#just like everything vivienne gets involved in

[penname-tbd]

@bigcats-birds-and-books Well since you asked 👀

Background for Vivienne and Drew's relationship: Vivienne was Drew's mentor and partner in crime when he was a villain. They were Moonsable and Shadow, and Drew regards those as some of the best years of his life. Unfortunately, Vivienne was lying to him the whole time. She's a spy for the Hero League who was just posing as a villain because [complicated spy reasons that really aren't relevant here].

Basically, while Drew was arrested for his crimes as a villain, Vivienne was not. She has MANY regrets about how this situation played out, because she really does care about Drew; he's like a son to her. So she keeps visiting him in prison, even though he's adamant that he doesn't want to see her and he hates her now. But he still cares about her, too. He just, understandably, feels betrayed and wants Vivienne to break him out of jail (because, realistically, she could if she wanted to; she just won't, for complicated reasons).

They both want their relationship to go back to the way it was before Drew got arrested and had to find out that Vivienne was lying to him for years. But they can't, because Drew can't un-know that betrayal, and Vivienne won't jeopardize her current convoluted plans in order to help Drew. Even though she cares about him, she's still prioritizing other things over him, and he knows that, and it hurts him. And she knows it hurts him, but she can't make herself stop.

Like… they both just wish everything had been honest from the start, but it wasn't, and there's nothing they can do to fix that. And it would take a long time for Drew to work through Vivienne's betrayal of him. It's possible, but it would have to start with her helping him get out of prison. And, as much as she regrets it, she won't.

7, 12, 13, and 24 for THV/TSATH (or both 👀) plz

(from this ask game)

7.) how would you describe the relationships between the characters in the story within eight words or less?

Oh boy lmao, I'm gonna pick TSATM for this one bc that's mostly about Drew and Vivienne's relationship:

They can't go back to how it was.

(I'd love to elaborate on that but it said 8 words or less...)

12.) okay be honest. pick a favorite oc from this ocverse.

It's always gonna be Wren Argent/The Phantom Prince. They are literally the specialest boy (gender neutral) in the entire THV-verse and they are my favorite.

13.) how long have you been working on this project? what has changed from the outset?

I'll go with THV for this one. I started working on it about 5 years ago, and the original premise was, "What if a teen hero and a teen villain decided to be friends?" And then I very quickly decided that I was mainly concerned with the villain's side of the story, and it developed from there, lol. Phantom's eventual friendship with his nemesis, Fenix, is still a pretty big part of the story, but I wouldn't say it's the main premise. The main premise is definitely villain stuff and gender fuckery.

24.) best scene youve written?

Oof, that's a hard one. I'll answer this one for TSATM, because I've been working on that more lately. I didn't write this scene recently, but there's a part right at the end where (without giving away too many spoilers) Drew gets to commit violence against people who have wronged him, and it's extremely satisfying to me. Sometimes ... violence is the answer.

(I could have made it more violent, tbh. Maybe I will in the next draft. He's still being too nice.)

Thanks for the ask! 💕

[orlesianhennin]

I really feel like so many people who hate Vivienne for being power hungry do not fully grasp and appreciate the desperation that Vivienne feels because she conceals it so well… as little content as she got, she honestly is expertly written and presented and it’s why it disappoints me so much when people hate her for surface level reasons… her writer deserves so much more appreciation.

I think it is subtle because she hides it and you really have to care about the character to seek out these threads and understand her motivations… she is in danger of total irrelevance, being cast aside by society (and history), and she is forced to ride the coattails of some upstart organization because all of the institutions she is invested in have either totally failed her or cast her aside.

She is clearly a prideful person who does not readily admit this… but her true talent is how clearly she can evaluate this and understand her own position. She suffers no delusions. She knows the Circle’s standing in society is diminished to nothing if it doesn’t house and account for the majority of mages, and she is left with just meek Chantry loyalists and sycophants who are lost without her guiding hand, as even otherwise pro-Circle mages with any sense have abandoned ship and left both rebels and loyalists at this point to see where the chips fall (Ellandra) - and the Chantry itself has been all but decimated in terms of military and political power. The one lifeline she has is the Imperial Court, and the fickle nobility have moved on from her - the mages are now a threat that she cannot control or offer any meaningful opposition to, and Celene’s favor has turned to Morrigan, and Vivienne does not know if she will ever have it again. She knows Bastien is dying, and that all that she has left at court will be those who hold kind feelings towards her such as his family, and that is a position she can never accept - being at the mercy of others.

We meet Vivienne, this impressive, powerful mage, who has made a life for herself by maneuvering brilliantly, all to improve her own standing, at a point where she is in danger of losing everything she has. And she doesn’t let on, at least not explicitly, but she joins the Inquisition out of desperation - it’s obvious she sees it as an opportunity, but the gravity of the situation for her isn’t clear from the start. She refuses to lay down and fade away. Vivienne would never had joined this fledgling upstart organization if she was in a better position at Court or there wasn’t a vacuum of power. She is very close to having nothing left, and starting over - and so she does. Before the rug can be pulled from under her, she gets out and sets off for herself again.

Vivienne, often accused of pride, privilege, and self importance, comes to the Inquisitor out of pure humility. She knows she is reduced. And her gamble ultimately pays off, and the Inquisition becomes the political juggernaut that it does, and she becomes more powerful and important than ever just by association. And I like to think, especially with an Inquisitor who respects and befriends her, that she plays no small part in shaping the organization.

I think this is also why, potentially, she plays it so cool at the Winter Palace. She doesn’t get involved… she doesn’t need to. Simply being present is a statement to the court, and she truly doesn’t care about who wins; it’s not just the Game, it’s personal, despite what she claims. That they cast her aside, and now they are interested again… not necessarily in her, but still, she sees the paradigm shifting again. She is now a part of the organization who gets to change Orlais, and favor with the Inquisition is quickly becoming just as important as favor with Celene.

The whole arc is a subtle one as she really doesn’t get much attention, but if you pay close attention, it shows how expertly Vivienne plays politics. We already know she came from nothing and maneuvered into a powerful position. But I think not everyone realizes she is nearly back to nothing when we first meet her… and through the course of the game’s events, by allying with the right people, she plays the game well enough to become an advisor to the most influential person in southern Thedas… and potentially even Divine. But her initial plea to the Inquisitor, for all the great lengths she goes to keep up the appearance of strength and invulnerability, comes from a place of utter desperation.

[abyssal-ilk]

the fact that we really don't get any concrete information about vivienne in veilguard while seemingly everyone else gets some sort of mention (maybe not iron bull? unsure.) does make me a bit. hm. because whether she's divine, grand enchanter, or otherwise, she is not just going to stand by while the blight spreads through orlais. like. she isn't. it goes against everything we know of her character to not be involved. so where is she? cassandra and leliana both get little mentions, but not a word about vivienne?

and it's not like the game isn't making choices for previous games for a 'clean worldstate'. isabela is here talking about how she learned family is important in kirkwall. harding mentions sera, blackwall, and cole, who were all optional companions in dai. leliana is no longer spymaster of the inquisiton no matter what you chose previously. cullen is alive no matter what you chose in dai. idk! it's just kind of odd that there is no direct vivienne mention if the game is otherwise okay with writing its own canon.

