#love a seedy northern setting

[crusheswhimsandfancies]

Ripley Holden is my perfect Northern male fantasy character. Sure, DT is the reason I re-watched it just now, almost 20 years after the first time, and hot damn I’d want him to sweep me off my feet too, and I definitely paid more attention to him this time round. But I realised it was Ripley that has given me my penchant for intimidating Northern characters, which David Morrissey plays so well.

Anyway, what an absolute quality programme from start to finish. Had to keep a note of that for myself.

[allthingsroleplay]

Welcome to Brookhaven, VT, a small town with many secrets and two dividing interests. Those who want to see Brookhaven grow into the 21st century, those who welcome change, those who see what Brookhaven is and want more for it than the seedy past it holds. Those who think the criminal activity has only gotten worse despite promises to keep the town safe from it. Then there are those who love Brookhaven for what it is. They see those pushing for change are not doing so out of what is better for Brookhaven, but what is better for themselves. They want to line their pockets with the proceeds of change. With the pressure of the divide growing, its only a matter of time before Brookhaven is ripped down the center releasing the chaos as both sides fight for dominance. Which side will you fall on?

Northern Attitude is a brand new, public, real life, lightly crime based, 18+ site set in the fictional town of Brookhaven, VT.

Index • Guidebook • Face Claims • Wanted • Adverts • Discord

[rockinroleplay]

Welcome to Brookhaven, VT, a small town with many secrets and two dividing interests. Those who want to see Brookhaven grow into the 21st century, those who welcome change, those who see what Brookhaven is and want more for it than the seedy past it holds. Those who think the criminal activity has only gotten worse despite promises to keep the town safe from it. Then there are those who love Brookhaven for what it is. They see those pushing for change are not doing so out of what is better for Brookhaven, but what is better for themselves. They want to line their pockets with the proceeds of change. With the pressure of the divide growing, its only a matter of time before Brookhaven is ripped down the center releasing the chaos as both sides fight for dominance. Which side will you fall on?

Northern Attitude is a brand new, public, real life, lightly crime based, 18+ site set in the fictional town of Brookhaven, VT.

Index • Guidebook • Face Claims • Wanted • Adverts • Discord

[rpgadverts]

Welcome to Brookhaven, VT, a small town with many secrets and two dividing interests. Those who want to see Brookhaven grow into the 21st century, those who welcome change, those who see what Brookhaven is and want more for it than the seedy past it holds. Those who think the criminal activity has only gotten worse despite promises to keep the town safe from it. Then there are those who love Brookhaven for what it is. They see those pushing for change are not doing so out of what is better for Brookhaven, but what is better for themselves. They want to line their pockets with the proceeds of change. With the pressure of the divide growing, its only a matter of time before Brookhaven is ripped down the center releasing the chaos as both sides fight for dominance. Which side will you fall on?

Northern Attitude is a brand new, public, real life, lightly crime based, 18+ site set in the fictional town of Brookhaven, VT.

Index • Guidebook • Face Claims • Wanted • Adverts • Discord

[jcinktinder]

Welcome to Brookhaven, VT, a small town with many secrets and two dividing interests. Those who want to see Brookhaven grow into the 21st century, those who welcome change, those who see what Brookhaven is and want more for it than the seedy past it holds. Those who think the criminal activity has only gotten worse despite promises to keep the town safe from it. Then there are those who love Brookhaven for what it is. They see those pushing for change are not doing so out of what is better for Brookhaven, but what is better for themselves. They want to line their pockets with the proceeds of change. With the pressure of the divide growing, its only a matter of time before Brookhaven is ripped down the center releasing the chaos as both sides fight for dominance. Which side will you fall on?

Northern Attitude is a brand new, public, real life, lightly crime based, 18+ site set in the fictional town of Brookhaven, VT.

Index • Guidebook • Face Claims • Wanted • Adverts • Discord

[rpings]

Welcome to Brookhaven, VT, a small town with many secrets and two dividing interests. Those who want to see Brookhaven grow into the 21st century, those who welcome change, those who see what Brookhaven is and want more for it than the seedy past it holds. Those who think the criminal activity has only gotten worse despite promises to keep the town safe from it. Then there are those who love Brookhaven for what it is. They see those pushing for change are not doing so out of what is better for Brookhaven, but what is better for themselves. They want to line their pockets with the proceeds of change. With the pressure of the divide growing, its only a matter of time before Brookhaven is ripped down the center releasing the chaos as both sides fight for dominance. Which side will you fall on?

Northern Attitude is a brand new, public, real life, lightly crime based, 18+ site set in the fictional town of Brookhaven, VT.

Index • Guidebook • Face Claims • Wanted • Adverts • Discord

[therpdirectory]

Welcome to Brookhaven, VT, a small town with many secrets and two dividing interests. Those who want to see Brookhaven grow into the 21st century, those who welcome change, those who see what Brookhaven is and want more for it than the seedy past it holds. Those who think the criminal activity has only gotten worse despite promises to keep the town safe from it. Then there are those who love Brookhaven for what it is. They see those pushing for change are not doing so out of what is better for Brookhaven, but what is better for themselves. They want to line their pockets with the proceeds of change. With the pressure of the divide growing, its only a matter of time before Brookhaven is ripped down the center releasing the chaos as both sides fight for dominance. Which side will you fall on?

Northern Attitude is a brand new, public, real life, lightly crime based, 18+ site set in the fictional town of Brookhaven, VT.

