shifts, unconcerned, settling back against the tree once more. His eyes roam over her, a touch of heat darkening his blue eyes. It’s a look he’s been giving her more and more and Caroline’s not enough of a liar to pretend as if she’s not affected by it. “Surely you understand why I’m here?”

She doesn’t retreat, lifts her chin to meet his gaze squarely. “Because you don’t trust me, duh. Which is fair, admittedly, since I was technically blackmailing you for a while there and you’re a super paranoid nutball. But why do you have to be here? Don’t you have a minion you can sic on me? Someone who’ll be quiet?”

“And here I thought you weren’t fond of your protection detail.”

An understatement. Klaus hadn’t informed her of the assigned hybrid body guards. She’d seethed once she’d figured out that the silent, intimidating shadows she’d picked up had been courtesy of Klaus. He’d not flinched when confronted initially, pointing out that they had a bargain and that he was merely ensuring she was doing her part to fulfill it.

Relations had been frosty between them for weeks, Caroline doing her best to communicate only via text, and only when absolutely necessary.

Klaus hadn’t liked that, had sought her out around town, only to leave each interaction surly and frustrated by her monosyllabic responses and refusal to make eye contact.

She’d been super impressed with her ability to freeze him out even when he goaded her.

Klaus was used to getting his way but Caroline was stubborn. A compromise had been a battle, hard fought and encouraged by the people closest to them (who’d taken to threatening murder and/or temporary excommunication). She wasn’t an idiot, she got that a shady organization like The Augustine Society might have hidden branches who’d want to recover Caroline as an asset. She knew Klaus had spent centuries acquiring enemies and she had no desire to be cannon fodder. It wasn’t the bodyguards she’d objected to, it was the sneakiness and the fact that they were a little too present.

Seriously, having them lurk outside the lady’s room was awkward.

At the time she’d gotten the feeling that concessions were a rare thing for Klaus. She’s even surer of that now.

Still, he’s managed to bend, for her, on more than one matter. The bodyguards stayed, but she got to pick them, set some boundaries so she had private spaces. Additionally, Caroline was well aware that Enzo’s heart remained in his chest cavity largely because she wished it. Klaus endured his fascination with Rebekah (who quite liked the attention) because Enzo was Caroline’s friend.

He was far from gracious about it, not shy about tossing threats - ones that were both imaginative and promising of endless agony. They were empty, however. Klaus, who’d never hesitated to eliminate enemies or annoyances, fought back his violent impulses all in an effort to make Caroline happy.

That was a big part of the reason Caroline had decided to put down roots in New Orleans.

“They’ve grown on me. They, at least, aren’t distracting.”

She recognizes her mistake immediately. Klaus looks far too pleased with himself, he practically preens.

“My, I had no idea you felt that way,” he drawls, reaching out to tuck a curl behind her ear.

She grits her teeth together, as his touch lingers. Forces herself to slowly counts to ten in an attempt to gather her frayed patience. “Don’t flatter yourself. I just meant that you’re not exactly great at the whole silent observer thing. And it’s annoying. You must have better things to do.”

“Perhaps I just enjoy your company.”

Her snort is immediate and incredulous. “Oh please, use those lines on someone who’s not gonna charge you for services rendered.”

He doesn’t react to her taunt like she’d expected. Klaus’ head tips to the side, eyes growing sharp and intent, “Why is it that you’re so reluctant to acknowledge that I enjoy you, Caroline?”

Again, not what she’d expected.

Caroline blinks, can’t help fidgeting and yielding some space. Klaus follows her, pushing off the tree with a lithe movement that shouldn’t be so compelling. She swallows hard and offers him a grin, preparing to lighten the mood with a joke. It dies in her throat when Klaus cups her chin, his thumb feathering over her lips. She freezes, knows her eyes are round in shock. “You were ever so fascinating,” Klaus says softly, “in that cell. Too thin, in threadbare rags, bruised and tired. You didn’t cower, or cringe when the blood spilled and bones snapped. You looked triumphant, every inch the conquering queen. When you looked at me, I saw not an ounce of weakness. I know it, you see. Can sense it, exploit it. And then you spoke, offered me a rather clever bargain. I found myself impressed.”

“Girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do.”

His smile is a slow thing, and her pulse kicks up in response. There’s genuine fondness in it, warmth mingling with something possessive and wanting that has her fighting a shiver. His fingers slip into her hair, his head dipping as he inhales deeply.

Caroline wants nothing more than to reach out and touch him back, sways into him before she can stop herself.

“Indeed. Still, I was wary. Thought it might be a trap you were in on, that you were pretty, tempting bait.”

Caroline bristles, jerks away from him with a snarl, “I would never have worked with them.”

Klaus moves faster than she can see, spinning them so she’s the one backed against the tree, his palm cradling her head and protecting it from impact. “I know,” he soothes. “For what they did to you I find myself wishing their deaths hadn’t been so easy. I should have made them suffer.”

Yeah. Spending all her time around vampires has totally warped her perceptions about romance because that hits her hard.

Caroline surges forward and slants her lips over Klaus’ before she can talk herself out of it, grips his shirt and yanks him closer.

Klaus doesn’t seem to mind, pressing into her, his hands just as urgent. He tugs on her hair and coaxes her mouth open with a wet glide of his tongue and Caroline moans under the onslaught.

She’s thought about this, dreamt of it, but she’d always assumed he’d be smooth, suave and practiced. This is better, his grasping fingers and greedy mouth, as if he’s been waiting all this time to learn what she tastes like. Caroline sinks into the tree at her back, widens her legs as Klaus presses between them. Her skirt’s a thin barrier and she presses moans into his mouth when Klaus presses the firm length of his thigh against her. She rolls her hips seeking more pressures Klaus begins to move with her. One of his hands drops, traces idle patterns on her thigh as he pulls his mouth away.

Her eyes flutter shut but only for a moment. “Look at me,” Klaus demands, scraping his nails against her skin.

The lick of pain is a shock, a good one, and her mouth falls open around a moan even as her eyes drift open.

His are glowing gold, full of hunger and satisfaction, his lips kiss wet and reddened. “I have been very patient,” Klaus rasps, once he has her attention. “If you want this, Caroline, be certain. Know what it means.”

Does he really expect her to think? Now? With the heat of him flush against her, his cock pressed tight to where she’s slick and aching with only a few scraps of fabric to dull the sensation? She clears her throat. “Wha...what?”

Klaus smirks, uses his grip on her thigh to hitch her leg higher as he grinds against her deliberately. “If you want me I’m going to begin by taking you against this tree. I won’t be able to wait for the comforts of a bed, not with how hard it’s been to resist you.”

“You’ve been…”

He hums, leans in to drag his lips across her racing pulse, licking over her heated skin. “Practicing an impressive amount of restraint? Yes. I’ve been waiting for you to come to me but you’re stubborn, sweetheart. Your breath quickens when we quarrel, your skin turning such pretty shades of pink and rose. I can always smell the want on you. Tasting it is even better.”

Klaus punctuates that statement with a kiss to her neck, the kind that uses teeth and tongue and leaves marks, and Caroline arches up against him, her fingers clawing at his clothed back in an effort to keep him close.

She’s panting when he pulls back and Klaus’ eyes remain hungry even as he eases away enough to see her face. “If we do this you’ll come home with me when we’re done here,” he begins, low and gravelly, “and once you’re in my bed I’ll ensure you’ll not want to leave it.”

It’s hard to process his words when his hands have taken to wandering, smoothing over the length of her thighs, his thumbs tracing the band of her underwear at her hip. All she wants to do is move against him, assuage the pulsing want that’s been ramped up by his words with friction, but Klaus has her firmly pinned. He’s waiting on her, expression expectant, the desire banked.

Trust Klaus to want to hash out the details now. He wasn’t one to play fair when he wanted something.

“I’m human. Well, mostly. In need of things like food and water.”