[luvhughes43]

also, what does he do after finding out about the pregnancy (beside breaking up with with gf) ? like does he get involved in the baby’s life or not yet?

after jack finds out, he locks himself in his apartment for a few days and thinks everything over. he knew that he wanted to be in yns and the baby’s life but he had no idea how to reach out.

he still has her phone number saved tho, so he sends her a short message explaining the vivienne thing and that he had no idea about the pregnancy. yn suggests they meet up and talk, and she sends jack pics of the baby (mazzy?) as he requests (this is the night where yn finds out about the dm thing, and jack reads viviennes messages)

when they meet up, they talk everything out. there a lot of tears and apologies. they stay out late talking, and so they decide it’s best for jack to come to yns apartment in the morning to meet the baby.

it takes a few weeks for them to find a routine, but jack stays involved. at first it was just visits whenever he could, and then once he was more comfortable taking care of the baby jack takes a leave from work and he stays at yns apartment and watches baby while she works.

eventually, they come up with a schedule on who takes the baby on which days, and they’re coparenting for awhile.

[merrilldidnothingwrong]

So, with that Varric post circling, I’m gonna share some of my own thoughts on him. Yes, he will use people in his stories. But how those people are treated in his stories is based entirely on what he thinks of them and how much he likes them. He likes Hawke, he considers them a friend. So he’s going to give Hawke a good showing in his tales. He likes mocking and taunting Aveline, so he’s going to use her and her guards as part of his books. He knows that she’ll snarl about it, but won’t actually do anything to him for it. It’s why he’s more hesitant with Vivienne: he knows that if he pisses her off, she will do something about it.

And it’s why he treats Anders and Solas so badly, and outright attempts to write Sebastian out of the story entirely.

Varric likes adventures. He likes them because they mean wealth and great stories and funf fights and daring escapades. But he doesn’t like things changing. He wants to always be able to go back to his room at the Hanged Man, sit down with a drink, and spin a tale from his latest adventure. He doesn’t want that life to change, and he doesn’t want to examine things getting bad. He wants to be able to observe exciting events, but he doesn’t want to be involved in them.

Sebastian as a character never leaves the question of morality alone. He’s always poking at it, always pushing it. Sometimes Sebastian’s morals are wrong, sometimes they’re right. But he’s always pushing it. And that push angers Varric because he doesn’t want to admit that things are fucked, because if he did, he would have to hold himself to his standards of being a Good Person and do something about it. And he doesn’t want to.

It’s why he starts out liking Anders, but slowly grows to dislike him more and more: Anders pushes harder and harder for mage rights. Varric’s view of the mage rebellion is more negative than the qunari invasion both because it requires him to acknowledge his biases and address his morals, and because it uproots him from the life he’s happy in.

Varric wants to be able to boil everything down into stories. Specifically, stories that are straightforward, where heroes are heroic and villains are evil, but where none of it truly has any greater meaning. He wants to ignore systemic problems because those mean things changing, they mean that he can’t just sit down for drinks with a templar and a guard over some cards. - Mod Alistair

[practically-an-x-man]

💕⛔️ and 🔥 for the writing ask game?

Thank you so much!!!

Fic Writing Ask Game

💕 whats your favorite part of your writing process?

I LOVE when a piece of symbolism or foreshadowing just clicks into place, or when a character finally reaches the point in their arc that they've been building up to. You know I'm a HUGE purveyor of character growth and those deep recurring themes, so it's incredibly satisfying to me to reach that payoff point - like the climax in WWFA? when Katherine becomes fully entrenched in Kemetic magic, and she's both forced to mature as a person AND is brought face-to-face with her ancestry and history.

I'm a characters-first sort of writer, if I've got nothing else I need to get the characters right, so my favorite part is always those moments where the characters just shine.

⛔️ whats something you try to avoid in your work?

I try to avoid anything that feels meaningless, or doesn't serve something greater in the story. That's not to say there can't be "filler" scenes or that everything has to be action-action-action all the time, I do appreciate the scenes where I can slow down and give the plot a break, but even those scenes involve some sort of character growth or relationship development.

Even in the oneshots and mini-pieces I write, whether they fit into my canon or are AUs, have to show us something about the characters' lives - you could show me any one of my pieces, no matter how short, silly, or seemingly-meaningless, and I could tell you exactly what that fic gives us in relation to the characters. Nothing, and I mean nothing, is completely surface-level in my writing. That sounds pretentious, maybe, but I really think it makes my fics feel alive.

(and i'm really not kidding - it could be an ask game, I almost dare my mutuals to find a fic of mine that doesn't mean anything)

🔥 what’s something that’s currently going really well?

I've just gotten out of some writer's block I've been dealing with, I posted that new Vivienne/Wojchek fic today and I've been working on getting some holiday gift fics put together!!

[wardencommanderrodimiss]

I have changed my mind about Ena cutting her hair short before Trespasser. I have decided that the Significant Haircut will take place sometime after Trespasser. (Unless Veilguard has a long braided style that's basically what I imagine her with, and I can't resist giving it to her to see what she should look like.)

Anyway. Circa Inquisition she has long hair and keeps it braided in like, a Dutch braid style. She puts it up for Halamshiral, probably, but that's about it for any variation.

In the months before Trespasser, as the mark starts deteriorating, on the days that it's harder and painful for her to do certain things involving that hand, including braiding her hair, she starts just keeping it tied back or up in a very simple ponytail or bun - whatever is quickest.

At that point, the only people from the inner circle left to notice the change are Josephine and Cullen - Leliana is Divine now, and everyone else are scattered working on their various non-Inquisition pursuits (or doing Inquisition work far afield, as Bull and the Chargers). And I do not believe Cullen has ever noticed anything about anyone's hair ever in his life. Josephine might notice, but she might also get too distracted with her work to say anything or give it much mind. Not until the Exalted Council arrives and, the morning of the first day, Ena sheepishly interrupts Josephine's frantic preparations to ask if Josephine can help her with her hair. Ena claims that she twisted her wrist while training, and Josephine takes her at her word - Cullen has noticed that Ena has been at the training grounds less, and seems to have been leaning more towards one-handed swords, so he probably would be able to tell Ena was lying. But he and Josephine aren't comparing notes.

Then with everyone else, I think Leliana would notice (big into fashion, also a spymaster) and not say anything, Bull would notice (attentive to detail, was a spy) and make a remark that Ena brushes off (Bull notes that down too), and Vivienne would notice (keen on appearances, determined to make sure Ena has herself together for this Council) but potentially be more concerned with the not-infrequent strands of gray hair that are popping out ("darling, you must take better care of yourself, but don't fret, I've arranged for a spa day--)

Also Cole notices but he can read Ena's mind so that doesn't really count.

