#the castle theme was stunning i wasn’t expecting them to go so hard

[goldensunset]

they cooked with n’s castle theme it’s like if the piano before cynthia was allowed to play for several minutes for peak dramatic buildup. i mean the overall league theme was good but i was disappointed that the iconic theme i had been told to fear only played for a few dialogue boxes

[straightlikewetspaghetti]

The Princess and the Knight

Pairings: Poppy x MC (Bea Kingsley/Hughes)

Warnings: Mature themes, mention of death

Word count: 5391

A/N: I tried to fit the whole book into one chapter, so it's controlled chaos.

@cloud9in

"Where has that girl gone with my little tarts."

In the afternoon there was quite a commotion in the royal kitchen, as for some unexplained reasons, the tarts specially prepared for the royal afternoon tea, were going missing. The servants were accusing each other, pointing out which one of them was the biggest glutton or which one had recently gained the most weight. Such behavior among servants was not surprising. No one there trusted each other, but everyone knew how to pretend. It was sad, but what the king and queen do not know, they do not regret.

The truth turned out to be different and when the eldest of them, Ina, was left alone in the kitchen, she waited a moment and looked towards the window where the tarts were cooling down. The place was chosen deliberately by her, because she knew exactly how to catch thieves in the act. It wasn't long before the two little hands blindly began to reach for the treats, but this time they were caught by the older woman.

"Gotcha rascals." saying this, Ina pulled the thieves carefully through the window, discovering it was none other than her daughter and future princess. "Princess Poppy, Bea, you know very well what I think of your food escapades." even though she tried to sound threatening, her voice was very docile. She loved these children too much, even if Bea was not her own and Poppy was a future princess.

"Ina! How did you know it was us?" Bea asked innocently, grinning from ear to ear, unaware that her lips were covered in crumbs. Her little smile always made the hard work Ina had at the castle, worth it. She was proud of her, even if Bea was a little troublemaker.

The woman shook her head and laughed briefly, wiping her daughter's mouth with a tissue. "Your giggling can be heard from the hallway, I really have no idea how the rest of the servants didn't figure it out."

"The rest of them don't know us as well as you do." said Poppy, who had been sitting quietly until then. Her whole face was covered with a blush, and her eyes were fixed on the tips of her shoes. She looked ashamed of her act and this childlike innocence, caught the older woman by the heart.

A gentle smile entered Ina's face. It always surprised her how the Queen's daughter addressed her, with such respect, when she herself was higher up in the hierarchy. "You can call me Ina, princess." the woman reached into her apron for the cookies and gave them each one. "Come on, get out of here."

Bea saluted with a wide grin and, with the cookie in her mouth, pulled her friend along with her, who surprised, almost fell onto the countertop. Ina smiled to herself seeing the bond that brought the two girls together. They needed each other more than they could have hoped for, but that wasn't her story to tell.

When the two of them were outside, they looked at each other and burst out laughing thunderously, almost spitting cookie crumbs at each other. Falling on the soft green grass, they grabbed their stomachs almost unable to catch their breath. They couldn't have known that moments like this, would be worth their weight in gold.

"I need to learn to sneak better if I want to become a knight." Bea said contentedly, extending her hand toward the sky as if she had a sword in it. She looked between her fingers at the almost clear sky, imagining her parents looking at her with pride and faith.

Ever since Bea learned how to speak, she had only repeated that she wanted to follow in her parents' footsteps and become the best knight in the entire kingdom.

Unfortunately, she never got to meet them.

Her mother died in childbirth and her father died soon after, defending the honor of the kingdom. She was looked after by the eldest of the servants, Ina Kingsley. The woman always told her stories of her parents' lives, how her father was the bravest of the knights of the royal guard and her mother the best strategist.

This made little Bea feel any kind of bond with her family.

"I want to be a knight too!" cried Poppy behind her, mimicking her posture and almost falling down as the dress she was in, restricted her movements. She hated the clothes, but as a future queen, her opinion was worth as much as nothing. She knew that once she became a queen, that would have to change.

Bea giggled as she looked at her friend and nodded. "You can't be a knight. You're a princess."

Poppy rolled her eyes and sighed dramatically, thrusting her breast forward. She could be anything she wanted, she was a princess after all. But as colorful as it sounded in practice it had no such benefits. Being a princess meant being locked in a golden cage, like some exotic bird.

And she couldn't wait to finally break free.

As the queen combed her hair to sleep, she always said how important it was for Poppy to get an education so she could follow in her footsteps and rule the kingdom. That wasn't what the blonde wanted, the vision of having power was never something important to her. For her, the most important thing was the moments she spent in the company of her best friend and the opportunity to change her kingdom for the better.

"I want to be a knight like you Bea, and explore the world with you."

At those words, the brunette turned towards the blonde and a radiant smile graced her lips. She was sure of Poppy like no one else, but the words she spoke touched her deeply, enough to settle a pleasant feeling in her stomach, that she hadn't felt since her father's death. In a flash, she hugged her tightly and wouldn't let go for any reason. 

A short time later, Bea pulled away from her and extended a small finger in her direction. "I, Bea Kingsley, promise to be by your side until death."

Poppy looked stunned at her friend, who was looking at her for the first time with such apparent seriousness. She felt like tears were coming to her eyes, but not of sadness, but of happiness. The way Bea was devoted to her and expected nothing in return, always grabbed her heart, even if they were still children. The brunette would always have a special place in her heart and even if it sounded selfish, she would be able to go to the ends of earth for her.

She reached out her finger and linked it with Bea's, almost choking from the happiness that was engulfing her. "I Poppy Min Sinclair promise, to be by your side until death."

The wind that was blowing around them stopped and a blissful calm descended on the world around them. Everything became meaningless as they stood like that with fingers intertwined, making their fates forever linked.

***

"Do you ever get your nose out of those books, princess?"

Poppy blinked a few times and, adjusting her glasses, looked over to where the familiar voice was coming from. She saw a wryly smiling Bea, who was in the middle of sparring with one of her friends, who was also training to become a knight. The blonde automatically ran her eyes over the girl's muscular stomach, which glistened with droplets of sweat in the sunlight, making Poppy's throat turn to a desert. Her brown hair in total disarray framed her face, sticking in places to her face reddened from exertion.

"Give her highness a rest Kingsley and focus on the fight." her companion groaned with visible annoyance on her face.

"Zoey, I would beat you even with my eyes closed." Bea bared her teeth in an even bigger smile and winked at her best friend. She managed to notice the blonde bury her face deeper into the book, before Zoey's blade sunk into her own, knocking her off balance.

"Would that mean..." replied Zoey viciously, as she slashed at Bea's legs in one motion, causing her to fall to the hard ground with a bang. She put the tip of the blade to her throat, and a smirk appeared on her face. "That you lost?"

Bea rolled her eyes, catching the hand extended towards her and efficiently rising to a standing position. Shaking off the dust, her gaze remained fixed on the blushing blonde, who continued her reading as if nothing had happened. She knew Poppy was watching her. She'd be lying if she said that wasn't her intention. The thought of the blonde watching her, put her in a very pleasant mood.

Zoey grunted significantly, reviving her in a flash.

"Let go of Kingsley, before it's too late. She's a princess and you're barely a knight." there was no malice in her voice, it was the truth in them, that hurt the brunette so badly.

But at that moment, Bea didn't give a damn

Ignoring the black-haired girl, she ran over to Poppy and with a nimble move, she squatted next to her on the bench, making the blonde's personal space no longer exist. It was their thing. Crossing their comfort zones.

"Would it hurt you if you used more grace?" Poppy grimaced, not taking her eyes off the words on the paper, which had become extremely difficult. She drew in a deep breath and it was a mistake, because the smell of the pine trees mixed with sweat hit her nostrils, almost breaking her composure.

"You love it." Bea's words were bold, and spoken in her peculiar way, almost in a half-whisper, made the hair on the blonde's arms stand up. The brunette's chest rose and fell in a rhythm, that the blonde had in her head each time she felt Bea's breast brush against her shoulder.

"I certainly do not." she grunted, trying to put some distance between her and Bea, which was nearly impossible, with the brunette's sweaty body clinging to her clothes. She was not a girl of great faith, but at this point she began to pray for her own sanity. Poppy was really trying to focus on her lecture, but in this situation her thoughts were just buzzing. The sight of Bea, sweaty from exertion, standing in the sunlight like a goddess, was carved into her memory and now she was right next to her, literally at arm's length.

Her thoughts really were unladylike at that moment.

Before she had time to say or do anything, she heard quiet snoring. Bea managed to fall asleep, snuggling into her shoulder. With a careful motion, she combed through the brunette's hair with her fingers, letting the strands fall freely over her shoulder. Even if sweaty, her hair was incredibly soft. Her face looked so peaceful that it moved something in Poppy and her face curved into a serene smile.

Maybe she do love it.

***

"I hereby knight thee Bea of the House Hughes. Lift thy sword high and use it for the glory of the Kingdom of Belvoir!" the great castle hall echoed with shrieks and clapping so loud, that they could wake the dead. People shouted the names of the new knights, not caring that their king and queen were looking at them.

Bea had waited her whole life for those words and now that it was happening, she couldn't believe it. She felt an incredible joy inside her and even something like a strange warmth, that she recognized as her parents' pride from above. Everything she had dreamed of was at her fingertips.

Everything but one thing.

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Poppy looking at her with the biggest smile on her face and tears in her eyes. She looked phenomenal, even if her cheeks were covered with streams of tears and her skin was reddened. Right behind her, Bea could hear her mother blowing her nose, and in that moment she was overwhelmed with pride.

Things began to look promising.

***

The ballroom was huge and there was general splendor. There was food all around. Musicians pouring out all their soul, getting people in the mood. All the inhabitants of the Belvoir kingdom were invited to the castle without exception, as tonight's feast was for everyone. Today everyone was treated as equals, regardless of their background or wealth. The king and queen would never have agreed to this, if not for the influential play of a particular blonde.

Poppy was determined to find Bea in the crowd, which seemed almost impossible in the prevailing hustle and bustle. She moved among the people with regal grace, forgetting for a moment that as a future princess, all she had to do was say one word. She found her near the snack table absorbed in conversation with her fellow knights.

"And then I told her, don't worry the hay can be easily pulled out of... Oh princess." Zoey stopped in mid sentence and bowed seeing the blonde.

Bea turned her head to see the satisfied blonde slip her hand under her arm and tug lightly on it. She looked spectacular in her ball gown and stood out among the people attending the party. Or maybe she always stood out in her eyes. Either way, Poppy looked so good, that next to her in her armor, Bea felt like a slacker.

"Can I steal her for a few moments?" even if Poppy asked, she was already in the process of dragging Bea to the parquet floor, ignoring the strange looks of people around her.

Zoey sighed deeply while leaning against the shoulder of Alex, who was standing next to her and also looked mortified. They both knew they wouldn't be able to protect Bea, but they could always hope that the brunette herself would mature enough, to see that the feelings she had for Poppy, weren't enough to form a relationship.

"One of them is going to end up with a broken heart."

Poppy's laughter echoed around the room as she twirled in the embrace of the equally contented brunette. Her dress rose and fell freely, mesmerizing anyone who looked at her. Bea, despite the uncomfortable outfit, tried her best to fit the blonde. She didn't even realize that it wasn't the clothes that always made them fit together like pieces of a puzzle.

