#so i have to go spend more money on what was supposed to be a gift you gave me for free? hello? logic are you there??

[alexanderwales]

The Hour of Truth

The spell made people tell the truth.

It was expensive, but not so expensive it didn't find its use. The intelligence services spent enormous amounts of money on it, it was part of every serious interview, and the legal system relied on it.

This isn't a story about one of those. It's a story about Michael and Sarah, in their dining room with a ReadySpell, engaged to be married but without a date set. It was a gift they were giving to themselves, something that would reassure them, a chance to explore each other. Michael was cheery about the whole thing, but Sarah was decidedly less so.

She unrolled the parchment onto the table they'd assembled from a kit three months prior. She read the instructions on the card, which were dead simple, then placed her fingers on two corners of the parchment, with Michael doing the same. The complex lines in the center glowed, a circle burst into flames for half a second, and then it went still and dull.

"That's it then?" Michael asked. He withdrew his fingers. "That's the whole thing? I somehow thought it would be ... more."

"We're supposed to test it," she said, withdrawing her own fingers and picking up the card. "Say something false. There are test phrases."

"Two plus two is ... hrm. Four." He frowned. "I could feel a resistance. What an odd feeling."

"My head ... no, can't do it," Sarah said, reading the first part from the card. "It says, 'my head exploded today'. I can't finish the sentence."

"Well then," Michael said. He spread his hands, palms up. "Here we are."

"One hour," Sarah said with a nod. She placed the instruction card down and flipped the small hourglass that had come with the kit.

"Do you love me?" Michael asked.

"I do," Sarah replied. She said it solemnly. "Do you love me?"

"Of course," Michael replied. "Well, it would have been extremely embarrassing if we hadn't answered those correctly." He tapped his fingers on the table for a moment. "How many children do you want?"

"Two, or maybe three," said Sarah.

"I want two, but could go for a third," said Michael.

They had talked about it before. You didn't get engaged after four years of dating without having had those conversations at some point.

"It's interesting, isn't it?" asked Michael. "We know each other, but I suppose there's always at least a little doubt until you're under the spell. A difference between knowing and knowing."

"We only have an hour," said Sarah. "Rapid fire?"

"Sure," said Michael with a nod.

"Do you want to spend the rest of your life with me?" asked Sarah.

"Yes," said Michael. "You?"

"Yes. Will you stay faithful to me?"

"Yes. You?"

"Yes. Do you have unresolved feelings for anyone?"

"No. You?"

"No." Sarah paused. "How often do you need to have sex?"

"Need?" asked Michael. "I'm not sure I even agree with that question. But I can answer want, which is what I've told you before, maybe two or three times a week."

"How often does it end up being that we have sex?" asked Sarah.

"Less than that," said Michael. He frowned at her. "Can you do that, ask questions you know the answer to? I suppose so."

"It's two point one times a week," said Sarah.

"How can you be that precise?" asked Michael.

"I've been tracking it," said Sarah. She folded her hands in front of her. "You know I like data. And I'll need to track it when we're trying for children."

"Is that the only reason you've been tracking it?" asked Michael. He had leaned back in his chair slightly.

"I was worried that it might come up," said Sarah with a slight sigh. "I was worried that we might get in an argument and you would say that we weren't having sex enough, and I wanted pre-emptive ammunition."

The spell did not actually compel her to say all that, but he could have poked and prodded and gotten around vague answers, so it was best to just tell him. She wasn't proud of it.

"How many times a week would be the right number for you?" asked Michael.

"Once a week," Sarah replied, which was what she'd told him before. "In an ideal world, I suppose."

"And you're saying that it's two?" asked Michael.

"Two point one," said Sarah.

"Is this ... a problem?" asked Michael. "I mean, it should be a compromise between us."

"It is a compromise," said Sarah. "And it's one that I'm fine with." She was coming off as defensive, she knew, but it was the truth, the spell still had plenty of time left.

It seemed to take him a moment to recognize that.

"You don't resent me?" asked Michael.

"No," said Sarah. She let a beat pass, to give him a chance to ask another question, then reached down to her purse and pulled out her notebook.

"Is that a notebook?" asked Michael.

"I had a few things prepared," said Sarah.

"Ah," said Michael. "Well, I'm an open book." He smiled at her.

