#sublime deserves better

[madamefeu]

Two episodes into season 6 of Miraculous, and I’m actually starting to hate Marinette. I was indifferent to her before, I neither liked or disliked her, but her behaviour in Sublimation was actually terrible. I’m so tired of her having so little faith in Adrien that she continues to stalk him even now that they’re an official couple. Her constantly wishing harm upon Sublime so that she’d have an excuse to jump in and play saviour was disgusting behaviour from someone who claims to want to be her friend. Oh, and as if THAT wasn’t bad enough, she has the nerve to break Sublime’s prostheses mid-run, just because she’s insecure. Marinette is actually a terrible, selfish person who’s not mature enough for a relationship. Adrien needs to break up with her ASAP.

[wilygryphon]

Miraculous doesn't even know what continuity is ...

Yep. Saw that and reblogged it. @generalluxun put it pretty well. They write characters one way for one episode because that's what they want them to do for the plot, and then write them another way for another episode regardless of if the version of them in the first episode would do that.

The same way they have Marinette make mistakes so she can learn from them every episode (except for when she's never wrong), but then she never does learn and just keeps doing the same stuff.

[einaudis]

You're mad because Argentina, 1985 lost (I mean, rightfully so? It was an amazing movie, too)... I'm destroyed because Close didn't win :(

[miraculan-draws]

Jacob Anderson gets a lot of very well-deserved praise on his accent work in IWTV, especially in the sense that it goes back and forth— the thick NOLA Creole drawl to the sterile, stripped-clean, carefully blank American that he uses in Dubai, and then back again. If you listen closely, you can hear him very subtly letting that drawl "seep" back in during really intense Dubai scenes. It's absolutely phenomenal.

BUT! I would also like to give Sam some flowers that I don't see mentioned much. Mostly because we only hear it in two scenes, with very few lines: the reunion scene in 2x08, and the S3 Teaser. Sam is doing! Two completely different accents at once! And I KNOW it's intentional bc it's a book thing and our boy has a doctorate in Lestat.

In Louis' account of events, Lestat was fresh off the boat. The French accent is very thick, and he also peppers in a lot of French into his sentences. (Most fic writers tend to lean into this). But by our start date in 2022, Lestat has been living in Louisiana for over a century. In TVL, set in the 80s, Lestat describes LOUIS as the one having an accent.

So what is Sam doing with this?

FOR STARTERS. There are whole stretches of words, entire lines in those scenes even, where Lestat sounds pretty casually American: "shut up" like "shuddup", "and I thought, who better to carry on the great work", "Siri, pause". The French thickens a bit when the emotion intensifies, but even then it's not entirely present like it is in the rest of the show. The nasality and softened "T" of "nineteen sevendy three" "Did you hurt yourself?", the "I can't, Louis." THE WAY HE SAYS LOUIS' NAME SOUNDS DIFFERENT. not lew-EE anymore, but LOO-ee.

The teaser?? Very fun. The entire line "There's a goblet on the table." And "but, then again...it might not." AND!! Of course accents of all kinds tend to soften when singing, but in the song he only sounds French when speaking French.

And these HAVE to be conscious choices, they have to be planned and the ratios played with because neither of these are Sam Reid's speaking voice. He is doing two accents at once and it's so subtle but it's also doing so much to make Real Lestat distinct from Memory Lestat. What a GIFT what a TREASURE what SUBLIME leads we have for this show.

(Assad I see you scheming too, I will gush about you too)

[lenteur]

quick reminder that krystal is going to be at the cannes festival today so

[pearlcigs]

⋆ light me up

fem!reader x ellie williams

summary ⋆ ellie decides she wants to be festive this holiday. and what better way to do that than some christmas sex?

warnings ⋆ 1.43k ⋆ smut, nipple play, pet names (mama, baby, pouty princess, good girl), fingering, strap (r receiving), missionary, bondage, bondage with an item that should not be used for bondage, doggy/face down-ass up, minor praise

the brittle winter cold was somehow making its way through the cracks of the window. small goosebumps dotting your bare skin. the blankets around the bed were scrunched up in the corner, shoved aside when ellie decided that making out on the small, cramped couch wasn't really doing it for her. black and purple love marks starting to form on your soft skin from ellie's passionate kisses. her hands slid all over your body, carefully removing each piece of clothing from your sublime body. her lips left no part of you untouched, unkissed. savoring each and every kiss on your skin like her very own christmas present that you got just for her.

her fingertips dug into the fat of your hips, gripping onto you like her life depended on it. clutching you impossibly closer to her tacky body, sweat starting to bedew her body despite how cold the air of the night was. your head was thrown back against a pillow that probably hadn't been washed since last christmas, but that was a problem for you to worry about later. as ellie decorated your body with amiable kisses, she detached her hand from your hip for a moment to pinch your perky nipple in between her index and thumb. a smirk on her face as your back arches from her touch. 

"yeah? you like that, mama?" ellie's voice sounds like a mixture of pride and some kind a praise. almost as if she was telling you how good you were doing by simply just enjoying the pleasure she was so graciously giving you. "mhm. more, ellie, please." you beg, addicted to her touch and craving more. the space between your legs feeling neglected by the beautiful auburn girl that seemed so close but so far away from giving you the pure bliss that you craved. "oh yeah? you want more, baby?" she smirks with a teasing tone but she decides to be nice. after all, it is christmas.

the hand that rested on your hip was now moved to your sopping entrance. her thumb firmly presses against your clit, making you jolt from the sudden pleasure of ellie's enticing fingers. "like this?" she smiles dumbly at you, knowing more than enough that this was exactly what you wanted, exactly what you were longing for. "oh, god, ellie. yes, please more." your words were starting to slur, your eyes starting to close and your hips starting to grind down on her hind, seeking out the addictive feeling. she chuckled softly, admiring the way you seemed so desperate for her to do to you as she pleased.

she decided not to tease too much, feeling festive and giving you a well-deserved break for the holidays. she wets her middle finger and ring finger with her saliva, bringing them down to your already drenched hole, fingers sliding into you with ease. you moan, though you'd just felt the way ellie's fingers filled you so prefect the night before, it felt like a lifetime since the to-die-for feeling. without a doubt, your back arched off the bed, the cotton sheets sticking to your clammy skin. the sight of you doing wonders for ellie, making her more aroused by the second. 

her fingers thrust into your cunt sloppily, creating slick noises that sounded downright pornographic. and if you weren't so busy moaning and rolling your eyes back, maybe you would have cared. but the thought of someone hearing you didn't cross either of your minds, too immersed in each other to even care. "y'like fucking yourself on my fingers?" ellie teased, watching you squirm your hips to try and get as much of her fingers inside of you as you could. "fuck—" she mutters on her breath, admiring how pretty your body looks underneath the shoddy christmas lights hung on her headboard. per request of you, of course.

