#ocean-loving-femme

[b4byblu3s]

You know you were my first time ?

A new feel .

[prettylittlelagoon]

may just start worshipping Aphrodite <33

[smalldolly]

[peaches2217]

oh i’m glad you found a perfume you like! it’s never been my thing but i’ve enjoyed reading your posts about them 👍🏽

I'm glad I haven't been too annoying about it 😅 Admittedly I've got several I like! It's been a challenge primarily choosing which major perfume to invest in first, because they're so expensive. Ganymede is probably the most expensive of the bunch, but it's also my favorite by quite a wide margin.

Other pricier perfumes I know for a fact I want, because now I wanna gush about and share my favorites:

Beyond Romance

La Vie Est Belle Iris Absolu

Grey Vetiver

L'Interdit

Eau de Soleil Blanc

And pretty much like, all of Jimmy Choo's femme fragrances.

So the challenge isn't so much finding what I like, it's figuring out what I like most so I can decide which purchase to make next. 😆

[frankieplsrelax]

i got my period a week early this month and im so so happy because i wont be bloated and periody while on a much needed cali vacay but that means i will be ovulating and fertile and ridiculously horny abt it on vacay so i will be at the beach playin in the ocean, feeling my favorite sun, and hopefully being a menace with a girly or two hehe <3

[i-hate-accidents]

I feel like Benedict would be so frazzled when his love is in labor. He would insist on being in the room with his wife

the author took immense liberties with this idea. she hopes you enjoy it nevertheless and offers her thanks for sharing it with them~

the author would also like to name that, whilst a she/her femme, the sort of reader who the author wrote with in mind would likely not resonate with being called 'wife.' she would likely prefer 'partner' or a more gender inclusive term. <3

𝄆 ⚘ ✸ ✕ ✸ ⚘ 𝄇

i hate accidents: a drabble

femme!reader x benedict bridgerton, femme!reader & the bridgerton family, femme!reader & penelope featherington

summary:  the adventures of a working class femme who befriends a fellow writer, a boisterous family, and a bewitching second eldest son

sections:  I. the beginning / II. the between / III. the ball

y/n:  bipoc, she/her, afab, nonbinary femme, queer, working class, of immigrant parents

content warnings:  pregnancy (no birthing/labor)

word count:  891

tagged: @mikariell95 @omgsuperstarg @flyestvenustrap @nowheredreamer @jimblejamblewritings

𝄆 ⚘ ✸ ✕ ✸ ⚘ 𝄇

“you are thinking of something.”

you smile; your husband knows you too well.  you continue to rub at your protruding stomach. 

“our child can kill a scottish king,” you respond.

benedict laughs through his nose, his ocean eyes crinkling in the adorable way that they always do whenever he is truly delighted. 

“if you hadn’t said 'scottish,' i might have needed to turn you in for treason.  why do you say that, love?”

you struggle out of your lounge, swatting at your kindly husband’s offer to assist you, and waddle over to your shelves of books.  you drag your forefinger across the spines until you emit an ‘aha!’ and pull the book.  flipping towards the end, you find the pressed wisteria you used to mark the verse and read,

“‘for none of woman born shall harm macbeth,’” you look up from the words to benedict as you beam with pride.  “see?  the premiere attribute for assassinating a fictitious monarch, and here our child has it because of me.”

your husband returns your beam as he approaches you and leans in to plant a soft kiss on your temple.  shifting himself to be behind you, he wraps his arms around your waist and rests his hands on the low of your stomach.  you lean into the comfort of his embrace.

“and how shall we support our child with their nefarious intentions?” benedict inquires.

you hum.

“both their parents are quite proficient in fencing.  perhaps it is a trait that they shall inherit?”

“that seems certain.  their parents are also quite good at sneaking about; that ought to be of use to them for their plot.”

you snort.

“i think you are too generous, love.  there is a certain eldest brother who has vehemently disproved time and time again that we are, in fact, quite terrible at sneaking about.”

benedict nuzzles his nose into the crook of your neck, causing you to giggle.  you can feel his smile against your quickened pulse.  it is silly; how he is your husband— how he is the father of your child to-be!  and yet, he still makes you feel this way.  he still makes these damned butterflies flutter within you.

“more incentive to keep practicing, no?”  you feel benedict’s smile broaden into a grin.  “for our child, of course.”

stupid benedict.

you shake your head with all the affection in your heart.

“for our child.”

a small silence falls amongst you.  you should allow yourself this comfort.  you should allow yourself this peace.  but—

“do you think i can do it?” 

you had meant to say it as plainly as you could, but the tears that threaten to fall from your eyes choked your words into a whisper.  benedict releases himself from the embrace, one hand still on your stomach, as he shifts to face you.

“do what, my love?”

the crack in the softness of his voice and the gentle circles you feel on your stomach from his touch make you close your eyes.

“birth our child.  raise them.  what if it is too much?  what if i hurt them?  what if i—” you flutter your eyes open to the tear-blurry sight of disquiet in ocean eyes, “what if i am not the parent they deserve?”

he says your name, and that is enough to allow your tears to fall.  you start to look down, feeling the weight of your shame settle within you, but benedict does not let you.  he gently cups your face, lifts it, and kisses wherever tears roll down your cheeks.  benedict murmurs ‘i love you’ with each kiss until he whispers,

“i am fearful too.”

you pull your face away from his and see how his throat bobs, as it always does right before he wishes to say something more firmly.

“i am fearful that i will fail them.  i am fearful that i will not be even an inkling of a father to our child as my father was to me,” benedict heaves a sigh, and you see how he wills himself not to let his tears fall.  “but,” his throat bobs again, “then i remind myself that our child has you, y/n.”

you place a hand on his cheek and softly rub your thumb against his skin.

“you can cry too, benedict,” you manage.

he huffs out a laugh as he allows a tear to fall.  you gently press your lips against his cheek to capture it.

“yes, but i am not the one carrying our child.”

you look down at your stomach and then up at your husband.  you offer a small smile.

“i suppose it is your fault that i am in such a state.”

that makes benedict laugh fully. 

stupid butterflies. 

he tries to look down and away, suddenly shy by the very silly observation you have made, but you do not let him.  you shift your head and capture him with a kiss between his chin and his cheek, gently pushing his face up and murmuring ‘i love you’ into his skin.

perhaps your and benedict’s fear shall never go away.  perhaps you two shall never be the perfect parents you wish to be for your child.  but your child was created out of real, true love.  a love that protects, that laughs, that nurtures, that comforts, that heals.  and perhaps, that is enough.

𝄆 ⚘ ✸ ✕ ✸ ⚘ 𝄇

[astrosouldivinity]

Beauty Placements/Degrees° in Astrology

⋆｡°✩ ⋆｡°✩ ⋆｡°✩ ⋆｡°✩ ⋆｡°✩ ⋆｡°✩ ⋆

⋆｡°✩ ⋆｡°✩ ⋆｡°✩ ⋆｡°✩ ⋆｡°✩ ⋆｡°✩ ⋆

Taurus Sun/Moon/Rising/Venus/Lilith/Jupiter/MC. + Libra Sun/Moon/Rising/Venus/Lilith/Jupiter/MC. Both of these signs are ruled by the planet Venus, which symbolizes love, luxury, art, and beauty. Individuals with Venusian energy in their charts often possess a natural charm and beauty that reflects the planet Venus.

Leo Sun/Moon/Rising/Venus/Lilith/Jupiter/MC. Ruled by the luminary the sun, Leos naturally stand out, radiating the warmth and beauty the Sun provides. Their allure is like warm sunshine being engulfed in pure bliss. You cannot help but stare even if it momentarily blinds you. They are absolutely gorgeous.

Pisces Sun/Moon/Rising/Venus/Lilith/Jupiter/MC. Ruled by Neptune, Pisces possesses a dreamy and ethereal beauty, embodying a fantasy brought to life. They naturally exude an enchanting allure, seamlessly adapting to your deepest darkest desires. With their siren-like presence, their beauty is truly otherworldly.

Scorpio Sun/Moon/Rising/Venus/Lilith/Jupiter/MC. Ruled by Mars and Pluto, Scorpio possesses a dark and mysterious type of beauty. You sense the danger lurking beneath the surface in your soul, yet you’re drawn in anyway. Scorpios are transformative by nature, which can be irresistibly captivating. Their alluring depth keeps you obsessed and craving more.