Sarah looked down at the notebook. "Where were you last Thursday?"

"I ... need to think about that," said Michael. "I was working late, preparing for the pitch. I sent you a message, didn't I?"

"You did," said Sarah. "What happened after the pitch?"

"I came home," said Michael.

"Did you do anything else between finishing work and coming home?" she asked.

"No," he said.

She looked down at her notebook again. "Last June you went on a work trip, what did you do together?"

Michael looked at her for a moment. "We went out to dinner," he said, and anticipating the follow-up questions, he continued, "Afterward, on the second night we were there, the guys wanted to go to a strip club, and they did, but instead of doing that, I went back to my hotel room and sat there alone, because I knew you wouldn't understand that it's just ... a thing men do. But I didn't go to the strip club, I didn't see naked women, I just sat there watching a movie."

"Are you annoyed with me?" Sarah asked.

"Yes," Michael replied. "You don't trust me, and it's important, if we're getting married, for you to trust me."

"You cheated on me," Sarah said.

Michael pursed his lips. "Does it do us any good to have this conversation again with the spell active?"

"Probably, yes," Sarah said. "It would let me know you were honest."

Michael nodded. "It was one time. I had been drinking. There was something electric in the air, I don't know, this raw attraction that I had never felt, and I thought about you, and the thought seemed to just slide right off my brain. And then afterward, I felt so much guilt, like I had destroyed my entire life, and we'd only been dating for six months, so it felt like it was a sign, like I had revealed, too late, what you meant to me."

"When you went to bed with her, you thought that it was casual," Sarah said. "You thought that you would get away with it."

"Now hold on," Michael said, leaning forward slightly. "I was the one who told you. No one outed me, no one found anything out, it was my own conscience."

"A month late," said Sarah.

Michael nodded. "A month late. I wish that it had never happened. If it did have to happen, then I wish that I had told you right away. I was an asshole. But I've been faithful to you since then, I haven't done anything else, I ... I love you."

"Do you still think about her?" asked Sarah.

"Every now and then," said Michael. "Every month or two, she comes to mind. Mostly in a negative way."

"Mostly?" asked Sarah.

"Please," said Michael. "I don't want to hurt you. I don't think it's good that you keep dwelling on this, that you won't let this go." He looked down at the scroll, which had curled up slightly. "Is this why you wanted to do this?"

"Yes," said Sarah. "You said 'mostly', what does that mean? Mostly a negative way, which means that sometimes it's a positive way. Explain how."

Michael grit his teeth. "I am telling you, from the bottom of my heart, with a truth spell active, that it's not going to be good for either of us if we go down this path."

"I'm not marrying you unless you answer," Sarah said.

"That's the truth?" asked Michael. "I mean, you could have told me that before, you could have said that without the spell."

"You would have thought I was being manipulative," she replied.

"I think you're being manipulative now," Michael said. "You love me? You forgive me? You want to marry me?"

"Yes, yes, yes," said Sarah. "We're pulling out a rotten tooth, as I see it. I would have pulled it out on my own, if I could have, but I need you, and I need truth."

Michael took a breath. "I love you so much. You mean the world to me. I am so thankful to be marrying you, if that still happens." He took another breath. "The only thing I think, the only positive thought I have about her, is that she was more enthusiastic in bed. But I love you, Sarah, you are the only one I want to be with, it's not something that weighs on me, it's a consideration but it pales in comparison to everything else, you're smart, you're funny, you make me want to be a better man, these past four years I've become a better man."

"There have been times when you think to yourself that she was better in bed than I am?" asked Sarah. She had gone very still. She was swallowing the idea, in the same way that someone might swallow a caltrop.

"No," said Michael. "She wasn't 'better', she just ... wanted it in a way that you didn't. Don't. She was hungry for me in a way that you never are."

Sarah began to cry.

"I'm so sorry," said Michael. "But it doesn't mean anything to me, I told you that, it's an idle thought, it's got nothing to do with marriage, with partnership."

"I think I might be gay," said Sarah.

Michael stared at her. "What?" he asked. "What ... what does that mean?" He looked at the timer, which was still running down. "You said that once a week was what you'd prefer, did you mean with women?"

