#phryne would be bored to

[avoteforme]

running amok now but in search of a fandom where some of the toxic masculine traits are ~explored (preferably where the male mc is called jack- this is the year of jack for me so far btw mfmm and 'the artful dodger')

bored if there is no m/f conflict

[madamebaggio]

Since you're asking for promts, and you just reblogged Phryne and Jack, how about...

They finally have a first kiss.

Phryne - Good that you finally gathered the courage to do that

Fun fact: Phryne and Jack are one of the very rare canon ships I absolutely love.

So this was a delight.

***

Phryne loved first kisses.

The wait, the expectation, the first touch of someone’s lips… She could predict how well a relationship would go based just on that first kiss.

When it came to Jack she’d kind of… Giving up on it ever happening. Except for that -supposed -fake kiss he’d given her ages ago, he’d never made another move.

At some point, she’d convinced herself the chase would always be better, and if they ever did anything about it, it’d be disappointing.

Like waiting so long for something, dreaming so much about it, that reality was just plain boring.

She should’ve known Jack would find a way to make it better.

He always surprised her in the best possible ways.

Like crowding her against her own piano. Like putting his hand on her nape. Like kissing her without even saying a word.

And what a kiss it was. It was slow, mind-melting, breath-taking. He kissed her with a single-minded determination, as if he could do this the whole night and he would -just to learn all of her.

He refused to be rushed, even when he sat her down on the piano -fortunately the fallboard was closed, or the whole house would’ve heard that. Even as he stepped in between her legs and let one of his hands fall to her thigh.

Jack kissed her as if he had nothing but time to do this.

Until she was breathless and light-headed.

“Well…” She took a deep breath in when they finally parted. “Good that you finally gathered the courage to do that.”

He smirked at her. “Since it took me so long, you won’t mind if I do it again, right?”

No, she would not. Because as far as first kisses went, this one was completely new.

[jennycalendar]

Dot/Hugh?

precious perfect fluffy baby bunny rabbits. there is nothing cuter than the main couple's best friends also falling in love. and narratively speaking, i think that dot and hugh are so so sweet juxtaposed next to phryne and jack's struggle to figure out a romantic compromise that will allow them to be together! phryne is someone who does not want monogamy or marriage but supports dot's dreams wholeheartedly, only ever encouraging dot to advocate for what she wants within the relationship and not be confined by what she thinks she is supposed to want. it's so lovely to see the show making it clear that there are many ways to be happy instead of presenting dot as the Boring Weak Girl Trapped By Patriarchy. a lesser show would do that and so i always look at dot/hugh with my heart all soft.

[nivalvixen]

Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries for #moviemonday After World War I, Miss Phryne Fisher has soared to an unexpected inheritance while others have fallen. Set in 1920s Melbourne, Australia, Miss Fisher uses her newfound wealth to enjoy life to the fullest, all the while investigating gruesome murders and inexplicable crimes that occur. Sometimes while she's in the same building, others that people search her out to solve as she becomes known as the 'lady detective'. Phryne has a wit and charm about her that absolutely beguiling, especially when Inspector Jack Robinson is around. There's a chemistry between their characters that has literally made me yell at the TV for them to kiss already 😅 Dot and Hugh are sweet, Mr. Butler is an asset beyond compare (and does comedy well), and Cecil and Bert always seem to get roped into odd scenarios. I've truly enjoyed watching this show. It's oddly lighthearted for something involving murder and the whodunnit aspect is fun. Also, despite the fact I would never wear it, I am extremely jealous of Miss Fisher's wardrobe. Costuming department gets extra kudos for that ❤️ One thing is for sure: life around or with Miss Phryne Fisher is anything but boring. 9/10 I'll have to read the books and watch the spin-off series 😄 #tvshow #tvseries #missfishersmurdermysteries #missfisher #australian #aussietv https://www.instagram.com/p/CoSweEzSEfZ/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[aimmyarrowshigh]

Hello! 🛒 and 🧐 for the emoji asks maybe? (Also 🧠 for Phryne if you have any cool headcanons for her but no pressure!)

🛒 What are some common things you incorporate in your fics? Themes, feels, scenes, imagery, etc.

Food As A Metaphor For Love. If it's longer than a drabble, it's PROBABLY about characters either eating or preparing food together (or both) as their mode of falling in love/deepening their connection/getting over their misconceptions of each other/etc. I am truly incapable of writing any plotline OTHER THAN Food As A Metaphor For Love. Usually with a side of Righteous Belief Systems and marinated in Grief/Mourning of some persuasion. Could I write something other than characters eating or preparing food together? Arguably yes. Realistically, though, like, can I actually? No.

🧐 Do you spend much time researching for your stories?

SO MUCH. Even for drabbles -- especially for Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries and The Old Guard, so Historical Fandoms -- I'm going to put in the work to make sure that I'm not getting something MASSIVELY WRONG that SOMEONE MIGHT KNOW ABOUT because then I would be A HUMILIATED FOOL. Like the drabble I did for MFMM where I actually looked up the date the first juice bar in Australia opened, just in case they didn't exist yet in Miss Fisher's time, LOL. Or -- my Stucky longfic that I've been working on for 18 months, I not only looked up the correct torah portion for a given shabbat service in 1943 in the story, but which movie was playing at a specific movie theater in Washington, DC, on a given Friday night and which newsreel and cartoon were playing before it. BECAUSE WHAT IF SOMEONE KNOWS, AND I GOT IT WRONG. A FOOL! A HUMILIATED FOOL!

But then other things, I'm like, "IDK it works by Fiction," lol. But for tiny details no one will notice anyway? Oh, baby, I will look those up all day. Big details like "that giant plot hole over there"? Nope. Works by fiction. Because I said so. Deus ex machina. Etc.

🧠 Pick a character, and I'll tell you my favorite headcanon for them.

I am honestly like the worst person to ask for headcanons about MOST characters, because I feel like I'm extremely story-dependent for my headcanons. There are very few characters in ANY media that I have a Firm Headcanon about that isn't at least supported by metatext (like that character's appearances in another form of media, or interviews with the creator, or something).

I tend to have a fully built-out headcanon for every character in a given story I'm writing, but even when it's the 98th version of that character I've written, it'll be totally specific to THAT story and on canon and that's about it.

Like -- I know you asked about Phryne specifically, but I haven't written MFMM longfic (yet!) -- the Bucky for my Mega Longfic is a totally different Bucky than from the longfic I posted last week, so my headcanons about them are totally different, even though they're both based on canon and metatext (ie MCU!Bucky being based on Arnie Roth more than on comics!Bucky).

The idea of going into a story with an idea of who the character is NOT dependent on the needs of the story is stressing me out just thinking about it, lol.

I think that's why I almost always, inevitably, FERVENTLY DISAGREE with Popular Fanon about characters. Like... a) it almost never actually has anything to do with who that character is in canon at all and is based on some BNF's personal kinks or something, b) it doesn't make sense in most stories outside of AU OOC stuff that just doesn't interest me to write.

IDK. tl;dr I'm extremely boring and opinionated at the same time about this issue, LOL.

[margridarnauds]

choose violence, your choice in fandom: 18, 19, 20, 23, and 25

18. it's absolutely criminal that the fandom has been sleeping on...

Raphael's files for Act 3 in the datamines being "Raphael_Tango" haunts me day and night. It's the reason why I have the idiots dance a tango before corrupting their relationship. I have to live with this knowledge, day and night. Also the fucking. Dialogue for the epilogue that was cut. WHY? WHY DO THE GODS TAUNT US?

Also, the Bluebeard parallels drive me up a wall. I WANT my Perrault/ Bartok/Crimson Peak parallel/AU and regrettably I'm one of the only people who is the proper degree of unhinged to write it.

19. you're mad/ashamed/horrified you actually kind of like...

...I regret to tell you that playing Super Mario World, Super Mario Bros. 3, and Super Mario Wonder in short succession has unlocked a part of my brain that I thought I'd killed off or...at least....knocked unconscious with a large bat.

...I regret to tell you it's awake and I'm back to shipping Princess Peach/Bowser. ...I also have 0 thoughts on Ascended Astarion besides "no, that isn't the authorial intent and people really don't need to defend it or pretend like he isn't intended to be abusive, but also, people escalate the debate and add a nasty undercurrent of misogyny, so you know what? You have fun with your toxic vampire BF" but Evil!Shadowheart corrupting Selunite!Tav? ...yeah. Yeah.