Bea was aware of the stares people were giving them. Some jealous, some just outraged how a princess could dance with a mere knight. She tried her best to ignore them, but one look in particular made her hair stand on end.

"I get the impression that Lord Carter feels like poking my eyes out with the spoon he's currently eating." Bea arched Poppy's body, by tilting her back slightly and letting her see exactly what she was talking about.

Poppy just shrugged her shoulders, completely ignoring the murderous look the man was giving them. Focusing her attention only on the brunette in front of her, she leaned towards her mysteriously, making the whole room cease to exist for them.

"Meet me at our place, when the moon is at its highest point in the sky." with those words on her lips, Poppy bowed elegantly and with a hypnotizing sway of her hips, she walked off in the opposite direction, leaving confused Bea alone with her thoughts. 

***

Besides the crickets, the silence was pierced by the clatter of hooves on the grass bathed in moonlight. The horse was being ridden by none other than Bea, who with curiosity and undisguised excitement was heading for the place where she would meet Poppy. She slowed down her horse, as she began to see a silhouette sitting with its back to her in the distance, under a familiar tree. 

"Poppy." she said as if to make sure it was definitely her. When the blonde turned toward her and gave her one of her smiles, her heart beat harder. "What is the meaning of..." her words were interrupted when the blonde closed her mouth in a sloppy kiss.

Instinctively, she reached for the blonde's waist, catching it and earning a quiet moan of approval from her throat. On the one hand, she felt an incredible warmth growing inside her, and on the other, a slight embarrassment about the whole situation. When Poppy pulled away from her, they were both red and breathless.

"Where did you even learn that?" the brunette asked, trying to calm her breathing. She touched her lips with her fingertips and felt a slight pain, and for some reason, it was pleasant feeling.

"I read about it in a book." Poppy said without taking her eyes off the brunette still touching herself on her lower lip. It wasn't a lie. When she was old enough, she found books in the library, about love and passion, that she had never known before. With each novel she read, the desire to experience it grew in her, and slowly she began to understand, that what the characters felt, she felt herself.

Bea looked at Poppy with undisguised interest. She felt that this kiss was just a foretaste of what she could experience, but she wasn't sure, if she was ready for it. And worse, she didn't want to disappoint Poppy with her lack of experience. "Show me more." she said, before she could bite her tongue.

Poppy perked up upon hearing those words and her eyes grew misty. She bit her lower lip, as she brought her lips close to the skin on the brunette's neck. She could feel the girl standing in front of her shaking all over, so for reassurance she grabbed her hand with one hand and placed the other on her neck. The contrast between Poppy's hot hand and the cool skin of Bea's neck was incredible, which aroused the blonde even more.

She pressed her lips carefully against her skin, feeling the brunette's pulse quicken instantly. A quiet whine came to her ears that felt like music to her. Faster and faster, a lust was building in her body, which she fought off with increasing difficulty. She felt as if she had been waiting for this moment all her life, right there with Bea, in the clearing, where they shared every bit of news, good or bad, with each other.

When Poppy pressed in a little harder, Bea's legs gave way under her and she pulled them both to the ground, her body lessening the momentum with which Poppy would have hit the ground. After a moment of silence, they both burst out laughing, just as they used to do when they were children. This time, however, Bea slipped her hand into the blonde's hair, causing her to fall instantly silent. The air was getting heavier and heavier and the unspoken words were begging to come out.

"Let me make love to you tonight."

It was hard to tell which one of them said that sentence, or maybe they both did, but in the flurry of scattered clothes, only moaning and panting could be heard. They did whatever their instincts told them to do, sucking, kissing, biting, touching every newfound spot on their bodies. Whatever boundary of shame they had between them, crumbled like a house of cards, making their two bodies become one.

That night neither of them would forget for the rest of their lives.

***

"I think I love you." Bea said thoughtlessly, surprising herself with what she said. The words were rather rushed and she should have thought about them more, but in the spur of the moment, she couldn't do otherwise. Poppy's body tensed in her embrace and Bea felt the weight of the dark clouds that began to appear in the sky, on her skin

After a brief moment, Poppy got off the ground and began nervously throwing her clothes on, almost completely confusing their sides. Bea watched this with visible surprise on her face. She rose from the ground, feeling a sudden chill sweep over her entire body, and following in the blonde's footsteps, she too got dressed. She could feel the storm approaching.

"Bea..." Poppy began in a tone that froze the blood in Bea's veins. The blonde grabbed her head and dropped it low, letting strands of hair cover her face. She looked like she was trying everything to get away from the brunette, even though the she was literally standing in front of her. The air between them was getting heavier and not in that pleasant way. "I'm engaged."

Bea felt the ground slip out from under her feet. As if someone had taken her heart and thrown it to the dogs to eat. As if someone had plunged a hundred knives into her, and she couldn't just die. Whatever words she had in her head dissipated, because while she was ready for anything, she wasn't ready for this one.

They didn't speak a word to each other again that night.

***

"I'm so sorry about your mother Poppy." Bea's voice was sincere despite the pain she'd been carrying inside her since that memorable night, but she loved the blonde so much that she could push away all her negative feelings, just to be there for her. She embraced her tightly and squeezed her petite figure which was shaking from crying.

Her heart though already broken before, was breaking again as she heard the blonde's quiet sobs into her shoulder. The assassination of the queen was so unexpected, that the kingdom couldn't assimilate the situation for a long time. The king locked himself in his chamber immersed in his despair, and Poppy's future husband took care of the kingdom.

"Isn't that adorable." the brunette would recognize that hate-filled voice anywhere and her hands reflexively tightened on the blonde. She hated this man with all her might and not just because he had taken the love of her life from her, but because he was a tyrant and no one could see that but her.

"Lord Carter." she bowed trying not to contort her face too much.

"Prince Carter to you, plebeian dog." he loved hearing his voice, especially when he was oppressing the people around him. He was a devil in human skin, masquerading perfectly among the common folk. People adored him, but behind closed doors there were no more illusions. "You can speak only when asked to." 

"Carter please." Poppy begged, trying to appeal to a soft side of him, that she knew he didn't have. She couldn't idly watch as the person she loved most in the world was oppressed, just for being alive. Even though she knew it wouldn't do anything, she was aware that Bea could see that Poppy was making an effort for her. She believed that one day she would forgive her.

Bea looked at Poppy and made it clear to her that the blonde should let go of whatever she was doing. To her inner distaste, she gave in and bowed again. "Forgive me, Prince." the words burned in her throat, but she couldn't fight him alone. She looked again at the blonde, whose expression was unreadable. "I'll see you later, your highness." she turned on her heel and with a springy step began to walk away, when a loud rubbishy laugh ripped into her.

"I don't think so, lovebirds." his laugh seeped venom all the way into the brunette's bones, making her feel almost physical pain. His face looked like that of a maniac, who was preparing to commit a terrible act. "I'm sending Bea to the front, along with the rest of the knights."

Bea closed her eyes and sighed as quietly as she could. It was what she had always wanted after all, to defend the kingdom, but why did the vision of fulfilling her duty not bring her as much joy as it had as a child? She turned towards the prince and looked at him, ignoring the terrified blonde who was covering her mouth with her hand.

"You can't!" escaped Poppy's lips before she clamped her hand over her mouth again, but Carter only smiled unsympathetically and sent an icy stare in the brunette's direction.

"Well, I can. Bea as a knight has a duty to the kingdom that she is unlikely to want to break." with those words he locked her in a trap, crushing her spirit and cutting off her wings. He was aware of what he was doing, of how much he was destroying her, but it spurred him on, gave him strength to live, he fed on the suffering of others, and who would give him more of it than the would-be lover of his future wife?

Bea saluted and, ignoring the burning pain throughout her body this time, she left the hallway, leaving Poppy and Carter alone. The man turned to his future wife and slapped her on the cheek, the smack echoing through the empty room.

"You will not disrespect me in the presence of servants." he growled at her, causing her to curl even more into herself. There was not an ounce of pity in him, let alone compassion. "Your frivolity will get you both killed."

***

In the evening fog at the castle gate, Bea was unable to see anything. Even as she tried to stretch her senses to the limit, she felt as if she were limited. She hated that feeling. She hated feeling at all. She stroked the snoot of her horse, which stood beside her, waiting for the sign to set off. The only creature that remained loyal to her.

The rest of the knights were getting ready in the garrison, only she was standing guard for practically no reason. Maybe in her sick mind, she was trying to punish herself for being reckless and not thinking about the consequences. She heard a rustle behind her and not thinking much she drew her sword towards where it was coming from.

"I could have killed you." she sighed, seeing that on the end of her blade was none other than Poppy. The blonde looked exhausted and confused, but Bea was in the same state, maybe that's why she didn't feel any strong sympathy.

"Maybe you should." she spoke up calmly, not even flinching, as she felt the blade touch her throat. She was tired. So tired that the vision of life no longer mattered to her. Not when the only person she had left, was about to leave her for certain death.

Bea sheathed the sword and stepping away from her horse she approached Poppy. Without any emotion on her face, she placed her hand on the blonde's face, who involuntarily nuzzled into her. It was the first warmth Bea had felt in a long time and somewhere deep down she felt a growing longing.

The blonde sighed on the verge of crying, her breathing breaking, almost nearing the end. She tried to stay neutral but couldn't do it any longer. Without thinking much she jumped closer to the brunette and locked her lips in a kiss. She felt a momentary resistance, but Bea didn't want to fight anymore either, returning the kiss and pouring everything, she had felt during this time of being separated, into it.

"I can't..." Poppy mumbled between kisses, wanting to get something off her chest but unable to pull away from the brunette. "I can't lose you like I lost my mother." she didn't even notice when tears started to fall from her eyes. Bea carefully kissed away every single drop, making the renewed pain that was settling inside her less painful.

Bea pressed her forehead against the blonde's allowing herself a moment of weakness. She slipped her hand under her armor and took a moment to fumble around in it, pulling out a necklace. She carefully placed it on the unsuspecting blonde, who had her eyes closed in contemplation.

"It's the only thing I have left of my parents." the brunette whispered quietly, not wanting to scare Poppy. "I want you by touching this, to always feel the warmth of my touch. By looking at this, to always see those eyes looking at you with adoration. By knowing about this, to remember that there was someone in the world who loved you sincerely."

***

How many sleepless nights it had been, Poppy couldn't count. Between her agony and the lack of meaning in her life, she had no occupation. She locked herself in her chamber, knowing that her fiancé would take care of everything anyway and not needing her at all, not that she needed him herself.

Her father awakened from his grief at the perfect time for her to plunge into hers. Instinctively, she grabbed the necklace that had always been with her. It was like a talisman, the only thing keeping her alive. The last spark of hope that she would come back and teach her to love again.

A messenger ran into her room unannounced and nearly passed out from lack of air. She rose from her seat and looked at the man with compassion.

"Princess... Is... Answer..." the man could barely catch his breath, which worried Poppy, who sensed that the information he had, must be really important. "Knight Bea... Is dead."

No one remembers what was louder, the scream of agony she gave out of herself, or the impact with which the man fell.

Promise to be by your side until death...

***

She hated being his accessory. Every time he embraced her, she felt a million worms come out of his sleeve and get under her skin. She was sick of it, but she could no longer ignore her responsibilities. The lives of thousands of people depended on her actions. She had been deaf to their pleas long enough.