"No, I ..." she was sniffling, and went to her purse for a tissue, which she used to blot away her tears and wipe liquified snot from where it had gathered on her upper lip. "I enjoy having sex with you, I like the feeling of it. I do. That's true." She said it as though it was almost a revelation to hear it said under the truth spell, as though she wasn't certain that it would pass muster.

"Then what do you mean?" asked Michael. "Do you mean you might be ... bisexual?"

"I felt that heat for a woman," Sarah said. "For several women." She let out a breath. "I never did anything with them, I never even knew if it's what they would have wanted, but ... I don't know. It's confusing."

"But you still want to marry me," said Michael. "Even with that."

"I do," said Sarah. "I love you."

"I love you too," said Michael. He watched her face, as though he could read something there. He looked down at the timer. "Do you think this marriage is a good idea?"

"Yes," she replied. "Yes enough that I didn't have to add qualifications, I guess." She gave a nervous laugh. "Do you?"

"Yes," said Michael.

But as soon as he said it, he wasn't sure that it was true. Did the spell work like that? Could you say something that was untrue after you said it? There was a rising panic inside him, a feeling of being trapped with her that he'd never felt before, not before the affair or after.

"Let's set this aside," she said. "Let's be done with it. Okay?"

Michael nodded. He had wanted to say 'okay', but it wasn't.

[scentofhydrangea]

warnings a bit of smut, breeding, he calls reader a slut, otherwise just fluff

thinking sooooo hard about a big italian wedding with luigi omg

i feel like he’s not the type to initially want a big wedding but then the more you two discuss it he starts getting a little restless with the planning

i think also he’d be a super groomzilla when you’re like two weeks away from the date… he’s worried more about preparations than you are 😭 ‘baby it’s okay, we’ll have everything taken care of!’

his parents and grandparents will likely contribute to a majority of the wedding, even if you two refuse… but this gives the selfish part of you lots more room for spending hehehehe

especially if his grandparents like you a lot, oh my gosh you’d better know that they’d give you a fat check or stack of money as your wedding gift 🫣 ‘benvenuto in famiglia!’ and you’re just burning with excitement omgomg

also he spends so much time on his vows :( he’s nearly bringing you to tears and his mother just cannot keep herself together … of course your maid of honor is on the brink of tears too cuz she has to give her best friend away

we know luigi has an incredible sense of humor as well, and i saw something on pinterest that said they wanted their wedding/reception to be like a scene from the office, and i’m certain that if he was into shows like that then you’d have a room where people go in and gossip or talk to the ‘viewers’ (you two) and there’d be lots of looking at the camera/breaking the fourth wall or zooming in on people like his best man side eyeing the camera LMFAOOO

after the wedding, he waits a few days before you go on your honeymoon because he wants nothing more than to slut you out and be able to call you his wife that night ;)

“my pretty wife, look at you, baby. doing so good for your husband, aren’t you?” the way he speaks to you is like a sin, as if you’re doing something you aren’t supposed to. you’re just so overwhelmed with all these new phrases that you can’t do anything but babble ‘mhm’ and ‘fuck!’

“you gonna let me cum inside? hmmm? gonna let me breed my wife?” he huskily asks, no longer letting you ride him at your own pace. he’s holding your hips as still as he can, eagerly thrusting his thick cock deep into you. you’re both sweating and moaning into each others ears, and he really doesn’t care if you ever answer him.

the moment your walls spasm around him (for the fourth time), he loses all sense and his hot cum comes in ropes and he’s stuffing you full and whispering in your ear :’) “good fucking girl” and “what a good slut my wife is” omg i’m ill

he wastes no time in convincing you to start the family early :3 we know italian people love their big families! (his mother is also pushing the fuck out of you asking ‘when am i gonna get grandkids?’ 😬)

either way, he’s absolutely the best husband and father of your child(ren) you could possibly ask for 🩷🩷

[cicerfics]

(@rudolphsb9)

This is very true!

Now, there are some scenes in the films where it kind of feels like it's implied Bond has his own money to spend. Like, he owns a flat in London and he seems able to manage even when M freezes his credit cards. And she makes such a point of telling Tanner to freeze all of Bond's cards, which I always took to mean his personal cards as well as (presumably?) his 'company' cards.

