#the scenes with her and alexander at the end were EVERYTHING

[blondejellykitty]

₊♡ ˚⊹ it's all so unfamiliar ₊♡ ˚⊹

୨୧ percy jackson x unclaimed reader ୨୧ who would've though your english teacher's step son was the hotter than the sun? a/n: (2.1k words) reader is 17 while percy's 18 (not directly mentioned but hinted to) first fic of 2025! pls ignore that it took so long lol

Sitting on the couch of your English teacher's living room wasn't exactly how you thought you'd be spending your late afternoon.

Mr Blofis assured you that calling him for an emergency was what he was there for.

He'd said as much at the start of the school year, when he wrote his phone number on the bottom corner of the whiteboard that still, after a year of prank calls was still written on the board to this day.

You'd never thought you'd need it, sure maybe if your bus ran late and you needed him to know why you weren't in class on time but definitely not for this.

To be completely honest it wasn't even your fault, you were walking back home from the bus stop when some strange lady approached you.

At first you thought she was going to ask for directions as she seemed out of place. But she instead hissed out a threat in a language you didn't understand and launched for you.

On any other day you would've thought she was just some crazy junkie or something but the claws from her hands that sliced your arm told you otherwise.

You tried to run away but she leaped on you. Just as she was about to stab you with her murderous claws, strange vines wrapped themselves around her dragging her away from you. They started to tighten, squishing her so tight she actually poofed into golden dust.

If it wasn't for the bleeding claw marks on your arm you would've thought you went utterly mad.

And there was no way in hell you were about to call your step-dad away from his work over something as bizarre as this. Hence the call to your English teacher.

After the school year you'd had, you've seen Mr Blofis more in detention than in English lessons.

Was it really your fault when English was your least favourite subject though?

It was hard enough to read it let alone then figure out what the author meant by 'what does the red dress symbolize?'

Luckily Mr Blofis was very understanding with your struggles to read. Most teachers weren't as helpful or caring.

Even though you knew he'd pick up it still shocked you that he answered a call from a random number.

Maybe it was the adrenaline wearing out or perhaps the relief of someone to talk to, you spilled about everything that had happened.

You vaguely remember him asking where you were half way through your comparison to an insane wolverine.

He told you to wait there and he'd be there soon, true to his word. Less than twenty minutes later his car pulled up next to you.

You rushed in, wanting to leave the scene of the crime as soon as possible.

Instead of dumping you off at the nearest hospital he took you to a beautiful looking apartment.

He'd mentioned someone he'd like you to meet, his step-son as well as mentioning something to 'heal up that arm of yours' as if that made any sense.

He sat you down at the kitchen table and began looking through the kitchen cabinets. He pulled out a sealed zip lock bag with golden squares.

He called it 'Ambrosia' saying how it'd help your arm.

As if it was magic it actually worked.

Not only did the strange squares somehow taste like the candy your step brother would sneak you after dinner as a kid but slowly your wound helped up as if it'd never even been there.

After a while of silence he began talking like he usually does during one of your detentions. About everything and anything.

It served as a good distraction from the hectic events.

You often enjoyed talking with Mr Blofis, never really knowing where the conversation will lead.

One time you recall telling him about a bag you saw in the mall and ended with the conversation talking about who in history you would want to talk to most?

He picked either Stendhal or Alexander Pushkin, there's really no wonder why he's an English teacher.

You however couldn't pick between Plato and Cleopatra. It seems being around him during detentions has an effect.

You both were in the middle of another one of these long talks when a beautiful woman with brown hair walked through the front door.

She greeted you with a warm smile and she introduced herself as Sally.

She quickly leaned down and placed a small kiss on her husband's cheek before disappearing into the kitchen to put down the bags she'd brought in.

It's one thing to be in a teacher's home but to also see them act domestic with his family, it was weird.

Or maybe it was just weird because that wasn't how your family acted.

Mr Blofis or as his wife called him, Paul excused himself to catch Sally up on the earlier events of your day.

They quickly returned and then you noticed Sally had grabbed a plate of... blue cookies? She placed them in the middle of the table before nudging it closer to you.

You hesitantly picked up one to try. You nibbled the circular treat. It was delicious! Not too dry, not too soft.

It was the best cookie you'd ever had. It definitely bet the half stale ones your step father left in the cupboards for you.

"Thank you ma'am" You spoke in between bites.

She smiled warmly and softly shook her head.

"No need to thank me sweetie. And please call me Sally, you know Paul's mentioned you before. I'm just glad I finally got to meet you." She said it so genuinely it made your heart clench.

This wasn't like the put on show your family would do for others, Sally truly meant her kindness.

"Now, about what happened today" She reached out and put her hand over yours.

Here it was you thought bitterly, she's going to call me crazy just like all the others.

"It might not make sense right now, but I promise it will in due time" She continued.

Huh. That is not what they usually say.

"My son Percy, he can explain everything to you when he gets home. He's out taking his sister to the park, though she's still too young to play there he was adamant to take her" Her eyes held an adoration you'd never seen before in a parent.

It was both soul warming to see and heart breaking at once.

Both Mr Blofis and Sally looked at you for a response. You fought the urge to fidget in your seat.

"What's her name?" You questioned the brunette woman.

"What do you mean?" She threw a confused glance to her husband.

"Your daughter, the one with Percy, you didn't mention her name." You quietly explained.

Her comforting smile returned again.

"Estelle, it was my mothers name" You repeated the name silently after her.

Huh, you couldn't think of anything worse. Naming your daughter after your own mother. The thought that then your child would belong to her. But if Sally's mother was even a fraction like her daughter, you could understand the sentiment.

It was then that the front door opened again. For the second time a person was revealed behind the door.

So, this must be Percy. . . Wow.

He had messy black hair and was tall but not lanky, no he was muscled not like a bodybuilder more like a- a swimmer. His eyes took the cake however, they were blue-ish green like a murky rockpool or the sunlit ocean. He wore a white t-shirt with blue writing you couldn't see along with a pair of well worn basic blue jeans and black converses.

In his tanned arms was an adorably pink toddler, whose attention was solely on him. She seemed to be as infatuated with him as you were.

"Uh, hi" He said rather awkwardly, clearly not expecting someone over.

"Hi" It seemed awkwardness was in the air as you quietly greeted him back.

Mr Blofis stood from the table and walked over to Percy, grabbing Estelle from him while not-so discreetly talking to him in a whisper.

You could see the way Percy would look between him and you. Clearly getting an embarrassing update on who you were and why you were here.

You saw Percy nod before walking over to the table sitting down where Mr Blofis once sat. His breathtaking eyes locked into yours.

"Hey" He said again, slightly more confidently than last time.

"Hey" You spoke shyly. You were never really shy, especially around pretty boys but the way he was looking at you was like he was trying to find something.

And he really wasn't anything you'd seen before. He was absolutely gorgeous.

"Well, we'll leave you two to it then, We'll be in the upstairs study if you both need anything" Sally spoke as she got up and left the room with Mr Blofis and Estelle not far behind her.

"I'm Percy" He said with a slight smile, it seemed empathy ran in the genes. After you told him your name he continued.

"Okay, I'll explain everything to you but it'll be a lot to take in at once" You nodded at him to start explaining.

"You're a demigod. I know that sounds crazy but it's true. I am too. The gods are alive and real. Greek, Roman, Egyptian, all mythology was true. Monsters and Heroes. All of it. That's what attacked you. From what Paul told me, it sounds like it was a fury. I know from experience those things aren't nice. But they come after you because they can smell you. They smell the godly DNA in us, so they come after us. The good news is, you're not alone. There's camps for us to be safe. The bad news is. . . Long story short, the Gods promised to claim their kids, so we knew who our parents were. They promised to claim them all by the time they turned thirteen." A tense weight covered the room.

Gods.

Gods were real.

As hysterical as you thought you'd be at the insane news. It all seemed to just fit into place. Like the last piece in a very large puzzle. It sends an adrenaline rush through you, like when you finally finish a rubix cube after hours of trying to finish it.

But like a rollercoaster it plummeted. Thirteen. They had to 'claim' their kids by thirteen. You were closer to twenty than you were thirteen.

Why hadn't your parent kept their promise?

"I'm not thirteen" You said deadpanned, you kept your expression guarded but you could tell it wasn't good enough for him.

"I know, I'll figure it out." His eyes darkened and for a moment you were afraid, not of him but of those he planned on facing.

"How? They're gods?"

"Yeah, but I know where they live" He shrugged nonchalantly before sitting up straight.

"Paul can drop you off at your house to grab some of your stuff before we head to camp"

"No- Nah, that's okay I've got most of my stuff I need in my backpack." He looked at you questioningly but thankfully left it at that.

"You said everyone gets claimed at thirteen right?"

He nodded his head so you continued.

"Who's your parent?" He looked stunned as if he was shocked it hadn't said it yet, must've slipped his mind.

"Poseidon, God of the Sea" He said tiredly like he was sick of saying it, but there was a hint of pride too.

Suddenly as if you were there yourself, you saw moments like memories.

Of floods, of droughts.

Of a tall man who looked similar to Percy. He looked older than him, about thirty but his water coloured eyes held an ancient oldness in them.

You saw a large powerful trident used to help drowning people get to shore and as a weapon soaked in blood, gold and red alike.

You felt a name whispered in your head. Ποσειδων. It repeated in your head until you finally mentally screamed at it to stop.

You opened your eyes, you hadn't even realized you'd closed them. You saw Percy looking at you in concern.

"Sorry, headache" You shrugged it off. Somehow whatever happened seemed to coax you in like a bad habit.

"It's okay, i got them a lot when i first found out about all this too" He smiled and reached over to grab a blue cookie from the center of the table.

Maybe everything will be fine. Well you'd been attacked by a monster and you were starting to have crazy visions but at least everyone seemed nice.

You didn't doubt that if you told Percy right now about what you'd seen he'd try to help you figure it all out. You wouldn't of course, something in you told you this was something you had to do on your own.

The world of gods, monsters, heroes and demigods so far seemed dangerous but it was welcoming of their own.

Kind of like a cult.

This- It wasn't a cult though.

Right?