So at the ball her father had organized, she tried to mingle with the crowd, listen to requests, offer advice, and apologize to those who had suffered. She felt she had failed her mother, but she was ready to change that. She was ready to prove to Bea that she was not weak. Bea. That name quivered in her head too often, echoing and making her bleed. She didn't forget, she didn't want to forget, she remembered, she couldn't remember. Everything she felt tangled with each other in endless knots that tightened inside her.

She was sure that she had managed to process her grief, but at the thought of it, tears threatened to flow from her eyes. She blinked a few times, trying not to look suspicious. Fortunately, her subjects were too busy with their free appetizers to pay attention to her.

The doors to the ballroom opened with a bang and the sounds of clanging armor could be heard. Everyone looked towards where the commotion was coming from and were stunned. At the head of the gathering was none other than the much lamented Bea Kingsley.

"Traitor!" she shouted, aiming an arrow straight at Carter's heart, who fell stiffly to the ground, drenched in his own blood. She dropped the bow and pulled out a paper with trembling hands, which she lifted high into the air. "This letter is proof of treason! Prince Carter plotted and he was responsible for the Queen's murder!" Bea handed the piece of paper to the first better citizen, who squirmed and passed it to the next, until the letter reached the King, who looked at his son-in-law's body and spat on it showing no respect.

The king began to announce something, but everything around Bea fell silent as her eyes met a familiar warm brown. With the remnants of her strength, she began walking slowly towards her. The blonde did the same. The gawkers who stood between the two parted to give them more room, watching the whole situation with commitment. Bea reached out to touch Poppy's cheek with a trembling hand. The familiar warmth gave her strength.

"You are just as beautiful as the day we made love under the stars and the day I had to leave." she said boldly, her eyes glittering with the emotion that had taken over her entire body. She had forgotten the exhaustion, the betrayal, and the hardships that had accompanied her. All that mattered now was the woman standing before her. The woman whose fate she had been bound to since childhood.

Poppy burst out crying as she cuddled into the brunette's body as tightly as she could. She couldn't believe she had her back after all these years. All of them full of pain and agony seemed nonexistent. "I love you. I love you so much." she whispered like a mantra unable to stop, afraid that she was about to disappear.

Bea chuckled, the sound so familiar from their childhood and yet so distant. "I love you too."

[jettingtothemoon]

Costume Party

➳ pairing: alucard x trevor x m!reader ➳ genre: fluff, modern au ➳ warnings: swearing, suggestive themes?, alcohol usage ➳ word count: 2337 ➳ rating: pg-15 ➳ summary: In which you and adrian throw trevor a surprise halloween party. ➳ a/n: a request from wattpad

What better place to throw a Halloween party other than Dracula's castle itself? Well, what used to be Dracula's castle. Now, it was your home but it wasn't like you lived here alone.

"Here?" Adrian questioned, looking at your for confirmation that he had chosen the correct place to hang the fake cobwebs.

You smiled, happy to see him taking this seriously despite originally thinking it might not have been a good idea, "Yeah, that's perfect."

It had been your suggestion to prepare a surprise Halloween party for Trevor when he arrived back home. He was in need of some fun, especially after such a long trip. Well, it was only a few days but those few days were very long without him. Both you and Adrian had missed him a great deal.

It's the 21st century so of course, you both called him while he was away but it just wasn't the same as seeing him in person. What better way to welcome him back other than with crazy costumes, fake blood and a keg full of beer? Well, he would at least appreciate the boose.

"Who did you invite again?" Adrian questioned, climbing down from the chair he had previously been standing on.

You finished putting up the last of the decorations in your hand and turned to him, "You know, a few people we know. The castle will be well filled out befitting a great party."

Adrian hummed and walked over to you, "Well, we better get you in a costume before they get here."

With a grin, you happily followed Adrian upstairs to the bedroom. He had already picked out a costume for you, although he made sure to keep it a surprise until this very moment.

"Is that a dress?"

Once again, he hummed and picked up the torn, tattered and bloody white dress, "Trevor will be Frankenstein and you'll be his bride."

After a very brief second of silence, you burst out laughing. It wasn't anything you would have ever expected from Adrian. Actually, you had expected him to make you dress up as a werewolf or a vampire-like himself but no, here he was putting you in a dress.

"Alright then, but doesn't that leave you out?"

"Well, I of course will be Dr Frankenstien himself. A vampire version, obviously. I think that makes me your owner." Adrian explained his idea behind the costumes and how he wasn't left out of it.

You raised an eyebrow and chuckled whilst eyeing up the dress he had prepared for you, "Our owner? I don't think Trevor will like that."

"No, but I'm sure he will be more than pleased to have you as his bride. Oh, and just in case you're not comfortable in the dress I brought some shorts for you to wear underneath."

You smiled and began to change, noticing how Adrian wasn't even trying to hide the fact that he was eyeing you up. When you had managed to pull the dress on properly, you tried to reach for the zip only to find that it was out of reach.

As if on cue, Adrian circled around you and slowly began to pull the zip up, "Don't you look pretty."

"I feel ridiculous. You know most of the people coming to this party are my friends right? I will never live this down." You sighed, although you weren't going to oppose wearing the costume Adrian had specifically picked out for you.

"They'll simply be too stunned to care. You look beautiful my love. Now, time for the make-up." He clasped his hands together excitedly.

It was nice to see him enjoying himself. A Halloween party wasn't something Adrian agreed to immediately but the second you told him that he could pick out a costume for both you and Trevor, well, his thoughts on the matter changed entirely.

Make-up was a must for Halloween. Even if it simply meant some face paint and a bit of fake blood. For Adrian, however, it was simply another fun activity to do with you. With a look of complete concentration on his face, Adrian worked his magic and made you look like a bride befitting the undead Frankenstein.

"There, now just let me spray some temporary colour into your hair and we'll be done."

Once your costume was complete, Adrian instructed you to go finish off laying out the snacks and drinks. And so, you left him to change into his own costume and started by lugging the beer kegs into place.

"What the fuck are you wearing?"

A familiar voice echoed from behind you as Trevor ducked under the spooky tunnel you had created at the entrance of the castle out of a few black sheets and lots of string.

You turned around with a smile, "We're having a Halloween party. I'm the Bride of Frankenstein."

"And where is this Frankenstein, huh? I might just have to duel him for his bride's affection."

It was embarrassing just hearing him say it but Trevor had always been a little possessive of you and Adrian. He was just like that with the people he loved.

"That would be you, actually. Come on, we don't have long and you need to get in your costume." Adrian explained, ushering Trevor up the stairs the moment he reached the bottom.

He was already in his costume, although he was only about halfway through spraying the white colour onto his golden hair. It was a simple costume. A white lab coat that was covered in splatters of fake blood, accompanied by the trail of red that ran along the side of his mouth. Of course, to top it off he was colouring his hair and donning a pair of long black gloves. Not to mention, his fangs were on full display for all to see.

"If you try to paint me green I swear to God Adrian..." Trevor grumbled as he followed after the blonde.

Not long after they disappeared upstairs, guests began to arrive. You were left to greet them all, laughing with them when they mentioned how great your costume was. By the time your lovers returned, the castle was flooded with a sea of people, all dressed up in gory costumes that matched perfectly with the decorations you and Adrian had spent the better half of the day putting up.

"I know what you're thinking, such a dashing monster. You know, I'm usually the one killing the monsters, not pretending to be one." Trevor chuckled as he and Adrian rejoined you.

He hadn't had much time to rest after coming back from his trip, if he had any at all, but he didn't seem the least bit tired. In fact, he looked ready to party. Music boomed through the castle, trembling through the very foundations and, like a leaf in the wind, Trevor was blown along with it. Well, blown over to the beer.

Adrian stood by your side, wrapping an arm delicately around your waist as he leaned into you, "You know, I think this is the best idea you've had in a while. Now, whilst he drinks himself into oblivion, why don't we have a little fun ourselves?"

Before you could ask what he meant, you were whisked away into the crowd of bodies. You certainly hadn't invited this many people but you weren't surprised that more people showed up. The news of a Halloween party in the haunted castle must have spread through town rather quickly.

Adrian took your hand in his and danced so slowly with you, despite the fast pace of the music. He wasn't dancing to the music at all. No, he was simply dancing with you. You rested your head against his shoulder with a smile, welcoming his embrace after such a long and tiresome day. Although, you suspected it would be an even longer night.

"Come on you two, stop being so boring and drink with me!" Trevor yelled over the music, interrupting you and Adrian as he grabbed both of you and pulled you over to where the drinks were.

Trevor was never one for romance, although he had his moments. Now, however, was not one of them.

He shoved a pint of beer into your hand and then passed one to Adrian, who sighed with a roll of his eyes and downed the drink in one. You soon followed suit. The pints soon turned into shots and, before long, the three of you were really rather drunk. With a hearty laugh, Trevor wrapped his arm around your shoulder, his entire weight falling onto you for a brief moment before he found his feet again.

"We should do this all the time."

You chuckled, "Do what? Dress up as monsters and party?"

"No. Drink, party and fuck to our hearts' content!" Trevor declared with yet another laugh.

It was nice seeing him having fun without any stress. He liked to stress. Too many monsters to kill, not enough monsters to kill. Not enough time at home with you and Adrian, too much time stuck at home. He was hard to please but always told the two of you how you made his life worth living, even if mostly when he was drunk or simply feeling extra sappy.

"You know, we haven't actually done that last one yet." You smirked.

Just because Trevor wasn't home for a few days didn't mean that you and Adrian hadn't, well, had sex. Of course you had but there was something about it when it wasn't all three of you, it just wasn't complete. Enjoyable, yes. But in the end you'd always wind up lying in bed wondering what Trevor was up to, amusing yourselves by joking about how he was probably lying in bed all grumpy because the two of you weren't by his side. He always missed you when he went on his trips and the two of you certainly missed him. Adrian went with him sometimes which meant that you were home all on your own until they returned, although they always made sure not to be gone for too long.

"That is true. Think we can ditch our own party and head upstairs?"

Before you could answer, Adrian stumbled past yelling out nonsense right before collapsing onto the sofa.

"Or not." Trevor sighed, although you simply giggled at the state Adrian was in.

Neither Trevor or Adrian were good at holding their beer but, when it came to Trevor at least he could function somewhat rationally no matter how smashed he was. Adrian, on the other hand, was and will always be a paralytic drunk.

"Let's get him to bed." You chuckled, dragging Trevor along to help you carry Adrian up the stairs.

The blonde grinned at you and extended his arms out towards you as if he knew what was happening, grabbing at the air between the two of you as he slurred, "Up, up. Let's gooooo."

You shook your head and went to help him up but, before you could, Trevor had beaten you to it, "Can't have my bride tugging this sack of potatoes up the stairs, can I?"

"Just get him to bed, I'll clear everyone out. What time even is it? One? Two in the morning?"

"Three. It's almost three in the morning." Trevor groaned and threw Adrian's arm around his neck as he gently picked him up.

With a nod, you headed over to the speaker, unplugging it before yelling at the top of your lungs that the party was over. You thanked everyone for coming as the left, sounding almost like a broken record as the swarm of bodies passed you and began heading home. There were a couple of people completely lying around but, after checking they were all still alive, you decided to just leave them to their sleep and sleepily began to head for your room.