her thumb rubbed your clit slowly, chuckling as you whine. grabbing her wrist to try and make her go faster. "impatient much?" ellie taunted, but of course, giving into your every need and rubbing the sensitive bud to your liking. as much as ellie was teasing you about being impatient, she was becoming rather eager herself. she could never get enough of you. everything about you made her pussy throb. the way you writhed against the bedsheets, the way you moaned, the way your body looked. she wouldn't last much longer without feeling your pussy clench around her strap, she knew that for sure. 

much to your dismay, she takes her fingers away, licking off any residue you left. as if on cue, you whine, now deprived of the pleasure and now replaced with the feeling of emptiness. "ellie." you whine with a frown, unsure of why she would be so mean to you. especially on christmas! "hold your horses, babe." she chuckles, leaning over to grab the strap that was hidden in the depths of the drawer in her nightstand. you were so needy, too needy to even keep your hands off her for more than a second. your lips find her neck, nipping at the flesh as she fumbled around in the drawer.

"y'that horny, huh?" she jokes, but the way she swallows nervously tells you she wants you just as badly. the time between when she leans back and you lose contact with her skin and she's suddenly rubbing your clit with the tip of her strap seems like a blur. a low moan leaves ellie's lips as she collects your slick. her boxers were now off and your hands clawed at the ragged sports bra she was wearing, silently begging for her to take it off. "hey, hey, keep your hands to yourself." she jokes, taking both of your wrists in her hand and pinning them above your head. 

you whine at her seemingly cruel demand, wanting nothing more than to feel her soft boobs between your fingers or rub her achy clit. "that's not fair." you frown, but try your best to listen to her regardless. "sh, sh, sh, pouty princess. let me make it up to you." she offers a cheeky smile before guiding the plastic cock into your needy hole. you both let out a string of moans, basking in the feeling of being so intimate with each other. she starts thrusting slowly, letting you get used to the stretch even though you've done this hundreds of times before. she leans down, kissing your jaw and neck, like it was her prize.

her thrusts got harder and faster, unable to contain herself from ravaging you fully. your mind slipped off the request she made only a few minutes earlier, your hands finding her hair, fingers tangling through the half up half down hairdo she frequented. you pulled the strands, biting your lip to try not to scream and pleasure from how deep she was fucking you. "thought i told you to keep your hands to yourself, hm?" she mutters, giving you one chance to listen to her before she made you 'pay' for it. though, you were so busy relishing in how deep ellie's strap was that you didn't care to pay attention.

she tsked at your disobedience, looking around for an object that she couldn't seem to find. "fuck it." she mumbled under her breath to herself, pulling out of you and grabbing the christmas lights that were around her headboard, pulling them and bunching them up in her hands. "c'mon, mama, you know what to do. ass up f'r me." you obliged through your haziness, adjusting your position, excited yet terrified for what ellie was planning on doing. you rested your face on the pillow the back of your head was once resting on and suddenly you could feel your arms be yanked behind you and the warm string of lights could be felt around your wrists.  

"gotta learn to listen." she mutters, now laughing quietly to herself at the position she's put you in. but her amusement doesn't last long, quickly returning to her rightful spot in your pussy. "look at you, bein' all festive." she smirks as she fucks into you like there's no tomorrow. she leans down and gives you a quick kiss on the back of your head for being such a good sport. "good girl. takin' my cock s'well and puttin' up with my stupid shit." she continues, talking over the sound of your moans. you try to say something back, something snarky ellie presumes, but the only thing that leaves your mouth are incoherent babbles. "mhm, totally agree. just shut up an' let me fuck you."

im a little late but it's the thought that counts, merry christmas !!

[selene131]

🪞Clarity🪞

Sevika x reader

Summary: Sevika is at her lowest, but you are there to provide her with comfort.

Wc: 770

Warnings: hurt/comfort, angst, vulnerable Sevika, self-criticism (Sevika), smoking

The darkness of the room is disturbed by the flame coming from the beautifully carved metal lighter. The metallic click of the lighter creates an enigmatic symphony that echoes throughout the space. With each flicker of the flame, you catch glimpses of her face.  The light kisses her face in an ethereal way, at the same time, emphasizing her strong, sharp features. Such a sublime antithesis: she is fragile, vulnerable; yet so untouchable and bold. She places the golden cigarette holder between her teeth as she lights the other end of the cigarette. She inhales the smoke deeply; letting it invade every part of her lungs, holding it for a few seconds before releasing it slowly.

She plays with the lighter one more time, allowing  the flame to burn freely. Now, you get a better view of her face. She studies her face in the mirror, her eyes gliding over every little detail of her face - her eyes, eyebrows, nose, lips, deepened bags, and scars engraved into her skin. At that moment, she remains unaware that you have gotten up from your seat. You carefully approach her, standing right behind her. She is still focused on her reflection - she sees a broken person, shattered to pieces. Her mind is unclear as she looks at herself, consumed by her own thoughts and self-criticism. 

You watch her reflection in the mirror, and surprisingly, your eyes meet. Her gaze softens, and you catch her in a vulnerable moment. Your eyes don't leave hers. Slowly, you move closer, your chest pressed against her back. You rest your head on her shoulder, nuzzling your face into the crook of her neck, but your eyes never stray from hers.

“You are doing that again”, you say in a gentle tone. 

“I can't help it”, she responds.

There is a palpable tension; the intensity of your gaze weakens her, and she breaks eye contact. Gently, you raise your hand to her face, caressing it and guiding her gaze back to the mirror. The flame of the lighter illuminates her features, while the darkness of the room casts shadows over her visage - creating a captivating work of art, a baroque painting where the technique of chiaroscuro works its magic.

"You should try to see yourself the way I do", you break the silence.

She lets out a chuckle and shakes her head. 

“Don't give me this answer”, you disagree with her reaction.

You begin to trace every single feature of her face, telling her all the little things you love about them. You notice that her face feels warmer, likely due to her internal blushing, but you choose not to tease her about it. You pause your exploration at her eyes, where you give her a complete analysis.

“Those beautiful gray eyes - look at them. Those eyes that have seen horrors no simple man can imagine. Those eyes that shed tears countless times behind closed doors. Yet, those eyes can still sparkle with the joy of a little child. Those eyes offer kindness to those in need. Those eyes soften when they look at me.”

Her facade is breaking; her eyes are full of tears, but she still refuses to let them run over her face.  

You try your best to reassure her. 

"I don't deserve your softness and kindness," she utters with a trembling voice. 

It breaks your heart to see her this way. She is in the process of learning how to accept and love herself. It will take time to silence the voices in her head - her own and those who made her feel less.