20. part of canon you found tedious or boring

BG3, it isn't news that Act 3 lags and there are some sidequests I refuse to do a second time because I did my time and we're not doing it again. I really hate a lot of the combat, even if I'm no longer awful at it. Like, sure, I can fight Raphael, I've fought every major boss in the game at this point at Tactician level, but also, consider: I don't *like* it.

23. ship you've unwillingly come around to

Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, I've been watching it for YEARS but I NEVER understood the appeal of Jack/Phryne. I thought it would be her essentially giving up her independence for a man and that they might have a short-lived fling, but it would never go anywhere. I dragged my heels, I bitched, I moaned, I said I would never like it, that it was a mistake to not just adapt the books and make Jack happily married and Phryne in a steady but open relationship with Lin Chung.

...I finally came around to it this watch through.

25. common fandom complaint that you're sick of hearing

*Ronan Mazurier can't be older than 22 years old and he just watched his father be killed in front of him after he TRIED to help him, by an officer of the king, a nobleman who has extreme power over him so Ronan can never really give as good as he gets. He's frustrated, he's angry, he's hotheaded, he makes decisions that screw himself over, he makes decisions that screw other people over, he thinks with his heart and not his head, but he's also a KID, be nicer to him*

Like, it's 2024 and I'm here to fight for my boy.

In general, part of why I stopped doing public streams, besides my schedule no longer accommodating it, was that I really, really got tired of people watching musicals that were obviously near and dear to my heart, that I'd often spent upwards of a hundred dollars on and just....relentlessly shitting on them, especially over relatively minor things like historical inaccurate costumes. Like, excellent, Takarazuka productions don't often have 100% historical accurate costumes, now can we actually pay attention to the MUSICAL? What do you think about the MUSICAL? What do you think of this attempt by a Japanese theatrical revue to adapt 18th century French court clothing? What is this saying about the directorial intent? "I don't like--" I don't like your face, and yet here we are. "I don't like that 1789 pays too much attention to the OCs and not to the historical figures" -- It's called. 1789 -- Les Amants de la Bastille. Not 1789: Robespierre and the Gang's REALLY wacky summer. Admit the musical isn't your thing, enjoy the bops, sit the fuck down, and shut up.

[colbridgertons]

1x03||2x12 

Inspired by something I saw from @dorothy-williams and cannot for the life of me find again. Either way. this is your fault :) 

[olderthannetfic]

i've noticed something over the last 10+ years, and i've only recently put a name to it: the girlboss-ification of female characters. I'm usually in manga and "classical" fandoms. We all know that female characters get the short end of the stick when it comes to writing compelling characters, but in fanfics, it seems like more people would rather re-imagine their characters to "fic" them instead of writing the character with more focus on how they fit into the actual themes of the work. When people write Sakura from Naruto, they give her All the Things. every male character is in love with her. She's a tired, no nonsense, conflicted veteran in their fics. In the source material she gets a lot of questionable writing choices, but her purpose is to be a wallflower and an outsider who contributes more to Sasuke's arc in how no one is willing to understand him or his clan. Or they take characters like Helen of Troy and make her into this badass warrior with superior cunning and rage. In the Iliad, she's just a woman who is subject to fate just like the others there, but because she's a woman, she cannot be the subject of myth. So, she's constantly being torn between who she really is and who people think she is, being a woman in the present vs being an afterthought in myth. She's just as conflicted by her internal binaries as all the other demigods like Achilles, Hector, and Sarpedon. But this never makes it to people's stories. I don't think female characters need to do the same things as men to be interesting characters, but is it really so hard for people to imagine a quiet, reserved, typically feminine woman as being a good character with interesting themes and interiority? Is this the next stage of "I'm not like other girls" syndrome?

Was it always this way or has it become more prevalent recently?

--

People write eternally leveling up mary sues because they're fans of canons about eternally leveling up gary stus.

I'd argue that they understood Naruto's themes better than you did.

All those Weekly Jump series tell us over and over again, implicitly, that characters like Naruto and Sasuke matter. Whether they do good or evil, their thoughts, feelings, and dreams matter. Characters like Sakura get endlessly sidelined and then used as an epilogue het marriage reward.

Furthermore, consuming canons like Naruto teaches writers how to write arcs based on punching real good. It absolutely does not teach anyone how to write some subtler narrative about a reserved character. Those are often harder to write anyway, but they're certainly harder to write if you don't like that kind of content in the first place.

I don't think female characters need to do the same things as men to be interesting characters

This kind of statement always puts my back up because it tends to accompany a bunch of crying about how I should like genres I don't like or else I'm invalidating the crier's taste.

My mother was a great aficionado of those works about three generations of British women spending the summer in a house in Tuscany and somebody has terminal breast cancer they haven't revealed yet. In other words THE MOST BORING ART KNOWN TO HUMANKIND.

That shit is choc full of nuanced female characters who are valued for something other than punching stats. People who like that are already off consuming that. There are tons of them. It's a taste that is far more validated by society for a feminine woman than liking action movies despite action movies getting more respect in some quarters for not being a "chick" genre.

I'll certainly like a cerebral detective who has her way with any man she wants like Phryne Fisher or a nerdy disaster like Evy Carnahan, but traditionally feminine wallflowers without guns, horniness, ten times the brains of the surrounding men, etc. are everything I abhor in a character. I don't relate to their gender presentation and have often been told I ought to. (A common experience in fandom, frankly.) Wallflowerness is hard to write well, and it's not something I relate to either, nor do I find it fascinating in its difference from me.

Write your own aspirational heroines, dude.

Don't go looking in the least likely place and then get mad that you don't find what you're looking for.

(And yes, it has always been like this. Not least because what you're really complaining about is weak writing skills.)

[dorothyoz39]

So Amazon has SVU, not all of it, but a lot.... so I decided to go and watch properly, like from the beginning. To me this was a show I watched from time to time on tv and that I liked but with some reservations and that I had never seen properly from beginning to end. I however remember how the show was a lot about putting the victim at the center and dealing with all kinds of sexual violence and violence against women. I also remembered loving the main and supportive female characters on the show.

I remembered Olivia, Rollins, Finn, the Italian guy (I didn’t remember his name), the hot guy from Cold Case (again I didn’t remember his name and I knew him before from the other show so...), Barba, Kat, the crazy dude (Munch, who I remember his craziness and that I found him hilarious), Captain Cragen from L&O and an standard male cop from every cop show ever.

So I start watching season 1 and... Cragen is awesome as always, Munch and Finn are awesome. Olivia is “average female cop” and Stabler is “average male cop” and horrid. So after half a season of standard cop show but with sex crimes, I’ve had enough.

So I go and check when the most annoying element (Stabler) goes, I cross my fingers that means Cold Case’s guy comes in. I’m right. And suddenly the show it starts growing on it’s own, the characters start evolving and growing... and I’m seeing the SVU show I remembered better with the victims at the center, the complex and interesting female characters, etc....

From that moment (season 13) to where I’m at now (season 20) it has been awesome and a constant growth for the characters who had become more and more interesting and rounded. I miss Nick, I miss Rafa... Kat or Kate hasn’t appear yet but I think that’s because she comes in later on the show, but still the show is good, a lot better than I remembered.

Anyway... I have two questions. A stupid one and a serious one.

The stupid is “when Peter Boring Stone leaves??” And I hope it’s soon because I remember Sonny is the ADA later on and this guy is boooooring.... I know I loved Barba and you can’t have all your ADAs be the flamboyant kind (I swear Phryne would love Rafa), but this guy wins cases because he bores the court to death....

Now to the serious one.... why the show went from “standard cop show with sex crimes” to  “cool feminist show with great female characters and stories”? True I skipped a lot, but I swear I feel like I was watching 2 different shows. What happened there?

[onthesandsofdreams]

6SS: Phryne x Jack: Breakfast

“I find that I quite like this,” Jack breaks the comfortable silence of the table, “a quiet breakfast with you.”

Phryne looks up, a smile on her face, “I like it too.”

Jack leans back and returns the smile, “I am glad that I came.”

“I am glad that you came after me, Jack Robinson.”

