#sydney and maurice

[mustkillfrankiero]

They got married. They just didn't put the wedding in the movie

[cursemewithyourkiss]

Thinking about him always...

[angelamontoo]

Idgaf if the Boogermeister himself hated it, The return of Dr X is his best film and every night I cry myself to sleep over the fact that he only played the character once and never in a film with my boy, Pete

[superghfan]

Syndey Val Jean (Chandra Wilson) and Sonny Corinthos.

[viesantewrites]

𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐝

(𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧)

Robert Fischer (Inception) x Reader

note: Hey guys, I‘ve rewritten this story a bit and decided to post it on my sideblog. I've changed some of the themes and also that the main character is no longer an OC named Victoria, but the reader. I think this story is kinda difficult to write, which is why I've rewritten it several times. I love plots like Shutter Island and tried to do something similar here & it‘s also a story about parasocial relationships and unrequited love.

summary: The reader is hopelessly in love with her boss Robert Fischer, but he doesn't seem to be interested in her. By an unexpected coincidence, they meet in the city and his sudden intense affection for her confuses her. The reader begins to suspect that something is wrong, and when she finally uncovers the truth about her encounters with Fischer the heartbreaking reality is revealed to her.

you don‘t have to watch the movie to understand the story.

age gap, but the characters are both adults. Robert is 37-39, is divorced and has a child. The reader is about 28/29.

word count: 5000+

warnings: topics like mental illness, depression, this is a quite dark and heavy story

It was just half past seven when she heard the familiar footsteps in the corridor approaching the office next door. A key was inserted into the lock and a moment later the door opened.

Glancing around to make sure her workspace wasn't too messy, she threw an old paper cup into the bin before her boss poked his head through the door.

"Good morning, Miss YLN, so busy already?" he asked with a tired smile. "It doesn't reflect well on me as a boss to have my assistant here before me. I'm sorry, Monday mornings are always a bit stressful for me."

"No problem, Mr Fischer. I've already sorted the mail for you, it's on your desk," she said kindly, watching him as he took off his coat and hung it on the coat rack, a little damp from the rain.

"Thank you, I can count on you."

He was a very elegant, handsome man, about ten years her senior, with dark hair, blue eyes, high cheekbones and an elegant black suit. She must have stared at him a little too long, because he turned to her with a questioning smile.

Immediately her cheeks flushed and she turned back to her computer screen, but by then Mr Fischer had already approached her and put some documents on her desk. "Please scan them all and email them to Mr Parker, he's been waiting for them for days," he said to her. "It would be best if we sat down together later and quickly discuss my tasks for today, there is a lot to do. If I'm not mistaken, I have a client meeting at three today."

"At two, sir," she corrected him, handing him a planner with today's date thickly underlined.

He started to grin. "You see, this is exactly why I have an assistant."

Fischer disappeared into his office.

She sighed slightly and went to work scanning the documents. She had been working for Fischer Morrow, one of the world's largest energy companies, for barely a month. Their headquarters had moved from Sydney to London after the death of their CEO, Maurice Fischer. Her current boss, Robert Fischer, was a direct descendant.

She liked Fischer Jr a lot. He was friendly, supportive and didn't get angry when things didn't go to plan. But in some ways he always seemed so unapproachable. For example, he never talked about his private life and YN had no idea who he was outside of work. Then again, he was her boss and his private life was none of her business. But deep down she admitted that she was very interested in him.

The days flew by and she finally felt as if she had been employed by Fischer Morrow for an eternity. But who Robert Fischer really was remained a mystery.

One evening, as she was about to leave, she quietly opened the door to Fischer's office. He was sitting in front of his computer, his chin resting on his hands. "Have a nice evening, Mr Fischer." He jumped slightly, obviously not having heard her come in, but then he smiled. "Thank you, you too."

YN looked at her watch. "It's almost half past seven, don't you want to finish your work soon? Don't you have a wife waiting for you?"

Mr Fischer shrugged. "I've been divorced for a few years now, and I only see my daughter at weekends. The only thing waiting for me is an empty, dark apartment."

YN held her breath. It was the first time he had told her anything about his private life. But in the same second, he seemed to regret his words.

"No one waits for me either," she said. "Except for my cat."

Fischer raised an eyebrow with a smile. "At least that's something."

Finally she said goodbye and left the office. But all the way home, she kept thinking about her conversation with Fischer.

Was he perhaps as lonely as she was?

Tired, YN lay in bed. She didn't even have the strength to change her clothes and remove her make up. Although she wanted nothing more than to get out of that itchy, uncomfortable dress and tights. A quiet meow sounded beside her and she felt something soft brush against her arm. Smiling, she pulled the cat closer and buried her face in its white fur.

Since leaving her small home village for London, she had no one to talk to. Her old friends had all left her and moved on with their own lives. Robert Fischer was the only one she spoke to regularly, though it was far from a friendship. With the cat in her arms, she turned to the other side. But what if she had feelings for him?

Maybe she should tell him. But wasn't that too much? He was still her boss, after all, and there were probably plenty of women who were interested in him.

She quickly pushed the thought aside and closed her eyes.

Robert Fischer turned curiously when he heard the quick clicking of heels in the corridor. Panting, his assistant opened the door and dropped her bag on the desk.

"Miss YLN, are you okay?"

Her hair was messy, her coat hung loosely over her shoulders as if she hadn't had time to put it on properly, and her lipstick was a little smudged.

"I… overslept," she said, panting. "I'm sorry."

Fischer looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "It's okay. But it shouldn't happen again."

"Of course not, sir," she replied immediately.

He quickly disappeared into his office and returned with a thick stack of papers and a folder.

"Would you be so kind as to sort these documents alphabetically for me? They've been on my desk for days and I haven't had a chance to get to them. I know it's not an exciting task."

She nodded and took the heavy pile from his hand. Fischer thanked her and hurried back to his office.

Sighing, she set to work. But with each page, she found her concentration fading and her mind wandering. Her head ached, her eyes burned and she felt incredibly tired. But she tried not to show it, kept working as hard as she could and finally put the sorted file back on Mr Fischer's desk.

Exhausted, she walked back to her office, sat down in her chair and buried her face in her hands. She was shivering and her ears were ringing. Was it because she had forgotten to take her medicine today?

"Miss YLN?" she heard her boss' voice.

She turned immediately and forced a smile. "Yes, Mr Fischer?"

"I have an job interview scheduled for ten, would you be so kind as to prepare the conference room for it?"

"Of course, sir."

He stopped halfway and looked at YN questioningly. "Are you okay? You look so pale." She nodded quickly, forcing a smile. "Everything's fine, Mr Fischer." Fischer looked at her, raised his eyebrows, then handed her the key to the meeting room and disappeared back into his office.

A strange feeling of dizziness spread through her head as she walked down the long corridor leading to the conference rooms.

What was wrong with her today?

When it started to get dark outside, YN finally turned off her computer and reached for her bag. The strange dizziness had improved during the day, leading her to conclude that she simply needed a break from work. Fortunately, it was Friday. She knocked gently on Fischer's door, as she always did before leaving, to wish him a pleasant evening. He was sitting there as usual, his chin resting on his hand, deep in thought. He glanced up briefly and nodded politely, noticing her in the doorway. He looked stunningly handsome today, even after this long and exhausting day.

"I didn't ask you how the job interviews went this morning," she asked curiously. Fischer shook his head. "Terribly," he said. "None of these people I'd want in my company." His voice was cold and dismissive, and for a moment she thought he was referring to her, even though she knew he meant someone else. She smiled awkwardly and shrugged slightly. "Well, maybe the next one will be better."

Fischer remained silent.

"Have a good weekend, Mr Fischer."

"You too, Miss YLN." He gave her a friendly smile.

"Do you have any plans for the weekend? I know a good restaurant, would you like to join me?" The moment she realised what she had just said, she bit her lip, her face turning red. Had she completely lost her mind? She desperately hoped he hadn't heard what she'd asked, but it was too late. She could see Fischer raise his eyebrows in confusion and stare at her.

"No, Miss YLN. I'm not interested. I keep my work and personal life strictly separate." She immediately looked down, embarrassed. Thoughts raced through her mind like a rollercoaster and her cheeks felt as if they were on fire. "I'm sorry, Mr Fischer, I shouldn't have asked you that." She finally grabbed her bag and left the office without another word, feeling Fischer's gaze on her back.

It was drizzling lightly as she walked through the busy streets of London. The cold air did her good and she felt her head clear a little.

Why had she done this? It had been clear from the start that a man like him would reject her. But the words had come out of her mouth as if she had completely lost control. She felt a tear roll down her cheek and quickly wiped it away. She didn't want to have a mental breakdown in public, even though it felt like Fischer had torn her heart into a thousand pieces. Suddenly the strange dizziness returned and her vision blurred slightly. The sounds of London became muffled, as if she were incredibly far away.

"Miss YLN, wait!" she suddenly heard a voice behind her that seemed to be getting closer.

She turned around. The dizziness had disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. Startled, her eyes widened as she saw the person in front of her - it was Mr Fischer. What was he doing here? Had he followed her? She tried to speak, but all she could manage was a hoarse stutter.

"I wanted to apologize, Miss YLN. It wasn't very nice of me to brush you off like that," he said with a gentle laugh. His voice sounded strangely different, softer than usual. Wordless and spellbound, she stared into the pair of light blue eyes before her, apologetic and gentle in their expression. She knew Mr Fischer had blue eyes, but she'd never noticed how incredibly bright they looked.

"It's okay, don't worry," she managed to say, her knees shaking with excitement.

"No, no, Miss YLN. I'll think about the dinner offer, okay? Just because we work together doesn't mean we can't have dinner together, does it?" Fischer suggested, and she nodded slowly, then smiled.

Why this sudden change of heart?

"Well, see you soon." He waved goodbye and YN, still completely confused, raised her hand in response. But before she could form another thought, he had disappeared into the crowd.

Carefully, YN pressed the shutter on her old camera, focusing the lens on the small lake in front of her. Satisfied, she lowered it. She was confident that this snapshot would turn out well. This park was a place she often visited to clear her head and pursue her passion, photography, as it offered many beautiful subjects. Especially now, in autumn, when the trees were covered with colourful leaves and the silence was slowly descending, with only the occasional pedestrian passing by.

Her dizziness had eased a little, but not completely. Fortunately, it was Saturday and she had the whole day to herself. YN sat down on a bench under a tree that looked to be at least a hundred years old.

She sat there for a while, lost in thought. Eventually she got up and made her way to the West End. The streets of London were noisy and busy as she walked, looking for a warm place in a café and something to eat. Crowds of people rushed past her, music played from somewhere and loud voices filled the air. Exhausted, she rubbed her temples. Maybe she should have stayed home and rested.