Then, of course, trouble arises at the Council, and the Anchor is noticeably destabilizing more and more as Ena and the gang hop in and out of the Crossroads. (Headcanon: while the Crossroads aren't the Fade, it's still kind-of-sort-of close enough to exacerbate the Anchor's meltdown. Going physically in and out of the Fade a bunch would also make it deteriorate faster. This is how I merge the speed at which the Anchor gets worse and worse in-game, with my headcanon - and sort of implication? in-game? that the Inquisitor doesn't seem surprised when it first flares up at the beginning of Trespasser. It's just like oh, another thing - that it's been slowly getting worse for a while.)

So by the end of Trespasser, she just looks - awful. Covered in blood (and she’s a Reaver, so there’s blood a-plenty in her battles), her hair a long scraggly mess also streaked through with blood, falling out of the shitty ponytail she put it in, while the Anchor is actively tearing her body apart. Probably the worst Solas has ever seen her. He’s got his sick-ass armor set and she looks like she crawled out of the Fallow Mire.

In the immediate aftermath, she's more concerned with. literally everything else. than her hair. And she's not one for big impulsive changes. So for a while, she keeps her hair long, and doesn't - can't - really do much with it, without help. And Ena is, shall we say, deeply allergic to asking for help. She's staked most of her identity on being a provider and protector for her clan - then obviously transferring such sentiments to the Inquisition and its people - and she's already shattered by having to retrain how to fight, and who is she, really, if she isn't throwing herself in between her allies and the enemies. She, no doubt, has to ask for help a lot now, especially in those early days/weeks after she's lost her hand. At some point, asking for help with her hair would get to be too much for her - even if she's asking her sister, or one of her closest friends in her clan, both of whom accompany her in her post-Inquisition travels - and she gets it cut.

And probably hates it. Tells herself this is easier, more practical just in general - so much less time to dry after a bath! - but like. She'd hate it. She would spend the next 8 to 10 years with a haircut she resents for various personal reasons. She would do this to herself so that she doesn't have to ask for help. She has many things wrong with her.

Maybe if we can manifest a good ending for her in Veilguard - whatever that may look like! with or without Solas! - she'll learn that asking for and needing help does not make her a burden on the people who love her, and grow her hair out again. Or maybe she'll die tragically and her sister will beat Solas to death with a rake. Anything can happen.

[moltensmusings]

I got a comment about it, so I guess it's time I make a post defending Vivienne because I love her and want to give everyone the chance to have a more nuanced opinion of her.

I know people don't like her, she's a circle mage who doesn't like the rebellion and is pretty uptight. She's easy to dislike if you're promage. So with that in mind let's go over the main reasons people dislike her and why they make sense for her as a character.

1. She's anti-rebel.

Vivienne at her core is a lawful character. She wants order and structure because unfiltered chaos harms and can even kill people. A large reason she joins the inquisition is because she wants to offer assistance in reforming structure and making people feel safe again.

2. She's pro-circle

Vivienne is one of the mages we meet who understands fully that magic is dangerous. She has a respect for her craft and walks into every situation knowing full well people are potentially afraid of her. The circle offered a place for mages to train their skills, and non magical people to feel more safe knowing that mages won't cause harm they can't control. She also fully admits that her experience isn't the same as everyone else's but that it's the only real answer anyone has right now for some way to get mages to a more stable state.

3. She's protemplar

This one is more complicated. Because she wants the templars so that mages have a failsafe should the worst happen, but when pressed will agree that templars aren't the solution to the issue of magic itself. I think in her ideal version of events templars would simply be bodyguards only intended to step in if shit hits the fan but often times like with any society, a group given enough power can become corrupt.

4. She hates Cole.

Imagine this: you're a knight enchanter who had to go through her harrowing which involved combating a demon that would possess you. An event which many mages do not survive, some don't even get the chance to do because they aren't trained enough. Something that no doubt you would've seen happen countless times over your time as a mage. You've heard of demonic possession and maybe even had first hand experience with them and how bad they can be. Then one day a supposed spirit shows up claiming to want to help your new allies. It can disappear and reappear at will, completely hide itself from everyone if it chooses to, can wipe the memories of people so they don't know they met it, and reach into the deepest pits of your mind to pull out your most sensitive and impactful moments which it then speaks back to you in cryptic language. Recounting your exact feelings, making you remember even something you might not want to. Now with those thoughts is it remotely surprising she wouldn't be fine with him having free reign. Demons lie all the time, why would she have any reason to believe his intentions were coming from a good place. I love Cole, he's always in my party in inquisition, but we can't act like people being wary or afraid of him is just nonsensical.

5. She's uptight and posh, expecting the same of you.

You are the inquisitor. A warlord, basically a figure head of the chantry who is gaining influence on the divine. Legends spread about you and some of them even come back to you when Josephine speaks of it. Vivienne 1000% has heard every single one and is far more aware of your social standing than you are. The inquisition needs support to function, some of which will come in the form of the wealthy elite paying good money to be part of something good to bolster their names. Vivienne is a skilled player of the game and a staunch believer that if you have the power, it is your duty to use it and use it well. Just because you don't want to be a symbol doesn't mean you get to avoid it. That option is taken from you the minute you're named inquisitor.

6. She hates everything.

She's judgemental. But fair. Much like any companion if you do something she morally opposes she's going to dislike you. Allying with mages who overtook Radcliffe, pushed out the nobility in charge as well as the people, and then allowed Tevinter to take control? It's rational she'd be upset about that. Letting Celine die so that someone else can take the throne? Regardless of feelings it causes orlais to potentially destabilize in the middle of a war, the sky is ripped open and good allies are now probably kneecapped as they deal with the death of a monarch and changes in how things run. Approving of rebel mages? It's an endorsement of chaos, the mages running free is doing harm. I don't agree with her on everything, but I'm not surprised or mad if she doesn't like me when I don't.

Vivienne is a caring character who has never really been able to just be open when she is. Even if you're on her shit list she does the bare minimum of inconveniencing you by moving around some furniture because, again, you're in the middle of a war where everything is going sideways and actually doing something drastic would be to damage the whole initiative. You don't have to like her but she receives more vitriol than any other character in the series and at the very least people can try to understand her perspective.

[hrodvitnon]

Underrated aspect of Shamhat I really like but don't see mentioned at all really is how the Titans approach sex and how it delivers additional characterization about them. I think too often smut is kinda just two or more characters banged together like action figures with no additional characterization and the authors' kinks/fetishes projected onto them. This is why I really like Shamhat because (barring some exceptions) it doesn't do those things and ends being a really good character-driven narrative at the same time as being a smut-fest.

Prime example: I didn't like Shamhat Godzilla for a while. He seemed to me like this way overconfident alpha caricature that everyone was head over heels for just because he's, y'know, Godzilla. Every woman he breathed in the direction of turned to putty, when he realizes he's being peeped on with Mothra he opts to show off his mating prowess instead of stopping immediately for his wife's sake, and the implication that he got to tell Rodan who he was and wasn't allowed to get with and him immediately shouting commands at him when they first meet in the story really rubbed me the wrong way on him (I should probably qualify this was literally at the time of like, Chapter 7 being released- so still early and I was reading it on release and none of the supplemental material on this Tumblr. I hadn't even read Abraxas at this point lol). However, I think after I really looked into some of the scenes involving him as well as his general behavior- I do think I now have a much better perspective on him.