“You deserve more”, you say as you delicately guide her head to face you.

“You need time and I am here to support you, no matter what”, you add with a genuine smile on your face. 

In return, her hand finds your face, stroking your cheek lovingly. She guides your face toward hers, holding the gaze. As your faces almost touch, she pauses - her eyes searching yours, attempting to communicate her love for you. With her lips near yours, you can feel her warm breath fanning over them. Her hand moves to the back of your head, fingers tangling in your hair as her lips meet yours in a kiss filled with longing.

The flame of the lighter flickers and is burning low as the gas is slowly dying. Yet the fire of love in your heart and soul for one another continues to blaze brightly.

In the end, she pulls away from the kiss and says: “Darling, you bring me clarity. ”

[kanhotep]

Spoiler Warning for the new Helluvaboss Episode

The more I think about the episode and listen to this absolute epic song, the more awed I am.

Like, first of all, we were all so worried about Vassago and he is such a sublime diva, I love him.

But what really broke me (besides the obvious) was Satan calling Lucifer "The Golden Angel". Yes, he was bullshitting about his place in Hell's hierarchy but that makes it even more special: Lucifer has many names, the fallen angel, the snake of the garden, the devil and such are surely ones he despises for they remind him of what he believes to be his biggest mistake and consequently of his greatest pain but they are what most off hell would know him as.

He has been called these things for 10 000 years.

The Morningstar or Samael (if Lucifer in the Hellaverse is the prince of heaven Samael and I would think so) might seem better choices at first as these are the names he had been called in heaven but that would simply make them more painful.

But Satan doesn't call him any of these.

He calls him the golden angel.

Because even after all these years, that's what Satan sees in him. The angel. The light. It's not a name, to him it is a fact.

There is so much to unpack there alone and that was just one verse in this masterpiece of a song!

Speaking of the song, can we please all appreciate that Vivzipop gave us the opportunity to have a fucking villain song sung by a protagonist?! Aka, everyone's absolute dream!

And oh boy, did Bryce Pinkham deliver.

He did such an amazing job that at first I didn't even realize how bad the lyrics was.

"Does he deserve the flame?" - What flame, he was just about to be beheaded dude, you just used that because you needed a rhyme with blame.

"Scheming more mastermindery" - Bro, what ?

"Could master the disaster" - You can barely master the disaster xD

All in all, it seems very rough.

But the moment Stolas opens this, what pocket dimension ?, and he and Blitz sing about their true thoughts and feelings, all of that changes and we come back to the heartfelt beautiful lyrics we are used to.

Meaning, that this entire performance wasn't one of hell's spontaneous musical numbers that just happen, like Ozzie's and Fizz's parts in House of Asmodeus or "When I see him", where the music and words just come to the characters. It turned into one, but didn't start out like that.

No. This was Stolas, showing up, stopping an execution with probably only half an idea of what exactly Blitz has been accused of and deciding that the best way to save this idiot's life is to bullshit his way through a song he's coming up with on the spot.

Probably in order to ensure that that arrogant peacock wouldn't interrupt him because a) dude probably can't sing and b) of the sheer absurdity of the situation.

(Bonus points if Stolas also thought about how that was probably not even the most dramatic soap opera acting they'd seen that day considering who was obviously leading the show on the Goetias side. But I don't want to give the bird to much credit, we know him to well for that. I love him, but he's a himbo.)

Anyway, I just really needed to say all of this because my brain is in overdrive.

I'm also itching to start drawing a short tragic comic about what would've happened if Stolas had come to late but I try to stop myself because, one, at this point I don't know how much more my soul can take and two, I am in the middle of another Hellaverse Project I should really finish first 😅

[horse-girl-anthy]

the leading male characters of RGU have variations on the same complex: "I failed at being a prince." however, they have their own specific versions of it, which manifest in widely different behaviors. I'll run through them, basing my account of the characters on how they were at the start of the show:

Saionji is deeply troubled by Utena's despair, but then witnesses her miraculous transformation. since Touga seems to be more mature than himself, he assumes Touga must be responsible for it. Saionji begins to feel himself a child, lacking in insight; not only was he unable to save the girl in the coffin, but he couldn't even understand her plight. having caught glimpse of a world he can't enter himself, he develops an inferiority complex, which he attempts to compensate for with old-fashioned masculinity, violence, and domination of others.

Miki gets sick, and his weakness forces Kozue to go to the concert hall alone. while she learns from this experience that she requires Miki in order to shine, he comes to the conclusion that he has committed a grave sin and destroyed the sunlight garden with his own hands. this irrational belief follows him into early adolescence, and he has somehow managed to turn it around and allot blame to Kozue as well. perhaps this is because siblings do not have strong ego boundaries, or maybe it's that Miki sees Kozue's failure to be a princess as an affront to his desire to be a prince. this becomes a vicious cycle, since negative attention is good enough for Kozue, who flaunts her naughty behavior to keep Miki fixated on her.

Touga is a two-faced character who outwardly projects the version of himself that he'd like to be. in actuality, though he may not be aware of it, he is a person who wishes the world was a better, fairer place and longs to alleviate suffering. however, he learned his own weakness young; to avoid the terror of powerlessness, he is willing to do just about anything. as Saionji believes Touga saved Utena, Touga believes Akio saved Utena, and so he models himself on him. on one level, he maintains a cynical worldview in which he is justified on acting however he pleases because he has gained power, but on another (deeply buried) level, he hopes he will become a prince and set things right. unfortunately for him, his behavior is contradictory with that goal and will only serve to enforce the status quo. he copes with this using cynicism, pretending to himself that he doesn't believe in nobility anyway.

Akio is like a monstrous combination of the previous three, with one crucial difference: Akio no longer actually wishes to be a prince. he may mourn his failure, but that's a form of narcissism; he doesn't even have the commitment to despair. rather, his "sadness" is a grand show in which he is the leading character. does he have a lingering spark of care for Anthy? perhaps, but he only calls it forth for the purposes of manipulation. long ago, his weakness caused Anthy immense suffering, suffering which has never ceased since. as eternity stretched on, Akio began to think to himself, "isn't this actually her fault? she's the reason I'm no longer a prince; she stole my beloved self from me. and what's more, she isn't a princess, which means she deserves this. in fact, doesn't she actually want this? yes, it's true: both of us love the way things are, and so she will always help me to keep them this way. why, I'm so magnanimous that I'll forgive her for starting this, even though it's so hard for me to bear living in my fallen state." thus, to Akio, being a failure of a prince is a sublime torture, and the scab he's grown over his original wound has calcified, not healing but rotting what's underneath.

the question now is where does Utena fit into this schema? I don't think she's in line with the characters listed above, since she's not living her life based on a failure, but instead on determination to suceed. in that way, I think she's most similar to Ruka, at least in outlook. Ruka tries to be a prince through manipulation and coercion, which is of course doomed to failure, but he is staking his life on his desire to be a prince. Utena, after overcoming her own hurdles, does the same.