Suddenly she held her breath as she spotted a familiar face in the crowd. Dark hair, high cheekbones and piercing blue eyes. Fischer. But before she could think, he had already noticed her and started to smile at her.

"Miss YLN, how nice to see you! What a coincidence!"

It was the first time she had seen him in his casual clothes rather than one of his business suits. But this was no less elegant and stylish. He was wearing a well-fitting black coat, a grey knitted jumper underneath and black trousers. It was so strange to see him outside his office at Fischer Morrow Company. Suddenly he didn't seem so unapproachable and distant anymore.

"What are you doing here?" she asked curiously.

He paused for a moment. He seemed to be considering whether or not to tell her.

"I took my little girl to her friend's house for a sleepover. She's been asking me for weeks because her mum won't let her."

"So you're a cool dad," YN replied.

Fischer rolled his eyes. "I'm the one who lets her get away with everything. We had to turn back twice because she realised she had forgotten her favourite stuffed animal and her toothbrush."

She laughed softly. In a strange way, she enjoyed him talking so openly about his life.

"Oh wow, that looks amazing. It's quite old, isn't it?" Mr Fischer pointed to the camera around her neck. "From the 1960s. But it takes incredibly good pictures for that time," she explained. Fischer seemed genuinely impressed. "Do you have more like it?"

"I have quite a few. From the 50s to the 80s, actually, and of course some modern digital cameras. Photography has been my passion since I was a child," she explained. Fischer looked at her with an interested smile. "So there's actually film in there that needs to be developed?" she nodded in confirmation. "Some photo shops still offer that service, yes."

Mr Fischer seemed genuinely interested in her hobby, asking her questions about it as they walked side by side through the streets of London. She felt incredibly comfortable in his presence and hoped he wouldn't leave so soon. Finally he pointed to the camera again. "Would you take a picture of me, please? I'd like a 60's style photo of myself." YN's heart began to beat faster in her chest. What had he just said?

"Of course, Mr Fischer," she replied nervously. "Robert. My name is Robert," he replied. Suddenly, she stopped in her tracks, completely surprised. No one at Fischer Morrow Ltd called him by his first name, and outside the company she had only heard his uncle, Peter Browning, call him Robert.

"Let's find a nice spot for the photo," he said, letting his gaze wander until it settled on a beautiful fountain.

Carefully, she picked up the camera, took a few steps back and held it directly in front of Robert's face. "Smile, please," she instructed him, finally pressing the shutter.

A pedestrian who had just passed them looked at YN with a confused expression and shook his head. Frowning, she looked after him before carefully tucking the camera into her handbag.

Are you hungry?" asked Robert. "We could go to a restaurant."

Surprised, she looked at him. "I don't know…" she said hesitantly, biting her lower lip. In fact, she had never expected to be asked such a question.

He looked at her with raised eyebrows and she could see the disappointment in his eyes. Finally, she worked up the courage to say what was on her mind.

"It's just… To be honest, you told me yesterday that you were someone who kept your work and personal life strictly separate. Maybe it would be better if we did. After all, I'm your employee."

As much as she wanted to spend time with him, she was afraid of developing even more feelings for him. Robert nodded slowly and shoved his hands into his coat pockets.

"I really like you. I just never wanted to show it, that's why I was so reserved with you and told you I wasn't interested in you".

She closed her eyes and let out a sigh as a ton of thoughts went through her head. Robert finally nodded at her with a slightly disappointed look on his face and turned on his heel.

"Wait!" she called after him.

He stopped immediately and looked at her hopefully.

"Let's give it a try, shall we?"

"YN… is that a French name?"

Robert's voice sounded slightly tipsy as he grinned curiously at her, twirling his wine glass casually in his hands.

He had taken her to a rather fancy and expensive place, the walls were dark wood panelling, the chairs were covered in red velvet and soft jazz music was playing on one of the radios. Robert looked hauntingly beautiful that night. His skin seemed incredibly soft and flawless, his jawline even more prominent, and his blue eyes shone almost ghostly in the dim light, almost like he wasn’t real…

She smiled, nodded and took a sip from her glass. "My father is French. I grew up in France but moved to England when I was 15."

He nodded with interest, rubbing his chin with his finger.

"And you? I heard you're Australian," she asked curiously.

Robert laughed and ran a hand through his dark hair. "Well, my accent makes it obvious."

YN blushed and looked down at her plate. What a stupid question.

But Robert didn't seem to mind too much, because he started talking about his life in Sydney, how he had finally moved to London after his father's death, and she listened with interest.

But suddenly he stopped and looked at her thoughtfully. "But I'm probably just boring you."

YN immediately shook her head. "No, you're not," she told him. "I find it really interesting to find out all this about you."

At that moment a waitress came to their table with a smile and asked YN in a friendly tone if she had enjoyed her meal. But the waitress paid no attention to Robert, YN noticed with surprise. Perhaps she was just being extra polite to the lady.

Robert pulled out a black leather wallet and rummaged through it. Quickly, YN pulled a few notes out of her habdbag and handed them to the waitress. "Keep the change," she said.

The waitress looked at her with wide eyes, "Thank you, ma'am," she said gratefully, "have a nice evening.

Then she turned and left the table.

"You didn't have to do that," Robert said. "As a gentleman, it's actually my job to pay."

She shook her head in amusement. "I bet that's never happened to you before, has it?"

Robert shook his head and took the last drink from his glass. There was a moment of silence between them.

"Okay. So what's the plan for the rest of the evening?"

She looked at him in surprise. As soon as he said the words, she felt a tingle in her stomach.

The church clock struck twelve as she crossed the street hand in hand with Robert. It was freezing, and she had pulled her scarf so far up her face that only her eyes and nose were visible. Her date looked at her with amusement. "Are you going to rob a bank?" he asked, laughing out loud.

"Shh!" she snapped at him, putting her fingers to his lips. "You'll wake up the whole neighbourhood."

Although it was quite dark and she could only make out Robert, she knew that his typical mischievous grin was back on his face. She pulled him firmly behind her until they reached the small white building.

"Is this where you live?" Robert asked.

She put her finger to his lips for a second time until Robert stopped talking and looked silently into her eyes. Her heart was beating in her chest as she finally stood on her toes, put her arms around his neck and placed her lips on his. Robert returned the kiss without hesitation and gently pulled her into his arms. YN could hardly believe what was happening. It was everything she had secretly wanted for months. They remained like this for a moment before she finally let go of him and reached for her key.

She felt for Robert's upper arm and finally pulled him into her apartment, closing the door behind him. She immediately wrapped her arms around him and began to kiss him again. His lips were a little cold and tasted of wine. Together they stumbled backwards into her bedroom, taking off his coat, which she tossed carelessly to the floor.

Robert's fingers stroked carefully along her hip and fumbled a little with her belt while she was busy putting little kisses on his neck. With slightly trembling hands she pulled his jumper over his head and Robert took her hand.

"Are you nervous?" he wanted to know. She remained silent.

"Don't be," he whispered softly into her ear, taking her in his arms again and pulling her onto the bed. Breathing softly, she clung to his chest, leaned back and finally closed her eyes as she felt his warm skin against hers.

The sun shone through the half-open curtains, creating a narrow, bright streak across the floor. Blinking, she opened her eyes and stretched. But immediately a sharp pain shot through her head again and she held her forehead tiredly. Confused, she sat up and tried to remember what had happened yesterday.

But when she heard soft breathing next to her, she turned quickly and all the events of last night came back to her. Smiling, she looked over at Robert, snuggled up next to her in her beige blanket, sleeping peacefully. Tenderly stroking his messy hair, she lay down beside him again and then began to caress his bare chest. Perhaps what they had done was wrong. After all, they were two people who should never have fallen in love. But it had happened, and it felt so right. They remained in this position for some time, Robert asleep and YN lost in thought.

Her eyes swept through the bedroom until they settled on a small white box on her dresser. Quickly sitting up, she reached for it and put a small pill into her mouth. Eventually, Robert began to move a little beside her, opening his eyes tiredly. Smiling broadly, she gave him a small kiss on the tip of his nose.

"Good morning," she whispered.

"Good morning," Robert murmured in a raspy morning voice.

"Did you sleep well?" she asked.

"Yes, wonderfully." He yawned loudly and took her into his arms as she laid her head lovingly on his shoulder.

"Wait, what time is it?" he suddenly wanted to know.

"Quarter past ten, why do you ask?" she replied.

"Shit," Robert muttered as he let go of the hug, jumped out of the bed and started to pick up his clothes, which were strewn all over the floor.

"Wait, wait, where are you going?" she asked, looking at him in confusion.

"I should've picked up my daughter by now," he replied, hurrying to get dressed.

Sighing, she pulled the blanket around her a little tighter. "Can't it wait? Can't you stay for breakfast?"

"I'm sorry, but I'm sure she's already waiting for me.“ Robert dodged her questions, grabbing his coat on the floor and sighing when he saw her disappointed look.

He walked slowly towards her, stroking her chin with his finger, and finally whispered: "We can catch up later." Then he put a soft kiss on her lips before turning around and disappearing through the door. She sank back into the pillows and pulled the blanket over her head.

The rest of Sunday flew by. Mostly because her mind was on Robert and she could hardly wait to see him again tomorrow at work. She had probably never looked forward to a Monday in her life as much as she did that day.

The next morning, YN carefully applied her lipstick and looked at herself in the bathroom mirror. She noticed that the collar of her white blouse was a little crooked and quickly adjusted it. She wanted to look her best for Robert today, so he wouldn't change his mind and lose interest in her.

Humming softly, she put on her black high heels and grabbed her handbag. She quickly put another pill into her mouth and put the box in her bag. Her headache was completely gone and her head finally felt clear and light again. In a good mood, she breathed in the fresh morning air and made her way to work.

Her heels clicked on the floor as she walked down the familiar corridor of Fischer Morrow. The lights were on in Robert's office. She ran a final hand through her hair, smoothed her blouse and opened the door to her own office.

The air was stuffy and hot. Coughing, she ran to the window and opened it.

"Good morning, Miss YLN, I hope you had a nice weekend," a familiar voice sounded from behind her.

Startled, she turned to see Robert's face as he stuck his head through the door, as he always did.

Why didn't he call her by her first name? Confused, she stared at him, trying to form a clear sentence. "But… But… we spent it together…" her voice finally broke. Her head suddenly hurt again.

He seemed so different again. Not the Robert she had spent the weekend with, not the one who had apologised for being too rude to her, not the one who had made her laugh and told her about his life. He seemed more like the one she had worked with for months, the one who never revealed anything about himself.

"Miss YLN? I haven't seen you since Friday, when you left my office after… asking me that question."