Index • Guidebook • Face Claims • Wanted • Adverts • Discord

[swissmissficrecs]

Favorite Sherlock Holmes fics from 2020

Usually I put a bunch of explanations and disclaimers on these lists but you know what, it was a weird year and I’m not going to try to justify or apologize for what I read or didn’t read so here are my favorites that were completed last year, in descending order of length:

and your very flesh shall be a great poem by CaitlinFairchild (151K, E, Johnlock) After a tragic confrontation with terrible consequences, Sherlock and John follow Mary as she flees to America.

Drawn to Stars by Silvergirl (107K, E, Johnlock, Sherlock/OMC) After the Culverton Smith case Sherlock is clean, working, and looking for a romantic partner—since John has told him that’s what he needs. Shame John didn’t mention he was interested in that role himself, before Sherlock went off to Rome with a gorgeous Italian copper to try to fall in love and become a complete human being. (This one is very slightly cheating because it was finished on 30 Dec 2019, but it didn't make it onto my 2019 list because I didn't read it until after I'd made the list. And it deserves to be on a Best Of list, so here it is.)

Thermocline by J_Baillier (83K, M, Johnlock) John "Five Oceans" Watson — technical dive instructor, dive accident analyst and weapon of mass seduction — meets recluse professor of maritime archaeology Holmes. As they head out to a remote archipelago off the coast of Guatemala to study and film its shipwrecks for a documentary, will sparks fly or fizzle out?

Do No Harm by Calais_Reno (79K, T, Johnlock) In 1923, Dr John Watson is on trial for the murder of his lover, Mary Morstan, a writer of popular mysteries. If convicted, he will hang. Sherlock Holmes sets out to prove his innocence, but finds himself more and more infatuated with the handsome doctor, and deeper and deeper inside the bohemian world of London's painters, playwrights, and poets. Will he uncover the evidence needed to acquit him in time?

To Be Human by ohlooktheresabee (78K, NR, Johnlock) There is a serial killer on the loose with a penchant for collecting the brains of his victims. Sherlock, John and Scotland Yard are on the case, but something about the chosen victims has Sherlock on edge. While they piece together the clues that will lead to the killer, John begins to realize that the way his best friend thinks may sometimes be more a hindrance than a help….

immediate and inglorious by simplyclockwork (72K, E, Johnlock) Bodies are showing up in back alleys, with no sign of a struggle, no trace of drugs. If not for the strangulation bruises on their necks and the scythe carved into their left shoulders, they could have died peacefully, in their sleep. With New Scotland Yard dumbfounded by the Grim Reaper Killer case, Sherlock is called in to consult. The more he investigates, the deeper Sherlock finds himself drawn into the work of London's newest serial killer. As his views of good and bad begin to blur, he risks losing himself to a darkness he never imagined. And, even more pressing: where does John Watson, grieving ex-boyfriend of the Grim Reaper's latest victim, fit into all of this?

Curtain Rising by tiger_in_the_flightdeck (61K, E, Johnlock) A disgraced television star is the target of a series of death threats just after a theatre production’s adaptation of The Sound of Music is announced with her as the lead. The suspect list is a mile long and growing, Rosie Watson is in the spotlight, and Sherlock might be getting too fond of his time on stage to focus on the case. With opening night approaching, can he and John figure out who wants their client dead before her final curtain rises?

The Fire Finds a Home by fearfully_beautifully_made (61K, E, Johnlock) After Sherlock and John decide to give having a relationship a go, this is how their relationship starts to develop. There a little bit of plot, if you squint, but it was mostly an excuse to write John and Sherlock having sex in a lot of different ways and learning to love each other.

Borrowed Ghosts by DiscordantWords (57K, M, Johnlock) In the aftermath of the Culverton Smith case, John spent one painfully stilted afternoon hanging out with Sherlock. He counted the minutes, finished his tea, and left for home without ever clearing the air between them. And once he'd left, he found it very hard to go back.

You Might Just as Well Be Blind by ArwaMachine (56K, E, Johnlock) When a serial killer starts targeting couples, Sherlock and John must do what they have to do in order to get to the bottom of things. Unfortunately, John already has a girlfriend. Surely pretending to be in a relationship with Sherlock won't pose any problems with his relationship, will it?

The Broken Tether by J_Baillier (54K, M, Johnlock) Maybe he thinks that you only enjoy his company because of the Work, because of the way his dazzling intellect shines when he's in his element, but the truth is this: it is when he is at his most human, most bare, that you feel closest to him.

how the light gets in by subtext-is-my-division (Quill_A)  (54K, E, Johnlock) Red wine always makes him tipsier than usual and he finds himself saying, the words slurring a bit. “You know, I’ve got to ask. Do you always shoot cabbies for people you barely you know?” John meets his gaze over the rim of his glass, and there’s something there that Sherlock can’t pin down. “Not for everyone,” he says, meaningfully, pointedly, his smile all teeth.

Erosion by saintscully (53K, E, Johnlock) Sherlock’s father falls ill, leaving the surviving family members broken and rudderless. James Sholto shows up in London unexpectedly, his intentions unclear. John has to navigate the consequences of crime, illness and death and their impact on his frayed relationship with Sherlock.

Hold You Like a Weapon by MissDavis (52K, E, Johnlock) Eurus shows up at 221B Baker Street in labour. Things go downhill from there.