When you got there, neither Adrian nor Trevor was anywhere to be seen. It didn't take long to find them though, you simply followed the sound of someone being sick until you reached the bathroom. And there they were. Adrian with his head down the toilet and Trevor, sweetly holding his hair back and rubbing circles into his back.

"This is your fault." Adrian sulked before throwing up what was left in his stomach.

Trevor simply continued to rub those soothing circles into his back and, once Adrian was done, allowed him to fall back against him, "I know, I know. I'm sorry."

"Let's get you to bed." You yawned, crouching down beside Adrian before you helped Trevor get him back on his feet.

The three of you staggered along back to your bed. Adrian was the first to flop down into it, his hair splaying out on the pillow as he landed on his side of the bed. 

Trevor noticed you were struggling with the dress and came to help you unzip it. Although he didn't stop there and also went as far to push it over your shoulders until it fell onto the floor.

"You had to be wearing shorts under it." He sighed and buried his head into the crook of your neck.

You chuckled, "That's never stopped you before."

He hummed against your skin, kissing it softly before letting go and allowing you to step out of the dress. For tonight the paint, fake blood, hair colouring and make-up with have to say but there was no way you were going to wear that uncomfortable costume to bed. Trevor seemed to agree, at least to some extent, and pulled off his shirt before climbing in beside Adrian, carefully pushing his long hair over so that he wouldn't lie on it.

"Come on then." He spoke with a soft voice and lifted his arm so that you could lie against him.

You didn't waste a moment and crawled onto the large bed, squeezing up against Trevor as you rested your head against his chest.

Adrian, who you had both expected to have already conked out by now, rolled over and placed a hand on the other side of Trevor's chest with a sleepy smile, "We missed you."

"Yeah, yeah. I missed you too." He spoke with a slight blush, although you were certain that was because of the alcohol.

And so, snuggled together in bed, you finally fell asleep as three once again.

[megalony]

Her odd family

This is a Roger Taylor imagine requested by the lovely @vousmemanqueez where reader’s family is the Addams family. I hope this is what you wanted lovey, do let me know what you think.

Taglist: @lunaticspoem @butlegendsneverdie @langdonzvoid @jennyggggrrr @luvborhap @radiob-l-a-hblah @rogertaylorsbitontheside @chlobo6 @rogertaylors-lipgloss @sj-thefan @omgitsearly @luckytrashgooprebel @scarsout @deaky-with-a-c @killer-queen-ofrhye @bluutac @vousmemanqueez

Roger Taylor masterlist

Enjoy.

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"Turn right here." (Y/n) broke through the silence, indicating with her hand where Roger needed to turn the car. A smile broke out on her face at the doubtful expression on Roger's face as he narrowed his eyes before turning the steering wheel to drive into the small side lane that looked rather eery and suspicious.

"You sure you're not just winding me up? You actually live somewhere around here?" Roger questioned, taking his eyes off the narrow road so he could look to the girl sitting beside him who let out a melodic laugh at the words.

Since Roger had proposed last month, they thought it was time for him to meet (Y/n)'s parents/ family since he had never met them before. They lived too far away to be able to visit them very often but they were always a phone call away. With Roger being busy in the studio or on tour and (Y/n) working on the production team for the tours, life got hectic. But they had managed to get the weekend off and decided now was the perfect time to go down and see them.

(Y/n) had a chat with Roger on the way down here, trying to prepare him for meeting her family because they weren't exactly 'normal'. But Roger kept thinking she was winding him up and trying to play some sort of prank on him. Her family didn't have normal traditions or a normal house, they were amazing and (Y/n) loved them to pieces but they were all... eccentric and she needed Roger to understand that before they got there.

"I told you before Rog, we lived out in the middle of nowhere... I need to tell you about my family before we get there, please don't think I'm joking because I'm not." Roger needed to listen because (Y/n) had had friends and a few boyfriends in the past think she was joking but then went to her home and met her family and were rather shocked. She didn't want Roger to get that kind of shock or surprise when they got there because they were about two minutes away now.

Leaning over, Roger gently reached to take her hand in his own as he concentrated on the rather steep road they were driving up.

"You're worrying me now sweetheart. What's so bad about your folks?"

"There's nothing bad about them, they're just... not like me. They dress differently, mum and dad are very... well they're different is all. My brother and sister are weird. And Gran is a wicken so she seems mad but she isn't I swear-" (Y/n) began to ramble, trying to think of how to describe her family without being rude about them or making Roger confused but she couldn't think of how to explain. Her family was lovely and welcoming but they had different ways and styles and that was hard for some people to handle.

"Wow, wow, calm down there love. They raised you didn't they, and I love the bones of you so they can't be that bad." Roger spoke calmly, cutting off her rambling before letting go of her hand so he could change gear.

Roger knew (Y/n) wanted this to go well, she wanted him to meet her family and get along with them and be one of the family and Roger wanted that as well. He loved (Y/n) more than words could say and he knew her family meant the world to her so Roger wanted to be a part of that world. He wanted them to like him and get along with them, he had told her he would try his best to get on with them and she had no reason to worry.

The drummer had been with girls in the past and had their families not take to him because of his occupation. They all assumed that since he was in a band that was taking off and was on tour a lot, Roger was unreliable or that he would automatically cheat on his partners. He didn't want (Y/n)'s family to think that because he had proposed, he wanted to marry her and be with her and he couldn't have her family hate him because they meant everything to her. Roger would do anything for (Y/n).

"Is... fuck, you live there?" Roger stammered, leaning forward to try and get a better view of the house that was coming into view when they finally drove up the rather steep hill. He had been rather worried when (Y/n) directed him up the narrow lane that went through a dense forest but this was not what he had been expecting. He felt sorry for (Y/n) when she had told him she lived out of town in a large house that was isolated. Roger had grown up in a long street in a bustling town in Cornwall since he was ten. He had a lot of neighbours and kids his own age running around the streets and he went to a big school.

(Y/n) had been homeschooled for most of her childhood before going to a secondary school for the last two years. Her siblings were a lot younger than she was so she was at home with her parents and grandma for a lot of her childhood. Roger couldn't begin what it was like to be isolated like that, even if he got along great with his family.

Roger pulled up next to the rather strange looking black car that reminded him of a hearse before taking a moment to look at the house. He knew (Y/n)'s family were well off and he knew that she said she grew up in a big house, but this was not what he had been expecting.

The house was larger in height than it was in width and it was a mix of the darkest greys, midnight sky black and a few patches of pearl white here and there. There was an enormous window a level above the door that seemed to stretch up to the sky. The windows were old gothic style with a darkening grey plastic that was twisted and contorted into random shapes between the window panels that looked rather stunning. But the windows seemed to be tinted, you couldn't look through them properly because they were a light grey shade from what Roger was sure looked like dust but couldn't be... could it?

There was a conservatory on the right side of the house that looked the kind of old-style that was intriguing as if you were looking at an old abandoned house or castle.

"It doesn't look the best on the outside-" (Y/n) began, worry entwining with her tone as she clasped her hands together on her lap. Roger wasn't acting like how past friends and the odd boyfriend had when she brought them home. He wasn't paling until he was seethrough. He wasn't screaming or stuttering or shaking with fear. He wasn't even getting ready to turn the car around and speed back down the track that led to the proper road.

She had never seen someone look at her childhood home like that.

"No! It's a tad spooky but... I actually like it. You've seen my mum's place, it's nowhere near as cool as this." Roger watched how his smile seemed to affect (Y/n). She had been preparing him for the shock but she hadn't prepared herself for this reaction. She thought he would act like everyone else and be too wary to go inside but he looked excited like a child who was going to a theme park.

"Let's go inside then." (Y/n) recovered from her momentary shock, opening the door and bounding out like an overactive puppy. Reaching out she interlocked her hand with Roger's, her other hand holding onto his upper arm as she pressed herself into his side. Grinning like a madwoman when he stared at her home in wonder. Maybe this was going to go better than she first thought. She had to admit Roger didn't look as comfortable as he seemed to act and he did feel slightly adamant to go inside because although the house looked intriguing on the outside, it was still different.

It reminded Roger of a house out of a horror movie and he didn't particularly take well to them because something bad always happened even if they were unrealistic.

A shiver ran down Roger's spine when (Y/n) opened the front door and the most spine-tingling, ear rattling creak escaped the hinges from the very large black oak door. If that wasn't a sign that this was a spooky house even with its appealing features then Roger didn't know what was.

"Mum... Dad! Lerch!" (Y/n) spoke in a sing-song tune that made Roger calm down as she ran her hand up and down his arm. Walking slowly through the large hallway so Roger could take everything in because she knew it was a bit much to handle all at once.

There were family portraits on the wall- not photos, portraits. Oil paintings and canvases of her parents, her and her siblings, her grandma and her great grandparents and uncles and aunts. Every one of them looked different and as if this was a scary movie home because they wore eccentric clothing and their make up was flawless but dark and intriguing at the same time. Roger tried not to stop walking and look at each picture with a look of uncertainty, he let himself push a little closer to (Y/n) as he was beginning to realise why she had warned him before they came.

"Lerch?" Roger suddenly questioned. He hadn't heard her say that name before and he knew that wasn't the name of her brother. It seemed like a bit of a rude nickname.

"Housekeeper slash butler kind of guy. He's a sweetie, you'll love him. More of a brother or uncle really." (Y/n) informed, forgetting to mention Lerch to Roger when she had talked about her family. He was a big softie and (Y/n) always loved seeing him when she came back home, he didn't talk much but he smiled every once in a while and he was very tentative and cared for the house and family.

"W-who else is here then?" Roger tried to control the shaking in his voice as (Y/n) stopped near to the stairs knowing her parents were up there.

"My mum and dad, brother and sister, grandma, Lerch... but I don't think my uncle is home though." (Y/n) recalled her mother telling her that her uncle was on holiday for a few weeks and the timing meant he wouldn't be here when she came home. But everyone else was here who she desperately wanted Roger to meet so that was the main thing.

"(Y/n)! Darling, you're home."

Roger tilted his head up to look at the small balcony upstairs when he heard a sweet yet prickly voice that sent his senses spiralling. He guessed it was (Y/n)'s mother because their tones were similar, her mother sounded so interesting and rather lavish from her voice that was very appealing. The drummer couldn't help his frame from jumping, wobbling on unsteady legs when he caught sight of the two people beginning to come down the stairs.

Her mother looked dazzling but rather as if she had walked straight out of a horror film. She had a rather pointed nose and clear jawline, her head was held high as her lashes were very long. Roger could make out the faint grey lipstick that was shining in the dull light of the stairwell. She wore a very long lace black dress that had arms stretching down to her hands and it left a trail behind her like a wedding dress. Her hair seemed to match her dress, she had no fringe but long silk hair that went very far past her shoulders. She walked with certainty and elegance as she slowly descended the stairs with a man whom Roger could only guess was her husband.

He was shorter than his wife, he also had slick black hair that held a centre parting. He had a small moustache and an old-style cigar resting between his fingers. He wore a black and white striped suit and walked with a broad frame with his shoulders pushed back.

When the couple reached the bottom of the stairs, (Y/n) let go of Roger to hug them both, smiling brighter than Roger had ever seen before.

"Mum, dad... this is Roger. Rog, this is my mum Morticia and my dad Gomez." (Y/n) bit down on her bottom lip to smother a laugh when Roger seemed to choke on air at their names. Morticia. As in mortician, who deals with the dead. That seemed a rather apt name for someone living in a home such as this who dressed as if she were an elegant witch.