Her heart almost stopped. Suddenly her knees gave way and she sank to the floor.

"Are you okay? Are you feeling unwell?" Concerned, he bent down to her. "Do you want to go home and rest?"

She nodded slightly and wiped a tear from her eye, which had turned her fingers black from the carefully applied mascara. Then she got up and left the office.

At home, she lay motionless on her bed, tears streaming down her cheeks. She couldn't think straight and her throat felt incredibly dry. The door to her room, which was only ajar, opened gently and something small and white slipped through. Sniffling, she stretched out her arms and lifted her cat onto the bed.

Everything that had happened that weekend had been fake. She had made it all up. And all of this happened because she had forgotten to take the pills against her delusions. Robert hadn't really followed her on Friday evening; it was all a figment of her imagination. While his real self was still sitting in the office, probably not thinking about her at all. Everything suddenly made sense: why Robert looked a bit different, why his voice sounded different, the waitress who ignored him on Saturday because she couldn’t actually see him, the pedestrian who gave her a confused look because she was talking to herself while taking the photo.

The photo.

She immediately got up, put on her shoes and ran to the photo shop where she had left the film to be developed. Her heart raced as the staff handed her the envelope with the photos. Trembling, she finally grabbed the Saturday night photo, without looking at it herself, and held it up to the staff's face. "What do you see?" she asked.

The young man looked at her in confusion, but remained polite. "The fountain at Piccadilly Circus. Great picture, it turned out really nice."

"Anything else?" she asked.

"No, ma'am," he replied, and it felt like a slap in her face. Fischer had never been there with her. Only her lonely and sad mind had led her to believe that he was interested in her and loved her. Tears welled in her eyes and she left the shop without another word. When she got home, she immediately took the white box of pills from her handbag, rushed into the kitchen, opened it and poured the pills into the bin.

Crying and with burning eyes, she finally lay down on her bed and buried her head in the pillow as her cat purred softly beside her. She must have stayed like that for hours, as the sun began to set again outside her window. When she finally lifted her head and wiped the tears from her face, she saw a dark haired man sitting beside her bed, looking at her lovingly with his pale blue eyes. A smile suddenly appeared on her face and she began to laugh, pulling the man into a tight hug.

some explanations because i know that story is kinda mind-fucking:

• Is Robert Fischer all a creation of the readers mind?

- No he actually exists, he’s her boss and she‘s in love with hin but she imagines dating him.

• When is he real, when is he fake?

- - The Robert Fischer in the office is real, he turns her down when she asks him out, leaving YN heartbroken. The moment she leaves the office, she starts to imagine what it would be like if he apologised to her, so the man who follows her is just her imagination. The real Robert Fischer is still in his office at Fischer-Morrow.

When she visits the city on Saturday and meets "Robert" and goes on a date with him, it's also just her imagination. That's why other people react to her with confusion, because she's basically talking to herself all the time. On Sunday morning, when she wakes up next to him, he's still fake. When she takes her pills, he quickly "disappears" (he says he has to pick up his daughter...) because they stop her delusions.

On Monday morning, when she gets back to her office, the real Robert Fischer is there again, who hadn't seen her since he had rejected her on Friday evening.

When she gets home, she throws away her pills and her delusions start again. The man who sat next to her on the bed and comforted her is again the imaginary version of Robert.

[viesanterieures]

Locked In Mind

Robert Fischer (Inception) x female Reader

note: Welcome to my third Cillian Character fanfic, hope you like it :) I love plots like Shutter Island and tried to do something similar here & it‘s also a story about parasocial relationships and unrequited love.

summary: The reader is hopelessly in love with her boss Robert Fischer, but he doesn't seem to be interested in her. By an unexpected coincidence, they meet in the city and his sudden intense affection for her confuses her. The reader begins to suspect that something is wrong, and when she finally uncovers the truth about her encounters with Fischer the heartbreaking reality is revealed to her.

word count: 5000+

Masterlist

warnings: mental illness, depression

you don‘t have to watch the movie to understand the story.

It was just half past seven when she heard the familiar footsteps in the corridor approaching the office next door. A key was inserted into the lock and a moment later the door opened.

Glancing around to make sure her workspace wasn't too messy, she threw an old paper cup into the bin before her boss poked his head through the door.

"Good morning, Miss YN, so busy already?" he asked with a tired smile. "It doesn't reflect well on me as a boss to have my assistant here before me. I'm sorry, Monday mornings are always a bit stressful for me."

"No problem, Mr Fischer. I've already sorted the mail for you, it's on your desk," she said kindly, watching him as he took off his coat and hung it on the coat rack, a little damp from the rain.

"Thank you, I can count on you."

He was a very elegant, handsome man, about ten years her senior, with dark hair, blue eyes, high cheekbones and an elegant black suit. She must have stared at him a little too long, because he turned to her with a questioning smile.

Immediately her cheeks flushed and she turned back to her computer screen, but by then Mr Fischer had already approached her and placed some documents on her desk. "Please scan them all and email them to Mr Parker, he's been waiting for them for days," he said to her. It would be best if we sat down together later and quickly discuss my tasks for today, there is a lot to do. If I'm not mistaken, I have a client meeting at three today.

"At two, sir," she corrected him, handing him a planner with today's date thickly underlined.

He started to grin. "You see, this is exactly why I have an assistant."

Fischer disappeared into his office.

She sighed slightly and went to work scanning the documents. She had been working for Fischer Morrow, one of the world's largest energy companies, for barely a month. Their headquarters had moved from Sydney to London after the death of their CEO, Maurice Fischer. Her current boss, Robert Fischer, was a direct descendant.

She liked Fischer Jr a lot. He was friendly, supportive and didn't get angry when things didn't go to plan. But in some ways he always seemed so unapproachable. For example, he never talked about his private life and YN had no idea who he was outside of work. Then again, he was her boss and his private life was none of her business. But deep down she admitted that she was very interested in him.

The days flew by and she finally felt as if she had been employed by Fischer Morrow for an eternity. But who Robert Fischer really was remained a mystery.

One evening, as she was about to leave, she quietly opened the door to Fischer's office. He was sitting in front of his computer, his chin resting on his hands. "Have a nice evening, Mr Fischer." He jumped slightly, obviously not having heard her come in, but then he smiled. "Thank you, you too."

YN looked at her watch. "It's almost half past seven, don't you want to finish your work soon? Don't you have a wife waiting for you?"

Mr Fischer shrugged. "I've been divorced for a few years now, and I only see my daughter at weekends. The only thing waiting for me is an empty, dark apartment."

YN held her breath. It was the first time he had told her anything about his private life. But in the same second, he seemed to regret his words.

"No one waits for me either," she said. "Except for my cat."

Fischer raised an eyebrow with a smile. "At least that's something."

Finally she said goodbye and left the office. But all the way home, she kept thinking about her conversation with Fischer.

Was he perhaps as lonely as she was?

Tired, YN lay in bed. She didn't even have the strength to change her clothes and remove her make up. Although she wanted nothing more than to get out of that itchy, uncomfortable dress and tights. A soft meow sounded beside her and she felt something soft brush against her arm. Smiling, she pulled the cat closer and buried her face in its white fur.

Since leaving her small home village for London, she had no one to talk to. Her old friends had all left her and moved on with their own lives. Robert Fischer was the only one she spoke to regularly, though it was far from a friendship. With the cat in her arms, she turned to the other side. But what if she had feelings for him?

Maybe she should tell him. But wasn't that too much? He was still her boss, after all, and there were probably plenty of women who were interested in him.

She quickly pushed the thought aside and closed her eyes.

Robert Fischer turned curiously when he heard the quick clicking of heels in the corridor. Panting, his assistant opened the door and dropped her bag on the desk.

"Miss YN, are you okay?"

Her hair was messy, her coat hung loosely over her shoulders as if she hadn't had time to put it on properly, and her lipstick was a little smudged.

"I… overslept," she said, panting. "I'm sorry."

Fischer looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "It's okay. But it shouldn't happen again."

"Of course not, sir," she replied immediately.

He quickly disappeared into his office and returned with a thick stack of papers and a folder.

"Would you be so kind as to sort these documents alphabetically for me? They've been on my desk for days. I know it's not an exciting task."

She nodded and took the heavy pile from his hand. Fischer thanked her and hurried back to his office.

Sighing, she set to work. But with each page, she found her concentration fading and her mind wandering. Her head ached, her eyes burned and she felt incredibly tired. But she tried not to show it, kept working as hard as she could and finally put the sorted file back on Mr Fischer's desk.

Exhausted, she walked back to her office, sat down in her chair and buried her face in her hands. She was shivering and her ears were ringing. Was it because she had forgotten to take her medicine today?

"Miss YN?" she heard her boss' voice.

She turned immediately and forced a smile. "Yes, Mr Fischer?"

"I have an job interview scheduled for ten, would you be so kind as to prepare the conference room for it?"

"Of course, sir."

He stopped halfway and looked at Victoria questioningly. "Are you okay? You look so pale." She nodded quickly, forcing a smile. "Everything's fine, Mr Fischer." Fischer looked at her, raised his eyebrows, then handed her the key to the meeting room and disappeared back into his office.

A strange feeling of dizziness spread through her head as she walked down the long corridor leading to the conference rooms.

What was wrong with her today?

When it started to get dark outside, YN finally turned off her computer and grabbed her bag. The strange dizziness had improved during the day, leading her to conclude that she simply needed a break from work. Fortunately, it was Friday. She knocked gently on Fischer's door, as she always did before leaving, to wish him a pleasant evening. He was sitting there as usual, his chin resting on his hand, deep in thought. He glanced up briefly and nodded politely, noticing her in the doorway. He looked stunningly handsome today, even after this long and exhausting day.

"I didn't ask you how the job interviews went this morning," she asked curiously. Fischer shook his head. "Terribly," he said. "None of these people I'd want in my company." His voice was cold and dismissive, and for a moment she thought he was referring to her, even though she knew he meant someone else. She smiled awkwardly and shrugged slightly. "Well, maybe the next one will be better."

Fischer remained silent.

"Have a good weekend, Mr Fischer."

"You too, Miss YN." He gave her a friendly smile.

"Do you have any plans for the weekend? I know a good restaurant, would you like to join me?" The moment she realised what she had just said, she bit her lip, her face turning red. Had she completely lost her mind? She desperately hoped he hadn't heard what she'd asked, but it was too late. She could see Fischer raise his eyebrows in confusion and stare at her.

"No, Miss YN. I'm not interested. I keep my work and personal life strictly separate." She immediately looked down, embarrassed. Thoughts raced through her mind like a rollercoaster and her cheeks felt as if they were on fire. "I'm sorry, Mr Fischer, I shouldn't have asked you that." She finally grabbed her bag and left the office without another word, feeling Fischer's gaze on her back.