Cancer Sun/Moon/Rising/Venus. Ruled by the moon, Cancers embody a dark feminine energy that runs deeper than the ocean and flows as emotionally as a raging river. They are both nurturing and fierce, radiating a mysterious, contradictory energy that leaves you wanting to know more about them.

10H Sun/Venus/Mars or 10H Stellium- Fame placements, particularly a Sun or stellium in the 10th house, naturally draw attention to these individuals. They excel at embodying the energy of celebrity. Many models often have their Mars, Sun, Venus, or Neptune positioned in the 10th house as well.

Libra degrees 7, 19°-These individuals are often conventionally attractive and exude poise in their appearance, radiating an air of perfection. Their beauty can be so striking that their features seem almost too perfect to be real. They possess an otherworldly allure that is truly unforgettable.

Gemini Sun/Moon/Rising/Venus/MC. + Venus in Gemini degrees 3, 15, 27°- They are often perceived as exceptionally beautiful, typically showcasing a unique, one-of-a-kind look or aesthetic. Masters of communication, they have a captivating way with words. Additionally, they are quite adaptable in their style, easily shifting their aesthetic as needed.

1H Stellium/Aries Sun/Moon/Venus/MC- It girl placements. 💁🏿‍♀️

Scorpio degrees in the ascendent/rising 8, 20°- They possess an irresistible femme fatale type of beauty that is both alluring and slightly dangerous. I think they are aware of this power and may even leverage it to their advantage.

Taurus Degrees 2, 14, 26° These individuals exude an earthy, grounded beauty that feels very down to earth. They are naturally beautiful, radiating an overall aesthetically pleasing vibe.

Leo Degrees 5, 17, 29° They exude main character energy, naturally standing out with a distinct star quality. These individuals have a remarkable ability to influence others and earn their respect effortlessly.

[princessbrunette]

playlists for the readers … ໒꒰ྀིᵔ ³ ᵔ ꒱ྀིა

bunny!reader ♡

just girly fun vibes — she likes her music catchy, pop-y and fairly relatable. rafe never lets her play her music in the car unfortunately, because he cannot be seen speeding down the road blasting the pussy cat dolls.

🎀 cassie — ditto

🎀 kali uchis, steve lacy, vince staples — only girl

🎀 frank ocean — sweet life

🎀 coco & clair — pretty

🎀 sabrina carpenter — feather

🎀 flo milli — never lose me

🎀 cassie — miss your touch

🎀 childish gambino, jhené aiko — pink toes

🎀 flo.rida, wynter — sugar

🎀 kali uchis — honey baby (SPOILED!)

🎀 angels — my boyfriends back

🎀 foxy brown, kelis — candy

🎀 lana del rey — music to watch boys to

🎀 jhené aiko — maniac

🎀 fergie — clumsy

🎀 ciara, 50 cent — can’t leave ‘em alone

🎀 shelley duvall — he needs me

🎀 nancy sinatra — sugar town

🎀 heidi montag — i’ll do it

🎀 nicki minaj, jeremiah — favourite

🎀 kali uchis — melting

🎀 lady gaga — boys boys boys

🎀 cassie — long way 2 go

🎀 the pussycat dolls — when i grow up

🎀 tom tom club — genius of love

🎀 beyoncé — freakum dress

🎀 gwen stefani — bubble pop electric

🎀 marina — primadonna girl

🎀 madonna — material girl

🎀 pussy cat dolls — stickwitu

🎀 leven kali, syd — do u wrong

🎀 kiana ledé — mad at me

kitty!reader ♡

listens to her music to feel cool n edgy. shes one of those people that think she’s a bitch but she’s not at all, just a lil grumpy. wants everyone to know she liked deftones before it was cool.

🐈‍⬛ pixies — is she weird

🐈‍⬛ arctic monkeys — mardy bum

🐈‍⬛ black box recorder — child psychology

🐈‍⬛ the smiths — pretty girls make graves

🐈‍⬛ ethel cain — crush

🐈‍⬛ mazzy star — she’s my baby

🐈‍⬛ radiohead — creep

🐈‍⬛ chris isaak — wicked game

🐈‍⬛ limp bizkit — rollin’

🐈‍⬛ the pretty reckless — makes me wanna die

🐈‍⬛ pearly drops — bloom for me

🐈‍⬛ deftones — root

🐈‍⬛ fka twigs — two weeks

🐈‍⬛ deftones — romantic dreams

🐈‍⬛ hole — doll parts

🐈‍⬛ margeaux — hot faced

🐈‍⬛ siouxsie and the banshees — she’s a carnival

🐈‍⬛ kip tyler — she’s my witch

🐈‍⬛ deftones — mascara

🐈‍⬛ soho dolls — bang bang bang bang

🐈‍⬛ enigma — sadeness

🐈‍⬛ DANGERDOOM, MF DOOM — perfect hair

🐈‍⬛ radiohead — idioteque

🐈‍⬛ björk — come to me

🐈‍⬛ the nbhd — fallen star

🐈‍⬛ arctic monkeys — crying lightening

🐈‍⬛ deftones — diamond eyes

🐈‍⬛ the smiths — girl afraid

🐈‍⬛ ethel cain — unpunishable

🐈‍⬛ mitski — townie

🐈‍⬛ gorillaz — kids with guns

🐈‍⬛ evanescence — taking over me

deer!reader ♡

she’d say her playlists are all over the place — but it’s organised mess. she has them perfectly collated and in her head they make perfect sense. don’t put her on the aux though, not because the songs aren’t good but because the vibes are all over the place.

🍪 shura — 2shy

🍪 minnie riperton — les fleurs

🍪 april march — chick habit

🍪 benee — kool

🍪 camille saint- saëns — … le cygne

🍪 the little dippers — forever

🍪 allie x, mitski — susie save your love

🍪 she & him — why do you let me stay here?

🍪 lesley gore — i’m coolin’ no foolin’

🍪 sza — prom

🍪 the penguins — earth angel

🍪 SALES — renee

🍪 cleo sol — sunshine

🍪 japanese breakfast — be sweet

🍪 kate bush — cloud busting

🍪 mazzy star — halah

🍪 the mamas & papas — dedicated to the one i love

🍪 scissors sisters — filthy / gorgeous

🍪 fiona apples — shameika

🍪 fleetwood mac — mystified

🍪 margo guryan — under my umbrella

🍪 erykah badu — apple tree

🍪 mort garson — plantasia

🍪 sza — sweet november

🍪 quadron — sea salt

🍪 corinne bailey rae — green aphrodisiac

🍪 sade — lovers rock

🍪 ella fitzgerald — moonlight serenade

🍪 cigarettes after sex — truly

🍪 tv girl — heaven is a bedroom

🍪 the velvet underground — femme fetale

🍪 clairo, coco & clair — racecar

🍪 james blake, rosalía — barefoot in the park

🍪 tame impala — nangs

puppy!reader ♡

never seen without her walkman — loves running around and dancing to her upbeat music. her playlists will remind you of days in the sun and dancing in summer rain.

🐶 her’s — love on the line (call now)

🐶 HAIM — summer girl

🐶 the la’s — there she goes

🐶 stacey q — two of hearts

🐶 faye webster — right side of my neck

🐶 bakar, summer walker — hell n back

🐶 beabadoobee — sunny day

🐶 dominic fike — babydoll

🐶 jungle — back on 74

🐶 pinkpanthress — attracted to you

🐶 duran duran — girls on film

🐶 shuggie otis — strawberry letter 23

🐶 sixpence none the richer — kiss me

🐶 matilda mann — bloom

🐶 HAIM — falling

🐶 311 — amber

🐶 earth, wind & fire — boogie wonderland

🐶 lorde — ribs

🐶 lesley gore — sunshine lollipops and rainbows

🐶 stevie wonder — all i do

🐶 the human league — don’t you want me

🐶 the turtles — happy together

🐶 pet shop boys — west end girls

🐶 clairo — bags

🐶 pat benetar — love is a battlefield

🐶 the psychedelic furs — love my way

🐶 scouting for girls — she’s so lovely

🐶 noisettes — wild young hearts

🐶 the all eyes i — beat goes on

🐶 tame impala — elephant

🐶 sublime — waiting for my ruca

🐶 mgmt — boogie down

[bestiesenpai]

sukuna bridgerton au pt3

It’s honeymoon time! Someone suggested jealous Sukuna and I wanted to put it in here but I think I’ll save it for the next installment.

Content warning that there will be infidelity(mentions of past and then a current scenario), attempted noncon(very short and not graphic)!