Chances Are by Berty (51K, M, Johnlock) Sherlock is spending some time in his mind palace - so far, so normal. But why is John there, why do things keep changing and why are there only two exits from the sitting room at 221B, neither of which seem to go anywhere useful? It's a case like no other for Sherlock Holmes and John Watson.

Sine Nomine by SilentAuror (45K, E, Johnlock) As Mycroft reviews the footage from Culverton Smith's morgue, he revisits his original question: whether John Watson would be the making of his brother, or make him worse than ever. He's come to a conclusion, but decides to give John one last chance. So he gives him a choice.

Cockaigne by HollyShadow88 (38K, E, Johnlock) When John’s contacted by an old uni friend about problems in his new art exhibition, he doesn’t think it will be worth Sherlock’s time. After a glance of the crime scene, however, they’re both pulled into the project in ways John didn’t expect. Will a week of erotic performance art finally be enough to bring them together in the way they both secretly hope? (Spoiler: it’s a tropey fic, of course it will)

Written in Ashes by 88thParallel (37K, M, Johnlock) Sherlock becomes the prime suspect in a homicide case, and recently unearthed memories of his childhood are complicating matters. It's up to John to track down answers — can he help Sherlock before it's too late?

A Desperate Indulgence by LollipopCop (34K, M, Johnlock) John thinks it's 2012 after waking up with amnesia, having no memory of Mary. Sherlock, exhausted from years of tension and hiding his love, pretends they got married instead.

Inhale With Ease by Vulpesmellifera (25K, E, Johnlock) In the years after Vivian Norbury's capture, life seems to work out just as John planned. He's got that respectable job at the surgery and goes home to his wife and child. He joins Sherlock on cases a couple times per week. It's a rhythm he can live with - just enough adrenaline highs to balance out the drudgery of a normal bloke's life. Until a pandemic, and Victor Trevor, arrive in London.

The House on Rue des Boulangers by Berty (24K, M, Johnlock) After being invalided out of the army and without any other prospects, John Watson has relocated to a small town in northern France. Now he has to decide what to do for the rest of his life. One morning there's a mad stranger in his garden chasing a swarm of bees, and it seems John's decision is made.

High Mountain Tea Leaves by disfictional (23K, E, Johnlock) A mountaintop robbery on a Japanese-occupation-era train where the only item stolen was a small case of mysterious tea leaves in a backpack? An ideal Christmas gift, two days late. Sherlock convinces John to travel for tea.

Detours by saintscully (22K, M, Johnlock, Sherlock/OMC) During the better part of the first year following Mary's death and the events at Sherrinford, Sherlock and John are slowly rebuilding their lives and their friendship. All seems (relatively) well and John takes comfort in once again being a father, a doctor and a friend. An unexplained shift in Sherlock's behaviour catches John by surprise, and he begins to worry about his place in his friend's life. John has to examine everything he thought he knew about Sherlock, himself and their relationship in order to win his rightful place yet again.

hands full of matter by simplyclockwork (21K, E, Johnlock) When Sherlock is captured in Serbia, Mycroft cannot afford to involve the British government in his rescue. Instead, he sends John. After two years spent thinking Sherlock was dead, John finds himself navigating not only Sherlock’s rescue but their fractured friendship as well.

The Victim Experience by J_Baillier (16K, T, Gen) A case takes Sherlock and John deep into the seedy underbelly of the haunted attractions industry. With audiences craving more and more intense experiences, is a real murder the next logical step?

On the Fence by BeautifulFiction (13K, T, Johnlock) The murder of the King's College fencing champion leads to revelations about Sherlock's past. Will it be the point that tips them from friends to lovers, or will they remain on the fence?

Plus bonus ACD era:

"Baker Street: The Sleep of Reason": A Memoir by John H. Watson, M.D. by Gaedhal (98K, M, Johnlock, Johniarty) This is a Victorian Era story in the "Sherlock Holmes" (2009) Ritchie-verse. The main characters are Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson and is from the doctor's memoirs. It was written before "A Game of Shadows" so there are differences in this story and film canon, mainly in the person and backstory of one particular character.

The Taste of Truth by sanguinity (25K, T, Johnlock) Two and a half years after Reichenbach, John Watson discovers the magical tree that caused Holmes to fake his death.

The Adventure of the Vatican Cameos by Garonne (18K, E, Johnlock) How should one behave when waking for the first time in the bed of one's dearest friend? Holmes and Watson solve a case in Catholic London while navigating the turbid waters of their new relationship.

Hot Water by wordybirdy (13K, E, Johnlock, Watson/Gregson) Dr. John Watson's libidinous affair with a respected Scotland Yard inspector abruptly judders to a halt when the former meets a certain Mr. Sherlock Holmes, Consulting Detective, for the very first time. The attraction between the two is strongly mutual, but misunderstandings only multiply and tensions abound, as all three men attempt to deal with the new situation.

[mattmaesonnatural]

@tearsofgrace​ sophie you asked: ok ok but i love that we all just decided dean has ac/dc and zeppelin tees like he has never worn one on the show but how did he get them???? 

and well this happened. 

[bi dean is very important to me SO] 

SO a year after Sam has left for Stanford and its been over a week that Johns been on a solo (they had a fight) hunting trip (yes dean has heard from him) Deans 23, has a black 1976 chevy Malibu Bobby let him have for a few months.

Dean after days of trying to work a case, ends up at some seedy bar in northern Montana. Theres a total of 4 people in the place, the music on low and his motivation to solve his case dwindling he decides he can get hammered and crash in the back seat of the car as a treat to himself.