He inclines his head, “I’m well aware of your current state, love. I’ve no intention of allowing you to waste away on me. Not with all the things I’ve planned to do to you.”

Caroline blinks, makes a mental note to ask him to elaborate later (listening to him speak delicious filth while he moves inside of her might feature frequently in her fantasies). “So, what? You wanna go steady?”

Klaus grimaces slightly in distaste, “Not the phrase I’d choose.”

Caroline grins, slips her hands under his shirt. The tensing of the muscles there is both fascinating - she lets her fingers explore, tracing the dips and grooves - and gratifying. “But is that what you want?”

Klaus doesn’t hesitate, “I want you. All of you. You thoughts and desires. The practical and the carnal. I want your body hot and slick and wrapped around me. I want your time and not just when I can engineer a need of your skills.”

She’d kind of had Klaus pegged as bad at sharing. Not that Caroline had any stones to throw in that department. And she’d totally known he was manufacturing emergencies and dire situations. He was crafty like that.

“I reserve the right to storm off when you piss me off.”

“And I reserve the right to use every tool in my arsenal to coax you out of your temper.”

Make up sex? Far from the worst thing in the world.

“I don’t share either. I’m the only one who gets to touch you.” Caroline runs her nails down his abs, hard enough to sting, to emphasize her point.

Klaus’ eyes flare, the ring of gold brightening, his grip on her hips tightening. “Another bargain, love? I accept.”

They’d sealed the last one with a handshake, though Klaus had lifted her hand to his mouth, run his lips over her knuckles as he’d pinned her with assessing eyes.

It seems as though Klaus has something different in mind to seal this pact.

But he watches her just as intently.

He tears her panties away without preamble, a deep approving rumble spilling out when he slips his fingers into her folds, finds her slick and hot.

Caroline’s embarrassment is fleeting, any self-consciousness at her obvious want gone once Klaus finds her clit. He swirls his thumb around the throbbing nerves, light indirect brushes that send jolts of pleasure coursing through her. She shifts trying to direct the pressure to where she needs it, reaching out with shaking hands reaching out to fumble with Klaus’ jacket. She wants skin, to make him shudder and clench under her touch. “Off,” she demands. “Right now.”

He moves quickly, shrugging the offending garment away and stripping his t-shirt. A sharp tug has the straps of her dress snapping and her bra falls away immediately after.

She’s pretty sure he’d shredded it but any complaint dies when he pulls her nipple into his mouth. He sucks harshly, scrapes his teeth over the stiff point. Caroline whines low in her throat, running her hands over what she can reach of his skin. They still, gripping tightly, when his hand returns between her thighs, two long fingers pressing into her. She groans, spearing her fingers into his hair and yanking, wanting his mouth on hers.

Klaus crowds her against the tree, the hot line of his torso pressed against her as he devours her. The kiss is messy, needy, more teeth than finesse and Caroline loves every second as she fights to give as good as she’s getting. His cock, still trapped behind his jeans, presses insistently against her thigh and Caroline attempts to worm her hand in between them.

Klaus thwarts her, catching her wrist and pinning it above her head. “No,” he rasps. “Not yet.” His thumb drags over her clit and her thighs twitch, eyes rolling back at the pleasure. He squeezes her wrist gently before dropping it. Caroline rests it on his shoulder. “Good girl,” he murmurs. He tugs on her knee, encouraging her to brace her foot on the tree and leave him more room. Klaus continues speaking, low and gravelly as he works her up. “You’ll come on my hand first. I want you dripping so that when you’re tight around my cock you’ll need it fast and hard. I want your frantic in my arms, your nails in my skin, my name the only thing you can say.”

She swallows harshly, breathes in shakily, “Is that a vampire thing?”