“Phryne,” Jack says and his eyes bore into Phryne’s with intensity, “I would have regretted had I not done so.”

“And I would have been devastated,” Phryne admits easily.

[all-my-fandom-obsessions]

So I figured I should make a list of my fandoms so here are the shows I can always talk about:

- Sherlock

- SPN

- MUG

- FMA:B

- B99

And here are the ships I enjoy from other tv shows (Please note I do NOT love them all equally but the list is NOT in order) :

- Jackie & Hyde

* Coliver

- Malex

- Malec

* Delena

* Chuck & Blair

- Naley

- Haleb

- Mondler

- Tarlos

* Jaspenor

- Nick & Jess

- Lorelai & Luke

- Mary & Francis

- Bughead

- Buffy & Spike

- Olicity

- Piper & Leo

- Phryne & Jack

* - Im not sure I really ship them but I do enjoy the ship (some of them are toxic though so I pretend some of the scenes never happened)

Other tv shows I can talk about:

- OUAT

- Will & Grace

- Good Omens

- the Sandman

- iZombie

- New Amsterdam

- Merlin

- Scorpion

- The Good Place

- Dr House

- Elementary

- Charmed

- Beauty and the Beast

- Friends

- Heart of Dixie

- White Collar

- Suits

- Perception

- Dash & Lily

- Lucifer

- OMITB

- Comon Law

- Houdini & Doyle

- Disenchantment

All the dramas I can talk about:

- My girl

- Walk info your Memory

- Unforgettable love

- My demon

- Tiger and rose

- Forget you remember love (although most of the characters annoy me so much I could rant forever)

- Only for love

- MUG

- AMA

- Eternal love

- My little happiness

- Well-dominanted love (that he figured out in like five seconds that she made a mistake on purpose, that he doubled her salary twice in two days, how easily he knew she wasn’t lying, the finger pointing thing, I loved the best friend… and then it got boring)

- My gf is an alien (the whole make hormone is a drug and the thing she dropped makes her smell his chest thing was ridiculous but I liked when they grabbed his legs and made a scene, but his kind and helps her anyway, also her friendship with his brother - they have the same energy and I’m living for it, and that he saw her stop time and use telekinesis and he was just like “well, I know you’re hiding in here”, him being protective older brother and how quickly he cared about her and was always worried, also with was the “dolls kissing” scene, how quickly he chose making sure she’s not hurt over an important meeting)

- My love enlighten me (disappointing, I liked the will you marry me and registry, him calling her a cat, but they have not resolved their issues or talked it out so it would just repeat itself, some misunderstandings never been cleared, and the way they get back together feels weird and sztuczne)(but most of the time I liked the best friend)

- Lucky’s First Love

- Cute programmer

…

T. B. C.

[exlibrislaurac]

New Neighbours

A Phryne / Jack au story for @theloversthedreamersandme82

“Well, that wasn’t supposed to happen,” the apparition lifted her goggles and removed her mask to speak, even though the dust had barely settled. The whiteness frosted her hair, shoulders, forearms, in a way that made her large, dark eyes seem even larger and darker than they were. 

She glanced around in bemused dismay at the damage, still holding the sledgehammer as daintily as if it were a butter knife. “I honestly didn’t think I could take so much of the wall in one go.” A wheezing cough from the bed reminded her she was not only speaking to herself. She fixed her big, black eyes on the man, who, at the crash, had scrambled as high up the bed as he could go, and had been staring at her since. “I certainly didn’t mean to interrupt anyone’s peaceful repose; I’m terribly sorry. I believed in good faith that this was my wall.” 

“Who the hell are you?” the man blurted.

She lowered the sledgehammer. “Your new neighbour.” She stepped toward him and extended a hand warmly. “The Honourable Miss Phryne Fisher. It’s lovely to meet you - if a tad unexpected.”

He roused himself. Ignoring her hand, he took his dressing gown from the chair and pulled in on unsteadily. “Is it honourable to burst into someone’s bedroom at half-past ten on a Friday night?”

“A serious mis-calculation on my part; do forgive me. I’ll have it fixed as soon as I can, don’t worry.  Mr...?”

“Robinson.” He scowled. “Inspector Robinson.”

He had hoped she’d be cowed a little, but instead her face lit up in interest. “A police inspector? How exciting! At least, I assume police. Not ticket inspector… or building inspector! Now that would be ironic! Is this a load-bearing wall, do you suppose?”

She began to check the hole she had made with real concern. He savagely tightened the belt of his dressing gown and shoved his hands in his pockets. Then, since the initial shock had passed, surveyed the room and had to admit to himself there was no serious damage.

“It’s just plaster,” he said defeatedly. “This would have been one room before they turned the place into flats.”

“Now, see, that’s what I was trying to fix!” She stepped back into her own apartment. “It ought to be one room. It has the feel of one room.”

“It certainly does now.”

She turned back to him and looked through the hole with an expression that showed both amusement and genuine remorse at the same time. “I really am truly sorry. I ought to have been more careful - I’m not even a bit drunk! Then again, it’s being sober and bored that always gets me into trouble.”

“This happens a lot, then, does it?”

“Not this. Just trouble. But nothing I can’t handle, of course.”

“Of course.” He blinked slowly. She was irrepressible. He gave in.

“Let me make it up to you, Inspector Robinson. Come and have a drink with me,” she offered her hand again, through the gap. 

“Will it keep you out of more trouble?” he asked.

“Most assuredly.”

“Then I feel I have no choice,” he took her hand and stepped through. “If not for me, then for poor old Mrs Bradley on the other side.”

[floret-botanica]

Five headcanons: Merilwen/Egbert or Merilwen/Corazon / mercreatures or private eye AU?

Wow! I did all of it! (I also thought about adding a Dob/Corazón private eye-ish thing that’s been in my head for ages but that’s off topic)

I’m not sure if I’ve done this right but best attempts were made.

Merilwen/Corazón Mercreatures AU

Merman Corazón because yeah it does make sense for Merilwen to be a mermaid, but have you considered: it would be funny.

Setting: Urban fantasy where merfolk are Known To Be a Thing but generally keep to themselves.

Ecologist Merilwen who's just trying to get her job done.

Merilwen is initially very excited because "holy shit a merman who's talking to me, this could be super helpful" but Corazón wants attention and keeps fucking up her research ("Please stop killing things, you are not part of the study! You're basically a human man!" "Um, Merilwen, I'm actually in the environment, so... you're welcome. Put me in as the apex predator ;).")

Corazón is shirtless all the time and Merilwen assumes it's a normal merfolk thing but it simply is not.

Corazón stealths to avoid being seen by anyone who isn't Merilwen but leaves extremely obvious signs behind and she pretends to be oblivious just to confuse the other crewmates. (That trope where someone experiences supernatural phenomena but no one believes them except reversed).

Corazón 100% has the most ostentatious flashy tail that you've ever seen.

Merilwen starts taking more water-based projects so that they can talk to each other, and after ages maybe she buys a houseboat, or he gives her like... real pearls or something else expensive from the ocean and she gets a waterfront property built in a way that he can swim up into it.

Or maybe just do a thing where merfolk can get legs and walk on land, but that feels like cheating (though it would be pretty funny if he could just Do That the whole time and he either didn't know or didn't tell Merilwen)

Merilwen/Egbert Private Eye AU

If I'd done this with Corazón and Egbert, it would have been a Miss Fisher situation (with Corazón as Phryne of course).

As it turns out, private investigators in real life are kinda boring, so I'm running with that. This is a no magic, Vague Old England AU situation.

Merilwen is a private investigator, and therefore spends most of her time finding evidence of adultery and other poor marital behaviour for divorcing couples.

Egbert comes to her with an Actual Case (intrigue, murder, all that stuff) and a mysterious past. She tells him to go to the actual police, but is soon embroiled in the plot.

Jaded Merilwen who no longer believes in love, because she's dealing with so many broken relationships (she already doesn't like people!)

Egbert learning from Merilwen how to be an investigator, but bringing the charm, impulsiveness and quick-thinking that she lacks.

Basically it's a straight relationship trope but flipped so that the woman's the rude one lol.

Merilwen with that trope where you think someone's going to be bad at fighting but they're actually extremely adept (and Egbert's like "O_O that was hot").