He flirts with the female bartender named Lucy, and she gives him a run for his money. But a shaggy, rough looking early 20’s farm looking  guy comes in and sits down right next to Dean. Dean’s pretty smashed and when Lucy introduces Trevor to Dean. It’s like something switches in him.

They flirt, Trevor buys him drinks, Dean leans into his ear to tell a joke, Trevor touches his arm. Dean blushes. They talk shop, they talk sport, they hustle each other at pool and maybe hum along to Traveling Riverside Blues when it’s comes on the juke box.  It’s been years since Dean has felt this carefree. It’s the three of them left in the place, Lucy pours one last round for the boys before saying good night and leaning over to kiss Dean’s cheek. He’s smitten but his attention focuses else where.

Trevor’s hand has been on Dean’s thigh most of the night and when Trevor removes it, Dean whines. They both walk out into the cold, Trevor shrugging on his jean jacket. Dean messily trying to put his leather one on. They make small talk, but no other sounds but crickets can be heard around them. “Where you headin’” Trevor asks. “Just gonna crash in my car” Dean answers. Trevor raises an eyebrow “hmm I’ve never gotten frisky in the back of a car before.” Dean laughs, a whole belly laugh “That’s hard to believe.” “Why?” “Cause look at you man- There’s no way someone hasn’t wanted to do the horizontal tango in the backseat of their Honda with you” Dean realizes what he said and blushes. Trevor takes a daring step forward, almost pining Dean between the Malibu and his body, “maybe… I was waiting for the right kind of someone.”

Dean swallows hard, his eyes flashing all over Trevors glowing face. The last spot he looks is Trevors mouth that’s already parted and waiting. Dean on instinct, reaches out to pull at Trevors hip. Their chests flushed together. As Dean daringly dips his head closer, Trevors got maybe an inch of height on him so it doesn’t take it much before their lips finally meet. Dean’s body shakes and vibrates until he’s unlocking the back of his car. They make out, they fog up the windows and give each other messy hand jobs and Trevor sucks him off. Dean could scream with how alive he feels.

Dean blinks wakes to a shirtless man buttoning up his plaid shirt outside the car, “morning sunshine” Trevor says to him with a wink. Dean groans just because he’s hungover. But then allows himself to smile before his panic sets in. “Morning” Dean grumbles, his throat dry.

“Lucy should be by soon to open up the bar, she’ll feed you.”

“okay.”

Trevor leans back into the backseat, into Dean’s (he’s still half naked) space, “I uh- wanna say thanks for last night. For being my first roll around in the back of a car.”

“There’s a first for everything man.”

Trevor tilts his head at him “was that- oh” he chuckles “hope it was good for you too man.”

They’re close, like really close and Dean knows at any moment someone could come zipping around that dirt road and see them, so Dean kisses him. One more time. Just to make sure.

Trevor laughs into kiss “guess I got my answer.” Dean blushes.

Trevor pulls back, nodding at Dean, “See you around hot stuff.”

Dean has to look away before he says something dumb, he reaches around the backseat for his shirt, only to hold onto a black faded Led Zeppelin tee. “Hey you forgot this!” Dean shouts at the man getting into his truck.

“Keep it” Trevor calls back, before starting the engine, winking one last time and then driving off.

Dean looks at the shirt in a daze, he chuckles to himself.

Lucy arrives half an hour later to open up the bar for lunch, she smiles knowingly at him as he exits his car and follows her up to the door. “Have a good night?” She asks.

“Something like that” he shrugs.

“Wasn’t Trevor wearing that shirt last night?” She asks, looking down at his chest.

“Maybe we just both own the same shirt.”

She snorts “yeah… that’s definitely it.”

He smirks but doesn’t answer.

~

Years down the road, when he and Sam are unpacking their mess of things as they settle into the bunker. Dean finds the shirt, it’s worn out, holes in the bottom hem. But nonetheless, still his favorite shirt.

[asamisaht0]

A Series of Firsts

Here’s my piece for the Zutara Exchange! @zutaraexchange

My giftee is @beealexageek I hope you like it! I combined “pregnant”, “first kiss”, and a tiny bit of “wedding” for the prompts.

Wordcount: 2k

Pairing: Zuko/Katara 

Ao3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18808570

The first time Zuko kissed Katara -or, technically, Katara kissed him- they were in an alley behind some seedy Earth Kingdom bar. They were tipsy, too close, and still teenagers. Katara still held her cup in her hand, though she had long since lost interest in its contents. Zuko was just beginning to realize the full weight of being Fire Lord and he had desperately needed a break. Uncle Iroh, in typical Uncle Iroh fashion, had conveniently (almost too conveniently) invited the whole gang back to the earth kingdom for the grand re-opening of the Jasmine Dragon the week later. Something about a brand new tea recipe. Whatever. They managed to escape the group and ended up at a bar, watching the Earth Kingdom locals entertain themselves now that they were free of Fire Nation rule. They each had had a drink, maybe two, and Katara suddenly decided the bar was too stuffy. “I can’t breathe in here. Let’s go outside?” she had said. Something along those lines. They decided to loiter in the alley behind the bar, because it was close but secluded. 

