#maid is human but her lover isn't maybe

[milli-string]

Omp's past life as a maid 🌸

My brain is pumping some more Lies of P oc lore woooooo! 🧠 ✨️

I was looking into the Belle Epoque Era maids and I looove the designs of their maid dresses. This is just a doodle idea, but I was looking at the maid dresses as reference and man was it hard to look at them because of old photos. Maybe it's because it's like almost 1 am here lmao. Eepy eyes.

Anyways, Omp's past life as a maid, but a temporary one for Geppetto. Something happened after Camille's disappearance, and Geppetto's schedule was not going as he wanted to. So, out of desperation, he had a human maid to temporarily watch over Carlo. This would be before he dropped him off at Monad Charity House. Thus, Carlo bonding with Omp's past self.

The two quickly got along due to the maid's kindness and mother-like personality. The maid was a foreigner in Krat but was born in the same place close to Krat. She moved to the city due to her lover wanting to settle down with her. She's engaged and wanted a wedding, but they didn't have enough money. So, she took the job as a maid, and lucky enough, she got hired by one of Krat's wealthiest people and creator of puppets.

The black bracelet around her wrist signifies her engagement with her lover, but also a "calling" for him. It is said that the bracelet summons strange "creatures in the shadows" just by rubbing it, which makes a humming tune. Though it was just a supersition, according to her lover. Omp eventually gives it to Carlo during his graduation later down the road.

(More ideas in the future mweheh)

[franki-lew-yo]

Here's a weird question to the Seasoned Otaku/Ghiblinuts out there

Is Haku and Chihiro's relationship in Spirited Away supposed to be romantic? No really. The english dub/original script calls what they have love but it feels way more like the close love between two friends than anything romantic. And, personally, I think that's powerful in itself. Sometimes deep love between friends is all you need, especially when they're children. They aren't San and Ashitaka.

But my question is....WAS HakuxChihiro intended by the creators? Like, in the text, is it supposed to be sweet childhood romance?

Is Haku a child or just childlike in appearance? Is he a child in riverspirit terms? That's kind of sad considering his river's dried up. If he's not a kid, well, frankly I wouldn't even call what they have "creepy" since it again feels more platonic, like he's the cool big brother looking out for her and then she saves him so cute. To put this a different way, will anything be 'awkward' when Kohaku tells Chihiro they will meet again? [note: It's been awhile since I've seen the original Japanese w subs] Maybe that's not in the original script. Either way I took him saying that as more a "Sarah and her puppet homies at the end of Labyrinth"-sorta thing than a 'wait for me' lover type exchange. But there in lies the question: was/are Kohaku and Chihiro intended to be romantic?

I feel like there may be some cultural difference I'm missing besides just not knowing all of Miyazaki's intentions. I think more hardcore ghibli heads would know the answer.

Because, in my westernizer mind, I'm kind of perplexed and willing to go down two paths.

---------------------

The following discussion fanwoes are meant to be had WITHOUT bringing up all the weird creepy "in this country the age of consent-" bs, k? And please don't talk to me about that creepy dragon maid show. None of this is SUPPOSED to even be some weird proshipping/antishipping debate, it's just got me thinking and kind of sad.

A thing a lot of fanart and fanfiction for Spirited Away does is have Haku meeting up with Chihiro when she's in highschool or as adults and they hit it off.

But like...is he a child spirit? Because if not and he ages differently or not at all that's going to be a little weird and very sad. There's nothing in the narrative that implies that Haku can shapeshift (alternating between dragon and boy isn't the same. He doesn't have classical longdragon king powers), so dear god is he forever a boy and has to watch his lover age and die and never really be with her because she doesn't belong with spirits? That's...really sad.

The hopeless romantic monster-lover fairytale-r in me is squeeing over the story of a dragon spirit and human woman who met when they were kids meeting back up and falling in love with some awful yuki-onna style caveat to their relationship because a however hundred years old dragon can't marry a woman and you can't date a river even if wears pants.

But, the pragmatic part of me is thinking: it would be so sweet if he shows up to Chihiro when she's an adult and they're just happy to see and know each other again+be besties while Chihiro gets married and has her own kids.

Either way I'd never write it. Spirited Away is so good it feels icky to ever make fanfiction or sequels to it. It's such a complete story.

[waitingforwinterwinds]

ASOS; Steel and Snow: 15 JON II (pages 202-219)

Jon counts the giants, enjoys the latest songfic interlude, then has to answer some hard questions as Mance's scouts discover the aftermath of the Epilogue at the Fist.

-

"Big enough for you?" Snowflakes speckled Tormund's broad face, melting in his hair and beard.

gentle like a lover's kiss ahem. sorry, I just came from some pure, 300% crack fic in another fandom, my brain is... I might need a moment. Just got to remind myself Tormund is older, and Jon is younger, than their show counterparts.

... yep, that seems to have worked, I think the giggle-brain is off. We'll see if it stays that way.

In Old Nan's stories, giants were outsized men who lived in colossal castles, (...) These were something else, more bearlike than human, and as wooly as the mammoths they rode. Seated it was hard to say how big they turly were. Ten feet tall maybe, or twelve, Jon thought. Maybe fourteen, but no taller. Their sloping chests might have passed for those of men, but their arms hung down too far, and their lower torsos looked half again as wide as their upper. Their legs were shorter than their arms, but very thick, and they wore no boots at all; their feet were broad splayed things, hard and horny and black. Neckless, their huge heavy heads thrust forward from between their shoulder blades, and their faces were squashed and brutal. Rats' eyes no larger than beads were almost lost within folds of horny flesh, but they snuffled constantly, smelling as much as they saw. They're not wearing skins, Jon realized. That's hair. (...) And Joramun blew the Horn of Winter, and woke the giants from the earth. (...) The song never says if the horn can put them back to sleep.

Huh. GRRM gave us something so alien, something ancient and primal, and D&D gave us... well:

A more handsome Qui-gon Jin in skins. (Went looking for Wun Wun reference pictures and made myself sad. It's okay, they only killed him off in the show because they didn't want to use their budget for the cg needed to paste him into the shots. he's fine. don't tell me if he's not. Let me have this.)

D&D suck at their job = 🍷 ... hmmm... Horn of Winter = 🥛

I am a man of the Night's Watch, he reminded himself. So why did he feel like some blushing maid. He spent most of his days in Ygritte's company, and most nights as well. ... Lately, though, he was noticing some other things. When she grinned, the crooked teeth didn't seem to matter. And maybe her eyes were too far apart, but they were a pretty blue-grey color, and lively as any eyes he knew. Sometimes she sang in a low husky voice that stirred him. And sometimes by the cookfire when she sat hugging her knees with the flames waking echoes in her red hair, and looked at him, just smiling... well, that stirred some things as well. But he was a man of the Night's Watch, her had taken a vow.

So at the moment, it does seem like his lack of interest is more about the vow, than actual lack of interest, but, at the same time, it's never going to be that simple because Jon is undercover, and any relationship between them would be under false pretenses, with possible Stockholm flavouring on the side.

(Stockholm Syndrome isn't real, but you all know what I mean when I say it. Clarifying that: apparently Stockholm Syndrome was originally invented to discredit a woman (a bank teller) after a bank hold up, during which time the only person with any power over the event who wasn't (effectively) fully prepared for her to die in the event, was one of the bank robbers. The "negotiation expert" who had a psych background and had actually made everything worse every time he opened his mouth, invented what would later come to be called Stockholm Syndrome, because she (the bank teller) tried to tell the world he sucked at his job. As far as I know, it's not really a recognised thing in the psych field itself, you only really see it bandied about with cops and feds and the like. That said, humans really will attempt to pack bond with anything, even under duress, and even subconsciously. Alpha Male Swag Bros, miss me with your Lone Wolf Bullshit.)