But I don't know! Perhaps the London flat is owned by MI6 and it's a perk offered to active-duty double-ohs (and thus rescinded/sold when the agents die or are retired)? Maybe Bond just scrounges up money via gambling and other illicit sources, and uses that for his personal funds?

I don't know! It is very possible that Bond is from an 'old money' family, but by his generation, the wealth has disappeared and nothing is left but a crumbling old estate that costs more to maintain than it generates in revenue! This is a common enough situation!

I do think it's interesting if Bond doesn't actually have any money of his own but he's held onto the Skyfall estate. I mean, presumably keeping it actually costs money, no? So, if he doesn't have money to burn, I am interested to know how/why he hangs onto it.

The film tries to make us believe that Bond has no attachment to the estate, but that's never held water with me. Just doesn't feel consistent with Bond's character somehow, or even his choice to use Skyfall as an improvised safehouse. His very choice to return there made me feel like he has some attachment to the place.

And, of course, if he's gone to the trouble/expense of keeping the place, when he could more easily sell it and have some money to play with, that must be an emotional decision, surely...? All the more so if keeping is actually an expense that Bond has had to find a way to shoulder!

...Now I'm interested in a situation where, post-Skyfall, Bond is pretty much reduced to having to sell the land, simply because there's nothing left of the estate he can even use to generate enough income to cover the taxes and so forth.

And now I'm imagining Q being very concerned about this decision and asking Bond if he's sure he really wants to sell. If Bond's kept the family land all these years, surely it's important to him? Surely he doesn't want to sell...?

And Bond bluntly states that it's just a matter of cost: he can't afford to keep it, so it's got to go. That's that. Decision made.

And Q blurts out, "Oh. Well, if it's just about the money...I could buy it for you?"

And Bond stares.

"Q," he says. "The estate agent has listed the property at £2 million."

"Oh!" Q says. "Oh, that's well below what I would've expected, really, given the size of the acreage...I suppose the incident with Silva must have knocked down the price quite a bit...well, but it's something of a bargain, at that price. Do you want me to buy it? Or give you the money so you can buy the property back?"

And Bond just...bluescreens.

And that's how he discovers that his new quartermaster has money-money.

...I am too lazy to go digging through my blog and find my previous posts about sugar-baby!Bond, but. I really do love him with my whole heart and soul.

Spoiled brat. Useless creature. Always pestering his husband for new toys and watches and shoes until he gives in. Proudly presenting himself as arm candy whenever Q has to go to a fancy dinner or something.

I love he. 💖

The canonical evidence for 'does Bond actually have money?' is sooooo inconsistent. Post-Skyfall, I've always worked under the assumption he does.

But there was that scene in Casino Royale where Vesper did her little cold reading and guessed that Bond was a scholarship kid who had a fancy education but effectively was a charity case who was contemptuous of rich people, and it's implied by Bond's reaction that she was right.

And then that scene where Bond basically told Vesper 'lol let's run away together!! until we run out of money and somebody has to get a job to support us. which will be you. because i don't know how. 😍'

So, IDK. I like old-money Bond, but I also like a Bond who has no actual money of his own and just lives large at the taxpayer expense.

And needless to say, I like a Bond who's just flouncing around HQ like 'i don't really understand how money works! or how to pay bills or take care of myself! but i like pretty things!!! 🥰'...until Q decides he has to take pity on him, and agrees to let Bond fulfill his ultimate destiny of Useless Trophy Husband, with all his needs provided for by Q and his tech-patent money.

[spore-loser]

Nesta was forced into the House of Wind to put her to work for the IC, not for her mental and physical health.

Very often, I see readers with misconceptions about Nesta's situation in ACOSF. They say she was only put in the House of Wind to heal her, that she had a choice in the matter, or that her lack of a choice was for her own good.

So first off, Feyre admitted it was about control and getting Nesta to work.

“Oh, so it’s about you saving face—” “It is about how it reflects upon me, upon Rhys, and upon my court when my damned sister spends our money on wine and gambling and does nothing to contribute to this city! If my sister cannot be controlled, then why should we have the right to rule over anyone else?”

(ACOSF, Ch.2)

If Nesta's well-being was the top consideration, she should have been sent to live with the priestesses and to see their counselor, the way both Mor and Rhys had done. Instead, Nesta was forced to work in the library as a punishment to humble her, without access to a mental health professional. 