[thetriforcetriohouse]

Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf all live in a house together.

Link:

The only one in the house with an actual job.

What is that job? Well...

He Works. He leaves the house, and then comes back hours later with money.

To be clear, there's nothing illegal going on! If you follow him, you're going to see him pulling weeds, busking, and other various sidequesty activities.

Trades cooking duty with Ganondorf. Link's cooking is delicious, if somewhat unconventional. He will eat anything--this man has eaten rocks before, and he'll do it again.

Horse Girl. Keeps Epona in a nice stable on the property. Rides her regularly around the neighborhood and at the Equestrian Center nearby.

ADHD. Autism. But we all knew that.

Smokes weed sometimes. Buys from Ravio. Doesn't buy from Tingle anymore.

Link is part of a massive polycule that he himself is not aware of, but all the girls in it have a groupchat.

Buys his clothes in bulk at Walmart.

Is the one who actually owns the house.

Zelda:

Does the taxes, keeps track of the finances...she likes to do Books.

She is just living her life.

Can't eat spice to save her soul. Ganondorf's cooking obliterates her every time, and he laughs.

Is not part of the Link polycule, but keeps everything scheduled. Polycule secretary.

Dating Yona.

Gets distracted from work because she looked outside and saw a cool frog or bug and had to go look. She and Link frequently text eachother in the Trio groupchat whenever they find something cool, so the other one can come running and Ganondorf can go "why though?"

Does the grocery shopping. Link used to, but isn't allowed anymore because he always buys protein and nothing else.

Overachiever. Wants to get a good grade at living life, which is normal to want and possible to achieve.

Does her own laundry after Ganondorf side-eyed her about her cheap underwear.

Anxiety disorder. It's fiiiiiiiiine.

Ganondorf:

Does the household chores. Is frequently exasperated by the state the other two leave the place in.

His cooking is sublime but incredibly spicy. Makes the best Gerudo food around for miles.

Road rage. Don't put this man behind a wheel.

Has broken soooooo many console controllers and at least one TV.

He keeps the house looking nice so his moms (Koume and Kotake) can visit whenever they want.

Incredibly competitive, especially with Link.

Planted Deku Babas near the sidewalk to eat the children walking by because they're obnoxious. He still thinks that's funny.

Has two sugar babies that don't know about eachother. Also has a cute girlfriend named Lyric living across the street.

All of his items are incredibly luxurious and high-quality. His clothes, his weapons, his everything. He deserves the best!

Has a rigorous gym routine. Every time he walks in, people stare. He knows this. Gets into frequent flex-offs with Groose while he's at the gym.

Respectful to women. Duh.

Surprisingly reasonable. Most of the time.

Designated straightman, but is not a Straight Man.

Has a little crusty white purse dog named Annalise. That thing eats better than almost everybody else.

Also has a big black horse stabled in a NICER stable than Epona's. It was important to him. The horse's name is Demise.

[brian-in-finance]

Thanks for the message, Anon. 😃

So… 18 links… 🤯. Tumblr wouldn’t let me post your message as “was,” so I followed the links, played a mean game of Copy & Paste and added some pics.

Reading through the reviews on Letterboxd to find the six you chose revealed a few things about the film no mainstream review I saw had revealed. Note to self: think carefully about the viewing company you keep.

Caitríona Balfe from “Outlander” plays the boxer’s girlfriend Caitlin, who exists in a constant state of worry. Understandably. But it’s a dull part for a magnetic actress.

New York Post 8 September 2024

Caitlin (an excellent Caitríona Balfe of “Belfast” fame)… a movie that ultimately doesn’t quite add up to enough, especially when Balfe walks out for too long in the final act. See it for the cast, especially the three leads, but it’s more of a technical knockout than a stunning victory.

Roger Ebert 6 September 2024

Caitríona Balfe (“Belfast,” “Outlander”) can be an uncommonly grounded actress, and she and Bloom create a lived-in relationship that humanizes and creates real stakes for the pugilistic histrionics that surround it. His character’s lack of a name may position him as an everyman, but the little moments of their relationship – glances, raised eyebrows, tilted heads – give his couple a specificity and a shared history in a way exposition never could… film is bookended by quiet scenes between a man and a woman, by beautifully understated performances by Bloom and Balfe.

The Wrap 7 September 2024

The boxer’s wife and business partner (Outlander’s Caitríona Balfe giving more than her role deserves)

The Guardian 6 September 2024

… wife, business partner, and one-time boxing manager, Caitlin (Caitríona Balfe, the film’s secret weapon).

The Playlist 6 September 2024

Despite a trio of knockout performances, The Cut is a lackluster boxing drama… (Caitríona) Balfe gives a thankless role her all as the lone woman in this boys' club. Caitlin has a dark past too, alluding to a struggle with addiction. But we never learn any of her past in detail despite numerous and repetitive flashbacks to Boxer's bleak childhood. Instead, it's left to Balfe to convey it all through Caitlin's stricken expressions and misplaced devotion to Boxer. She even gets a few moments to shine as a fighter herself, training Boxer for his fight before Boz takes over… Balfe is a sublime talent, but she deserves far better material that doesn't rely on her to make up for deficiencies in the writing… Because despite these three strong performances… The Cut has the potential to be something fresh and interesting with three particularly fine actors at its heart.

Entertainment Weekly 6 September 2024

Caitríona Balfe and John Tuturo’s colliding performances gave the film a realistic edge, which makes the audience question their own morals.

Movie Scene Canada (Twitter) 6 September 2024

Caitríona Balfe is equally compelling as a supportive wife and coach to her boxer husband.

Movie Moves Me 6 September 2024

The Cut is it is one of few boxing films that gives the female lead a pivotal role that’s more than a love interest/nagging the fighter to quit. Caitríona Balfe is a tough-as-nails trainer who gets in the ring w/ Orlando & may throw a punch!

Flick Chick DC (Twitter) 5 September 2024

(Caitríona) Balfe is fierce as Caitlin. She’s simultaneously supportive and a fighter. Her verbal spats with Boz are a treat, and she’s honestly the character who best balances strength and emotional maturity.

Screen Rant 7 September 2024

Caitríona Balfe was the main highlight, for me. It's difficult to pull off the role of voice of reason against the hell-bent protagonist without coming off as annoying or making it feel like they're just slowing the story down, but she killed it.