Although, while we're on the subject:

Hey Robb! Look how easy it is to keep it in your pants for a vow.

I know, I know, he was emotionally compromised, I'm being mean to him. Too mean, especially given... future relationship evolution. That, may or may not, go on to seal his doom. and the doom of his entire faction.

Varamyr Sixskins, a small mouse of a man whose steed was a savage white snow bear that stood thirteen feet tall on its hind legs. And wherever the bear and Varamyr went three wolves and a shadowcat came following.

"Sixskins" because he can warg into the skins of five animals? So he has six skins including his human skin? Pokemon, gotta wear 'em all.

If that is the case, I've got to wonder if being the recipient of a warg changes the subtle nature and awareness of the animal for the five creatures to be ... well maybe not safe for public, but tamed enough I suppose.

... Jon's making a good point, Mance's warriors being spread out means they have no solid defense anywhere along the train, but, given that it's a refugee caravan in reality, it's actually pretty smart to spread the warriors out. It ensures that where ever a threat comes from, there will be someone close by to respond quickly, and given everything, the only things around that could cut through the host quickly and violently enough to make the warriors pointless no matter how closely group they are, would be maybe the Watch, but more likely: The Others and their Wights.

"Ooooooh, I am the last of the giants, my people are gone from the earth."

oh.

The video I grabbed Wun Wun screenshots from was set to this song. I'm not crying. you're crying. Okay, It's me. I'm crying.

Gosh, I was literally just listening to this song and I was thinking "fuck this slaps, came straight for my feels, this has to be a fan song right? specifically written for this? It's too perfect not to be."

and it was GRRM! He wrote it!

... and D&D fucking cut it from the show like it meant nothing. They cut so much of the music from the show, like the books have had at least two, three songfic chapters by now, plus there's been, what? a dozen references to music going on in the background of various scenes, music and song is so present in A Song of Ice and Fire, you'd think D&D would have kept more of it. Oh, but I guess singing is boring when you can shove in more blood spray and cool sword action.

D&D suck at their job = 🥛

There were tears on Ygritte's face when the song ended. "Why are you weeping?" Jon asked. "It was only a song. there are hundreds of giants, I've just seen them." "Oh, hundreds," she said furiously. "You know nothing, Jon Snow. you- JON!"

The only reason, that I am not currently taking another drink, and/or smashing D&D's kneecaps with a steel chair, is because while D&D turned this line into a meme about Jon's sex knowledge, they also turned it into an evolving meaning line. (Where in as the line is repeated, its nuance and meaning changes, or the characters'/readers' relation with it does.)

Because, D&D made this line so memeable, but it is so rage filled? Like, Ygritte is so (justifiably and rightfully) angry at Jon's ignorance here.

Jon says 'hundreds,' but we aren't given an exact number here. Fun Fact: a species with a population of 250 mature adults or less is considered Endangered and at risk of Extinction. Fun Fact: a species which has lost between 50 and 70% of its average population can also be considered endangered.

That's just talking about the giants that are here, now. I'm getting vibes that these are either not the giants from the songs, the giants know their days are numbered, or this song is old and the giants have come so close to extinction in the past that any of them being alive now is a miracle.

Jon doesn't know, I don't know, but Jon is making light of Ygritte's emotional response because he doesn't know, and Ygritte has every right to be upset by that.

But No, D&D saw a chance for a sex joke.

... oh shit, BIRB OF DEATH SCRITCHIES!!!

Actually, given how much of himself Bran's been loosing in the warg, I wonder if keeping your sense of self is something you can teach, so that even after death, the warg in the bird knows what he's doing, or if the death grudge is just so strongly imprinted on the warg, that even lost to the animal instincts and mind of the bird, the hatred for Jon lives on, even if the warg/bird no longer understands why he hates this human specifically.

"There were three hundred of us." "Us?" Mance said sharply. "Them. Three hundred of them." Whatever is asked, the Halfhand said. So why do I feel so craven?

Probably because you've just realised you are alone with no back up from the Watch, telling Mance is different when it's a ploy you can justify as orders, compared to now when the plan, such as it is, has been stripped away and all that's left is handing over information to save your own life because your people are already dead.

I do love that he spared a moment to wonder after Sam. besties!

(... It would be a little funny (to me) if he mentioned the worry about Sam out loud, and Ygritte and Tormund (and others) got the impression that Jon's just not into girls. Cock works fine, he's just not into girls. ... except with how this series treats non-straight sexualities, and the free folk's focus on siring strong children. meh, free folk are free-love/love-is-love positive AU)

... I can't decide how I feel about the book Ygritte/Jon ship.

On one hand, she is protecting him, lying to say he's more loyal to the free folk than he is, at her own risk. But then she turns around and uses that to make him feel indebted, even if that wasn't her intention, because, on the other hand, like Tormund was saying earlier in the chapter, by the ways of the free folk, Jon has 'stolen' Ygritte, by her own culture, they're effectively in a relationship already, Jon did the equivalent of courting.

I don't know, I think, book version, I'd feel more comfortable seeing more shifting in their power dynamics, a sense of equality and friendship grown free of deception, some time apart and a reunion in which they're actually meeting on equal footing before any kind of sexual shenanigans happened.

(I'm just one of those people who thinks fully informed consent is The sexiest thing in the universe. followed closely by competence.)

Show ship had more appearance of equal footing, and the actor chemistry carried a lot of the ship weight for me. There was more return flirting before they wound up in the cave, and afterwards, the regrets (felt like they) were about ending up on opposing sides, and then never getting a chance to reconcile before she was dying in his arms.

[randomanimeandmangablog]

Here's a theory (and I don't know if it's been thought of before): The Undertaker is Vincent's grandfather, not father.

Some points, none of which proves the theory or means the Undertaker isn't Vincent's father, but which I do find worth noting:

Othello said Undertaker left 70 years ago, which would be 27 years before Vincent was born. Vincent was only a little older than Ciel at the time Cloudia died, so her death isn't what made him break with the Dispatch. Yet the age does mean he conceivably could have been the previous watchdog when human.

The Undertaker's scars. We've seen that shinigamis' bodies can take a lot without scarring or breaking. This makes me thinks he got the scars when he was human. But they're not normal scars. I can't imagine where they came from. They're scars that look like they came from wounds that would be fatal to a human. Yet they also don't look self-inflicted, and Reapers all committed suicide. If the Undertaker was a Watchdog, he'd be put in increasingly dangerous and bizarre situations that could lead to being injured in a way that would cause those scars. Maybe he intentionally faced some threat, knowing he would die, and it counted as suicide.

The Undertaker being Cedric, is a problematic theory because it would be difficult to hide Death surrounds the Watchdogs, and the husband of Lady Phantomhive couldn't hide in the shadows. The Reapers would have noticed if any relationship between him and Cloudia was too public. If The Undertaker was Vincent's father, he was likely having a secret affair with her. Still very possible, especially for someone with Cloudia's wealth and power, but it would make things more difficult given Victoria's values. She once shamed a maid because she thought she got public out of wedlock, but the maid turned out to have a tumor. Cloudia would have had to be very adept at hiding the affair.

The Undertaker remembers Francis's birth, but Vincent didn't meet the Undertaker until Vincent was at least a teenager. Even Francis says the Undertaker hasn't changed in 4 years, not that he hasn't changed in decades, which could mean she either didn't know him or didn't know him well until her brother started associating with him. Now it's certainly possible Cloudia wouldn't want to invite her lover to the mansion in fear of being caught, but I'd think Undertaker would want to see his kid(s). She could have had him over now and then, as long as she was able to frame it as watchdog business, maybe inviting others with him so that he could see the kids without being singled out. So for Vincent to not know him at all when young seems like Cloudia was being even more cautious than need be.