I feel like the fact that he is King weighs on him a little more than he lets show and that often trickles down into everything he does. Everyone knows him and has expectations of him, which he feels he has to rise to and meet. He feels like he has to play a role, put on a performance. This gets established in literally the first sex scene with him and Mothra when he realizes they're being watched. My headcanon here is that he actually thought this was Rodan peeping on them at first before he actually realizes it's Vivienne. My reasoning being that his pre-conceived notion would assume that Vivienne would be curt enough to just turn away and leave if she stumbled on them- but Rodan would absolutely stay and watch. Nonetheless, once he does realize he's being watched he almost completely unfocuses from Mothra and focuses on putting on a show- making sure to emphasize (as it says verbatim in the story) what he is capable of doing to a lover. Another subtle detail I really like is how he goes from vocalizing his pleasure with growls that seem to shake the ground to being as dead silent as he can manage (he does let out a 'quiet roar' when he cums, but I like to think that he was really trying hard to be quiet here, to sell that he's the dominant one in control and fulfilling his kingly duty to satisfy his queen, or at least to present himself as so to not lose face in front of Rodan or whoever else could've been watching). Even past all the sex- he usually acts overly theatrical to impress/seduce people (and it usually works. Case in point: Vivienne and Maia). When he does this- I think he acts in a way that he suspects humans might believe he would act. Like- he knows he's incredibly important to Vivienne and that she's definitely hoisted him up onto a lofty pedestal of some god she wants to win the favor of; and so he acts exactly like that for her sake as to not disappoint her (cue callback to the line "I would take it slowly, let her set the pace. And if I nick her in my passions, I'll tend to her." I think when he says 'passions', he means in both the more obvious physical way and the less obvious mental way that he worries he may not live up to be what Vivienne sees him as). Also interesting that this seems to permeate everywhere- even when he's with his wife of 200 million-ish years who you'd expect he trusts with his life, he still sometimes acts like this because he thinks he has to (however I will say that in many ways he might literally have to, and Mothra knows and acknowledges that). Another line I think is super telling is when Ling arrives and the royal couple needs to go meet them, "You're knot-deep in your needy, fertile wife and yet the outside world is what concerns you more? Since when were you so good at multitasking?". His kingly duties are at the forefront of his mind 24/7 and he needs to keep up appearances as often as humanely possible.

My favorite scene with Goji in the entire story is probably simultaneously the most overlooked one, as it's supposed to play side-fiddle to the scene the chapter is named after, is the one with Rodan in Chapter 8. Besides the obvious reasons that it could be assumed why this is my favorite, I'm really a fan of how Godzilla and Rodan sort of mutually see through one another's bullshit but neither are willing to admit it at first, so they kinda just dance around it and half-heartedly roleplay the punishing dom/bratty sub. I feel like despite Goji's best efforts to maintain the Kingly front in everything he does- Rodan can always see right through it because he does exactly the same thing himself with his own bad-boy bravado. He definitely knows that Godzilla's not actually planning to punish him after their bout with Vivi and Mothra but is still sorta playing along with it because he realizes Goji's doing the same thing. Once he's done with it, however, he actually calls Goji out on it- and he responds that Rodan would be confused if he didn't do anything to acknowledge what he did, so he basically admits to him that it was to keep up appearances. But I'm also pretty sure this is the only time someone actually calls him out for acting this way- every other time people just seem to let it slide. However, after he gets the message that Rodan can see right through the King act, he has genuine sex with him that he actually lets himself enjoy rather than trying to appear like he's in control or something like that. I also really like that Rodan does the same here; subtle, but it does show they do trust and enjoy each other's company despite constantly giving each other grief.

I actually think that Goji sort of improves on this in later chapters as he starts acting less like his kingly persona and more like his real self (letting himself get emotionally worked up in front of the group, allowing Tiamat to be all frisky with him, deciding to rely on Rodan and Vivienne to help with his rut instead of thuging it out). But- there is one wrench that gets thrown into his path multiple times and recently came to a head in the last chapter- San. I'm gonna skip a recap because god this is already so fucking long and go straight to the point. I know you got some flak for the stuff with Maia and Goji; but I do think it's totally in character for him to attempt to appear as the dominant force on Infant Island by screwing San's mate. It was very obviously pretty manipulate on his part to basically use Maia as a status symbol to lord his superiority over San- even if San had agreed to getting with different partners, Godzilla knew exactly what he was doing and why he was doing it. However, it totally lines up that he either feels like he'd be weak for not establishing a dominance hierarchy- or he feels threatened by San's presence and thinks that getting San to submit to him would bring a sense of security (like that snake in the nest thing with Vivienne and Rodan). However- one thing I will say on this front is I hope that this isn't just brushed to the side and excused like some other instances of his behavior are (or San's, they're both at fault). I feel like it'd be really unhealthy if say Mothra or Vivienne or even Rodan give him no flak for this and let it slide with no repercussions; or worse, find a way to spin it that paints it in a positive light, like- 'Yeah Godzilla's super-hot for trying to start beef and fight another guy we're supposed to be welcoming to the island. Really sexy alpha energy he's got going on there'. I think it would be a great time for Goji to actually get confronted by someone on his more toxic behaviors, and give him an opportunity to grow out of them by actually making up with San.

All that being said- I could just be overanalyzing smut again, so- yeah- lol. Cant wait for chapter 17!

If I may be totally honest here, I love discussions and analysis of Abraxas (it is my Super Serious Fic Baby that took Two Gyat Dang Years from start to finish), but I'd ADORE to see such in-depth analysis of Shamhat (the middle child, with my SIGNALIS fic series Liebchen, Komm zu Mir being the youngest baby). Also, was there any whiplash going from Shamhat's smutty shenanigans to Abraxas being... Abraxas?

This is already giving me ideas to tackle for future chapters, especially the upcoming one (which has been started but is on the back burner while I work on the latest and probably last installment of Liebchen, Komm zu Mir, soooo... maybe check those out if you want some fluff and sesbian lex? No spoilers in there, I promise. Beware comment sections.); because Goji has issues he needs to bring out to the open which will lead to a more serious and probably less smutty "intermission" chapter where he and San need to basically have a therapy session. Appreciate the critique of Goji's character writing!

Ozzy: Now I am become HORNY, the Destroyer of Worlds.

Well, if it's any consolation, the side-fic/spinoff Shamhat and Enkidu at the Watering Hole is meant to be for snippets that don't really fit in the ongoing events of Shamhat, so who knows, maybe such a threesome set in the past will appear there?