Katara took one more sip of her drink, mostly because Zuko had paid for it and she didn’t want to waste his money. He seemed to sense that, and scoffed. “Don’t worry about it. The Fire Nation has more money than we’ll ever need.” His words seemed a little more slurred than usual. Maybe it was just the background noise. “Still. I appreciate it, Zuko. Thanks for everything.” She didn’t quite know what she meant by that. What did “everything” encompass? Thanks for helping Aang save the world? Thanks for turning the Fire Nation back into a respectable entity? Thanks for taking a literal lightning bolt to the chest for her? Somehow, “thanks” just didn’t seem like enough. He smiled. Their eyes met. He looked back down. Zuko sighed and brushed his hand through his hair. Katara was confused. “What’s wrong?”

Zuko looked back up at her, then frowned at the contents of his cup. “I just- um. I really want to kiss you right now.” She blinked. “So….what’s stopping you?” she meant to think, but somehow ended up saying it out loud. Oh well. His eyes shot back up. His head kind of tilted, like when a dog hears a noise they don’t quite understand. Katara’s brain took about .002 seconds to make up its mind. She lifted up on her toes and kissed Zuko before either of them could change their minds. Later, she’d say something poetic like “he tasted like smoke and spices” or whatever. But right now? He tasted like the bottom of whatever barrell their drinks came out of.

The first time Zuko realized he was in love with Katara, she was teaching him how to pack snow into the holes of his igloo to help keep the warmth in. “No, Zuko,” she had said. “You can’t just start a fire inside a house made of ice that’s literally the opposite of productive right now,” she had said. They were in the Southern Water Tribe, solidifying arrangements for Katara to be the official ambassador of the Southern Water Tribe and hold a seat on Zuko’s council.

Honestly, Zuko would have done anything if it meant he got to see Katara every day. The idea of her actually living in the palace made him downright giddy. Giddy enough that he was willing to spend nights in a house made of literal ice in order to ensure he got to spend more time with Karara.

She turned around to make sure he was comprehending her lessons. Spoiler alert: he wasn’t. “Zuko, what did I just say?” she asked, but her tone was way less condescending than her words. He coughed to buy time. “You, um. You said I can’t make a fire here.” She chuckled. “You realize you’re going to freeze tonight if you don’t make this work?” Zuko had not, in fact, realized that yet. He ran a hand through his hair. “So I’m just supposed to survive for an extended period of time in here by myself? Without my bending?” He hoped he sounded as incredulous as he felt. Apparently not, because she was laughing even harder now. "You wouldn't have to fight to survive if you'd just listen to me. Here, do it yourself." She gave him a handful of snow. He took it, and it immediately melted.

He wrinkled his nose.

“I think I might die if I have to stay in here alone tonight.”

“You know what?” she said, freezing the snow back. “I think you’re right. I’ll stay in here with you,”

Zuko’s breath hitched.

“-Just to make sure you survive the night. Would that be alright?” He could hear her smile in her voice. Of course that would be alright. That would be amazing. That would be-

“Perfect! Please! Yes- I.” he stumbled. “I don’t want to die tonight.” He still wasn’t completely convinced that he wouldn’t die, but if he did, he wanted to make sure it was by her side.

The first time Zuko told Katara he loved her, they were watching the fireworks on the first anniversary of the war’s ending. There was a huge festival in their honor, and it was the first time Katara had been surrounded by all of her closest friends in a very long time. The sun had just set, and the cool summer night was a relief from the sweltering heat Katara had endured for most of the day. She supposed she should start getting used to the heat. Just in case. They were alone for the first time that day, atop some hill Zuko knew about that awarded them the best view in the city, he’d said. She’d never admit it, but he was right. They could see the city capital for miles and miles. She could see each individual light from each house. The Fire Nation looked nothing less than gorgeous. The fireworks were just starting, and Zuko took it upon himself to name every type and how they were made. Katara honestly couldn’t care less, but she was happy just to hear him talk about something he enjoyed.

A particularly large firework burst, and spread beautiful orange lights over the sky. They could hear the crowd’s reaction far below them. Katara really, really wished this moment would last forever.

“Zuko, this is amazing. I love it!”

His hand found hers in the dark. He squeezed it.

“I love you, Katara.”

She laid her head on his shoulder. “I love you, too Zuko.”

The first time (yes, there were multiples) Zuko asked Katara to marry him, they were out by the turtleduck pond, watching the new baby turtleducks learn how to swim. It was a spring morning, and the breeze brought with it the scent of freshly-bloomed fire lilies. Katara was playing with the turtleducks, giving them gentle waves to splash in. Zuko had been drowning in work just a half hour before, Katara had had to drag him out of his office for a much-needed break. Zuko was leaning against the big tree in the garden, and Katara was leaning against him.

She was a well-seasoned ambassador for the Southern Water Tribe, and had managed to negotiate peace and trade not only between the Fire Nation and her tribe, but the Northern Water Tribe as well. She had carved out a place for herself on the Fire Nation council, and Zuko supported her through it all. She, honestly, felt at home here.

“I could honestly stay here forever,” she mused aloud.

Zuko grabbed her hand, stroking the back of it idly with his thumb.

“How would you like to?” he almost whispered.

She craned her neck to look at him. “What do you mean? I live here already.”

“No, like... forever forever. How would you like a permanent home in the palace?”

Katara narrowed her eyes. “Zuko, are- are you asking me-”

“Yes! I mean, yeah, I suppose so.”

“You suppose you’re proposing to me.” she deadpanned.

He cleared his throat. “Katara, I’ve loved you for years. I wish I could say I’ve loved you since we met but we both know that isn’t the case.” Katara chuckled.

He took another deep breath. “It would be my honor to ask you to be my wife.”