However, say Undertaker was a former Earl. In that case, Cloudia wouldn't want anyone to see his face. She would still have to socialize with people who had known her father. If someone could identify the Undertaker as her father, they'd need to engage in a massive coverup. People would question how he's still alive. They'd need to explain why Cloudia inherited the estate and the Watchdog title, and frankly, it's unusual that a woman was allowed to fill that role anyway. It points to the previous earl dying with no eligible male relatives, and the reemergence of the previous earl might be enough for people to wonder whether Cloudia should have the position. However, by Vincent's time, many of the old Earl's closest friends and family would have died. Those still alive would have been old enough to question whether this was really the old earl or whether their eyes were playing tricks on them and their memory faulty. Plus the Undertaker's eyes and youthful appearance would be enough that he could show his face and not be called out.

[lepusrufus]

Double edged scalpel ch. 7

Ch.1 ch.2 ch.3 ch.4 ch.5 ch.6

Summary: in which Cassandra gets bullied and other sappy shenanigans

---

"Oh Nicole dear, so happy to see you again!" Duke's voice was cheerful as ever, tone masterfully crafted over years of being a businessman.

Nicole, taking small steps inside the ornate and now full of items room, greeted him with uncharacteristic giddiness.

"Duke! How's business?"

"Same as always, I'll be heading to Beneviento later tonight to deliver some tools for her," he took a long drag of his cigar and, noticing green eyes scanning over multiple items and said, "I also have your order."

With a childish grin on her face, she approached him, hands shuffling inside the small bag attached to her belt that all staff members had. She pulled out the money owed for her package and, in return, the Duke placed a decently sized box in her arms. With an oof she shifted it in a less precarious position, it's heavy contents seeming to plot against her small frame.

"Unfortunately I can't stay, duty calls. But thank you Duke."

"No worries, I do understand that your employers can be quite," he took another drag of his cigar, looking for the right word. "...demanding"

Nicole chuckled. That was one way to put it.

"Well until next time dear. Or if you find yourself in need of something else, I'll be here until six."

---

She was only wearing a long white towel when she heard a knock on the door. Assuming it was another maid, or even Anita inquiring about whether or not she'd be joining the rest of them for dinner, she opened the door just a crack.

It was a surprise to see none other than Cassandra standing there, her elegant frame in odd contrast with the modest corridor. She flung the door open, letting the brunette inside and took a quick glance down the hall, making sure no maid was on the floor after fainting due to fright.

"What are you doing here?"

"Aw, are you not happy to see me?" She was pouting, but her tone was joking.

Nicole rolled her eyes, but the small smile on her lips betrayed that she was indeed happy to see her. Cassandra only laughed instead, a beautiful melodious laugh, so unlike the dark cackles heard by prisoners down in the dungeons.

"Just sit down, I need to get dressed," Nicole pointed to the bed before moving to the small dresser and pulling out a clean uniform.

Cassandra went to sit on the slightly disheveled bed, eyes following the redhead's form as she let the towel drop to her feet and started to put on the various layers of her uniform. Then golden eyes darted to the box sitting on the bed. The tape sealing it had been cut not long after Nicole brought it back to her room to make sure all its contents made it safely. Not that she didn't trust the Duke, but postal service was postal service.

"What's this?" Cassandra inquired, trying to read the label but having no success as it had been scribbled over with a marker.

Nicole stilled for a moment, hands frozen on her white button up. She cleared her throat and shyly admitted:

"Actually that's for you. Do open it if you want."

Cassandra's eyes widened, a faint blush appearing on her cheeks. The gesture had really caught her off guard. She gingerly lifted the lid, inspecting it's contents for a moment and then hummed.

"And here I was thinking you like my hair. With how much you love to pull on it and all that."

Nicole, now fully clothed and sporting a deep blush, marched to her and plucked the two boxes of red hair dye from gloved hands. She placed them on her nightstand and, with her voice just slightly more high pitched, she turned to the brunette.

"Those are mine, I meant the rest of it." And, after a chuckle, "I mean have you seen my roots? They're horrible!"

Cassandra only gave her a deadpan look and, after a long moment, said: "I think your hair is beautiful."

She didn't wait for a reply, not that it would be anything more than a stammered mumble of course. Instead she chuckled and returned her attention to the box. She examined the rest of its contents and then gingerly lifted one of the few tomes inside. The cover was glossy and malleable, it's pages shiny and with a distinct typography smell to it. It was so unlike her other books, it's pristine white state making it feel extremely out of place in the castle. She glanced at Nicole inquisitively.

"I do appreciate the gift, don't misunderstand me, but surely you know there's a small bookshop's worth of medical books in this castle."

"With all due respect, from what I've seen most of them are at least somewhat outdated. Interesting, yes, but I thought you'd like to learn something more...modern." Then she pulled out another book. "This is the same one I used while studying forensic pathology. It would make teaching you some things easier. Uh… assuming you want that."

Nicole averted her gaze, suddenly unsure of the usefulness of her gift. Cassandra however grabbed her chin between two fingers and pulled her gaze back on her. She smiled, finding the shy demeanor beyond endearing.

"I'd love that."

A small smile appeared on thin lips and Nicole leaned in to kiss Cassandra. It was soft and short, but no less intimate than the deep kisses they shared so many times in Cassandra's bed.

They had to go anyway.

---

Let's go to the library, Cassandra said. It'll be empty, she said.

When Cassandra swung open the intricate door, only to find the other two sisters lounging on one of the couches, it's not like they could do a one eighty and leave the room. That would've been both impolite and highly suspicious.

Instead, Cassandra grabbed her arm protectively and led them to the reading spot farthest from the other two. They placed one of the textbooks on the small desk and Cassandra took out a notebook. This would've been a lot more fruitful with an actual body on hand, but there were still a couple days until the human flesh supply had to be replenished and Cassandra was beyond eager to start on some things. So, for now, they had to settle for theory alone.

It took all of five minutes for the other two sisters to make their way to their desk. Daniela had a giddy yet curious expression on her face, while Bela seemed as unreadable as ever, if not for a glint in her eyes that betrayed her interest.

"Whatcha dooooing?" Came Daniela's voice, who cocked her head not unlike a curious puppy would while looking at the book's contents.

"Working," Cassandra replied, a slight growl accompanying her words.

"Could've fooled me," Bela spoke from behind the youngest sister, eyeing the hand protectively placed on Nicole's waist.

Cassandra snapped her eyes at the blonde, looking ready to throw her notebook at her head but Bela ignored her sister's ire and addressed Nicole instead.

"What are you studying?"

"I uh- just some basic anatomy concepts. Thought it would be a good idea to start with the things that the older books in the castle don't cover."

Bela only hummed, grabbed an ornate chair nearby, and plopped herself at the desk, opposite from the pair. Daniela mimicked her sister, but instead chose to sit down right by Nicole on the small couch. It took more willpower than she would admit not to glue herself to Cassandra's side when Daniela's face came uncomfortably close so she could look over the book's diagrams. She stood still as a statue though. After a couple seconds of silence and Nicole trying to figure out what she was supposed to do, Daniela drew her head back, looking at her with what was possibly the most serious expression she had seen on the youngest sister.

"You do realize we're not going to hurt you right? How could we lay a finger on our dear sister's lover hmm?"