Egbert doing that thing where he suddenly snaps into competence and steamrolls a situation.

Just two people being extremely impressed with each other.

Also I think you could polyguild this one and I love that (Dob would be a local handyman kinda guy. Corazón would be a wealthy socialite who’s only ever seen at parties. Prudence would be a your local Reclusive Spooky™).

[artificialashley]

Top Five taywhora fics 👀❤

Okay so I managed to return to Uni after Easter without my laptop charger and we all know what tumblr mobile is like so sorry this answer is so late!! This is such a fun ask and I wish Id been able to answer it on my night home alone (ps im still third wheeling a week later someone help me)

(also the degree part of getting a degree is actually feeling real rn so i honestly havent read that many taywhora fics?? im such a bad fan but ive honestly been busy so if youre an author seeing this and i havent said you i probs havent read it yet or if i have said you and havent left you a comment then sorry...if anyone has recs send them in xoxo)

- Me and You Together and I Don’t Know How I Know (But I Know) by Ortega // part of me wants to say ‘well you see the author, this doesnt need any explaining’ because we all know that ortega is such a legend but i want to stress that every single thing she churns out is perfect in its own way and these fics are no different. me and you together is incredibly relatable, just a joy to read and i LOVE how it plays with chronology?? its so clever. and the teachers au was so sweet and soft and made me feel really happy when i read it so thats on this list too - i will be going back to it whenever im sad.

- Down with the Recipe, Bake from the Heart by Juno // the way i grinned from ear to ear reading every single line of this fic and its only 4 chapters in (well 5 now but i havent read the latest one yet)??? i need to go back through and leave some detailed comments because the whole thing is golden. im obsessed with all the niche british references and also the way that little snippets of canon and speech are entwined perfectly into the au. despite being the same each chapter, the format never seems repetitive or boring and each chapter i was so excited to see how tayce and awhora would interact. its amazing

(honourable mention for Juno’s other fic Chase the Shadows Away too as it was also super cute and although i dont normally want my escape from the awful things going on in the world to relate to said awful things, I gave it a read because of how much i loved bake off and im so glad i did!! it made me feel nice and warm and reminded me that we can still fall in love despite the pandini!!)

- Something More by pureCAMP // again i havent had time to leave a comment about this but i loved it sooooo much. as a girl group fan (and someone whos tiktok has decided to show them band memeber dating conspiracy theories every day for some unknown reason) this fic was right up my alley and it delivered. one minute I was laughing at lawrence roasting the government and the next i was in awe at awhora wanting to wipe tayce’s smile off her face with her lips. plus the background Diamond Chaney was super cute!

-  Don’t Just Stand There Staring Honey (Try to Move Your Feet) by Pinkgrapefruit // again this is another fic that plays with chronology/flashbacks which is something I love and it did it so perfectly, blending them into modern day so that i really got to know tayce and awhora. theres singing in the car to taylor swift (ps grapefruit if you see this i will read folklore eventually), playstation and slow dancing - what more could you want from a pair of not totally useless lesbians???

Honourable mentions to Just Below the Surface by Phryne which is super cute and funny and i think you should know (im thinking of you) by zyan which lives in my head rent free to the point where i asked someone to write it ahhaha. its 2am and im tired but just know i have love for these too! and everyone whose ever wrote taywhora even if i havent read it...

ask me my top 5 anything!!

[artificialqueens]

Just Below the Surface (Taywhora) - Phryne

A/N: Hello all and welcome to the shark fic, an absolute labor of stupidity, a half-processed thought come to live in the middle of the night. This fic is inspired by @incorrectdruk’s post. Please comment and like if you’ve enjoyed; it means the world! Also a shout out to my wonderful girlfriend, @scarletenvy, who reviewed and supported me throughout this fic. All my love to you. 

Tayce tries to get Aurora out of a design funk by taking her to the aquarium for some inspiration. Aurora has never actually seen a tiger shark in real life—she gets a rude awakening about sharks, and imminent failure.

When her drab little apartment is getting her down, with its peeling pre-war paint and hard water stains; when the rain no longer feels soothing and mesmerizing and sleek; when Aurora finds herself tapping her pencil against her face instead of against her sketch pad, Tayce insists on a change of scenery, even when sheets of rain are splattering against their windows. 

She comes up behind Aurora, spreading her fingers over her shoulder. It’s a risk, knowing that Aurora might startle and throw her head back into Tayce’s nose, but she kisses the crown of her head anyway. “Not going good, is it?” 

Aurora groans, but nonetheless leans into the touch. “Looks that way, doesn’t it?” She holds up her sketch pad with nothing more than the model on the page. 

“Reckon you can’t send nudity down the runway, love?” Tayce laughs, digging her thumbs into the base of Aurora’s neck. “Though I’d call off work to model that one for you.” 

Ignoring the quip, but for quirking a brow, Aurora shrugs out of the touch and continues. “I’ve got nothing. No inspiration. No real idea. No thoughts about structures or colors or fabric I’d like to work with.” She slams the pencil down. “I’ve started from every square one I can think of and I’ve still got nothing. I’m supposed to put more of myself into these designs but myself is giving me nothing useful.”

As much as Tayce understood the classic Aurora ‘I’m not amounting to anything, everything I do is dull and boring and meaningless, but, insert forced laugh here, if I give up now I can still be your sugar baby, right?’ speech was coming, and would typically be chased by a reminder that she was only a couple years younger, exceedingly talented, and a retail worker’s salary could never sustain both of their tastes, Tayce decides to cut off the monologue before it even starts. 

“Let’s go.” Tayce says, releasing Aurora’s shoulders and giving a hearty clap. “Grab your slicker, we’re going to the aquarium.” 

Aurora hums before letting the request fully sink in. “Why are we going to see a bunch of scum covered fish?” She pauses, pushes her hair out of her face and tries again. “It’s a lovely idea, but I don’t have much time for a date right now. I need sketches and fabric samples by Monday.” 

But Tayce ignores her, taking the pencil and pad from Aurora’s hands and stuffing them into her purse. She continues absently, “There’s a new tiger shark exhibit that I think—” 

“A fucking tiger shark?” Aurora turns around, resting her arms on the back of her chair, glancing up at Tayce and speaking through that Cheshire Cat smile of hers. “You’re telling me we’ve got a tiger shark now?” 

Tayce feels herself brighten along with her. “It looks rather interesting, world’s greatest predator and all—” 

“Of course it is, it’s a tiger shark. Like, just try to think of something more fierce than that.” Aurora punctuates every word as she hauls her purse into her lap and sweeps the contents of her desk inside, zipping the top even as her fuchsia and forest green pencils stick out from the corners, muttering on about the world’s greatest predator, how it’s an absolute destroyer. 

Tayce takes Aurora’s sudden disinterest in organizing her pencils into their case—by most to least used—as her cue to leave and slip on her boots, already wearing a pleased little smile. 

*

They settle into the tube, Aurora securing her umbrella before sitting down next to Tayce. It’s easy to find a seat, the car less crowded than usual, likely thanks to the weather. Aurora thinks she’d like to stay inside with the rest of London, put the kettle on, and work in the living room where she can see the damp landscape before her and Tayce on the couch beside her, but that wasn’t working before. So here she is, wet blonde hair plastered to her forehead, the thought of seeing the tiger shark still coursing through her, lighting her like neon. 

“Concept: a tiger shark suit,” Aurora poses, just as Tayce holds her hand out for Aurora’s purse. She obliges and continues. “A little shift on the color forecast. Instead of yellow and grey—so bloody industrial, I’m thinking orange and grey. Would need a poly to get that wet-look of vinyl though…” 

Aurora tends to work like this, rambling off her ideas in a whirlwind, usually tearing apart the flat for the nearest pad of paper to get it all down before the idea’s lost forever and she’s left pouting while Tayce is trying to work as well. She’s become used to the smattering of Post-It pads around the house, reminding Aurora to dig the pens out of her pockets before running the wash, cheeky grins as she pulls pencils out from Aurora’s frantically done bun before properly lying down for bed. It’s endearing though, the chaos Aurora works in, the way Tayce’s chaos stabilizes Aurora’s.