Bold indicates a different language used in conversation

Femme reader, i did include one line of a physical descriptor(hair)

part one --- part two -- part four

Traveling to your honeymoon made you almost as sick as Sukuna on your wedding night, something which you thought couldn’t be outdone. The man had spent all night in the restroom being nursed by his valets while you lay in another wing of the villa sleeping peacefully with the help of another spiced drink from your lady's maid.

“You’ll get used to the ship, I promise!” Sukuna chuckled as he walked into your bed quarters to see you laying face down on the bed. It was only your first day and while you’d be on the ship barely three days you weren’t sure how you would fare.

“Please, not now.” Turning your head slightly, you glared at Sukuna.

“Come with me, I know something that may help.” He held out his hand, laughing again when you refused to move even an inch. “If it doesn’t work I’ll carry you back here personally.” It took several minutes for you to muster up the strength to get up and follow him, gripping his bicep to keep yourself steady as the ship rocked back and forth. “I wish I had known this was going to be your first time on a ship, Your Grace. I would have prepared more for you!”

“N-not everyone can travel the world like you.” Coming to the upper deck you groaned at the sudden gust of air that blew into you. The water was thankfully calm and the weather was beautiful and you cursed yourself for not being able to properly enjoy it.

“This way.” Leading you to the front of the ship, Sukuna had you sit on a small bench overlooking the ocean. Handing you a glass of peppermint tea, he stood by your side and pointed out to the horizon. “Just look that way and I promise you’ll settle in no time.”

“Whatever you say.” You didn’t have a reason to question him, Sukuna was a sailor at one point for his country's navy and he even joked about putting on his old uniform for the journey. Sipping the tea slowly, the sound of the water slapping against the boat and the sails rustling became merely background noise and not something grating against your ears.

“How do you feel?” Sukuna asked, daring to put a hand on your shoulder.

“Better.” Taking a breath, you took stock of your body. There was still a lingering nausea but the dreadful feeling from before was gone and you could take looks away from the horizon from time to time. Sukuna slid his hand from your shoulder, letting it rest at his side before he excused himself.

Dinner on the ship was uneventful but what was to come after had your nerves on edge. Your mother had briefly talked about this aspect of married life but you knew it wasn’t enough to prepare you. Some of your already married girl friends spoke on it as well but you knew experiencing it for yourself would be something else entirely.

“Do you wish to be together tonight, Miss?” Sukuna spoke once the meal was over, leaning back in his chair and folding his arms across his chest. “Although I must warn you, once a woman has laid with me she falls in love.” Gone was the mystique you had and back was the memory of Sukuna the first time you saw him, wrapped up with another woman that you were certain wasn’t enjoying herself in the slightest.

“I’ve seen how you treat women in that way and I wish to do no such thing with you.”

“What? You can’t be serious.” He rolled his eyes and waved a hand dismissively at you. “That woman was nothing more than a whore.”

“Do not say such things!” You shouted back, anger quickly rising in you.

“Do you not hear me? I’m saying you’re different!”

“I do not believe you. Who’s to stop you from being cruel to me?”

���It is our wedding night!” Standing abruptly, the chair clattered to the ground as Sukuna rounded the table. “I am your husband!” Grabbing onto your jaw roughly, Sukuna ignored your screams of protest and your attempt to hit him away. “And you would do good to listen to me.”

“Get off of me!” Wrestling out of the chair, you attempted to push Sukuna to the side so you could leave but the man didn’t budge. Raising your hand to strike him didn’t work either as he caught both of your wrists and another struggle ensued.

“You should be grateful I haven’t done anything already!”

“Let me go!”

“You should be thanking me for protecting you against Naoya!”

“I’d rather him than you!” In a last ditch effort you brought your knee up, hitting Sukuna right between the legs. It gave you enough time to stomp on his foot and shove him to the ground. Looking down at him with tears streaming down your face, you couldn’t bring yourself to say anything and instead fled from the room.

Rushing into the bedroom, you slammed the door closed and locked it, going so far as to push the chest of drawers in front of the door as well. There was no doubt that the servants aboard had heard everything and would certainly talk about the spectacle but hopefully none of them would say anything once you reached land.

The next two days at sea you avoided Sukuna like the plague, only leaving the bedroom to use the restroom and get a breath of air as soon as the sun began to rise. Sometimes you could hear him outside your room pacing and on occasion the maid will ask if you have anything you’d like to say to him but you decline every time.

“Finally, land!” Sukuna announced once the ship docked. This was the first time you were seeing each other since the first night and you know you looked worse for wear. You could hardly sleep the whole time, worried that Sukuna would force his way into the bedroom. Rushing off of the ship as soon as possible, you took in the city before you. It was certainly old and you could see a tall cathedral in the distance and smoking chimneys dotted the landscape around it.

Climbing into the carriage, you were grateful Sukuna rode separately. There was no doubt you’d start crying if you were in such a tight space with him. Riding through the city, you marveled at the different clothing you saw and the language you heard was something you’d been studying for a while now.

Riding to the city outskirts, the chateau you’d be staying at came into view. There was tasteful ivy and wisteria growing on the front and you had to ride over a bridge to get to it, with the river below sparkling in the sun. Many trees dotted the landscape and a garden sprawled out behind the property.

“Please show me to my room.” You made a beeline for the head maid of the estate once the carriage stopped, not wanting to be caught with Sukuna for even a moment. Her mouth opened to question you but thought better of it and stepped aside, gesturing you to follow her.

“Princess!” Sukuna called after you but you didn’t turn around.

“Please, walk faster.” You urged, making the maid nearly run to get to your room.

“N-now Your Highness, will you and the Prince be sharing a room or-”

“I want to be nowhere near him. Thank you.” Closing the door quickly, you could hear approaching footsteps and made sure to lock the door.

“Princess, open the door.” Sukuna knocked loudly, causing you to jump.

“Go away.” You replied with a shaky voice.

“Let me see you. I wish to apologize.”

“I do not wish to hear it.” You countered immediately, backing away from the door.

“But I-”

“Leave! Now!” The shrillness of your voice surprised even you and you could only imagine what Sukunas expression was.

“Fine.” He stormed away, a crash and something shattering an indication he was very upset.

June 3

My worst fears of marriage have come true. Sukuna is a monster, an absolute and irredeemable creature. I thought he could at least respect my wishes yet the way he attacked me on the ship says otherwise. I do not want to be alone with him although that will certainly cause people to talk about the state of our marriage.

If possible, I will make sure I always have a maid present on this honeymoon for my own peace of mind. I heard some servants mention a festival being held in our honor down at the city center at the end of this week, maybe by then my reservations about being with Sukuna will have changed.

What a way to start a marriage, is it not?

XX

Two days went by before your paths crossed again. Sukuna was usually out of the home riding or greeting acquaintances and you took the time to explore the chateau and get a tour from the head maid. Finding a quiet place to sit under a tree near the rivers edge, you settled into a small picnic and a book you’d gotten as a gift from one of your siblings.

The calmness of the water, the heat of the sun and the shade of the tree all helped to draw you so into your book you lost track of your surroundings. You paid no mind to the snapping of twigs or a rustle here and there, though you wished you had when you finally took a break and looked up and over your shoulder.

There Sukuna was, leaning against the tree trunk and watching you. He was in a black vest, no cravat to decorate his neck and you could see a small patch of skin from where his shirt was unbuttoned. He donned his familiar boots once more and his pants had many creases in them. Seeing your frightened expression, he raised his hands in surrender.

“I’m merely here to apologize.” He pushed himself away from the tree and took a few steps forward, stopping when he saw you visibly recoil. “Please, do not run away.” You held your tongue, fearing you’d either say something mean or scream.

“I let my emotions get the better of me on the ship and I should know better than to treat a lady in such a way.” Looking at the river, he sighed; Sukuna was not one for apologies, he simply ignored the issue until it blew over or had a valet do it for him. “I…apologize, Princess. I will not let such a thing happen again between us.”

You let the words sink in as you looked at him. His expression did appear genuine and you didn’t want to live in this discomfort forever.

“You are forgiven.” Your eyes dropped down to his lapel as you took a deep breath. “But the trust between us will need to be rebuilt.” Not that there had been a great deal in the first place, but what was there would need to be mended.

“Of course. I shall start by having the cook prepare your favorite meal for supper, it’s only right we dine together and discuss what our plans for this honeymoon should be.”

“Yes, that sounds lovely.”

“Now if you’ll excuse me, Princess.” If Sukuna was honest, he was terribly uncomfortable right now. Being vulnerable in this way and apologizing was a foreign feeling to him that he did not want to dwell in any longer. Bowing his head, Sukuna turned and began to walk away and got a few feet away before he turned back. “Princess?”