Reddit 6 September 2024

(Caitríona) Balfe (and John) Turturro.. are never less than engaging and believable in their side parts.

IndieWire 5 September 2024

Bloom… gives a great, dedicated, and physically challenging performance — as does the wonderful Caitríona Balfe

Bloom promised us all a stiff drink for enduring this movie and I think that says a lot. (Caitríona) Balfe was great.

The cast is phenomenal. Turturro is marvelous as The Boss, pushing our fighters to their literal breaking point. (Caitríona) Balfe gives a heart wrenching performance of a former addict watching their partner fall into their own addiction.

I think Caitlin's character gets a little bit lost, and she was such a great part of the movie, I wish they did a little bit more with her.

Orlando Bloom and John Turturro are very good but I really think the star is Caitríona Balfe!! She was very underutilized.

Performances are good, especially Orlando's and Caitríona Balfe's. To me she was the standout.

Letterboxd 5 & 6 September 2024

Remember… what distinguishes modern art from the art of other ages is criticism. — Octavio Paz

[melomelomuskmelon]

hey chat can we talk about how yahya pretty much infantalized melon in the path of evil?, like, i know the dude was dying but you still had to talk down to him like a child, this dying man is lamenting to you about how his life was to fucked up due to society, like he's asking yahya about how "oh if carnevores and herbivores can just get along and be friends than what was the point of my mother killing my father and leading to me getting so scared of her that i murdered the bitch?, if the world can be kind why was my life marked by cruelty?" and,,,, all this motherfucker says is "oh i'm sure your parents are fine in heaven" ignoring the fact yahya KNOWS melon's father is alive and out there. a part of me does understand that he's.. trying to keep melon calm in that moment instead of dropping that really fucked up bombshell on him since he's litterally dying in this chapter, but like.. c'mon dude you're the sublime beastar can you say something that doesn't sound like you're treating this 24 year old man like a child? and then that fucking infantalizing comment BACKFIRES because melon gets pretty rightfully pissed at not having his question answered.. this is litterally the final chapter we see melon speak in and he's just asking about why his life is so horrible and unfair if society really can change. a part of me really thinks that mel was being insanley vulnerable in this chapter only to knock his walls back up when he feels he's being pitied for his traumas and,,goes in to bite yahya's neck and talk about how he doesn't deserve sympathy which,,,, i mean honestly yeah you are like.. a horrible dude melon. i just HOUGHHH yahya really should have handled that moment better because as somebody in an abuse situation.. if i was in melon's position i'd get so fucking pissed off too. i didn't ASK if my "parents are fine in heaven" i'm ASKING you what was the point of my traumatic fucking life if the worlds really just.. gonna change like that. also this isn't a yahya hate post i get why he acted the way he did given this chapter is from HIS internal monolouge. i just think he handled what he did in a very...not good way, buut he did learn his lesson given,,,,,, the bite of ,,,,,whatever year it was

[northernolddragon]

The Lord of vampires and God of magic had reason not to fall into the madness of their mutual ascension.

This is a more down-to-earth understanding. The thought that they could change the world in which they lived, like two sublime creatures who at one time experienced the cruelty of their "creators" (their stories to some extent have parallel intertwinings), haunts me. The madness has been smoothed over. Satisfied or simply chained in order not to become like those, who held them in the figurative chains of religion and will. Astarion will be better than Cazador. And Gale is better than Mystra. Their experiences of mistakes and misadventures will overshadow what makes placing them both on a higher pedestal reasonable. They deserve better.

[hanlimz]

lol i wrote this at 2am bc i love jungwon sm and i needed to word vomit so i can focus on this stupid essay i have to write 💔 be gentle w this bc it’s not that good haha !! pls enjoy ❤️

the incessant ringing of your phone is a cacophony of sound pressed against your ear as you wait with bated breath. it’s been a week since jungwon was last able to call, a week since you were able to hear his voice; and, it’s been even longer since you’ve been able to touch him (in any capacity). your palms are itching for the opportunity to cup his face, and your lips are yearning to pepper gentle kisses over the apples of his rounded cheeks.

so, you picked up your phone and clicked on his silly contact photo. while you wait, you count the ceiling tiles. you see how long you can go without blinking. you lose track of time, and you eventually try to freestyle over the stock ringtone. just as you rhyme sublime with you’re mine, the noise stops and jungwon begins to laugh. why he always manages catches you at your worst—you will never know.

���i hope that rap was about me,” he snorts airily, amusement having stolen his breath away. you can almost see his pretty face through the phone; the way the corners of his lips quirk up, his dimple deepening, the gentle reshaping of his eyes as they wane into two, umber crescents. laughter is so transformative, and you’re glad you can see it (even if only in your mind). “oh, [y/n], also—i just posted some selcas on we—” the phone cuts out, and the momentary silence slices at your heart.

“won? you still there?” you ask, tentatively, “i promise the rap was about you. cross my heart, hope to die.”

jungwon’s pseudo-presence floods your chest once more as he chuckles. “that’s good to know, babe—but, no dying on my watch, ‘kay?”

“bold of you to say when you’ve left me here,” you scoff.

“to die?” he inquires, another bout of giggles hiding behind his words.

“to die,” you answer, dramatically. “to wither, to waste away with no boyfriend to sing me to sleep and kiss me when i’m sad.”

the line goes quiet for a few seconds, and it’s almost a comfortable silence. something lurks behind this pregnant pause, however, and you can’t help but feel stifled by the heavy weight building in your stomach. jungwon is overthinking—the feeling is palpable. he’s chewing on his bottom lip and you can almost taste his vanilla chapstick; the nail of his thumb is worn down to the quick in the same way he’s bitten at the inside of his cheek.

“jungwon, you know i’m just joking, right?” there’s a hint of regret lacing your voice, a tinge of melancholy, but it mixes with a resolute affirmation of your love for him. “i miss you, but i couldn’t be more proud of you. watching those clips of you on stage, seeing you enjoy yourself—it all makes me love you even more. you’re doing so well.”

“i know,” he sighs, sounding exceedingly dejected. “i just feel like i can’t give you what you need—like i can’t be who you deserve from this far away.”

your jaw goes slack upon hearing his confession. his words shock you to your core; strong-willed yet so fragile-hearted, why your lover is so critical of himself—you will never know. in your eyes, jungwon is nothing short of angelic; ethereal in a way only known by beings of the heavens, jungwon brightens every room he walks into and makes your day better by merely existing. he is a sanctuary of sorts—warm and inviting and gentle.

“are you insane?” the question tumbled from your mouth before your brain could formulate a better response.

he hums, inquisitively, “i don’t think so?”