[yesterdayscake]

so my little prediction for the gala is that many people will be really thinking about karl as a person who they had a relationship or connection to in some way, and others will be thinking of favourite chanel pieces. not sure if there will be too many people attending who care or know about karl lagerfield’s reputation among the masses (or at least the parts of it I am connected to), but vogue has already been putting out little snippets with anna talking about her friend karl, so I think it’s going to be over all quite respectful to the man; who for all his cuntish ways and chanel’s horrific legacy, could certainly design a dress.

in terms of design I really don’t love everything he did, his ideas of beauty, desirability and romance don’t mesh with mine much at all. so his work thankfully isn’t as present in my psyche as others have been; but there were certainly moments.

it will be interesting to see how many designers and attendees have their finger on the zeitgeist and whether the event can continue to hold our attention. the fashion industry as a whole seems not to want to change as it must, despite the seismic shifts that have been happening since 2020 especially, but even going back to 2008ish and the rise of street fashion photography and the way that really made the elite fashion houses scramble to gain control of trends again

there was a very interesting post this morning from [at] kardashian_kolloquium on instagram talking about how the way the met gala is seen on a general level changed after anna wintour crawled into bed with the kardashian family and I have to agree.

whether it’s solely due to the kardashians, or whether that is a moment where vogue and anna decided to involve influencers in their publicity campaigns in general I don’t know

but it’s certainly true that how the met gala is seen by the public (many of whom don’t know much about the met museum’s costume institute, nor the way the event is actually run) has very much shifted over the past couple lot years. and the event, which used to be considered just one fundraiser event among many in new york alone has played to that audience to a point of ridiculousness. I don’t think that’s sustainable at all, especially with the way other red carpets have been getting very excessive lately as well, and I know that last year with the unfortunate and honestly callous choice of theme for the moment there were a lot less people excited about it compared to previous years. and this year there is karl who isn’t a lot of people’s favourite to say the least (esp when issey miyake and vivienne westwood also past since lagerfield did) and next year will probably be queen related, so we’ll see

anyway this is more words than I’ve ever put on here but just felt like jotting these thots down

[purplezombietumbler]

I want to write a fanfic, but I am super not confident that anyone else would read it. If you look at this and are interested, let me know, and i might be motivated to write it. lmao:

Miraculous Ladybug but somewhat re-written but with Emo!Marinette as Marinette’s twin sister I named Vivienne. (because Bridgette was too cliché lol) She’s is supportive of Marinette and knows Marinette is Ladybug from the jump so she can help cover for Marinette when her sister is late. I don't really have an overarching plot, it's basically one shots strung together. I have a few specific chapter ideas in no particular oder:

Day in life of Vivienne. She gets bullied by Chloé, hangs out with Nathaniel to get art tips, gets music lessons from Luka, going to the skate park with Alix, hangs out with Alya, gose to a movie, ect. Revealing she had a secret girlfriend named Jaclyn who gose to a different school. It's probably going to be the first chapter to introduce this oc-not-really-oc

Vivienne getting into a fight with Chloé for saying something particularly vile about Marinette.

Vivienne gets Akumatized into Attention Grabber when she can't get Marinette’s attention on their shared birthday. When she's de-evilize, she gives a speech that's for Marinette and Ladybug about how she wants to be involved more in Marinette's "activities." Marinette tells her she'll let Viv be more involved.

Vivienne trying to be friends with Lila and getting a Bad Vibe™ from her and deciding to keep her distance.

There's confusion with the Ladybug Miraculous, so Vivienne gets to be "Betty Bug" for a day ala Scarabella/Reflekdoll. When Cat Noir flirts with her, she, without thinking, says "oh I don't swing that way, Kitty Cat." Cat Noir, being the Epic Chad™ that he is says,"My apologies, now let's kick some ass" (Yes there will be swears) after the fight they both detransform on a roof and a conversation like this happens:

"Can I tell you a secret?"

"If it's your identity, I can't know."

"What!? No no no! It's not that"

"Phew, than, what could you what to tell me?"

"Well it's just, I've never told anyone..."

"Anyone what?"

"That I swing..."

"Oh. Oh! I well, I'm glad I was the first!"

"It's just... I have a sister and I love her and I want to tell her but I'm scared of her reaction. Like she's supportive of our other queer friends but what if she's- * starts rambling like Marinette *"

"Woah woah woah, stop. Listen, I don't know you or your sister, but if she's as clawesome as you, she'd love and support you no matter what."

"Thanks Cat, you're really cool, even without the costume :)"

"Thanks. I'm glad I could help"

Vivienne gose home and comes out to Marinette.

Vivienne confides in Marinette that Jaclyn isn't treating her right, and Marinette pressures her to break up. Vivienne insists that everything's fine but gets Akumatized to No Heart when Viv finds out Jaclyn has been cheating. No Heart makes people lose all love for everything and everyone. When she's de-evilized, she sings a break-up song (probably a already existing song because I'm not smart) as a way to channel that energy in a healthier way.

Lila finds out about Jaclyn and "accidentally" outs Viv in front of the school and her parents. Hawkmoth tries to Akumatize her as "Outer" abilities to out those biggest secrets (I am aware it's the same as Truth but shhhhhhh this is TOTALLY DIFFERENT) Vivienne, with Marinette, her parents, and friends help is able to resist being Akumatized.

Vivienne has a crush on Zoé when she's introduced and struggles to tell Marinette because she doesn't want to make it weird for Marinette and her friend group. She eventually tells Marinette, and Marinette is supportive. Later, when Zoé tells Marinette she has a crush on her, Marinette turns her down gently and not so subtly tells Zoé about Vivienne's crush on the blonde.

I'm sure there's more ideas put there, but I can't think of any others rn.

[stacksolotl]

Out of our four usual fronters, I (Howie) have been around a lot lately, and it's just kind of funny to observe why. Especially when thinking about cognitive sympathy vs empathy and how it's distributed across the system.

I mean... Doc is high emotion/low empathy, so of course, she needs an assistant like Kim who is (repressed) low emotion/high empathy. So it makes sense that Manny, who is high emotion/high empathy, needs someone like me who is low emotion/low empathy. None of this being stuff we did on purpose, of course--just stuff our brain automatically had figured out on its own.

It also makes sense, then, why I'm the assistant out of the two of us who has been around more than Kim. Kim's emotions eat her up late at night, and just kind of fester the rest of the time. Especially when it's Jimmy (in our partner system) who is distressed by something. Sometimes, her strong desire to fix everything and care really hard is great to have! But I guess that's just the thing... lately, it's had us paralyzed. So then it's Howie to the rescue, I guess, because I honestly am not as phased by anything happening as Kim or anyone else is. Even when it's my boyfriend (Jason) struggling, it doesn't seem to bother me very much.

But, on the other hand, I do still care. Which is really the answer to the nagging question of "What am I even here for, when we have people like The Ladies who could do this job as well?" Because they can't do it *just* as well as I can. I am mostly Schizoid with some Cluster B traits, but it's really mild. The Ladies, on the other hand, are much stronger Cluster B traits--some might even say the worst* of us, in that regard. However, that makes it harder for them to care on the back end, as well as the front end, and a lot of them wind up unable to do anything with our problems because of it.

I don't know if this makes sense, but... For example: Vivienne is probably the next closest person to doing what I do. She's pretty textbook ASPD and is really good at stuff when she wants to do something. The trouble is, a lot of the time, she just doesn't want to. She gets bored and drained so fast. Me, though--I do whatever I want to do, but I actually *want* to do things and help. I still get bored a little easy, but not if there's sufficient enough dopamine involved for me. Viv gets bored of stuff even if she likes it and wants to do it; that's one of the hardest parts for her. It makes her way more impulsive than me, and that's saying something.