[inafieldofdaisies]

A Gentleman in Moscow (2024) | Season 1, Episode 6 “The Fall” | Favorite scenes (vol. 2-2)

[ts1m1kas]

Original Ask: how about sweet Erling taking reader on a date in Norway? they’re not together but they’re dating, and that is the date when Erling decides to talk about his feelings. I didn’t have any particular setting in mind, just whipped Erling that likes to hold hands and kiss her forehead 🥹🥹 (anonymous)

Word Count: 694 words

(author's note: realised i misread the ask so i hope you still enjoy it + i kinda hate the ending, but i hope the erling fans enjoy anyway xoxo)

One thing Y/N loved about the end of the football season was returning to her boyfriend Erling’s family home in Norway. The rolling hills and scenic views instantly relaxed her and made her forget the stress of city life. 

The rising sun shone through the window in the couple's room. Erling awoke first, his eyes scanning over his girlfriend’s sleeping face. He smiled at the peacefulness that adorned her features. He always thought Y/N looked the best in the morning when she hadn’t yet been disturbed.

Y/N began to stir and opened her eyes slightly. 

“I can feel you staring,” she mumbled softly, “Creep.”

Erling laughed, “Not my fault you’re so gorgeous.”

He wrapped his arms around Y/N’s waist and pulled her closer to him. Pressing a gentle kiss to the crown of her head, Y/N brought her hands up to rub her eyes.

“Wanna take you out today,” Erling said, “We can go get a drink or something?”

“Okay, sounds good to me,” Y/N replied, “Anywhere specific in mind?”

He nodded, “There’s this coffee shop in town that I used to go to all the time. They have the best hot chocolate.”

After lazing in bed together for a little longer, the couple began to get ready. They took advantage of the slow morning and enjoyed the company of one another. When they were both ready, they pulled on their shoes and coats and headed out of the door.

Walking down the winding street, Erling gently grabbed his girlfriend’s hand and laced their fingers together. He squeezed her hand softly as they carried on down the path. They talked about anything and everything throughout their walk to the local town, laughing and joking like children.

As they pushed open the doors to the cafe, the barista looked up, and his face broke out into a smile.

“Erling, I haven’t seen you in forever! How are you?” He exclaimed, wiping his hands on his apron.

As the couple made their way over to the counter, Erling smiled back.

“Hey Alex, I’ve been good, how about you?” 

“Not too bad, who’s this?” The man asked, gesturing towards Y/N.

“This is my girlfriend, Y/N. Y/N, this is Alexander.”

Y/N smiled at him, “Lovely to meet you, Alex.”

“What can I get you guys?” Alex asked, moving towards the till.

“2 hot chocolates, please, extra cream,” Erling said.

Alex nodded and went to make the drinks. Y/N and Erling found an empty table and sat down. They resumed their conversation from earlier whilst waiting for their drinks.

Alex brought over the tray and placed them down, “Enjoy you two.”

Y/N brought the cup up to her lips and took a sip of the velvety liquid.

“You weren’t joking. This is incredible.”

Erling laughed, “I told you so, it’s still great after all these years.”

The pair fell into a comfortable silence, enjoying not only the drinks but also the company of each other.

“I love you,” Erling said after a while.

“Where’s that come from?”

“Bringing you to places I used to come as a kid just makes me realise how grateful I am to have found you.”

“I love you too, you big softie.”

The pair finished their drinks, said goodbye to Alex, and headed back outside. They took advantage of the calm weather and walked slowly through the streets of the town, hand in hand. 

They ended up in a park and found a bench in a secluded area. They sat down, and Erling wrapped his arm around Y/N’s shoulders. Pressing a kiss to the side of her head, he stared at the tranquil scene ahead of him.

“I didn’t realise how long we stayed out,” Erling commented, referring to the sun that had begun to dip lower in the sky.

“We can start walking back soon. It shouldn’t be too dark.”

Erling nodded, pulling his girlfriend closer to him. Y/N rested her head on his shoulder and let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. She slipped her hand into his as they watched the sun set further.

[justthemis124]

My opinion on "Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez story" PART II

Hello everyone! I'm back for the second part of my opinion on the show "Monsters". If you haven't read the first part, go check it out right here :)

III. THE PORTRAYAL OF THE PARENTS

If I previously talked about the brothers’ portrayal in part 1, I also have a LOT of things to say about how the parents were portrayed.

Like I mentioned in part 1, I do believe that Ryan Murphy produced the show with the idea in mind that Erik and Lyle were liars. So, ultimately, it wasn’t that surprising to see that José and Kitty (in my opinion) weren't exactly portrayed as the monsters they truly were.

First things first, I would like to address the very last scene of the show, when they are on the boat shark fishing. In all honesty, I really did not understand that scene and the reasoning behind putting it at the very end. The feeling that I got when this scene came on was that, somehow the show was trying to depict José and Kitty as a nice couple that was trying to overcome their past difficulties, a depiction that I, obviously, absolutely hate. In my mind, it was just so weird to put that one scene at the end, after everything. You know what they've done, who they really are, and still there is that clip of them as a happy married couple spending the afternoon on a boat. If anyone has any insight or an opinion on that scene please don't hesitate to leave a comment!

Now there is one main episode where we get to see a lot of José and Kitty, and that's episode 7 when Kitty is seeing a therapist. She proceeds to talk about how Erik and Lyle scare her and don't care about her at all. In my opinion, this is just a sickening stunt of Ryan Murphy to try and get us to have empathy towards the parents. And I truly felt that this specific episode was just full of moments like this, moments that depict Erik and Lyle as spoiled kids, undeserving of what they have and not appreciative towards the parents. While Kitty and José are shown as parents trying their best, giving their kids everything they ask for, but ultimately powerless against the anger and ungratefulness that their children hold against them. No need for me to explain how such a representation of literal child m*lesters is extremely dangerous.

In that episode we also learn that, apparently, José was also m*lested by his parents when he was a child. Now I did some research on that because I was quite shocked to hear that in the show, because I don't remember hearing that anywhere. Now I wasn't able to find anything, so if anyone has any informations on that please leave a comment! Because here's the thing, my fear is that RM might have lied about this part to try and justify the abuse that Erik and Lyle suffered from José, which, if that's the case, I genuinely have no words to describes how vile, sick and straight up psychopathic it is. So again if anyone has any information about that, please leave a comment!

IV. THE ACTORS' PERFORMANCES

Having said everything that I said up until now, I wanted to dedicate a part to the actors' performance and all the work that they put into it.

I mentioned at the end of the first part, that all this criticism was directed at Ryan Murphy and not at the actors, because at the end of the day, actors have to follow a script and do the best they can with the instructions that they've been given. So If we forget for a second everything that's wrong with this show, I think it's important to salute the incredible performances that Cooper Koch (Erik Menendez) and Nicholas Alexander Chavez (Lyle Menendez) gave us. As we've seen before, yes, the portrayal of Lyle was not accurate at all and quite defamatory, but still as an actor, Nicholas did an amazing job. Especially during the trials scene, when he is taking the stand, that seems to be the only accurate thing they got of Lyle.

Of course I have to mention episode 5, where Cooper Koch delivered an outstanding and heartbreaking performance in a 35 minutes monologue in one single take. It almost brought me to tears, and for me this is one of the few scenes that does the brothers justice. I also have to mention Cooper Koch's involvement with the actual case, you all probably know this by now but he went to visit Erik Menendez in prison, he said that they had a long conversation, that they hugged and Cooper told him that he was standing with them (Erik and Lyle) and that he believed them. He also told Erik that he did everything he could to try and portray him as best as possible. And I'm so happy that at least one person of the project actually understood what it truly meant to do this show.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, I can only express disappointment and disgust towards this show. I was really pumped at its announcement and couldn't wait to see it. Because for me, the name "monsters" was obviously directed towards the parents, but then I saw that it was actually for the brothers and I really couldn't believe it. And no amount of billboards trying to turn this around with "are they monsters?" can make up for anything (see below).

As you all probably know by now, a Netflix documentary about the brothers and their perspective is coming out on Monday 7th October, and after that show I am glad Netflix gave them a chance to express themselves.

Alright guys that was it for my opinion on the show, I hope you liked it! Again if there is anything you disagree with or if you'd like to add something, another point of view or another insight please do and leave a comment! Thanks to everyone who read this post all the way to the end!

See you in the next post!

FREE THE MENENDEZ BROTHERS

[rin-solo]

So, the Ithaca saga and especially song 40 unfortunately disappointed me very much, and I am finally coherent enough to yap about it... I am not even gonna attempt to talk about song 38 and why I pretty much hated it yet; that's for later.

So yes, if you don't want to read about someone being disappointed in this saga, then please stop reading :3

First of all, the performances and the music in this saga were STELLAR. Absolutely breathtaking. Stunning. Second of all, the storytelling and lyricism were extremely weak. To the point where it felt like a betrayal of the brilliance that was the Vengeance saga, and technically also everything that came before.

Idk, maybe I'm dumb and/or missing something, but it felt like an enormous whiplash after everything else in Act 2 so far to the point where I genuinely don't know how to feel.

DISCLAIMER: ALL OF THESE THOUGHTS ARE KIND OF JUST MY CURRENT THOUGHTS AFTER A FEW LISTENS AND MAY SHIFT AND/OR CHANGE AFTER SOME TIME. Please don't come at me; just, I felt really let down by this saga, and I wanted to talk about it.

First, Penelope feels really underdeveloped as a character. Her song (The Challenge) is essentially just a narration of events that doesn't give us much insight into her internal world (the way that character intro songs like Legendary or Wouldn't You Like usually do.) The most personality actually comes out of Lea's stunning performance, but even that can't really salvage something that doesn't have any substance to begin with.

Hold Them Down was ... a positive surprise, somehow. I don't know why, but I genuinely loved that song. The atmosphere is on point, and the performance is easily Alexander's best in the musical.