“Yes?”

“What…what is your favorite meal?”

At supper that evening, the conversation flowed much better than either of you expected. It was still stilted and paused in some places with neither of you knowing what to say next, but overall the mood was amicable and you even chuckled at something he said.

With your relationship slowly getting better, you both retired to the drawing room for the evening where you played a song on the harp and Sukuna read a newspaper from the town and sipped on an evening cocktail.

“My Lady, I’m sure the servants have told you about the festival to be held this week?” He spoke without looking after you finished the song.

“I’ve heard about it, yes. It’ll be held in Vauxhall Gardens if I’m not mistaken.” You looked at him hopefully, you desperately wanted to go. It was to be held in your honor after all and if you didn’t go it would surely sour the city's impression of you.

“You do not need to look at me like that, of course we will be in attendance.” Rolling his eyes playfully, he set the newspaper down and finally looked at you. “As if I would miss a chance to show off to the simple minded people of this city.” Ignoring the jab at the citizens, your mind raced with what you would wear and what all would be at the gardens.

As the evening came to an end, you and Sukuna parted ways to go to your separate bedrooms. He had started to follow you to your room but stopped at the look you gave him, slinking away to the room he’d been occupying. It would likely take a while for you to be comfortable enough for him to see you in complete undress and in your nightclothes.

The days leading up to the festival had you buzzing with excitement; you had a local guide take you around the city and you got to practice your language skills with the locals, many of whom were taken by the new Princess in their presence. You even met with some high trade merchants and their families with some going as far as to ask you to bless their children with good fortune.

The night of the festival, you and Sukuna donned clothing familiar to the area; forgoing your gloves, you slipped on a golden bracelet a merchant had given you and sat back as a silky bandana was tied around your head, holding some of your hair back as you’d seen other women do in the market you visited.

Coming to the foyer, you saw Sukuna was in linen pants and a dark red shirt with the sleeves done up around his elbows to expose his forearms. This was the first time you were seeing such a show of skin from a man and you were unable to draw your eyes away. You completely ignored the black vest and ornate lapel pin he had on, or the ascot he had on that was a similar pattern to your bandana.

“Princess, staring is rude.” Sukuna teased, snapping his finger in front of your face. Jumping out of your daydreams, a hot flush enveloped your cheeks and you clutched your reticule and fan to your chest.

“Let us depart.” You responded and nearly ran to the barouche. Sukuna’s laughter followed you out and he quickly joined you, settling into his seat as the hot summer air enveloped the two of you as you rode. Getting closer to the pleasure garden, you saw people of all social standing making their way as well with most tipping their hats or curtseying as you drove by.

“My Lady.” Sukuna made a show of getting out first and helping you out of the carriage and a small crowd formed off to the side to witness it. Smiling politely to them, you followed Sukunas lead and headed into the garden where a host of trumpets played upon your arrival.

“Oh my!” Right away, you spotted someone breathing fire and another swallowing swords. Making your way further in, there were many statues to behold and there was even a hot-air balloon exhibition that you stopped to marvel at for a time. “This is marvelous, Your Highness.”

“It truly is.” Nodding dumbly, Sukuna couldn’t take his eyes off the hot-air balloon and was about to offer to take you on it when a voice interrupted him.

“Your Highness!” A man's voice cut through the crowd and you both turned to see a few merchants with their wives. Curtsying slightly at them, you noticed how Sukuna had shifted to partially stand in front of you.

“Your Highness.” He said again to you, bowing deeply. “Allow me to introduce myself. I am Lord Edward, and behind me are Lord Phillip and Lord Willoughby.”

“Pleasure to make your acquaintance.” You responded with a polite smile, looking at everyone in the group. The wives of these merchants were all trying their best not to stare at you but even you knew you’d find it quite difficult in the presence of royalty not to stare.

“To what do we owe this pleasure?” Sukuna asked with a very slight edge to his tone.

“We merely wish to congratulate the happy couple.” Lord Phillip spoke up, wringing his hands nervously as he did so.

“When we heard you would be taking your honeymoon in our city, we were overjoyed.” Lord Willoughby's wife took a few steps toward you in an attempt to engage in conversation. Taking a quick glance at Sukuna, he gave you no disparaging looks so you accepted the advance.

“And what a beautiful city it is!” You gushed, allowing the woman to bring you into the fray of wives. As your new group began to walk again, you fell into step with the women and walked a bit slower to truly engage in conversation.

Stopping to look at a tightrope walker, you nearly fainted at seeing them walk across so graciously and with confidence you could never muster if you were up that high. As the spectacle went on, you couldn’t help but catch wind of the conversation in front of you.

“Your Highness, will we be seeing you later tonight at the parlor? There are a few…ladies wishing to see you again.”

“Rest assured gentlemen, I shall give them what they so desire.” Chuckling at the thought, Sukuna made a show of brushing off his vest. “They’ll be begging for more until the sun rises.” The conversation was certainly not for your ears and you tried in vain to ignore it and the way the men laughed amongst themselves.

“Do not let this sully your good mood, Your Highness.” One of the women whispered to you, fanning your face in an attempt to dry the tears you didn’t know had fallen. “It is something that comes with married life in every class.” Quickly pulling out your handkerchief, you fought hard to keep your breathing even.

“E-excuse me a moment.” Making a hasty retreat, you didn’t dare turn to look and see if Sukuna had noticed. It was foolish of you to think you could truly be happy in this marriage and that there could be a sense of trust between the two of you. Your first conversation with Sukuna flashed into your head, one where he specifically stated he would not belong to just one woman.

“Oh, please excuse me, Miss.” As a consequence of you not watching where you were going, you ended up running right into someone and nearly falling. With their arm outstretched you managed to right yourself before any mishap happened.

“Please forgive me, I wasn’t watching where I was going.” You replied, looking at the man you had bumped into. He wore a darker version of what Sukuna had on, black on black clothing making it almost impossible to distinguish him from the night sky if it weren’t for the lamps lighting the garden. Upon making eye contact, the man gasped and bowed immediately.

“My apologies, Your Highness! I did not realize it was you. I am Lord Megumi Fushiguro, I am a merchant that deals in the high trade of wine.” He did not stand back up as he spoke, making sure to keep his head lower than yours. “I do hope you are enjoying the festival, my warehouse supplied all of the refreshments tonight.”

“I…I am.” Raising your hand, you motioned for him to stand at his full height once more. Megumi had spiky black hair that went in all directions even though you could tell he desperately wished it to be slicked down with the way he kept petting at it. He had a lapel pin of a jeweled raven, something that immediately caught your eye along with his striking features.

“If I may be so forward, Your Highness, do you wish to walk with me? I see you are unattended and a lady of your stature should not be walking alone.” 

“I would enjoy that.” With a gentle smile on your face, you fell into step with Megumi. He didn’t speak much at all, instead walking with his hands behind his back and taking in the sights of the festival. With the silence he provided, you tried to comfort yourself.

“Your Highness, is everything alright? Your expression is most troubled.” Megumi asked, stopping to grab you a ratafia and some zeppole. Taking a sip of the drink, your brows rose high upon your face at tasting how strong it was. Megumi couldn’t help the chuckle that came out upon seeing it.

“I do not wish to delve too deep but it seems…” You hesitated and looked around you and at Megumi's face. You weren’t sure how much - if anything - to divulge to this man and how much would be heard by others. “The Prince and I have had a disagreement tonight.” Pursing your lips after you took another sip, you were glad that all Megumi did was nod at that information.

“Very well. Let us not dwell on this and let it tarnish the night. Come, shall we see the zoo?” He began to walk and you followed, grateful for his willingness to change the topic of conversation.

“These animals are amazing!” You’d never seen a collection such as this before, there were animals here that you’d only read about. Elephants and ostriches, flamingos and snakes - and you were even allowed to touch some of them. Glancing over at Megumi, there were a few times you caught him looking at you fondly and when one of the zookeepers went to put a snake on your arm he held you gingerly at the elbow.

You found conversation to be easy with Megumi even though you could tell he preferred not to say much. Any questions you had were answered, like how many siblings he had - one sister, Your Highness. Did he enjoy the arts - horrible at drawing but I love to read, Your Highness. What his favorite color was - sorry to say it’s black, Your Highness, I know it is quite drab. If he was on the marriage market or not - I suppose I am, though my efforts are more spent on getting my sister a match, Your Highness.