So Tayce digs around in the tote until she pulls out a little baggie with her croissant, and Aurora’s notebook, pleased at how she’s taken to the leather bound folio Tayce gifted her for their last anniversary. She hands it over before picking at the almonds atop her croissant, adding, “bitch to make though, isn’t it?” 

Aurora knows what Tayce is referencing and almost shudders at the thought of more vinyl after her Spring/Summer 19’ collection. She spent hours on end cursing the fabric, trying not to tear the tissue between, which she used to help the panels float smoothly under the presser foot as she sewed them. On an industrial machine, no less, which was a bitch to haul up into their flat. It was a disaster to get an invisible zipper into the gown, the damn thing ripping itself out with every try-on. And at the end of it all, she had to sew Tayce into the finale catsuit not fifteen minutes before the show, which meant she had to cut her right out of the garment at the end of the show, with her girlfriend’s reassurance that it was “bloody sexy” and “what’s a little bit of scissoring between two lesbians?” doing little to sage her qualms about ruining hours of work in a snip. 

“Maybe some treated leather.” Aurora nods solemnly and writes notes wildly, not sure she’ll even be able to read anything besides the “SS19” with an angry cross over it when she reviews them later. “Either way, I’m thinking it’s going to be fierce, especially if I can figure out the movement; move like the tiger shark, no? To get that floating through water feeling.” 

Aurora doesn’t expect an answer, seeing that Tayce is occupied with picking almonds off of the pastry. She holds her hand out for them, throwing them back in one shot before taking half the pastry as well. “Why get the one with almonds if you just got to pick them off?” 

“The taste, the flavor,” Tayce says through a bite. “And I know you prefer them, so…” 

Aurora gives her a light shove before pulling her back in by the crook of her arm. “You’re soft,” she taunts, capping her pen and sticking it in her hair. 

“We can’t all be tiger shark ladies, babe.” She gives her pastry a deep bite, raising her brows at Aurora as she does so, if for nothing but to catch a chuckle from her, from what was a miserable day. 

Aurora shakes her head, but nonetheless shifts closer, taking a bite and swallowing quickly. “Stupid, absolutely dense—” 

“—The idiocy, the dullness, dimwittedness, superficiality of it all,” Tayce continues, brushing the crumbs off of her black trench jacket, picking a couple tricky ones out of the red stitching with her nail. Head resting against Aurora’s still damp shoulder, she adds between a cheeky grin, “We gotta finish up; Waterloo’s in just a bit.”  

*

By the time Aurora gets her things gathered and finds the umbrella, Tayce is taking her hand and leading them to the exit. They schlep along to County Hall, Tayce holding the umbrella high above them, Aurora wrapped around Tayce’s arm, bundled up against her, pressing her bag flush against her side. She’s practically buzzing by the time they reach the aquarium, her childish enthusiasm endearing, and Tayce feels it bubble up in her as well. It’s contagious really, Aurora’s joy. It practically travels through the air, filling the room.   

“Here, let me,” Aurora says, fishing for her wallet as they approach the ticket counter. “Since I’m spending our date looking at a shark.”

“Tell me what you really think of me, why don’t you,” Tayce quips back, laying on as much annoyance as she can while still holding a grin, studying the exhibit poster in front of them. 

Aurora takes her card back, muttering as she stuffs it back into its slot. “It’s the world’s fiercest predator, babe. I don’t know what to tell you.” She hands Tayce her ticket before taking her hand, dragging her to the queue. “It’s me in animal form, though I wouldn’t typically pair black and orange, especially for spring.” 

Tayce breathes out a laugh. “Then what am I?”

“Dunno. Maybe a squid.” 

This time, Tayce fully cackles. “A squid?” she asks, and she feels the rest of the queue turn to look at them. She shakes her head playfully as Aurora eyes her long legs and arms before she shrugs, already moving on, focused on a poster next to the queue. 

“Or maybe an absolute hound.” Aurora pokes Tayce’s side before wrapping herself around Tayce’s arm, tugging them forward. 

“Shark fact,” Aurora continues, reading off the line-marker. “Tiger sharks have a near completely undiscerning palate. Some tiger sharks have eaten sting rays, birds, squids, old tires—even other sharks.”

“Sounds like you, A’Whora,” Tayce teases, pulling her in closer, draping an arm around her shoulder. 

Aurora rolls her eyes and pats Tayce’s forearm. “I obviously only go for the finest of squids,” she says, before glancing up and giving a pronounced chomp. 

“Babe, please don’t bite my pussy.” 

Aurora doesn’t get to respond, finding herself right in front of the ticket scanner, who’s shifting around a bit in his uniform, unable to look at the two women in front of him. Not that Tayce or Aurora particularly care about offending some greasy twenty year-old boy at an aquarium with the concept of pussy. He scans their tickets and gives them a nod, so they walk off toward the exhibit, breaking into laughter once they clear the lobby. 

The hallways are lined with fish, of all different colors and sizes, flitting in and out of coral and anemones and grasses. There’s a reception class gathered around a circular tank, trying to find the Nemo, but to no avail. Tayce knows that usually, Aurora would stop by the tank and help the kids out, wholeheartedly join this hunt for the orange and white fish. She’d remind the kids that the little clownfish might be taking a break in his anemone, just like he did in the movie, but that he’ll surely come out, especially if they’re kind and patient. And usually, Tayce would stand back a few feet and watch the scene play out, heart swelling in the process. 

Today, however, Tayce’s heart is going double-time as Aurora takes her hand and pulls her through the crowd. Aurora’s on a mission, weaving in between strollers and other couples, skirting behind tour guides as they explained how algae grows, following the signs pointing toward the tiger shark exhibit with a cutting precision Tayce hadn’t seen since last year’s Arlington sample sale. 

Aurora breaks free when she sees the tank, running up to it and practically smashing herself up against the glass, with no care for the second years or the family of four next to her. 

Tayce catches up. “Love, you don’t gotta press your tits up against the glass, he knows you got them,” she breathes out, wrapping an arm around Aurora’s waist, pulling her back in the process. 

“What the fuck,” Aurora whispers. The look of wonder she once carried is replaced with shock, her face fallen, a dangerous pout forming. “That’s not a tiger shark.” She trains her eyes to the tank and speaks quietly, pointedly, like she’s jabbing the shark with each syllable. “That’s just a shark.”

Tayce gives her a moment, her own lips pursed as she studies Aurora, then the shark, then Aurora again, searching for the disconnect but unable to find it. She was so excited to see it, but in a moment, something had gone exceptionally wrong. 

She gives up, drumming her fingers against Aurora’s waist, before pointing to the sign. “We went to the right place, babe. The sign says it’s Oliver the tiger shark and he’s 17 years old…today.” Tayce turns Aurora toward the sign, but her feet stay firmly planted, her eyes trained on the shark. Nonetheless, she continues. “It’s his birthday, love.”

“Fuck his birthday,” Aurora grumbles, head following the shark as it passes by them. “He doesn’t look like a bloody tiger shark to me. Why’s he gray? Where’s the stripes?”  

“Aww, he’s old. That’s why he doesn’t have any stripes.”

Aurora shakes her head like Tayce doesn’t get it, and frankly, she doesn’t. As far as Tayce sees, it’s a perfectly good shark, swimming about, living his life, being as inspirational as any shark can be. But Aurora’s miffed, her mood as clouded and dreary as the weather outside. 

She hikes her purse up her shoulder and leans forward again, her nose and two fists pressed right against the glass. “You’re a filthy liar, Oliver.” 

“Babe, it’s a shark—”

“I’ll still fight an old bastard like you. You’ll pay for your lies.” 

Tayce takes her by the shoulders and spins her around, marching them out of the exhibit. “Ok, you can’t fight a shark so it’s time to leave him alone. Time to find some other inspiration in the…” Tayce looks up at the next exhibit’s sign as they walk. “…sea spiders.” She shakes her head. “Christ.” 

As they walk away, Aurora softens, though she’s still dreary and listless. The spiders, of course, aren’t helping—they’re disgusting little heathens, what with their spindling legs and radioactive green backlight. Even Tayce has to admit that. But as she pulls Aurora in for pictures, she finds her limply pressed against her side, disinterested in the pursuit, even though in one of the pictures, it looks like the spider’s balanced on Aurora just so, like it’s woven itself into her waves, made a nest atop her head. Tayce quickly sets this as a new background; Aurora only gives a hum in response. 