Nicole's breath caught in her throat. She wasn't sure if it was due to the word used to describe her or how Daniela apparently knew that she was utterly terrified of her. Cassandra sighed beside her and, seeming to at least partially read Nicole's thoughts, clarified:

"Your heartbeat."

Oh. Yeah. Yeah her heart was beating a million miles an hour. And apparently the other three vampiric occupants of the room were able to hear it loud and clear. It did very little to ease her mind.

"Please do calm down, it feels like someone is having drumming lessons. Bad ones," Bela complained, head resting in one of her hands like she was already bored.

"Then shove a sock in your ears," Cassandra snapped.

Bela simply leaned back in her seat and stretched her arms above her head. "And risk not hearing my beloved sisters sing along to some pop song?"

Cassandra shut her mouth, a blush now slowly spreading across her cheeks while Daniela burst out into laughter. Even Nicole couldn't help betraying the brunette and letting out a giggle.

"I didn't know you could sing."

"I can't."

"Au contraire dear Cassie! Should I remind you of the last time Dragostea din tei came on the radio? The pathos!" Daniela reached over Nicole's lap to lightly shake her sister's knee through her giggles.

Cassandra only let out a long groan, face now hidden in her palms. "I hate you both."

"Mhm, we love you too," came Bela's reply, accompanied by a chuckle.

Nicole couldn't keep a small laugh while she snaked her arm behind the brunette to show some form of support against the merciless assailants. Maybe not a complete betrayal.

The scene really had something deep within her heart aching beautifully. It reminded her of the countless times she and Alex would mercilessly tease each other, but still have each other's backs through thick and thin. And for this familiarity to come from people that any sane person would consider bloodthirsty monsters? Hell, maybe they should start considering her a monster too, for the only word she could use to describe them in that moment was endearing.

"So," Bela lightly clapped her gloved hands. "Now that your pulse isn't giving me a headache anymore, what are we doing?"

She had a confident smirk on her face, but her eyes betrayed curiosity. Same for Daniela and, although mixed with a hint of annoyance, Cassandra. She opened the book in front of her, one of general human anatomy, and decided that the digestive system would be a good enough starting point.

---

Their little impromptu lesson didn't last more than two hours. Two hours that proved to Nicole just how oddly human all three sisters can be. Of course she had gotten familiar with Cassandra, intimately so, but the other two still felt like two looming monsters hiding in the shadows. At least up until now.

Bela seemed oddly intrigued by Nicole's explanation, although unlike Cassandra, she seemed to view it more like a story than anything. Daniela seemed slightly more interested, asking questions here and there and even starting to giggle like a middle schooler when they got to the rectum section. That got an eye roll from the other two. Nicole just laughed, finally understanding Mrs Hawkins, her private biology teacher from before she was allowed to step foot in any public school.

After they were done, Bela simply stood up and bid them good night. Danila instead excitedly proposed the skeletal system for next time and picked up the books she abandoned earlier. Then, with a small tower of tomes she went through a door tucked at the very back of the room. Her study, Cassandra had pointed out as they made their way out of the library.

"I didn't know your sisters were interested in medicine too." Nicole kept her voice low, almost as if talking too loudly would disturb the shadowy hallways.

"More or less. Daniela likes it and has a bit of hands-on practice but she has her nose in romance novels more often than not. Bela finds it interesting but botany is what she really loves. That and classic lit." She added the last part with a grimace and Nicole had to wonder which author had offended her personally.

Before she could continue that train of thought though, her gaze moved to the windows, the cloudless sky beyond thick glass panels full of twinkling stars. Her mind kept going back to a few hours earlier and at what Daniela had said. Lover. Did Cassandra truly see her as one or was the youngest sister just being her over the top self. Did she see Cassandra this way? Nicole had not allowed herself to dwell on that up until now, the idea that the brunette saw her as more than an over glorified lab partner with whom she occasionally scratched an itch seemed almost laughable. But the small gestures of affection shown in ways Cassandra seemed to know best were undeniably there. And the familiar flutter in her chest at each of said gestures was also undeniably there.

"What's wrong?"

Cassandra's voice, accompanied by the slight echo through the empty hallway, snapped Nicole out of her thoughts.

"Oh um- nothing." She sounded as convincing as someone trying to sell you a fork while showing you a spoon.

And Cassandra didn't seem to buy it. She moved in front of the redhead, walking backwards with no concern over possible furniture to collide into along the way.

"You always get this… face when something's bothering you."

"I do not-" the indignation in her tone was weak, little more than an attempt to change the subject.

"Mhmm you do. You normally look focused. Kind of like, if someone tried to scare you by throwing an eyeball at you, you'd laugh." She would. "Now? Now you look like a rabbit that has no time to run and is just laying low hoping whatever's hunting it passes by."

Nicole shut up for a moment, only looking at the brunette in front of her incredulously. Maybe she was far more attentive than she gave her credit for.

"Uh. Just thinking." At a raised dark eyebrow, the no shit went unsaid, so Nicole tried to elaborate. "About earlier. When we were with your sisters and Daniela uh- Daniela called me your lover."

Saying that the words felt awkward on her tongue was close to the year's biggest understatement. It felt like pulling out teeth would be an easier task. Nicole had never been good with her words, having learned since childhood to keep her mouth shut. But the fact that Cassandra seemed to share her struggle brought some semblance of comfort.

"And?" As if they were talking about the weather.

"And… was she right in describing me as such?"

She couldn't help a small gulp when the brunette stopped walking, looking at her with a frown. Any sane person would be at the very least somewhat afraid in this situation. Sanity however was scarce these days as Nicole was afraid, though not of the bodily harm that may come from her inquiry, but rather of Cassandra's answer.

"Nicole, your tongue has been in my mouth." Amongst many other places.

The redhead's cheeks turned a slight shade of crimson and she mumbled for an answer. She wasn't sure how to tell her that sleeping together did not automatically make them lovers. But then again, Cassandra's thoughts remained a mystery more than anything.

Thankfully the brunette took the metaphorical reins of the conversation and stepped forward. She wrapped her hands around Nicole's arms, gentler than one would imagine possible from her, and bent down to whisper no more than an inch away from her ear.

"I'll have you know, I'm not particularly fond of letting anyone I don't deem important touch me. Especially not the way you do."

The words made something flutter in Nicole's chest, an unfamiliar and comforting warmth. Said warmth got chipped away at the slightest bit when Cassandra pulled back to look her in the eyes.

"Should I take it that it's not mutual then?" Cassandra's tone was nonchalant, almost as if she didn't truly care about the answer. She could keep doing whatever she wanted either way, afterall who was going to stop her? But to someone who got familiar with all her small quirks and habits, the waver in her voice was more than clear.

"No." The world slipped from her lips with no hesitation.

No hesitation, because the more she thought about it, and she didn't need to think a lot mind you, the more Nicole realized that she couldn't remember a time when she felt the way she did here. Sure the initial threat of death looming over her head was anything but pleasant, but once that melted into affection and nights spent in Cassandra's arms the thought of leaving didn't as much as graze her mind.

"No, no. It is," she repeated, more certainty making its way into her tone.

At that Cassandra smiled. A small, almost shy one would say if they knew her well enough, smile. Her shoulders seemed to lose some of their tension when she leaned down again, her lips stopping not even an inch away. Nicole wasted no time leaning forward, their mouths meeting in a kiss that mixed softness and need beautifully. Their lips slid against each other until, surprisingly, it was Cassandra to pull back and sigh.

"Come sleep, we have some cutting up to do in the morning."

Nicole frowned. "Tomorrow? Wasn't that supposed to be due in a few days?"