Katara felt her heart fill, and couldn’t stop the grin that spread across her face.

“Yes, Zuko. I’ll marry you. But you know your mother will be upset that she missed the proposal.”

He ran a hand through his hair. “I guess we’ll have to make sure she’s here next time.”

The first time Zuko and Katara kissed on their wedding day- way, way before they were supposed to- they were giggling like children, hiding from the prying eyes of the fire sages and Katara's ladies in waiting. It was still early morning; the sun hadn't risen yet. The palace was already bustling with servants preparing for the ceremony. Zuko should have been tired, but he wasn't. He was too excited. They met up in Zuko’s office, having judged it the last place anyone would look for them today of all days. Zuko got there first, and sat on his desk, idly playing with his hands. There were so, so many things that could go wrong today. He ran through a mental checklist of everything he needed to do. He was on his third run-through when the doorknob jiggled slightly, and Katara slipped in the door as quietly as she could.

They met eyes, and burst into quiet laughter. “I can’t believe we’re doing this,” Zuko said.

“I’m sneaking around my own palace.” He felt like a teenager all over again.

“You know the fire sages wouldn’t approve. It gOeS AgAinSt TrAdiTiOn” she said, mocking the ancient Fire Sages’ voices. That only made them both laugh even harder.

“Everything about this goes against tradition!” He grabbed her waist as he said that, bringing them closer. “That’s part of what makes it so great.”

He tilted her chin up for a kiss. The first of many, on this special day. They locked eyes for a moment.

“Honestly, you’ve been my wife for a long, long time. This just makes it official.”

She snorted. “It was official to me when you took that lightning all those years ago.”

The first time Katara realized she was pregnant, she was sitting at a long, long dinner table in between her husband and an old Fire Nation nobleman with a long, silver beard. She remembered his beard specifically, because the sight of a small crumb that had gotten trapped in the wispy hairs suddenly made Katara very, very nauseous. She excused herself politely, the picture of an ever-graceful Fire Lady. Ursa taught her well. Katara held her posture perfectly all the way until she rounded the corner and was out of eyesight- then she all but sprinted to the bathroom. Her handmaids shared a look with each other.

After Katara cleaned herself up, she looked at herself in the mirror for a long, long time. She thinks, deep down, she’s known for a while now. Being a healer, she had become very in tune with the details of her own body. She’s been noticing a change for weeks, at least. But she guessed it was finally time to acknowledge it. She knew her handmaids were probably wondering why she hadn’t asked for her monthly supplies yet. She’d better tell Zuko before the rumor spread faster than any of his flames would.

She waited until the night. They were in bed, but not asleep. Zuko was writing something down on a scroll, and the small candle he lit cast his face in a warm glow.

“So what are you writing? Is it names?”

His eyebrows furrowed. “Names? What? No, it’s-”

“Well you should start.”

“Start what?”

She smirked. “Start thinking about names.” “Names for what? Katara, I don’t un-” his mouth closed. Then opened again. Then closed.

She smiled. “I’m pregnant, Zuko.”

His face lit up. Zuko flung his arms around his wife, and she swears she hadn’t seen him smile this wide since their wedding day.

Katara took everything in, reveling in just how she ended up here. If you had told her at 14 that she’d be the Fire Lady, and carry the Fire Lord’s child, she would have definitely written them off as insane. But right now, in this moment, she couldn’t be happier with how her life turned out.

[paralleljulieverse]

Oh! I do like to be beside the seaside! 

70th anniversary of Julie Andrews’ three-month run in “Coconut Grove” at the Blackpool Hippodrome  (26 June - 1 October 1949)

When discussing her long and varied career, Julie Andrews is fond of representing it as a series of fortuitous “stepping stones,” “great, wonderful bursts of good fortune [that] I would race to be worthy of" (Brockes 2004).

The first of these auspicious breaks was Starlight Roof, the up-scale London variety revue that marked Julie’s professional debut in late-1947. At the end of her one year run in the show –– limited to a strict twelve month maximum by council laws governing theatrical employment of minors –– Julie recounts that she was awash with tears. “I honestly thought that was the end of my career, the end of all the fun, and that I would never work again” (Andrews, 2008: 88).

Such was the impact of Starlight Roof, however –– and such the ambitious management of those around her, perhaps –– that the pint-sized soprano was quickly launched into a series of follow-up engagements that further advanced her budding celebrity. From singing on the radio to appearing in big London pantos and even performing for royalty, the young Julie Andrews carved out a solid career as post-war Britain’s singing child wonder, a virtuosic “prima donna in pigtails” (Pearce: 3).

Most of these early performances were patterned more or less directly on the Starlight Roof novelty theme with Julie appearing as the unassuming little girl from Walton-on-Thames –– complete with white smock dress, ankle socks and  Dolly shoes –– who would gaily skip onto the stage and let forth with this phenomenal coloratura singing voice. Touring the British variety circuit, often on the same bill as her parents, Julie typically stole the show...and the notices! “Julie Andrews...provides the highlight of the evening,” enthused one review of an appearance at the Hackney Empire in May 1949. Her “[o]peratic selections and ballad numbers, with excellent pianoforte accompaniment, are enjoyed in an all-too-brief appearance” (’Round the Halls’: 5).