They continue with the deep sea creatures, with their dark tanks and neon blue tint, stopping at the octopus and its inky purple light, all spread out against the wall of its tank, its orange tentacles sticking and peeling periodically. Tayce again insists on a picture, “for memory’s sake, even though he looks like a bollock, all pruned from the bath.” Reluctantly, Aurora lets out a breathy laugh and gives in. Tayce counts this as a win, even though her pouting resumes once they move on.

At the next tank, Tayce is amused by the little round fish that dips in and out of its hole, its mouth forming an “O” as they approach it. Aurora cracks a smile, but for a moment, when Tayce pulls her in by the shoulder and makes the same face, jaw slack and nude-painted lips rounded like the fish’s. Aurora claims she’s not going to kiss “fish lips over here,” and yet she does, giving Tayce a peck. Tayce snaps a picture of her now smiling girlfriend, the red light from deep within the fish’s hole haloing her. 

Aurora needs a bit less prodding in the stingray exhibit, sticking her hand in the open tank as soon as she’s given the go-ahead. “He’s a velvet pancake,” Aurora comments, petting the flat beast, its mouth flap opening and closing as it moves through the tank. Tayce reaches for Aurora’s folio prematurely. 

“Velvet is super 2018. I’m bored of it,” Aurora explains, drying her hands before taking Tayce’s. “Thank you though.” She says it quietly, but Tayce knows she’s appreciative from the way she tightens her grip, by the way her thumb lays on top of Tayce’s as they walk into the next exhibit.  

“Look at all these fucking sharks.” Tayce glances upward, dragging Aurora’s hand with her as she points, full of awe, glued to the shark gliding above her, cutting through the water seamlessly. “Look at them go. Absolute beasts they are.” 

Aurora sees it’s clearly Tayce’s turn to be struck with wonder, and at the sharks no less. So, she tries to wipe the pout off of her face, smooth out her furrow, and take in the moment. Take in Tayce, arms spread before her. How the blue light reflects off of her cheekbones. Her still rain-slick hair and jacket. And the sharks passing above her are beautiful, with their milky white bellies and steel body, their rounded faces and sharp fins. There has to be something inspiring about them, she’s sure. Maybe in the shapes, or the colors? She could play with the sharp and round structure, surely. Or work in grayscale. Imitate the leather-y touch of their skin. She rests against the wall, pulling out her folio, clicking her pen aimlessly. 

Tayce continues with the sharks, pointing at them one by one, asking each, “let’s be having you? And you? And you?” with a silly point. She takes pictures with a few.

But when Tayce returns, suggesting they head out and have lunch while the weather’s clear, Aurora finds her paper blank yet again, more and more sure that she has nothing left to give. 

*

The cafe Tayce picks out is splendid and quaint, though Aurora wouldn’t expect anything less. The server wipes down their seats and the metal table before they take a seat, hands over the menus, and gives them a moment to look them over. Aurora doesn’t even bother looking, knowing she’s too  upset to eat much at all, instead laying her head against the cool metal, trying to focus. Or, rather, pull her focus away from her imminent failure and toward Tayce’s new story in the saga about the lady who orders all these clothes online, and every single week, comes into the store, three shipping bags in hand, demanding that everything be returned. 

“They’re not even nice clothes.” Tayce adds, dipping a chip.  “We sell some nice shit, but she keeps buying garbage and complaining that it’s garbage.” 

Aurora hums, ripping at the bits of lettuce hanging out of her sandwich. 

“So she comes on in, throws her shipping bag onto the counter, whips out this polyester blouse, and sticks her hand through it and starts ranting on about how see-through the top is.” Tayce sticks her hand up, wiggling her fingers around. 

“She shouldn’t have bothered with a polyester Zara shirt to begin with.” 

“Shouldn’t have bothered buying a top labeled “sheer” to begin with,” Tayce threw back. “I thought she’d stop her nonsense after I took her around the store, pointing out everything that was good, would look good on her, would fit her enviable work-life-balance, but she still comes back, every Thursday with more shit.” Tayce takes the now ketchup-soggy chip out of the ramekin and sticks it in her mouth. “Even if we didn’t go to the aquarium, I would have called out today. Like I just couldn’t look at those shirts anymore without frying my mind.” 

“Couldn’t have that, could we?” Aurora tries at a laugh, finding it coming up faint. 

Tayce tilts her head, analyzing the situation in front of her. She opens her mouth, like she’s got something to say, before stealing one of Aurora’s chips. 

Pointing the chip at Aurora, she doesn’t ask if Aurora’s okay, or if she’s still disappointed by the aquarium, or if she’s still racking her brain for a sliver of a design idea. Instead, she asks “Well, Whora, what did you think a tiger shark was?” 

Tayce always cuts down to the bone, even when she’s not meaning to. 

Aurora throws her head into her hands, speaking through her fingers. “Fuck if I know, something fantastic and inspiring and shiny and fierce and—”

“Orange?” Tayce laughs before popping the chip into her mouth. 

“Fuck off,” Aurora mutters, raking her fingers through her hair. “I thought it’d all just hit me, babe, and now I’ve got no idea what to do.” 

Aurora looks up, blinking rapidly. Her nose starts feeling peppery, and she knows soon her face will become red, blotchy, and streaked with tears. 

But Tayce reaches over and takes her hand between both of hers. Aurora dares a glance at Tayce, before resting her gaze on their hands. 

“Look, I know you’re not going to tell yourself this, but you’re brilliant and talented, and your brain is, like,  dancing so fast, even when your feet aren’t moving.” She gives Aurora’s hand a squeeze. “You’ve got so many ideas up there, and I’m sure you’ll have the work to show for it soon. And those ideas are surely better than a tiger shark pantsuit, promise.” 

Wiping a stray tear, Aurora breaks into a chuckle. “It was like, my dumbest idea.” 

“Not your dumbest, no.” Tayce says. “But a dumb one.”

*

When they get home, Tayce all about shoves Aurora into her office, throws a can of Fanta in behind her, and tells her to look through the pictures from today, get inspired by nature, sort it out, and come back when she’s got a design. 

“Can I at least get a kiss for good luck?”  Aurora shouts through the door.

“How about one for good work?” Tayce quips. And before Aurora can fire back, she hears the faint sounds of the Mortal Kombat theme through the crack in the door, and thinks better of disturbing Tayce when she’s in the zone, getting out the stress of Polyester Blouse Lady on Johnny Cage. 

So, Aurora picks the Fanta off of the floor, sets it on her desk to rest, and settles into her chair. She moves around in her seat, trying at least a dozen positions before taking a deep breath, flipping to a fresh page. 

She pulls out her phone, scrolling through the pictures Tayce sent her today. There’s a few of the two of them on the tube, Tayce resting on Aurora’s shoulder. Anyone who didn’t know Tayce better would think she looked ready for a nap, with her closed eyes and relaxed lips, but Tayce wasn’t one to rest in the middle of an adventure. 

There’s another of Aurora, taken from behind, stood in line, bouncing on her heels, a neon wave floating above her head, as though she were under the water herself.  

There’s Aurora, plastered against the tiger shark tank, her face blue tinted by the water and the lights in the tank, her gaze steely as she watches that shark—who is an arsehole, she might add. 

And then the next series of pictures—the two of them again. Painted in neon green, a sea spider nesting in Aurora’s hair. Then in purple, shocking purple, the octopus behind them looking ready to strangle them both, it’s tentacles plinking off of the glass like pennies into a well. Then they’re kissing in front of the little fish that kept opening and shutting its mouth, forming a perfect “o,” bathing them in a bloody red tint. She’s not sure how, but Tayce managed to miss all of the miserable faces Aurora knew she had on throughout the aquarium. But when she thinks a bit deeper, she’s not sure when she’s ever looked truly miserable around Tayce. 

She nearly puts her phone down when she comes across the next picture. She couldn’t even remember the moment; Tayce must have asked someone else to take it. 

It’s Tayce, resting against the far wall of the shark exhibit—the tunnel-style tank, with the sharks swimming all around them—glancing off to the side with a lazy grin, eyes vigilant, wild. And the neon blue all around her, bouncing off the shine of her slicker, hitting her cheekbones and her collarbones just-so, filtering through her hair. 