I dunno why I'm writing all of this out, except to help remind myself why I'm stuck here a lot lately. Because I've got just the right recipe of brain parts to tackle things right now and not get overwhelmed. I think I should be proud of myself for that. It's funny how much "character flaws" can actually benefit you when you learn to stop being so ashamed of your neurotype. I still have my struggles, but it's far from always being a bad thing.

[imtrippin666]

Jasmine woke up the next morning feeling like shit. She stayed up all night thinking about what to do and doing her homework. She called her drug dealer pretty much right in the morning.

"Hey dude do you have any pills? I'm starting school soon and can already barely stay up."

"Hell yes i do. Ill come by and drop them off in your mailbox girl. I can't hangout today"

"That's okay than you. Throw me some Xanax in there too then request the amount simoapp."

After a while she got her pills and didn't hesitate before taking Xanax. She rather be numb than pondering what Madilyn is doing.

How could Madilyn do this. Everything was fine and she got what she wanted. Why couldn't she of just respected Jasmine. She gave her everything she asked, an open relationship, more time together, noghts, woohoo. Jasmine cried and cried until she couldn't. Until the pills kicked in.

"My sweet baby girl!! Sorry for barging in I just know we haven't heard much from you since you've moved and I was in the town for a speech at the college."

"You don't have to apologize dad. I gave you a key so you could barge in. I'm sorry it's so dark and I'm still in my pajamas. I would've cleaned up some too."

"That's okay sweetheart. Let's sit down what's going on? I heard you crying pretty hard in here. These walls are thin huh"

"Yeah they are and it doesn't help that my neighbors love fighting every night. If not fighting than he's bringing a woman home while his wife's out of town. It's sad.

She wanted to so badly tell her dad everything but she was never one to show sadness.

"Its a little personal but Madilyn wanted an open relationship. I told her that's fine I just don't want any men involved. Vivienne really broke me. She didnt care did it anyways and danced for him while we were there together."

"Now I don't know if I should try our open relationship myself or really just stop it all. I'm very hurt and torn."

"I cheated on your mom, she was working a lot trying to provide for when your older brother and I feared she was doing the same. It ruined us for the first 2 years of Jeremiah's life. I honestly don't get how she forgave me but I didn't change my view on it for years. But I wouldn't of if she didn't kick my ass out. You asked one basic standard due to trauma, still allowing her to seek what she wanted, and she didn't care. I'd personally say fuck it. I gotta go though. Your mom has been blowing me up because we have dinner reserved. Ik you'll be smart and we'll be here no matter what"

After her dad left Jasmine got ready and hit the bar. She had new insight and help but needed a drink severely. Her best friend for years cheated on her.

[romancandlemagazine]

He Did Create - an Interview with Fraser Moss

Gutted to hear of the recent passing of Fraser Moss. I had the pleasure of spending a day with him in 2018 and he was a true fountain of subcultural knowledge who knew everything about seemingly everything good in life—with conversation ranging from vintage military jackets to the third season of Twin Peaks with no let up. This interview from an old magazine we made at Oi Polloi captured a small portion of that conversation, telling his story from his beginnings in the clothes industry getting sacked from World's End to flogging rare trainers before anyone knew about rare trainers, starting YMC and beyond. He had a lot of good stuff to say which applies today. RIP Fraser Moss. He did create.

Founded by Fraser Moss and Jimmy Collins back in 1995, You Must Create (or Y.M.C. to give it its snappier title), has been a firm Oi Polloi favourite for donkey's years. It was one of the first things we sold in our old Tib Street shop back in 2002, and although a fair bit has changed in the world since then, their trademark blend of stripped-back design, high-end fabrics and left-field cultural references is still as flavoursome as ever.

Fraser is the man who designs the stuff. Curious to hear the yarn behind the garms, I made the perilous voyage down to Brighton to hassle him with some questions..

Starting from the beginning, where did you grow up?

Newport in South Wales. I grew up in that period when youth culture was really important, and it was all led by music. I was too young for punk, but I was old enough to recognise it. At that time it was more that post-punk thing - we could see what was happening up in Manchester.

There were only two magazines you could buy which involved style - I.D. and The Face. And you couldn't even get those in Wales. I had to subscribe to them like some saddo, getting them delivered to my mum's house. You were limited on the knowledge you could gain.

How did you end up working with clothes? Was it something you were always into?

I was working in a sports warehouse. I was working there and thinking, "I've got to get out of here." So I'd get the coach up to London, and in those days it was all about the Kings Road. I used to go up and down there trying to get a job. I ended up getting a job at Vivienne

Westwood, at World's End. It was just after all the Seditionaries stuff, so it was like a dream getting to work for her. But then I got sacked because I got pissed up and fell asleep on the counter - someone came in and robbed half the shop. So then I started Professor Head, which was dealing in old school trainers.

Was anyone into old trainers then? That must have been a relatively new thing at that time.

It was just us and the Japanese. We'd go to the library and get the Yellow Pages for a district of America, then sit there all afternoon ringing them up to see if they had anything. Then we'd get on a plane, hire a van and then go around Boston or somewhere.

You'd go into the basement and they'd have full stacks of Jordan 1s and the Wally Waffles. And they'd be selling them for two or three dollars a pair. We had this little office in Soho and a stall in Camden Market, and we'd just sell to the Japanese. It was good while it lasted. I wish I'd taken photos, but no one had cameras - no one cared.

How long did you do this for?

Until our addictions collapsed the business. By 94 it was going tits up. In 95 we started Y.M.C.

How come you started Y.M.C.? What was the thing that set it off?

I was really sick of the fact that the only fashion that was available at the time was big Italian labels, hip-hop or skate. I'm not against any of that, but it was either American or European stuff, and I just felt there was a need for understated, minimal clothing that people could create their own style with. At that time, people didn't have quality simple clothing—it wasn't available.

Where does the name come from? It's a quote or something isn't it?

Yeah, that's Raymond Loewy, who did the Shell logo and the Coca-Cola logo. He was one of the first graphic guys who felt he could put his hand to everything. He'd design a logo, he would do architecture and then he'd do a can of soup. He was multitasking.

He did this lecture, and he said, "The thing is, you must create." And we just nabbed that. At that time it was all very well me being anti-this and anti-that, but I had to do something.

It was a lot easier back then, the world was much more D.I.Y.—but to be honest, apart from the ideas, our first collection was shit—the fabric would be the wrong way around, or one sleeve would be longer than the other. We were learning as we were going.

How basic was it back then? How many people were involved?

It was just me and Jimmy.

How did you meet him?

I met him because he had the same German agent as our trainer shop, Professor Head. We were both disillusioned with what we were doing, so we set up Y.M.C. When we first started it, I was homeless. I'd been dumped by my girlfriend, and I was living on my friend's floor. And then we got this little office, so I just lived there. It didn't even have a shower; there was just a tap and a sink. Slowly we built it up so I could live like a normal person, but I remember for a month I was living on Oxo cubes. It was good though, I had a 28 inch waist.

Going back to you in Newport, was there a regional style when you were growing up?