His smile is a promise that coaxes another shudder from her, her body clamping down around the fingers he’s been lazily fucking her with. “Oh, Caroline, rough has its place but I want you in all ways. Writhing on my bed under the softest, slowest strokes of my tongue, your lovely thighs splayed wide in invitation. I’ll watch your every muscle contract, build the most exquisite tension until you’re hoarse from begging to come. I want you sun warmed and sleepy, sighing as I slip into you from behind and toy with your nipples as we move together. I want you on top, riding me, rubbing your clit and taking what you need without shame.”

God, her fantasies had really let her down.

Klaus speeds up the motions of his hand and her hips pick up the rhythm, chasing the feeling of fullness at every withdrawal. Klaus watches her fall apart with rapt attention, murmuring encouragement and praise. The individual words cease to hold much meaning as Caroline begins to spiral, leaning more heavily against Klaus. She cries out when she hits the peak, the sound muffled in his throat. Her orgasm rolls through her in long, shuddering waves, leaving her limbs useless and trembling as Klaus draws out spine-melting aftershocks with clever fingers.

She’s a panting, pliant, satisfied mess when he hoists her into his arms, the line of his shoulders taut with a strain she knows has nothing to do with her weight. He shoves his jeans down with jerky movements and Caroline does her best to help, bracing herself on his shoulders and wrapping her legs more securely around his hips. She dips her chin to see him stroking himself, her lips part around a gasp as she spies the faint shake of his hands as he spreads her slickness along the thick length of his cock. Her stomach tightens around a new rush of desire.

She’s gonna need a repeat performance. In better lighting.

Her eyes flick up to find Klaus watching her knowingly, a healthy dose of intrigue painted across his features. “Hmm, voyeuristic tendencies? We can play with those later, sweetheart.”

He sounds unbearably smug and she’s tempted to smack him, until he rubs the head of his cock around her clit. Her hips jerk, she is still so sensitive, and all less than charitable thoughts about Klaus’ massive ego leave her.

He can be annoyingly pleased with his prowess as long as he’s inside her.

A minute adjustment and he’s pressing against her entrance, squeezing past fluttering muscles. Klaus groans harshly, his jaw clenched tight. A long contented sigh wells up from Caroline, her nails scrabbling for purchase against his shoulders as he pushes deeper.

When his hips are flush with hers he stills and his eyes drift shut. His expression is a fascinating mix of pleasure-pain and Caroline kisses his throat, nips just under the hinge if his jaw. He’s a solid line of tension, his muscles straining under his iron control.

Caroline wants it gone, like he’d promised. The waiting for her to adjust is sweet but she’s beyond ready. He won’t hurt her, she’s certain of that. And if just this feels so good she’s looking forward to the rest.

She drags her lips upward, brushes them against his ear, “Aren’t you supposed to be ruining me for all other men right now?” she teases, biting down on his earlobe.

His eyes snap open and fix on hers, “Gladly,” he grits out.

He begins to move, shifting his hips until he finds the perfect angle, one that has Caroline crying out at every entry, her hips meeting his firm thrusts of his hips with frantic rolls of her own.

When they collapse to the ground, sweaty and spent, Klaus cushions her fall settling her against his chest. There are rocks poking at her shins but she’s too blissed out to care.

He busies himself with combing through the knots in her hair - the rough bark hadn’t been kind to her curls. “Ruined yet?” He asks conversationally while Caroline’s heart is still pounding wildly. He sounds only the slightest bit winded, something that just wasn’t fair.

The wisest course of action is probably to demure, maybe hum noncommittally. But where’s the fun in that?

“Eh,” Caroline mutters dismissively, “I…”

She chokes on the rest of the sentence when Klaus rolls them and slithers down her body, his lips hot against her soaked slit, licking her open, before she can take another breath.

She doesn’t protest when her drapes her thigh over his shoulder, nor when he grips her ass and lifts her into his mouth.

Taunting Klaus has always been fun but Caroline suspects that it could easily become her favourite past time.

She practices it often that night.

When they make to leave in the early dawn hours, scrambling to put together serviceable outfits (Caroline commandeers his jacket since her dress has to be knotted around her waist), the clearing looks much different than it had when they’d found it. Caroline had never been to a tropical island but she thinks the blooms, in vibrant pinks and oranges, look like they belong on one.