It was drizzling lightly as she walked through the busy streets of London. The cold air did her good and she felt her head clear a little.

Why had she done this? It had been clear from the start that a man like him would reject her. But the words had come out of her mouth as if she had completely lost control. She felt a tear roll down her cheek and quickly wiped it away. She didn't want to have a mental breakdown in public, even though it felt like Fischer had torn her heart into a thousand pieces. Suddenly the strange dizziness returned and her vision blurred slightly. The sounds of London became muffled, as if she were incredibly far away.

Miss YN, wait!" she suddenly heard a voice behind her that seemed to be getting closer.

She turned around. The dizziness had disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. Startled, her eyes widened as she saw the person in front of her - it was Mr Fischer. What was he doing here? Had he followed her? She tried to speak, but all she could manage was a hoarse stutter.

"I wanted to apologize, Miss YN. It wasn't very nice of me to brush you off like that," he said with a gentle laugh. His voice sounded strangely different, softer than usual. Wordless and spellbound, she stared into the pair of light blue eyes before her, apologetic and gentle in their expression. She knew Mr Fischer had blue eyes, but she'd never noticed how incredibly bright they were.

"It's okay, don't worry," she managed to say, her knees shaking with excitement.

"No, no, Miss YN. I'll think about the dinner offer, okay? Just because we work together doesn't mean we can't have dinner together, does it?" Fischer suggested, and she nodded slowly, then smiled.

Why this sudden change of mind?

"Well, see you soon." He waved goodbye and YN, still completely confused, raised her hand in response. But before she could form another thought, he had disappeared into the crowd.

Carefully, YN pressed the shutter on her old camera, focusing the lens on the small lake in front of her. Satisfied, she lowered it. She was confident that this snapshot would turn out well. This park was a place she often visited to clear her head and pursue her passion, photography, as it offered many beautiful subjects. Especially now, in autumn, when the trees were covered with colourful leaves and the silence was slowly descending, with only the occasional pedestrian passing by.

Her dizziness had eased a little, but not completely. Fortunately, it was Saturday and she had the whole day to herself. YN sat down on a bench under a tree that looked to be at least a hundred years old.

She sat there for a while, lost in thought. Eventually she got up and made her way to the West End. The streets of London were noisy and busy as she walked, looking for a warm place in a café and something to eat. Crowds of people rushed past her, music played from somewhere and loud voices filled the air. Exhausted, she rubbed her temples. Maybe she should have stayed home and rested.

Suddenly she held her breath as she spotted a familiar face in the crowd. Dark hair, high cheekbones and piercing blue eyes. Fischer. But before she could think, he had already noticed her and started to smile at her.

"Miss YN, how nice to see you! What a coincidence!"

It was the first time she had seen him in his casual clothes rather than one of his business suits. But this was no less elegant and stylish. He was wearing a well-fitting black coat, a grey knitted jumper underneath, black trousers and leather shoes. It was so strange to see him outside his office at Fischer Morrow Company. Suddenly he didn't seem so unapproachable and distant anymore.

"What are you doing here?" she asked curiously.

He paused for a moment. He seemed to be considering whether or not to tell her.

"I brought my little girl to her friend's house for a sleepover. She's been asking me for weeks because her mum won't let her."

"So you're a cool dad," YN replied.

Fischer rolled his eyes. "I'm the one who lets her get away with everything. We had to turn back twice because she realised she had forgotten her favourite stuffed animal and her toothbrush."

She laughed softly. In a strange way, she enjoyed him talking so openly about his life.

"Oh wow, that looks amazing. It's quite old, isn't it?" Mr Fischer pointed to the camera around her neck. "From the 1960s. But it takes incredibly good pictures for that time," she explained. Fischer seemed genuinely impressed. "Do you have more like it?"

"I have quite a few. From the 50s to the 80s, actually, and of course some modern digital cameras. Photography has been my passion since I was a child," she explained. Fischer looked at her with an interested smile. "So there's actually film in there that needs to be developed?" she nodded in confirmation. "Some photo shops still offer that service, yes."

Mr Fischer seemed genuinely interested in her hobby, asking her questions about it as they walked side by side through the streets of London. She felt incredibly comfortable in his presence and hoped he wouldn't leave so soon. Finally he pointed to the camera again. "Would you take a picture of me, please? I'd like a 60's style photo of myself." YN's heart began to race in her chest. What had he just said?

"Of course, Mr Fischer," she replied nervously. "Robert. My name is Robert," he replied. Suddenly, she stopped in her tracks, completely surprised. No one at Fischer Morrow Ltd called him by his first name, and outside the company she had only heard his uncle, Peter Browning, call him Robert.

"Let's find a nice spot for the photo," he said, letting his gaze wander until it settled on a beautiful fountain.

Carefully, she picked up the camera, took a few steps back and held it directly in front of Robert's face. "Smile, please," she instructed him, finally pressing the shutter.

A pedestrian who had just passed them looked at YN with a confused expression and shook his head. Frowning, she looked after him before carefully tucking the camera into her handbag.

Are you hungry?" asked Robert. "We could go to a restaurant."

Surprised, she looked at him. "I don't know…" she said hesitantly, chewing her lower lip. In fact, she had never expected to be asked such a question.

He looked at her with raised eyebrows and she could see the disappointment in his eyes. Finally, she worked up the courage to say what was on her mind.

"It's just… To be honest, you told me yesterday that you were someone who kept your work and personal life strictly separate. Maybe it would be better if we did. After all, I'm your employee."

As much as she wanted to spend time with him, she was afraid of developing any more feelings for him. Robert nodded slowly and shoved his hands into his coat pockets.

"I really like you. I just never wanted to show it, that's why I was so reserved with you and told you I wasn't interested in you".

She closed her eyes and let out a sigh as a ton of thoughts went through her head. Robert finally nodded at her with a slightly disappointed look on his face and turned on his heel.

"Wait!" she called after him.

He stopped immediately and looked at her hopefully.

"Let's give it a try, shall we?"

YN… is that a French name?"

Robert's voice sounded slightly tipsy as he grinned curiously at her, twirling his wine glass casually in his hands. The plate in front of him was empty and he had now carefully placed the cutlery on it, waiting for a waitress to take it away.

He had taken her to a rather fancy and expensive place, the walls were dark wood panelling, the chairs were covered in red velvet and soft jazz music was playing on one of the radios. Robert looked hauntingly beautiful that night. His skin seemed incredibly soft and flawless, his jawline even more prominent, and his blue eyes shone almost ghostly in the dim light, almost like he wasn’t real…

She smiled, nodded and took a sip from her glass. "My father is French. I grew up in France but moved to England when I was 15."

He nodded with interest, rubbing his chin with his forefinger.

"And you? I heard you're Australian," she asked curiously.

Robert laughed and ran a hand through his dark hair. "Well, my accent makes it obvious."

YN blushed and looked down at her plate. What a stupid question.

But Robert didn't seem to mind too much, because he started talking about his life in Sydney, how he had finally moved to London after his father's death, and she listened with interest.

But suddenly he stopped and looked at her thoughtfully. "But I'm probably just boring you."

YN immediately shook her head. "No, you're not," she told him. "I find it really interesting to find out all this about you."

At that moment a waitress came to their table with a smile and asked YN in a friendly tone if she had enjoyed her meal. But the waitress paid no attention to Robert, YN noticed with surprise. Perhaps she was just being extra polite to the lady.

YN's date pulled out a black leather purse and rummaged through it. Quickly, YN pulled a few notes out of the bag and handed them to the waitress. "Keep the change," she said.

The waitress looked at her with wide eyes, "Thank you, ma'am," she said gratefully, "have a nice evening.

Then she turned and left the table.

"You didn't have to do that," Robert said. "As a gentleman, it's actually my job to pay."

She shook her head in amusement. "I bet that's never happened to you before, has it?"

Robert shook his head and took the last drink from his glass. There was a moment of silence between them.

"All right. So what's the plan for the rest of the evening?"

She looked at him in surprise. As soon as he said the words, she felt a tingle in her stomach.

The church clock struck twelve as she crossed the street hand in hand with Robert. It was freezing, and she had pulled her scarf so far up her face that only her eyes and nose were visible. Her date looked at her with amusement. "Are you going to rob a bank?" he asked, laughing out loud.

"Shh!" she snapped at him, putting her fingers to his lips. "You'll wake up the whole neighbourhood."

Although it was quite dark and she could only make out Robert, she knew that his typical mischievous grin was back on his face. She pulled him firmly behind her until they reached the small white building.

"Is this where you live?" Robert asked.

She put her finger to his lips for a second time until Robert stopped talking and looked silently into her eyes. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she finally stood on her toes, put her arms around his neck and placed her lips on his. Robert returned the kiss without hesitation and gently pulled her into his arms. YN could hardly believe what was happening. It was everything she had secretly wanted for months. They remained like this for a moment before she finally let go of him and reached for her key.

She felt for Robert's upper arm and finally pulled him into her apartment, closing the door behind him. She immediately wrapped her arms around him and began to kiss him again. His lips were a little cold and tasted of wine. Together they stumbled backwards into her bedroom, taking off his coat, which she tossed carelessly to the floor.

Robert's fingers stroked carefully along her hip and fumbled a little with her belt while she was busy planting little kisses on his neck. With slightly trembling hands she pulled his jumper over his head and Robert took her hand.

"Are you nervous?" he wanted to know. She remained silent.

"Don't be," he whispered softly into her ear, taking her in his arms again and pulling her onto the bed. Breathing softly, she clung to his chest, leaned back and finally closed her eyes as she felt his warm skin against hers.

The sun shone through the half-open curtains, creating a narrow, bright streak across the floor. Blinking, she opened her eyes and stretched. But immediately a sharp pain shot through her head again and she held her forehead tiredly. Confused, she sat up and tried to remember what had happened yesterday.

But when she heard soft breathing next to her, she turned quickly and all the events of last night came back to her. Smiling, she looked over at Robert, snuggled up next to her in her beige blanket, sleeping peacefully. Tenderly stroking his messy hair, she lay down beside him again and then began to caress his chest. Perhaps what they had done was wrong. After all, they were two people who should never have fallen in love. But it had happened, and it felt so right. They remained in this position for some time, Robert asleep and YN lost in thought.

Her eyes swept through the bedroom until they settled on a small white box on her dresser. Quickly sitting up, she reached for it and put a small pill into her mouth. Eventually, Robert began to move a little beside her, opening his eyes tiredly. Smiling broadly, she gave him a small kiss on the tip of his nose.

"Good morning," she whispered.

"Good morning," Robert murmured in a raspy morning voice.

"Did you sleep well?" she asked.