“okay, not exactly how i wanted that to come out,” you concede, “but—seriously, won—you’re my everything. you never have to worry about me wanting more, because you’re already who i want. who i need. and, honestly, i don’t know what i did to deserve you.” you know he’s flushed on the other side of the phone, cupping a sweater paw over his face while trying not to giggle and swing his feet like a schoolgirl. “yang jungwon, i love you very much, and i’m always so, so thankful for you … so, tell your brain to stop beating you up, or i’ll kick its slimy, little ass.”

“thank you, [y/n]. i love you, too.” he laughs for a moment, then stops himself, “wait—did you just say my brain was little?!”

[dangermousie]

Best kdrama you have probably never heard of - Someday (2006)

"I can't breathe because my heart is filled with thoughts of you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you."

Answering the ask about my perfect kdramas made me think of and want to make a pusher post for the most underrated drama on that list Someday, starring Bae Doona, Lee Jin Wook, Kim Min Joon and Oh Yoon Ah.

When she was 17, Hana (Bae Doona), a Korean brought up in Japan by her grandmother, won a prestigious award and was launched on a career as a popular manga artist in Japan. The same day Hana was launched on her path to popularity and fame, Seokman (Lee Jin Wook) was having the worst day of his life -- he and his family were involved in a car crash, leaving him the only survivor. Fast forward three years or so and the paths of Hana, now a well-known mangaka who is facing a creative drought, and Seokman, now a sort of a missing-persons detective, are about to collide.

This is both an old drama (2006) and also one released on OCN back when it was just starting, so even back when I originally watched it 15 years ago, it was not well known. It's such a pity - this one is on my Top 10 kdramas list of all time for a reason. There are so many reasons as to why this deserves to be better known - it has a delicious off-beat vibe and in some ways it reminds me on an old school jdrama with its realistic feel and its meditation on life; but it retains old school kdrama strengths of romance and suffering and gorgeous cinematography. Its love story, which made me cry and cry and then grin like a lunatic and hug my pillows - it's so unexpected and sneaks up on you and then grabs and refuses to let go. Its stories of alienation and connections and families lost and found and made. Its laid-back charm which lures you in until you, all relaxed, are whacked with the darkness at the core, and are left gasping for breath (full disclosure - this drama made me cry more than once.)

It is also a chance for you to see some wonderful performances. The always sublime Bae Doona is well...sublime, as the quirky Hana who has locked her capacity for warmth and caring far away due to childhood loss - when the story starts she is almost an alien dropped among those weird humans - curious, exploratory, and oh-so-different. One of the biggest pleasures of the drama is to watch her learn to become fully human - to feel compassion, to feel love. Lee Jin Wook is one of my huge kdrama crushes and he doesn't disappoint, playing his character with so much sweetness that you get lulled into a false sense of security and don't realize just how much damage and despair Seokman has inside, until you are confronted with it, and then go "of course - it all makes sense now." His chemistry with Bae Doona is just so pitch-perfect - their whole relationship is so full of discovery and hope and tentativeness for both of them. You can't help but root for these two very damaged people to work it out and heal each other. She has no emotions but he has no hope or self-worth - and the biggest pleasure for me was to watch both of them recover what they lack. The drama Someday reminds me of most is my favorite twdrama, Mars - the two horribly damaged protagonists with vastly different coping mechanisms make each other better. It goes dark sometimes, terribly dark, but ultimately it's the story of new beginnings and of hope.

Kim Min Joon and Oh Yoon Ah are not secondary characters in this - every member of the quartet (and they are not really a love quartet in the usual sense) is equally important. If Hana and Seokman are horribly wounded children, both KMJ and OYA play grown-ups. If you are expecting a typical older kdrama evil secondary girl, you are in for a disappointment. OYA's Hae Young is the sanest, best person in the quartet, and the one most in touch with her feelings, which include her unrequited love for her best friend Jin Pyo (KMJ). And speaking of Kim Min Joon - he plays perhaps the most controversial character in this - a psychiatrist who gloms onto Hana as a representation of his fanboy fantasies, not a real woman (he does not get to know the real Hana the way Seokman does) and who is the one most in control and delights in manipulation. But I ended up liking him nonetheless - in a way, he was caught in a bubble as much as Hana was, only this bubble was of his own willful making.

My favorite scene? Because I am a sadist, it's the sequence leading to Seokman's suicide attempt (it's either that or he gets done in, due to the debts) - his counting how many minutes he has left and getting his math wrong, his visiting the hospital and tying up all the loose ends, his scene on the river bank with Hana, his suicide attempt itself, when he walks off limping and muttering "stupid stupid stupid" not able to think of anything but that he failed.

This drama is SO GOOD and SO UNDERRATED and really should be watched.

[daydreamgoddess14]

The Ties that Bind - Chapter 2

How d'ya like your fluff in the morning?

Thank you for reading so far, hope you're liking soft River!

CH 1

Masterlist

Chapter 2

“I want to apologise, dear.” David said uncertainly the next morning as Seren walked with him into the village. “I’ve been abominable the last few weeks and you didn’t deserve it at all.” She let him speak without interruption. “I’ve never been the easiest person to deal with. At work, or since. River bears the brunt of it most of the time. They used to call me the Old Bastard, you know.” She smiled as they ambled slowly along the edges of the open fields.

“I would never expect you to change your entire personality, Mr Cartwright. I’ve looked after prickly characters before, and I will again. I appreciate the challenge, and a bit of verbal sparring keeps your mind active and engaged.” Seren shrugged. “The only reason I put up with you the last few weeks is because you both seemed… well,” she paused, not wanting to undo the progress they’d made in the last 24 hours, “desperate, really.” Fortunately he laughed. A deep chuckle she was immediately grateful she was hearing for the first time, and she was the cause. She pressed on, “every single evening I doubted whether to keep coming over, whether to keep trying to win you over, and every single evening, the same thing would happen.”

“What’s that then?” He offered a hand to help her over the stile they’d reached, and on the opposite side, she did the same thing, taking careful note of his physical capabilities. Was he too frail to have come this way? Should she have taken the road route instead? He took the step down from the wooden step with ease and she relaxed. She looked around the semi rural surroundings, spotting a dog walker back in the field behind them. 

“River would call me.”

“Is that so?”

“Yep. How was I? How were you? How was our day? Did I need anything? He cares so much for you.”

“He’s a good boy.” David said softly, “a good man. He tries. And that won you over for another day, did it?”

“Like I said, he sounded desperate. And I was not always the nicest to him when he called.” Seren laughed, David harrumphed. 

“He said you called him yesterday from the bathroom.”

“I did. I wasn't sure what else to do. I was so scared you'd hurt yourself. Once everything had calmed down and he arrived, I realised I didn’t want him to confront you as soon as he got there. I didn't want to upset you further.”