“Lord Fushiguro, I thank you so very much for being my company for tonight.” Your words slurred just the slightest as you spoke and although you wouldn’t dare hang onto him for support, you wished you could put your arm in Megumis and let him help keep you upright. Recounting the drinks you had, it didn’t feel like you should have been this drunk; but you chalked it up to the country’s alcohol just naturally being stronger than you were used to.

“It is truly my pleasure, Your Highness.” Even though Megumi had the same amount of alcohol as you did he appeared completely unaffected, walking with his head held high. As the two of you went, you realized that the area had become less populated and the buzz of the festival was beginning to dull.

“It seems we have wandered a bit too far.” Looking around, you realized you were in a more wooded area of the park, something your mother always forbade you to do. A dark walk in that part of the park will leave your reputation in tatters. “Let us turn back now.”

But turning to Megumi, you saw the look in his eyes had shifted. Taking a step back, you gasped at feeling your back hit a tree and Megumi’s hand planted itself right near your head.

“Your Highness, I enjoyed our time together so much I fear I do not want it to end.” His voice had dropped lower and he dared to bring his face closer to yours. Turning your head away, you felt your nerves prick and you brought your fan up to your face to try and shield yourself.

“Y-yes but-”

“There is no need to be shy, not here.” Megumi attempted to remove your fan but you held strong and he did not push it; something you were grateful for. If it had been Sukuna, you know much more would have happened already. “I know how he treats you, Your Highness.” That admittance made you snap to attention.

“Please, do not say anything.” You pleaded, lowering your fan slightly.

“I would never do anything to hurt you, you must understand. It is deplorable how the Prince treats his new wife and I do not stand for it.” Megumi tried again to remove your fan and you let him, let him tuck it into your reticule. He linked the tips of your fingers together and you gasped; this was the first time you were touching the bare hand of a man that you weren’t related to and it sent shivers up your spine.

“Your Highness, will you allow me to show you how I would treat you?” Megumi’s voice was now a whisper against your lips and you barely whispered a yes before he was kissing you. It was gentle and slow, allowing you to ease into the feeling of your second kiss.

You slowly brought your other hand up to rest on Megumi’s shoulder as he deepened the kiss, his unoccupied hand daring to grip your waist through your dress. Tilting your head to the side you let him kiss down your neck and to the middle of your chest. Megumi let out a soft groan when your fingers slowly tangled into his hair and he shifted, daring to start lifting up the skirt of your dress.

“Tell me to stop, Your Highness. Tell me and I will.” Megumi half begged, his lips desperate against yours. You shook your head in response - you weren’t sure you could say anything at the moment. Palming over your undergarments, Megumi’s hand was quickly reaching the apex of your thighs, something that was lighting your skin on fire.

“Lord Fushiguro…” You sighed quietly and subtly shifted your legs a bit farther apart for him. Just as his fingers began to inch further towards your heat, Megumi was ripped away from you with a shout.

“You fucking bastard!” Even in the dim light you could tell it was Sukuna who had caught you and was now gripping Megumi by the collar as they tustled on the ground.

“Y-Your Highness, run away!” Megumi yelled, rolling over and managing to hold Sukuna off from punching him.

“Stop!” You cried, daring to get closer to try and pull them apart.

“Leave!” Megumi shouted once more, enraging Sukuna now that he could understand.

“You tried to take advantage of her, you devil!” He yelled and the pair quickly dissolved into another wrestling match on the ground. You could see both landed a few hits on the other and you couldn’t bear to see either of them hurt.

“Lord Fushiguro!” You fell to your knees at the sigh of Sukuna landing a punch square on the man’s jaw, knocking him senseless. Sukunas breathing was labored as he stood above the man, brushing off the dirt he’d accumulated.

“You. Never- never see again.” His words in the language were broken and he glanced at you for a moment. “You, never go again.” Ignoring the threatening words, you tried to go to Megumi to assess his injuries.

“Let me see him.” You fought against Sukuna, the way he held you back so easily frustrated you. “Let me see him!” Reaching out an arm, you groaned as Sukuna hugged your arms to your chest.

“Your Highness.” Megumi raised his head slightly, giving you a pained smile while a purple bruise was blooming on his face. “Please, do not be upset.” In any other situation you’d find Megumi’s accent delightfully charming and wish to hear it a hundred times over. “Go home and rest.”

“Silence.” Sukuna growled, spitting on Megumi as he walked by with you in tow. It was difficult to compose yourself enough to get through the gardens and back to the barouche but somehow you managed with only the grace the Queen's diamond could summon.

The ride back to the chateau was disgusting with the tension that filled the space. The air had cooled now, helping to dry the sweat that had collected on both of you during your outing. As soon as you stepped foot inside, Sukuna cornered you against the wall.

“Explain to me what happened.” He ordered, not being gentle as he shoved you to stop you from escaping.

“Do not handle me in such a manner.” You bit back with a shove of your own. The two of you stared at each other, eyes dripping with venom and it was you that broke the tension first. “I am merely playing the part of a royal, am I not?”

“Be quiet.”

“No! It was you that told me this is how royalty does it! You that said you would never be faithful to me.” Your face was uncomfortably hot and your shouting pushed Sukuna back some. “You set the tone for this marriage and I am simply following your lead.” Sniffling back angry tears, the vision of Megumi beaten and bloody on the ground flashed in front of your eyes. “You have no right to be angry when it was you who made the rules we are to follow.”

Sukuna sighed angrily, running a hand through his hair. What you said was true no matter how much he wanted to deny it. It was he that told you how your married life would be and although he expected you to be upset, he didn’t expect for you to also do the same to him.

“You will never see him again, I hope you understand that.” Was what he said in response. You merely shook your head in disagreement, pulling your fan out to cool yourself.

“You have no right to say that when you will surely go to that parlor tonight as you have done every other night since our arrival.”

“I am your husband-”

“And I am your wife!” You countered, tossing your fan to the ground. “Or does that mean nothing to you? Am I merely just the Queens diamond that you were so happy to pluck and place upon a shelf?”

Both of your breathing was labored and you could practically see steam rolling off Sukuna as he tried to think of what to say next. His hands curled and uncurled, his shoulders rolled and that was when you finally took notice of the bloody lip and blossoming bruise on the side of his neck. With a cut above the eyebrow and remnants of a bloody nose, he looked much like a young boy that had been caught in a fight and not a regal crown prince.

“I do not have to explain myself to you.” His eyes were trained on the floor and he dared not move them. “You are right, it was indeed I that said I would never be faithful. But I see now that those words have hurt us both and…and I wish for that all to stop now.” Finding the courage to look at your face, makeup ruined by all the tears and your face scrunched up in disbelief, Sukuna sighed again. “I do not want to break your heart.” That earned him a slap on the face, something that shocked him so terribly he stumbled back and knocked into a table in the foyer.

“Heartbreak is one thing, my ego is another.” Shaking off your stinging hand, you picked up your discarded fan. “If what you say is true, then I accept it. I do not want this partnership to continue in such a way.” Fixing your clothes, you froze at what Sukuna said next.

“You know Princess, I quite liked you slapping me like that.” He chuckled and raised his brow, biting his lip as you made eye contact. You stammered to make a response but found no words were coming forward and that made Sukuna laugh even more. “Go get ready for bed, Princess. I’d like for us to go out to the country tomorrow.”

[visualtaehyun]

I already spent way too much time watching and dissecting this episode so let's get right into it!

Disclaimer: not a native Thai speaker, still learning 🙏

Title

คลื่นกลางมหาสมุทร /khluen glaang mahasamut/ = waves/ripples amidst the ocean

-> "Echoes Across the Endless Blue" sounds super pretty and, most obviously, it seems to refer to Rak's panic attack underwater

Writer Tongrak

Love that Mut's shirt matches the tassel curtains in Rak's room lol

I copied down the entirety of the 4 articles Mut found but I don't have time right now to translate them so let's just breeze over the last two right now-

The articles mention two of Rak's novels (irl they're MAME's obviously): - "The Boy Next World คนละกาลเวลา" aka the new BossNoeul series - "Love Director วาดรักกํากับใจ" aka the novels Prapai's uncle Frost is from

ViMook

their pronoun use: มุก /Mook/ -> พี่(วี) /phi (Vi)/ and พี่ /phi/ -> มุก /Mook/

A->B is to be understood as I->you, meaning Mook calls herself by name and Vi does so vice versa, and, because Vi is the older one, they both refer to her as พี่ /phi/

The name of Vi's script is so on the nose omg

กลพรางนางมารร้าย /gon phraang naang maan raai/ "The Devil's Tricks"

-> นาง /naang/ specifically means a woman, นางมารร้าย /naang maan raai/ can mean villainess, evil woman, demoness, ...think femme fatale, too. For reference, "The Devil Wears Prada" is called นางมารสวมปราด้า /naang maan suam Prada/ in Thai.