"Ahh, Roger. (Y/n)'s told us a lot about you. good to finally meet you." Gomez smiled a catfish smile that showed his pearl white teeth before he bit down on the end of his cigar. His eyes widening for a moment as his grin widened, his hand stretching out to shake Roger's hand that was rather steady considering how his nerves were going haywire.

"And you, (Y/n)'s been telling me all about her childhood here..." Roger trailed off as he looked at (Y/n). He couldn't believe the resemblance between her and her mother. They shared the same eyes and pointed cheekbones and jawline, they held their frames in the same manner too. They could have been twins if not for the small differences and age lines that Morticia had. She was taller than (Y/n), resting her hands on her daughter's shoulders as she smiled welcomingly at Roger. "You... you look like sisters." Roger mumbled quietly, seeing Morticia raise a brow at him as she smiled brighter.

"What a charming young man... Lerch, fetch them some tea would you? You both must be parched from the drive." Morticia reached a hand out to Lerch, holding her index finger up as she looked like she was asking him to dance.

Roger turned his head, almost jumping out of his skin when he noticed the man standing next to him who had silently turned up without his notice. Lerch was even taller than Morticia, his frame tall and rather lanky as he seemed to slump forward just a little. His expression looked as if he was bored or not really with them but he made a sort of groan of agreement, sending a smile (Y/n)'s way before he slumped in the direction of what Roger could only presume was the kitchen.

Walking over to Roger, (Y/n) took his hand in hers before guiding him down the long, rather dark corridor with her parents following behind. She turned right and headed into the room adjoining to the kitchen which looked rather dreary like a dungeon to Roger. He let (Y/n) tug him over to the long rectangular table sitting in the middle of the room, taking a seat next to her.

"They like you." (Y/n) whispered excitedly before she pressed a quick kiss to his lips to calm his nerves. Roger could tell by her tone that she wasn't lying to calm him down, she was very happy because she knew her parents were taking to him immediately. "Rog, this is grandma... the wicken." (Y/n) whispered the last part since her grandma entered the room holding a very massive and very old black leather-binded book.

"Nice to meet you." Roger spoke softly with a nod of his head, smiling at the way her eyes crinkled as she looked at him, a toothy grin on her face as she bundled over and sat at the end of the table.

"Thank you Lerch." (Y/n) spoke softly, patting Lerch's hand as he set a cup of tea in front of her. Watching his cheeks tint with red as he nodded, placing another cup in front of Roger before moving to do the same for her parents and grandma. "Oh, Rog, this is my little brother Pugsly... and there's my sister Wednesday."

Turning his head, Roger watched a short, stout boy walk down the winding stone steps in the corner of the room. He nodded at Roger with a smile that puffed out his cheeks before he set a stop sign down beside Gomez who congratulated him for something Roger couldn't hear nor understand. When he looked to the stairs again a young girl with hair matching Morticia's walked over. She stood beside Roger with a stoic expression, her hair separated into two plats as she wore a black dress, her hands clasped in front of her.

"Y-you weren't kidding." Roger whispered, leaning into (Y/n) as he noticed her parents weren't at all confused or laughing at her name meaning it really was Wednesday. He thought (Y/n) had been joking or that it was a nickname.

Leaning forward, Wednesday narrowed her eyes as she scanned over Roger making him quite unnerved as he leaned more into (Y/n), unsure what was happening or what he should do.

"I like him." She suddenly announced in a plain, even tone as if she were bored or unamused but her words said otherwise. She kept her hands clasped in front of her as she sat down next to her mother. Watching Roger with the smallest hint of a smile curving one corner of her lips upwards. Watching with intrigue as Roger went to grab his cup of tea, shaking his head when he saw it was overflowing with thick steam that looked like a fog erupting from his cup.

Trying not to think too much into it, Roger took a daring sip of the drink when he noticed (Y/n) doing the same. Unable to hide her smile behind the rim of her cup. His brows raised as he nodded to himself, it didn't quite taste like the tea he was used to and it had its own kick to it but he had to admit it was a very enjoyable taste.

"I'm so happy." (Y/n) whispered into his ear when she set her cup down, leaning her head on his shoulder so she could kiss his neck. No one had taken to her family like this before. No one tried to get to know them or understand them or spent this long without freaking out. Nor had her family ever taken so well to her boyfriend- fiancee this time- or to any of her friends as quickly as they had taken to Roger. She could tell by the different smiles and expressions of her family that they liked Roger.

This is what she had been dreaming of.

[victuurikatsu]

we’ll never be royals

[For @wewritevictuuri weekly prompt “I’m going for a swim. Do you wanna join me?” And a celebration ficlet for reaching a following milestone, thank you for your continued support! 💖]

“Come on, Yuuri! What’s the worst thing that could happen to us?” Phichit asked.

The man promptly slammed down a regal looking poster atop the work space where Yuuri was working on his latest piece. Desperately, he tried to focus his attention on the piece rather than poster itself --- knowing full well it was filled with details announcing the masquerade ball being held in the kingdom.

Of course he’d already known about the ball, as he’d already been commissioned to make some of the finest gowns and petticoats for it. But this last piece he was working on, he wanted to make sure it was especially cared for, as the snowy white mask with glinted crystals and golden lining was being procured by Prince Viktor Nikiforov himself.

Yuuri could feel Phichit’s gaze burning a hole into his shirt before he responded, “Well for one, we could be hanged. And more importantly we’re not royalty. How would we even get in?”

“Dumb luck and charm.” Phichit smirked. “Besides, you can create the perfect disguises for us, can’t you?”

Being one of the most renowned tailors in the kingdom had its perks. Yuuri was never out of work and usually kept busy well into the dead of winter. His hands had created arguably the most lavish pieces seen on royalty within their kingdom and even in other lands abound. But to pull something as extravagant as whatever Phichit was conjuring up in his mind, he didn’t know if he was capable of it. In an attempt to dissolve any of the concerns that were clearly painted on Yuuri’s face, Phichit went in for the kill.

“I’ve already got us a surefire way to get in. Remember that royal guard? The one who’s usually glued to the Prince’s side?”

Yuuri could only briefly recall him, hair coiffed in strands of blonde in tight curls, eyes that were doe-like and as green as an emerald. The only reason why he didn’t know anything else was due to his attention always landing straight onto the Prince thereafter. His silver hair cascading down like a waterfall, his eyes an azure blue that always looked warm, shoulders broader than anything he’d ever seen, skin as luminous as the moon.

“Uh, Giacometti? Right?” Yuuri managed to stammer out before getting too lost in his daydream.

“The very same. He owes me a favor, so I’m cashing in on it. We’ll have access through the servants quarters. He’ll personally escort us in, no harm done. Besides, it’s not like you to pass on an opportunity to see Viktor.”

Yuuri looked over to the poster and back at the mask in his hands. A royal servant would be by to fetch it within a day or two. He was confident that by the time he finished the piece it would be more than suitable for him. He wondered if it would be a sin to want to see the mask on him with his own two eyes rather than hearing through word of mouth as he had always done for any piece he had made for Viktor in the past.

“Two conditions.” Yuuri finally said as he came to his own resolve.

“Anything!”

“If we get caught, I’m pleading hysteria. By midnight, we’re gone.”

“You sound like a folklore.” Phichit said rolling his eyes.

“Midnight Phichit, no later.” Yuuri warned.

“Fiiiiiine.” Phichit conceded, before throwing a mound of fabrics over Yuuri’s way. “Now get to work, we have a ball to get ready for!”

The days stretched on much faster than Yuuri had anticipated and before he knew it, he was critiquing his disguise in the mirror while Phichit did his best to assure him nothing would go wrong. Against the backdrop of his tanned skin, Phichit was carefully hidden under a mask in brilliant hues of red and gold to signify a dragon. The irony wasn’t lost on Yuuri as Phichit kept making jokes about not fighting back should Guardsmen Giacometti consider slaying him sometime in the evening.

Yuuri opted to be hidden like a raven in the night so his mask followed the same theme. The contrast against his honey brown eyes was jarring but subtle enough for him to feel that he would seamlessly blend into the background. After dusk had settled and stars were beginning to form, Yuuri and Phichit snuck off to the meeting point, grateful for the bustle of out of town royals marveling at the estate that the Nikiforov’s kept so prim and pristine. As Phichit had promised, the doe-eyed guard was indeed waiting to escort them into the heart of the ball.

“Why does he owe you again?” Yuuri murmured as they were led deeper into the confines of the castle.

“That’s a tale I’ll share later.” Phichit said with a smirk.

Making it to the grand ballroom, Yuuri was hit with a world of color in gold and silver. If it wasn’t the dresses that were in bright hues, it was the brilliant fans that each lady of the court seemed to be brandishing that caught high attention. Beautiful and graceful, every participant at the ball did not skimp on fulfilling the duty of showing up in proper attire, some of the pieces Yuuri had worked on weeks ago were even seen waltzing around in the space.

Heart pacing, he made a run for the nearest station where cups of mead and spirits were being passed along. It did not take long for Yuuri to succumb to his own curse as he and spirits never mixed well. Now they were even more in danger of having their cover blown.

As music brandished through the space, Yuuri through blurred vision watched colors flowing across the room as people were pairing up one by one to dance. That’s when he sees the familiar crystalized glint of a mask he would recall anywhere after spending weeks perfecting it.

It was the Prince.

Stumbling over to him, Yuuri could only manage a giggle before standing upright, thankful that the mask he had on himself was a stark black and would hopefully hide the hues of red that were staining his cheeks. Wordlessly, he holds out a hand to invite Viktor to dance, half expecting to be pushed away. But the spirits gave him no ounce of fear and all he wanted to do was follow through with ambition. He wanted desperately to dance with him. That’s why he’s surprised when he feels warmth enveloping around his finger tips.

“I know every royal there is to know, but I’ve never seen you around before.” Viktor said in amusement.

Yuuri can only think of replying in the form of a gesture. He wanted to successful sweep Prince Viktor off his feet and he does just that. He doesn’t know how many dances pass between them, but they are both flushed with joy and giddiness that causes the entirety of the room to take heed of what was unfolding. Who was the stranger making the Prince come alive for the first time in years?

The following day Yuuri finds himself leaning against a tree in the middle of his personal sanctuary. Head pounding, he watches the lake across from him glisten, ebb, and flow as he tries to center himself. Phichit had successfully dragged him away as promised at the stroke of midnight. The events that happened prior were still a blur to him. He only knew that when he awoke that morning, the town was alit with talks of a raven haired stranger whisking the Prince away in a night of dancing and laughter.

As far as Yuuri knew, no one was able to uncover his identity, and he wanted to will it to stay that way. Lost in the curse of his drinking, he strayed from being safe and nearly blew it for both himself and Phichit, all for the chance to live out a dream beyond anything he felt he would ever be worthy of. Though it was nice being able to recall the way Victor’s laughter sounded against the base of his throat.

“Hi! May I join you?”

Yuuri nearly leapt off of the ground, unaware that he wasn’t alone in his oasis and was stunned to see who was standing before him. Grasping onto the tendrils of grass beneath him to feel for sure that this wasn’t another dream, Yuuri gulped before getting up immediately to gather his belongings.

“S-sorry, I was just g-going. Please, enjoy the space your majesty.” Yuuri said with a deep bow, hanging his head low before swiftly turning his back to the man.

