#st anthony is way more of a thing for couples only

[unreadpoppy]

god help me when the 12th of June comes by.....

[lgbridgertonqa]

The Great Queer Bridgerton Ship Poll: THE RESULTS!!!

First off, we’d just like to thank everyone for taking part in this silliness. We clocked in at 204,232 votes when we closed the poll with votes still coming in. Deeply unserious, we’re very touched.

That being said this is also VERY serious. Lives are at stake.

Onto the numbers for places (under the cut - cos it's LONG!)

Or read the results thread here on our twitter.

31. Daphne Bridgerton/Alice Mondrich - 0 votes (0.00%)

Sorry girls!

29 =. Colin Bridgerton/Harry Dankworth - 1 vote (0.0005%)

The Danklin nation were not assembled for this fight. One noble voter stood proud!

29 =. Harry Dankworth/Lord Fife - 1 vote (0.0005%)

The vote is entirely anonymous so we will never know who this one brave soul was that swung for the only Fife ship in the poll. It will ever remain a mystery…

23 = . Siena Rosso/Mme Delacroix - 2 votes (0.0010%)

Maybe next time, ladies.

23 = . Violet Bridgerton/Portia Featherington - 2 votes (0.0010%)

The Mama’s did not do it for the voters.

23 = . Mary Sharma/Queen Charlotte - 2 votes (0.0010%)

Not enough follow through on this tension to capture more votes.

23 = . Mme Delacroix/Lucy Granville - 2 votes (0.0010%)

The girls are taking a hit in the polls.

23 = . Gregory Bridgerton/Richard Abernathy - 2 votes (0.0010%)

Our first book character on the list! He fought valiantly.

23 = . Lord Haselby/Neville Berbrooke - 2 votes (0.0010%)

This niche book only fanon couple did this against all odds. Respect!

20 =. Kate Sharma/Sophie Beckett - 4 votes (0.0020%)

A previous fan favourite has slipped down the rankings in this poll!

20 = . Eloise Bridgerton/Edwina Sharma - 4 votes (0.0020%)

A similarly previously popular ship has fallen on hard times this year!

20 =. Will Mondrich/Simon Basset - 4 votes (0.0020%)

MIA since season 1, but sorely missed.

19. Hyacinth Bridgerton/Felicity Featherington - 5 votes (0.0024%)

The show may have forgotten you Felicity, but voters haven’t

18 =. Queen Charlotte/Lady Danbury - 6 votes (0.0029%)

Too many people afraid of the power of these two women kissing.

18 =. Anthony Bridgerton/Thomas Dorset - 6 votes (0.0029%)

Apparently two men holding each other and falling into a lake isn’t homoerotic enough for some.

16. Lucy Abernathy/Hermione Watson - 9 votes (0.0044%)

Another book ship taking on show giants.

15. Eloise Bridgerton/Marina Thompson - 11 votes (0.0054%)

Some people hate to see lesbians winning!

14. Brimsley/Reynolds - 38 votes (0.0186%)

Our first canon queer ship taking a hit! Only scraping top 15!

13. Francesca Bridgerton/Edwina Sharma - 96 votes (0.047%)

The votes are starting to pick up now with this outside contender!

12. Daphne Bridgerton/Cressida Cowper - 211 votes (0.1033%)

A very respectable 12th place for Daphida!

11. Eloise Bridgerton/Penelope Featherington - 236 votes (0.1156%)

A perhaps shock result to not crack the top ten!

10. Gregory Bridgerton/Gareth St. Clair - 403 votes (0.1973%)

Huge result for a book character not yet in the show! Top ten!

9. Colin Bridgerton/Michael Stirling - 636 votes (0.3114%)

A now book based pair on the shortlist from last year, coming into the top ten as an underdog!

8. Francesca Bridgerton/Michaela Stirling - 677 votes (0.3315%)

Michaela Stirling didn’t throw the first brick at Stonewall for 8th place.

7. Simon Basset/Anthony Bridgerton - 737 votes (0.3609%)

Homoerotic tension legendary enough that it brought this show into infamy. You’ve served proudly, kings

6. Francesca Bridgerton/Penelope Featherington - 970 votes (0.475%)

Another outsider in the top 10! The Fran/Pen shooters were not messing around!

5. Colin Bridgerton/Phillip Crane - 1,052 votes (0.5151%)

One olive oil joke and discussions about Ancient Greece, next thing you know -

4. Benedict Bridgerton/Paul Suarez - 1,713 votes (0.8388%)

Congrats on all the sex you had boys! It translated into votes!

3. Kate Sharma/Daphne Bridgerton - 15,911 votes (7.7906%)

Kaphne were leading the way for 5 days this week, only to be pipped to the post in the last few days. Well done on bronze!

2. Benedict Bridgerton/Henry Granville - 84,285 votes (41.2692%)

Voters gave it their all in the last 24 hours, but ultimately couldn’t take the win. A very worthy silver!

1. Eloise Bridgerton/Cressida Cowper - 97,204 votes (47.5949%)

Unreal rush at the end, nearly breaking the poll. The sapphics take the crown of Best Queer Bridgerton Ship!

[traumacatholic]

I recently got engaged to the love of my life. We are both still very young, but currently there is a possibility they may have cancer. we cannot currently make an appointment with the hospital because its the weekend, and moreover if we can get an appointment it may be months away. Im terrified beyond belief. My fiancé even more so.

I truly do not know what to do. I'm someone who has been blessed in life in that I have never lost someone close to me. My fiancé pulled me out of the worst time in my life when I met them. My connection to God has never been strong despite my family being catholic. I don't even really know how to pray. We have so many plans for the future, to be married and raise a family together. To try and put a little good back into the world. To grow old together.

I am at a loss. Any prayer you can offer would mean so much to me. I would do anything for my fiancé, and though it feels wrong to come back to my faith because something horrible is happening and not for simply wanting to I only hope God can forgive me for it and protect my Love.

Of course, I will keep you both in my prayers. Never feel like you're turning to your faith for the 'wrong' reason, because this can put you off really engaging and connecting with your faith and using it as a pillar and a support network. Please reach out to a Church, even if you aren't currently attending one. And asking for prayers and for help from the Priest. Even if you did turn to faith for the 'wrong' reason, ultimately by spending time in prayer, spending time reading Scripture, spending time going to Church - whatever things you might be doing. Should hopefully lead to you sincerely connecting with your faith in a way that perhaps feels more meaningful to you. A genuine engagement with the faith. It is better to turn to God in times of desperate situations, than to never turn to Him at all. God never tires of us turning to Him for help.

People turn to the faith in different ways, in many different situations. We should never treat the individual turning to God as 'this is the right reason', 'this is the wrong reason'. Anything that could lead to someone genuinely increasing their faith, no matter how slim that possibility may be, should be encouraged. How many cultural Catholics still turn to St Anthony for help finding a lost item? Or a Hail Mary when they're in the hospital waiting room? As the old saying goes 'there's no atheist in the trenches'. And regardless of how 'silly' or 'insincere' or whatever else term we might use that turn to faith might be, God will use it as an opportunity for you to develop or redevelop that relationship with Him. Our entire life is a conversion process. We are always, every single day, choosing to convert to God through repentance or choosing to slip away from Him. Hoping in God, hoping in His power and His mercy and His comfort isn't a bad thing.

In terms of prayers, if you are feeling up for it. There is an Akathist to the Theotokos for healing - particularly for healing from cancer. I know you don't have a confirmed diagnosis, but please don't feel like you have to wait until then to pray this. You can pray it now. This is a long prayer. It is designed to be read all the way through. Don't worry about the names of Troparion or Kontakion, that's meant for people that are chanting the Akathist. http://www.stvladimiraami.org/sheetmusic/akathistvsetsaritsa.pdf Has the beginning prayers, as well as the full akathist. Generally, the first couple of times reading through an Akathist can make it take a long time. But I found through the Akathist that I prayed daily, that eventually it takes a lot less time because you know the prayer well enough. Don't feel like you have to read this every day. Traditionally, Akathists can be said once a day for a 40 day period. You don't have to do it for that long, just as and when it feels feasible. It does also have three prayers at the bottom. If you're ever not feeling up for praying the Akathist, feel free to pray those individually.

I have attached some much shorter prayers under the read more. Feel free to mix and match between them. I would recommend having at least one prayer, that you pray morning and night. If you can, I would also recommend reading a Psalm a day.

Dear Lord, as my loved ones and I await the results of medical tests about my affliction, let us offer you our anxieties for our good and your glory. Calm us in our worries, knowing these don’t add wisdom but rather stress to this situation. Enlighten us, though the power of your Spirit, to make wise decisions as to treatment. Help us not to turn away from You in these fragile, painful moments, but rather towards you for grace and strength. Comfort us in seeking you now as we place all our concerns in your loving hands as we say “Thy Will Be Done.”

--

Mary, health of the sick, you brought forth into our world Jesus Christ, our Divine Healer. In your caring goodness, intercede for (mention name), who is truly in need of miraculous assistance.

If it be God’s will, I ask this day that the gift of healing from all forms of cancer be granted to (name).

Comfort him/her during times of anguish, pain, confusion and despair. Ask our gracious Savior to grant him/her physical health, inner peace and patience in suffering.

May God’s healing graces grant (name) a life of happiness, health and fulfillment here on earth, and one day the joy of eternal glory in His loving embrace.

Amen.

--

Let us pray to the Lord. Lord have mercy.

O Lord Almighty, the Healer of our souls and bodies, You Who put down and raise up, Who chastise and heal also; do You now, in Your great mercy, visit our brother (sister) (Name), who is sick. Stretch forth Your hand that is full of healing and health, and get him (her) up from his (her) bed, and cure him (her) of his (her) illness. Put away from him (her) the spirit of disease and of every malady, pain and fever to which he (she) is bound; and if he (she) has sins and transgressions, grant to him (her) remission and forgiveness, in that You love mankind; yea, Lord my God, pity Your creation, through the compassions of Your Only-Begotten Son, together with Your All-Holy, Good and Life-creating Spirit, with Whom You are blessed, both now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Let us pray to the Lord. Lord have mercy.

O Lord our God, Who by word alone did heal all diseases, Who did cure the kinswoman of Peter, You Who chastise with pity and heal according to Your goodness; Who are able to put aside every malady and infirmity, do You Yourself, the same Lord, grant aid to this Your servant (Name) and cure him (her) of every sickness of which he (she) is grieved; lift him (her) up from his (her) bed of pain and distress, and send down upon him (her) Your great mercy, and if it be Your Will, give to him (her) health and a complete recovery; for You are the Physician of our souls and bodies, and to You do we send up Glory: to Father, and to Son, and to Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

--

O God, our help in time of need, Who are just and merciful, and Who inclines to the supplications of His people.

Look down upon ____________and have mercy on them and deliver them from the trouble that now besets them.

Deal with ____________ not according to their iniquities, but according to Your manifold mercies, for we are the works of Your hands, and You know our weaknesses.

I pray to you to grant ____________ Your divine helping grace, and endow them with patience and strength to endure their hardships with complete submission to Your Will.

Only You know our misery and sufferings, and to You, our only hope and refuge, we flee for relief and comfort, trusting in Your infinite love and compassion, that in due time, when You know best, You will deliver ____________ from this trouble, and turn their distress into comfort.

We then shall rejoice in Your mercy, and exalt and praise Your Holy Name, O Father, Son and Holy Spirit, both now and forever and to the ages of ages.  Amen

--

[Feel free to pray this one for yourself, and to edit it to be a prayer for your fiancé. From my understanding, when we are praying for someone else, we omit any references to them being a sinner. So you would edit it to 'Be merciful to him/her, O Master. Take from them the heavy burden of despair.']

O Greatly-merciful Master, Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me and cleanse me from every sadness and disturbance and cowardice. Drive away from me every spiritual choking and demonic sorrow, that I sense in my body and my soul. For You are our Joy, and the Hope of all the ends of the earth, and those far off at sea. Be merciful to me, O Master, upon my sins. Take from me the heavy burden of sin and despair. Drive far away from me every sadness and laziness. Confirm me in Your Love, and with unassailable hope and unshakable faith in You, through the intercessions of Your Spotless Mother, and all Your Saints. Amen.

--

[I would recommend this one for yourself]

O Master, Lord my God, in Whose hands is my destiny: Help me according to Thy mercy, and leave me not to perish in my transgressions, nor allow me to follow them who place desires of the flesh over those of the spirit. I am Thy creation; disdain not the work of Thy hands. Turn not away; be compassionate and humiliate me not, neither scorn me, O Lord, as I am weak. I have fled unto Thee as my Protector and God. Heal my soul, for I have sinned against Thee. Save me for Thy mercy's sake, for I have cleaved unto Thee from my youth; let me who seeks Thee not be put to shame by being rejected by Thee for mine unclean actions, unseemly thoughts, and unprofitable remembrances. Drive away from me every filthy thing and excess of evil. For Thou alone art holy, alone mighty, and alone immortal, in all things having unexcelled might, which, through Thee, is given to all that strive against the devil and the might of his armies. For unto Thee is due all glory, honor and worship: To the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen

--

[stonathandreamer]

VALENTINE'S DAY

🔸 Stonathan Masterlist

Synopsis: Jonathan and Steve exchange gifts on their first Valentine's Day.

A/N: It may not be Valentine's Day in your country, but it is in mine! In Brazil, "Valentine's Day" is celebrated on June 12th, the eve of St. Anthony of Lisbon's day, who is known for his reputation as a "matchmaker saint." So it's the perfect excuse for me to write a Stonathan Valentine's Day fanfic! And also, I'm having a shitty week and I need some Stonathan fluff in my life to cheer me up. You know what they say: Stonathan is the best medicine!

There's no date more romantic than Valentine's Day. You shower your loved one with flowers, chocolates, a handmade card expressing your deepest affection, romantic dinners, and other special plans for two. That is, of course, if you have someone special to share Valentine's Day with. If not, it's just another ordinary day. For Jonathan, Valentine's Day was just another day. An ordinary day.