A devilish grin appeared on black lips, fangs shimmering ominously in the low light. "Bela caught a foolish man-thing sneaking around the forest on the castle grounds. She's really excited to turn this one into a nice steak."

The redhead only let out an oh in acknowledgement. Foolish indeed. At least they could finally put into practice a few autopsy tricks Nicole had been itching to show her.

She let herself be guided back to Cassandra's chambers and into her bed, that she had grown intimately familiar with. The last thing she felt before falling asleep was the brunette's cool skin, pressed against her own. A welcomed comfort among the myriad of soft pillows that surrounded them. Nicole wondered briefly if being undead meant it was hard to keep yourself warm, but the thought quickly slipped away as she fell into a dreamless sleep.

[brotherslayer]

Tbh I complately agree with yours and that anon's thoughts on lily but...i saw something contradictory. When athy is brought back to ruby palace after her first interaction with Claude, everyone including lily become terrified when they hear that Claude would love future interactions, maybe the other maids had been half scared and half overjoyed at receiving claude's attention but not lily, she looked so dumbfounded and kinda displeased. Also after her meeting with Claude in the throne room she and athy both are highly terrified and averse to the idea of Claude naming her crown princess and recognising his daughter, like when she hugs athy and says with a sad face something along the lines of "I know princess...i know how bad this is". These show that athy gaining claude's attention(forget about affection) was the last thing she wanted. She even gripped her chest along with Felix and athy in that comical strip when Claude decides to take her for a boat ride, like everything about her screams how unpleasant she feels about Claude and how much she wants to distance him from athy. Which is what confounds me about her relationship. Only reason I could get out of all this is that....lily..really didn't think this through. Like we see her past through felix's recollections and we see she hated much human interaction...like she seemed like an introvert and not trying to demonise introverts or smthg...i think she doesn'understand healthy social interactions, social development skills and building self-confidence...i think she doesn't do that thing, doesn't walk that road herself. She didn't know how to help a child develop and we see her struggles in the initial chapters...she wasn't prepared for the parenting job....she really didn't want to go the marriage, relationships and kids way judging from how averse she was towards suitors for herself and for athy. That woman is as bad as Claude and ana when it comes to forming relationships( forget about healthy or unhealthy ones...i doubt they could differentiate). Her reason for finding Diana alluring was the same as claude's- it's something she has never seen or felt or understood, that's why it's a breath of fresh air for her, so she is attracted. This she too....is attracted obsessively to diana like Claude...diana's behaviour...the way she manages to make them see something from an amazing viewpoint and all. Her reasons are exactly the same as claude's, her attraction the same, only that her relationship with diana remained platonic(don't know if I should be happy or sad since lily isn't very different from Claude if we leave out the violence so she would be as dense and dumb as him if they were lovers).

And that is precisely why I agree with that comment of yours where u said that even lily loves athy because of diana or through diana and that it isn't unconditional and that only manhwa diana's love was unconditional because novel one was immature. So lily isn't very different as a parent from Claude.

If Claude wasn't introduced to violence and didn't have that tragic past but still grew up in the palace, ig he would be the parent Lily is...not overtly harmful but toxic for the kid nonetheless, given that he cared and trusted a lot, he would have taught athy the same.

Remember Gallahan Lombardy from I'll Be The Matriarch Of this House, yeah that's the category I would put that claude in and that is the category lily is in...totally loving and all but utterly useless and doesn't understand why their kid needs to be made strong or at least worldly. Because they themselves aren't one, they're bookish(not a bad thing), dense, dumb, tries not to socialise at all, has little knowledge of the world, would ask their kid to play or read fairytales or scholarly articles which wont really come in that handy than allowing them to spend time with learning politics and business, would be upset if their kid becomes too wise and start accepting and dissecting the ways of the world. You know that type....good but dumb people who will meet their ends very soon and leave behind defenseless kids. These people will encourage their kids to spend absolutely all their time in indulging with their unrealistic fantasies and would choose to keeping their kids naive rather than confronting them with the cruel or sad realities of the world. They would be too unhappy or scared with actually preparing their kids to face the world.

Like the opposite of loving but tough, strict parents who are far sighted and their only goal would be to prepare their kid for the world, prepare them for a time when they themselves won't be there to shield them. So no matter how hard it is for them or their kid, they would make them deal with hardships, help make their kids independent and self-sufficient. Sadly athy didn't get that, she needed it the most in her situation. That kind of parenting cost her her life, just like firentia's did.

I've got to admit it has been a while since I read Lily's chapters. You are making some very good points. That Lily dislikes social interactions and it might have impacted LP Athy negatively. I didn’t think about this one.

Regarding Gallahan Lombardy: someone asked me once what kind of parent Claude would be had he not gone through a traumatic childhood and I think half-traumatized baby Claude would have developed into the direction of Gallahan but worse. He would hide his abilities intentionally from Ana out of fear it could anger him after seeing him lash out once. Claude would have grown up as a very sheltered child (is this the right word?), clueless about the outside world, anxious of interactions with strangers and always heavily dependant on Ana. Like I'm not trying to say Ana would take advantage of that out of evilness or smth but yeah I think he'd take advantage of that out of self-preservation, like he would have seen no problem to encourage this depency if this meant Claude stayed powerless and he could inherit the throne without much hassle.

This would result in Claude not understanding why Athy would need to socalize with people that aren't family. For most part of his life maids, knights and courtiers meant danger for him if he wasn't on good terms with their employer. He'd be a bit of a people-pleaser towards the people he cared about, overprotective of Athy and avoidant/ wary of strangers. Obviously this would rub off on Athy too. Claude would’ve raised Athy to care for Jennette. He would let her study alongside Jennette whatever she wanted, but if her potential became visible he'd panick a little and make feeble attempts to discourage her from her studies. Contrary to canon Claude whose way of survival was fight, this Claude's method would have been to lay low and not attract attention. He'd prefer Athy to be positively useless because this way she wouldn't pose a threat to anyone.

[a-certain-elf]

okay now it's your turn to do janaya

Oh gladly. I ship them a little bit....yeah no that's such a lie. OTP all the way.

1. What made me ship it?

2 strong badass warriors-ladies wearing armor?!? 1 elf and 1 human?!? And they try to kill each other a few times!?!??!

It must be love.

2. What are my favourite things about the ship?

Look above, but also: glowing magic sword, awesome shield, enemies to friends to lovers (eventually/hopefully soon), they have a big kitty cat, shared experiences. And that Amaya is deaf so Janai has/wants to learn sign-language so she can talk to her.

3. Any unpopular opinion I have?

(What follows is my opinion, you may not like it. Just wanna mention this for those very special little snowflakes out there)

Maybe that Janai is often portrayed as this sort of blushing maid that gets a bit embarrassed by Amaya's advances. It's cute alright but I think Janai isn't just gonna let Amaya have her way all the time. She had to deal with a younger brother and older sister after all. And I'm pretty sure that Janai knows what she wants (as does Amaya) seeing as they are both relatively old.

She'll get Amaya eventually by just being brutally honest about how she feels. Plays into her character quite well I think. I mean, why hide it?

[turnaroundroundround]

Opera References in Musical Yuukoku no Moriarty Op. 2

Some thoughts of mine after re-watching Morimyu Op. 2, regarding Irene's arc A Scandal in British Empire, about all the opera references and some random thoughts that come to mind during this arc. Obviously there's a lot more to Morimyu Op. 2, for instance The Two M's and Mycroft's solo (which I often refer to as "the Mycroft Anthem" lol), the entire Baskerville arc, and the train arc, and so on. And there's a whole lot of other things I'd like to discuss about them as well, but maybe just save it for another time. I don't know if anyone has discussed these references before, and I am not entirely a pro in music either. All I have is some basic knowledge on opera and harmony, so these are just some personal impression that came to mind when I watched this arc, so please keep it in mind.