If it was really about Nesta’s physical and mental health, then why are the human lands a "choice" she was given? She would be vulnerable there, having to hide away from human prejudice that would threaten her life. How is Nesta supposed to think that people who would leave her there care about her well-being? 

ACOSF's text revealed it was only the illusion of choice, but the question stands. Nesta was not made aware until she basically called the bluff. Her saying 'no' to the HoW and training was essentially choosing the human lands. But the IC didn't allow that.

So the human lands was just an especially undesirable "option" to get Nesta to more easily accept what the IC wanted. What the text directly shows is that she was never given a real choice. The IC said Nesta had one, but then forced her into what they wanted after she refused to "choose" it. 

“I’m not moving to the House of Wind,” Nesta said. “And I’m not training at that miserable village. Certainly not with him.” (...) “It’s not up for negotiation,” Amren said (...) “Like hell it isn’t,” Nesta challenged (...) “Your apartment is being packed as we speak,” Amren said, (...) “By the time you return, it will be empty (...)"

Feyre swallowed, but didn’t balk. “That is enough. You’re moving up to the House, you’re going to train and work, and I don’t care what vitriol you spew my way. You’re doing it.” 

[Feyre said] “That’s why you’re going to train at Windhaven. You will learn to control yourself.” “I won’t go.” “You’re going, even if you have to be tied up and hauled there. You will follow Cassian’s lessons, and you will do whatever work Clotho requires in the library.”  (...) “(...) Any free time is yours to spend as you wish. In the House.”

(ACOSF, Ch.2)

With her power, there is no way Rhys and Amren would ever let Nesta go. She was much too valuable and they wanted her for their tasks. Feyre was home-bound and Elain was never given the chance to step up. Even though Elain volunteered to help, was in a better place mentally and physically, had Amren and Feyre's backing, she was still just used as a bargaining chip to get Nesta to act.

Azriel stiffened, an outright sign of temper from him as he said quietly, “There is an innate darkness to the Dread Trove that Elain should not be exposed to.” “But Nesta should?” Cassian growled.

Cassian glowered at Amren. “It’s not right to wield Elain as a threat to manipulate Nesta into scrying.” “There are harsher ways to convince Nesta, boy." (...) "We must head off this potential disaster before we lose the advantage. If we need to manipulate Nesta into scrying, even by using Elain against her, then we’ll do what is necessary.”

(ACOSF, Ch. 29)

If Nesta was only put in the HoW for her recovery, then why was she continuously put at risk to get the Dread Trove? It was extremely dangerous. She could have died and was sexually assaulted on top of that.

From the very beginning, the Archeron sisters were being manipulated to do what Rhys and Amren wanted. Rhys knew money was a sore spot for Feyre when it came to Nesta. Reading her bill item by item in front of everyone was an effective tactic to get Feyre to agree to his plans.

Rhys had read each item aloud. Bottles of rare wine, exotic foods, gambling debts … (…) Cassian knew there’d been previous conversations—fights—about Nesta. (…) But as Feyre wept at the table, he knew it was a breaking of some sort. (…) Rhys had laid a comforting hand on Feyre’s, squeezing gently before he looked at Azriel, and then Cassian, and laid out his plan. As if he’d had it waiting a long, long while.

(ACOSF, Ch.2)

There was no need to do that in front of others except to embarrass Feyre so she was more likely to accept his "solutions". Rhys and Feyre can trade information mentally and he didn’t even need to physically show her the bill, let alone read it out loud. Judging by how Feyre was with Nesta spending money in the cabin, she would have agreed to Rhys��� plan just by him giving a mind-to-mind total of how much Nesta spent.

Along with Cassian’s realization, we have textual evidence that Rhys wanted to plan something for Nesta since the events of ACOFS.

Cassian and my mate’s sister did not speak to each other at all. Nesta had successfully cloistered herself in some slummy apartment across the Sidra, refusing to interact with any of us save for a few brief visits with Feyre every month. I’d have to find a way to fix that, too.

(ACOFS, Ch.2)

Feyre suspected Cassian and Nesta’s mate bond since ACOWAR, where she and Rhys discuss the possibility. 