“I know it was you.” Viktor called out to him.

Yuuri froze, willing his shoulders to relax before uttering a simply reply, “I don’t know what you mean.”

“At the ball. You were the raven. And I’m certain you must have made my owl mask. The details never lie. I’ve always admired every piece we’ve gotten from you.” Viktor said fondly.

“M-my work?” Yuuri managed to get out.

“Mhm, and if I’m being honest, I haven’t had fun like that at a ball in ages.”

Yuuri found himself spinning around to plead for forgiveness, but all he could hear was giggling and the feeling of a cloth that still felt warm landing on top of his head. Drawing his hands up, he pulled on the cloth and saw that it was an undershirt. Eyes trailing to the ground, he saw a pattern of scattered clothing ranging from trousers, boots, even the lavish magenta hued petticoat.

That was when he saw him, shimmering in the middle of the lake like an ethereal being come to life. The way the sun cascaded against his silver hair making him even more luminous than ever, how his eyes seemed even brighter than the skies above. Yuuri searched for any ounce of distrust or hard feelings, but only found that Viktor was still warm and inviting. Soon enough, his lithe hand was outstretched to him, in a way of beckoning, possibly a calling.

“I was wondering if we might be able to continue in the spirit of fun. I’m going for a swim. Do you wanna join me?”

Yuuri looked on dazed, seeing a brilliant smile gracing Viktor’s lips.

Would it be a sin for him to say yes?

[shogetsus]

Stripes of Auburn, Eye of Sapphire

10. Mai

Read on Ao3 | Read on FFN |  Masterlist

Summary:  "Soooo, anytime you want to let go of my hand, I can—" She adds with a hint of sarcasm, although doesn't truly mean that, deep down.

"Don't be shy, kitten. Come on!" His bright grin breaks all possible attempts for a negative, "I promise I don't bite… unless asked for, sure thing,"

Mai snorts, shaking her head as to try hiding the amused smile in her face. Somehow and for all intents and purposes, that hurricane of a man manages to draw her in every single time, as if they're bound by invisible handcuffs or another power in the universe.

Spoiler alert! - Mitsunari and Shingen's route.  (I'm smooching and giving a golden star to the one who figures out the sort of easter egg here (?))

Mai

“Hey, settle down, you. We’re about to meet your ‘dad’, don’t be impatient,” The rowdy tiger in her arms meows longingly, refusing to stay still, making her flinch in pain as he claws on her shoulder. “Ow, ow! That hurts, boy!”

Coming to a stop, Mai first works on detaching the cub off her kimono, bringing him to her eye level and shooting a stern glare, straight into his yellowish eyes. “Alright, let’s make this straight. I want no clawing and no biting. Otherwise I’ll have to punish you and believe me, neither of us wants that. Are we clear?” As she formerly predicted, the little tiger doesn’t hold her gaze for much longer, rumbling softly and casting his eyes down to the floor, pretty much getting her warning.

“That’s a good boy,” Mai flashes a big smile and readjusts her grip on him, scratching the back of his ear as to reward that improved behavior. She gets a delighted purr in response. “Ah, you like this, don’t you? Aw, seems you do, yes you do!”

It’s a stroke of luck the ear scratching gesture appears to be generally accepted by all felines. And with the tiger quite more at ease—still squirming a little, yet at least not as desperate as he seemed to be put down after coming to a mutual understanding—by the time she reaches the northern side of Azuchi castle and Masamune’s manor comes to sight, Mai once again almost forgets why she was coming over there in the first place.

A pair of men clad in blue robes is stationed by the entrance, chatting idly. One of them, who she can only guess to be Masamune’s chief vassal, merely judging by the clothing, acknowledges her with a once over as she approaches.

“Excuse me. I’m the new chatelaine, Mai, and I’ve come on Lord Nobunaga’s orders,” It’s hard to put up a sort of business stance with a playful tiger cub in her arms, but apparently she doesn’t have to as the Date vassal bows down to the waist.

“Oh, greetings, Princess Mai. We were expecting you,” The man says with an inviting smile, stepping aside for her to pass with a respectful flourish. “Lord Masamune awaits you inside.”

“Thank you. Um, huh?”

Two rows of vassals come into view, all standing in attention and lining either side of the hallway to the main entrance. Moving forward, each pair she passes bow down in sync with her steps, looking pretty much like a royal reception… or walking into a haunted house, it’s hard to tell.

She does her best with keeping a straight face as she goes, struggling not to squirm. What’s the guy really up to? First I’m a poison tester, then a sword fighter, next an animal tamer, and now I’m treated like a princess? What the heck?

As she reaches the end of the hall, the door opens before her.

“Welcome, Mai…”

A warm and refreshing as spring voice drifts to her, the ears of the cub in her arms tilting up in recognition. As if a spell would be, Mai’s drawn inside by Masamune Date’s quite distractingly charismatic smile, finding him sitting with his legs folded before a small desk. And if she’s a Princess, there’s no doubt in her eyes he could absolutely be the charming Prince from tell-tales of old.

But he most certainly knows that, judging by the amused glint in his beautiful eye. “Looks like Shogetsu’s found a friend. He doesn’t usually let people hold him. Scratches and bites are all he does, the imprudent kit…” He mentions, appearing satisfied.

Huh, so, Shogetsu, written like “bright moon”, she guesses. Right, it takes merely one look at Masamune and she can tell he has a moon theme going. Yet even when both owner and pet are making it terribly hard for her to make a solid stand on her next reasoning, Mai knows in her heart someone at least has to.

It may as well be her. “And that’s even the more reason you can’t keep him!” Her lips purse tight, determined to stand her ground—even if the little cub may or may not already have been growing on her.

The sheer confused look in his face wasn’t entirely expected. “What? Why?”

“Because he’s a tiger! And he may be a baby now, but that won’t be for long! He knocked the wind out of me. What if he hurts or kills someone?” Stalking over to his working desk, she unceremoniously drops Shogetsu into Masamune’s lap. “Tigers aren’t pets!” She remarks with the best stern look she can manage.

However, Masamune looks all the more stunned for it and doesn’t say anything; his one gorgeous sapphire eye wide open, dangerously threatening to break her resolve just as simple as with a look. What!? You have no call to look at me that way! I haven’t held a sword to your throat or kept a lethal pet!

But then, he looks genuinely shocked. And to add up to the torture, Shogetsu joins his owner and casts his big and bright yellow eyes towards her, meowing ever so softly. “… Mraow?”

Her heart all but melts at that. Oh, fine!

Huffing in defeat, Mai pinches the bridge of her nose. “Look, as chatelaine, we can’t have any ‘imprudent kits’ on the loose.” She remarks sternly, “Just… make sure your kitten doesn’t stray,”

She’s about to turn on her heels before recalling that’s actually not everything she has to say to him. At her flourish, Masamune snaps out of his daze. “I see…”

“Well, that’s good, milord.” Even sitting cross-legged, he appears taller than life, his single eye intensely fixed on her, idly scratching Shogetsu’s cheek.

Slowly, he breaks out into another of those delightful smiles of his, the sort of one that spreads all over his face. “You surprise me again. I knew I wasn’t wrong about you!” He grins like a child after getting his birthday present, “And it’s just Masamune,”

“O… kay?”

“You scolded me before even saying hello!” A wholehearted cackle bursts out of him, his gaze full of mirth. “I like that boldness! Although… it’s not the only thing I like about you…”

Her treacherous heart comes back to life at his honeyed tone, skipping a couple of beats. “Um, okay, alright,” As hardened as Mai considers herself to be with shameless flirts such as him, a faint blush creeps up her cheeks nonetheless. “That was rude of me, I’ll admit that. So… hello, Masamune,” She remarks the informal usage of his name with a sheepish smile, “But listen, we need to—“

Completely out of the blue, Masamune snatches her wrist with fast reflexes that can only be compared with the feline currently squirming out of his lap, dragging her down next to him. That crescent smile and so vivid eye—that mysterious eyepatch—surrounds her entire line of sight. Leaning even closer, his warm breath fanning her face and a very alluring glint in his gaze, Mai’s conscious there’s no such force in the universe that would help her look away from the rapturing spell in that single eye; her brain sending her signals completely not related to work whatsoever.

“It’s alright, kitten. I won’t let you stray… again,”

Mai’s head tilts to the side just slightly as if hypnotized, feeling wrapped by an ocean of sapphire she’s almost too willing to sink and drown into. And his hand affectionately cradling hers is the precise amount of warm, a strong part of her very inclined to admit how appropriate of a time it is to start meowing.

And yet, that spell he just cast on her comes to an abrupt stop once Shogetsu prowls about, surely becoming bored and lonely, before exiting through the door she’d come in from.

Snapping her mouth shut—and for how long has she been staring at him slack-jawed!?—and shyly clearing her throat, she recovers some of her composure by attempting to give him a small piece of his own medicine.

“You say that… while your tiger just ran off again,” Mai says sultrily, conveying the same honeyed tone he used on her, playfully tugging at the black straps of his cape. “Maybe reconsider your caretaking ways. Leashing him could do, for starters,”

Masamune’s charming smile falters, yet only briefly, going wider as he can’t seem to help to laugh out loud. “I’m not the kind of man who’d turn someone against their nature. He’s free to roam where he pleases,”

That admission is certainly something she appreciates, but at the same time Masamune’s acquiescing ways can’t help but feel a tad bit problematic, at least in the long run. Or, for starters, just in that moment; as she considers about ditching the whole situation herself, yet it’s equally oh so tempting to stay right there with him, having a presumably very easy conversation.

Taking a defeated sigh, Mai opts out for spill out her concerns before anything else. “We need to talk about this morning, by the way. What the heck was all that about, honestly?”  

“Before I answer that, am I your last stop for today?” She nods, not giving it too much thought. “Perfect! That should give us enough time. Let me walk you back and I’ll tell you on the way,”

Tenderly squeezing her hand, Masamune rises to his feet, prompting her to do the same and walking her out. “Kojuro! I’m going out! You and the guys watch the place while I’m gone.” The vassal named Kojuro who’d led her in and the two rows of the other guys in the hall all answer enthusiastically in the affirmative. “And remember this will be our place for a while, so suit yourselves…” He reminds them, speaking past his shoulder as they turn on the corner.

“You don’t have to walk me anywhere, Masamune. I’m comfortable with the castle now, I can get back on my own just fine,” Mai can’t help but say, not wanting to be a bother. “Soooo, anytime you want to let go of my hand, I can—“ She adds with a hint of sarcasm, although doesn’t truly mean that, deep down.

For some reason her comment does nothing but goad Masamune on, tucking her hand in the crook of his elbow instead. “Don’t be shy, kitten. Come on!” His bright grin breaks all possible attempts for a negative, “I promise I don’t bite… unless asked for, sure thing,”

Mai snorts, shaking her head as to try hiding the amused smile in her face. Somehow and for all intents and purposes, that hurricane of a man manages to draw her in every single time, as if they’re bound by invisible handcuffs or another power in the universe.

And as he takes her through downtown Azuchi, she resorts to stop swimming against the tides for once—knowing deep in her heart it’s becoming almost impossible to stay away from the force that is Masamune Date. 