A SCANDAL IN BRITISH EMPIRE

Okay, so the biggest motivation for this post is, obviously, the music throughout the entire Scandal arc. It is heavily influenced by opera, partly because Irene herself is an opera singer, partly also because the masquerade ball itself is also a perfect stage for an opera to be shown. And the opera was not simply brought in to make the music sound good, but also utilising the plot of the opera itself to create more depth and color to the musical. About Opera during the 19th Century Some side notes. Opera has originated and developed from various different kinds of stage ever since the Greek and Romans. I'm not going into details but anyway, by the 19th Century, it's still somewhat of a luxury that is mostly meant for nobles and people with high status. There are millions of stories about nobles coming to the theatre only to enjoy the music and not the play itself, or not really watching anything but waiting to see their favourite opera singer. Like when the other things in the play are going on, they stay in there box or hang out with other nobles, playing cards and all, and when their favourite singer makes her debut, they come to the front of the box and watch her. Then they return to their games when she exits. All the luxuries. Opera is really something that is meant for nobles and those with nothing but time and money on their hand back then. And another thing is (with an image that I quickly searched on Google just now lol) back them before any stages there is always a pit for the orchestra to be in. They are just below the stage so that the music can still reach the audience as equally, but also low enough that they aren't in the way of the audience's view.

By the way, the role of the conductor and stage director back then was somewhat a blur (if I remember it correctly), as the music writer would very often himself direct the entire stage and become the conductor on the performance day. In case something goes wrong, such as actors need more time to adlib, then he knows how to direct the orchestra to play accordingly. It's quite a small detail, but in Op. 3 Liam also refers to himself (yes this is still about Yuumori lol) as the maestro, somewhat very similar to the role of the conductor himself. This reference, as we can see, shows Liam's role behind the scene conducting all the plots and instructions. It's quite a small detail I think, but also quite interesting

By the way, the leading singer, or Prima Donna (as they call Irene), are always sopranos. And the same goes for Irene Adler, all of her songs were written to highlight her soprano voice, like in 大作戦ーDaisakusen or her song with Ms. Hudson

An example from a song that I was reminded of when listening to Cecile!Irene. Of course there are many other songs we can talk about, this is just one of the examples.

Obviously, Irene's song aren't entirely like classical opera songs. They were all arranged to both highlight the opera feature, but also to suit the form of the musical and all the while showing Irene's elegant and gracious manners of a prima donna, and also showing her playful side especially during her duet with Sherlock.

YAMI NO OPERA - DON GIOVANNI BEHIND THE CURTAIN

To understand Don Giovanni references, it's essential to understand the story behind the original opera by Mozart. That being said, the actual plot of the story is quite long and contains so many details it's almost impossible to fit all of them into one post while also comparing them with the one in Morimyu, so this is a link to a more detailed synopsis of the opera. Or you can also read more on wiki. I'll just give some basic details that are referenced and discussed in this post. Overall impression: This opera revolves around a playboy that flirts with women, but lacking in loyalty and commitment to keep any of his promises to them. By the end of the play, after all the sin he has committed, Don Giovanni is engulfed in hell's fire, and punished for his sin. It is very much similar to the story in Morimyu, nobles relying on their wealth and status and have the freedom to do anything as they want, without having to worry about having to bear the consequence. Because of the difference in power and status, it is almost impossible to punish all of them, therefore having a need of a "demon" to punish them with powers that no human have - the role of Moriarty gang within the play.

In this arc, Liam is "directing" a play that is inspired by Don Giovanni. His audience is Irene Adler (and of course us who is watching the entire thing), and the main character is Lorinson who ends up being punished for his crime. Mozart's Don Giovanni is being performed on stage, but at the same time Liam's "Don Giovanni" happens, in the back stage. What we are watching as the main stage is actually the "back stage" of the real story.

In the original play, Don Giovanni was a playboy that flirts with many women. At the beginning of the play, he flirts with a woman called Donna Anna, and her father tried to defend his daughter. They got involved in a duel and Don Giovanni killed the man. Donna Anna mourns and wish to avenger her father.

In Morimyu, the story of Lord Lorinson (pardon me for not knowing both the translation of his title and his name) is added in spite of the original plot in the manga. As far as my Japanese comprehension goes, the story is that Lord Lorinson is also one that uses his status to abduct other women to his pleasure, and ends up treating them poorly.

At one point, a woman came to the Lord of Crime, saying that her daughter has been murdered by the noble and mourns her. She wishes for revenge, and Liam proceed to do so.

Don Giovanni - Act I Finale

During Moran and Louis' fight with Raymond(?), in the section behind the stage we can see the opera theatre with the Finale song going on. The ensemble is still singing as the fight goes on behind them.

In the Finale of Act 1 here, the section that was insert into Morimyu was rather short, and was meant for a dramatic effect than actually showing what's happening in the original opera anyway. But anyway, we can see that as the fight proceeds, the curtain behind also slowly closes, ending the first Act of the opera.

It's clearer here. We can see that as they are fighting there is an entire opera going on at the back. The fact that the ensemble has their back to the audience emphasises how everything we're seeing are all in the backstage, but at the same time it proceeds alongside with all the events in the "mainstage". It's quite a powerful image.

At one point in the opera, Don Giovanni attends a party where he met one of his previous lovers that he betrayed. Then there's some talking and such and more betrayal, and somehow he then decides that he would also flirt with his ex's maid.

There isn't much that I have to say with this reference in the play, only that it is actually Fred disguising as a maid for the purpose of carrying out the plan and scared the sh*t out of Lorinson lol

I couldn't catch all the details from their conversation, but apparently Fred did some kind of stand-in again as the victim who was murdered by Lorinson, also to provoke him and lead him into Liam's trap?

At the end of the opera, Don Giovanni was cornered by the 'devil', drowning him in the flames of hell. However before that happens, the women that Don Giovanni once flirted with (as well as Donna Anna whose father was murdered by Don Giovanni) gathered, chasing after Leporello - Don Giovanni's servant - who exposed him of his guilts and sins.

The song that the women sung in this scene is "Ah, dov'e il perfido?", and there is a very small section at the end of the song that was kind of re-arranged and added to Morimyu. In Morimyu, this is the scene when Lorinson is exposed of what he is done, after that being "punished" by the devil. There is also a scene in the play when Liam mentions 地獄の炎 - Jigoku no Hono (The Flames of Hell) which is a direct reference from the original Don Giovanni. In fact, what he has been telling Lorinson is the story of Don Giovanni and how he ends up being punished - only that when Lorinson realised that, it's already too late.

(A reference from the song in the original play, the section that is used in Morimyu is actually quite short, only starting from around 5:40 within the song in this video)

In Yami no Opera, the song is arranged with Liam's part of the melody above the entire harmony. So it is indeed a proper opera that "Liam" has based on re-arranged to carry out his plan.

While Don Giovanni is happening on stage, there is also another "Don Giovanni" being punished by the devil - Lorinson. We hear part of the original song from the ensemble in the background, and also Liam's version of the punishment along with Lorinson's struggle. And at the same time the ensemble does seem to be focusing on "Don Giovanni" - all of them looking towards Liam's and Lorinson's position. A really impressive scene.

And after that very short section, the play goes on, returning their focus back to Irene Adler and Albert's conversation. There is no "Flames of Hell" erupting in any ways except for Liam's really strong section of the Yami no Opera song. And there's no need for it, I think, as Lorinson has never been the real protagonist like Don Giovanni. Liam only made him a temporary "protagonist" and not solely for the purpose of exposing him, but only as a mean to show Irene the true identity of the Lord of Crime. So there is no point making it more dramatic than it already is.