Until it wasn't. This Valentine's Day is special because it's his first.

Anyone else would be freaking out on their first Valentine's Day, worrying about what to buy their loved one, what flowers and chocolates to get, and where to take them for dinner. But Jonathan is not just anyone. He has a perfect schedule.

He invited Steve to his house, where they will exchange their gifts. Afterwards, a short session of cuddles and kisses, after all, it is Valentine's Day; and finally, a beautiful home-cooked dinner.

Unfortunately, being a gay couple in Hawkins in the 1980s means they can't do anything that straight couples do in public — and that includes having a nice Valentine's Day dinner at a fancy, upscale restaurant. But that's okay, homemade food is better because it's special — and Jonathan doesn't want to brag, but he's a great cook.

Jonathan is sitting on the couch, tapping his foot on the floor so much that there is definitely a hole in the floor with the imprint of the sole of his sneaker, waiting for his boyfriend to arrive. The ticking of the clock is the only noise that echoes through the house.

Tic-tac.

Tic-tac.

Tic-tac.

What an annoying noise!

How many more times will this damn clock make that noise before Steve arrives?

In addition to time apparently not passing, with each tick of the clock, Jonathan becomes more and more anxious. He was so confident this morning with the gift he made for Steve – yes, he didn't buy a gift from some regular and boring store, he made one. He thought it would be more special and romantic to make a gift than to buy one. Not that buying a gift isn't romantic, but he wanted to do something special for his special boyfriend.

It seemed like a good idea until this morning, but what if Steve doesn't like it? After all, isn't it an expensive gift, neither branded nor chic. It's just... One thing he did.

His mind is flooded with stormy negative thoughts that only serve to make him even more nervous. What if Steve doesn't like his gift? Then it would all be ruined! Their relationship would be ruined! Does he still have time to fake his own death and flee to South Dakota? It's better than staying and seeing the unhappy face Steve will make when he sees his gift and...

Knock-knock-knock.

Three knocks on the door bring him back to reality. He swallows hard. Time to experience the magic of Valentine's Day for the first time. But he didn't answer the door. He's still sitting on the couch, staring at the front door, looking like a deer caught in headlights.

Knock-knock-knock.

Three knocks on the door again. He needs to answer it! But...

Maybe it's too late to escape to South Dakota, but if he leaves through the back door, he'll definitely make it to Michigan...

“Jonathan?” Steve's voice catches Jonathan's attention. His name is spoken in a cautious tone, as if Steve is afraid of the response he will get. Is it possible that Steve is nervous too? Impossible. No way THE Steve Harrington is nervous about Valentine's Day. “Are you there? It's me... Steve...”

Jonathan can't help but roll his eyes at Steve announcing himself, as if he didn't already know it was his boyfriend who was knocking on the door the moment he called him. “If you’re there, can I come in? It's kind of cold out here...”

After taking a deep breath, Jonathan gets up from the couch and walks towards the door, becoming more and more anxious with each step he takes.

He opens the door slowly, unable to contain the small smile that forms at the corners of his lips when he sees Steve.

He is wearing a red polo shirt and a black jacket – which, according to himself on a previous occasion, are some his best clothes, which he only wears for “special events”. Another thing that catches his attention is the bouquet of flowers, the heart-shaped box of chocolates, and the two gifts that Steve carries in his hands. My God, did he buy all this for Jonathan? And the only thing he's going to give him in return is a stupid homemade gift?! Jonathan is officially freaking out right now.

Steve smiles when he sees Jonathan. An almost blinding smile. “Hi... You're here.”

Jonathan gently tilts his head to the side as he raises an eyebrow. “It’s kind of like my house… And we agreed to meet here...”

"No... I mean, YES! I mean… It's just…” Steve sighs, “I'm just… I'm happy to be here… With you.”

“Well, I’m glad you’re here too.” He closes the door and guides his boyfriend to his room, where his homemade gift waits to be delivered.

“Here...” Steve shoves the bouquet of roses and the box of chocolates in his face, “I... I don't know if you like flowers... Or chocolates...” He scrapes the back os his neck as he looks at Jonathan sheepishly. “I went kind of automatically... But I hope you like them.”

He couldn't help but smile at Steve's gesture. Sure, he's never been big on flowers and doesn't care much for sweets, but the fact that these things were given to him by Steve makes him want to cherish them forever.

“Thank you,” he gives his boyfriend a soft kiss on the cheek, taking him a little by surprise, as Steve wasn't expecting Jonathan to like receiving flowers and chocolates on Valentine's Day, as that's something you do “to a girl”, at least that's what society says. Ah, to hell with society! He just gave his boyfriend flowers and chocolates and he loved them, and that's what matters.

As soon as they arrive at Jonathan's room, Steve immediately sits on his bed and hands him one of the gifts - the smallest one. “I hope you like it.” He hands it to Jonathan and immediately looks away, suddenly finding his Evil Dead poster very interesting, afraid of his reaction.

Steve's reaction brings a little calm to Jonathan; after all, if his gift is bad, that means it won't be a problem for him to give his homemade gift to Steve, because they'll both be bad, and the two will be even!

He carefully unwraps the paper, his eyes widening as he sees that it's...

“A Thumper plush…” The rabbit from the movie Bambi. Steve blushes as he runs a hand through his hair - a habit he has when he's nervous. “Y-Yeah... You once said that... You liked Thumper... And I saw this plush and immediately thought of you. But when I got home I noticed it was a ridiculous gift and...” He swallows hard and turns his gaze to Jonathan. “It's stupid, I know... You don't have to keep it if you don't want to... I can go to the store and return it...”

He reaches out to grab the stuffed rabbit, but Jonathan moves it out of his reach. “No!” He blushes at his own scream. “I mean... I liked it... Thank you...” Steve's eyes widen, both because of the fact that Jonathan screamed (something that happens once every time Halley's Comet passes) and because of the fact that he liked the present.

“Serious? Don’t you think it’s silly or ridiculous?”

“No, I think… it’s sweet and thoughtful of you.” He looks at the stuffed bunny in his hands and then at his boyfriend. “Thanks, Steve.” And with that, Steve is smiling like a child who had just woken up on Christmas morning!

But he still has the other gift. “I bought a second gift, just in case you don't like the... Rabbit...”

“Thumper.” He corrects him.

“Yes, Thumper,” Steve takes the gift and places it in front of Jonathan. “I'm absolutely sure you'll like this one!” Again, he's smiling like a child on Christmas morning, eagerly awaiting Jonathan's reaction to opening his second present.

Meanwhile, Jonathan is at war with his own mind. If this second gift is as good as Steve says it is, then that means his half-assed homemade gift isn't going to be good enough. Damn, he should have bought something...

Jonathan's eyes widen when he sees what was hidden beneath the wrapping paper.

“Ta-da! It’s a photography kit!” Steve throws his hands up and smiles. “Look, I don't understand much about this photography thing, but the guy at the store assured me that this is the best one available on the market! There's a... Err, standard spare lens, an ultra-wide-angle lens, a wide-angle lens, a short and a long telephoto lens, a zoom lens...” Steve is reading the product description on the box, as even a week ago he only thought there was one type of photography lens.

He was so distracted explaining about the kit that it took him a while to notice the look of panic on his boyfriend's face. “Hey… What’s wrong?” The happiness in his voice was completely replaced by worry and a bit fear. “Did you not like it?”

Jonathan's eyes widen, and he shakes his head. “N-no! I mean, yes! Yes, I liked it... It's great, thank you. Your two gifts are... Amazing. It's just…” He sighs and looks away at his desk, where Steve's gift is hidden inside the top drawer. “Your gifts are so good... And mine's... It's not that good...”

Steve raises an eyebrow and tilts his head to the side. “Why do you say that?”

“Because I didn’t buy it, I… I made it…” Jonathan suddenly gets up from the bed. “But don't worry! I'll buy you something real quick! There must still be some stores open! I'll be back soon…” He takes his wallet from the nightstand and a jacket. But before he can get close to the door, Jonathan feels a hand grab his wrist tightly, keeping him frozen in place.

“Did you make me a gift?” Steve questioned, still sitting on the bed but leaning forward to prevent his boyfriend from rushing out of the room. Jonathan looked at him with a shy, embarrassed look and nodded. “That's great! It means that my gift is unique and special! Where is it?” And the excitement returned.

Honestly, Jonathan is sometimes surprised by how excited Steve can be about pretty much anything.

He took two steps back, until he was next to the desk, and opened the first drawer, removing an object carefully wrapped in dark blue paper. “I hope you like it,” he muttered, sitting down on the bed again and handing the gift to Steve.

He was amazed at the speed at which Steve grabbed the gift and started tearing up the paper, making him even more nervous. Part of him wants to see what Steve's reaction would be, while the other part wants to jump out the window and run away so he didn't have to see Steve's reaction.

His boyfriend's eyes widen when he finally sees his gift, and this makes Jonathan even more nervous. “It's a...”

“It’s a scrapbook,” Jonathan says, preferring to look at the sheet on his bed than his boyfriend's expression. “I put all the photos we took together and some other things... And Will did a drawing of us on the first page. He said he wanted to contribute to the gift...”

Steve flips through the pages. He can't help but smile as he looks at Will's drawing – Steve has one arm around Jonathan while the other holds some hairspray aimed at his exaggerated hair, and Jonathan is smiling and holding his camera towards Steve. This boy will become a famous artist one day, Steve is sure of that.

The second page has a photo that Jonathan took of Steve; he's on top of a park bench, almost losing his balance. Steve remembers that day. It was one of the first times they hung out together as friends. He accompanied Jonathan on one of his photography sessions to the park; he had to take a photo of something as part of an assignment for the photography club or something - he can't quite remember the specific details, all he remembers is wanting to spend some time with Jonathan.

There is a caption next to the photo: "When I started to fall in love with you."

Steve carefully analyzes each of the photos; there's one of him trying on his Scoops Ahoy costume for the first time, an unhappy look on his face, both because of the stupid uniform and because Jonathan was taking a picture of him wearing that stupid uniform; another of the two of them sleeping on the couch, Jonathan's head resting on Steve's shoulder while his was resting on top of Jonathan's head (it was definitely Will who took this one); one from when their plan to spend a quiet night at home was ruined by the arrival of six noisy kids who begged them to play some board games with them – in the photo (certainly taken by Joyce), he can see Jonathan sitting in front of the coffee table playing Monopoly with the kids while Steve is sitting on the couch behind him, his arms crossed and face turned away with a slight pout on his lips.

There are so many photos, each one better than the last.

“Wow…” Steve mutters.

Jonathan takes this as a sign that he doesn't like the gift. “I know, it’s ridiculous and stupid and…”

“I loved it.”

“... What?” He quickly looks up to Steve. That's when he notices the sparkle in his eyes, the almost blinding smile on his lips, and the slightly flushed cheeks. “R-Really?”

“Are you kidding? It’s the best gift I’ve ever received in my entire life!” He places the scrapbook next to him on the bed and leans forward, wrapping his arms around Jonathan's shoulders. “Thanks. You are the best boyfriend in the world!”

Jonathan can't hold back the sigh of relief that escapes his lips as a smile forms.

“You’re also the best boyfriend in the world, Steve.” He responds, resting his hands on Steve's back.

They pull away from the hug, but Steve takes Jonathan's hands in his.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Jon.”

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Steve.”

They lean forward simultaneously, their lips meeting halfway.

Best (first) Valentine's Day ever – at least for now, because they're both planning to outdo each other next year.

[folklauerate]

Your last story has many quote-worthy moments (it made my forever child free heart skip a beat, i admit it. You have a gft, my friend) but i am still here : "Three years they’d flirted around the edges of something greater between, push and pull, antagonistic and tender, unyielding until something snapped, and they’d kissed, one fateful night, drunk off of something far stronger than the drinks at the karaoke bar. Kissed and brought each other into each other's lives, thoroughly intertwined, irrevocably joined." Idek why, again the story is great all around, for many reasons and not only the obvious ones lol- it's like with the prof AU or my personal, all time favourite, "an affair,three ways", i need to know everything, the past and future and the present...gah. All this to say, you're really great and i'm happy you write, and that youhappened to like Kate and Anthony and that we're both here rn ... :)

First of all--thank you :,,) This ask would've been nice and so welcome any day, but it's specifically lovely today as I've been having a weird couple of days with writing and irl stuff, but I also got some personal news today that's not so great, and this really made me smile, and so I really want to thank you for this! <3

I'm so touched that you liked that oneshot--and that you love the Prof AU and the cheating au! Those are some AUs I'm the most proud of. I'm also so touched to hear it made your own childfree heart skip a beat :,) <3 that's so sweet.

That quote is so interesting for you to mention specifically, and I'm chuffed to hear you liked it! With PWPs/oneshots in general, I find that world-building is so important to make stories feel immersive. I'm the sort of writer who really values making sure the world of the story feels real and realized, and, if it's PWP, that the kink/porn feels earned, that there's a level of emotional investment and heft so that it all feels realized. Just writing a breeding kink for the sake of it wasn't something I could do, lol! In this instance, since I'm establishing the kink within the context of an established relationship, it was important to me that the relationship felt familiar and real. That was sort of in two bits--first, in that sentence, that summed up their entire history and the start of the relationship, and then them living together quickly after getting together, and the familiarity with which they do chores together (Anthony cooking dinner+doing laundry when Kate walks in, Kate picking up things for them at the department store). That sentence was did a lot of heavy lifting lol, as it really did condense years of their backstory into one bit. It was a tricky one and I'm glad to hear it stood out to you in a good way!