Tayce cackles from the other room, the metallic clash of swords following. 

Absolutely radiant. Aurora chews at her pencil, studying the picture further, the way the light bounces off of the wet jacket…

And Aurora’s scribbling, the model she sketches nothing more than a handful of lines, led by memory, as she’s working desperately to draft the design. The pencil sweeps, once, twice, three times, as she sees the fabric floating. But it’s floating over something tight, sleek, but still soft and shiny. And there has to be a shimmering quality to it, or course. It’s not opaque either, no, much more sheer. She’s going to have to work with chiffon, damn it to bits, but it’ll give her the look she’s after, the wet shine she needs. And in a moment’s time, she’s flipped over to another page for another design, one that drapes lightly. She glances once more at the picture, before following the tempo of her pencil, this time switching it out for a light blue. 

In a blink, she’s filled four pages. 

So she grabs her folio and runs out into the living room, knowing from the sound of the TV that Tayce is still there, and still ripping Polyester Shirt Lady a new one, mentally. 

“I’m here for my kiss,” Aurora announces smuggly, throwing her folio into Tayce’s lap. 

She’s smart enough to pause the game right as Aurora makes her presence known, surely anticipating her dramatics after all this time. 

Tayce flips it open, staring Aurora down like she’s about to rip her designs apart, though she knows Tayce would never, or really, wouldn’t have the reason to do so. It’s that serious look Tayce has, though Aurora knows it only shows up because she’s serious about Aurora’s designs. “And I’m here for some good fashion, love.” 

Aurora falls beside her on the couch, pulling her legs up on the seat and curling in against Tayce. She’s warm. It’s comforting. 

“So I’ve got this one, like the octopus tank. And it’s got this iridescent purple that just flows off of the pantsuit, like it flows right off of it,” Aurora explains, leaning in further, pointing out the details. “I’m thinking Bim for this one.” 

“I can definitely see that. Definitely. With all that movement, ugh.” Tayce runs a finger over the design, outlining where the fabric would trail off steaming behind the model, like the wind’s carrying it, like it’s suspended in mid-air.

“Okay flip,” Aurora instructs, pressing her cheek against Tayce’s arm. Aurora continues, answering questions about fabric, structures underneath the garnments, styling. Tayce slips the pencil out of Aurora’s hand at some point, jotting down answers as she rambles on and on, far too excited to manage writing it on her own. So Tayce scribbles down her directive to add wirey jewelry around the wrists, heels with lacings up the calf, everything looking like it’s floating just below the surface. At some point, the Xbox powers off, until all that’s lighting the room is the standby logo. 

Tayce reaches over the couch, turning the lamp on. 

“So, which one are you thinking of for me?” Tayce pokes at Aurora’s side, her voice trailing into a whine. 

Aurora takes back her book, flipping through the pages aimlessly. “Oh, you know, the first one. From this morning…” 

“You didn’t even have—”

“…Absolute nudity.” Aurora curls in closer, a devious smile forming. “Or maybe full vinyl?”

“I thought no more after last time?” Tayce begins flipping through the book. “I guess I’ll just have to find it on my own, now won’t I?”

“Gimmie that,” Aurora takes it from her hands and flips to the page easily, holding the design close against her chest. “And you look good in the vinyl, is all I’m saying.” 

She plops it down in Tayce’s lap. “You’re obviously getting the finale gown, moron.”

Tayce scans over the page, over and over, tracing along the outline with her finger, as though she can feel the slip of the iridescent blue chifon layered over black organza, how it gathers at one hip, falling down in crashing waves, with the other side draped cleanly, softly. 

“It’s supposed to be murky, like you’re coming out of the depths of the ocean where all the weird spindly things live, that have, like five eyes and spikes and stuff.” Aurora bristles for a moment. “At least that’s what I was thinking. But really, you could wear any of them if you wanted, it’s all inspired by you,” she says, soft, feather-light, like she’s letting the words float on down from the surface. 

They continue on in silence, Aurora watching as Tayce scans over the design, mouth agape. Tayce swallows and mutters, “lil ol’ me, the finale?” She turns to Aurora. “It’s just gorgeous. So, absolutely gorgeous.” 

And Aurora smiles, closing her eyes, breathing in the moment, the relief, the momentum of the collection. She places the folio on the coffee table and sets her sights on Tayce. 

“So, did I earn my kiss?” 

Tayce rolls her eyes playfully. “If you insist,” she says, not leaving Aurora much time to think before pulling her in closer, thumb stroking along her cheek. Their lips meet comfortably, knowingly, in a way that would seem commonplace if not for love. 

They break apart, Aurora resting in the crook of Tayce’s neck. 

“You did an amazing job, love,” Tayce says, quietly this time, as though the moment deserves quiet. And the two hold the silence, open palmed, soaking in the golden, still light of the lamp.   

*

“Oi, you!” Aurora taps on the glass, sure she’s the subject of a few wandering eyes, and the reason why the aquarium security tests the receiver of their walkie a few times. But she doesn’t care. She has some unfinished business, business that’s been keeping her up at night, making her toss and turn right into Tayce’s spread-out, sleeping form, ever since she began production on her collection. 

So she’s returned to Oliver the tiger shark. This time, she’s bearing gifts. 

Aurora points at the shark as it passes, hoping in vain it’ll stop for her, just as she’s stopped for him. She tries again, snapping at him as he passes by once more, before giving up, feeling lucky Tayce wasn’t around to mock her attempts. Aurora continues on regardless. 

“We’ve had our differences, but I must thank you for the inspiration…” Aurora trails off, spotting the shark stopped on the other side of the tank. She scurries over, hoping she can get a good view of him, maybe take a reprieve from looking like a lunatic, talking to nothing. 

“But thank you, Oliver the shark,” she says to him, before he swims off again, practically to the spot Aurora was just standing. 

She huffs and hauls herself back to the other side of the tank. 

“You’re a right dick, you are.” Aurora breathes in deeply before digging into her bag, pulling out her phone, pressing it against the tank, as though he’ll look at the picture and have any idea who she is. “It was really her, my girlfriend here who did the heavy lifting, and she got more than a thank you for it all.” 

Aurora bites at her lip a bit, locking her phone, muttering, “sex, obviously, but you don’t get it, you’re a dumb, heterosexual shark, so…” into her purse as she plops her phone in. 

“But I figured giving you some thanks would earn me back some ocean karma points—” The shark swims to the back of the tank, facing entirely away from Aurora, and she has to remind herself not to stomp like a petulant child. 

She settles for muttering a “fucks sake” under her breath. 

“Anyway,” she hikes up her purse. “Have a good one, Oliver the tiger shark.” 

She gives a half-hearted wave before walking away, dividing to give that funny, little, perpetually surprised fish a visit, hoping he’ll appreciate her company more. 

[badassindistress]

The Thylead (Session 18)

The Chosen were victors, rich and renowned

Divine blood flows through them, more than they could know

Crystallised happiness dashed to the ground

Knowing from where Azelma’s blood did flow

The Chosen Ones celebrate their victory with a shopping trip. Thalestris is overwhelmed by her share of the money, Azelma offers to take her shopping. Mania and Phryné tag along, with wildly different levels of enthusiasm.

Mania buys a wand of pyrotechnics for Iliana (50gp) and a dragon bracelet for Cleophe (10gp) and a breastplate for 250gp

Phryne buys a cirlet with a revivify level diamond for Iliana, a diamond to spare and some street food

Iliana buys 2 potions of lightning resistance (150gp each?) spell scrolls for Rope Trick (75gp) and Web (100gp), Detect Fish (50gp) and an alchemy kit

Cleophe buys  ingredients for 3 health potions and good armour (900gp) sells her old one for 200 gold

Azelma buys nice fabric for herself and Thalestris (25gp each) and a Cloak of Protection

Iliana is cramming spells into her head and Cleophe gets a start on potion making. Thalestris goes to find Makaila to ask her advice what armour or weapons she should buy to still look like an Amazon. Makaila says the druids have always done their own thing, but carves something on her staff. Thalestris asks what she could do to help with the island. Makaila says she can’t be the one to help yet, she’s sworn to do her duty in Mytros until the oath of peace is up. Makaila offers to help her buy clothes in her break and shows her to wear the chlamys properly and buys her some pants. (20gp). Thalestris buys studded armour(45 gp) Makaila gives it another traditional amazon symbol.