-> as far as I can make out, the cover says 'written and directed by วรรณรัตน์ รัตนเดช' (no clue what it says below his name) - that's Love Sea's art director:

And because I just about lost it at Vi leaving her underwear out for Mook to clean, here's our dearest pearl holding Vi's lacy undies hehehe

I keep calling her pearl btw because that's what her name means- ไข่มุก /khai mook/ = pearl

รางวัลสำหรับเลขาคนเก่ง /raang-wan sam-rap leh-khaa khohn geng/

-> เก่ง /geng/ is the same compliment Mut gives Rak later:

...and what got fittingly translated as "Quite the biter":

กัดเก่งเลยน่ะ /gat geng loei na/

ชาติที่แล้วเป็นหมารึไง /chaat thee laaeo bpen maa reu ngai?/ = Were you a dog in your previous life or what?

More from and about Rak

This translation took me out, it's so fitting and funny:

เสร็จแล้ว ปล่อยแล้ว ก็กลับไปได้แล้ว /set laaeo, bplaawy laaeo - gaaw glap bpai dai laaeo/ = Finished/Came, released - then you can go back now.

ก็ใครจีบพี่สุดหล่อติดน่ะ /gaaw khrai jip phi soot laaw dtit na/ = Well, whoever's gonna succeed in pursuing that handsome Phi (Rak).

พา���ปกินข้าวหน่อย /phaa bpai gin khaao naawy/ -> หน่อย /naawy/ softens the request which kinda surprised me after he came in so fiercely with the possessiveness (that he immediately denied lol)

She calls herself พี่ /phi/ as in Rak's literal older sister! The credits tell me her name is ของขวัญ /khaawng khwan/ = gift, present

[gatheredfates]

On the Topic of Plagiarism:

I decided to make my own post rather that co-oping @thefreelanceangel's because, despite having her full and enthusiastic permission to do so, what I'm talking about is somewhat adjacent to her point and entirely inspired BY the fact she tagged @riftdancing—particularly Blink—and I wanted to demonstrate examples of incidence were coincidence and consent do not immediately equate to plagiarism; it's ultimately about intent, and you do not need to tear yourself up on the inside if you find someone with a similar idea to yours, provided neither of you have gone out of your way to copy each other.

First, please meet the troops:

On the left is Miss Koret Swan. On the right is Miss Blink Vaniro. As I so delicately summed up:

It would be easy to surmise, based on this alone, that one of us copied the other person. However, both of these are old characters, written in a time and space where neither of us knew each other, and the similarities have always been a cause for laughter and playful teasing rather than competition and spite. I made Koret in WoW as a sister to a wolf and lamb concept, and Pepper made Blink as a character to an overarching D&D campaign set in a sci-fi universe.

What I'm trying to say is that, whilst plagiarism is absolutely a bad thing, as someone with anxiety over this sort of thing, you do not need a wholly 100% original idea in order to write and roleplay publicly, and many ideas share overt similarities to others that deviate the moment you peel back the veneer.

Koret and Blink are both 'pirates'. Koret is a privateer (said with all the sarcasm a privateer entails; a pirate with the proper papers) and Blink is a sky pirate. All of Kor's theming is around the ocean, particularly the deep ocean, and Blink's is all about the sky and the freedom it gives. But they both have wolf motifs. Kor has had a sister, Blink has had a brother.

What makes these characters different is the way that we explore them and how these broad ideas become niche based on the concepts we want to expand on as writers. What makes them different is that neither was written despite (or even in spite) of the other, nor did one of us look at the other and go 'oh, i want to do x with y because i think it'll be better'.

There are dozens of femme fatal concepts out there. There are heaps of bad-ass men. If I had a dollar for every knight character that was in xiv alone, I'd still be a rich woman. Hell, I know for a fact that my star-gazing viera is certainly not the first of her kind, nor will she be the last. I can coexist in spaces with people who have these similar concepts because I know there's enough deviation between those characters, as I have spent the time cultivating a niche story for mine where broad concepts are more set-dressing than the actual meat and potatoes of the character.

If you have the ick about someone copying you, especially if you have a negative history with them or the person is being weird, you're probably right on the money. I have had characters of mine blatantly ripped off for the former. But this is more for the reassurance of people who are like 'I don't want a pink-themed miqo'te because I know one already exists' or 'I don't want to play with a spore druid concept because I know one exists' (i'm using my own miqo'te here as an example, LMAO). You can have a primadonna, pink miqo'te who lives in Ishgard and is clawing her way to the tippy top of the high houses and I wouldn't stress because my primadonna, pink miqo'te is currently knee-deep in a bog because she heard she can find peat mummies there. They're not the same. They share similarities, but they're not the same.

Write it because you think it's fun. Not because you've seen x's concept be popular and you want a slice of it. Not because you want a ship similar to y's and you're going to gush about how much you love it and try to mosey in with a knock-off (no, this has never happened to me, what do you mean?). You're not going to have the same amount of fun!! It won't be the same!!

But also, at the same time, don't rob yourself of an opportunity to play with a concept because someone else is already doing it, especially if it's just a trope. People can tell the difference and they will embrace it if you're earnest.

You may even find someone like I found Pepper. We laughed at it. Then we made an AU and shipped them. They're kissing. They are stabbing. They are kissing and stabbing each other.

[hedgehog-moss]

Inspired by your last ask! What are the best French books you’ve read that have no English translation yet? I read Play Boy and Qui a tué mon père (really loved the latter) last year and it feels so fun to read something that other Americans can’t access yet

I'm too nervous to make any list of the Best XYZ Books because I don't want to raise your expectations too high! But okay, here's my No English Translation-themed list of books I've enjoyed in recent years. I tried to make it eclectic in terms of genre as I don't know what you prefer :)

Biographies

• Le dernier inventeur, Héloïse Guay de Bellissen: I just love prehistory and unusual narrators so I enjoyed this one; it's about the kids who discovered the cave of Lascaux, and some of the narration is written from the perspective of the cave <3 I posted a little excerpt here (in English).

• Ces femmes du Grand Siècle, Juliette Benzoni: Just a fun collection of portraits of notable noblewomen during the reign of Louis XIV, I really liked it. For people who like the 17th century. I think it was Emil Cioran who said his favourite historical periods were the Stone Age and the 17th century but tragically the age of salons led to the Reign of Terror and Prehistory led to History.

• La Comtesse Greffulhe, Laure Hillerin: I've mentioned this one before, it's about the fascinating Belle Époque French socialite who was (among other things) the inspiration for Proust's Duchess of Guermantes. I initially picked it up because I will read anything that's even vaguely about Proust but it was also a nice aperçu of the Belle Époque which I didn't know much about.

• Nous les filles, Marie Rouanet: I've also recommended this one before but it's such a sweet little viennoiserie of a book. The author talks about her 1950s childhood in a town in the South of France in the most detailed, colourful, earnest way—she mentions everything, describes all the daft little games children invent like she wants ageless aliens to grasp the concept of human childhood, it's great.

I'll add Trésors d'enfance by Christian SIgnol and La Maison by Madeleine Chapsal which are slightly less great but also sweet short nostalgic books about childhood that I enjoyed.

Fantasy

• Mers mortes, Aurélie Wellenstein: I read this one last year and I found the characters a bit underwhelming / underexplored but I always enjoy SFF books that do interesting things with oceans (like Solaris with its sentient ocean-planet), so I liked the atmosphere here, with the characters trying to navigate a ghost ship in ghost seas...

• Janua Vera, Jean-Philippe Jaworski: Not much to say about it other than they're short stories set in a mediaeval fantasy world and no part of this description is usually my cup of tea, but I really enjoyed this read!