"Yes, wonderfully." He yawned loudly and took her into his arms as she laid her head lovingly on his shoulder.

"Wait, what time is it?" he suddenly wanted to know.

"Quarter past ten, why do you ask?" she replied.

"Shit," Robert muttered as he let go of the hug, jumped out of the bed and started to pick up his clothes, which were strewn all over the floor.

"Wait, wait, where are you going?" she asked, looking at him in confusion.

"I should've picked up my daughter by now," he replied, hurrying to get dressed.

Sighing, she pulled the blanket around her a little tighter. "Can't it wait? Can't you stay for breakfast?"

"I'm sorry, but I'm sure she's already waiting for me.“ Robert dodged her questions, grabbing his coat on the floor and sighing when he saw her disappointed look.

He walked slowly towards her, stroking her chin with his finger, and finally whispered: "We can catch up later." Then he put a soft kiss on her lips before turning around and disappearing through the door. She sank back into the pillows and pulled the blanket over her head.

The rest of Sunday flew by. Mostly because her mind was on Robert and she could hardly wait to see him again tomorrow at work. She had probably never looked forward to a Monday in her life as much as she did that day.

The next morning, YN carefully applied her lipstick and looked at herself in the bathroom mirror. She noticed that the collar of her white blouse was a little crooked and quickly adjusted it. She wanted to look her best for Robert today, so he wouldn't change his mind and lose interest in her.

Humming softly, she put on her black high heels and grabbed her handbag. She quickly put another pill into her mouth and put the box in her bag. Her headache was completely gone and her head finally felt clear and light again. In a good mood, she breathed in the fresh morning air and made her way to work.

Her heels clicked on the floor as she walked down the familiar corridor of Fischer Morrow. The lights were on in Robert's office. She ran a final hand through her hair, smoothed her blouse and opened the door to her own office.

The air was stuffy and hot. Coughing, she ran to the window and opened it.

"Good morning, Miss YN, I hope you had a nice weekend," a familiar voice sounded from behind her.

Startled, she turned to see Robert's face as he stuck his head through the door, as he always did.

Why didn't he call her by her first name? Confused, she stared at him, trying to form a clear sentence. "But… But… we spent it together…" her voice finally broke. Her head suddenly hurt again.

He seemed so different again. Not the Robert she had spent the weekend with, not the one who had apologised for being too rude to her, not the one who had made her laugh and told her about his life. He seemed more like the one she had worked with for months, the one who never revealed anything about himself.

"Miss YN? I haven't seen you since Friday, when you left my office after… asking me that question."

Her heart almost stopped. Suddenly her knees gave way and she sank to the floor.

"Are you okay? Are you feeling unwell?" Concerned, he bent down to her. "Do you want to go home and rest?"

She nodded slightly and wiped a tear from her eye, which had turned her fingers black from the carefully applied mascara. Then she got up and left the office.

At home, she lay motionless on her bed, tears streaming down her cheeks. She couldn't think straight and her throat felt incredibly dry. The door to her room, which was only ajar, opened gently and something small and white slipped through. Sniffling, she stretched out her arms and lifted her cat onto the bed.

Everything that had happened that weekend had been fake. She had made it all up. And all of this happened because she had forgotten to take the pills she was taking for her delusions. Robert hadn't really followed her on Friday evening; it was all a figment of her imagination. While his real self was still sitting in the office, probably not thinking about her at all. Everything suddenly made sense: why Robert looked a bit different, why his voice sounded different, the waitress who ignored him on Saturday because she couldn’t actually see him, the pedestrian who gave her a confused look because she was talking to herself while taking the photo.

The photo.

She immediately got up, put on her shoes and walked to the photo shop where she had left the film to be developed. Her heart raced as the staff handed her the envelope with the photos. Trembling, she finally grabbed the Saturday night photo, without looking at it herself, and held it up to the staff's face. "What do you see?" she asked.

The young man looked at her in confusion, but remained polite. "The fountain at Piccadilly Circus. Great picture, it turned out really nice."

"Anything else?" she asked.

"No, ma'am," he replied, and it felt like a slap in her face. Fischer had never been there with her. Only her lonely and sad mind had led her to believe that he was interested in her and loved her. Tears welled in her eyes and she left the shop without another word. When she got home, she immediately took the white box of pills from her handbag, rushed into the kitchen, opened the box and poured the pills into the bin.

Crying and with burning eyes, she finally lay down on her bed and buried her head in the pillow as her cat purred softly beside her. She must have stayed like that for hours, as the sun began to set again outside her window. When she finally lifted her head and wiped the tears from her face, she saw a dark-haired man sitting beside her bed, looking at her lovingly with his pale blue eyes. A smile suddenly appeared on her face and she began to laugh, pulling the man into a tight embrace.

some explanations because i know that story is kinda mind-fucking:

• Is Robert Fischer all a creation of the readers mind?

- No he actually exists, he’s her boss and she‘s in love with him, so she imagines dating him.

• When is he real, when is he fake?

- The version Robert Fischer in the office is real, he turns her down when she asks him out, leaving YN heartbroken. The moment she leaves the office, she starts to imagine what it would be like if he apologised to her, so the man who follows her is just her imagination. The real Robert Fischer is still in his office at Fischer-Morrow.

When she visits the city on Saturday and meets "Robert" and goes on a date with him, it's also just her imagination. That's why other people react to her with confusion, because she's basically talking to herself all the time. On Sunday morning, when she wakes up next to him, he's still fake. When she takes her pills, he quickly "disappears" (he says he has to pick up his daughter...) because they stop her delusions.

On Monday morning, when she gets back to her office, the real Robert Fischer is there again, who hadn't seen her since he had rejected her on Friday evening.

When she gets home, she throws away her pills and her delusions begin again. The man who sat next to her on the bed and comforted her is again the imaginary version of Robert.

[help-an-alter]

We’re looking for a revamp for a fictive/fragment with an iffy at best source, plus just some general stuff for them to have an identity. Main themes are like British names, especially old British names, masc leaning stuff, and like fancy stuff. Think Bridgerton (though that isn’t his source, thats the vibes) :3 - 📖📌(hope this isn’t already taken lol)

Also we’ll be probably be back pretty soon as we’re finally documenting a bunch of fragments we have lol :3

Hi Anon! I am so sorry for the wait on this, we hope these can help you guys out!

- Mod Hawks & Mod Celestia

Names: William, James, Jay, Alec, Alexander, Thomas, Charles, Eugene, Alfred, Clement, Melvin, Vernon, Melvin, Maurice, Neville, Winston, Marshall, Clark(e), Benedict, Kenneth, Aurelius, Sidney/Sydney, Fredrick, Vincent, Magnus, Graham, Clarence, Cedric, Oswald, Virgil, Alfie, George, Ernest, Edward, Addison, Everett, Oscar, Oliver, Sebastian, Mason, Frank(ie), Chester, Elliot

Pronouns: Cae/Caer/Caerself, Eo/Eon/Eonself, Clo/Clock/Clockself, Era/Eras/Eraself, Co/Coins/Coinself, Ve/Ver/Verself, Li/Lir/Lirself, Qi/Qim/Qimself, Sal/Sals/Salself, De/Dex/Dexself, Oe/Oer/Oerself, Oe/Oem/Oemself

Comfort: Architecture Design (Like studying it?? if that makes sense), Tea and a book/movie, Learning calligraphy, Watching British TV, Dressing in an old British style or an academia style

[7171955]

Can I request some NPTs for a DiscoveryLand Kin please?Space and jules Verne themed,if you can of course!!

Tysm!!

-Human Embodiment of DiscoveryLand.

RQ : NPT — DISCOVERYLAND | KIN . . .

☄️ names — apollo, ada, bram, briar, hugo, artemus, jules, osgood, diana, orpha, belle, camille, blasie, lior, gideon, ora, sydney, odette, henri, maurice, florian, newton, nova, mercury, caster.

🐙 pronouns — star/stars, astro/astros, ship/ships, ve/ver, as/astral, no/novas, ste/steam, vortex/vortexs, jup/jupiz, xe/xem, di/dis

🛰️ titles — [X] that discovers the unknown, [X] that travels the stars, the [X] that walks on stardust, the [X] who explores the skies, the [X] who is made of copper, the [X] who houses the future, the captain, the one who runs the ship, the holder of the map.

…. also i totally thought this also asked for a stimboard so i made you a stimboard too by accident . oops ! but also surprise !

[vintagestagehotties]

Hot Vintage Stage Actress Round 1

Arlette Dorgère: Fernand Nozière in Les Deux Visages (1909 Paris); La Revue des X (1911 Paris); Maurice Hennequin in Les Honneurs de la guerre (1913 Paris)

Stephanie Deste: Salome in Salome (1924 New York); Wanda in Rose-Marie (1926 Sydney); Azuri in The Desert Song (1928 Melbourne);

Propaganda under the cut

Arlette Dorgère:

Stephanie Deste:

[sasha28x]

Chapter One - "Shadows of the Past"

This is my first fic - where Robert Fischer and Jonathan Crane are twin brothers! Not sure what will be the name of the story yet.

Pairing - Robert Fischer x Jonathan Crane x oc

Summary - Past of Robert Fischer's life and abduction of Jonathan. Also mentions of Robert's Dream of his family.

Warning - No warning

The Fischer mansion, perched on a hill overlooking Sydney, had always been a symbol of power and prestige. Yet, within its grand walls, shadows of the past lurked, casting long, haunting memories over Robert Fischer’s life.

Robert stood in his father's study, the room where Maurice Fischer had built his empire. The leather-bound books and dark mahogany furniture were unchanged since his childhood. But today on his birthday, the room felt suffocating, heavy with the weight of untold stories and unresolved grief.

He turned his gaze to a family photo on the desk. His younger self, barely four years old, stood between his parents, a bright smile on his face. Next to him, identical in every way, was his twin brother, Jonathan. The memory of that day was hazy, overshadowed by the tragedy that followed.

It was a warm, sunny afternoon in Sydney when Janet Fischer decided to take her twin boys, Robert and Jonathan, to the fair. The atmosphere was festive, filled with the sounds of laughter and the colorful sights of carnival games and rides. Robert, barely four years old at the time, clung to his mother's hand, his excitement palpable as they navigated through the bustling crowd.

Jonathan, identical in every way to Robert, was by his side, their bond inseparable. Janet watched over them with a mother's loving gaze, her heart swelling with pride at the sight of her two bright, energetic boys. She often marveled at how different yet similar they were—Robert more outgoing and adventurous, Jonathan quieter but with a mischievous streak.

The day of the fair was supposed to be a joyful outing, typical of the carefree moments they shared with their mother Janet. Robert recalls the vivid scenes: the colorful lights of the fairground, the laughter echoing around them, and the warmth of his mother's reassuring presence. But the tranquility shattered when Mark, a shadowy figure with a vendetta against Maurice Fischer, struck.