I totally get the need to know more haha. I feel that way with any fic I'm a fan of. With this AU, I imagined them meeting at a holiday party where they're there with mutual friends. I mention offhandedly that they both work on Wall St; they do vague finance jobs for different firms. In my mind, Anthony and Simon both work at the same firm, and Simon and Kate are friendly, and he invites her along to the holiday party. Simon introduces her to Anthony then, and it's not really an enemies to lovers arc, but they have a little antagonistic banter, ya know? In real life, who is really having a enemies to lovers arc lol ya know? People just meet people, and they exist on the periphery of their life, and sometimes you don't like someone! I think these two thought the other person was hot, kept running into one another in social settings because they're both friends with Simon, and then with Simon and Daphne getting married, they continue to bump into one another. So you have this three year period where they go from feeling like "oh this person is hot but kind of rude" to feeling ambivalent, to thinking the other person is funny/a good laugh, to sort of looking forward to being the person they can hang with at a party when they don't want to be there, to sort of having a crush on the other person but not making a move. And it's three years, so they're dating other people throughout that time, so maybe the timing just isn't right. But they go from being in the same social circle to being friends, you know how it works, that sort of slow build. They realize they like spending time together, they realize there's feelings, they're both single, and they end up the last ones at a karaoke bar after Simon's birthday party. Anthony offers to walk Kate home and they kiss and have a one night stand with the understanding that it's going to be more! Like at this point they were already friends who know stuff about one another's families lol, and have a good understanding of each other, and, like I said, have been crushing on and off/not single at the same time. But yeah, after that night, it moves pretty quickly from there. Kate's lease happens to be up six months into the relationship and he insists she move in with him, they're both very happy together, and know that the relationship is heading towards marriage.

That's the long version of that sentence :)

Thanks for reading, and thanks so much for the ask <3 I'm really grateful to be here with you <333

[lastchancevillagegreen]

Another Top Ten Favorite Graphic Novels Read in 2023:

#11

Monica Daniel Clowes (2023)

Daniel Clowes’ first novel in six years is a challenging read about a mother who despises motherhood and marriage and dumps her daughter with her parents and splits.  Where does she go?  That’s what her daughter Monica attempts to discover.  In typical Clowes fashion this takes so many detours and does so in the style of a variety of old comic books (war, romance, EC Horror, etc).  I did this book a tremendous disservice by not reading it in one sitting as I do 95% of all graphic novels.  Had I done so, it might have appeared higher in my list. 

#12

We Are On Our Own Miriam Katin (2006)

Letting It Go Miriam Katin (2013)

In We Are On Our Own, Katin tells the true story of her life between the ages of two to six as she and her mother who are forced to escape Budapest on foot (the husband is in the Hungarian army fighting the Nazis).  They fake their deaths (as suicides), get fake papers and end up in the country living with a couple as a servant and her illegitimate daughter.  Harrowing and heartbreaking.  The biggest shock: this was Katin’s first graphic novel and she wrote, drew it and had it published at the tender age of 64.  In Letting It Go, Katin leaps forward in her life to tell the story of her adult son’s decision to move to Berlin and register to become a citizen. Miriam freaks out believing that Berlin is still the same city it was during World War II.  With the help of her husband Geoff, her son Ilan and his Swedish girlfriend Tinet, not to mention plenty of martinis, Miriam discovers that letting go of her anger can become a good thing.

#13

Just Another Meat-Eating Dirtbag Michael Anthony and Chai Simone (2022)

Michael is an Iraq War vet and his girlfriend Coconut is a nurse.  And a vegetarian.  And she has difficulty with Michael’s meat eating.  Long story short: she becomes an animal activist on top of her vegetarianism, and he decides to convert to her way of thinking but only because he believes he can convert her back to eating meat via a sly method he calls the Trojan Tofu Horse methodology.  This book is based on the authors own marriage and it is the funniest and most unexpected book to appear on this list.  A sheer delight but it begs the question, why are boys so stupid?

#14

Who Will Make The Pancakes Megan Kelso (2022)

This is an anthology of five of Kelso’s stories for a variety of publications all in different mediums and Kelso, a self taught artist, is a master of all of them.  Her story Watergate Sue about having a mother who loved watching the Watergate hearings more than she did motherhood is hilarious.  But the book’s masterpiece, from 2011, is story four: Korin Voss a heartbreaking tale of a single mother of two girls, Athena and Penelope.  The things this mother does to keep food on the table is heart wrenching and destructive, but ultimately it proves again just how difficult motherhood can be. 

#15

Queenie Godmother of Harlem Elizabeth Colomba and Aurélie Levy (2023)

Exceptional bio-graphic novel about Stephanie St Clair, the godmother of Harlem who exerted quite a grip on Harlem as she ran her numbers racket.  This all took place during the Harlem Renaissance and when prohibition ended suddenly all the big time gangsters wanted to take over St Clair’s numbers racket.  Elizabeth Colomba’s artwork is simply stunning.

#16

The Man In The McIntosh Suit Rina Ayuyang

Taking place in Watsonville, California during the Depression, this novel about the Filipino experience in the US is captivating.  Steeped heavily in noirish qualities and filled with gangsters, mistaken identities and plenty of circumspect happenings in the shadows, this ensures I will seek out Rina Ayuyang’s work from this point on.

#17

Sunshine Jarrett J Krosoczka (2023)

Jarrett Krosoczka spent two weeks of his life as a senior in high school attending a camp where he worked as a “counselor” (ie: a person who tends to the moods and needs of) for kids who had cancer.  As a social worker who had plenty of high school kids die on my caseload because of disabling conditions I wasn’t sure I wanted to read this, dreading a schmaltzy Hallmark feel-good novel.  I feared overdosing on the word “courageous” and “brave,” words which my students never appreciated because they were just living their life.  But to his credit Krosoczka avoids them (he says “courageous” once) and even better he allows his counselors to get angry with the kids.  Since these kids come to camp to experience a normal life situation, what better way to give them that?  Even better, the author befriended many of them and kept in contact with them until Death came knocking at their door, but he kept right on being friends with the families.  The best part: Krosoczka’s artwork has improved measurably (his last book Hey, Kiddo suffered because of the artwork).

#18

Lon Chaney Speaks Pat Dorian (2020)

The 30something author/artist of this book admits in an introduction that he is wildly out of step with his peers in his love for silent cinema.  He then admits that Chaney, a notorious man who hated speaking about his life or with the press, was a difficult person to learn about.  Dorian admits this “is not a historical document; an imagined biography is more accurate.”  But this is not fan fiction (something I despise).  Dorian manages to make a lot of discoveries about Chaney and it ends up being a marvelous read.  What would Chaney think?  Well, he would have bothered reading the book and besides, he’s dead. 

#19

The Twilight Man: Rod Serling and The Birth of Television Koren Shadmi (2019)

All Tomorrow’s Parties: The Velvet Underground Story Koren Shadmi (2023)

Koren Shadmi wrote a graphic novel about Bela Lugosi that made my Top 20 a couple of years ago.  Earlier this year I discovered his biography on Rod Serling in which Shadmi rightfully argues that Serling is one of the most important figures in early television.  His most recent bio-graphic novel concerns the Velvet Underground.  He documents how Lou Reed and John Cale got together, following the band through to their fourth album Loaded when Reed suddenly left the band. Both books are expertly drawn, incredibly researched and reveal Shadmi’s love of his subject matter. 

#20 A Guest In The House Emily Bloom

Abby is newly married to a dentist.  It is his second marriage.  She feels slightly uncomfortable in her new guise as a bride and a mother.  She is now step-mother to a preteen and struggles to relate to her.  There are questions about the death of the first wife and as the novel slowly moves forward not only does Abby begin to question what her husband has told her, she also begins getting visits from the dead wife’s ghost.  You think you know where this is going (I sure did) but by the end of the novel, you realize you didn’t have a clue.  And you might even have to read parts of the book again to fully comprehend what happened at the end, but all the pieces of this puzzle are laid out for us to see, we just don’t recognize them. 

Missing In Action spines are all seen below!

[praisedbesophia]

@goblinofthelaboratory

Reblogging again to add a couple of things:

If you have an iphone consider subscribing to the Mexican Holidays calendar. And even if you don't, there are Mexican holiday calendars online compatible with Android. Keep notifications for this calendar on. You can use the holidays as "prompts" for your research. Learn about the holiday, its significance to Mexico, and any important historical figures associated with said holiday

Engage with our media! Try watching some of our telenovelas. Find you don't like telenovelas? (Though I recommend watching Amor Real at least once even if you don't watch a single other telenovela. It is widely considered one of the greatest if not the greatest telenovela ever directed), We have sitcoms, talk shows, game shows, movies! Read English translations of our books. Listen to our music, and I mean beyond just Shakira, Ricky Martin, Bad Bunny, and JLo

Some Mexican artists and bands you should be at least somewhat familiar with include Luis Miguel, Juan Gabriel, Selena, Jenni Rivera, Gloria Trevi, Maná, Bronco, Belinda, Thalía, Marco Antonio Solis, Jorge Negrete, Pedro Infante (also widely regarded as being one of the greatest if not the greatest Mexican movie actors of all time), Alejandro Fernandez, José José, Paulina Rubio, Kumbia Kings, and of course considered by many to be the greatest Mexican artist of all time: Vincente Fernandez

Some famous non-Mexican Latine artists include Juan Miguel (Venezuelan), Marc Anthony (Nuyorican), Juan Luis Guerra (Dominican), Roberto Carlos (Brazilian), Gloria Estefan (Cuban), Daddy Yankee (Puerto Rican), Juanes (Colombian), Chayanne (Puerto Rican), Don Omar (Puerto Rican), and perhaps the most famous non-Mexican Latine artist of all time: Celia Cruz (Cuban)

And yes, I did grow up listening to every single artist mentioned + countless more whom I'm unable to remember at the moment

While I do not recommend jumping straight into brujería, I do encourage researching Mexican spirituality. Yes, learn about Catholic theology and La Virgen de Guadalupe, but also learn about La Virgen de Zapopan, La Virgen de la Soledad, La Virgen de la Candelaria, La Virgen de San Juan de los Lagos. Learn about saints, particularly St Benedict of Nursia, St Martin of Tours, St Barbara, St Anthony of Padua, St Charbel, St Father Toribio Romo, and of course St. Juan Diego. Learn not only about Día de Muertos but also La Romería de la Virgen de Zapopan, El Día de los Tres Reyes Magos, El Día de los Santos Inocentes, and Las Posadas. Learn about La Anima Sola and Los Juanes. Learn about El Niño Fidencio, Santa TeresitaUrrea, Maria Sabina, Don Pedro Jaramillo, Santa Inocencia, Emperor Cuauhtemoc, and Emperor Ce Acatl Topiltzin

Try eating a fruit salad with chili powder. That is to say, try foods and drinks that you would not likely find in restaurants catered towards gringos: grilled cactus, pickled pigs feet, beef tongues and brains, whole fried fish with the head still attached, tejuino, tepache. Many of these are seen as bizarre if not outright revolting by many gringos whose knowledge of Mexican cuisine is limited to nachos, burritos, and "taquitos" (by the way the actual name for "taquito" is flauta), but are in fact a significant part of our everyday diet. And yes, I know I mostly just listed various types of meat. We apparently have a reputation for eating a very meat (and cheese) heavy diet; though the Argentines beat us in that department

Do not try claiming Latin American. While who is considered Latine may be more flexible — Even a fourth or fifth gen Chicano may be considered Latine (at least by some Mexicans) if their family still maintains connection to Mexican culture — there is an unspoken agreement that only people who were actually raised in Latin America can claim Latin American. Again, this is not out racism or xenophobia, but is rather a response to racism and xenophobia, particularly xenophobia against Argentines by both non-Latine and Latine westerners

im lightskin quarter latine whose greatgrandparents deliberately did not teach their son mexican culture or even to speak spanish hoping he would have better opportunities. then he and his daughter married very white europeans. i look white, culturally im white, but theres something missing in me, i feel lost and theres freedom and an overwhelming sense of place in the deserts of the southwest(my home already), the flow of the spanish tongue(estoy aprendiendo), the flavors of the cuisine, everything.

i feel a strong (though currently broken) connection to my ancestry and pull towards mexican culture, but im very concerned about appropriating or claiming something never meant for me. i knew i wasnt ready for any of the spirituality, but reading your blog made me realize it may never be available to me.

do you have any advice for a young person trying to reconnect with their ancestors' culture?

im still not even sure i can claim to be latine, or if even that much is inappropriate

Hi anon! I'm excited to hear that you're interested in reconnecting to Mexican and Latine culture. One thing I would recommend (and it seems you're already doing this considering you sent me an ask) is to reach out to and interact with people who were raised in the culture. Here on Tumblr it would mean not only following Mexicans and other Latines, but also reblogging our posts. And not just the "fun" ones. We absolutely do notice how whiteblr is quick to reblog pictures of Santa Muerte but ignore posts that discuss things like the absolute racism and vileness of "Mexican coquette", or the neocolonialism of Mexico and other Latin American countries

For example, I have mentioned in the past that non-Latine westerners have moved into Indigenous and rural Mexican communities and have either driven out the locals (many of whom whose families have lived in those same communities for literal centuries) or else have unofficially introduced segregation with the locals getting the short end of the stick. I am not exaggerating when I say that there are banks, restaurants, grocery stores, hotels, schools etc. in Mexico that will not serve Mexicans. These exist solely for (non-Latine white) western neocolonizers. Sadly but unsurprisingly, my posts and similar posts by other Mexicans have been all but ignored by whiteblr

Which brings me to another point. It is important that you acknowledge your whiteness and privileges it gives you. Understand that you will most likely be perceived as gringo by most Mexicans. In fact most Latines will likely perceive you as gringo. This isn't meant to discourage you; it is simply a fact. Even my dad and I who aren't remotely white passing by US standards have been perceived as gringos — which in Mexican culture typically refers to a non-Latine white USAmerican — by other Mexicans because we are light skinned USAmerican native English speakers

There are people who will tell you that you will never be able to claim Mexican culture. Ignore them. I have found that most of those people aren't even Mexican in the first place. Many aren't even Latines. And the ones that are often turn out to be xenophobic and white supremacist. Yes, the legal definition may say one thing, but the legal definition isn't the cultural definition. I have cousins who do not fit the legal definition of Mexican whatsover, yet they are still Mexican. They walk through this world as Mexicans. The only people to have ever told them that they're not Mexicans? I'm sure you can guess