Yeah, particularly when the casuals came along. Every football club had its look. Some might have been more influential than others, so the other teams would copy them. Newport might have nicked this from the north, but we really went for that gentleman farmer look—a deerstalker hat, a wax jacket, some plus four cords and a pair of Forest Hills. Seeing those guys on the terraces was bonkers.

Do you think that regional thing still exists now?

There's less tribalism. You can be anything you want today, but that doesn't mean to say you're part of something. But these guys lived for the clobber and the weekend - it was different. When you're in that tribal gang, that's all you know. You're kind of blinkered.

I imagine you'd get a lot of stick for dressing like that back then.

Can you imagine? Newport is a working class town. You've got the steelworks, the mines and the docks. I used to dress up like an absolute clown back in the 80s. I'd wear these opulent Nehru suits, I had my hair long, I had a walking stick and a fur coat. I'd be pissed out of my head, rolling into curry houses at three in the morning and going to sit with a load of rugby boys. You can Imagine the abuse I got.

Do you think that adds to the appeal? You were putting yourself on the line.

Definitely. It's edgier. Today, I can walk around how I want and no one is going to bat an eyelid, but walk around Newport in the 80s like that and you're putting your life at risk.

I suppose it's like tattoos. In the 60s having a tattoo would be a pretty raw thing.

There's no edge to most things now. Everything is accepted. From antiques to records, everyone knows what's what. Everyone's an expert and nothing shocks anyone. You can stream 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' on the internet and then say you're a Joy Division fan, but it's only on a basic level, the passion has gone.

I'm an obsessive vinyl guy, but I always have been. When I was young it was only vinyl, and when CDs came along, I didn't reject them, I just couldn't afford a CD player. And now I have to deal with my own son telling me that vinyl is fashionable and putting records on his wall. I say, "No, you play it, you don't put it on your wall." It's not a trophy.

I collect records because I want the music. I go to record fairs, and there's always dirty old fat blokes in overcoats looking for a Japanese import Madonna picture disk - it's Madonna, what does it matter?

You've mentioned a few times about having an edge. How important is that?

It's everything to me. I have this argument with people all the time.

I'll say, "Taylor Swift is shit," and they’lI say, “Yeah, but she's successful.” But she's still shit. People in the modern world can't differentiate success with talent. And that's why it's important to have an edge.

What about for Y.M.C. - is it tough to strike a balance between what you want to do and what you know will sell?

Yeah, when we first started it was all about creativity, and ultimately it got to the stage where it was too out there. We were doing turquoise leather tracksuits in the late 90s. We weren't doing four armed jumpers and hooded underpants, but it was still pretty out there. You���ve got to be creative, but it's a business, it's not a folly.

Is it hard not to be swept away with trends and stuff though?

It is, and I don't want to be disrespectful to anyone who lives in a small town, but if you're living in a small town, and you're craving the latest thing, then you've only got the internet to tell you what's happening. But when I was young we had nothing so we had to create it ourselves. And now I just sound like some old bloke.

When I design things, I tend not to look at other people's stuff. I'm not on Instagram and I don't have a Facebook account - I'm not totally unaware to what's going on, but things are as pure as I can make them.

Obviously you're mad on records and bands and all that. How does that feed into Y.M.C.? People talk about Influences, but I always want to know how they actually affect things.

When we first started, I was listening to Stereolab and a lot of library and soundtrack music. It was that retro-futurism thing - that idea of looking to the past and twisting it to create something for the future has always been relevant. You can't create a 100% new thing. And it's the same with clothes - everything we do has a twist on something that has come before - but we'll never take anything literally.

What do you mean by that?

Well, we wouldn't just say, "We're making a hippy collection." You can use elements from the past, but you've got to make it relevant and modern clothes still have to be wearable.

What are your thoughts on that remake angle - people who make clothes exactly how they were in the past?

I understand why that's done, but it's just not for me. I want to watch Peaky Blinders, but I don't want to dress like them.

A lot of the stuff you reference is military or workwear. Why do you think men always come back to these functional things?

Men like there being a reason for something. We just love all that. It's that idea of the working man. It's all fantasy - I mean look at me - I look like some Vietnam veteran.

Haha, like Lieutenant Dan?

Yeah, we all play these rolls. You can't take it too seriously.

I suppose you lot aren't making clothes for the military, but that functional thing is still important.

Yeah, it doesn't have to be ballistic, and it doesn't have to be fireproof. I just think of my mates when they go to watch the football. I've got to make sure that if they wear one of our coats, it'll either keep them warm, or protect them from the rain.

Is it hard to find things to reference? There are only so many jacket shapes out there.

If you’ve spent the last 20 years immersing yourself in it, there aren't really any surprises anymore. So when you do find something new, it's a good feeling. A new shape or a shoe no one has seen before. It's interesting how something can seem outrageous to someone, and then within a couple of years, it's something they can't live without. Believe it or not, when we first made a V-neck cardigan maybe 20 years ago, people were like, "What the fuck is that?" But eventually, it registered.

It's like the cropped trouser. We've always done a short-legged trouser. I don't know why, it's just something we've always done. In Wales we say you need to put jam on your shoes and invite your trousers down for tea. But now look around and everyone is wearing ankle flapping trousers. It becomes the norm.

I remember when I first moved down here twelve years, I had a quiff. And I used to get people shouting, "Elvis!" out of their car windows. 12 year ago, a quiff was seen as outrageous.

Yeah, things move pretty fast. How have things changed for Y.M.C. since it first started?

Computers, the internet, social media - it's changed everything. It doesn't matter how much I moan about it, but this stuff isn't going away. When we started people were still photocopying and using fax machines.

On a deeper level, how have things changed? Are you still trying to do the same thing with Y.M.C. as you were in 1995?

Yeah, we've kind of always kept true to our beliefs. Basically, we've got the same ethics now as we did when we started twenty odd years ago.

What would you say those ethics are?

Well, it all goes back to the name. You Must Create. All we want to do is create nice pieces of clothing that the customer will want to buy and wear how they want. It's all about the product.

It's important that it's not fickle or trend led. I'd like to think someone could have bought a pair of trousers off us ten years ago and still wear them today.

We've rattled on for quite a while now. Before we wrap this up, are there any words of wisdom you'd like to add.

Nah, after rabbiting on for this long, I haven't got anything left to say. I've probably contradicted myself a hundred times.

[fadedstarsfms]

Maia had to admit that she appreciated how understanding Vi seemed to be with her. Like one would be to a rescued dog. Maia just hoped that it would continue even if she proved to be more trouble then she was actually worth. "I feel like it's hard to come out of survival mode, I've been in it far too long." But she smiled when Vivienne said she wasn't going anywhere. As much as Maia didn't trust others, she trusted her words.

"It surprised me, if I'm being honest. I didn't think there was a place anywhere that I could actually feel like home." But Raven's Peak had a way of having a hold on Maia and she wanted to explore that feeling for a change instead of running at the first sign of trouble. "We should! I think it would be so much fun!"