Mark's sudden appearance and ruthless act of kidnapping Jonathan sent shockwaves through the family. In an instant, the fair turned from a place of joy to a scene of chaos and despair. Janet's frantic cries pierced the air as she watched helplessly, her worst fears realized in a matter of seconds.

Janet's world shattered. She blamed herself for taking the boys out that day, for not being more cautious. Maurice, as usual, dismissed her fears, believing Jonathan would be found quickly. He refused to give in to Mark's demands, certain that involving the police would only complicate matters.

Maurice Fischer, consumed by his own ambitions and business dealings, initially dismissed Janet's concerns, believing Jonathan would be swiftly returned. His refusal to involve the authorities stemmed from a complex web of pride and past grievances with Mark, whose criminal activities were intertwined with Maurice's own history.

But Janet's anguish only deepened as days turned into weeks, and Jonathan remained missing. Maurice finally relented, defying Mark's warning and calling the police. The authorities acted swiftly, raiding Mark's hideout where a fierce gun battle ensued. Mark, cornered and desperate, fought back but was ultimately killed in the crossfire.

In his dying moments, Mark spat defiance, refusing to reveal Jonathan's whereabouts. The goons working with him were equally clueless, unaware of the hidden safe house where Mark had stashed the young boy.

As days turned into agonizing weeks with no sign of Jonathan, Janet's despair deepened. Her grief was compounded by Maurice's initial inaction, straining their marriage and eroding the once-steadfast foundation of the Fischer family. Janet's mental state deteriorated, haunted by the relentless anguish of a mother separated from her child.

One rainy evening, Robert found himself standing outside his mother's bedroom. The door was ajar, and he could see Janet sitting on the edge of her bed, staring blankly at a photo of Jonathan. The rain tapped against the windows, a somber rhythm that matched the heavy silence of the house.

"Mom?" Robert's small voice broke through the silence.

Janet looked up, her eyes empty. "Robert, go to bed, honey," she said softly.

"I miss Jonathan," Robert whispered, tears welling up in his eyes.

Janet's face crumpled, and she reached out to him, pulling him into a tight embrace. "I know, sweetie. I miss him too. So much."

That night, Robert was awakened by the sound of his father's frantic voice and the hurried footsteps of the household staff. He crept out of bed and down the hall, his heart pounding. He found Maurice standing outside Janet's room, his face ashen.

"What's happening?" Robert asked, his voice trembling.

Maurice didn't answer. He just stared at the closed door, his eyes filled with a mixture of sorrow and disbelief. One of the staff members knelt beside Robert, gently guiding him away. "There’s nothing to be said Robert."

The next morning, Robert learned the truth: his mother had taken her own life, unable to bear the pain of losing Jonathan. The weight of her loss crashed down on him, a burden that would haunt him for the rest of his life.

Janet Fischer's eventual suicide left Robert reeling in a sea of unanswered questions and profound loss. At a tender age, he faced the unthinkable: the abrupt loss of both his twin brother and his mother. The shadows of their absence loomed large over the Fischer mansion, transforming it from a symbol of power to a mausoleum of memories.

Robert's upbringing, marred by tragedy and familial discord, shaped his adult persona. The weight of unresolved grief and the unanswered mystery of Jonathan's fate became a silent burden he carried into his professional life. Despite his outward façade of success and privilege, Robert remained haunted by the unresolved questions surrounding his twin's disappearance.

The dreamscape was a maze of memories and fears. Cobb and his team had designed it to peel back the layers of Robert's subconscious, and it was working.

----------

Robert found himself walking through the fairground again, everything vibrant and slightly surreal. He saw his younger self, Jonathan, and Janet enjoying the day, oblivious to the looming danger.

Robert, now aware of the dream's nature, tried to reach out, to warn his mother, but his voice didn't carry. He watched as Mark approached, the scene playing out with agonizing slowness. Then, abruptly, the fairground dissolved into darkness, and Robert was alone in a cold, empty room. He recognized it as his childhood bedroom, but it was different—stripped of warmth, filled with shadows.

----------

In the next layer of the dream, Robert found himself in a replica of his father's study. Maurice was there, sitting behind the large mahogany desk, looking as stern and imposing as ever.

"Dad," Robert said, his voice echoing in the silent room.

"Robert," Maurice replied, not looking up from his papers.

"Why did you never search for him? Why did you not listen to Mom?" Robert's voice broke, years of pent-up emotion spilling out.

Maurice finally looked up, his eyes cold. "Because emotions are a weakness, Robert. I built this empire on strength and decisiveness, not on sentiment."

Robert's anger flared. "Jonathan was your son! How could you be so heartless?"

Maurice's expression softened, just for a moment, revealing a flicker of regret. "I did what I thought was best for the family. For you."

-----------

The dream shifted again, this time to a dark forest. Robert felt a presence, something or someone watching him. He turned and saw a young boy, about four years old, standing among the trees. It was Jonathan.

"Jonathan?" Robert whispered, stepping closer.

The boy looked up, his face a perfect mirror of Robert's own at that age. "Why didn't you find me, Robert?" Jonathan's voice was small, filled with sadness.

"I tried, Jonathan. I was just a child," Robert replied, tears streaming down his face.

"You could have saved me," Jonathan said, and then he vanished into the darkness.

----------

From a young age, Robert had felt the weight of his father Maurice's expectations. Robert was often dismissed and underestimated. Maurice's distant demeanor and lack of paternal warmth left Robert questioning his own worthiness as the heir to the Fischer empire.

Throughout the inception process, guided by Dom Cobb and his team, Robert navigated through layers of constructed dreams that mirrored the complexities of his fractured relationship with Maurice.

In one dream, Robert found himself in a sunny backyard, watching his four-year-old self playing with friends. The scene was vibrant and joyful, filled with the sounds of children's laughter. Robert, carefree and energetic, was busy chasing after a ball with his friends.

Nearby, Jonathan sat alone under a tree, engrossed in examining a small creature he had found. His tiny hands delicately dissected it, his face a picture of intense curiosity. Maurice stood a few steps away, observing Jonathan with fascination.

"See, Robert," Maurice said, his voice echoing through the dream. "Jonathan is different. He's special. His curiosity, his intelligence... it's remarkable."

Young Robert looked up, his face falling as he saw his father's approving gaze directed at Jonathan. "But, Dad, I can do things too. I play with my friends. I'm good at games."

Maurice barely glanced at him. "Games are for children, Robert. Jonathan is already beyond that. He's interested in knowledge, in understanding the world. That's what makes him exceptional."

----------

The scene shifted, and Robert found himself in the study, watching as Maurice helped Jonathan with a mathematics problem. Jonathan's eyes sparkled with excitement as he quickly solved the equation, earning a proud smile from Maurice.

"Excellent work, Jonathan," Maurice praised. "You're going to achieve great things."

Robert stood in the corner, feeling invisible. He wanted to say something, to show his worth, but the words stuck in his throat. Maurice's approval seemed unattainable, always just out of reach.

----------

In another dream, Robert found himself in a sleek, modern office. He recognized it as his father's, but everything seemed slightly off, as if viewed through a distorted lens. Jonathan was there, looking exactly like Robert, but with an air of confidence and authority.

Maurice and Jonathan were deep in conversation, discussing complex business strategies and financial plans. Robert stood nearby, trying to understand but feeling completely lost.

"Jonathan, your insights are invaluable," Maurice said, his voice full of admiration. "You have a vision for this company that I never had."

Jonathan nodded, his tone serious. "Thank you, Dad. I believe we can take Fischer Industries to new heights."

Robert's heart sank. He felt like an outsider, a mere observer in a world where he didn't belong. Maurice's respect and approval were reserved for Jonathan, the son who embodied everything he admired.

"Dad," Robert tried to interject, his voice trembling. "What about me? Where do I fit in all this?"

Maurice barely glanced at him. "Robert, you're still a disappointment. Maybe one day you'll contribute, but for now, learn from your brother. He's the future of this company."

The words cut deep, reinforcing Robert's deepest fears. He wasn't good enough in his father's eyes. He wasn't Jonathan.

----------

The dreamscape shifted once more, and Robert found himself standing in a dark, empty room. Jonathan appeared, his face a mirror of Robert's own, but with a calm, knowing expression.

"Robert," Jonathan said softly, "are you looking for me, or are you looking for Dad's approval?"

Robert hesitated, his emotions swirling in a confusing mix of anger, sadness, and longing. "I... I don't know. I miss you, Jonathan. But I also want Dad to see me, to be proud of me."

Jonathan stepped closer, his eyes filled with empathy. "Dad's approval isn't everything, Robert. You have to find your own worth. Don't let his expectations define you."

Robert's frustration bubbled over, and he clenched his fists. "It's easy for you to say, Jonathan. You were always the favoured one, the prodigy. I was just the other son, the one who could never measure up. Do you even know what that's like?"

Jonathan's expression softened, his empathy deepening. "I never wanted to overshadow you, Robert. I just followed my interests. But you need to let go of this anger. It's holding you back."

"How can I let go?" Robert's voice cracked, his anger giving way to a torrent of grief. "You're gone. I don't even know if you're alive or dead. And if you're dead, it's because Dad couldn't protect you, couldn't protect us. How am I supposed to find my own worth when I don't even know who I am without you?"

Jonathan's image began to blur, the edges of the dream starting to dissolve. "Robert, whether I'm alive or dead, you have to move forward. You have to find your own path. Don't let our Dad's failures define you."

As the dream continued to break apart, Robert felt a strange sense of clarity amidst the turmoil. He realized that while finding Jonathan was important, finding himself was crucial. He needed to break free from the shadow of his father's legacy and discover his own identity, his own purpose.

----------

Back in the study, Robert faced Maurice once more. "I won't let your mistakes define me," he repeated, his voice resolute. "I will find out what happened to Jonathan. I will not let your legacy overshadow mine."

Maurice's figure began to fade, the room disintegrating around them. "Then prove it, Robert. Be stronger than I ever was."

----------

As Robert woke from the inception job, the layers of dreams still fresh in his mind, he felt a shift within himself. The memories of his mother and Jonathan, the confrontations with his father, and the painful clarity of his childhood had brought a new understanding. He knew the journey to find answers and heal old wounds wouldn't be easy, but he was ready to face it, determined to break free from the shadows of the Fischer mansion and carve out his own path.

At the age of 30, before the inception job, Robert rarely thought of Jonathan, but his mother's suicide, stemming from Jonathan's absence, haunted him deeply. Her death left him questioning her love for him and grappling with the aftermath she carved into his life. Her absence reverberated through his heart, a silent, unending grief.