Claiming Latine may be a little more complicated. There are many who believe that the term Latine should only apply to people raised in Latin America or who have a parent raised in Latin America. The Mexican definition of Latine is more relaxed, but even we would give dirty looks to someone with absolutely no connection to Mexico or Latin America whatsoever (beyond some distant unknown ancestor) claiming Latine

This is not out of xenophobia. Rather this is a response to racist and xenophobic attempts by non-Latine white westerners to redefine and claim Latine and Latin American for themselves within recent years after centuries of dehumanizing us and deeming our cultures inferior

Learning Spanish is of course a good idea. Becoming fluent isn't necessary — I'm not, and it was my first language as a small child — but you should learn enough to at least communicate in full sentences. Plus learning Spanish will allow you greater interaction with Latamblr. Many Latines on here write their posts mostly if not entirely in Spanish or Portuguese. Some do it because they don't know how to read or write in English. Others for other reasons

Do you know where your great grandparents were from? Mexican culture is rich and varied. Each state is its own traditions, cuisine, dress, dialects, music, etc. White rice (often cooked with butter) is a common part of the diet in Jalisco where my mother is from. Yet my paternal grandparents from Chihuahua had literally never even eaten white rice until one of their daughters married a Chinese man. And let's not forget Californio, Tejano, Nuevomexicano, Sonoran Chicano cultures. These cultures are often dismissed and degraded (even by other Mexicans) but they too are rich

I am also grateful for you admitting that you are not ready to engage with Mexican spirituality and may likely never be able to. However, should you choose to look into Mexican spirituality in the future, please keep this in mind: Mexican spirituality is heavily Catholic. Mexico is the second most Catholic country in Latin America (Brazil takes first place). More specifically, Mexican spirituality centers heavily around La Virgen de Guadalupe. In fact one of our most famous hymns is called La Guadalupana, and in that hymn is a verse that claims devotion to La Virgen de Guadalupe as essential to being Mexican

Many of us find it offensive and insulting when people attempt to separate Catholicism and devotion to Guadalupe from Mexican Spirituality. Even some Indigenous Mexicans have expressed finding this offensive and insulting because while it's true that most Indigenous Mexican religions and spiritual traditions predate the Catholic Church in Mexico, even many of those have been influenced and permanently altered by Catholicism

[modernmagdalene]

Saint and Crystal Associations Part 2

Once again, I’m posting this as a potential resource for other Christian witches or Christian mystics (whatever you call yourself). These are my own personal associations, not official associations of any Christian denominations, so if they don’t feel right for you feel free to use different crystals with different saints. Thanks and enjoy.

Saint Francis of Assisi --> Amber

Francis is best associated with Amber. While not technically a crystal it still is used in a lot of crystal magic. Francis is a very complex saint who helps with a lot of different things: voluntary poverty, helping the poor, antiwar, and oneness with nature. Amber is very old and connected deeply to the earth. It helps with grounding, clarity, patience, wisdom, dissolves negativity, eliminates fear, and balances emotions. All things Francis needed to leave his life of privilege behind and follow God. I think it represents much of who Francis is and can help support the same virtues that Francis represents. 

Saint Brigid --> Opal

St. Brigid would be associated with Opal. Brigid is a saint that is very connected to the goddess Brigid. Their stories are extremely intertwined that you can’t really talk about without the other. Both are connected to fire, love, and hope and that’s all things Opal is connected with as well. I also personally tend to associate Opal with the divine feminine and Brigid connection to a goddess makes that work as well.

Saint Julian of Norwich --> Moonstone

Julian of Norwich I said in a comment that I associated with Lapis Lazuli but then relaized I was already using that crystal with St. Perpetua and Felicity. So I did some more research and decided that Moonstone would work really well for Saint Julian of Norwich. Moonstone is obviously associated with Lunar magick and the moon is also regularly associated with femimine energy. Which works wonders with St. Julian who often depicted God as femimine. One of the things that made her contraversal. St. Julian of Norwich had visions and was a prolific writer. Moonstone helps those seeking wisdom and strengthens psychic abilities. St. Julian of Norwich is also a known cat lover so have moonstone carved into the shape of a cat is even better. 

Saint Mary MacKillop --> Obsidian

(Trigger Warning Mentions of sexual abuse in this.)

Mary MacKillop is the first saint of Australia and one of my favorites! Mary MacKillop reported a priest who was abusing children and not longer after a friend of this priest used his connections to get her excommunicated. Her excommunication was eventually lifted. I have always admired her strength and resilience. That’s why I chose obsidian for her. Obsidian shines a light on the negativity and clears it away, helping us to choose the path leading towards light and love. It is also a protective stone as it used to be used for weapons. If you need to fight the devil obsidian is up there with tourmaline as an excellent crystal to clean house.     

Saint Raphael the Archangel --> Ametrine

St. Raphael the Archangel is another favorite of mine. If you use a Protestant Bible you might not have read about him. Raphael is featured in the Book of Tobit which is only in Catholic and Orthodox Bibles. The Book of Tobit is an epic love story between Tobias and Sarah that also features thievery, exile, and fights with demons. Where Michael and Gabriel tend to appear to humans briefly then leave. Raphael, disguised as a human, travels with Tobias throughout the whole book. Raphael is most associated with healing and I connect him to the crystal ametrine. Ametrine is associated with healing, harmony, strength, balancing physical and spiritual life, and aids in contacting spirit guides. This works with Raphael’s connections to healing. Furthermore, Raphael’s role guiding Tobit and being a spiritual being working on earth makes ametrine perfect in helping to connect with him. Use this stone and ask him to help find balance in your practice and assist you with finding spiritual guides.

Saint Rita --> Smoky Quartz

St. Rita is the patron saint of impossible tasks. She is someone I rely on when I really need to overcome an obstacle or problem in my life. She is also prayed to when someone has a deadly illness or serious problem helping with things that seem impossible to deal with is just her jam. Because of this I associate her most with smoky quartz. This crystal is super powerful and is a great grounding and balancing stone. It absorbs negative energy like a sponge (because of this it should be cleansed often-ish use your best judgement). It’s so useful and can even cleanse other crystals. It keeps all the negativity away from you which is something that one really needs when dealing with impossible situations.

Saint Mary Magdalene --> Celestite

Mary Magdalene is one of my favorite witchy women in the Bible. She wasn’t scared away like the other disciples when Christ was crucified, she was the first to preach about the resurrection, and was active in preaching and teaching others about Christ. One of my favorite stories about her comes from the Orthodox tradition where she was preaching to Emperor Tiberius Caesar about Christ and turned an egg red to prove to the emperor that Christ’s story and power was true. I associate Mary Magdalene most with Celestite. Celestite raises spiritual vibrations, promotes spiritual growth, and aides in communication with the spiritual realm. This crystal also boosts self-worth and self-expression, all things Mary Magdalene had in abundance. Mary Magdalene also seems to be the most connected to the spiritual world out of all the apostles (with the exception of maybe John) so this crystal is perfect for her.

Saint Joan of Arc --> Bloodstone 

St. Joan is a warrior and protector. I also consider her a trans and/or genderfluid saint who will naturally protect trans and genderfluid peoples. Because of this I associate her most with bloodstone. Bloodstone promotes justice and strength, it is also good for healing and renewal, but bloodstone is probably best known for boosting spells and banishing spirits. Or as I prefer to use it, boosting protection spells and banishing TERFs.

Saint Francis de Sales --> Kyanite

St. Francis de Sales is one of my favorite saints purely because he is the patron saint of writers and I am someone who greatly enjoys writing. Kyanite is the crystal I use with this saint. It promotes creativity and also dispels negativity aka those negative thoughts that tell you that you can’t write. It’s also supposed to sharpen your focus which can be especially helpful with writing or any creative work, especially if you are easily distracted like me.

Saint Anthony of Padua --> Amazonite

St. Anthony was one of my grandmother’s favorite saints and probably the saint I use the most in day to day life. He is the patron saint of lost items. He was a devout priest and taught students from a book of psalms. He once tried to preach to people who refused to listen to him. He instead decided to preach to the fish who all started to gather near the shore to listen to him. When people saw this they decided they should listen too. So you know when in doubt preach to fish I guess. Anyway, I associate St. Anthony with amazonite. Amazonite helps sharpen the mind, aids communication and promotes good luck all of which are great attributes for learning and teaching, finding lost items (that’s the good luck bit), and aiding communication could help you talk to people or fish, your call. 

Saint Valentine --> Rose Quartz 

St. Valentine did a lot but he is most associated today with marrying couples in the Christian church during the height of Roman persecution. So naturally I associate him with rose quartz, a crystal that promotes love and fertility, dispels loneliness, opens the heart to compassion, and even strengthens faith. The perfect stone for this romantic saint. 

Saint Scholastica --> Citrine 

St. Scholastica was the twin sister of St. Benedict, and was the founder of the women’s benedictine order. As someone who went to a benedictine college I have a fondness for her. If you are a storm witch in particular I think this might be the saint for you. At one point Benedict and his monks visit Scholastica and her nuns. Scholastica didn’t think she would live long enough to see her brother again after this meeting so begged him to stay the night, but Benedict didn’t want to spend the night outside his monastery and told her he couldn’t. So Scholastica prayed and a massive thunderstorm suddenly came making it unsafe for Benedict and his monks to travel. And here is my favorite bit:

“Realizing what had happened, Benedict reproached her: "What have you done, my sister?” Scholastica answered simply, "I asked a favor of you, and you refused to listen to me. So I asked my God, and He, more generous than you, granted my request.” Once again Scholastica’s pleas won the favor she was seeking.” 

With Scholastica I associate the crystal citrine. Citrine is all about manifesting change, protection, creativity, and success all things she needed to live the life she did.

Saint Dymphna --> Blue Lace Agate

St. Dymphna is one of my favorite saints and she is one I utilize often. She is most associated with mental and emotional illnesses. If you are a spoonie witch this is the saint for you. Because of this I associate her most with Blue Lace Agate, which helps people express themselves (helpful when going to therapy or a doctor) and also helps with dealing with any sorts of fears or anxiety. (Reminder: That utilizing this saint and crystal is meant as a prayerful way to ask for help dealing with mental and emotional illness. It is not a replacement for therapy or meds.)

St. Sara-la-Kali --> Jasper

St. Sara-la-Kali is the patroness of the Romani people. She is said to have helped the Three Marys of the Bible arrive safely in Gaul after she had a vision of them arriving. She used her dress as a raft and helped the women get to shore despite the tumultuous waves. She was also extremely generous and often collected alms for the poor. I associate her most with jasper. A crystal native to Romania it aids in peace and wisdom and also is particularly helpful during times of transition by providing stability and protection. It also supports perseverance and acceptance, something we definitely need Sara's help with right now.

[aziraphales-library]

Outsider POV

Hello! For @sass-ishmoon and anyone else interested in outsider POV, I wanted to add a few more recs.

Always, Forever: Young Couples and Their Romantic Hyperbole by DandelionDrabbles (AnonymousDandelion) [self-rec]

G, 300 words

Rochelle has a chat with a nice young couple at the park. (Editorial note: Nice = Debatable. Young = Couldn't be wronger. Couple = Probably right.)

How to decide between two cakes by Nenchen

G, 867 words

Mr. Fell is a regular customer at the bakery Theodore is working at. His assumed spouse, "Mr. Classic" too. Today, however, is the first time both of them have come in together.

The Neighbor Upstairs by DandelionDrabbles (AnonymousDandelion) [self-rec]

Like any little old lady worth her salt, Edna knew everyone who lived in her building, and then some.

All it took was plenty of spare time, open eyes and ears, occasional well-placed nosiness, and a keen understanding of how to read people. She knew the things about her neighbors and their lives that they openly showed the world. She knew the things that they tried, and failed, to keep secret. And she knew the things that they by and large successfully concealed from the rest of the world… but not from Edna.

For example, she knew that Mr. Anthony J. Crowley, who lived a couple floors up and sometimes gave her houseplants, really, really needed a hug.

The Secret Agent Gossip Ring Of St. James's Park by AnonymousDandelion [self-rec]

G, currently 1740 words total (series)

For as long as anyone can remember, secret agents have been feeding the ducks and holding clandestine meetings at St. James's Park.

Naturally, secret agents gossip.

And naturally, there is one particularly odd pair at the park about whom the secret agent gossip ring can't help but speculate. Their code names are Sunglasses and Tartan.

Snake On The Loose by fractalgeometry

G, 2458 words

“Sir, please move back!” one of the animal control people called. “As you can see-”

“Crowley!” the man said, apparently not hearing. His tone was...chiding? Definitely not afraid. Maria craned her neck to see better.

The snake reared up again and hissed at the man, tongue flicking out.

~

Maria is trying to have her lunch in the park, but a giant snake and absolutely bizarre man suddenly make the day much more interesting. Crowley's lack of patience with boredom gets him into trouble. Aziraphale just wanted some ice cream.

Speaking in Code by Wosprig

T, 8928 words

She’d thought about this long and hard. There was no other logical conclusion. Alex inhaled, steepled her hands, and deadpanned, ‘I think Professor Crowley is a demon.’ Marcia sighed a long-suffering sigh.

 Aziraphale and Crowley spend their retirement continuing what they started back in Eden: providing humanity with the knowledge and tools to make their way in the world. That, and bewildering the occasional curious student.

Unexplained Phenomena: or 5 times Crowley & Aziraphale didn’t kiss for the kiss cam and one time they did by fractalgeometry

G, 2279 words

Emma Rathmore knows everyone who comes to her son’s baseball games. Until she doesn’t.

Still, even if she only ever sees these newcomers through the ridiculous new kiss cam, at some point they stop feeling so much like strangers. They’re certainly...interesting. And slightly baffling. But definitely interesting.

[simshousewindsor]

[??]: From the moment they stepped on the red carpet, their love affair has captivated Windenburg. Join SNN for LIVE coverage over the next two hours as we present The Royal Wedding of HRH The Princess Lara to Anthony Mercier-Jones.