Essays / literary criticism / philosophy

• Eloge du temps perdu, Frank Lanot: I thought this was going to be about idleness, as the title suggests, and I love books about idleness. But it's actually a collection of short essays about (French) literature and some of them made me appreciate new things about authors and books I thought I knew by heart, so I enjoyed it

• Le Pont flottant des rêves, Corinne Atlan: Poetic musings about translation <3 that's all

• Sisyphe est une femme, Geneviève Brisac: Reflections about the works of female writers (Natalia Ginzburg, Virginia Woolf, Sylvia Townsend Warner, etc) that systematically made me want to go read the author in question, even when I'd already read & disliked said author. That's how you know it's good literary criticism

Let's add L'Esprit de solitude by Jacqueline Kelen which as the title suggests, ponders the notion of solitude, and Le Roman du monde by Henri Peña-Ruiz which was so lovely to read in terms of literary style I don't even care what it was about (it's philosophy of foundational myths & stories) (probably difficult to read if you're not fully fluent in French though)

Did not fit in the above categories:

• Entre deux mondes by Olivier Norek—it's been translated in half a dozen languages, I was surprised to find no English translation! It's a crime novel and a pretty bleak read on account of the setting (the Calais migrant camp) but I'd recommend it

• Saga, Tonino Benacquista: Also seems to have been translated in a whole bunch of languages but not English? :( I read it ages ago but I remember it as a really fun read. It's a group of loser screenwriters who get hired to write a TV series, their budget is 15 francs and a stale croissant and it's going to air at 4am so they can do whatever they want seeing as no one will watch it. So they start writing this intentionally ridiculous unhinged show, and of course it acquires Devoted Fans

Books that I didn't think existed in English translation but they do! but you can still read them in French if you want

• Scrabble: A Chadian Childhood, Michaël Ferrier: What it says on the tin! It's a short and well-written account of the author's childhood in Chad just before the civil war. I read it a few days ago and it was a good read, but then again I just love bittersweet stories of childhood

• On the Line, Joseph Ponthus: A short diary-like account of the author's assembly line work in a fish factory. I liked the contrast between the robotic aspect of the job and the poetic nature of the text; how the author used free verse / repetition / scansion to give a very immediate sense of the monotony and rhythm of his work (I don't know if it's good in English)

• The End of Eddy, Edouard Louis: The memoir of a gay man growing up in a poor industrial town in Northern France—pretty brutal but really good

• And There Was Light, Jacques Lusseyran: Yet another memoir sorry, I love people's lives! Jacques Lusseyran lost his sight as a child, and was in the Resistance during WWII despite being blind. It's a great story, both for the historical aspects and for the descriptions of how the author experiences his blindness

• The Adversary: A True Story of Monstrous Deception, Emmanuel Carrère: an account of the Jean-Claude Romand case—a French man who murdered his whole family to avoid being discovered as a fraud, after spending his entire adult life pretending to be a doctor working at the WHO and fooling everyone he knew. Just morbidly fascinating, if you like true crime stuff

[smalldolly]

[zeewritez]

The Sailor and The Samurai - I

Mizu x Femme Shipmate/Pirate Reader

Hi my lovelies! I haven't updated in so long and I'm sorry but college has been kicking my ass. (Why tf am I studying biochemistry - because I hate myself). Anyways, I hope to update my other stories soon (I've had chapters for months now, they just need to be edited lol). So for now, here's a little BES fic because I'm in love with this show :)

(Notes: Reader's father is Irish in the fic but she will not be described physically except for having super long curly hair because I like projecting my hair goals onto stories, also I will be using he/him pronouns for Mizu since they are currently being perceived as a man.)

Part 2 now out

Y/n woke up with a splitting headache from the rum she had the previous night. She made a note to self to not attempt to out drink her father, even if he was pushing 60. Rolling out of her cot, she slipped on a blouse and trousers she had acquired from a crew mate at some point. They barely fit, but it was far better than the dresses and corsets she wore whenever they docked back home.

She walked onto the deck just in time to watch over the vast ocean as they approached the isolated island of Japan. She'd been there many times in her career but had only ever been to the ports to assist with loading goods when the crew needed it. Today, there was no need. Instead, she watched with mild curiosity from the crow's nest as crates were loaded onto The Banshee.

The cargo seemed standard: silks, swords, exotic fish. The things nobles in England dreweld over. Yet the passengers were anything but standard. Y/n could barely believe her eyes when the infamous Abijah Fowler was brought on board with guards on each side of him. He was brought to the detention cell, which would have otherwise been used when her father was tired of a crewmate's drunken antics.

Y/n was so taken aback by Fowler's presence she nearly missed the passenger behind him: a young man, a few years older than y/n herself, clad in Japanese garb and yellow glasses. It seemed odd to her, as it was rather overcast outside but she didn't give it a second thought. What she was truly curious about was why Abijah Fowler was on their vessel.

As the ship took sail, she climbed down from the nest and made her way to the detention cell with a curious, if not mischievous, grin.

"I never thought you'd be joining us for London," she teased as she stood outside of his cel, as though dangling her freedom like a carrot. She did not like Fowler one bit, but she found him almost as amusing as she found him vile. Entertainment was hard to come by at sea, so who could really blame her?

"Well I for one am always happy to see you," he said, grabbing her hand through the bars and kissing her knuckles. She rolled her eyes as she pulled her hand back from him.

"What brings you back to the isle?" she asked. "My father doesn't even enjoy England, and he's still in good standing, legally speaking."

"Perhaps he's a better Irishman then me," Fowler said with a shrug. "What does it matter to you?"

The girl looked up in faux innocence. "Oh, I'm just curious."

"Well, why don't you hunt down the samurai that's on board and he can let you know why I'm going back to London," Fowler finally told her. "You've picked up quite a bit of Japanese, haven't ya?"

"Alright, I'll see you around then," she said as she turned to leave.

"You have your mother's rear!" He shouted out, as though y/n had forgotten why she had disliked the man so much. She said a silent prayer thanking the heavens he wasn't roaming freely as she roamed the ship looking for the mysterious man with glasses, which was simple enough.

He stood on the poop deck, staring out onto the ocean, as anyone who has ever treaded water has. The waters had a way of commanding one's attention.

"Hello good sir," the young woman greeted she climbed the stairs, stopping to curtsey out of habit. She'd managed to have some resemblance of good manners despite being raised at sea by a captain with a drinking habit.

The young man stared at her, which was a common response from many men upon seeing her for the first time, regardless of national origin. In fact, Englishmen seemed most taken aback by her appearance. Her hair was long and unkempt, falling down her back in ringlets instead of being pinned into an updo of a proper lady. Her shirt nearly fell from her shoulders and around her neck was a long, beaded necklace that seemed to trail down between her breasts. Y/n giggled at the man's reaction, having expected nothing less.

"Oh, I'm sorry," he spoke casting his eyes away from her eyes out of embarrassment, then down to her strange necklace, then back up to her eyes.

"Don't worry about it," she said, leaning against the Banshee's railing. "It is lovely to make your acquaintance, may I ask your name?"

"Mizu," he answered, finally less taken aback by the strange woman. "And you are?*

"Y/n," she said, reaching out her hand limply, again out of habit more than anything else. Mizu looked at her with pure confusion, almost fear. Y/n giggled again, this time to hide her embarrassment. "It is expected to kiss a lady's hand where we're going."

Mizu nodded and cautiously took the girl's hand, which was smaller then her own, and cool to the touch from the ocean winds. He kissed it with the gentleness most men she encountered lacked.

"You'll make a proper gentleman," y/n remarked as she retrieved her hand once again and placed it under her head. She scanned Mizu as had her. Admittedly he was rather dashing. So much so she'd forgotten what she was originally there to ask him. Fowler was the last thing on her mind. "What's with the spectacles?" she asked.

"My eyes are unnatural back home," he told her.

"Is that so?" Y/n asked rhetorically. Perhaps without thought for personal space, she leaned forward and took the yellow frames from the man's face. She was greeted with eyes that would put the sea herself to shame. "You needn't wear these anymore, your eyes are beautiful." The young sailor folded the glasses and handed them back to the blue eyed man.

A small smile graced Mizu's face at the first genuine compliment he'd heard in regard to his eyes. He looked over the beautiful yet foreign face of the woman in front of him. The journey to London was certainly something to look forward to now.

[allens-chocolate-dreams]

An introduction to all my Sidesteps!

Details under the cut.

Ollie Gardener

- Technically Oliver Gardener, but nobody calls them that.

- Nonbinary transmasc, they/them pronouns, pansexual, Latine.

- Puppet is a short Latina lady called Yasmin, and villain name is Nerium, coming from the scientific name of their favorite toxic flowers: oleanders. Armor appearance varies by playthrough, but is usually flower-themed.

- Blue leaning stats for the most part, tech savvy tactician, Puppetmaster scar with Justice motivation, sui tag true, either Anarchist or "prepare them" Hero Hunter depending on playthrough. Base is the tech shop.