Before long, Julie emerged as the star in the family with theatrical billing shifting from ‘Ted and Barbara Andrews with Julie’ to ‘Julie Andrews with Ted and Barbara’. “That was not a very happy state of affairs,” Julie later recalled, “certainly not for my stepfather who had an ego to think about” (Moir: 17). The growing disparity of professional fortunes became plainly apparent in the summer of 1949 when Julie and her parents were contracted to perform in the northern English town of Blackpool.

The largest seaside resort in the UK, Blackpool has been a longstanding epicentre for domestic British tourism and, with it, summertime entertainment (Brodie and Whitfield, 2014). Widely lampooned today as down-market and a little seedy, the Blackpool entertainment industry in its heyday was hugely vibrant. Theatres, opera houses, ballrooms, winter gardens and a whole multiform “infrastructure of fun” sprang up to service the town’s massive seasonal market of family holidaymakers with something for everyone from grandparents to children (ibid: 51ff). 

By the 1940s, Blackpool was at its peak as the British capital of summertime entertainment. Boasting fourteen live theatres and eighteen picture theatres, it was reputed to offer “the biggest show biz in the world for the size of the town” (Regensberg: 52).  These venues provided “a flow of entertainment comprising revue, vaudeville, ice and water spectacles and circus to millions of visitors and locals,” offering lucrative opportunities for performing talent “with the season absorbing some of the biggest radio and vaude[ville] names” (ibid.). 

It was in this context that, in the summer of 1949, the Andrews family was placed under three-month contract by Tom Arnold and Jack Taylor, a pair of seasoned theatre producers who had recently set up as independents after years of supplying shows for the Blackpool Tower Company (Regensberg: 52). Following initial success in the 1948 season, Arnold and Taylor went all out in 1949 mounting three big shows: Water Follies, an aquatic spectacular housed at the Derby Baths with Johnny ‘Tarzan’ Weissmuller flown in from Hollywood as star attraction; Coconut Grove, a lavish Hollywood-style revue at the Blackpool Hippodrome, a 2500-seat theatre in the heart of town; and Orchid Room, a slightly more modest variety show at the smaller Central Pier Pavilion on the seafront (Band, 2018).  

Barbara and Ted Andrews were placed on the bill of the Orchid Room, playing support to the comedian Frankie Howerd as headliner, while Julie appeared as part of the Coconut Grove line-up. The latter owed more than a passing nod to Starlight Roof. Alongside Julie, it featured several other Starlight alumni including balloon-man Wally Boag and singer Jean Carson. A glowing report in the British show biz paper, The Stage gives a sense of the revue’s opulence:

“The whole theatre is converted into a lavish auditorium, with bands on either side of the stage and another playing in the vestibule. Silver decorations seem to dominate the scene, and some of the spectacular ensembles are beautiful. One, in which the whole stage is starlit, is extended to the theatre itself, with the chorus coming out into the auditorium carrying lighted trees, and is particularly effective (”Summer Entertainment”: 5).

The Yorkshire Post was equally rhapsodic, describing how “the unstinted lavishness of costumes, scenery and effects give the show an overwhelming appearance of magnificence” (“Blackpool’s Square Mile”: 6). Coconut Grove even garnered international attention with US entertainment bible, Variety running an extended profile on Blackpool’s bumper season, noting that “Julie Andrews, a kid protegee, whams ‘em” (Regensburg: 52).

Behind the glitter, though, the summer was not a happy one for the Andrews clan with problems in Ted and Barbara’s relationship coming to the fore. As early as her 1958 serialised memoir for Woman magazine, written barely nine years after the fact, Julie admitted that the “summer season in Blackpool...should have been lovely, but there was some strange atmosphere at home which I kept trying not to notice––and couldn’t help noticing more each day” (Andrews 1958: 45). In keeping with the era’s culture of circumspection about such matters, the 1958 Julie gingerly glossed the familial unease as a case of marital tensions due to financial stress. But fifty years later in her 2008 autobiography, she would be much more forthright with details about Ted’s chronic problem drinking, her mother’s own developing co-dependent alcoholism, and a domestic environment of sporadic violence (Andrews 2008: 104-106). With a degree of melancholic irony, she writes:

“There was a publicity photo taken during this period of the family walking together along the front at Blackpool, looking very happy. These days, my brothers and I marvel at how far removed that photograph was from the reality of what was actually going on” (ibid: 106).

A painful time for all, no doubt, but the summer at Blackpool was an important one in the professional and, one suspects, personal life of Julie Andrews. It consolidated her breakout performance in Starlight Roof, bringing her to the attention of an expanded audience, as well as further cultivating professional networks that would prove valuable in coming years. By Julie’s own reckoning, it also firmed her renowned sense of personal discipline and dutiful resolve as she recognised the need to step to the fore and fill the void as the family’s main emotional support and breadwinner. “I felt extremely responsible,” she recalls, 

“felt that I had to take care of the whole family, that it was only me being an adult around the place. So I [tried] to preserve what was good, being cheerful, and saying, ‘Things aren't so bad. We'll manage.’ And, of course, we did” (Meryman: 87).

Sources:

Andrews, Julie. “So Much to Sing About, Part 3.” Woman. 17 May, 1958: 17-18, 41-46.

_____________. Home: A Memoir of My Early Years. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2008. 

Arntz, James and Wilson, Thomas S. Julie Andrews. Chicago: Contemporary Books, 1995. 

Band, Barry. “Showbiz spat led to a great summer line-up.” The Gazette. <www.blackpoolgazette.com> 23 August 2018.

“Blackpool’s Square Mile of Stars Thrives on Banter.” The Yorkshire Post. 26 July 1949: 6.