[??]: Their love story began in 2021 when Anthony photographed the Princess for her infamous ROGUE cover. Little did the public know, a budding romance had developed but by the time the magazine was released in November 2021 speculation of the pair dating had Windenburg excited.

[??]: Princess Lara and Anthony then made their red carpet debut in May at the 2022 Simsopolitan Gala and instantly stole our hearts.

[??]: Their whirlwind engagement in Mt Komorebi only made us fall even more in love with the royal couple.

[??]: but it wasn't until their engagement interview with Cameron Dorly that Windenburgans really got to see and hear from the couple.

[??]: The Princess, who grew up before our eyes, and the dashing photographer who swept her off her feet, captured all of our hearts in their 60 minute interview and soon they will wed in a love-filled ceremony.

[??]: I’m Shon Gableton and we’re LIVE at West Simster Abbey. We are less than one hour away from the brides arrival and fans are already exploding with cheers of excitement!

[Shon]: An estimated three thousand spectators made the boat ride over to The Crumbling Isle to witness Princess Lara and the Royals make their way down Abbey Road to West Simster Abbey. Hallie, how are things where you are?

[Hallie Howell]: Thank you, Shon and Good morning, Windenburg! I'm LIVE outside of Buckingsim Palace where crowds have been waiting since 8:00 a.m. to get their first glimpse of the Princess, who is expected to depart the Palace in 30 minutes or so. Queen Rowena is expected to depart for West Simster Abbey even sooner! Back to you, Shon.

[Shon]: Speaking of West Simster Abbey, the historic church was built in 1881 and hosted its first royal wedding in 1883. The original wooden doors were recently reinstalled after two years of overdue repairs. The first time the doors had been removed, since the Abbey was built.

[Shon]: Speaking of firsts, this is your first royal wedding!

[??]: It is! Good morning, Windenburg. Cameron Dorly here. Another first is TIHs The Duke and Duchess of Devonshire! The Caledonyian Empire have been longtime friends of the Royal House of Windsor and are the first foreign royals to arrive.

[Shon]: Buckingsim Palace also announced the new Earl and Countess of Boykins would be visiting @stthomaspalace​ when they carry out their first tour next year.

[Shon]: Crown Princess Elizabeth always looks so stylish! His Imperial Highness The Duke of Devonshire looks quite splendid too!

[Cameron]: Emperor Akio Liu of Mt Komorebi has arrived with Empress Miyamo.

[Cameron]: Prime Minister Keller has really helped turn around parliament in his first few months in office. No surprise he’s here, although former Prime Minister Churchill was who approved the budget for this royal wedding before departing office.

[Shon]: Many were shocked to see King Felipe and Queen Aoki of Oasis Springs on the guest list. The monarch and his wife have been fairly quiet since ceding Glimmerbrook.

[Cameron]: Former Prime Minister, Winstin Churchill has just arrived.

[Shon]: Without his wife. Reports are that she’s been ill.

[Cameron]: We haven't seen much of the new Earl and Countess of St Peters since welcoming their first child five months ago. The future Duke and Duchess of Kent are said to have become quite close to Princess Lara and Anthony.

[Shon]: Queen Rowena arriving with the Duke of Cambridge is not a surprise. It’s no secret the two have quite a close mother-in-law/son-in-law relationship.

[Cameron]: Queen Rowena is the current consort and Rainier is future King consort. The pair are said to have bonded even more over the past few months. Queen Rowena is said to have really helped comfort the Prince through the loss of his family three months ago in that tragic plane crash.

[Shon]: Finally! The new Earl of Boykins has arrived! Here comes the groom!

[Cameron]: Anthony is accompanied by his brother and best man, Perry. 

[Shon]: Perry is the older of the brothers by three years!

[Hallie]: Here comes the Bride! Princess Lara has departed the Palace!

[Shon]: Princess Lara chose six Bridesmaids. Her Royal Highness’ sister, Princess Katherine, is matron of honor followed by her best friend and maid of honor, Lady Marina. The four other bridesmaids are Princess Anna (cousin of the bride), Daphne, Duchess of Hastings (friend of the bride), Lady Amirah (friend of the bride) and Lady Ariana (friend of the bride).

[Shon]: What a surprise! Flower Girls and Pageboys were also inside the limo! This is a huge wedding party!

[Cameron]: The four Flower Girls are Lady Sadira Grimaldi (daughter of Princess Anna of Kent), Princess Grace of Cambridge, Ms Hali Jabari (friend of the royal family) and Ms Olympia Wilson (daughter of tennis great Serena Wilson). The two Pageboys are Prince Phillip of Cambridge and Lord Martin Grimaldi (son of Princess Anna of Kent).

[Shon]: The way this crowd just erupted, we know what that means. The Bride must be coming. Oh yes, we see the car! King George and Princess Lara have made it to West Simster Abbey!

Previous | Beginning | Next 

[drunk-poets-society]

ok so

this young fella is No. 85 Squadron’s Hurricane pilot Richard Lee. he was awarded the DFC and DSO for his service, just a couple months before he was shot down over the English Channel on 18/8/1940, at age 23, sadly never to be seen again.

details under the cut -

Richard Hugh Anthony Lee was born in London in 1917 (the exact date or month is unknown). Growing up, he went to Charterhouse School.

On September 1935 he joined RAF Cranwell as a Flight Cadet, and graduated in July 1937. He was posted to Debden on June 1, 1938 to join no.85 Squadron at its reformation. He flew Gloster Gladiator biplanes to begin with, before no.85 was re-equipped with Hawker Hurricane Mk1s.

No.85 sqn. Was posted in France to protect cross-channel convoys. On November 21, 1939, while on patrol over Boulogne, Flight Lieutenant ‘Dickie’ Lee scored the squadron’s first victory when he successfully attacked a Heinkel 111 which crashed into the channel and burst into flames. This also scored the Squadron’s first accolade as he was awarded a DFC on March 8, 1940 “for outstanding brilliance and efficiency”

Not much happened over the winter. That was to change, however, when on May 10, 1940, the sound of Anti Aircraft guns and Luftwaffe planes filled the air. No. 85 squadron immediately jumped into action, and within a few minutes, one section of “A” flight, and one section of “B” flight were up in the air. Lee was leading B flight with Flying Officer Derek Allen and Pilot Officer Patrick Woods-Scawen flying as his numbers 2 and 3 respectively. the section attacked a Henschel 126, and managed to severely damage the aircraft, leaving two of its crew wounded.

Later that morning, Lee was flying Hurricane L1779 into combat, leading his section again. They engaged a Junkers-88 at about 15,000 feet. His combat report reads: “after being sighted E/A dived to a very low height. i could only overhaul from astern very slowly. From 500 yards to 700 yards the enemy rear gunner fired continuously. I fired short bursts and finished ammunition closing to 200 yards. No apparent results except black smoke from one engine. My own aircraft shot badly.”

Later that evening Lee shared in the destruction of a Ju-86 with his section. Lee was the first to open fire and set the enemy’s starboard engine on fire. When they landed, ground crew found that he had fired 50 rounds from each of his eight Browning machine guns during the engagement.

on 11/5/1940, the squadron was back in the thick of it. however, this time after a busy morning patrol, Allen and Woods-Scawen returned without their section leader. Richard Lee was missing. He’d been flying Hurricane N2388, code marked ‘VY-R’ over Maastricht when he engaged a Dornier 17P at approximately 1300 hours. His aircraft had been hit by Anti Aircraft fire and he bailed out of his aircraft slightly wounded. Parachuting down, he landed in a field, where he spotted a local man passing by. He asked the man which direction he should travel to get to the Belgian tanks that were nearby. He took off in the direction, only to find out that they were, in fact, German. Lucky for him, his uniform was concealed underneath a smock or overcoat he had acquired. He was believed to be a peasant and was locked into a barn with some other refugees. Thinking quick, he climbed up to a window and noticed a ladder perched beneath it, and promptly climbed out, walked several miles, and hitched a ride with some Belgians before returning to his unit the very next day. The squadron’s diarist reported that “11/5/40. Eight E/A were shot down today. Flight Lieutenant R.H.A Lee failed to return from the offensive patrol covering the advance of the BEF over the Tongres-Maastricht Section – he was reported last seen on a Dornier’s tail at about 2,000 ft.”

On May 22, No. 85 squadron started to return to Debden to re-equip and reform, and Lee was transferred to No. 56 Squadron. The next day the squadron engaged enemy aircraft over St. Omer while patrolling Manston to Dunkirk. he expended all his ammunition in the dogfight that ensued between the Hurricanes and the 109s, before his starboard wing was badly hit. He broke off and returned to Manston unharmed, and aircraft deemed repairable.

On May 27, he flew another offensive patrol from Manston with the Squadron, flying Hurricane P3311. On this occasion he was shot down by Messerschmitt 109s during an attack on Henschel 111s. he ditched his aircraft in the sea and was fished out of the water and taken ashore an hour later.

On May 31, Lee was awarded the DSO. The London Gazette published the following: “Flight Lieutenant Richard Hugh Anthony Lee, D.F.C. (33208) this officer has displayed great ability as a leader and intense desire to engage the enemy. On one occasion he continued to attack an enemy aircraft after his companion had been shot down, and his own machine hit in many places. His section shot down a Dornier 215 in flames one evening in May, and another in the course of engagement the next day. In his last engagement, he was seen at 200 feet at the tail of a Junkers 89, being subjected to intense fire from the enemy occupied territory. This officer escaped from behind the German lines after being arrested and upheld the highest traditions of the Service.”

In June, he returned to No. 85 squadron, under Squadron Leader Peter Townsend. His experience was called upon to help bring the new recruits upto scratch before the squadron was again ready for operational flying.

On June 26, Richard Lee and his close friend Gerald Lewis flew to an investiture where Lee received his DSO and DFC for his service.

Lee’s reputation as a daring and aggressive fighter pilot was quickly spreading around the air force. Peter Townsend’s good friend Flight Lieutenant John Simpson wrote a letter to his intelligence officer, after hearing about the exploits of Richard Lee.

Simpson, who also coincidentally often flew with Patrick Woods-Scawen’s younger brother Tony, wrote “I hear that Dickie Lee has done wonders. You see how these boys, who were always looked upon as being the naughty ones, are doing so well. They needed a war to convince the old gentlemen at Whitehall. Do you remember that Dickie was almost given his bowler hat for low flying? The same low flying has apparently stood him in good stead.” (apparently he had flown through an open barn, but i have no way of confirming or denying that)

In Hector Bolitho’s book Combat Report published in 1943, he wrote of an afternoon spent with Lee, Townsend and Simpson. “Peter Townsend and Dickie Lee had been posted to an aerodrome a few miles from the house… in the early summer, John and I went out to find them… we found Peter and Dickie and took them back to the house. Dickie followed the car on a hellish motor bicycle.

It was a pleasant enough afternoon and we lay on the lawn, the four of us, with a bowl of ice, a bottle of gin, some tonic water and four glasses, and talked the world away. All three, looked older. Both Dickie and Peter had been shot down and a certain solemnity seemed to have touched them. Dickie had changed more than others.

We used to call him Dopey in the old days because he always fell asleep if the conversation took a serious turn. He was already a hero and in most newspapers there had been photographs of him receiving his decorations from the King. The long hell in France had left creases at the corners of his sleepy eyes. But he would have none of our attempts at war talk. He said that he had a date with a blonde in Saffron Walden and that he could not stay very long.

Dickie’s taste in blondes was not always reassuring to his friends, but he was obviously more concerned with his date than with our efforts to make him talk about how he has won the DFC and DSO on his tunic. I remember when he stood to go I noticed a hole in the leg of his trousers where a bullet had gone through without touching his skin.

I suppose that Peter and John and I were a bit pensive, being the older ones, so Dickie yawned and said ‘Well, I must get cracking’ he made one gesture to sentiment before he went. On the day that was declared he left his favourite pictures with me… before his squadron flew off to France.

They were photographs of friends, of aircraft, and one of a spaniel. He asked me for them, so I brought them down from the attic and he flew off to his blonde with them, piled before him on the screeching, violent motor bicycle.”

August 18, 1940 “the Hardest Day” of course, was when Dickie was lost. Flying as Blue 1 in Hurricane P2923 ‘VY-R’ during this patrol, he was last seen by Squadron Leader Townsend and Flying Officer Arthur Gowers ten miles north-east of Foulness Point chasing Bf 109s out across the Channel.

In Townsend’s book Duel of Eagles he wrote the following of Lee’s last action: “Come back, Dicky,’ I called but he was drawing away. Again and again I called, but he kept on. It was useless to chase Huns out to sea; they would be back again the next day. Something had gotten into Dicky and there was no stopping him. We were both low on fuel and I was out of ammunition. There was only one thing to do: turn back”

Like several others, he was gone too soon. Neither his aircraft nor his body were ever recovered. and aside from these mentions, and a few documents, and acknowledgement on the Runnymede Memorial, Panel 6, there isn’t much about him out there. there’s really not much one can do about that either, other than remember, and keep them alive in our thoughts; those who never returned, whose names faded into obscurity.

Source

[starry-sky-stuff]

Bridgerton Rankings

I've finished my read of the Bridgerton series along with @missbrunettebarbie. It's a bit of a mixed bag. There were some books I really loved, some I hated, others in between.

Best to Worst Books:

It's in His Kiss (#7): I loved the mystery plot in this (although I had problems with its resolution, or lack thereof) and Hyacinth was tons of fun. Hyacinth and Gareth have a great dynamic.

When He Was Wicked (#6): Michael is one of my favourite romance heroes. His pining is great. The book is angstier than the others, but I think it was done well.

On the Way to the Wedding (#8): Gregory is the least problematic Bridgerton brother who just wants to find true love like all his siblings. Lucy is a darling and I love her.

The Viscount Who Loved Me (#2): Anthony is unpleasant and whiny, but Kate is an entertaining heroine. At least until after she marries and then she stops standing up to Anthony.