“Would you look at that sky, kitten…”

Mai follows Masamune’s eyes, both humming in appreciation at the clear sky above, a pretty much tolerable cold breeze brushing past as they stroll together throughout town. As for having already given up on her hand, still tucked in his elbow, she allows herself to enjoy their idle walk.

“By the way, I have all I need at my manor,” Masamune points out, dropping the subject entirely before it even began.

“Right. Crap, I was about to ask you that,” She mentally slaps herself—leave it to him to make her completely forget about her job, and on her first day, no less. “But wait. You knew why I was coming to see you?”

He shoots her a sideways glance, “I’m the one who told Nobunaga to give you this task in the first place…”

“Really? Huh. And why is that?”

Shrugging as if not considering it a big deal, his eye returns to their surroundings. “You looked apprehensive about the size of the castle and the people in it. Now you’ve got some faces to put to all the manors…”

Idly stroking her fingers with his free hand before going chilly from the breeze, they briefly fall into a companionable silence, leaving Mai to ponder. In truth, she did think it was a good way to spend her first day on the job.

Quite at ease with each other, her eyes wander as they stroll past a tight row of merchant stalls, displaying multiple sources of shopping—from fabrics, housing adornments, to jewelry for women. Sadly so, the latter stall seems particularly packed up for her to take a better look at, the broad back of a tall man in earthen-colored robes covering half the shiny merchandise on display.

It’s not like they were out for shopping either way. “So, let me guess. Were all those tricks a way to make sure I remember everyone?” Mai wonders, shooting Masamune a questioning look.

He cackles loudly, as free and careless as the breeze brushing past them. “Ha! No, I set those up so you wouldn’t get bored, of course!” Why, how nice of him. Mai can’t help but snort, not truly mad at the fact yet not appreciating it either. “Did you enjoy them? I wanted gifts that would make you feel welcomed,”

She tugs scornfully at his blue sleeve with her free hand. “Those weren’t ‘gifts’ per say, Masamune. They were more like pranks!”

The glare she sends his way doesn’t make him flinch in the slightest. On the contrary, his smirk turns smugger, “You could just admit you had a fun time, you know…”

“No, I really didn’t!” She rolls her eyes, huffing exaggeratedly. “But maybe Mitsuhide did, though…”

Either way, they could keep that circular argument going all day to no avail. Whatever complaints she lodged with Masamune, so far it looks like it’d run off him like water off a duck’s back. I should probably take a page out of his book. Though that reminds me of my poor sketchbook!

As they turn on another row of stalls, presumably about to make their way back to the castle, people seem to recognize him—or most precisely, the female audience.

“Look, it’s Lord Masamune!” A woman nudges her lady friend’s side, happily waving their way. “Oh, is that the beautiful Princess everyone’s talking about?”

What? They know about me already? But I’ve barely spent less than a week here!

“Aaw, they make a lovely couple!” The second woman appears to squeal in delight.

Masamune’s smirk turns into a full impish grin, tilting his head politely in greeting at the onlookers, but otherwise looking so blatantly full of himself to correct the women—his chin a little straighter, shoulders more squared, clearly appearing to show off. A couple, huh? Oh, if only they knew.

To their credit, walking arm in arm probably made it look like a couple. Romance and dating, especially the latter, must be another one of those things that’s changed drastically in 500 years. Regardless, she’s quite honestly the last person to talk about on the matter.

Well, for better or worse, at least it looks like I’ve made a friend here—if I can call him that.

Testing the waters on that tidbit, she gives Masamune a friendly nudge with her elbow. “Didn’t take you for showing off,” She says low, only for him to hear.

“I’m not hearing you complain about it, kitten…”

The so charming smile he sends her way makes her flush all in a sudden, prompting her to change the subject before making an embarrassment of herself. “So, um,” Mai coughs awkwardly, “That was a pretty short answer to my former question, by the way. It certainly didn’t require a whole walk. Why didn’t you just tell me at your place?”

Masamune quirks a curious brow, “For all that questioning, I thought I’d already answered that as well,”

“Um, no? I’m pretty sure you didn’t?”

“Oh, so, when you want to know something in your future time, you just stand there and talk about it?” He wonders, hinting some disbelief in that fact alone.

“Well, generally, yes…” Mai is inclined to admit.

He shrugs at that, also seeming inclined to accept that. “To me, action is a more reliable way to get an honest answer out of someone.” Right, that brings her back to the events of last night with the sword display. Honestly, I’d rather talk. “Also it’s a lovely day out, don’t you think? Good for exercise,”

On that, she can wholeheartedly agree with, giving him an appreciative smile before falling into another comfortable silence. On their way back to Azuchi Castle, Mai can’t help glancing at him from time to time, watching the way the midday sun takes on the best of his handsome features. Drifting onto her thoughts, she sizes up how best to handle a man like him from there on. Is he just optimistic? Sure that he knows best and can’t possibly be inconveniencing other people?

One thing’s for sure, and that’s Masamune seems to be permanently set at high speed, although it isn’t precisely a bad thing. To be fair, she should have figured that out from their horse ride on their first encounter. And yet, for how slow everything seems to work in that past time, Mai won’t deny it’s a nice change of pace.

“You’re a very different kind of man.” There’s no real judgment in her musing, merely stating out a fact.

However, Mai doesn’t realize she’d been voicing her thoughts until Masamune turns another curious brow back at her. “That’s a compliment, right?”

The subtle doubt in his voice tempts her to tease him a little for a hot second, but opts out of it a moment later. It feels somewhat rude, after all, and he did just take her out for a walk. “Just in this case, yes.”

Mai allows herself a genuine smile and he returns it with a dashing one of his own, about to approach the main gates of Azuchi Castle. All in all, Masamune Date seems to get a lot of pleasure out of life while blithely ignoring the rules and to be quite honest, she finds that admirable—if not also partially relatable.

“You haven’t slept in three days!?”

Her breakfast tray almost falls off her hands, gaping at the relaxed figure of Mitsunari Ishida like a fish out of the water. Being that involved in a book is certainly a skill, but as impressive as it is, seems it’s also dangerous.

“It’s not that unusual, and I probably won’t pass out,” The young strategist is quick to come up with an excuse, appearing fairly used to do such a thing. “Although I typically only do that when we’re busy,”

As he sets his reading glasses aside, she begins to come to the realization of what everyone was trying to warn her about. I think I understand why he walked into that pillar now…

“Those glasses look cool. I didn’t know they had been invented yet…” Mai is inclined to admit as he sets the tray between the two of them on a spare table. It would’ve been truly sad if a bookworm like Mitsunari seems to be couldn’t be able to read properly. Plus, they seem to look very nice on him, and the thin silver frames set his amethyst eyes off in a really pretty way.

“Invented… yet?” At that, her eyes go wide.

“I-I meant, um, I haven’t seen people use glasses around here, um—“ She stammers, cursing her stupid tongue inwardly. This is totally my fault for spending too much time with Masamune. Seven hells! “Soooo, just tell me, is the rice of your liking, Mitsunari?”

Hoping he’d forget about her slip, turns out he does so more easily than what she’d have expected. “I don’t know if I have a preference for any particular food,” He admits with a shrug while folding his legs and taking a seat before her on the table. “I’ve always eaten these because it’s convenient,”

Almost as if to prove a point, Mitsunari hurries through his tray of breakfast in the same way he did the other morning with Masamune’s zunda-mochi, as if the act of having a meal is an obstacle. “The sooner I finish eating, the faster I can get back to reading. The last time I ate I had dried rice too...” ‘The last time I ate?’ Why don’t I like the sound of that? “That’s it. It was the day before yesterday.”

“The day before yesterday?" Astounded, all she could do is repeat what he’d said.

“I had so many good books arrive yesterday morning that I couldn’t wait to start reading them. Luckily, that one I just finished was the last.” Mitsunari quirks a sheepish smile before wolfing down another piece of rice in a mere second.

… How are you alive?

Sure thing, her own lifestyle couldn’t be considered the healthiest in the world—not even to her modern age standards—but Mitsunari’s case sounds practically inconceivable. “That’s… that’s—“ Mai struggles to come up with real words, all but astonished. “That’s not good at all, Mitsunari. You can’t keep living that way,”

She’s not truly the type of scolding people on their preferred routines, but as far as it goes, Mai’s pretty much obliged to do so. Besides, his health is actually one of the perks of her current job.

For the matter, whatever retort he might have had, he doesn’t seem to have it at all, flashing another of his terribly endearing smiles. “I didn’t expect you to care so much about me. I’ve never met someone as thoughtful as you before, Lady Mai!”

That’s definitely not the reaction she was expecting in the first place, looking away sheepishly when his amethyst eyes twinkle happily, just like she might from looking at so bright sunlight. For reasons partially unbeknownst to her, he seems truly pleased.

And that’s not bad per say, but why is he so pleased to begin with? “I just want to see you healthy and happy, Mitsunari,” All she feels about doing with that is shrug it off a little, “Take it from me, but living this way may hurt you in the long run…”

Setting his cup of tea aside, he reaches for her hand. “Thank you for your concerns, that means so much to me,” The blinding smile in his face falters just slightly, yet he sounds genuinely grateful all the same. “And since it matters to you, I’ll put in the effort. On that, I promise,”

Mai tilts her head in partial surprise until a grateful smile of her own reaches her lips. That’s a wonderful start! Finally there’s someone willing to work with me!

It’s been scarcely a week and a half since her arrival to that detached, dangerous time in the past, but it’s thanks to Mitsunari Ishida’s sunny smile that she feels truly welcomed among the people she met there, her mood improving drastically. Getting news of Sasuke’s whereabouts would certainly make it all the better, but making another friend in the young strategist feels quite comforting as it is.

And so, while watching him finish breakfast and more at ease than in the past days, Mai settles for facing the rest of the day ahead much more positively. 

… And to her disgrace, her bright mood only lasts for so long.

Humming low in partial concern and anticipation, she stumbles upon no one else than Mitsuhide Akechi on the dim-lighted hallways, appearing to be returning to his quarters with a pile of books in his hands. “Oh, hello, Mitsuhide. Still working this late?”

Quirking up one of his mobile brows, he looks down at her, “I’m afraid some of us cannot afford a good night’s rest,” Mitsuhide excuses himself with ease, his golden eyes appearing to come alive with a gleam of curiosity, “But I could ask the same of you, dear chatelaine,”

“Well, Nobunaga has just summoned me to his tenshu…” She shrugs, hoping that to be enough detailing, not truly looking forward to being the subject of his scrutiny, of all people in the castle.

If he has any reaction whatsoever, Mitsuhide seems quite the master in hiding it. “My, my, has he already?” He just says, a very impish smirk creeping up to his elegant lips. However, he doesn’t lean her in whatever off-putting thoughts he may be having, stepping aside for her to pass. “Why, don’t let me keep you then, milady,”

Mai shoots a skeptical look at that, but the mysterious warlord is quick to be out of her hair to notice, disappearing past a corner without further ado. Determined to not let that ruin her nice mood, she pulls Mitsuhide’s vague commenting out of her mind and goes on her current matters at hand, walking the stairs up to Nobunaga’s tenshu.

Out of politeness, she knocks on the door before seeing herself in. “Excuse me,” The Lord of Azuchi Castle meets her on his working desk, barely bothering himself to acknowledge her. “I’ve been told you wanted to see me, Nobunaga,”

“Yes.” More than at ease for her personal liking, Nobunaga carefully sets his writing brush aside before meeting her eyes. “Tonight, I shall bed you.”