Odysseus was ... a negative surprise, but also not really. I don't think I'm ready to talk about that song properly yet, but so far it's made me tear up and/or full on bawl every time I listen to it, especially the ending (I have never actually cried over EPIC before.) Do with that information what you will. All I know as of now is that it has to be some kind of disassociation and for some reason, a Polyphemus reprise (I can't even begin to wrap my head around why this, of all things.) I genuinely hate some of the scene- and/or dialogue choices in it; they feel really off. As someone who vibed very hard to both Different Beast and Six Hundred Strike, I disown this song, sorry. All it does is make me want to cry (not in a good way.)

On the other hand, I Can't Help but Wonder is easily my favorite song in the saga. Especially also compared to song 40, the Odysseus & Telemachus reunion felt so genuinely heartfelt. The fact that the transition between songs 38 and 39 is so seamless while also being a 180° tone shift probably means something ... And then there is the Athena return, which is easily my favorite moment in the saga. I was not expecting a WotM reprise, and it was the best surprise in the saga, and it made me very happy. Her "very well" (+ 3 second pause) also broke my heart, but we don't talk about that. The only thing that irritates me about this moment is what Odysseus actually replies to her. Idk how to elaborate on that, because on one hand, he would feel this way after all that he's been through; on the other hand, it's not actually true. Worse, it feels like one of the few thematically significant moments in the saga, but in a bad way somehow.

And then Would You Fall In Love With Me Agagin was ... easily the greatest disappointment of the saga. I want to talk about this one a little more, I think, because I have a lot of things to say.

Disclaimer: I actually ADORE the instrumentals in this song. @glisten-inthedark did some very good preliminary examinations of it, and I don't really have anything to add to that, so go check out her posts if you want. I also adored the vocal performances (but honestly, there is no bad vocal performance in all of EPIC.)

I am strictly going to talk about the lyrics and the storytelling and what kind of impression it gives of Penelope. I don't know, but to me, the whole song feels like he's trying to share with her the things that hurt him (describing them as monstrously as possible, because of course he would.)

Like, on one hand, it is really kind of her to not judge him and to accept him again so readily. On the other hand, the way she phrases it feels really dismissive of his pain ("You’re mine / Don’t tell me you’re not the same person / You’re always my husband")

To me, this sounds essentially like, "What are you talking about? You don't have any problems! Stop telling me you've changed! No matter what, you're still my husband; I love you." (Girl, you don't even know him anymore. I'm sorry, I had to.)

Honestly, I feel like he desperately needs someone to be rational about his deeds, the way that Athena was in God Games (I really wish that he could've heard that somehow ... or that she sits down with him to tell him all of those things in person and why they don't actually make him a monster.) Because while Penelope's unconditional acceptance may feel nice on the surface, I feel like it will only bury the issue and isn't actually going to help with his self-demonization.

And maybe it's just me, but the line "But all of that was to bring me back to you" icked me out. Like, yes, Odysseus would describe it as that; that's not my problem. My problem is that it is never brought back or examined again in the song, because it leaves the impression (at least to me) that all of his deeds are fine "because they were committed for love," which is wrong on so many levels. It actually does the whole story of EPIC a disservice, in my opinion, since so far it's been genuinely brilliant about honestly and rationally making all of his acts feel justified. But this saga deviates from that too, so I don't even know anymore.

I don't know; I am just really disappointed by this song (and technically the whole saga, even though it had some brilliant moments.) I feel like I could probably describe what I wanted out of it at a later point, but my brain isn't functioning enough for that yet.

Another thing that I am unsure of what exactly it implies yet, but it feels significant: Penelope never once calls Odysseus by his name, while he says hers a lot. Very few people in this musical use his name, so I feel like this matters somehow.

Honestly, besides just that song, my main problem is that this saga feels really empty, thematically. Where all of the sagas before have had really strong thematic threads, both in themselves as well as in the grand scheme, this one feels very disconnected and very ... almost undermining everything that Act 2 has built so far. I'm really confused by it, honestly.

Anyway, I am gonna shut up now and probably relisten to it a few more times before we get the actual visuals. Please ignore if you happen to have loved this saga, but I needed to get all of this out of my system.

[litcest]

The House of Borgia: Sources and Scholarship

| Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 |

When I got my hands on Mirror, Mirror by Gregory Maguire, my plans were simple: read the book, do a write up about it and include a few notes here and there about who were the Borgias, the real family which Maguire re-imagines in a fairy tale setting. I did not expect that research into the Borgias would turn into a months long endeavour.

The result of all my efforts were a four parts series in which I try to lay out the known events and separate them from the myths and rumours that were spread about the family. I'm actually very proud of those posts, I love doing research (I mean... I love doing a good literature review, basic research is not much of my thing).

One thing that pissed me off a lot when researching was that I had no access to primary sources. I had to trust when an author said that "letters from the period confirm this". Like, tell me which letters and where they are, even if I can't actually access them because they were never digitalized, at least I would have names, years and quantity of letters.

As someone involved in academia, I know that the information I present is only as good as my sources. I didn't want to go doing in text citations because it can get very boring and also takes a lot of space. So, below, I present my references, and under the cut, I'll explain how I used each book. This way, I can have a clean conscience knowing that I did cite my sources.

References:

Batllori, M. La familia de los Borjas. Real Academia de la Historia, 1999.

Bradford, Sarah. Cesare Borgia: his life and times. Macmillan, 1976.

Burchard, Johann. Pope Alexander VI and His Court Extracts from the Latin Diary of Johannes Burchardus. Edited by F. L. Glaser, N.L. Brown, 1921.

Carrasco, Raphael. The Borgia Family. Presses universitaires de la Méditerranée, 2013.

Gregorovius, Ferdinand. Lucretia Borgia According to Original Documents and Correspondence of Her Day. D. Appleton and Company, 1903.

Meyer, G. J. The Borgias: The Hidden History. Bantam, 2013.

Morris, S. Cesare and Lucrezia Borgia: Brother & Sister of History's Most Vilified Family. Pen & Sword Books, 2020.

Strathern, P. The Borgias: Power and Depravity in Renaissance Italy. Pegasus Books, 2019.

La familia de los Borjas, by M. Batllori

This book was used in the first few paragraphs. It's where I got the information of the Borja's genealogy and origens. The book is in Spanish and I don't speak Spanish, but it's similar enough to Portuguese that I was able to identify passages of interest and then send them to my uncle's girlfriend, who is a Spanish professor.

Cesare Borgia: his life and times, by Sarah Bradford

I used this one to get more details about Cesare's campaign in Romagna (which didn't end up being in the final post) and also to cross reference dates and events.

Pope Alexander VI and His Court Extracts from the Latin Diary of Johannes Burchardus, by Johann Burchard

This is the journal of Rodrigo Borgia's master of cerimonies, translated and edited by F. L. Glaser. It's where some allegations originate, specially the Banquet of Chestnuts.

The Borgia Family, by Raphael Carrasco

The Borgias: The Hidden History, by G. J. Meyer

Used to cross-reference and confirm information I found in other books.

Lucretia Borgia According to Original Documents and Correspondence of Her Day, by Ferdinand Gregorovius

Used in my Mirror Mirror post to fact check Lucrezia whereabouts. It's a collections of letter for her, from her or about her.

This book sucks. Meyer presents of evidence for his claims that Rodrigo wasn't the actual father of Cesare and Lucrezia, and also tries to convince the reader that Rodrigo was a good man and did nothing wrong. And while I do think there was a defamation campaign against the Borgias, I also think there's no way that everyone was in it and that everything was forged. However, it did provide some background on the Italian political scene of the time.

Shitty book. I might just do a whole post complaining about it. Also, you know what Meyer doesn't do? Cite sources! He just claims things and expects us to take it at face value. His one source is Peter de Roo, who all other author claim was extremally biased and had an agenda to make Pope Alexander V (a.k.a. Rodrigo Borgia) seem a decent guy.

Cesare and Lucrezia Borgia: Brother & Sister of History's Most Vilified Family, by S. Morris

Once again, used to check if the information I was getting was indeed what was most accepted by modern historians.

The Borgias: Power and Depravity in Renaissance Italy, by P. Strathern

This is the best of the bunch. It was the first book I picked up about the Borgias and what my first draft of the post was based upon. From there, I picked other books that Strathern used as a source and then what those books were citing. Absolutely amazing work in my opinion, but I couldn't find what actual scholars think of the book (Strathern is not a historian). I think it was very unbiased and cited it's sources and didn't leap into any conclusion. But if it turns out I'm wrong, I'll gladly revisit this series and re-write using more academic accredited works.

[karizard-ao3]

Hi Karizard! Just finished reading Clueless Teens in like … two sittings - it’s legit the best school caste au fic I’ve come across, i love it so much. I know Eremika is the main focus but holy shit ur Aruani is! So sweet! 😭 Would you ever consider writing more Aruani stuff in the future?

Aw, thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed it! I tend to include Aruani as a side ship in my longer fics. They feature in Anamnesis but I didn't tag them as a ship because they do not have a happy ending together and it's pretty much just solid angst between them throughout lol.

I'm still working on finishing my single parents au wip, but Aruani are the other couple in it. They, of course, don't show up as much as Eremika, but they are in it and they deal with changes to their relationship due to becoming new parents.

I'm going to share a little snippet, as a treat (also, I'm chomping at the bit to get this finished and posted, so I want very badly to share scenes and whatnot).

Here, Armin and Annie bring their baby on his first outing, meeting up with Eren, Mikasa, and their kids at the playground.

BEGIN SCENE!

Annie made sure Alexander was secure in his sling while Armin grabbed the diaper bag and slung it over his shoulder. 

"Is he okay in there?" he fretted. "You're sure he won't fall out or smother?"

"Maybe the sling wasn't a good idea…" said Annie, looking up at the other families occupying the playground near Eren and Mikasa’s houses. "Maybe bringing him out at all wasn't a good idea…" 

She bit her lip and glanced over towards where Eren and Mikasa were watching their kids play. Mason was running back and forth across the play structure’s bridge, doing spin kicks at each landing, while Adriana squealed and hollered because Eren was wiping her nose when she wanted to play. She had been a snotty, coughing mess all morning, he’d warned them, adding, “But don’t worry. The doctor said she’s not contagious, just gross.”