An Offer From a Gentleman (#3): Sophie deserves so much better than Benedict, but at least she ended up with money and status.

Romancing Mister Bridgerton (#4): I just found this book completely boring and thought the leads didn't have chemistry.

The Duke and I (#1): Two awful people doing awful things.

To Sir Philip, With Love (#5): Philip is absolutely awful and I hate him. Eloise was clearly just settling for him but I didn't like her all that much either.

Ranking of Female Leads:

Hyacinth Bridgerton

Lucy Abernathy

Francesca Bridgerton

Sophie Beckett

Kate Sheffield

Eloise Bridgerton

Penelope Featherington

Daphne Bridgerton

#1-4 I quite like. #5-6 I find likeable. #7-8 I don't care for.

Ranking of Male Leads:

Michael Stirling

Gareth St Clair

Gregory Bridgerton

Anthony Bridgerton

Simon Basset

Benedict Bridgerton

Colin Bridgerton

Philip Crane

I like #1-3 and that's about it. #4-6 I can at least tolerate or sometimes enjoy. #7-8 I hate.

Ranking of Bridgertons:

Hyacinth Bridgerton

Francesca Bridgerton

Gregory Bridgerton

Eloise Bridgerton

Anthony Bridgerton

Benedict Bridgerton

Colin Bridgerton

Daphne Bridgerton

I only like #1-2. The rest I either only tolerate or actively dislike.

Ranking of Bridgerton Spouses:

Michael Stirling

Lucy Abernathy

Gareth St Clair

Sophie Beckett

Kate Sheffield

Simon Basset

Penelope Featherington

Philip Crane

I generally like the spouses more than the Bridgertons. #6-7 I dislike and #8 I absolutely loathe.

Overall Ranking of Characters:

Michael Stirling

Hyacinth Bridgerton

Lucy Abernathy

Francesca Bridgerton

Gareth St Clair

Gregory Bridgerton

Sophie Beckett

Kate Sheffield

Eloise Bridgerton

Anthony Bridgerton

Benedict Bridgerton

Simon Basset

Penelope Featherington

Colin Bridgerton

Daphne Bridgerton

Philip Crane

I actually like about half of the leads, which for a a series of this size isn't bad.

Ranking of Couples:

Francesca/Michael

Hyacinth/Gareth

Lucy/Gregory

Anthony/Kate

Benedict/Sophie

Colin/Penelope

Daphne/Simon

Eloise/Philip

#1-3 I like. #4-5 I enjoy aspects of and #6-8 I did not enjoy at all.

[lightsonparkave]

HAPPY TWO-YEAR ANNIVERSARY TO LIGHTS ON PARK AVE! 🎂🎉 In celebration of LoPA’s birthday (August 22, to be exact), all of the prompts from the previous year are up for grabs.

Round 24 will end on August 31, 11:59 PM ET (what time is that for me?).

As always, you’re free to jump in whenever you’d like during the round, a wide variety of work types is accepted, and there are no minimum work requirements. Unfinished works and works for other fandom events are allowed. You can find more information about Lights on Park Ave and the participation guidelines here.

Here are all 149 prompts. Go crazy and have fun! 🎈

ROUND 13: TIME

A quote about being infinite in the present moment from The Perks of Being a Wallflower

“Vellichor,” the the strange wistfulness of used bookstores

“How long is forever?” dialogue from Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

“Time” - Hans Zimmer (Inception OST)

A quote and gifset from Denis Villeneuve’s Arrival (2016) about the nonlinear structure of time

Agnès Varda’s portraits when she was 20, 36, and 80 years old

A John Irving quote about what time does to the people who matter to us

Ten traveling back to see Rose on New Year’s Day in 2005 before he dies and reincarnates in Doctor Who

Future inventions in 2015 as seen in Robert Zemeckis’s Back to the Future Part II (1989)

A quote about what time does for wounds

ROUND 14: LIMINALITY

A photoset of various liminal spaces

Illustration of a black cat in front of a red-lit house with the caption, “They say no one is living here—but the lights come on, once every year”

A photoset of Victorian-era spirit photography, an art form that attempted to capture the ghost of a deceased loved one

Information on the famous Mojave phone booth, a lone telephone booth in the middle of the desert that received calls from all over the world

Rosemary Ellen Guiley’s The Encyclopedia of Ghosts and Spirits Third Edition’s definition of “witching hour”

Illustration of a ghost train on an abandoned trestle bridge in the Pacific Northwest

A quote by Isabel Allende about spirits coming out at night in the library

Gifset of the spirit world in Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away (2001)

Illustration of a neon roadside sign of a motel that only appears at night by a long-forgotten highway

“Pacific Coast Highway” - Kavinsky

A gifset quote from The Twilight Zone (1959)

Scenery from Twin Peaks season 1 (1990)

A quote about something shifting into a strange, new place inside of a person from Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado

ROUND 15: LOSS

A quote about being lost and found by someone special by Sue Zhao

A photo of the Mildred, wrecked off Gurnard’s Head, Cornwall in 1912

A quote about ephemerality and the beauty of it from Troy (2004)

Two paintings of people visiting ruins by Caspar David Friedrich

A quote about desire and loss by Lara Mimosa Montes

A photo of an overgrown, abandoned conservatory

A passage about what disappears and what remains in ruins from Suicide by Édouard Levé

Dialogue about gratitude for people who aren’t meant to stay in your life but shape who you are from BoJack Horseman

A scene from Fleabag where the Priest chooses God over Fleabag and gently tells Fleabag that her love for him will pass before they part ways

A prayer to St. Anthony, patron saint of lost things, people, and souls

Oscar Wilde’s tomb in Père Lachaise Cemetery, Paris, covered in lipstick kisses from admirers

Photos of a cemetery statue in Austria, wrapped in branches and dead leaves, holding a single flower

ROUND 16: DEVOTION/SERVICE

A gifset of Kevin on the phone, telling Chiron he’ll cook food for him from Barry Jenkin’s Moonlight (2016)

Buttercup’s monologue to Westley about how she would do anything for him from The Princess Bride by William Goldman

Gifs of Merlin saying that he was born to serve Arthur from BBC’s Merlin

An excerpt about giving all of oneself to someone despite what it costs from House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski

A gifset of various times Jaime and Brienne demonstrate their loyalty to and love for each other in Game of Thrones

A gifset of all the different ways Cliff is there for Rick in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019)

A gifset of Nadia deciding to be by Alan’s side no matter what in Russian Doll

“Devotion” - Ocean Vuong

A gifset of Bond comforting a traumatized Vesper in the shower in Casino Royale (2006)

A gifset of Sookhee refusing to leave Hideko, saying her job is to look after her in Park Chanwook’s The Handmaiden (2016)

ROUND 17: DREAMS

A dreamscape gifset and quote about repressed thoughts in dreams and the Internet from Satoshi Kon’s Paprika (2006)

A gifset of Mitsuha and Taki finally meeting in their own bodies in a dream from Shinkai Makoto’s Kimi no Na wa (Your Name) (2016)

A quote by Tinker Bell telling Peter Pan where he can find her and where she’ll always love him in Steven Spielberg’s Hook (1991)

The scene where Keating tells his students that poetry, beauty, romance, and love give life meaning in Peter Weir’s Dead Poets Society (1989)

An animated illustration of a storefront called “Hauntings” with a flickering “99¢ dreams” neon sign

Various dreamscape scenes and a quote about ideas being the most resilient parasite from Christopher Nolan’s Inception (2010)

A quote about how all living beings must dream to survive reality from The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

A comic about people we love taking turns to visit us in dreams every night

Lovers and Sleeping Couple, two drawings by Egon Schiele

A quote about belief in a better world by Robert Frobisher to his lover, Rufus Sixsmith, in Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell

A quote about the feeling of falling in love lingering when you wake up from a dream in Alexis Dos Santos’s Unmade Beds (2009)

A photo of subway graffiti by an unknown author insisting that they’ll never give up making the world a better place to live in

ROUND 18: PHYSICAL TOUCH

A scene about how to return a stolen kiss from Daniel Ribeiro’s The Way He Looks (2014)

A line about kissing someone the way a flower opens from “I Know Someone” by Mary Oliver

A gifset focusing on showing affection and care through hands from Park Chanwook’s The Handmaiden (2016)

A passage about two people leaving invisible marks on each other through the accumulation of touches over the years from A Single Man by Christopher Isherwood

Two conversations about never being touched before and only being touched by one person from Barry Jenkins’s Moonlight (2016)

Going from yearning to touch someone but stopping oneself to being allowed to touch them from Richard Linklater’s Before trilogy

Moving art of two bodies made of stars and the cosmos embracing

A quote about maintaining sanity by touching someone but being separated despite proximity from The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje

A line about proving that one still exists and is real through touch from On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

Different touches between Villanelle and Eve expressing violence, threat, sexual tension, comfort, and companionship in Killing Eve

A juxtaposition of two scenes from Wong Kar-wai’s In the Mood for Love (2000) of Su Li-zhen rejecting and accepting Chow Mo-wan’s hand

A compilation of marble sculptures by Gian Lorenzo Bernini

Syd (Chris Evans) trailing kisses down London’s back in London (2005)

ROUND 19: IMMORTALITY

James Baldwin talking about how art helps you discover that people before you have experienced the same thing as you and you are not alone

Dr. Brand saying that love transcends time and space in Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar (2014)

Nadia and Alan meeting for the first time as they’re about to die and relive the same day again in Russian Doll

The loneliness of losing everyone by having a long life as expressed by Ten in Doctor Who

The doomed eternal time loop romance of Simon and Alisha from Misfits

A quote by Edvard Munch about becoming eternal through the flowers that grow from his body after death

Nagai Kei recalling the traffic accident that killed him and triggered his immortality, making him one of the rare persecuted humans to possess the power, in Ajin

A collection of moments from Jay Russell’s Tuck Everlasting (2002)

A quote by Mary Wollstonecraft hoping for something that lasts inside the heart

Various scenes with Jack Harkness from Doctor Who

Aya telling Asou-kun to live on and live forever as she nears the end of her life in 1 Litre of Tears

An excerpt about the immortalization of the self through love from “Love of the Wolf” in Hélène Cixous’s Stigmata

A collection of scenes from the Black Mirror episode “San Junipero”

Naoko telling Toru to always remember her and remember that she existed in Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami

Dom explaining to Ariadne that he uses the PASIV to dream as it’s the only way that he can be with his wife and children in Christopher Nolan’s Inception (2010)

ROUND 20: POETRY

“I’m Going Back to Minnesota Where Sadness Makes Sense” - Danez Smith

A line about wanting to forget how much you loved someone and then actually forgetting from Bluets by Maggie Nelson

“Perhaps the World Ends Here” - Joy Harjo

“In Time” - W. S. Merwin

“By Small and Small: Midnight to Four A.M.” - Jack Gilbert

“Magdalene: The Addict” - Marie Howe

“Wild Geese” - Mary Oliver

“Morphology 2″ - CJ Scruton

“20″ from Moscow in the Plague Year by Marina Tsvetaeva

“To Hold” - Li-Young Lee

ROUND 21: LONGING

“I Loved You Before I Was Born” - Li-Young Lee

A poem about longing for someone through worlds by Izumi Shikibu

A gifset of Marianne and Héloïse falling in love from Céline Sciamma’s Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)

“Make Me Feel” - Janelle Monáe

A quote about living in longing being better than realizing that longing from 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami

“I Want You” - Mitski

Orpheus and Eurydice in Hades - Friedrich Heinrich Füger

Long definition of the word “saudade”

Definition of the word “hiraeth”

“Something About Us” - Daft Punk

Two lines about burning quietly from the poem “The Pillowcase” by Annelyse Gelman

A conversation about wanting each other after decades of separation from Pedro Almodóvar’s Pain and Glory (2019)

A Hanahaki disease mood board

“Shrike” - Hozier

Two lines about wanting someone to return from Herakles by Euripides

“Love of My Life” - Queen

“Eyes, Nose, Lips” - Taeyang

A screenshot of Kathy and Tommy holding onto each other desperately from Mark Romanek’s Never Let Me Go (2010) and a quote from Kazuo Ishiguro’s eponymous novel

ROUND 22: YOUTH

“Perfect Places” - Lorde

A piece about realizing you’ll never be this young again, but it’s the first time you’re this old by Kalyn Roseanne Livernois

A conversation between Neil and Mr. Keating about Neil feeling trapped and unable to live the life he wants because of his father from Peter Weir’s Dead Poets Society (1989)

An excerpt about being too young to know how to love properly from Le Petit Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

“I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor” - Arctic Monkeys

Elio’s father telling Elio not to try to rid himself of his sorrow and pain—and with that joy—which he feels so strongly because he’s so young from Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman

A quote about how everything feels final to young people because they’re experiencing it for the first time from Middlemarch by George Eliot

Lara Jean telling Peter that she had to make it seem like she liked him to deal with her love letter fiasco in Susan Johnson’s To All the Boys I Loved Before (2018)

Rue and Jules dancing together and partying it up in Euphoria

“Le Plongeoir” by Laurent Roch

A quote about being pushed into adulthood and not being ready from Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami

A photo of a roller rink illuminated by pink and purple lights

Pastel photo series of Coney Island by Mijoo Kim and Minjin Kang

“Hips Don’t Lie” - Shakira feat. Wyclef Jean

“Young Dumb & Broke” - Khalid

Different moments accompanied by the letter to Mr. Vernon at the end of detention from John Hughes’s The Breakfast Club (1985)

Various scenes and a quote about growing up and realizing life isn’t like a fairy tale from Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)

Stills of the young lesbian couple in love from the music video of “You Know” - Jaurim

Lines by Effy about her emotional and mental struggles from Skins

Nathan chiding the group for not taking advantage of their superpowers as young offenders from Misfits

ROUND 23: HEDONISM

A passage about giving into passion and losing control from The Secret History by Donna Tartt

“Thot Shit” - Megan Thee Stallion

An aesthetic photoset of the Greek god Dionysus

A quote about living for ecstasy rather than balance from From a Journal of Love by Anaïs Nin

A photo of an anonymous person in nothing but a silk robe and lingerie

A photo of Donatella Versace lounging in a chair, surrounded by shirtless, muscular men sunbathing around her in Capri, Italy in 1994

An aesthetic photoset based on The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

The music video for “Heartless” by The Weeknd

A plea for summer to never end from Call Me By Your Name by André Aciman

“Plastic Love” - Mariya Takeuchi

A gifset from the music video of “Blinding Lights” by The Weeknd, a continuation of the “Heartless” music video

“XS” - Rina Sawayama

A gifset from the music video of “Body” by Mino

Photos of people dancing at the legendary Studio 54

Photos and a description of the party scene at Studio 54

Chris Evans and Evan Rachel Wood hooking up in a car in the “Gucci Guilty Black” commercial

[triviareads]

For you alone, I think and plan (The Wedding of Charlotte Bridgerton)

For Kate and Anthony 2021 Week, Day 7 Prompt: There is no "I" in team.