- Is very manipulative, uses their cute appearance and tastes for soft colors and clothing to their advantage, very calculating despite being empathetic. Obsessed with plants, especially flowers, and has a fascination for fungi, specifically mushrooms as well. They're an artist, and frequently paints nature in their free time when they're not being dragged down by their faulty mental health.

- Has a vice on sweets.

- Romance path varies, but has had feelings for Julia, Daniel, and Argent.

- Has scoliosis and chronic lower back pain, uses a cane when leaving the house.

Chris Bunny

- Trans woman, she/her pronouns, bisexual, half-Japanese + half White Brazilian.

- Puppet is a tall mixed woman named Alice, and her villain identity is Puppetmaster.

- Orange leaning stats for Daring and Arrogance, and high Infamy, but her wavering empathy keeps her from being a full Orangestep. Streetsmart tactician, varies between Friendless and Puppetmaster scar, and between Anger or Revenge motivation, depending on playthrough. Mob Boss who's friendly with her crew and showed them her face and base. Base is in the luxury property. Armor is Imposing.

- She's reckless, loves to banter and fight even being a tactician, and despite being very driven and able to be quite ruthless, she's got a strong grip on her morals and lines she won't cross for the most part. However, she is still of the opinion that the ends justify the means. Passionate and stubborn, struggles with caring too much about others when she's supposed to be detached in order to be safe and achieve her goals. Can be very caring when she allows herself to be. Has a lot of hobbies, but the main ones include reading children's books, fashion, singing and playing guitar.

- Main vice is sweets, but drinks alcohol when she hits rock bottom as well.

- Main romance path is Ortega, but has also been with Daniel or Argent in some playthroughs.

- Has mild scoliosis and chronic pain in her hands, especially her right wrist due to repeated injury. Sensitive skin can get easily irritated from various materials.

Nathane Mariom

- Femme-leaning Bigender, she/they pronouns, asexual lesbian, White.

- Puppet is a tall White man named Nate, villain identity is Decayed.

- Blue leaning stats for the most part, but ruthless levels are unstable. Tech savvy tactician, Friendless scar with Revenge motivation, sui tag true, Anarchist who wants to break the system. Base is in the tunnels. Armor varies between Mysterious and Terrifying.

- She's apathetic, shy but blunt, struggles with recognizing her own emotions, has severe depression and does not take care of herself at all. Doesn't know how to connect to people, and though they're not openly malicious, struggles to set limits for themselves in their villainy, which often hurts a lot more people than they acknowledge. Fucked up tendencies they're not completely aware of. Main hobby is doodling and learning about ocean creatures, especially whales, sharks and jellyfish.

- Has a vice on coffee and extremely caffeinated energy drinks.

- Main romance path is the poly with Argent and Julia, though they have also been involved with Mortum as the puppet in some paths.

- Has widespread chronic pain and fatigue, likely due to fibromyalgia worsened by trauma and nerve damage. Used to just suffer without support, but as of Retribution and Revelations, has gotten a manual wheelchair with power assist and an upright rollator to help with the pain in their daily life. Sometimes uses a single crutch around the house.

Matheus Carvalho

- Trans man, he/him pronouns, gay, Black with a Brazilian heritage.

- Puppet is a short Black man named João, villain identity is Fallen.

- Bluestep, very empathetic, though there's some minor arrogance there depending on playthrough. Tech savvy tactician, Outsider scar with Fate motivation, sui tag true, varies between Hero Hunter and Anarchist. Base is in the tech shop. Villain armor varies between Mysterious and Functional.

- He's empathetic, prefers to be gentle when he can, is quiet and very shy, struggles with getting close to people or believing he's able to make connections. His beliefs in Fate are very strong, and he believes he's doomed to fall and fail no matter what, which both comforts and terrifies him. Has an all-or-nothing approach to things, struggles with nuance and rigid thinking. Despite everything, he tries his best to be kind and tell the truth when he's able to. At the same time, struggles with transitions between lies and truth, and as such often gets caught up in trouble when he holds on to a single instance for too long. Hobbies include baking, fashion, reading poetry and practicing capoeira.

- Has a vice on both sweets and coffee.

- Main romance path is the poly with Ricardo and Chen.

- Has significant scoliosis, chronic pain in both his lower back and right leg, uses a cane for balance as well as to take the weight off his painful joints. Has sensory processing disorder and episodic migraines, which his tinted glasses help with.

Zenith Orionis

- Nonbinary, zie/hir, aroace-spec panromantic, very mixed.

- Puppet is a short mixed woman named Carina, villain identity is Hunger.

- Maxed out Daring and Arrogance stats with extremely high Empathy to balance it out. Tech savvy tactician, Hunger scar with Better Life motivation, sui tag true, art Thief who's very good at hir job. Villain base varies, armor is Terrifying.

- Zie's chaotic, mischievous, thrill seeking, self-destructive and hyperactive to cover up the fact that hir senses are dulled and hir senses of personhood and connection to the world are messed up. Zie's usually kinda sweet, if snarky, and doesn't mean to cause unnecessary harm, but will often do so due to hir reckless behavior. Has a distorted mentality when it comes to the logics of villainy and manipulation, genuinely believes that zie's doing good by hurting the heroes and giving them a "challenge", for example. Constantly looking for intense sensory feelings, which makes it drawn to eyestrain, Scene and Weirdcore stuff, fidget toys, snacks with strong flavors, and abstract art. Has a special interest in space and galaxy stuff, which is where hir name comes from, and hir main hobbies include art and singing.

- Has an extreme sweet vice, but will often indulge in caffeine and alcohol as well.

- Romance path is with Danny.

- Has chronic pain and nerve damage in hir right shoulder, lower back, left hip, both knees and right ankle. Uses very colorful crutches to get by in civilian life, and relies on hir armor's pain management systems for villain work.

And these are all my Sidesteps! I hope you like them ^_^

[femmefatalevibe]

Hello, Femme!

I would like your advice on a couple of things, if that's okay. This is a lot, so I apologize.

I am young and nearing my 20's, and I am only recently trying to learn how to invest in myself, my self-care/wellbeing, and my future.

I've grown up in poverty, in a male-dominant household, and my mother (the only other woman in the house) was emotionally and physically absent for most of my childhood so I was never taught proper hygiene, self-care and in general really crucial things that a woman should know. I think also because of these factors (as well as sexual assault history and being afraid of predators), I've never learned how to be in tune with my body and its needs and how to be feminine, and how to embrace it.

I've been trying to find female role models on Youtube, but the sheer amount of channels and content has me overwhelmed. In other aspects of my life aside from physical care, I have no clue what I'm doing and what I should do.

I'm making almost $900 a month thanks to my dad's SS benefits because he's retired, and I want to get the things that I need/want (physical self-care, exercise equipment, room decorations/furniture, clothing, etc.) as well as investing in the future (car, apartment, etc.). Do you have some ideas as to what I should get or recommended channels on women's health and self-care?

Lastly, what does femininity mean to you? What does it mean to be feminine or a woman? I understand that it's a very subjective question, but I would really appreciate your outlook on it. :)

I hope this explains my circumstances well and I hope I wrote my questions well enough for you to understand.

I hope you have a wonderful day!

Hi love,

I'm so glad you're here <3 Proud of the headspace you've managed to acquire at such a young age.

I would say the most important self-care and women's health things you can do is to get the basics down in a way that realistic and sustainable for you. These healthy habits include:

Eating healthy meals (more than once!) per day and healthy snacks as necessary and getting any necessary vitamin supplements you need (like b12 or additional vitamin d)

Drink plenty of water

Limit/eliminate highly processed foods or drinks (calories are just a form of energy, so be more mindful of where they come from on a daily basis–– don't be afraid of them but don't neglect laws of thermodynamics lol)

Get plenty of sleep (7-9 hours every/most nights)

5-7x week/movement (walking/a simple exercise routine or sport you love)

Hygiene (skincare, shower, haircare, nailcare, laundry, house cleaning)

For health/workout-related ideas based on your question, I would recommend the following YouTubers:

Natacha Oceane

Caroline Girvan

Lilly Sabri

Pamela Reif

As for what feminity means to me, it's a tough answer to articulate, so I hope this covers it:

Unlearning patriarchial ideas to discover, validate, and act on your own needs, desires, goals, and pursuits of pleasure without shame and/or allowing it to in any way dictate how you perceive your social currency (especially in relation to the patriarchy).

Hope this helps xx