So maybe Adri wasn't an infection risk, but what about all these other kids? Annie held Alexander protectively against her body. He made a grunting sound, bobbing his fists and looking up at her. She glanced down at him just in time to see his face screw up and relax as he farted. Her heart swelled. "We're going to bring you home so none of these rowdy little shits can get you sick," she cooed. 

Alexander grunted again, not comprehending but pleased to be part of the conversation.

"Armin, we're going," said Annie.

"Sounds good!" said Armin, opening the car door he had just closed and stowing the diaper bag back inside.

Across the park lawn, Mikasa smacked Eren's arm and pointed at them.

"Ope!" he said, setting Adri free and jogging across the grass to the Arlerts. "Don't even think about it!" he said, stopping next to them. "You told us you were going crazy stuck at home. Now that the baby has his shots and it’s warming up, it's time for you two to get out of the house. He’ll be fine. You don’t need to keep him in a bubble."

"Look," said Armin. "I know it probably seems like we're being excessive to you, but you don't know what it's like having a child with medical issues."

Eren gaped at him. “Seriously?”

"What?" said Armin. "You don't."

"My kid literally can't breathe without daily steroids and gets bronchitis multiple times a year," said Eren, his eyebrows dropping into a dangerous line across his face. "What is Alexander's chronic illness?"

Armin averted his eyes. 

"Sorry. I didn't hear you. What was it again?" said Eren. He was in a far worse mood than usual.

"Nothing," grumbled Armin. "The doctor gave him a clean bill of health.”

“Oh!” said Eren. “How interesting!” 

“But his immune system is still immature so we have to be careful with him,” Armin persisted.

Eren held up his hands. "Fine. But if you keep sheltering him from everything like this, Alexander is going to turn out like you," he warned.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Armin demanded. "My parents did a great job!"

Annie reached past him to open the car door and get the diaper bag back out. “I guess a little fresh air and sunshine wouldn’t hurt.”

Armin turned to look at her, the betrayal evident all over his face. 

"I love you so much, baby," she said. "Just the way you are."

"That's not really what it seems like right now!" said Armin.

"No, really!" said Annie. "You're so intelligent and handsome and talented!"

"But?" said Armin, folding his arms.

"No buts," said Annie, heading towards Mikasa. "It's just that my dad didn't coddle me at all and I'm much less…"

"Much less what?" said Armin, scowling and chasing after her.

"Um... Prissy," said Annie. 

“We are talking more about this at home,” said Armin.

“Yes, dear,” said Annie.

“Tan I see the baby?” Adri squealed as soon as she noticed the Arlerts had finally joined them, chugging down the play structure steps as fast as her little legs could carry her and wiping her snot on her pudgy wrist.

Annie closed her eyes, took a deep, stabilizing breath and kneeled down so Adri could see Alexander. 

“Hello little Aleskander!” Adri said, then sneezed in his face, spraying him in spit.

Alexander gasped, his eyes popping open wide and his arms flinging out to his sides. “Oh, god…” groaned Annie.

Armin glared at Eren.

“Sorry little guy! I promise she’s not contagious,” said Eren, snatching his backpack from the ground and pulling out a pack of wipes. Alexander’s fists were bopping a mile a minute. His run-in with Adri had been very exciting. Eren held out the pack of wipes for Annie and she extracted one, using it to clean her son’s face while he aired his grievances in a thin wail. He was no longer enjoying his grand adventure now that it included being subjected to torture. 

“He’s crying,” Mason observed, skipping toward them to see the new baby. “Maybe he’s hungry. Mom, can I have a snack?”

“Tan I have one, too?” said Adri.

“I might have something,” said Mikasa. She hadn’t packed anything besides her and Mason’s lunches because they were going to be eating so soon but she might have a bag of chips or a protein bar in her purse that the kids could split.

“I’ll give Aleskander his bottle,” Adri said, putting her hands on her hips and inspecting the baby with an officious nod. “I’s going to take very good care of him.”

Mason grabbed his hair. “You know what? I can’t take it anymore, Adriana!” he shouted. “It’s I’m! Not I’s! You are saying it wrong! You say everything wrong! How can you be so dumb?”

"Mason!" said Mikasa.

Adriana’s face twisted with rage and she punched him.

“Ow!” Mason yelped. “She hit me!”

“Adriana May Jaeger!” Eren barked.

“I think she gave me internal bleeding,” Mason moaned, doubling over and clutching his stomach.

“He said I’s dumb!” Adriana howled.

“I’m,” Mason screeched. “You’re supposed to say I’m! Did you learn to talk at upside-down school?”

“I’s! Too! Little! For! Stool!” Adriana shrieked, punching him again.

“My organs!” Mason wailed.

“Kids with busted organs don’t get to play at the playground,” said Mikasa, sifting through her giant bag with greater urgency. Maybe if their mouths were occupied with chewing, the kids would stop screaming at each other. “Kids with busted organs have to go to the hospital.”

Mason eyed her, then straightened with theatrical uncertainty, patting his abdomen. “Hey! It doesn’t hurt anymore! ” he said as if he were as shocked by the news as any of them. “I’m okay!”

“A miracle,” said Mikasa.

END SCENE!

[blueaetherr]

could you pls write a second part to “to love and to be loved”? maybe a continuation where trent confesses or where they’re already together? you choose<3

when fates align

pairing: trent alexander-arnold x gn!reader [they/them]

warning(s): none

summary: the one where trent and y/n unknowingly witness their fates fall into perfect position

author's note: part two to this imagine

now playing: favourite by nicki minaj ft. jeremih

During the early night, Trent and Y/N were up in the hills of LA overlooking the grand sight of the City of Lights. Up there, alone together as an unbothered pair, there was amusement and enjoyment as they smiled and laughed at whatever and drank whatever they wanted, vibing to the music they chose to play aloud for everyone yet nobody to hear.

Considering the end of the season Trent decided to on holiday, and with Y/N. It was not only his chance to drift away from his daily life but to also spend some valued time with his friend. Fortunately, Trent knew his dear Y/N so well, so well that he understood that they were still in their feelings about their ex-lover even if they refused to say it. Either way, Trent wanted Y/N to feel better about themself, to have them neglect their past lover in mind and thought.

The open environment, the calm scenes they had sight of almost every day, being some miles away from their relationship problems, blasting their favourite tunes without fear of judgement, playing both childish and explicit games—it provided Y/N with enough assurance that let them decompress and relax for a minute, letting Y/N enjoy the time spent together with her friend, something Trent deeply cherished for some right and wrong reasons.

"I remember playing Just Look Over Shoulder while I was getting ready for some party and he told me you know it's sampled, right?" Y/N started with their focus on the picturesque views of LA. "And obviously I knew 'cause you can just hear MJ's voice throughout the song, but I didn't know what song was sampled. So he introduced me to the original song and from then on, my appreciation for sampled songs went to another level, especially this one," they exhaled softly before turning to Trent with a hopeful glance. They clasped their fingers together. "So what do you think?"

After listening to the I'll Be There, Trent took the earphones out of his ears. Then he nodded in approval, his facial expression remaining positive and bright. "Yeah, I think it's really nice."

"Oh yeah?" Their eyes gleamed with excitement. Not that Y/N expected their music taste to be turned down, but rather she cared a lot about his opinion— because it was Trent.

"Of course," Trent said with a small laugh, adjusting his position on his car's hood. He cleared his throat, before folding his arms. "I don't think you can go wrong with the Jackson 5."

"I know." Then there was a slight dip in their smile, their eyes falling to their lap. "I hate that I love it though, and every other sampled song."

"Wait, why?" Trent wondered as a frown settled across his lips, his eyes clouded with sympathy. For a minute he thought he had done everything to let Y/N destress and relax. I mean everything had been going so well for some time until some moments ago. It was a mild guess, but he could guess it was caused by the thought of a past lover.

Y/N shook her head. They knew they would find some level of shame in their reasons. "I love them 'cause of him." And I'm correct, Trent thought. With their fingers picking at their shorts, they explained, "Every time I listen to them– some even being my favourite songs– my thoughts go back to him. I think about him and I don't want to, you know?"

Trent's eyes wandered around the scenery before they returned to Y/N, asking, "Do you hate your ex?"

"No. Not really." In truth, Y/N could never hate their ex-partners, both more and less recent ones. Their relationships never ended with arguments, hateful words or with resentment. Instead, the two parties always ended on mutual terms and exchanged their best wishes before parting ways. There was nothing to hate or even dislike about their partners when respect was a given for all of them. 

"It's the fact that everything we had—which was something really good—has kinda been left for me to hold for now," Y/N held their hand up as if they were holding something. "From what I've seen, he's kinda moved on."

Trent nodded slowly, carefully thinking out his response. In simple, he wanted to restore his friend's happiness and confidence. "Your liking towards sampled songs shouldn't be burdened by your ex introducing them to you," he assured, moving his shoulders up and down. "I mean unless you can, I can't see you unliking them any time soon."

They bit the inside of their cheek. "Then what do you suggest I should do?"

"Redirect your feelings about sampled songs towards other things and people," Trent advised, "That way you can enjoy them without having your ex in mind."

Y/N hummed, "Other things and people, huh?"

Noticing the humour and suggestiveness in their response Trent's lips stretched upward, his dimples on perfect display. "Anything and anyone you want."

Y/N tilted their head slightly. "Like a new partner?" When his face dulled Y/N let out a chuckle, holding their stomach. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding, relax," they reached their hand on the nape of their neck and leaned back a bit. "I know I'm not in the right place to be in a new relationship."

Although Y/N wasn't quite over their ex, their self-worth and confidence still remained. They understood well that they were lovable and all their other relationships were just simply unfortunate and temporary, and not wastes of time. That there would be a time, maybe after a few more relationships, when they would remain in a stable one. That somewhere there was someone who they sooner or later could define as home and experience, fulfilling their desire to be loved. They just had to be patient and willing to be given the right person rather than trying to rush fate.

"Remember a few weeks ago when you told me you had someone in mind?" They asked as their eyes settled on the views in front of them. They couldn't help it—so mesmerising and delicate to the eye from a high rural position.

"Briefly, yeah," Trent coughed out a response, his words opposing his thoughts so well. He hadn't expected the two to return to the conversation. Not only was it a few weeks ago but he thought Y/N would take it as him speaking hypothetically (even though he wasn't). "What about it?"