At least the one she’d set out to conjure was among them. Klaus pockets the violets, tossing her a smirk, “Evidently multiple orgasms give your abilities a remarkable boost, love. How fascinating.”

She does a slow spin, taking in the clearing dubiously, “I… had no idea I was doing this. What if…” she trails off anxiety filling her. The flowers were harmless (though she’d definitely be recruiting her hybrid body guards to help her rip them up and transport them to her greenhouse so they didn’t risk totally destroying the bayou’s ecosystems). What if something worse was to happen the next time she lost control? “I don’t want to hurt anyone.”

“You can’t hurt me,” Klaus points out reasonably. “Which makes me the ideal partner for future experiments, wouldn’t you say?”

He seems immensely pleased with the idea and Caroline cracks a smile. “Funny, you never struck me as the science type.”

“I do prefer the disciplines that are more… flexible it’s true. For you, however, I’ll make any number of exceptions.”

Caroline ducks her head, hiding her widening grin, the blush she knows is spreading across her face. Klaus takes her hand, tugs her in the direction of the path.

She’d assumed the truth of Klaus’ words, had gleaned enough from the snide comments of his siblings, his occasional bouts of frustration as he fumbled through a conversation that he couldn’t bully or manipulate his way through. She’d never had kissed him if her gut hadn’t told her this was real.

Still, Caroline was a science person, had three quarters of an honors degree in biochemistry. She liked facts and hearing Klaus confirm that whatever she was to him was singular, unique, was better than just strongly suspecting it.

It was enough to soothe her worries.

She’ll have to design some trials. Later. She and Klaus had more pressing matters, and several big promises, to attend to first.

#klaroline #klaroline drabbles #klaroline smut

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throughtheglassdarkly · 6 years

Text

Scorched Earth, part 3.5

Welcome back. I know last time I said I would pick up with the assault on Scáthach’s keep, but I realized that there were a few things that went on in camp between our bringing the crystal spear back and our next big adventure that you should probably know about. After everything that had happened, none of us felt like letting grass grow under our feet. One thing that the changelings seemed to be worried about was that several of us seemed to be able to use glamour and access magical abilities. None of them were willing to tell us about why they were worried and Cassi tried to downplay it. It didn’t make me any less concerned.

Day spent a lot of time trying to work on his weapon skills. He’d been sulking after he wasn’t able to use that awesome crystal spear we brought back – he could hit things pretty hard or shoot anything, but actual melee weapons were a little beyond him. He worked with the practice dummies and then tried fighting with a couple of the other grunts. He wasn’t half bad with the dummies and could stab anything that was standing perfectly still, but as far as engaging another person in direct battle… that was a little less successful. So he kept sulking.

Yova went native. She made herself an entire new outfit out of the same mossimer fabric Adrian wore and was willing to sew things for other people as well. She also turned into that dude with the lute at the Ren Faire who followed people around asking if they had requests (she didn’t quite go “Penny for the song of it, guvnah?” but wasn’t that far off). She tried her best to keep morale up as much as possible. She also wasn’t afraid to join Pam and me in the mess hall and dish on the gossip with us while taking dishwashing duty. There was also something kind of strange around this time – she started being… I don’t know how to describe it, other than hard to look at. Not in the traditional way, she was still very striking, but it was almost like looking at her was like catching a direct glimpse of the sun out of the corner of your eye. Sometimes I found myself squinting when I was looking at her.

Speaking of Pam, she spent almost all her time in the mess tent. We bonded a little over our love of baking and shared some recipes. I told her I had to learn how to make that gourd bread she whipped up that was such a hit. She told me all about her kids, what they did in school, her husband. We learned that we were both chemistry majors in college and did a little nerding out over the science part of baking. Aside from that, she spent quite a bit of time sorting through the local flora and trying it out in dishes. She seemed pretty happy to just be helping out, making food, cleaning things, and generally being a total mom.