Confronted with these revelations, Robert faced a profound choice: to reclaim his identity or succumb to doubt and perpetuate familial discord. In the dream world, where reality blurred with illusion, he embarked on a journey of self-discovery and redemption, seeking not only to unravel the enigma of Jonathan's disappearance but also to reconcile with his own fractured soul.

[note:Will y/n be in the next chapter? Also, Robert's past is so messed up, and Jonathan Fischer, aka our Jonathan Crane, will appear in the story soon where he turns out to be a psychiatrist, as we all know him. But Robert needs closure! What do you think y/n's role in both of the brothers' lives will be? If you have any ideas please share!]

[oscarwetnwilde]

Lincolnshire Echo: Saturday, May 20, 1989:

The £4 million adaptation of a A Tale Of Two Cities had a perfect ending for one of its stars. On-screen the dashing James Wilby- who plays Sydney Carton-- keeps an unwelcome appointment with Madame Guillotine in Charles Dickens classic tale of revenge and romance set at the time of the French Revolution to be screened on Sunday at 7.45 pm and Monday 22 at 9 pm.

But in reality he was celebrating the unexpected arrival of his first child Barnaby on the day before shooting was completed in November. Blond-haired James (31) explained, "I missed the birth and I had to drive down the motorway from Manchester to London through the night to see my wife Shana and the baby. Then I drove back for the last day's filming and the scenes were all in the tavern so I was celebrating for real. It was totally unexpected because he was seven weeks early and my wife Shana didn't believe the doctor who told her she was going into labour!"

Ironically James, the star of Maurice and Heat And Dust, almost missed his chance of landing a leading role in this lavish Anglo-French production which took four months to film on location in Manchester and Bordeaux and which boasts a star-studded cast and nearly 1,000 extras.

He was chosen for the plum role of the drunken lawyer's assistant only because the West End play in which he was appearing ended its run two weeks early. "I very nearly wasn't involved," revealed James, who co-stars with Sir John Mills and Anna Massey. "It was as close as that."

Wilby first remembers reading Dickens' novel as a teenage schoolboy and not really enjoying it, but after he landed his biggest TV role to date, he enthused "I wanted to be part of it as soon as I read my lines. Carton is a truly talented man with a wonderful brain and with a wonderful philosophy of life."

[mischievouslittlecreature]

Part 1: Playdate

Fandom: Inception

Pairing: Robert Fischer x OC

Summary: They’d moved from Australia to Los Angeles nearly two years ago, and yet he still hadn’t made a single friend. 

Word Count: 3,423

Notes: Jocelyn Fischer is the name that I’ve given to Robert’s mother. Warnings for references to verbal child abuse.

Previous Part • Series • Next Part

Jocelyn leaned against the kitchen counter, fiddling nervously with the phone still clutched in her hand, thumb rubbing over the worn buttons as she watched her four-year-old playing quietly with his toys in the middle of the spacious living room. 

She was trying not to worry too much about him. The last thing she wanted to do was overreact and do something rash, but at the same time, they had moved from Sydney to Los Angeles almost two years ago, and he had yet to make a single new friend.

Not that Robert had many friends back when they still lived in Australia, but he had been younger, then. Practically still a baby. Or at least that’s what it had felt like to her. 

She was born in Australia. She met Maurice one year after graduating from culinary school. He’d come to the restaurant she was working at and insisted on speaking to the chef who had made his steak. And that was it. They dated for…not nearly as long as they probably should have before getting married. The Fischer Morrow branch in Australia was booming, but the one in California was in need of more direct oversight. Robert had been barely two when he announced–announced, not asked, or discussed–that they would need to move to Los Angeles indefinitely. And so she packed up her baby and her things and said good-bye to the only home, family, and friends she’d ever known.

Los Angeles was…fine. Even though she didn’t know anyone, and her husband spent all his time at work, and his mother was awful and even though she insisted that she could help with Robert, Jocelyn frankly didn’t want the woman anywhere near him. 

At first Robert’s lack of friends hadn’t concerned her. She didn’t have very many friends growing up either, and she turned out relatively okay. But ever since they’d moved, Robert had been even quieter than usual, tending to just sit with his toys or in front of the television. Part of her suspected that maybe he was homesick. The other worried that the latest incident of Maurice yelling at him had more of an adverse effect than she’d initially thought.

She didn’t know how it even started. She had just left them alone for a minute, just a minute. Robert was playing on the living room floor like he was now, Maurice sitting at the table doing paperwork. When she came back, Maurice was yelling, pacing back and forth and shoving a wagging finger in Robert’s tear stained face. She’d shooed her husband away furiously, picking up Robert and whisking him back to his room. He cried and cried his little heart out, her sweet boy clinging to her as his entire body trembled with sobs. Jocelyn had put him to bed early with his favorite stuffed koala bear clutched tightly to his chest, blankets tucked in tightly around him. Even after he fell asleep she remained hovering at his bedside, watching his chest rise and fall, staring at the blotchy red marks his tears had left on his cheeks. 

When she went back downstairs to confront Maurice about what happened, he’d just scoffed and shrugged her away, growling something about how oversensitive Robert was.

There were times where she thought that maybe she should leave. Take Robert with her and get out. But Maurice’s army of lawyers would destroy her if she tried to divorce him. They could even take Robert away from her. And then he would be alone. In this big, empty house. With just Maurice and his hatefulness. That wasn’t a risk she was willing to take.

It was amazing how Maurice could have changed so much. He had never been as excited about the pregnancy as she was, but he hadn’t been apathetic either. And when he found out that they were having a boy he’d been thrilled. His blatant jealousy of the attention that she bestowed onto their child made no sense to her, nor did his fury over Robert not being a simple carbon copy of himself. It was only just beginning to become clear to her that perhaps Maurice had never wanted a child but an heir. And not just any heir, but one who he considered to be worthy of the Fischer Morrow empire. A son, just like him both in personality and temperament, to run and preserve the kingdom once Maurice was gone.  

But with every passing day, it was becoming clearer and clearer which of his parents Robert took after. And it certainly wasn’t his father.

Robert may be quiet, bordering on docile, but he was also incredibly, incredibly kind. He was always the first to ask her if she was okay when she was upset, and he was so affectionate it warmed her heart. Always wanting to hug and cuddle with her.

And he was so sensitive, maybe a little overly so, but that was okay. She’d rather have an over sensitive child than a cruel one. Tears pricked at her eyes as she watched her sweet little boy squeeze his stuffed koala to his chest in a huge hug. So much love. Her little boy had so much love to give.

And he seemed so lonely. And sad. Melancholic in a way that a four year old boy should never be. She’d tried to arrange playdates with some of the children that lived in the area. but nothing had stuck. Sure, he played well with the other kids, but often it was just him following them around the playground, listening quietly as they chattered. And on the way home, when she asked him if he would like to see them again, he just shrugged noncommittally and stared down at his shoes. 

He just needed a friend. Surely that would help him. At least a little.

“Robert, sweetie?” she called. Immediately his head jerked up. He was so fucking cute, with his chubby, freckled cheeks and big light blue eyes. She didn’t think that it was just her bias as a mother that made her think that he was going to be beautiful when he grew up.

“Yes, Mama?”

“Are you hungry? I could make you a sandwich, if you wanted?”

He hesitated for a moment. “Peanut butter with the strawberry jam?” he finally asked timidly.

“Sure thing,” Jocelyn moved towards the cupboard.

“With the crusts cut off?” he wandered into the kitchen, stuffed animal still clutched in his arms.

“Of course.”

He suddenly wrapped his little arms around her waist. “I love you, Mama.”

“Oh, honey,” she had to blink hard to keep from crying, hugging him back tightly. God knows that he needed all of the positive affection he could get. Poor thing. “I love you too,” she kissed the top of his head. My baby. My poor, sweet, baby. Your heart is too big for this world. “Why don’t you go clean up your toys while I make you your sandwich?”

“Okay,” he let her go, heading back into the living room to methodically place his toys back into their box. By the time he came trotting back and climbed into one of the barstools in front of the counter, she was just finishing up his sandwich, chopping off the crusts as requested with quick, expert movements of her knife.

She really did miss cooking. When Robert was old enough to be left on his own, perhaps she would go back. Find a kitchen somewhere that would be willing to hire her, even if just part time. They didn’t need the money, but she missed the scent of fresh ingredients and the organized chaos of other chefs bustling around her. 

“Here you are,” she said, setting the plate down in front of him.

“Thank you, Mama.”

She glowed with secret pride at his manners, leaning her elbows on the counter as she watched him eat. “Robert? I was wondering if you would be up for going on a playdate tomorrow afternoon?”

He looked up at her, eyes suspicious. “A playdate?”

“Mhm. I have an old friend from college who I’d like to catch up with, and she has a little girl about your age. They invited us to come join them at the playground. Do you think you would be up for that?”

He considered. “Is it the playground with the swing set?”

She nodded. “And the big blue slide.”

He chewed thoughtfully before answering. “I guess that would be okay.”

“Okay. Okay, good. I promise that this one will be more fun than last time,” she didn’t think that she would ever forget the horrified look in her son’s eyes when the boy he’d been playing with promptly decided that it would be fun to not only dig around in the dirt, but then try to eat the worms that he found wriggling around in the soil. Poor Robert had run back to her screaming when the boy had tried to throw one at him. 

God, she hoped that Dana’s daughter didn’t also have a proclivity for digging around in the dirt and mud.

Dana had been in her culinary program back in Australia. Originally from California, she moved to Sydney for college to get away from her overbearing parents. They’d been close. But then college had ended and Dana had moved back to Los Angeles. Jocelyn had been reluctant to look her up initially after moving. They hadn’t stayed in touch and it felt…just a little too desperate at the time. But now she was desperate; willing to try just about anything if it meant that her son wouldn’t be lonely.

When he was done with his sandwich he took the plate to the kitchen, stepping up on the little stepstool she got for him so he could wash his plate off and put it into the dishwasher. Jocelyn ruffled his mop of thick dark hair proudly as he did. From the moment he was born she’d promised herself she would do everything in her power to ensure that he didn’t become some spoiled rich brat incapable of doing anything for himself. No. Her son would learn how to do his own laundry. Mop flours and clean bathrooms and sew fallen buttons back onto his shirts and unclog drains. It didn’t matter that they had maids and staff to all do that for them. He would learn. He would be self-sufficient. She would make sure of it.

When he was a little older, she intended to teach him how to cook. To pass on all the things she’d learned while in culinary school to him.

“Hey, Robert?”

“Yeah?”

“Would you like to help me make some cookies?”

The way that his eyes lit up made her heart soar. “Sure!”