"Well, I've been thinking about it, you know, 'cause I love and value your opinion so much. So I've been trying to imagine the next person I might be with, trying to guess if you were describing one of our friends or maybe someone I haven't met yet. And it's been hard 'cause everything you said I mean..." Y/N stretched their words as they lifted their hand above their head, "You set the standards high like that."

Monitoring their facial expression Trent was quick to notice their mild sadness. He patted their shoulder before assuring softly, "You've always had high standards." He didn't just say that to reassure his friend—he truly believed Y/N held high standards when it came to dating. This was evident in the fact that he never found himself hating or disliking any of their ex-partners. What they saw as their low standards was the fact their relationships failed to last for significant lengths of time.

"Yeah, but they're always kinda redundant by the time the relationships end. Anyway, I've thought, and thought, and thought and... I don't know. But whoever it is, wherever they may be right now, they do sound wonderful," Y/N nodded, their recent frown forming into a smile. And though it was small, it managed to reach their eyes perfectly. Then they directed their words towards Trent, "Just like you, so really, I have nothing to stress about, right?"

Something quite evident about the pair's friendship was the fact that Y/N highly appreciated Trent, in both platonic and otherwise ways. He provided their bests through their worst, he provided them reassurance when their confidence was low. He always went beyond the expectations of one's typical friend and for that, they would forever remain grateful that he was involved in their life every day.

For some time there was some quiet between the two, soft music from the speaker brought along lounging in the air. The blend of everything, the soft music, the default romantic scenery they found themselves in, the invisible feelings in the air, and Trent's loud thoughts overwhelming his judgement—was enough for Trent to say what had been on his mind for some time, somewhere as early as Y/N's first relationship.

"I didn't want to tell you a few weeks ago 'cause I thought it would be cruel considering you just broke up with your partner, and I also didn't want to pressure you into feeling any type of way and I'm not expecting anything in return. That wouldn't have been nice, would it? And to be honest, I feel like I shouldn't be saying this now either since you still seem to be getting over your ex. But I just wanted to let you know, that's all."

Y/N's face fell at his words, some confusion yet understanding falling over them. They didn't know exactly what Trent was saying, but they were willing to tune in carefully.

"I'm the person I've had in mind for you. I'm this wonderful person I was talking about a few weeks ago. I'm the wonderful person you're talking about now, the one who set your standards high apparently. Again, you don't have to say anything. I-I—" Trent exhaled deeply as he closed his eyes. His lack of sight gave him some clarity, letting him focus. "Clearly, you've taken my words seriously, so I feel like it's only fair to tell you so I don't lead you astray when everything I was talking about was about, well, me."

Opening his eyes Trent was faced with Y/N. Slowly, realisation dawned on their face as their mouth fell open. It was then that Trent felt panic cross over his face. Did he just say all that for everything to not work out in the end?

But then they came through, their facial expression beginning to open up. "I don't know, Trent... I feel like you're forcing fate right now."

"Really? You've been thinking and wondering about that? " Trent scoffed out a small laugh, one full of relief and happiness. Relief and happiness in finally knowing that the feelings he had been holding towards someone for some time weren't all for nothing and one-sided. "I don't know about you but it sounds like everything's falling into place just right."

Y/N shrugged with a smile, one shy yet somehow still mirroring Trent's. "Maybe is it, you know." They declared, "You're one of my favourite people, Trent. Well, you are my favourite person." Unconsciously, their exes were based on their dear friend, Trent. His vibrant personality, his dull humour, his high standards. That's why Y/N's ex-partners were all so perfect in not only their eyes but also Trent's eyes; Y/N liked everything that was Trent while Trent would, obviously, love everything that was him.

Together, the two shared kind smiles, laughter and conversations. There wasn't anything different about them, but the fact that both Trent and Y/N learned something new about one another—something both of them had wanted to be true for so long—just made their interactions now seem like a different and new experience, something where their visible emotions and feelings were involved.

There was so much to say, so much the two wanted to say, so much that needed to be said. For understanding, to ease minds, to learn all the details there was to know. 

But Trent and Y/N would wait. In that moment, emotions were overwhelming and one wanted to say this and that that it would be too chaotic. Allowing what the two wanted to happen right now would ruin the events that were supposed to happen, rushing fate. So Trent and Y/N would be patient and willing for when it would be okay to move forward, and for once, together.

In the meantime, Trent and Y/N would enjoy their time together somewhere in the hills of LA. They would cherish their final moments together as just friends, knowing that when they would return to their holiday home, when they would return to England, or when a few weeks or months have passed, the two would get to spend time together as everything they have wanted for each other and for themselves—loving (Y/N) and being loved (by Trent).

[onlyseokmins]

Spicy things I think abt a lot in rc...

Vying for Versailles:

All of it tbh specifically ft the amount of threesomes and Alexandre's debauched yearning and long ass smut scene whew

Hearts of Trespia:

REINHOLD

Whoever wrote that meme of "man loses everything and becomes 10x hotter" so true

I love Wyatt but reinhold is super special to ME his scenes were hot and kinda unhinged for no reason grrr

The first smut scene is so intimate and tender :(

Rage of the Titans:

Considering mc's goddess incarnation and yet she can sleep w/ like every character past, future, present and enemies before deciding on a main LI in s3????? 😭

And despite how many spicy scenes there were, they were all pretty damn good for no reason

Marshall's was unfairly hot with a bit of angst at the end ffs might replay just for him, Murphy's def a certified freak, Jason's a menace, Adrian's had me feeling emo, and Theo's got me gasping and reeling STILL from the whole "five-two thrusts" and making her COUNT the slow ones....

Chasing You 1 & 2

Alexander's freaky ass w/ his bondage teaching, attic scene, boat scene, and the greenhouse scene in CY2!!

His god complex makes me wanna d-word but we move

Sam's were spicy in CY1 but I really don't remember them all that much idk he kinda annoyed me but I like him much better in CY2 😋

Ezra's choking is wack 💀 can't wait to punt his ass sorry not sorry

Heaven's Secret 1 & 2

Tbh Lucifer's spicy scenes were kinda random and wack 😭 HS2 def sold me tho w/ his stupid angst self

The whole fingering outside his jail cell got me weak tho

Mimi tasting like raspberry!!! I knew that first Christopher!! F U!

FALLING DURING ANDY'S SCENE BUT STILL GOING GOD BLESS U FREAKS

Dino's flying scene too ok pop off or fly off king

Malbonte's scenes 💯 BITING AH

His post wedding scene convinced me I picked the right man it had me kicking and screaming when I saw the options 😭

I refuse to romance and satisfy Astaroth's perversions but he is a freak and their reactions in the memory isles got me dead

The Flower From Tiamat's Flower

Tbh still not sure if mc took the Dragon dong mad respect if she did 😭

Song of the Crimson Nile

THE SEXUAL TENSION GO BRRRRR

I JUST KNOW IN MY TIDDIES THAT SET'S GONNA MAKE A REFERENCE TO RIDING AND NOT HORSE RIDING AND IF HE DOESN'T I'LL CRY BUT I'LL PROLLY WIFE LIVIUS UP FIRST OH WHALE

Also Set's fuckin reference to a peach (if u pick that perfume) for no reason what a heathen

Amen is such a thirsty mfer my god I only took his scenes to laugh at his thirsty ass 😭 I *need* to know how this ends rn

Legend of the Willow

KAZU

YEAH HIS FIRST SCENE DAMN WOW I CRY LIKE SIR ALSO THE YEARNING?

Also also him tying up his hair before going down on Mei OKAY

Soulless:

Threxio u dumb tease 😭

[xx-psychobunny-xx]

UNDER THE SKIN

T/N, a down-to-earth tattoo artist, is forced to hire Alexander, a rebellious and charismatic tattoo artist with a mysterious past. The sexual tension between them is palpable from the first moment, and as they spend more time together, the line between professionalism and desire becomes increasingly blurred. Will they be able to overcome their differences and build a relationship based on mutual respect, or will passion consume them completely? Warning: This story contains scenes of explicit sexual content, vulgar language and adult situations. Discretion is advised for underage readers.

Chapter 1: Ink and Tension

Chapter 1: Ink and Tension

The doorbell rang insistently, interrupting the relative calm of the studio. T/N stopped reviewing the designs and headed towards the front door. She opened it cautiously, finding herself face to face with a man radiating a wild, magnetic energy. It was Colson, the new tattoo artist candidate, and his presence filled the room.

Dressed entirely in black, with tattoos that snaked up his arms and neck like maps of a tortured soul, he was a striking figure. His blond hair, slightly disheveled, framed intense blue eyes that seemed to pierce T/N as they examined her from head to toe. He was at least a foot taller than her, and his posture exuded confidence, almost arrogance.

“You’re T/N, aren’t you? The famous owner of this ink den,” he said, his voice deep and raspy, with a hint of a smile.

T/N, a petite blonde with gray eyes, crossed her arms and returned his gaze with equal intensity. Her appearance was the complete opposite of his: simple, in comfortable clothes, and without a single tattoo. Despite their difference in size and style, she didn't feel intimidated, but she was a little nervous under Colson's intense gaze.

“That’s right. And you must be… Colson. I’ve seen your portfolio. It’s… interesting.” She stammered slightly at the end, aware of her nervousness.

“Same with you.” His smile widened, revealing a row of sharp teeth. He stepped a little closer, so close she could feel his body heat. “Nervous, beautiful?”

T/N felt her cheeks heat up. “Not at all,” she lied, though her voice betrayed her.

The atmosphere was charged with sexual tension. T/N invited him in, but kept a prudent distance. She led him through the studio, showing him the different workspaces. Colson examined everything with a critical eye, but he didn’t miss an opportunity to give T/N a flirtatious glance.

“I like your style, it’s dark, rebellious. Just what I’m looking for,” he said, stopping in front of one of the walls where some of T/N’s most impressive tattoos hung. “And you... you’re even more interesting.”

T/N felt a shiver run down her spine. It was obvious that Colson was enjoying her reaction. But despite her nervousness, she also felt a strange attraction to this mysterious and dangerous man.