Bella spent a lot of time talking with both me and Yova. She seemed receptive to Yova’s flirting, though I couldn’t figure out if she was actually interested or just happy to flirt back herself. After she was able to use the shadows to help us hide, Amberleigh directed for her to join the scout/strike team. The others in her group were Luca and the shadowy man she talked to after we got back from our mapping mission, whose name was Elroy. She was probably the most annoyed of all of us that nobody would tell her why she shouldn’t use her powers.

And then there’s me. So around this time, I started having an urge to write down what was happening to us. I used to journal back in high school but hadn’t done it since then. Without Netflix, YouTube, or podcasts to distract me, I thought I’d give journaling a try again. There was a tree near camp that exuded a black, tarry sap which made a half-decent ink when I diluted it with water and there were scraps of paper I could write on. After a couple of days, people seemed to notice I was always writing. In a really sweet gesture, Cassi offered to help bind my journal together. She found a couple pieces of thick leather and bound it, protecting the pages from the elements.

Around this time, I started talking to a few of the others, trying to find out more about them. Pam and Bella were really chatty, telling me all about themselves, their families, and their lives. Yova was a little more reserved, not particularly interested in telling me anything about her life before New York. I got the impression that it was painful for her and didn’t press. Day was even more tight-lipped. All I got out of him was that he was a cop; anything aside from that, he started getting borderline hostile about.

I also spoke with a few of the changelings in camp. I’d spent a lot of time helping in the mess tent and got Nash to talk about himself a little bit. He was an Ogre, a changeling who was large and physically imposing. Amberleigh insisted that he be on the front lines. I couldn’t see him ever bashing people over the head, he was so gentle, but I couldn’t argue that he was tanky. I noticed that he spent a lot of time after dark looking up at the stars and sketching star maps. I asked him about it and he said that he was hoping to help get everybody home by charting the stars. He told me the only things he remembered about his old life were that he came from Nashville (hence, Nash) and the face of a young girl. He didn’t remember who she was, but he knew she was important and focusing on her helped him get through the roughest times in Arcadia.

I also tried to talk to both Cassi and Adrian about their pasts and see if they were willing to talk to me about what happened to them. Cassi was very flustered and uncomfortable, so I let it drop. Adrian was a little more receptive. I learned that he was taken when he was in his second semester of grad school, studying to be a social worker (just when I thought he couldn’t get any more good...). He was volunteering at a homeless shelter and stumbled upon a trafficking ring run by goblins. He was taken and sold in a goblin market. He didn’t want to talk about his keeper or the time he spent in slavery, which I couldn’t blame him for. The more I got to talking to him, the more I wanted to get to know about him. I’m far from the smoothest talker in the world, but I tried a little flirting to see if he was receptive. He seemed flattered, but gently let me down, telling me it wasn’t a good idea to get involved when I was going to be home before long and he had to stay and help the army. I asked him if he could help me decipher the fortune he gave me by the campfire. He said he couldn’t really interpret what the fortunes meant. He did say he was pretty sure it meant I was going to find someone who would care for me, though he wasn’t sure what form that care would take.

And then there’s the last thing. Amberleigh noticed that I liked to write and she assigned me the task of being her assistant. She would dictate and I transcribed everything, whether it was notes, letters, or even an inventory. I started working on helping get the camp organized. It was pretty obvious that there weren’t enough hands on deck before for anyone to really take on an organization role. I ended up spending a lot of time in Amberleigh’s shadow, following her around camp wherever she needed to be. It was hard to get a read on her. The only thing that was clear is that she was in a permanent state of irritation. Every once in a great while, I saw that shark’s teeth smile (which wasn’t any less creepy than the first time she did it) and every time it happened, both she and Belle would go completely out of sight for about an hour or so. Then when they came back, Belle would be leaking smoke from her stitches. Yeah. Not worrying at all.

At any rate, that about covers the downtime we had. Next time, something much more exciting. Until then, may you have a lot greater foresight than any of the rest of us did.

#ctl #changeling: the lost #changeling #downtime

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