“Are he and Nesta …?” “I don’t know. Until the bond snaps into place, it can be hard to detect.”

(ACOWAR, Ch. 47)

So not letting Nesta train with Azriel was a way to make her spend time with Cassian, regardless of her wishes. 

And making Nesta train was not simply a way to strengthen her body and get in shape. As someone malnourished, suffering from an eating disorder, she needed time to nourish her body, to put on weight and muscle before she started training. In actuality, Nesta was made to train so she could go on missions for the IC and 'contribute to Velaris' as soon as possible. 

[Azriel said] “If Briallyn and Koschei find just one of the Dread Trove items—” “Let Nesta try it her way first.” Cassian held Az’s stare. “If we go in and order her to do it, it’ll backfire. Let her exhaust her other options before she realizes only one is viable.” Azriel studied his face, then nodded solemnly.

(ACOSF, Ch. 22)

“Nesta has to start looking for the Trove,” Amren said (...) Cassian met Amren’s gray stare. “Nesta’s been looking. Don’t push her.”  Rhys said from where he lounged at the head of the table, “She’s had the priestesses researching for her. I’d hardly call that looking.” (...) [Amren said] “We are on the cusp of another war. We let the Cauldron slip from our hands in the last one and it nearly cost us everything.”

(ACOSF, Ch. 29)

[maria-ruta]

I'm having a bad mood today

Would you draw my blorbo for me please?

[newtness532]

im so annoyed with everything today, i think i need some tasty food and a million hours of sleep and then I'll be back to normal

[pa-pa-plasma]

I hate how half of people think "natural climate change = humans cause all climate change" & the other half thinks "natural climate change = no climate change is caused by humans at all"

"the Earth's climate naturally changes over time" & "human activity has caused rapid, unstable climate change" can & should co-exist

[keenestpeach]

Everything’s happening at the same time man

[nerdyfangirlingbooks]

Every now and then I remember the times I would mention to my flatmate that I was thinking of buying myself something reasonably expensive (that I had been eyeing up for months and had budgeted for) and she'd tell me that I shouldn't spend that much money on something I didn't need and it would be stupid etc etc while she regularly impulse bought things that cost at least as much and she would use once (while complaining that she was under a lot of financial stress and couldn't afford <$3/week for 2 months for a rental washing machine when ours broke). She is... perhaps not my first call for financial advice

[theosjunkdrawer]

Something about procrastinating booking a hotel for a wedding until 2 days before the deadline and then being told they'll call back for 2 days straight and now it's 11:35pm and in 25 minutes it is technically too late to confirm this shit and I Know The Person At The Desk By Name Because She's Been There All Day and I still haven't got a call back. I am out of school and still procrastinating deadlines continue to tear my stomach up

[sad--tree]

well shit. just checked out the lineup 4 bluesfest this year and i may have 2 actually brave the crowds 4 once. there might just be enough ppl id wanna see to make it worth it, altho tbh matthew good is almost enough for that on his own lol coz like. matthew good!!! that's the music of my freakin childhood man!! (*the most canadian sentiment ever)

[ncityzen]

I convinced myself it was okay to go to a bookshop today because I had a gift card that would save me like half the price of a book. I get to the bookshop. I pick the book. I go up to the bookseller, say I actually have this gift card. Bookseller goes oh sorry the computer's down today so it doesn't work. I proceed to smile, say it's okay and buy the book anyways full price :)))

[nomaishuttle]

its also like . ok sry im going on bc im tired and ive upset myself lol but its like. to have somebody who knows i grew up in poverty call me greedy and selfish bc he pressured me into moving up here when i didnt have the money so i Had to rely on him financially. and then i couldnt pay him back while i was literally unemployed. to have him call me greedy and selfish and entitled and lazy was. insanely upsetting

[malkaviian]

i have a headache but also i dont want to go to sleep just yet dkjnfjds i want me-time

(warning: as i was writing the tags of this post this turned into another kinda-heavy rant about the situation my group of friends and i are. so keep that in mind)

[princessmyriad]

:'(

[britneyshakespeare]

Bro did you seriously not show up on time to class on the day we were gonna discuss John Donne's "A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning" and "A Nocturnal Upon St. Lucy's Day, Being the Shortest Day"