“Thank you. But we’re looking for more than just a tattoo artist here. We’re looking for someone who fits in with our team, someone responsible, someone who can work as part of a team.” She tried to sound as professional as possible, but her voice trembled slightly.

“Teamwork, huh?” he repeated with a playful grin. “I don’t think I’m very good at that. But maybe we could teach you a thing or two.” His voice was low and suggestive, and he leaned in closer, his breath fanning her face. T/N's breath hitched in her throat. She knew she should push him away, assert her authority, but something within her was strangely drawn to the danger in his eyes.

And so their working relationship began, marked by tension, attraction, and competition. T/N and Colson were like fire and ice, two opposite forces that attracted and repelled each other at the same time. Despite their difference in personality and style, they both shared a passion for the art of tattooing and an unwavering determination.

What do you think will happen next? Will T/N give in to the temptation, or will she maintain her professional distance? How will Colson react to her challenge?

I'm eager to hear your thoughts and see where you'd like to take this story! Perhaps you have some ideas for the test T/N will give Colson, or maybe you'd like to explore his past and the meaning behind his tattoos. Let me know your ideas, and we can continue to build this story together.

I'm excited to see where this goes!

[queenwraths]

well met ! as blood demands nikolaos " nick " yilmaz  has answered the call ! they have been chosen and are now claimed as the   child of hera . while they have been alive for thirty years ,  the adventure has just begun . they must now train hard in the ways of the rogue . while their  ambitious , charismatic , loyal  can be an asset to the god ’ s cause , their arrogant , manipulative , overcalculating could create some tension . only the fates will know in the end , but now their thread has been woven into the tapestry of myths and legends !

hello friends , romans , countrymen ! my name is river ( twenty - nine / he & him ) and i ' m super excited to be a part of this exciting group ! under the cut you will be able to find some info on nick --- kind of a lot , but still not extremely detailed on present day . . . this will be edited as the plot progresses !

IDENTIFICATION

full name : nikolaos alexander yilmaz

class : rogue ( soulknife )

nicknames : nick

gender : cis - male

pronouns : he & they

sexuality : bisexual

age : thirty

date of birth : august 1st , 1994

place of birth : los angeles , california

nationality : turkish - american

FAMILY

parents : defne yilmaz ( biological mother ) , alexandra rose ( adoptive mother ) , hera ( biological mother )

siblings : damla yilmaz - rose , aylin yilmaz - rose , eren yilmaz - rose & half siblings born of hera

pets : a pure - bred white persian cat named chloe

family history :

the yilmaz family descends from aslan yilmaz : a noble turned political exile . once a figure of power in turkey , aslan was forced to leave everything behind , wealth and influence slipping through his fingers . settling in america , along the golden coast of california , the yilmaz family has rebuilt their legacy : this time , on the firm ground of american politics . using their sharp minds and unwavering resolve to carve out their new place . the rose family has long been a fixture amongst hollywood elite : the name is synonymous with power , influence and the glittering world of entertainment . actors , producers , entertainers . . . the family ' s members have shaped the industry both in the spotlight and behind the scenes . enter hera , queen of the gods , cloaked in mortal form , her heart burning with jealousy . for years , she had watched zeus ’ s subtle favors toward the youngest yilmaz daughter , a rising star in the world of politics , and her rage festered . it was not simply the favor that stung , but the doubt — doubt that zeus ’ s intentions were pure , that he might be grooming the young woman as a pawn in some grand scheme . a tipping of the scale in his favour in the games the gods play . in her fury , hera sought to make a statement that would shake the heavens . with a whispered promise of power , she seduced defne yilmaz , the result was a child — hera ’ s child — born not of love , but as a calculated affront to the king of the gods himself , a living symbol of her defiance . in 2002 , actress alexandra rose and senator defne yilmaz , after four years of reportedly close friendship , and some rumours , shock the world by announcing they are indeed partnered . alexandra loves the child born of yilmaz ' s previous union as her own , and together they add more children to the mix . it is speculated that in 2015 , after the legalization of their union , the goddess of marriage herself was there to bless the marriage between the two women .

PHYSICAL EXAMINATION .

face claim : alperen duymaz

hair color : dark brown , with a slightly tousled textured look that gives off an effortless yet refined appearance . it's often kept medium length , and with enough volume to add to his roguish charm

eye color : deep brown . intense and expressive , with a smoldering intensity that hints at his ambition .

height : 6 ' 1 " ( 187 cm )

physique : athletic and lean , with the kind of muscularity that comes from a mix of natural grace and rigurous self discipline . his movements are fluid , but controlled , a reminder of his divine parentage

demeanor : commanding , but charismatic . effortlessly draws people to him . nick carries himself with a quiet , almost regal confidence . . . though there is a roguish quality to his charm . he speaks with calm assurance , always with awareness that he holds the upper hand in the conversation

usual expression : a subtle smirk or half grin that is often more enigmatic than it seems . it suggests confidence , a little mystery and a hint of mischief . . . like he's playing a game others don't realize they're a part of .

distinguishing characteristics : a strong jawline and sharp features , paired with a quiet magnetic presence that radiates power and nobility . his posture is both relaxed and poised . a way of looking at people that makes one feel both important and somewhat insignificant at the same time .

PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION .

zodiac sign : leo sun , scorpio moon , gemini rising

meyer - briggs : entp : the debater

enneagram : type 3 , wing 7 : the achiever

moral alignment : chaotic good

studies : ba in political science

languages : english ( native ) , turkish ( fluent ) , greek ( conversational )

positive traits : adaptable , charming , courageous , independent , loyal , quick - witted , strategic

negative traits : arrogant , cynical , detached , impatient , manipulative , reckless , temperamental , vengeful

character parallels : prince zuko ( atla ) , dorian gray ( the picture of dorian gray ) , light yagami ( death note ) , anakin skywalker ( star wars ) , prince adam ( beauty & the beast ) , stefan salvatore ( the vampire diaries ) , carrion swift ( quicksilver ) , raoul de chagny ( phantom of the opera ) , eren yeager ( attack on titan )

FILE .

nikolaos “nick” alexander yilmaz was born into a world that gleamed like polished gold. in the sprawling estate along the los angeles hills, he was a prince of two worlds—politics and hollywood, a child raised under the joint glow of senate chambers and red carpets. his mothers, senator defne yilmaz and actress alexandra rose, adored him; his siblings laughed and played with him without reserve. to the outside world, the yilmaz-rose family was a modern pantheon, untouchable in their glamour and power. yet nick, even from a young age, felt something tugging at him from beneath the surface, something that whispered he didn’t quite fit. there were nights when he’d sit in his room, stroking chloe, his white persian cat, and wonder why the warmth of his family’s love never seemed to reach that cold, quiet part of him. and so, he worked to fill the void. excellence became his craft, his weapon. in every room, he had to be the smartest, the fastest, the most charming. if he could be perfect, perhaps he could outrun the gnawing sense that he was an outsider in his own life.

then the truth came crashing down like a thunderbolt. he was not merely a son of privilege, but the son of hera, queen of the gods. a divine secret, woven into his very blood, had set him apart all along. for a time, he basked in this revelation, his carefully built confidence swelling with the knowledge that he was chosen, special. what better proof of his superiority? yet, as the weeks passed and the awe faded, the questions crept in. what did it mean to be hera’s son? not a gift of love but a calculated strike against zeus, her eternal rival. nick began to see himself not as a prince among mortals but as a pawn in a divine quarrel. his crafted charm, his gilded façade, cracked under the weight of it. the only creature who saw the boy behind the mask was chloe, who purred in his lap as he tried, and failed, to piece himself together.

when the call to serve as one of ogygia’s guardians came, nick answered it with his signature smirk, though his heart wavered beneath the surface. he had always succeeded at everything—why should this be any different? but the island was not los angeles, and the other guardians were not star-struck mortals. they were seasoned, disciplined, and aware of their place in the grand tapestry of the gods. nick, by contrast, felt like a novice playing at greatness. his inexperience gnawed at him as fiercely as the cold had in his childhood, and yet his pride refused to let him falter in their eyes. when others offered to teach him, he waved them off with a casual, “don’t worry, i’ve got it,” though he was drowning in self-doubt. two months on the island had only deepened his frustration. every stumble, every lesson he refused to learn, chipped away at the flawless image he so desperately clung to. the boy who had always been too proud to ask for help now stood on the edge of something greater, his path uncertain. whether he would rise to meet it or shatter under the weight of his own expectations, only the fates could tell.

NSFW .

position : true versatile

size : 9 " ( 23 cm )

kinks : power dynamics , teasing , control , oral fixation , praise , playful banter , breeding , multiple orgasms , spontaneity , sensory play , role - playing , confidence , worshipping

anti - kinks : humilliation , gore , pain , non - consensual themes , routine , infantilism , disrespect , excessive control , public displays , jealousy games , shame based dynamics , watersports / scat

nsfw inspo .

[teejvee]

Decided to write out a scene I'll be animating for a sort of trailer for The Realm Chronicles. The parallels between Shad and his great something or other grandchild Aurora hurt me. Let's even play a little game! Which character in this will be the suprise death?

Story starts after the break.

Shad stares out the window, his eyes tight. His hand is thumbing his sword, he is not well. An aid walks into the room, standing at attention until Shad speaks.

"Talk." He says, glancing away from the window and at them. The woman looks as scarred as Shad- maybe more.

"Irene's armies have breached the inner walls, sir. It will not be long before she is here. Your family have been successfully smuggled out ofthe city. Menphia and Enki have them now." Shad trusted Enki with his life. Enki was his brother in every sense of the word. He did not trust Menphia. She had been the one to originally give him the scar across his neck. His hand comes up, rubbing against his neck a little, almost as if he was remembering what had happened.

"Then this will be the last stand. Irene will be the one to kill me, I suppose. Or maybe she'll leave the deed to that whore of a man she calls a friend." He grits his teeth thinking about Esmond. He hates Esmond "Thank you for serving me so well, Svanka. You have been one of the best second hands I could have." Svanka nods, eyes battle worn, but a soft smile on her face.