He couldn’t do much more than lick the spoon and get his hands and face all sticky, but that was okay. She still explained everything that she did to him carefully, letting him at least try. And his grin when he sank his teeth into a gooey cookie, getting smears of half melted chocolate all over his cheeks, was the best thing that Jocelyn had seen in the whole world.

∗ ∗ ∗ 

“Mama?”

She jumped to alertness, half asleep on the couch as the television played. Maurice had greeted her with little more than a grunt when he’d gotten home, disappearing into his office where she had to assume he was still holed up with his beloved paperwork. He hadn’t even acknowledged Robert when he came in, and he didn’t eat dinner with the two of them. She had only tucked Robert into bed an hour ago before coming back downstairs to watch a nature show.

“What is it, sweetie?”

He was hugging his koala to his chest, face half buried in its worn fur. “I had a nightmare.”

“Oh, Robert, sweetie, come here,” she opened her arms so that he could climb onto the couch and snuggle against her, sniffling quietly. She rocked him gently back and forth, like she had when he was a baby and wouldn’t settle, until he finally relaxed against her, tears drying. “You wanna stay down here with me and watch the animals?” she asked, nodding to the screen that displayed a sea otter floating in the water.

“Yeah.”

“Okay,” she patted his head, letting him lay on her as they watched the show. By the time it was over, he had fallen fast asleep against her.

∗ ∗ ∗ 

Robert was clinging to her leg, blue eyes wide as he stared out at the other children screaming and racing around the playground. Jocelyn patted a hand on his head, smoothing down his dark hair. He had insisted on bringing his koala bear with him. That was okay, though she worried about it getting dirty or lost. She supposed that it was becoming something like a security blanket for him. She’d read about those, in one of the parenting books she’d read when she was pregnant.

God, she had no idea what she was doing. 

A sudden burst of helplessness settled without warning in her chest. If this didn’t work out…what if he never made any friends? What if he was lonely forever? What if something happened to her? Who would help him, and take care of him, and hold him when he was upset? Who would give him love and affection? Certainly not Maurice. She doubted at this point that he was even capable of loving the child that he’d all but rejected.

The pregnancy had been unplanned, and she didn’t have anyone around to help her. To give advice on how to handle any of this. Had she been fucking up this whole time? Had she done irreparable damage already? Traumatized him with the move from Australia to California? Maybe she hadn’t been doing enough to help him make friends, or to shield him from his father’s heartlessness.

Before she could spiral too much, a flash of golden blonde hair caught the sun from the other side of the park. Dana. Maybe Dana could help her. Give her advice. She had mentioned on the phone that Alice was her second child, so she’d clearly done this all before. 

Her old friend from college looked more or less the same, maybe her hair was a little longer. The bags under her eyes were certainly new. Clinging to her hand was a little girl with long dark brown hair and huge, downcast brown eyes. Her coloring must take more after Dana’s husband, Andrew. But as she and Dana drew closer, she could see a bit of Dana’s bone structure reflected in the little girl’s face. Beside her, Jocelyn heard Robert gasp. He grabbed a fistful of her shirt, tugging until she bent down.

“What, Robert?”

He cupped his hands around her ear, whispering. “Is she an angel?” his eyes were wide as saucers, holding something in them that Jocelyn could have called awestruck.

She didn’t have an opportunity to answer, as Dana and her daughter finally came to a stop in front of them.

“Joci, it’s so good to see you,” Dana stepped forward, arms open as she approached Jocelyn for a hug. Jocelyn stepped into the embrace in relief. Robert was still clutching her leg, peering curiously from behind her at the little girl standing quietly next to Dana.

“You too,” she let go and took a step back, squatting down so she was at the young girl’s eye level. “Hello there, you must be Alice. I’m Jocelyn Fischer.”

The girl blinked at her, once. With eyes that looked like maybe they had seen too much. There was something haunted about them. “It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Fischer,” she said finally.

“And this,” she very, very gently reached behind her and nudged Robert forward. “Is Robert.”

Alice turned her gaze to him, blinking. “Hi.”

Normally, this was the moment when Robert would glance up at Jocelyn cautiously. When she would have to reassure him that it was okay, sometimes even give gentle encouragement for him to go play.

This time, however, he took an immediate step forward, eyes still round with wonder as he stared at the little brunette girl in front of him, koala hugged to his chest. “Are you an angel?” he blurted out. Jocelyn’s jaw just about hit the ground. Next to her, Dana gave a tiny chuckle, hand raising to cover her mouth. Alice blinked, confused.

“No, I’m Alice.”

Robert looked down. “Oh.”

Alice tilted her head a little. “I like your koala.”

Robert’s head raised, suddenly perking up. “Thanks!”

“Do you like the swings?”

“Yeah!”

“Okay. There’s some over there,” Alice pointed before beginning to walk towards them. Robert darted forward, one hand still holding his koala tight, but the other shot out to grab Alice’s hand, clinging to her tightly. The girl looked down at their joined hands, almost in confusion, but she didn’t seem perturbed, and she didn’t let go of his hand or try to pull away as they walked towards the swings.  

“Jocelyn? There’s a nice bench in the shade, over this way. We can still see them,” Dana said. Jocelyn blinked at her owlishly for a moment.

“Yes! Yes, right. Sorry. I just,” she glanced back to Robert and Alice. “I’ve never seen him take to someone so quickly before,” she followed Dana to a wooden bench underneath a huge oak. It was nicely shaded, and let her see the entire playground. She tried her best to give Dana her attention, listening as she went on and on about the difficulties between Alice and Celia, Dana’s oldest. How Andrew was no help with the children. Things got a little uncomfortable when Dana started talking about their money troubles, as they always did whenever someone brought up financials. Though Jocelyn almost found it even more awkward the way that Dana was constantly comparing Alice to Celia. And how no matter what, Alice didn’t seem to be able to measure up. At least not in Dana’s eyes. 

Jocelyn, however, was fighting back the urge to run onto the playground and pick the little girl up into a massive, grateful hug. Her sweet boy was smiling. He was smiling and it was all because of Alice, still letting him cling to her hand as they ran around together.

There was a sweetness to the little girl, a gentleness in the way that she handled Robert. But at the same time, she seemed to be able to coax him from his shell, checking in regularly to make sure that he was having fun. And she didn’t seem to mind how he held tightly to her hand, or when he suddenly gave her a hug. She just smiled widely, returning the hug with a little squeeze.

“She doesn’t have many friends,” Dana shook her head. “I don’t understand why. Celia never had trouble making friends, you know? Everyone always liked her.”

Jocelyn tried to hide her discomfort over the way Dana said it. Like it was some sort of failing on Alice’s part that she didn’t have as many friends as her older sister. The haunted look in the little girl’s eyes was beginning to make more and more sense. 

Jocelyn wondered, as she watched Alice hold Robert tightly in a hug, seemingly just a reluctant to let go as he was, if maybe the girl needed a friend just as badly as Robert did. 

Maybe they would be good for each other.

When it was time for them to leave, Robert pouted magnificently, those big baby blue eyes widening as he pleaded for just a few more minutes. It only worked the first two times. By the third, they really did have to go. He flung his arms around Alice before they left, and the little girl squeezed him back tightly, and as they were walking away towards the car he kept glancing over his shoulder after her.

“Did you have fun, sweetie?” Jocelyn asked on the drive home.

“Yeah!”

“Would you like to see her again, sometime?”

He nodded so vigorously that she was worried he would rattle his brain inside his skull. Jocelyn laughed, trying to hide her relief. Her sweet boy finally had a friend.

“I’ll talk to her mom and see if we can set something up soon, okay?”

“Okay, Mama.”

She smiled, ruffling his hair affectionately. Maybe everything would be okay. Maybe Robert wouldn’t seem so lonely and sad anymore.

Maybe being friends with Alice Emerson would finally bring him some happiness. 

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Thank you for reading! Please consider leaving a comment, reblog, or like. I always appreciate feedback and love getting the opportunity to interact with you and hear your thoughts!

[tomoleary]

Miguel Covarrubias “Hollywood's Malibu Beach Scene” Source

“Mid-left is John, Ethel and Lionel Barrymore are sitting with George Arliss and Helen Hayes who is holding a baby. Below left are Miriam Hopkins, Lilyan Tashman, Mae West, Edmund Lowe, Constance Bennett, Joel McCrea, Maurice Chevalier, Kay Francis with hands behind her head, Joan Crawford, and Leslie Howard. In the middle, Dolores Del Rio, Adolphe Menjou, Joseph Schenck, Samuel Goldwyn, Joan Blondell, Douglas Fairbanks Jr. with his arms up, Sylvia Sydney, Mary Pickford, Gary Cooper, and Douglas Fairbanks. On the right, Laurel and Hardy, Edward G. Robinson, Cecil B. Demille, Claudette Colbert, Marion Davies, Norma Shearer, Charlie Chapman, Fredric March, Marie Dressler, Gene Fowler, Nancy Carroll holding a beach ball, Howard Hughes, George Raft, Louella Parsons, Harpo Marx, Katharine Hepburn, Jean Harlow, Marlene Dietrich, Schnozzle Durante with his hands up, Greta Garbo, Clark Gable, Ernst Lubitsch, and Wallace Beery.”

[mexcine]

Swipe File 19: Familiar Faces in Unfamiliar Places

The late Alain Delon (as seen in Le Samourai) on the cover of "Bloederige verhalen" 50 (Belgium, 1980).

Maria Ouspenskaya (from The Wolf Man) was also on a  "Bloederige verhalen" [Bloody Stories] cover (no. 53).

Sydney Greenstreet appears on "Cosmic Calamity" (Scientific Thrillers, 1949, Australia), art by Maurice Bramley. More details on this series here: https://mexcine2.tumblr.com/post/52791559668/the-stolen-faces-hypnotic-death-and-cosmic

And here:

And finally, Tor Johnson on "Skulls of Death" (Jan 81, Gredown, Australia) [cover art reprinted from "Pánico" 41 (Vilmar, Spain, 1975?).

[jenahsey-creates]

"Why Wanda Said "No" [in Broome]" - 1986

"Interestingly, a comic-style image produced by the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services Council in 1986, Why Wanda Said No in Broome, actually featured the Phantom in a narrative which also employed humour, sexiness and local language to impart its message of safe sex and dispel the myth of HIV/AIDS as a 'gay disease' exclusive to Sydney." - excerpt from "Everyone's Business: Love, Magic and the Art of Resistance" by Maurice O'Riordan

I found this old printout in my Mother's bookshelves and thought it was a really interesting bit of Australian and HIV/AIDS history, where a lot of myths around HIV/AIDS were putting a lot of heterosexual people at risk through unprotected sex. The medium of Art to spread messages has always been so important, and amazing work by the Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services Council team. Having an original copy is pretty cool!

[124daisies]

Wham! press conference clip, Sydney, Australia, 1985