“I appreciate that. We spoke later, after you’d gone. He told me I was very close to losing your much valued help.” 

“I'm glad you do see the value of it. This kind of help, it's the best way that River can help you stay in your own home for as long as possible. You're not the kind of man to take up life in the local nursing home.”

“I'd rather you take me out back and shoot me.” He grimaced. 

“Exactly. So,” she began, cautiously, “Do we have an agreement? That you need my help?” They walked in silence for a short time, reaching the outskirts of the village.

“Hmm. After yesterday’s performance I can hardly deny that the help isn’t a good idea, can I?”

“I mean, you could try… but I don’t think it would work.” She offered. 

“Indeed. So it seems I have no choice but to agree.”

“We all have a choice. I’m not here to babysit you Mr Cartwright, I’d like to enjoy our time together and I hope you will too.”

“You’d better start calling me David then, hadn’t you, dear? You did yesterday.”

“Hmm. Seemed like the best way to try and… reach you? Felt like ‘Mr Cartwright’ would have ended up with someone getting hurt. And you’d better start calling me Seren, instead of girl.” She pushed open the door to the bakery and held it for him while he followed with a smile.

*

River was confused to say the least. The situation had gone from the ridiculous to the sublime. Or was it the other way around? He quickly realised how tense and unsettled Seren had been with the situation for the past six weeks because in the weeks since, she’d transformed entirely. His calls to check in each evening were no longer filled with drawn out silences and sighs, but with bubbling accounts of her day with his grandfather and even laughter. The Slow Horses had had a very busy few weeks which had meant that he’d been able to visit a lot less frequently and later in the day, so he’d hardly seen Seren in person. With her improved relationship with David, he also didn’t feel like she was depending on him visiting for her own sanity, or that he had to keep tabs on them both. He realised as he drove through the village that it had been too long since he’d seen her, and that he’d missed her. He couldn’t ignore the anticipation when he saw her car still parked next to David’s, happy that she hadn't left for the day. The house was filled with music. It was classical, which he expected, but it was louder than usual and seemed to travel through every room. He followed the sounds of laughter to the sitting room where Seren was being led, in fits of giggles, through what he could only assume was a terrible interpretation of a waltz. She had one hand in David's and the other on his shoulder, while he had a hand on her waist.

“And, one, two, three, one, two, three… right leg back, that's the way.” River leaned in the doorway watching. There was pure concentration on Seren's face as she kept her head down, watching their feet. “Head up, dear, don't look at your feet.”

“It's the only way I know I won't stand on yours.” She sighed. “I am awful at this. They make it look much easier on Strictly.” She faded to a grumble.

“One, two, three, head up.” David lifted her chin and out the corner of her eye, she caught sight of River in the doorway. He winked. 

“Oh, shit,” she stumbled. David righted her and they continued to glide in a circle around the sitting room. “One, two, three, one, two, three, I'm doing it!” She beamed, eyes wide with happiness. 

“And the grand finale,” David said, twirling her under his arm and letting her go with a slight bow, she responded in kind. River brought his fingers to his mouth and whistled before giving them a round of applause. 

“Very good, very good! Ahh, I haven't danced a waltz in years.” David smiled. ‘River, don't loiter in doorways, make yourself useful and make some drinks.” 

“I'm not sure I'd call that a waltz, old man.” He teased.

“If it was bad, it's my fault entirely.” Seren flushed. 

“Bollocks, you were wonderful.” David chimed in from his armchair. River remained in the doorway, his height and broad shoulders filling the space, blocking her exit. “I should go,” she hesitated in front of him, something in her eyes he couldn't quite interpret. He created a gap for her, but not big enough to stop her body from brushing against his as she made her way past. He followed her to the kitchen. 

“Nice dancing. Good day?” He asked, retrieving a bottle of red wine from the rack. 

“Yeah, he's had a couple of really good days. There was a few minutes yesterday after he'd had a sleep that he didn't know me. He got pretty angry, but it passed quickly. He's enjoyed being able to read a bit, do some crosswords.” River smiled.

“That's great. I uhh, I actually meant you though?”

“Me?” Seren looked at him, a deer in the headlights. He stepped closer, holding out a glass of wine. She shook her head, “no thank you, I should go.” She said again. He noted her eyes flick to his mouth and back up to meet his gaze. She was nervous. That was the look he hadn't been able to interpret straight away. Now though, he could see it as clear as day. It seemed he wasn't the only one with butterflies. He took a small step closer again, closing the space between them. 

“Sure I can't tempt you?” He asked, boldly. His heart pounded, being carried by bravado and bluster alone. Her eyes moved to his mouth again, this time for a little longer. She looked like she was bracing herself. 

“No. I need to go.” She replied, confidently but quietly. He took a step back.

“Ok. Maybe next time.” He murmured. “Thank you.” He added sincerely. 

“What for?”

“I don't think I've heard him laugh like that for years.” 

“It was fun. And to answer your question, I've had a good day too. Definitely picked up towards the end.” She smiled shyly then called out a goodbye to David and left. 

*

Seren wondered if the giddiness she felt was permanent. It felt like it. It felt like it had lasted months. She knew he'd noticed the way she'd looked at him. His ego had grown tenfold as soon as he'd clocked that glance at his mouth. She'd spent the couple of weeks since willing herself to forget him, to pretend she wasn't affected by his presence. It was easily done when he wasn't around, but when he was there he consumed her thoughts. She tried a new tact. If he was there, she'd leave. Either for the day if she wasn't going to be needed later, or to refill the cupboards or tackle various bits of cleaning if she was going to be needed. She encouraged as much as possible that they had time alone together. 

“Have you started the crossword yet, Seren?” David asked. 

“I have. You're going to love 3 across.” He settled at the kitchen table and pulled the paper towards him and chuckled reading the clue. 

“River's on his way.” He told her, scribbling down some answers to the crossword. Seren hummed in response and focused on the flowers she was cutting down for a vase. They soon heard the scratch of River's car on the gravel outside. “Do you think 2 down is cuddle?” David asked, going to add it to the grid. Seren peered down over his shoulder as the back door opened. 

“Nope, it's caress,” she took the pen, “see, this one is stamp. It's the first S in caress.”

“So it is.” He muttered, stealing the pen back and filling it in. “Good morning grandson.”

“Morning old man, Seren.”

“Perfect timing. You're on crossword duty, he cheats. I need to go and pick up some shopping.” 

“I do not cheat young lady.” 

Seren scoffed. “Yeah you do.” She and River scolded him in unison. 

“Anyway, I'll be back in a bit.” Seren smiled. She was almost at the safety of her car when River ducked out of the house. 

“You're avoiding me.” He stated, opening the car door for her and holding onto it. 