So...

That's pretty much all that I have to say about Don Giovanni and opera's reference, I think?

Well another thing, maybe, is how much I love the instrumental arrangement for violin and piano in Morimyu. They don't have the privilege of having an entire orchestra, but instead they did as much as they could for the instruments so that they recreate the original opera vibe as well as they possibly can. And the result is, just, extraordinary.

Anyhow, I've heard many of my friends comparing the songs from Op. 2 and Op. 3, seeing that Op. 3 has more of a "flow" in between the songs as all of them were written with harmony such that they have a certain connection to each other.

Not that Op. 2 doesn't do the same thing. However the second Opus does feel more separated, I think, since the music in the 3 different arcs are much more different. For instance the Baskerville arc has a "hunting" vibe to it, describing Moriarty gang's plan to bring down the nobles' game of hurting children, while the final Scandal arc revolves around an opera singer and mostly happens within a masquerade ball. So there is a big difference between the scenes, and obviously a big difference in the music brought to them as well.

Aaaand, that's pretty much all the details I've picked up (and remembered lol) up to this point.

Anyway, I've been watching and re-watching all 3 Opus of Morimyu many times, each time firguring out something else that I haven't noticed before. So if I end up realising some other details within this arc, maybe I'll come back and add to this post.

Thank you for reading ヽ(・∀・)ﾉ

Also, thank you @rikaaki for these beautiful gifs(☆▽☆)

[grelleswife]

Imagine during book of murder sebastian and meyrin are actually together, she knows he's a demon and in disguise and not dead, but still has to play along, and yet one thing mey does believe is maybe vampires exist and maybe Irene is a vampire because of that red liquid she had, and finny still brings it up and meyrin gets really really flustered because *jeremy* is there pretending to solve the case and he smiles and thinks it's cute she believes in vampires ❤️

This concept is solid gold? First off, you have the potential for hard-hitting angst: Mey Rin knows full well that Sebastian isn't actually dead, but she still has to see his bloody and apparently lifeless body lying on the floor, watch her fellow servants crumble in grief while withholding the truth from them for the sake of the mission. And even if she can't bring herself to ask Sebastian afterwards, the whole situation makes her wonder...is it possible to kill a demon? Are there forces out there strong enough to annihilate Sebastian Michaelis? (Just imagine Mey's reaction post-Campania when she discovers to her horror that those fears were well-founded...uff, my heart 💔)

Of course, there would also be ample opportunities for humor. Mey Rin might become extremely awkward and flustered while trying to hide the fact that she's aware of "Jeremy's" true identity, or Sebas might slip up and start flirting with her instead of remaining focused on the case. I wouldn't be surprised if the two of them snuck off together for a quick minute to steal a kiss or two in private—narrowly avoiding discovery in the process! Regardless of whether or not they're on assignment, Mey and Seb are head over heels for each other. 😈

Since her lover's a demon, it's only natural for Mey Rin to assume that vampires might exist, too! Although she's a little embarrassed when Sebastian explains that they're probably mere fabrications of mortal legend, he assures her there's no need to be. The human world is a vast and mysterious place, and for all he knows, perhaps there truly are vampires lurking in some dark, forgotten corner. Mey is also quick to note that his demon fangs bear a striking resemblance to vampires’ infamous canines.

"Should I be worried about you bitin' my neck, mister?" she teases, a flirtatious gleam in her eye.

"Only if you want me to, my dear," Sebastian purrs.

Suffice it say that the maid had a couple of interesting marks on her throat the next day... 😉

[nacregames]

What are the RO's favorite romance tropes?

what kind of question is that?! I hate you??

Ok, ok lemme think... Here you go(I obviously made a difference between their actual tropes in the games and what they would like):

Mercy is pretty romantic, so I think a forbidden love scenario would suit them or a class difference trope. *cough* It's also something they can relate to *cough*

Mel likes fluff, so friends to lovers is her thing.

Ngl Lei sure does enjoy angst and I think he'd be intrigued by some kind of amnesia scenario bc there's also the psychological aspect of a former partner trying to make the hero/ine fall in love again. Is that even achievable?

Candy is difficult bc duh. I think she'd see the appeal in partners in crime?

Chal is... actually romantic, but so deep in self-denial that even I don't know lmao. But I also can imagine her being intrigued by the classic enemies to lovers trope/ love reforms villain bc angst and stuff.

Clay, dude, I don't know what this idiot might like. He's basically stripped of any emotion except anger. Some kind of bodyguard thang bc he likes to protecc? If it was in the past, he'd prolly enjoyed a good old stuck together, bc he thought that he was too irresistible

Arrow the poor guy likes simple and lighthearted stories. He does find dark themes interesting too, amazed by the psychological aspects they can offer, but he's clueless when it comes to love, so nothing too complicated. Anything that would take place in a rom-com is fine. Maybe plain Jane gets the hottie? Idk

The MS ROs are even harder smh

Polly is cheesy, but she also has a hot temper, so any revenge tropes where she can yell "suck it" would do. Ugly duckling or sorts. Didn't expect that, did you?

Mac is amused by the everyone can see it trope. Two dumb shits pining over each other, but not realizing it...👌🏻

Lilith... Oh god Lilith.. What am I gonna do with her?? You bet she loves/hates redemption or secret that can end everything . Love Triangles or tragic affairs are fine too.

Camus, pff, I bet he'd like some boss/employee romance. Ironic isn't it?

Falito. That little shit likes the butler/maid trope, but I think he'd also enjoy a good different worlds story. A bit of escapism here.

Ara finds the overly shy romance really cute. Those fleeting glances, the embarrassment. Humans are so adorable and confusing.

Gab is a fan of oblivious to love. She finds the love at first sight thing really interesting. It makes her somehow very curious.

This was a tough one, but I ended up enjoying it, thanks anon (･´з`･)

[thereadingmoon]

TL;DR: While Turton doesn't provide a female narrator, his other female characters are good, actually. They're well-rounded, memorable, and shouldn't be swept aside when talking about the female representation in this book. Turton also talks about the bias sexism and gender has in the setting of this book and the in-world ramifications of this. Also: Aiden is a unique male character in the sense that he isn't strictly masculine or male. His characterization could be called traditionally "feminine" in the sense he's frequently in touch with his emotions and feelings.

Spoilers: Yes, but moderate. Part 2 can be read here.

For the purpose of this essay series, let’s discuss the differences between the female, feminine, and feminist. Borrowing (and bastardizing) Mary Eagleton’s A Concise Companion to Feminist Theory, these concepts can be summarized as thus: the female is biological in the sense a character or author is female, the feminine is cultural in the sense of “universal feminine mannerisms” as dictated by the patriarchal ruling order, and the feminist is political or counter-cultural in the sense that it criticizes the gender inequality of the status quo.

So with all of that context covered, let’s talk about the gendered representation in The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, how Stuart Turton wrote well-rounded female characters, discussed the issues women faced in the early 20th century, and the femininity of Aiden Bishop.

What struck me about Evelyn Hardcastle is that despite being a complicated and ambitious novel, it managed to balance out the action with its characters. It could’ve easily swept characterization and personality aside and focused on the action, but Turton slows down once in a while for us to connect to the people Aiden is interacting with. The women in the book weren’t women for the sake of having women in a story. They were flawed, motivated, and unique, and they all had a slot to fill in this world that couldn’t be replaced by lamps.