Once the engagement of The Honourable Charlotte Bridgerton and James De Courcy, Earl of Clairmont, was set, Lord and Lady Bridgerton were united in the cause of ensuring their eldest daughter’s wedding went off without a hitch.

That is not to say there were some questions about the match, as the precedent the Bridgerton family members had set was so wildly different from Charlotte and Clairmont’s staid, if not secret courtship.

Lord Bridgerton in particular was extremely dubious at first. After an audience with Lord Clairmont during which the earl asked for Charlotte’s hand, he told Kate in a rather helplessly befuddled manner, "I had to give him permission- he said all the right things!”

“I am glad he did…?” Kate trailed off. Anthony was always (over) protective of his daughters, but Kate was confused as to what the issue exactly was.

“Perhaps I was hoodwinked,” Anthony said darkly. “Clairmont is a politician, through and through.”

Kate stifled her laugh. “The earl is not one to dissemble, my lord. I am sure whatever sentiments he expressed were perfectly in earnest.”

“So our daughter assured me…” Anthony trailed off before sighing deeply- once, then twice.

Kate rolled her eyes. "Whatever is the problem, my dear?" she said in an exaggerated monotone.

Anthony finally blurted, "It's just, I didn't expect Charlotte to settle for a man such as him."

Kate tilted her head slightly as she examined her husband. "I do not understand your meaning.”

Anthony frowned. "I feel rather like how Simon must have felt when Lord Geoffrey applied for Caroline's hand."

Lord Geoffrey Findlay-Watt was the third son of a marquess who was of middling age and fortune, and did some undisclosed work for Whitehall. It had been a tremendous surprise when he had approached the Duke of Hastings for Caroline’s hand- pretty, vivacious Caroline- and what more, that the Lady Caroline had accepted his proposal with alacrity.

The marriage itself had turned out surprisingly well. Lord Geoffrey doted on his younger wife while Lady Caroline was solicitous to his needs, and the two led happy, mostly separate lives.

Kate finally understood what Anthony was getting at, and was rather amused.

"Could it be that you wished for a more handsome man for your daughter?" Kate teased. "Someone more roguish, perhaps? I do not forget that all but one of your sisters married rakes of the first water."

Anthony shuddered. "God no, after the debacle with Amelia, I should be glad if neither Charlotte nor Mary entangle themselves with such men.” He turned consideringly towards Kate. “In that sense, I suppose Clairmont is a capital fellow.”

Kate chuckled, glad to have mollified her husband so easily.

On the whole, however, the Bridgerton family was quite supportive of the match.

When Edmund heard that the engagement was set, he merely grinned, shook his head, and said, “I suppose it is natural she should settle her own affairs quickly- Charlotte has always done what she wants.” Edmund had always made a pet of Charlotte, who was seven years younger than him. Miles, though still five years older than his sister, was far more likely to treat her as an equal.

Anthony pointed out to his eldest, “Not that you tried very hard to introduce her to your friends- or watch over her.”

“Why should I play matchmaker?” Edmund asked his father amusedly. “Particularly when Miles here fulfilled that position nicely, if unwittingly.” He reached over and ruffled his younger brother’s hair.

Miles scowled at Edmund, and then said to the room at large, “How was I supposed to know Charlotte had formed a tendre for Clairmont- or that he reciprocated it? They just talked- a lot.”

“My dear,” Kate told her son wryly, “marriages have been proposed on the basis of much less.”

Anthony laughed loudly at that, while their children pulled faces of varying levels of disgust. After twenty-six years of marriage, Lord and Lady Bridgerton still delighted in alluding to their unconventional courtship.

“Well I for one am glad Charlotte’s getting married,” little Mary said loyally, skipping over to curl up next to her papa. “I want a big wedding- will it be a big wedding?”

Anthony looked fondly at his youngest daughter. “Of course sweetheart,” he told her. He turned to Kate and added, "It seems Charlotte would not have it any other way."

Indeed, Charlotte seemed intent on a proper society wedding, the kind that was light on church attendance (for which respectable member of the ton would be awake and sensible before noon?) and positively overflowing with guests at the wedding breakfast.

Such a task would have been daunting had Charlotte not known so exactly what she wanted, or that Anthony and Kate were not equally eager to please.

Anthony quickly offered to procure a special license for his daughter, as had practically become de rigueur among their family, but Charlotte, to his surprise, refused.

“Why ever would we need it, Papa?” she asked, looking so sweetly up at him, Anthony could not help but feel he was being made fun of in some way.

He flushed and stammered something to the extent of a special license allowing for them to be married at Bridgerton House if they so chose.

(In truth, it was a rather clumsy way for him to inquire whether certain… liberties had been taken, and if the wedding had to be moved up).

“No, we are content with a common license,” Charlotte told him kindly. “Clairmont will be meeting with the bishop any day now to procure one.”

“Then what shall I do?” Anthony asked, feeling quite helpless.

Charlotte thought for a moment. “If you could secure St. George’s for us, we would be much obliged- oh, and will you send for the Bridgerton tiara from Aubrey for me?”

Anthony blinked. “I-yes, of course,” he quickly agreed, adding, “And the family jewels, I suppose?”

Charlotte’s lips curled upwards in a grin. “Of course,” she told her papa. Anthony smiled, happy to be on the same page as his daughter once more, and he went to accomplish the tasks given to him with great alacrity.

(Anthony later relayed this dialogue to Kate, who wisely refrained from mentioning the singular occasion in which she had found Charlotte and Clairmont in the gardens, Clairmont pressed up against the tree by Charlotte who was kissing him deeply).

For Kate’s part, she eagerly took her daughter to all her fittings and arranged every facet of the wedding breakfast personally. She even endured an entire afternoon with Charlotte and the Duchess of Hastings vetting every member on the guest list including the assortment of colleagues Clairmont insisted on inviting.

“Really, one would think he were attempting to build some sort of coalition at your wedding breakfast,” Kate said, taken aback at the extent of the list Clairmont had so obligingly provided.

“Come now, Mama,” Charlotte said laughingly. “Surely you must know by now that for men such as Clairmont, every event is an opportunity to shore up more support.”

Kate looked consideringly at her daughter. It was fascinating to see how comfortable Charlotte already seemed to be with the spheres she would be inhibiting as Lady Clairmont. Kate drew comfort from this, thinking back to how unprepared she had been when she first became the Viscountess Bridgerton, and how lost she would have been had she not been aided by her mother-in-law and Daphne.

Kate smiled to herself. How heedless she and her husband had been back then! How impetuous and deeply misunderstanding of one another they were initially! It was only later that any understanding had been reached, and only then had their love blossomed.

Her daughter, on the other hand, had ensured she would have the immense privilege of marrying a man whose ambitions and desires complimented her own, and their temperaments and affections would always be in accordance.

In that moment, Kate had never felt happier for Charlotte.

In the end, the wedding was all things lovely, and the wedding breakfast was full of laughter and gaiety. Somewhere in the middle of the breakfast, no less an august personage than Lord Melbourne came by to give his congratulations to the happy couple.

Kate and Anthony watched with pride as Clairmont kissed Charlotte’s hand reverently before introducing her to the Prime Minister. Charlotte curtsied deeply and spoke at length with her husband and Melbourne, saying something with a twitch of her lips that made the Prime Minister burst out laughing.

Just then, Anthony turned to Kate, his gaze full of adoration when he asked her quietly, “We did well, didn’t we?”

Kate beamed brilliantly up at her husband.

“I rather think we did.”

[insanities-incarnate]

The Lady Of The League

Chapter 1- A Wedding

Link to AO3

England, 1792

The wedding of Sir Percival Blakeney, Baronet and Mademoiselle Marguerite St Just was a large affair. There were no expenses spared, and everything had been planned to perfection. If one looked around at the crowded venue, it would seem as though the whole English court had attended. This was, of course, entirely possible, as Sir Percy had become somewhat of a loved pet of that same court, and his company was highly enjoyed. The ceremony had been rather beautiful, and tears had been shed by some. Now, the guests had gathered in the ballroom of the Blakeney Manor and were now awaiting the arrival of the newlyweds.

As the great oak doors to that ballroom opened, an almost reverent hush swept the room. In walked the groom, a tall man of not quite thirty, built like a giant, but with a face so kindly you could not help but smile with him, the gold of his hair almost matching that of his wedding clothes, and his deep blue eyes shining with happiness. On his arm was his new wife, Marguerite, who was around five-and-twenty, with long, lustrous curls that cascaded down her back, and eyes that glittered in the bright light of the room. Her wedding dress was quite exquisite, and suited her figure perfectly, drawing jealous stares towards Blakeney, for he had stolen such a beauty all for himself. A little behind them walked Blakeney's own sister, accompanied by her new brother-in-law, looking a wonderfully complementary pair; the lady golden like a goddess, the young man with his dark hair and eyes. Both smiled amiably at the happiness of their now-joined family, and they seemed to enjoy each other's company rather well.

Lady Isabelle Blakeney was a lovely young woman, not long past twenty, and held herself as a perfect picture of English grace. She shared her brother's golden hair and blue eyes, and other resemblances between the two were clear. However, though he held the stature of a giant among the courts, she was petite and delicate. Nonetheless, she stood proudly at the side of Armand St Just, with eyes full of joy, and a smile on her youthful face. It had become quite apparent to most who knew the siblings that, while Percival Blakeney's inheritance did not include brains, his sister's certainly did. She was, of course, as well educated as any polite young woman in high society could hope to be, but there was a certain cleverness to her, an understanding of the world that some never seem to find.

The chatter picked up once again. Drinks were poured, smiles filled the room, and soon, the groom himself stood to speak.

"I welcome you to England, m'dear. I am quite sure everyone will be just as charmed by you as I was."

His speech was short, but full of nothing but love and admiration for his bride.

With a wave of his hand, the music began. Gentlemen offered their arms and ladies accepted, and the many couples danced. While Sir Percy found himself surrounded by his closest friends, a small number of gentlemen with whom he was very close, his wife was with her brother, smiling and laughing with an easy air about her.

"If you will excuse me, boys," Sir Percy said with a smile, "I do believe I owe my sister at least a dance to thank her for her work in today's preparations."

"You are happy, then, brother?"

"I thought it was my job to care for you?" Isabelle simply raised an eyebrow, and her brother laughed good-naturedly. "Of course I am happy. And quite fortunate to have met such a woman as Marguerite."

"I'm glad to hear it." The smile on her face had been ever-present since the early morning, and only grew wider as she danced with her brother. "And now that my match is made, perhaps your own wedding party shall soon grace our halls."

"Perhaps, Percival." She circled him, just as the dance commanded. "When most of the lords and gentlemen of England cease to be idiots and fools, of course."

"Ah. Not so soon after all, then, I see," said Percy, failing to suppress a laugh.

"I wonder, should your attention not be on your new wife?"

"So eager to be rid of me, dear Isabelle?"

"Oh, if you only knew," she teased. "Now, go. Attend to your bride. It is your wedding day, after all!" With a smile, he placed a gentle kiss on her hand, and obeyed.

Soon after, Isabelle found herself on the arm of Lord Elton. The auburn-haired man was the youngest of Percy's gentleman friends, and she made it no secret that he was, in fact, her favourite of the group. The two shared a bond, and enjoyed each other's company, sharing the country's gossips and discussing almost any topic one could imagine.

"Can you believe it, Belle? Percy married, and to a Frenchwoman. I must say, it's not quite what I would have expected of him."

"I cannot say I am surprised, Elton. If you had seen the way he looked at her when they first met, you would understand. He adores Marguerite, and it is quite clear to see why." As she spoke, she found herself drawn to the sight of her sister-in-law, laughing freely with the guests in a way that not many dared to.

"A wild one, to be sure. She was an actress, was she not?"

"Oh, Elton, you should have seen her perform. She was quite wonderful. Percy and I returned to the theatre almost every night of our stay in Paris, mostly at his insistence. Though I cannot claim I was at all opposed to the idea." She took a sip from her glass as the gentleman laughed.

"And what of you, dear? Do you not plan to marry soon?" Isabelle laughed incredulously.

"What is it with you men, concerning yourselves in the matter of my marriage? Percy asked me the same thing not long ago. I should think you are all rather desperate to be rid of my company. Am I so much of a bore, my friend, that you wish to leave me upon the arm of a husband?"

"I could not bear to dream of it. I would miss our talks far too much. Where would I find my fun, if not from discussing the fine young gentlemen of the court with you?"

It was a shriek of laughter that drew Isabelle's attention away from her conversation, and towards a corner of the room, where she saw her brother-in-law, who was being pestered by the Ladies Digby and Llewellyn, and looked rather uncomfortable in their company.

"If you will excuse me, Elton, I fear I must rescue Armand. He has been left quite to the mercy of the vultures," she excused and made her way across the room. "Armand!" she called. "I fear have rather neglected you far too much. How are you finding our England so far?" Isabelle held out her hand, and, were it not for his good manners, Armand would have raced to take it. She could see the relief in his eyes at having been spared of another moment in the company of the ladies.