Azelma asks Phryné to come with her to the temple of Lutheria. Sydon’s temple is high up with the Nekropolis, but Lutheria’s is tucked away. Lutheria’s priests come from a wine family, so the giving out free wine is a bit of double advertisement. They both disapprove of trying to buy people’s faith with stale pastries. The Tiefling Chaundrus is reading a book outside. Azelma’s Grandmother whispers to her that he must be in trouble if he’s here. The Lady never liked this city, no one she liked is stationed there. Azelma tells her the necklace tells her that. Phryne thinks it’s a connection to Lutheria, Azelma corrects her that it’s her grandmother in the locket. Phryné greets her politely and Azelma hears Alyssa chuckle. Phryné asks if Lutheria isn’t her grandmother, just in case. Azelma gets a bit defensive, but can honestly deny it. They get Chaundrus’ attention. Azelma says they’re here to pay their respects. Phryné just bluntly says they’re here to see what the temple is like and what they do here. Chaundrus is preparing to leave soon, he was only here to advise the king in a difficult time. He’s the librarian of the island of Yonder.

Chaundrus says he heard they are going on their journey. He says Lutheria isn’t the Goddess of Death, but more of crossing. He prays to her for every journey. He pulls out a clean silver dagger and asks if they would like to leave a prayer. Phryné just calls it interesting and says that’s not how she does it. Azelma adds they’ll do it the Phryné way. Chaundrus notices her locket, but he doesn’t say anything. Alyssa never spent any time here. “the lady is a bit like a dragon, she likes to keep her precious things near her, at least until she grows bored with them”.

They take their leave and Chaundrus says he’ll pray for them and cuts a big gash in his arm and presses the blood on Azelma’s arm. Phryné swats him away. The blood is absorbing on her, Azelma tries to wipe it off but there’s not enough left to collect. Phryné identifies what just happened, but she does not sense and spells affecting her at this moment. Sadly, curses are not necessarily spells. She tries praying to her dad. Nothing happens.

Azelma asks her grandmother, Alyssa says she thinks he Blessed her. She’s no even more convinced he’s out of somebody’s favour, he’s a powerful priest. She doesn’t say it was good, just a blessing. But the blood in her body he can use to scry on her, but she would be able to sense if Azelma was cursed.

Thalestris asks Iliana to Detect Magic on the carvings Makaila did on her armour. Iliana looks up from her study blanket nest. There is no magic on the armour. Thalestris thinks Makaila was messing with her.

As they gather at the Palace an unknown stimfay with a letter attached

“sorry for leaving, I know it was … rude, I found this for you, I think you need it – Kallistrate”

The package contains a strange clockwork device, it must be the Antikythera.

At the Palace there’s a message and parcel for Iliana. Alcmene sent her a journal and quill and strict instructions to take notes on flora and fauna and submit it for credit (this will give the whole party XP)

Azelma explains what happened with the Priest when she mentions the locket Alyssa’s shadowy figure appears before them. Phryné offers her a chair. Iliana and Thalestris ask if she has something to do with the temple. She says she really couldn’t say. Thalestris sees she’s not lying, but she’s holding something back.

Mania thinks she left the Underworld, it’s more like she never went. Lutheria doesn’t live in the underworld.

“She travels on t eh barge of dreams on the forgotten sea” Azelma says the Barge sounds awesome, Thalestris is upset and turns into a moth. Cleophe can see there’s a faint shimmer of holy something around Azelma. Phryne asks her if she wants to talk to Vallus. Alyssa says they met a few times before but she’s sure Vallus would not remember her. Azelma is getting paler and paler. Iliana is glaring at all the others. Moth Thalestris lands on Iliana’s shoulder. Cleophe asks if that was how she knew to find the shield. They are trying to get her to share.  “My grandmother was the high priestess of Lutheria and I think she had some sort of history with Sydon. I didn’t know until I got the locket. I didn’t want you to be mad, I’ve always disliked them.” Cleophe “Why did you lie then’ Azelma ’you all hate them I can’t just say my family was cool with the Titans’.

Cleophe pulls out the Not Angry, Just Worried. Iliana says her guidance has come from Lutheria

Alyssa ”if it’s any consolation, both of them would destroy me on sight”

“well I stole from them”

Phryne says she’s very angry with her and gives her a hug.

Azelma ”you said you were trying to get their powers didn’t you” Alyssa smiles “as much as I could, I got some, learned some interesting things along the way. She’s flickering.

M: how did you manage to trick lutherie and sydon and could we do the same.

She spent a long time getting lutheria’s trust. Sydon’s easy. He’s not the smart one. The problem with Sydon is that Lutheria tells him what to do and mostly he listens.

When you can really get him excited about something, or when he’s in a bad mood or when you make sure she doesn’t hear about it before he acts you can get him without Lutheria

Vallus spots Alyssa and her palms start to glow with holy power. Alyssa curtsies.

Vallus asks “where is it”. Alyssa says “I couldn’t move the skull, but the egg is on Hagia’s Curse. Gesture of good faith, we’re all on the same side this time I think”.

Mania says it’s Azelma’s grandmother, Cleophe mentions the Blessing. Vallus says she has a stronger connection to the dead right now, or rather a movement between boundaries. She doesn’t know how long it will last. Vallus could try to remove it, but it will probably naturally remove from her system with time. Vallus terms Non-Detection on her (for 8 hours). Azelma thanks her.

Vallus says this has been quite useful, they know the location of another dragon egg now and Balmytria’s skull was whole the last time.

Alyssa says their goals are the same, she doesn’t want to restore Sydon or Lutheria. She calls Azelma a promising little child, sorry, young woman. Iliana asks her what she wants. A body to return to the world, safety, what everyone wants. This does not convince Iliana. Corporality and a nice long old age would be nice. She’s willing to help if they’re gonna trick Lutheria into a game.  She’s visible now probably because of the Blessing. She fades away.

Azelma offers to leave the locket with Vallus, Vallus declines. Vallus says they were at crossed interests but she’d prefer not to have her as an opponent. Vallus knew stories that Sydon fathered a child with her against Lutheria’s wishes and that she stole certain magics and important things from Lutheria’s temple. Lutheria has favourites she keeps close and when she finds new favourites the old ones are told to leave, she can’t imagine Alyssa took that well. Vallus doesn’t think being around her will be a danger for Iliana, Vallus says the real question is if harming Iliana might get Alyssa back in Lutheria’s graces and if she wants that. Azelma says she’d throw the locket in the sea before that happens.

Azelma says they can take Lutheria’s powers away from Alyssa. Thalestris is getting more and more upset. The revolution was the followers of Lutheria, they murdered half the island and forced Thalestris to live in the woods for 13 years.

The argue about wielding divine power and in whose hands it might be safe. Alyssa’s stolen powers might even disappear with her. It gets a little heated, Azelma repeats she promised Iliana will never be hurt again, Thalestris needs a promise to be against Lutheria, Cleophe is concerned with honesty.

Mania doesn’t want to see her favourites fighting and prays to Thylea for insight into Alyssa’s trustworthiness. Phryné throws her augury bones and asks what bringing the locket with them right now will bring. Phryné feels something a little different with Mania praying next to her and the bones come up weal. Mania and Phryné feel optimistic about it. Iliana walks out. Thalestris goes to follow. Phryné runs after her and gives her the circlet with the diamond. Iliana smiles weakly and thanks her. Phryné asks if she’s okay, Iliana says probably not. It’s been a hard few days. Iliana says for someone to be that high up and one of Lutheria’s favourites, that’s not a good person. Thalestris says she has not family because of Lutheria. Phryné tries to explain the difference between trusting Lutheria’s priestess and accepting their counsel.

Thalestris only wants allies they trust, who they know will do the right thing. Phryné says they won’t allow her enough agency to not do the right thing. Iliana and Phryné go back and forth, decide to talk philosophy later and that Phryne will have faith for both of them.

They’ll get the next item from Volkan tomorrow. The next one will probably take a week.

And that’s all for this session of the Thylead!

 @aporeticelenchus  @leomundstinyblog @m-siecle @pioup-pioup  @guineamaina @somuchbetterthanthat