Everything that Vivienne was saying was something a mother should say to a child but it was the exact opposite of what Maia was always taught when she was younger. Being vulnerable and emotional only led to getting hurt and Maia started wondering when that other shoe was going to drop. "I don't know. I worry it's not in the cards for me. I've hurt too many people in my life." But her heart wanted it to be true, especially when Vi was reaching out to brush away a stray tear on Maia. "Maybe not, but it's a past that isn't too far behind me."

"You and me both. It is hard to think about but I'm really trying to behave." She wasn't sure why she was telling her maker this. Maybe she just wanted someone to be proud of her or maybe she wanted Vivienne specifically to be proud of her.

"I guess that makes sense. Though I've always thought being a vampire was a gift. The first time I turned someone I turned I had a hard time convincing him that I did something good for him and us." And Maia still worried how much Liam resented her for it.

"I would really like that, Vi. I'd like to get to know you more." Maia said with a genuine smile, just happy to be involved.

Vivienne observed Maia carefully, her heart heavy with empathy. She could sense the walls Maia had built around herself, the instinct to protect her heart rooted deep within. "I understand how hard it is to let go of those instincts, my dear. It's not a weakness; it's survival. But I promise you, I’m not going anywhere," she said softly, her voice steady and reassuring.

"It's wonderful that you feel a sense of home here. It took me centuries to find that, and I’m glad you're starting to feel it too," Vivienne continued, a genuine smile gracing her lips. "And wine from a local winery sounds delightful! We’ll have to celebrate your new beginnings properly," she added, unaware of who owned the winery.

As she noticed the tears welling in Maia's eyes, Vivienne’s expression shifted to one of concern. "Oh, sweetheart, you don’t have to hide anything from me. You deserve to be cared for, truly," she said gently, reaching out to brush a stray tear away with her thumb. "I can’t imagine what you’ve gone through, but I want you to know that it’s okay to feel and to be vulnerable."

When Maia shared her experiences with her mother, Vivienne felt a surge of protective instinct. "That sounds incredibly painful. No one should ever make you feel like a burden or an afterthought," she said, her tone fierce yet compassionate. "You’re not defined by your past or by those who didn’t see your worth."

Vivienne chuckled softly at Maia’s comment about the hidden money, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Oh, I can only imagine the stories behind those riches. But you’re right; it’s not worth risking your newfound peace. You deserve stability more than anything," she said, nodding in agreement.

As the conversation shifted to her consorts, Vivienne's gaze brightened. "Most of the time, I keep them as humans. It allows them to live fuller lives, to experience the beauty of being alive without the weight of our existence," she explained, her passion evident. "Also it gives me a snack whenever I want. Besides being a vampire isn't all that it's cracked up to be, so I don't want to force that on my petals."

Her smile widened at Maia's genuine gratitude. "Yes, I plan to stay for a while, and I’d love for you to be part of this new chapter," she said, her tone warm and inviting. "Together, we can build something beautiful here."

[axailslink]

Stay the night?

Vivienne Scott (Scotty) x poc FEM reader

Summary: After dating for a while Scotty wonders why you both don't have a title and you're wondering why Scotty has never invited you over to her place.

Snippet from the fic: “ "So we never really made us official we just kind of kissed and it went from there." ”

Scotty hates leaving you when the clock strikes ten it makes her feel like some fucked up retelling of Cinderella. She groans when her alarm goes off she's hesitant to unwrap herself from your grip "I don't want to go" you laugh in her chest and rub your hand up and down her back gently "you have to." She groans again and turns off her alarm placing her arm back around you. "You're right I have to take care of mama she gets worried when I'm not home" you nod in agreement "I could come over to your place and stay the night and maybe we could actually sleep in the same bed for one..?" Scotty smiles just from hearing the possible suggestion. She's looking at the wall behind you avoiding eye contact while you're looking straight at her. "I could help you with mama if you're up for that I think she likes me" Scotty nods slowly "you want to stay at my place?" You nod and press a soft kiss to Scotty's temple "What if the light goes out or we plug up too many devices and the power goes out? What if we have no hot water?" Scotty is obviously panicking and you're not sure why you've been inside her house before and everything was fine.

"None of that matters to me plus aren't you the neighborhood handy man?" She laughs "I'm not the main handyman I'm cheaper than the handyman but I guess so." You smile and roll over on your back "I've never judged you and I never will but if you're more comfortable with our current situation I'm not mad at you." She slowly gets up and sighs "I guess you could stay the night but if anything goes wrong I will die of embarrassment." You're quick to jump up and grab a bag and pack it with a pair of night clothes and clothes for the following day.

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Your night is spent watching movies and cuddling you've noticed Scotty is more herself around you. There was a time in the past she wouldn't put her hands anywhere near you but now she's laying on your chest as your bare legs are wrapped around her waist keeping her close. Scotty's been thinking about how she never officially asked you to be her girl and that shouldn't be a big deal right? No this is Scotty she overthinks everything involving you so yes to her this is a big deal. For the past week she's been looking for the perfect time to ask and right now as you both are cuddled up your hands gently playing with her hair and hers wrapped around your figure she feels this is the moment. Scotty looks up at you with tired eyes "Y/n? Are you awake?" You nod slowly taking your attention off the TV and looking at her. When you let your eyes run over her you can't help but smile at the nervous facial expression she holds she's looking everywhere but you and her pronunciation makes her lips turn a certain way.

"So we never really made us official we just kind of kissed and it went from there." You nod unsure where this conversation spawned from but going along with it. "Yeah you were all shy like you are now but when you kissed me nothing about that kiss was shy." Scotty rubs her arm and laughs "I was preparing myself for that kiss a week early." You smile at her "I could tell I knew it seemed practiced" Scotty laughs out of embarrassment now before speaking "right. So I never got to actually ask you to be my girlfriend would you want to be my girlfriend?" You nod "Scotty I'm already your girlfriend but if you want to put a title on us go ahead. You can title it "relationship" "girlfriend" "hook up" I don't care as long as you're with me." Scotty nods but it's not the answer she wants to hear. Noticing Scotty's change in face you speak up rather quickly "I didn't mean that I don't want to be your girlfriend it's just I thought we already were girlfriends. Are we girlfriends?" Scotty is surprised by the uno reverse card you just pulled but she's quick to answer "yeah we're girlfriends...or whatever" Scotty tries to play her smile off but her being on your chest doesn't give her much room to do so. "Or whatever?" Scotty laughs "yeah we're girlfriends stop dragging it it's kind of embarrassing."

You lean down a place a soft kiss on Scotty's lips only for it to go pitch black in the room. "Scotty the breaker box went out!" you can't hold back your laugh because if that isn't perfect timing you don't know what is. Scotty sighs and gets up while you sit up and grab your jacket "c'mon we'll go turn it back on" Scotty slips on her shoes and nods "I told you this would happen you're a bad luck charm" you scoff "what? All I've been giving you is good luck this is your fault." Scotty smiles as you both walk out the bedroom door and towards the living room. Great timing breaker box great fucking timing.

A/n: I did not portray Scotty as poor I portrayed Scotty as normal because this shit actually happens. Especially in my old houses and I just think this would definitely happen in hers. We call it shitty landlords. Anyways this is unedited.