"Thank you. I was beginning to think I would not escape them," he said gratefully.

"Forgive me for not coming to you sooner, Armand. I could swear, those two are the only people I know who can gossip more than Elton can." She took another glass from a tray and offered it to him, and he accepted it, before practically finishing it in seconds. "I fear you may have to brave many more like them in your time here."

"If I can survive the two of them, I believe I can survive almost anything. I do not think it possible to fear anything more than I fear being left alone in their company again." Isabelle laughed, and offered a heartfelt agreement.

"Your sister looks beautiful, Armand. She certainly suits the attention."

"Yes. Although I cannot help but worry." She turned to Armand, placing a gentle hand on his arm.

"Why do you worry?" she asked, her voice full of concern. He glanced around the room, to the groups of women gathered at almost every part of the room.

"They haven't stopped staring at her."

"Well, yes, it is her wedding-"

"No, it is more than that."

"They love her, Armand. That I can promise you. I learned to read these people long ago."

"Then why do they watch her, like they are waiting every moment for her to make a mistake?"

"Because they wish to be like her." It was a simple statement, more of a fact than an opinion.

"Isabelle..."

"Look at her. Marguerite is wild, and bold, and unafraid. She is everything that we English ladies are told we cannot be." She smiled gently, seeming almost lost in her thought. "They do not dislike her, Armand. They envy her freedom." The young woman's words were quiet, and thoughtful, and there was even some hint of wistfulness hiding behind her smile.

"And do you?"

"Hmm?" It had been a simple enough question that St Just had asked, but

"You say it is her freedom that they are jealous of, but what of you? Do you feel the same?"

"I suppose..." Her voice trailed away from a moment, and her eyes fell to her hand, on which sat a ring, one that she was rarely seen without, which had belonged to her mother, Victoria. The ring had been a gift from Isabelle's late father to Victoria on their wedding day, made to match his own, which had been passed down, and now resided upon the hand of Percy, and carved into both was the Blakeney family crest; a small red flower. "I suppose that I have been far more fortunate than most. After our parents died, it was Percy who looked after me." As she spoke, she fondly recalled memories; Percy pretending to be angry with her, Percy comforting her when she was upset, Percy attempting to teach her to dance. "He refused to shape my life for me the way so many fathers do. He allowed me to make my own choices, to grow into the person I wanted to be. And..." She bit her lip. "And I am absolutely ruining your sister's wedding day, aren't I?" Armand laughed and shook his head, before offering his arm.

"I wonder then, Lady Blakeney, if you would care to dance with me?"

~~~

The guests had been celebrating for at least an hour when Lord Anthony Dewhurst finally arrived, and Percy took it upon himself to be the first to greet his friend.

"Lord, man, you look a mess! Whatever took you so long to arrive?" Before Dewhurst could begin to answer, Percy was speaking once again. "A drink, then, my good man?"

"I am afraid I have not come to drink, Percy," he said simply.

"Nonsense, man! Don't be ridiculous. It is my wedding, and I am telling you that you must have at least one drink-"

"I'm serious, Percy," he hissed, and all trace of joviality fled the groom's face, and he pulled his friend aside, away from the celebration of the party.

"What is it, Tony?"

"The Marquis de St Cyr. He is dead."

"What? How?"

"Sent to the guillotine. And his whole family with him."

"This cannot be true. We arranged safe passage from Paris for all of them. They should have been half way across the Channel by now!"

"We were betrayed, Percy."

"Betrayed? And by whom, I ask you? Nobody knew of the details except for you and I, and Isabelle, but I know you would not dare suggest that my sister had a hand in this. And... And I suppose Marguerite knew..."

"Percy-"

"But she wouldn't. Marguerite feels nothing but the deepest contempt for this new regime of terror that the French have the audacity to call freedom! You cannot mean to tell me that Marguerite, that my wife, would betray me like this?"

"Percy, you have only known her for all of six weeks. I'm not sure that you truly know her as you believe you do. I am sure you can believe that do not wish to be the bearer of this news. But you have to know the truth." From his pocket, Dewhurst drew a small piece of paper, a letter, and gave it to Percy.

"What is this?"

"A letter from your wife to the Citizen Chauvelin. It seems his growing power has managed to creep its hold upon even the most unlikely of people." As Percy examined the letter, his heart fell.

"Yes. This is Marguerite's hand. And her seal. But surely..." He paused for a moment to think. "Dewhurst. I want you to do something for me."

"Anything."

"I want you to write on the bottom of this letter, in French, thanking Marguerite for her help." His voice wavered a little, and he took a moment to re-compose himself. "Sign it with the Citizen's name, and give it to Jessup to deliver to her." As Lord Anthony turned to go, Percy looked him right in the eyes. "She will disavow the letter. And you will see that you are wrong about her."

As Percy waited, he was filled with anxieties. Surely Marguerite would not do this to him? When they had first met, everything had seemed so perfect. It was their third night watching her perform, and from almost nowhere, Isabelle had informed him that she had met Mademoiselle St Just's brother, Armand, earlier, and he had invited them to come and meet her after the performance. It had been a blissful evening, and he had found that the star of the Comedie Francaise was just as charming off the stage as on it, and somehow, she found him equally as pleasing. By the end of that week, they had shared their first kiss, and now, just more than six weeks later, here they were, celebrating their marriage. But still, he stood apart from these festivities, waiting to find out if his wife was as true as she claimed to be. He almost sighed in relief as he watched Jessup, the butler, approach Marguerite and offer the letter. And Percy waited for her to confirm his defence of her, to denounce the letter as nothing but lies and scandal. But instead, he watched as she read the letter.

"A note from the groom, no doubt, telling us all to hurry up and let him enjoy his wedding night!" one of his friends, Ozzy joked.

"No, no, it is a letter from an old friend."

"From Suzanne?" Armand asked, and Marguerite nodded, unfaltering in her smile and poise.

"Yes. She simply wishes me well on my marriage, that is all."

From across the room, Percy could feel his own heart breaking into two. The feeling of Dewhurst's hand on his shoulder did little to comfort him.

"Percy, I am so sorry..."

"No. There is no need for an apology from you. It is I who has been played for quite the fool, have I not?" He gestured to his butler, who came to him immediately. "Jess up. I believe it is getting rather late. I'm sure our guests are rather tired. See to it that they all leave safely, won't you?"

As Jessup began ushering the wedding's attendants out, Isabelle and Armand made their way over, to say their goodnights to the new couple. Percy shook Armand's hand, while Marguerite embraced him. Isabelle offered another warm congratulations to her new sister-in-law, and then came to speak with her brother.

"Percy."

"Isabelle." Despite his pain, he offered the most sincere smile he could to her and held out his arms. With the guests gone and no reputation to uphold with only her family present, she raced to embrace him.

"I am truly happy for you both, Perce," she said to him as she broke away. "And I will offer you my good mornings now, since I do not expect to see the two of you until at least tomorrow afternoon." And then she was gone.

One thing had always been certain that day; that it would be a long night for Sir Percival Blakeney, Baronet. But now, however, it was to be a night that he could no longer spend with his wife.

***

@outlawsassemblerh @chaoticbitheatrekid

AAAAH IT'S HERE!!!

I'm so excited to be sharing this with you all, it has been a work in progress for a while now, and it's all paid off into this, the first chapter!

I hope you enjoyed this, please keep looking out for the next chapter!

[duskodair]

Anthony Jonah Underwood - A Town Called Danser

'She'll kill me when she finds out about this,' he thinks, gun in hand, back to back with another man before the slowly rising sun. He makes eye contact with his second and tries to push the thought of his sister from his mind.

He has a little trouble with that. He always has done. She is the one that looks forward, he looks back. His sister makes the plans, leading them from town to town, he looks back and keeps an eye on the way they've come.

It is often his job to talk and distract whilst his sister works. Talking Sister Mary Therese into taking him to the unmarked grave of their mother had been half to allow Noel to scout out the nuns' area of the convent and half genuine curiosity.

He had visited it alone as they'd grown up. His sister had no interest in the bare patch of dirt, so he returned alone. The Sisters teach him that their mother was a beacon of sin, unmarried and with child, arriving penniless at their door. They tell all the children this. He does not know his mother's name. But that's ok, he thinks, because he does not truly know his own.

His sister is happy to let him have both names, if he wants them. He chooses Anthony, because it's what Sister Mary Therese calls him and he likes her best. He doesn't mind being a lost thing under St Anthony's purview. His sister is happiest nameless, playing with various names in their quiet games.

When he wants a little quiet, he finds again his mother's grave and imagines who she could have been. He imagines someone kind, someone who loves them. He imagines a woman with flame red hair like theirs and a laugh like his sister's. As he grows older, reality phases through his imaginings and he imagines a woman with red hair and no money, alone and afraid. He thinks to himself, as a child, that one day he will earn enough money that he can buy her a gravestone and make sure that his sister will not end up like her.

They learn about chivalry from the nuns, you see, and Anthony spends months desperate to be a crusading knight. His sister is happy to pretend to be a princess for him to rescue. When he grows up, the fancy leaves him, but the reckless nobility doesn't.

It's what got him here, he thinks, tightening the grip on his gun. The doctor is late, the sun is rising. The man behind him had insulted his sister and the knight from whispered childhood games had risen up to protect her honour.

His sister has always bemoaned his recklessness. He has never been as cautious as her, has never displayed her caution in forming attachments. He interposed himself into the towns they pass through. They spend a couple of years in each, he can't help but grow attached.

Time has often found his sister waiting up for him as he walks lovers' lanes with young ladies at twilight. She waits for him as he rides out on imagined errands with eager young men, laughing over the clatter of hooves as they kick up the afternoon dust. He keeps his love quiet, but he cannot help but love. His sister has always seen through him, watched him grow attached and worried quietly over the kitchen table.

Whenever he begins to get to the point where he thinks he might marry, the swirl of dust and time intercedes. The road calls to them and he leaves them behind. With the road under their feet, they take on new identities and it becomes unsafe to write.

He becomes the only person in the world that refers to him as Anthony. His sister doesn't like names, and she finds it much easier to pretend. But he's her knight, so he puts on new masks as the years drag on and they leave more and more towns behind.

He is thirty now, and tired. Noel has promised that, in the next town, they'll stop. They just need the Lloyd fortune and a bit of distance and they can stop running. He thinks about it almost every day. They just need this con to go well. They need Noel's honour intact. Thus the gun.

The doctor arrives, late, clattering in from the big city. He secures his gun in his hand and takes a breath. There is talk. Anthony is familiar with this ritual. He's seconded for foolish young men before.

Long ago, he watched a man he thought he loved bleed out in his arms over a patch of dead earth. He, rather than Noel, led the running from that town.

He stares at the long shadow that his body casts in the light of the rising sun. He's looking back East. If he imagines hard enough, he can trace the road that they've run down, all the way back to Tennessee.

Soon, he whispers to the ghost of his mother, soon I can send you a grave. It will be novel, he thinks, to have loose change in his pocket. He's never had it before. When they are playing, every purchase is measured and calculated. He cannot buy a gravestone, even if he has the money, without observation.

The shadow before him flickers as he takes his first step.

Money will be an odd thing to have. Sure, they had money enough in the last city to get a trap and some horses for this con. But soon they will have money enough for a house of their own.

It won't be like when they were fourteen, in over patched clothes, sharing what chunks of bread they could afford.

He takes another step.

He thinks of the home they will have, something like his old sweetheart Jane's place. Now that was cozy. Her ma seemed to always have flowers on the table and a song on her lips.

He'll get Noel a music box and they'll dance like children running in the rain again. Like they had when they'd hidden at the convent from the older children.

He can feel the dirt under his boots and the sweat on his palms.

Lord, he wants to see his sister smile again. He wants to hear her laugh when he brings home someone special. He's fed up with running, so he takes another step.

He'd never have thought that of the two of them, Noel would marry first. He can't wait for that next town because then her husband will be dead. He remembers his slimy hands and knowing grin as he'd bartered for his sister like she was a piece of livestock.

He wants that man dead. He tightens the grip of his clammy palm around his gun. He breathes in and out and counts and steps. He reaches the number.

He turns away from the past, away from the East, and the road. He turns to the west for the first time and looks ahead. He stares directly into the rising sun. They're late.

He must shoot. His bullet must go wide. He doesn't see it. He's too busy feeling the impact in his ribs. The world spins as he collapses into his patch of dust.

He catches a glimpse of the man who shot him wheeling about on his horse, fleeing back to the city. The doctor holds a cloth to his side. His lips are moving but he's oddly silent. His second takes one look and goes running.

How odd, thinks Anthony, that the world is ringing. He must blink because suddenly the doctor transforms into Noel. Her long red hair hangs loose and her face is stained with blood and tears. He reaches up for her. She reaches down.

She must be talking, but he can't hear her. Why can't he hear her? She's crying. Noel never cries. Oh. He's made her cry. He tries to wipe her tears away but his arms are filled with lead.

She's so pretty. He wishes she wouldn't cry. He wants to see her laugh again, but he can't remember how to make her. The world blurs and he can hear her. She's calling him Jonah. She's begging him to live.

Why wouldn't he live? He doesn't understand. They've got a con to finish. He has to protect her and buy their mother a gravestone. He can't let her end up all alone. He takes a gasping breath in and the world spins.

Pain rockets through his body. Both he and his sister are crying. He's such a fool. He's leaving her all alone. The final dregs of childish dreams of knighthood slip away. There is no place for dreams out here. He has come from one unmarked patch of dirt to another.

He takes his sister's hand and smiles. His grave will say Jonah Underwood, not Anthony, but that's ok, he'll match their mother. He wants Noel to stay safe. He wants her husband dead. He wants her to get that house and the music box. He wants her to be happy. Really, he thinks, he wants to be able to breathe again and for it not to be so cold.

He looks at his sister. She has such a lovely face. He hopes she never finds out why he duelled. He can't do that to her. Around them the dust swirls and Noel coughs. And like a flame going out in the breeze, Anthony is lost.