"I would go down fighting for you, my lord."

-

"I would go down fighting for you, my lord." She had heard that line before. Her chest aches as she looks back out at Alexander and his forces. Would Gabriel go down fighting for her? Would Tobias? Would she ever see her son again? How many people would have to die before Alexander felt 'satisfied'?

Aurora suddenly feels sick, like everything was sickingly clicking into place- and she fucking hated it. Why was it clicking into place? Why did it feel like everything had happened before? Why did-

"Aurora?" She swallows her fear, hardening her face. She couldn't look scared. These were her people. They had stayed behind to fight for and with her. Tobias was looking at her worried, and Aurora straightens up, thumbing her sword- a nervous trait she'd had since she was a kid. She would be okay. Everything was going to be fine. Alexander wasnt going to get away with this.

"Thank you for serving me, Tobias, Gabriel. You two are the best guards a woman could ever ask for." Gabriel- as if he could sense her fear- gives her a small, calm smile. Her tail twitches, almost like it was forcing her body to calm.

"And we'll continue to serve you, my lord." Gabriel replies first, face flickerinng into annoyance when Tobias shoves past him.

"You can't get rid of us that easy!" Tobias grins, his colourless eyes staring vaugly in her direction. "Trust me, we're harder to take down." The aching finally calms, and she feels warmth spread through her chest.

They would get out of this battle, and survive till the end.

I love emotionally destroying my characters. Isn't this fun?? Guys? Guys wait why do you have the pitchforks out- WAIT WAIT DONT BURN ME AT THE STAKE IM SORRY

[ladyhindsight]

After letting this book stew in the back of my mind a couple days, I've come to add some more points that I was thinking about after I first managed to unload most of my thoughts.

i. In one of the many examples of characters telling each other how much they've changed, Thomas tells Alastair that Alastair is not the same he was before. That Alastair wouldn't have rushed to help Thomas when he was arrested. Wouldn’t have followed Thomas the first place and to make sure he was safe. The person Alastair used to be wouldn’t have looked after Matthew and wouldn’t be reading book after book about paladins to try to help his sister. The first two, three points I can agree on, but that last part. Either Thomas knows nothing about Alastair and Cordelia's relationship, or the writing knows nothing about Alastair who did his everything so Cordelia had happy childhood with a loving father without the darkness behind it all. Seriously.

ii. In the end, it is told that Anna and Ari are looking to adopt kid(s) because there are many Nephilim orphans. Thomas and Alastair talk how they will never get to have kids, but it is never addressed why they couldn't adopt also.

iii. Jesse trains vigorously in order to build up strength, James is looking to train with someone else than Matthew. Why do we never see any adult Shadowhunters train in the series? As if they do not need to maintain and preserve their skills and strength.

iv. James and Alastair never conclude their feud or arrive to a truce.

v. James and Grace never arrive to any conclusion either with each other.

vi. James' story was so tied to Cordelia, Matthew, and Belial that all the other conflicts that were previously introduced weren't properly concluded. Just because James tells Cordelia he isn't angry and no longer cares or thinks about that stuff, in the narrative sense they still remain open with the characters he does not even interact with.

vii. Additionally to the Lightwoods not getting to grieve their children: When Gideon and Sophie appeared at the Iron Tombs, the writing didn't acknowledge them any more than making them present. No reaction, no emotion, nothing that even remotely touched the fact that their nephew had just died by Tatiana, that Gabriel and Cecily have now gone through the same incredibly awful loss as they had right before.

viii. There is similar passiveness in the narrative seen in Queen of Air and Darkness: When Robert has died, Alec rises from beside Robert's body and basically throws himself at Magnus, but Magnus isn't a participant in the action/has no reaction (for instance, doesn't hold Alec or embrace him back). When Isabelle cries because of Robert's death, she is sitting on a couch with Alec and is clinging to him and sobbing against his shoulder, but Alec, like Magnus in that scene mentioned above, isn't written doing anything. His lack of action (for instance, holding his arms around Isabelle or consoling her) just gives the image of him passively sitting there while Isabelle cries her heart out. Similarly Gabriel does have no reaction to Alex's kidnapping, he just holds Cecily who does. But then Cecily or Gabriel aren't allowed to have reaction to Kit actually dying.

ix. Cecily's absence in the final battle could be read as that she remained in Idris because of Alexander (and Kit's death), but having no mention of her or how she is fairing in the rest of the book is just insanely callous.

x. Lucie's secret about the ghosts in their parabatai ceremony rehearsal came out of nowhere since Lucie never really did show any apprehension for any reason becoming parabatai with Cordelia?

xi. The characters are once again attracted to each other's appearance.

xii. Anna's "slim curves" being a constant aspect told about her looks.

xiii. Why is that the Herondale kids (excluding the other part of the pair) are the only ones to have parabatai? It's so strange that such concept as parabatai is "rare" among the Nephilim when they could just benefit greatly from warrior partners who can draw strength from one another, draw stronger runes on one another, and just in general be stronger in battles.

xiv. Thomas is constantly comparing himself to James and Matthew (and no one else) :/ Wonder why...

xv. What meaningful thing did Matthew's character actually do as to the plot in this book? He had no integral part other than being James' voice after James is being possessed by Belial.

xvi. Why was the Blackthorn sword such a huge deal anyway? Wasn't there suppose to be a name for it?

xvii. Jesse's "stolen" runes are never addressed again, neither whether he got them stripped. Which either way raises the question of whether Shadowhunters stripped from their runes (which is told to be a painful procedure) and send into exile could have then reapplied just as well? Could someone like Edmund Herondale who was stripped of his Marks technically become a Shadowhunter once more?

xviii. Why were Lucie's and James' respective powers tied to Belial himself? Belial had no use for Lucie and says as such that he holds no interest over her. Why there is no actual consequence of having 1/4 of Greater Demon blood since their powers disappeared with Belial?

xix. Similarly to Gabriel and Cecily, Kit and Grace had more authentic build-up to a possible relationship whereas all the others were incredibly fabricated and contrived.

xx. There was an illustration (collector's first edition) of Cordelia holding the ice sword. It was supposed to be a tease for the readers waiting for the publication of the book, but then it was just one scene and didn't even really matter even though Cordelia slew Tatiana in Lilith's name.

xxi. Jesse berates and blames Grace for having a choice and making the wrong one as to the whole bracelet mess, but what would've become of Grace had she refused? This is never thought of or addressed by anyone, the least by Jesse. No one but Kit was interested in Grace's victimhood and healing.

xxii. Jesse and Grace's relationship is just left unaddressed the rest of the book (Aside that everyone is looking for James to know how to feel their independent feelings and ganging up on her) after Jesse gets mad at her. They become closer once more towards the end but the writing still rather leaves all things unsaid, so unconcluded.

xxiii. Alastair doesn't bond with anyone else than Thomas. Everyone is doing their missions with their romantic partners because that's how things always go in this series. Why care about mixing things up a bit and have different character interactions?

xxiv. Things that disappeared from previous installment: Ari's wish to befriend Grace, Grace's secret about Tatiana wanting her to seduce Jesse, the rumor/supposition/fact that Grace was bought by Tatiana.

xxv. James barely, if at all, grieves Kit or acknowledges his passing. Cordelia is the same. Matthew does a few times. Thomas was the only one to carry Kit's death with him to the end. It was absurd how quickly Kit's death was brushed aside. He didn't even get a funeral nor even as little as a mention of such.

xxvi. Kit and Grace would've become revolutionary inventors in the Shadowhunter spheres but that would've been too powerful, I guess. (Also great how the only big character described as not conventionally attractive dies??)

xxvii. James and Cordelia's relationship leans heavily on previously established feelings and lacks substance and chemistry, just words and physical desire.

xxviii. If Cordelia's bond with Lilith is ended the moment Belial dies by her blade, then how was she able to heal James with paladin sword?

xxix. Do all the protagonist need to go dimension-hopping as if not to be lesser than the previous ones? No matter, the TMI gang still holds the crown since they've been to Edom and Diyu. TID zero.

xxx. I'm assuming Clare thought it was better that Alec descended from Alex (just assuming since I don't yet know what the "real" family tree looks like), probably also because Kit and Grace don't have the HERONDALE HAIR and obviously their children possibly couldn't.

xxxi. All the unnecessary things in this book greatly outweigh the necessary ones. I don't see any re-read value in any of this. And I still don't know what the series name refers to.

[serendertothesquad]

Seren's Studies: Odd Squad UK -- "Odd Jubilee" Episode Followup, Part 2

And on to Part 2 we march! Will Precinct 97531 get their party? Let's find out below the break!

I honestly can't decide if this guy's part of Animal Control or if he's a trash collector.

Given the context, I'll assume the latter...but when I saw the grabbers my mind went to ACO.

LMAO EVEN T H E Y HATE ERRANDS JUST AS MUCH AS I DO. Bless them. This is the right reaction.

Clearly Alexander Shaw's talent doesn't lie so much in singing as Asha Soetan's talent lies in dancing.

That being said, it's not the most egregious use of AutoTune this franchise has had. The end of "Double O Trouble" takes the rotten cake on that.

(Post-edit note: "The Sandwich Project". Not "Double O Trouble". I was mistaken.)

"This would sound so much better as a Vocaloid song."

-- These two, probably

THE CHEF IS A HAIRSTYLIST?!?!?!

THIS MAN?!?!?!?

T H I S M A N ?!?!?!!?!?!?

I'm not even fucking mad, I'm downright amazed. Where was this non-crippling-overspecialization for Oksana and Olly, hehh???

"Noooo, nooooo. We were, uh...talking about...bathroom stalls. They're not up to ground-reaching code. We have to fix them."

Awwww fuaaaaaaaack, they Miku'd and Kaito'd the damn big shoes!!!

First time hearing the catchphrase and it's a mere "Iiiiit's Orli."

Which, if I think about it like she's watched The Shining a lot, makes it acceptable.

he always spills it down himself

he hasn't been seen with any smoothie stains the entire episode

I get continuity is hardly a thing with this franchise, but can we get a little scene-by-scene consistency? Is that so hard to do or are they stu-

...Well fuck. Clever Chekhov's Gun. I didn't even notice that, and that's saying something!