Evelyn, who wasn’t only a daughter Evelyn was no damsel in distress when the world was ganging up against her and she was in full control of her narrative despite her tragic death being the main plot point in the story.

Millicent, who wasn’t only a mother Millicent was a whip-smart upper-class elitist who knew what she wanted and got it. Also, I for one loved the representation of a morally flawed female character. Most of the characters in this book are morally flawed, and the women aren’t exempt from that. Representation doesn’t mean having minority characters be morally superior: it’s having minority characters be human.

Grace, who wasn’t only a lover Grace was a steadfast woman who was stubbornly loyal to the people she loved and delivered a twist in gendered stereotypes because she was the one in her heterosexual relationship who had more money and power over her partner, who was also devoted to her.

And let us never forget the redeemable, reliable Anna. One could say she fell into the helper stereotype that befalls on women, wherein her character arc exists only to support Aiden’s for majority of the story. I don’t think it did, though. If anything, Aiden’s arc supported Anna’s in the sense that he was propelled through the story to help her get out of Blackheath. Their development relied on interacting and changing with one another. She wasn’t a subservient lesser character, she was Aiden’s equal who made him question the reason he kept on going. Throughout the story, we piece together her nonlinear development into a distrustful, ruthless tyrant into a brave, decisive empath.

With the introduction of Anna, Turton brings about commentary on the state of women in the early 20th century and the fairness of the situation his characters are in. As Aiden’s fighting for a way to help free her, the readers realize how impossible it is for her to solve the mystery on her own: Anna was handicapped from the beginning. Aiden was given the advantage of having eight different hosts, majority of which had the higher class status to access the relevant information to solve the murder. Anna, on the other hand, was stuck as a lowly maid, invisible to the people she’d need to talk to, and an easy target for the unsavory characters in the novel. Also, with the treatment of Evelyn, we’re seeing how headstrong women are undermined and forced into situations they didn’t want to be in.

These are intersectional issues of women in the book that are explored by the author seamlessly. I have no idea if these were intentional, but they are points of empathy and understanding. I think that’s one strength in the way Turton writes Evelyn Hardcastle: Aiden Bishop is a narrator who chooses to be understanding and thoughtful. He’s constantly seeing past people’s exteriors and into who they truly are, and this extends past his hosts.

I’ve seen people say that he doesn’t have agency despite the book being a series of his choices and their consequences. But maybe it’s a question of what we expect from male protagonists. Aiden Bishop isn’t the usual male protagonist: he’s introspective, empathic, and humanistic. He’s constantly striving to be a better person and he’s caring to a fault, but none of these things are there to make him look weak. In fact, these are the traits that were key to his freedom. He’s already a much-needed character in terms of representation: a man who’s confident in his emotions and doesn’t shy away from them. These are very interesting traits he has… and one could say they are traditionally “feminine.” However, that doesn’t make this character female, though. So, in our next essay, we’re going to look at the ramifications of a female!Aiden and what it would mean for the story.

Want to see more essays like this? Check out my blog’s masterlist for more hot takes or book recommendations.

[the-gayest-dragon]

Miraak Headcanons Part 3

Came up with some of those with the help of @peaceful-mindscape, so��� thank you. :D

Take a look at part 1 and part 2 before this one because I’m not repeating myself (well… trying not to).

Miraak's immune system isn't up to date, so he catches a cold at least once a month.

Not like he'd ever admit it : “I am Dragonborn, I do not get sick!“ *coughs and sneezes*

He takes pride in his restoration skills, meaning he has pretty much no scars to show.

The scars from his fight against Vahlok refuse to completely disappear though, and that pisses him off.

He's prone to sensory overloads, especially right after his escape from Apocrypha. So many smells, and all that light, and the temperature keeps changing and everything… is… so… fuCkiNG… LOUD !

His first meal is hell as well, his stomach is under too much stress and even a piece of bread is hard to digest at that point. It takes him months to completely regain his ability to enjoy a full meal.

I mentioned he's a terrible alchemist… same for his cooking skills.

He'll try to get better at both, at the cost of many ingredients and ustensiles. Not his, Siltafiir's. Good thing her job as a thief and a Nightingale ensures a regular and consequent income.

Not like he's ever going to look for an actual job to pay for supplies.

Big flower lover. They're pretty, they smell good, you can mix them up to make colorful arrangements…

Might end up with accidental bouquets in his hands when he’s travelling because he compulsively picks every pretty and/or fragrant flower he finds.

He is very literal. Jokes and innuendos tend to fly over his head. If the person who tells them is making faces and/or putting weird inflections in their voice, he'll probably understand though.

The Argonian Maid books are a good example of him not getting it.

Not like he'd like it more if he understood the sexual part of the story. Being ace, that's not a subject that ever sparked any interest in him.

If he falls in love with someone (probably the LDB because who else could possibly interest him long enough for that to happen ? I mean, maybe a very powerful mage but still, they'd just have a mortal soul, the LDB is the most likely choice imo) and if that someone actually enjoys sex, he might do it from time to time.

If the LDB doesn't speak dovahzul well enough for his taste, he'll teach them. A dragon who can’t even speak their own language is disgraceful!

He also corrects their grammar and pronunciation all the time.

He can be “deactivated“ by massaging his scalp.

You know how cats and dogs sometimes complain when you stop petting them ? If whoever is playing with his hair stops too early for his taste, he'll growl.

He doesn't like pda at all. Kisses, hugs and even hand holding are for private moments. It's all so… human. He can't show that stuff in public!

It doesn't stop him from being very possessive. Whenever someone gets too close to his special other, with hidden intentions or not, he'll barge into the conversation and just make sure the “intruder“ is not standing too close to his LDB.

[thorin-thrainson]

"...are you afraid of facing my people?.." he took her hands and kissed them gently. "I know that this is all very sudden and perhaps it is not the time to ask this of you... and I would respect your decision if you do not want me to. Perhaps I will not announce you if you do not want me to. I will never force you against your will. But it would make me happy if you still decide to attend as a guest. With how my nephews are, no doubt half of the Mountain will catch word that their king has been favoring a human woman." He looked at the corner of his eye towards the direction the two had left.

He led her gently towards their secret abode. "...perhaps we should speak of other things if this subject is not to your liking. Or if you wish not to speak, we can just quietly bask in this beautiful evening amongst the stars and the lamplights of the City. We need not do anything physical if you do not want to."

"... Uncle has been a blacksmith for years and would travel often. Also, he had never stopped looking for Grandfather Thrain even until a year before we had left for Erebor. I remember every few months in a year, he would go searching or take missions away from the Blue Mountains to go search. Maybe along the way he found this Lina Lady. He maybe did not speak of her because maybe they were just friends before and then now they became lovers. It's not too out of the ordinary. Before, maybe Uncle didn't know if he'll ever meet her again so he never really thought that he had a chance at love, but now that she's here... Maybe he can!" Fili tried to piece it out. "I mean, as weird as it is to see Uncle lovey dovey, is it wrong that he's found someone? I mean, we each did. And a human isn't as farfetched as an elf maid since dwarves and humans actually get along."

Lina barely had the chance to chime in, but she didn’t mind - it was amusing how both sides tried to stay as diplomatic as it was possible. She wondered if all of their interaction was like this, but from what she had heard, she assumed not.

“I look forward seeing you too.” She smiled and waved them, not missing the brothers’ high five as they quickly got away. “Lively, aren’t they?” She turned to Thorin. “You really planned on introducing me?”

“That was close…” Kíli sighed once they were far enough from the pair. “Fee, have you seen her? Have you seen a human like this before?” He glanced back, but they couldn’t see them anymore. “They are definitely a thing.”