Brockes, Emma. “Thoroughly Modern Julie.” The Guardian. 13 October 2004.

Brodie, Alan and Whitfield, Matthew. Blackpool's Seaside Heritage. Swindon : English Heritage, 2014.

Fleming, Craig. “Raising the Curtain on the Blackpool Hippodrome’s History.” The Gazette. <www.blackpoolgazette.com> 7 January 2014.

Meryman, Richard. “Mint Julie.” Lear’s. September 1992: 82-87.

Moir, Jan. “An Overdose of Sugar.” The Guardian. 5: 7, 30 September 1992: 17.

Pearce, Emery. “Command Singer in Pigtails.” Daily Herald. 1 November 1949: 3.

Pearson, Lynn F. The People's Palaces: The Story of the Seaside Pleasure Buildings of 1870-1914. Buckingham : Barracuda, 1991.

Regensburg, Harry. “Blackpool, Britain’s Atlantic City Still Boff Show Town, U.S. Acts Score.” Variety. 10 August 1949: 52,60.

“Round the Halls.” The Stage. 19 May 1949: 5.

“Summer Entertainment 1949.” The Stage. 14 July 1949: 5.

© 2019 Brett Farmer All Rights Reserved

[allthingsroleplay]

Welcome to Brookhaven, VT, a small town with many secrets and two dividing interests. Those who want to see Brookhaven grow into the 21st century, those who welcome change, those who see what Brookhaven is and want more for it than the seedy past it holds. Those who think the criminal activity has only gotten worse despite promises to keep the town safe from it. Then there are those who love Brookhaven for what it is. They see those pushing for change are not doing so out of what is better for Brookhaven, but what is better for themselves. They want to line their pockets with the proceeds of change. With the pressure of the divide growing, its only a matter of time before Brookhaven is ripped down the center releasing the chaos as both sides fight for dominance. Which side will you fall on?

Northern Attitude is a brand new, public, real life, lightly crime based, 18+ site set in the fictional town of Brookhaven, VT.

Index • Guidebook • Face Claims • Wanted • Adverts • Discord

[rockinroleplay]

Welcome to Brookhaven, VT, a small town with many secrets and two dividing interests. Those who want to see Brookhaven grow into the 21st century, those who welcome change, those who see what Brookhaven is and want more for it than the seedy past it holds. Those who think the criminal activity has only gotten worse despite promises to keep the town safe from it. Then there are those who love Brookhaven for what it is. They see those pushing for change are not doing so out of what is better for Brookhaven, but what is better for themselves. They want to line their pockets with the proceeds of change. With the pressure of the divide growing, its only a matter of time before Brookhaven is ripped down the center releasing the chaos as both sides fight for dominance. Which side will you fall on?

Northern Attitude is a brand new, public, real life, lightly crime based, 18+ site set in the fictional town of Brookhaven, VT.

Index • Guidebook • Face Claims • Wanted • Adverts • Discord

[rpgadverts]

Welcome to Brookhaven, VT, a small town with many secrets and two dividing interests. Those who want to see Brookhaven grow into the 21st century, those who welcome change, those who see what Brookhaven is and want more for it than the seedy past it holds. Those who think the criminal activity has only gotten worse despite promises to keep the town safe from it. Then there are those who love Brookhaven for what it is. They see those pushing for change are not doing so out of what is better for Brookhaven, but what is better for themselves. They want to line their pockets with the proceeds of change. With the pressure of the divide growing, its only a matter of time before Brookhaven is ripped down the center releasing the chaos as both sides fight for dominance. Which side will you fall on?

Northern Attitude is a brand new, public, real life, lightly crime based, 18+ site set in the fictional town of Brookhaven, VT.

Index • Guidebook • Face Claims • Wanted • Adverts • Discord

[jcinktinder]

Welcome to Brookhaven, VT, a small town with many secrets and two dividing interests. Those who want to see Brookhaven grow into the 21st century, those who welcome change, those who see what Brookhaven is and want more for it than the seedy past it holds. Those who think the criminal activity has only gotten worse despite promises to keep the town safe from it. Then there are those who love Brookhaven for what it is. They see those pushing for change are not doing so out of what is better for Brookhaven, but what is better for themselves. They want to line their pockets with the proceeds of change. With the pressure of the divide growing, its only a matter of time before Brookhaven is ripped down the center releasing the chaos as both sides fight for dominance. Which side will you fall on?

Northern Attitude is a brand new, public, real life, lightly crime based, 18+ site set in the fictional town of Brookhaven, VT.

Index • Guidebook • Face Claims • Wanted • Adverts • Discord

[rpings]

Welcome to Brookhaven, VT, a small town with many secrets and two dividing interests. Those who want to see Brookhaven grow into the 21st century, those who welcome change, those who see what Brookhaven is and want more for it than the seedy past it holds. Those who think the criminal activity has only gotten worse despite promises to keep the town safe from it. Then there are those who love Brookhaven for what it is. They see those pushing for change are not doing so out of what is better for Brookhaven, but what is better for themselves. They want to line their pockets with the proceeds of change. With the pressure of the divide growing, its only a matter of time before Brookhaven is ripped down the center releasing the chaos as both sides fight for dominance. Which side will you fall on?

Northern Attitude is a brand new, public, real life, lightly crime based, 18+ site set in the fictional town of Brookhaven, VT.

Index • Guidebook • Face Claims • Wanted • Adverts • Discord