Did...did he go to sleep with his suit and the key on? Does the De-Saturday-inator change clothes in addition to ridding the victim of the Saturdays? Does it also give them important things like accessories and keys?

I just...I need to know the rules. I'm not cheating. I just wanna know.

Yeah, y'know, I read "Party Agents arrive with a party box" and didn't expect anything less than "party stuff shoots out of a box".

"I guess I knew my partner better than I realized."

This would have been a pretty nice lesson for "O is for Opposite", if Olympia, Otis, and Oona wanted to get to know Oprah better. Problem is, that episode is smack in the middle of the season and that episode isn't about getting to know Oprah better so much as it's about rectifying her mistake.

Ah well, another one for the rewrite pile.

Everything...oh God...everything was going so well until this guy went from smooth dancing to janky shit.

I'm crying, dear God. It's such a beautiful mess.

Putting aside that we have a very awkward cutoff ending in line with what this franchise tends to have...and it's definitely one of the more awkward cutoffs...your credits for this episode. The garbageman/ACO/whatever guy is named Louis, I suppose. Good to know.

---------------------------

Overall, this was an okay episode. I enjoyed it a lot better than "A Dish Served Odd" before it, even if the song was a little...nyehhhh. Wasn't what I expected, but it was decent enough. I'd say "too much AutoTune" but that might be more of a Shaw problem than an editor problem.

Maybe I missed it somewhere in the episode, but I hear Orli's been working at the UK precinct for three months by this point, which is incredibly unrealistic for a 12-episode season. Anime doesn't even have that big of a time gap, not until the end of the show. On top of that, if Orli doesn't know all these things about Ozzie three months in, that's...not a sign of good chemistry between them! At the very least, Olympia had a good idea of what Otis liked a little ways into Season 2, even though there was no definitive timeframe in between, say, "First Day" and "Happy Halfiversary". My guess is that I can chalk it up to Paul also needing to find his footing with this series, though his writing was pretty solid for this episode.

But anyway. With that aside, next followup will be for "The New Ozzie", which also faces a similar problem with the whole "three months" thing. Make it make sense, please, while I at least try to not have a stick up the butt for it.

Seren out!

[wildstar25]

Hello and happy one day until Halloween [:

I’ve been scrolling through your wol posting tag and I absolutely adore Arsay and her throuple with g’raha and y’shtola <3 I was curious, in your canon, what is Raha’s and Shtola’s relationship like without Arsay there and how has it changed over time? Would they count themselves as partners or just partners of Arsay?

Thank you so much for sharing your amazing gposes and artwork for your wol!! It has been a delight to look through. Have a great day [:

omg Thank you!!🥹 I love my catte throuple so much and it's so nice to hear other people like them and the posts I make about them too! That's a really good question. I can't seem to recall making a post about it since being caught up with the msq, so thank you for asking!

This ended up being quite long so I've place it under a read more haha apologies for rambling so much! As well, Happy halloween o/

Initially Shtola and Raha both considered themselves partners to Arsay first and foremost. They both cared for Arsay deeply and agreed to this poly situation because, after everything she's done for them, they wanted to do something for her that would make her happy. I also like to believe because they started off on the wrong foot, it took time for the two to build up trust in each other.

I have many side thoughts about how Raha held himself back while he lived out the persona of the Crystal Exarch, how his hesitance to the relationship caused Arsay to get upset, and how Y'shtola essentially saved the whole polycule very early on by telling the Exarch to get his head out of his ass stop living dishonestly and start thinking about what he really wants to do with his life. How that gave him the spark to think about the possibility of transferring his memories over to the version of himself on the source, since this version of him will never be free from the tower's grasp.

By the time everyone returns to the first, Raha and Shtola consider themselves trusted friends and deeply respect the importance they both have to Arsay. No words about it are exchanged, but there's a mutual understanding that for as long as this can go on for the three of them, it will. Shtola and Raha actually end up spending casual time together in the Rising Stones while Arsay is off doing warrior of light stuff. Turns out they actually have a lot to talk about together. Mostly about magical studies, but Y'shtola strikes me as someone who would be mildly curious to know of the event that took place in the timeline they erased, and Raha for sure would have loved to learn about Y'shtola's involvement in the warring triad stuff and the alexander raids. Plus they can theorize about history and mysteries of both the first and the source! By the time Endwalker starts, Arsay has noticed everyone seems a lot more comfortable with each other. She started asking to spend time all together more often then not. There was no real objections to this surprisingly. They all settle into a consistent dynamic around each other pretty naturally. If you were to ask Raha or Shtola how they defined their relationship at that point they would probably say they were just Arsay's partners and leave it at that. Ask Arsay and she might let slip how she caught the two snuggled up to each other while they were reading on the couch at her apartment.

[end of endwalker 6.0 spoilers from this point]

The next shift between the two is while on the Ragnarok waiting for Arsay to regain consciousness. I have a particular scene in my head which i cant gpose out since I don't have access to the environment so here it is described: --

Y'shtola has placed herself against the wall of the ship, shifting from pose to pose doing her best to contain her nervous energy. They did all that they could to seal up as many of Arsay's wounds as possible. Still it was impossible to tell just how much blood Arsay had split prior to her arrival. What Y'shtola could see is that Arsay's aether was unbelievably weak, having been all but spent in a final clash with (presumably) Zenos. For all Y'shtola knew, Arsay's body arrived to them too late. Her head began to spiral at the thought. So much so that she had failed to notice G'raha had torn himself from Arsay's side to stand next to her. He looked at Y'shtola with a pitiful face, eyes puffy and red, lips pressed into a trembling frown. Neither of them had the wherewithal to speak at this point, and Y'shtola most certainly did not want to. Twelve forbid if a single being on that ship heard her voice shake or crack even the slightest. Instead, G'raha timidly put his hand around Y'shtola's and held it. It was a small gesture, something he'd often do whenever Arsay looked in need of support. It was a comfort to her, to hold hands with a loved one. The two stood together in silence. Their gazes fixed on to Arsay's motionless figure laying in the centre of the room. Y'shtola squeezed G'raha's hand ever so slightly. Holding on to someone you love was a great comfort indeed.

-- Perhaps its not an as romantically charged love, but its love! Shtola and Raha are part of Arsay's tribe and they've come to care deeply for each other. Again, I do not believe either would readily admit to those feelings publicly, but in private conversation with Arsay it's obvious how fond of each other they have become. (this is also when shtola and raha begin feeling more comfortable being intimate together with Arsay >w> she is notorious for doing everything for her partner and not really letting herself be focused on. The two of them work as a team to make sure arsay gets some attention *nods* )

And, imo?, their closeness is kinda backed up by the endwalker patch content where G'raha already knew where to find Y'shtola and did not hesitate to get her for the treasure hunt. And then many of the proceeding patches has Y'shtola saying in passing that she's been in constant communication with G'raha. okay yes im not delusional, I know they are brought up because of them having relevance to the things happening or being done in the plot but still! The way the dialogue is phrased I can't help but put my wolship glasses on lol. I figure Raha and Shtola keep pretty consistent contact even when they are busy doing their own thing, same as Arsay does with them. The most recent development for my wolship is that by 6.5, they are all pretty much married to each other. Unofficially, that is. No ceremony is held or anything of that vein. It was more that they all finally managed to say out loud how much they want to be in each other's lives no matter where the future takes them.

Eventually I picture the three of them getting a proper house together. Arsay surprises G'raha by importing a bunch of furnishings from the crystarium, and dedicates an entire room just for Y'shtola's book collection. She also brings back some flowers native to the Greatwoods for decoration. Until then though home is wherever they are together!

So yeah! thats the break down of grah and shtola part of graharshtola!

thank you for reading, asking the question, and sending such a sweet message about my blorbos. Hope you have a fantastic day <3

[inmyhorrorsera]

S5E4 "The Campaign" thoughts

Episodes 4 of this show have always been ICONIC for me: "Manhattan night club" from s1? one the best of that season; "The curse" from s2? one of the best of the series imo; "The casino" from s3? LITERALLY REDEFINED THE SHOW, MY RELATION WITH IT AND ALTERED MY BRAIN CHEMISTRY; s4? i don't know her; but this episode was a little light compared to its predecessors and thats okay too.

Everything I could say about Nandor being jealous/pining for Guillermo has already been said by people who are more eloquent and better at english, so I'll just say YES, THANK YOU, MORE.

Even tho I wish this development was more seamless from the ending of the past season to the beginning of this one, I think his jealousy would look a little abrupt when I'll binge once the season is over (not complaining tho).

Loved Evie is back, love that shes the same manipulating, gaslighting, heartbreaking queen that she was on s2.

Nandor carrying all those popcorns in the background on Alexander's talking head 😭

Ok, I cant say much about Laszlo and Nadja's storyline, I'm not greek or familiar with greek culture so I don't know how is it's depiction on the show (and I know the place is called "little Antipaxos" but i think thats more of a workaround by the writers to not be completely accurate). I just… idk. I'm a little iffy. What I know is how would I react if this storyline were written with Guillermo's mexican family and Nandor/Laszlo/other character (spoiler: I would be pissed).

Saying that, I dislike that oooold trope of "competent wife/stupid husband that keeps embarrassing her". Is lazy, ooc, and Laszlo and Nadja are better (and deserve better) than that.

Loved the EV council, loved his boring ass office of infinite file cabinets (reminds me of the backrooms), I'm still laughing at the show getting Hannibal Buress, one of my fav comedians ever, for only two lines.

The first time Nandor mentioned circumcision I thought I mishear, because I couldn't believe they would go there (friendly reminder that this show is NOT wholesome and Nandermo are a couple of little sickos).

Two dick jokes if we count Colin flashing, no wonder we dubbed wwdits as "the dick and balls show"

Nandor's almost inaudible "hey" to the guy bench pressing at the gym

I can't believe since s3 Nandor's dick have more lore and plotlines than other entire characters 😭

Post credit scene with Nandermo date, I think Nandor was rude with Guillermo because once he learned you should be silent at the movies he took it very seriously.

Next episode looks sooo fun (<- they say that about every episode).