“Course I'm not.”

“You are,” he smirked, “you can admit it.”

“I don't need to admit anything. You call me nearly every night, how can I be avoiding you?”

“In person, when I'm here.” He stepped closer but kept the door between them. She laughed. 

“I have no idea what you're talking about.”

“Every time I show up here, you make yourself scarce. Hiding away upstairs, or going out to the village?” She bit her lip and looked away from him, over his shoulder to the house.

“I'm doing my job.” She muttered lamely. He didn't respond and the silence stretched on. She itched to fill it. “It's important not to confuse David.” One eyebrow arched up but he still didn't respond as she dug deeper. “Not that I intend to confuse him at all. Look, I need to get some food in, otherwise your poor grandfather is going to be stuck with cheese on toast.” Still he didn't reply. “Ugh, fine” She threw up her hands, disgusted with how quickly she'd caved in. “Yes I'm avoiding you. Every chance I get.”

“Was that so hard?” He asked at last, a smile pulling at the corner of his mouth which she was trying desperately not to stare at. “We'll talk when you get back. You can tell me about how you're confusing the old bastard and why you're avoiding me.” He teased, gesturing for her to get in the car. 

“No chance.” She scowled at him and jumped into the driver's seat, loud 00s pop music filled the air as the car started. 

“What is that shit you're listening to?” He laughed, closing the door for her. 

“Goodbye, River.” She called through the open window. He watched her drive away, the odd feeling that someone was watching crept over him. He shook it off, the old bastard was rubbing off on him. He went back to the house to check in with David. 

*

He heard her back in the kitchen before he saw her. Leaving David napping on his armchair, River put down the book he'd been reading and found her unpacking the shopping bags and singing quietly and dancing along to whatever had been on the radio in the car. Her hips swayed in time with her singing, she was totally unguarded. 

“Coffee?” He asked, making his presence known. She immediately stopped dancing. He found himself wishing he hadn't spoken up so soon.

“That's fab, thank you. David OK?”

“Having a sleep.”

“Good, he said he didn't sleep very well last night. Why on earth does he think someone's watching him?” She asked curiously. 

“Probably just paranoid.” River brushed off. “You've not seen anything weird?”

“Weird?” She laughed. “The village isn't exactly Midsomer. No, nothing weird except the perv in the butchers.”

“The butcher has a perv?” He asked with a grin.

She finished filling the fridge and turned back to the bag next to River. They stood elbow to elbow while he made coffee. 

“Honestly, every time I go in there he's… staring. Gives me the heebies.” She shivered. “It's a bit League of Gentlemen sometimes. I think the countryside always feels a bit like there's someone right behind you. It's so quiet, it's just unsettling, but then some bloody big dog appears out of nowhere and you realise you're just being an idiot.” He nodded in agreement. 

“Let me know if you have any more problems with the perv though, yeah? How's it going now the old bugger isn't being a knob?”

“Oh, he has his moments. But we're definitely getting along a lot better than we were.”

“You're good with him.”

“When he's with it… god, River he's sharp as a pin. His knowledge is incredible,” she sounded almost proud. “It makes it sadder when he's… not quite here.”

“Yeah, yeah I know. He was always the smartest in the room. He used to terrify people at work. It's so weird to see him like this now.” She covered his hand with her own and gave a little squeeze. 

“He said they used to call him the Old Bastard,” She smiled. “He's still in there.” She reassured him. He nodded gratefully. 

“Yeah, I know. I know I need to do this for him. Look after him like he did me. Anyway, tell me more about avoiding me?” He said, clearing his throat. Seren whined, leaving his mind to wander to places where he could get her to make the same sound again. 

“Can we not?” She turned to lean against the sink, her hands covering her face. He laughed.

“You brought it up, not me.”

“You brought it up, I just admitted it. Under coercion, I would like to add.”

“I don't think it's coercion when you're willing.” 

“And what gives you the impression that I'm willing?” She demanded. He shifted to put a hand either side of her on the counter. 

“Just… intuition.” Seren arched an eyebrow.

“Intuition?” She scoffed. “Doubt it.” He watched her face carefully, clocking each expression as she studiously looked anywhere except at him. He could tell that she was keeping her body as still as possible, but he could also see her mind racing. Finally she met his gaze. Her eyes fluttered shut as his nose grazed her cheek almost experimentally, her breath shaking almost as much as her hands. She felt a tiny kiss behind her ear, her body betraying her with a whimper she was certain he'd heard. His other hand came to rest on her hip, and it set her whole body alight. He held her hip with the most imperceptible grip, giving her exactly enough space to move away but silently begging her not to. She let his hand turn her slightly on the spot so she could face him better. She kept her eyes closed, felt his kiss on her jaw and her cheek before he paused. He rested his forehead against hers, one hand coming to the nape of her neck while the other stayed on her hip. She could hear only their shared breath and she could tell he was giving her enough time and space to say no. She finally opened her eyes. He pressed a chaste kiss to her lips before pulling back the tiniest amount. He saw a longing and an intensity he'd never seen before and he took his chance, capturing her mouth with his own again. The hard edge of the counter burned against her back while she could feel River's cock hardening against her hip bone. The analogy of being caught between a rock and a hard place was not lost on her. She slipped a hand just under the edge of his t-shirt. The warm skin of his stomach under her hand pulled her back to reality.

“This should not be happening.” She muttered through the kiss, tearing herself away. 

“Why not?”

“What about David? I don't want him to be confused. I don't want him to think I have an ulterior motive for being here.”

River frowned. “Why would he think that?”

“I don't know,” she sighed. Her hands shook with the effort of staying under her control. She felt the warmth of his body as he stood before her, it radiated from him. She leaned in, just a little, her body moving of its own volition. “I'm sorry, I'm really sorry. I can't do this.” He squeezed her hip lightly and nodded, pulling back further. In the hallway, came the sounds of David's footsteps making his way from the sitting room to the kitchen and River sprang back away from her without taking his eyes off her. 

“Ahh, do I smell coffee?”

“You do, old man, fancy one?” River quickly busied himself with another cup. Seren turned on her heel and plunged her hands into the cold washing up water. He watched her from the corner of his eye, the blush in her cheeks and the slight breathlessness. They were grateful that David hadn't seemed to notice the tension in the room.

“Lovely, shall we sit outside?” David suggested, the sunny afternoon catching his eye. 

“I'll bring it out.”

“Excellent, I can tell you what I want to do out there next time you're here.” He said with a chuckle, River rolled his eyes. As soon as David was out of earshot, Seren turned to River. 

“I really am sorry.” She said sadly. He held up his hands.

“Nothing to be sorry for. Just a misunderstanding.” He took up the tray, and went out into the garden.

Chapter 3