WHAT IN ALL HELLS AND HEAVENS!?

Tenshu: An architectural typology found in Japanese castle complexes. They are easily identifiable as the highest tower within the castle. 

[marvelsmagic]

Secrets- Tom Holland

Pairing : Prince!Tom x Princess!reader

Summary: Princess Y/N is 21 years of age this year. According to tradition, she must choose a suitor by the end of the year. When eight suitors show up to the palace, she must find the one to give her heart. Will she find love among all the politics and affairs of state?

Warnings: language maybe, love triangle oops, might be some sexual themes later on

Words: 2988

Song: Beethoven’s 5 Secrets - The Piano Guys

AN: I’m so overwhelmed by all the love and support I received on Light, my first ever fanfic. You guys really are the best. I’m thinking Secrets will be a series. If you want a second part, let me know!! I took inspiration from the Selection series, Reign, The Swan Princess, and a ton of other things, so I’m really proud of how all the ideas and concepts work together.

Disclaimer: Please do not copy my work! I worked hard on this and I really am proud of it. I own all of the original characters, but none of the real-life people who appear.

13 years ago - March

Spring was blooming all about the castle. Flowers decorated every available surface. Servants and guards scurried about, trying to finish up their assigned tasks before the celebration began. In the Great Hall, pastries were strewn across tables, every size and color. The windows were open wide with long flowing blue and silver drapery hanging from them. The palace seemed to take a breath of the fresh spring air.

A string quartet sat in the corner, practicing for the occasion. The sounds of laughter and music filled the air. The maids sat in the corner, sewing their ladies gowns and gossiping about the guards who were training outside in the courtyard.

It was the Spring Equinox Celebration, put on every year by King and Queen Y/L/N. It was meant to celebrate the end of a harsh winter and the promise of a fruitful harvest season. Each year, the King and Queen would invite all their friends and family to the grand event. All of the most eligible families in Westport would come, including the nobles and knights. Even royalty from other kingdoms would come to join in on the celebration.

This year, as in years past, the King and Queen invited the royal family from a small neighboring Kingdom called Mirea to come to the celebration. They hoped that an alliance could be formed, as well as specific trade regulations to benefit both kingdoms.

The leaders of Mirea were King and Queen Holland. Their entire family had been invited to the celebration. Queen Holland had stayed behind in Mirea, as she was with child and did not want to risk travel with a baby on the way. However, King Holland was attending and there were rumors floating throughout the castle saying he was bringing his three eldest sons along with him.

This was big news in the Kingdom, as young Princess Y/N had just turned 8. King Y/L/N had been searching for potential suitors for his daughter for a few years now, hoping that her marriage would provide stability in the country and ultimately bring peace throughout the land.

All he hoped was that his little girl would find love despite all the politics and affairs of state. Hopefully, she could find a way to have both.

Present Day - March

“I cannot... believe… you are…. forcing me to do.... this,” I spoke softly to my mother. She was pulling on the strings of my corset and it was getting difficult to breathe.

“Hold still, Y/N,” my mother scolded me gently, “I am almost done.”

That was enough to quiet me. It was hard to disobey a mother who was always the epitome of grace and elegance. Being regal came so easily to her. I had no such luck. My hair always stood up every which way. I hated wearing corsets. I would much rather be riding my horse than attending a banquet, anyways. I sometimes think I was never meant to be a princess.

“There,” she said, tying up the last piece of my corset. I turned to look at her.

“Y/N, I am not forcing you to do this,” my mother stated for the tenth time that day, “It is tradition that the princess meets all of her suitors on the day before the Spring Equinox celebration. You’re twenty one years of age this year. Tradition says you must choose your future husband before the year runs out.” She sighed at the end, clearly bored with having to repeat herself so much.

I already knew this information, but I hoped that if I kept complaining she would eventually change her mind. It was hopeless but I hoped regardless.

“But mother, I do not even know any of the suitors,” I complained, “How am I expected to find love with a complete stranger?” My mother gave me a quick look of disappointment.

“I found love with your father. You forget that we are not so different, Y/N,” my mother stated.

She turned me around so we were both facing the mirror. I studied her face carefully, and then my own. We had the same eyes, the same mouth curled up into a half smile. We were around the same height with a similar build. I had my father’s nose and eyes. “If your father and I found love, it is possible for you, too. Please tell me you will try. Please tell me that you will at least give it a chance,” my mother said. I could see the pleading in her eyes. This was important for her and my father, and for the kingdom.

I sighed. “I will try my best mother,” I said in a defeated tone. After seeing her look of sadness, I added a smile. It seemed to make her feel better.

My mother smirked, a facial expression that is far too rare on her in my opinion. She winked at me and said, “Besides, not all of the suitors are strangers. We cannot forget about our dear Prince Thomas from Mirea. The news of his departure is running rampant through the castle.” She was laughing at me.

My cheeks burned. I had not seen Prince Thomas in years. We had been childhood playmates. Every Spring Equinox for years, Thomas and his brothers had come to the castle during the celebration. Naturally, Thomas and I hit it off and became fast friends. We got into a fair amount of trouble. I remember the lecture I had received from my mother the year that Thomas and I ended up drenched in water and mud, when he dared me to hop in the fountain with him. I smiled at the memory. It had been so many years ago.

However, now that Thomas was heir and learning his trade from his father, his family had not been to the castle in years. He still wrote occasionally though.

“Mother, Thomas and I are friends, nothing more,” I stated while rolling my eyes. It was a habit that my mother was not fond of. It was un-lady-like or something according to my etiquette teacher, Ms. Catalia. I had never excelled in etiquette class, which did not surprise anyone who knew me well. “Besides, I would bet that he only is coming to be a suitor out of politeness or obligation, not love.”

My mother moved closer to me. She kissed me gently on the forehead.

“My dearest, you have much to learn,” my mom said with a smile, “I will send in Henrietta to assist you in getting ready for the Arrival Ceremony. Just remember, things have a funny way of working out. I am proud of you no matter what.”

“Thank you, mama. I love you,” I said. Tears were forming in my eyes against my will.

“I love you more, dear,” she said as she was leaving the room. I sighed when I heard the door close. I stood close to the mirror, examining myself one last time.

“You can do this,” I whispered to myself. I don’t think even my reflection believed me.

A knock sounded at the door just as Henrietta was helping me into my shoes. I despised the silver heels, but unfortunately it was mandatory in the princess handbook.

Henrietta opened the door and curtsied deeply as my mother and father walked into my room. I stood from my seat at the vanity and twirled, giving them a good look at Henrietta’s hard work. I was wearing a deep royal blue gown that shimmered in the light with long lace sleeves and a sweetheart neckline. My hair was in delicate curls down my back, and my makeup was fresh but still stunning. My tiara sparkled in the sunlight, casting prisms across the room. I could honestly say I had never felt prettier.

I could see my parents approved. It made me feel better to know that I wasn’t letting them down.

“It’s time,” my father said. He seemed nostalgic as he looked at my mother lovingly. I couldn’t help the touch of jealousy that I felt. How could two people be so lucky to find love in a world of policies and protocol?

As we walked to the entrance where my suitors awaited me, I could not contain my nervousness. My palms were sweating and my heart felt like it was going to explode. My stomach seemed to contain a thousand butterflies as I got closer and closer to the rest of my future.

We stepped in front of the great oak door. Just beyond this door was awaiting a variety of suitors, from the most eligible families in the entire land. Suitors who chose to be here. Suitors all waiting for me.

I visibly gulped. My mother, sensing my distress, came to my side.

“Now, there is nothing to be worried about,” she cooed while fixing the side of my dress, “You will stay here and the suitors will come through one by one. I believe they counted around eight.  There were many more, but we decided to keep the number small for safety reasons. Keep each interaction fairly short, just a minute or two. Do not forget to thank them for being here and remember to smile. You are happy they are here, remember?” She nodded at me and made sure I understood what she was saying.

I nodded. Here we go.

The doors opened and my suitors approached.

My first suitor was Harold Direman, the son of a noble family from Northport. I had never met him but I had heard many stories. Nasty stories that should never be repeated. The maids would gossip about him and all of his nasty deeds. I prayed internally that my exposure to him during this experience would be limited.

“Your Highness,” he said as he took my hand and kissed it. His lips lingered on my hand far longer than necessary. The way he looked up and down my body was enough for me to know I would not be marrying Harold Direman. He seemed unable to meet my eye and much too focused on my chest.

Politely, I responded, “Thank you for coming, my Lord Duke. I hope that your travels were not too uncomfortable. I hope you can find comfort and rest in our home and enjoy all that Westport has to offer.”

I could see him eyeing me up and down, clearly undressing me in his head. This was making me so uncomfortable. He responded with a wink and a simple, “I plan on enjoying all that Westport has to offer, Your Highness.”

As he walked away, a shiver went up my spine. If all of the suitors acted this way, I would never stay sane. I caught my mother’s eye. She seemed uncomfortable, too. She sent an apologetic look my way.

The next suitors were rather nice though, which made me feel better about the whole experience. Duke Alex George from Kiere and Frederick Port from a noble family in Westport. Alex seemed nice enough, although shy. Frederick enjoyed riding, so at least we have that in common. I breathe in and out, trying to calm myself.

Three down, Five to go.

Prince Javan from Archania seemed kind and was quite handsome, although I had somewhat of a hard time understanding him through his accent. I would definitely have to read about Archanian culture. It seemed very interesting.

I was starting to feel dizzy with all of the pressure.

Another suitor walked up to me. A beautiful blonde boy with the bluest eyes you have ever seen. I had heard of him before. His name was Prince Michael Whitson from South Harbor. My mother said he had all the makings of a fine king.

I curtsied and addressed him formally, “Your majesty, thank you so much for making the trip. I hope it went well?”

“Very well, actually. I quite enjoyed the countryside. It’s my first time in Westport. I had no idea it was so beautiful,” he said. His voice was rather pleasant, almost as if he were singing. He chuckled lightly. My cheeks flushed red. His eyes pierced me as he looked directly in my eyes. My eyes seemed unable to focus on anything but those eyes.

“I’m glad you enjoyed,” I said warmly with a smile, “I will have to take you sightseeing sometime during your stay. We have many beautiful sights to pick from.”

“It seems to me that everything in Westport is beautiful,” Michael says softly looking directly at me. His blue eyes seem to look beyond me, almost into my soul, but strangely enough I am not uncomfortable. My stomach flutters as I blush and look away.

“Well, I hope that you enjoy the Celebration. Westport welcomes you,” I say, still blushing from his flirtatious words earlier.

“Thank you, my princess,” he says graciously as he walks away. I watch him as he goes. My heart is pounding. Maybe this suitor system isn’t as bad as it appears.

I sigh. 5 down, 3 to go.

Next up walks James Katton, an earl from a newer kingdom I have never even heard of, even from many years of geography lessons. I can tell that he spends a lot of time in the sun. His skin is the color of caramel, and his hair is a dusty brown. He seems nice enough and he enjoys reading. My mother always said I needed to marry a scholar, a man who could keep me in check.

I had an interesting interaction with Duke Cal Robertson of Mirea. He only spoke two words to me the entire time. He said a quick “Thank you” and walked through the door. I would be offended but I believe he may just be awkward by nature. I catch my mother’s eye and plead with my eyes. She chuckles into her fan and looks away quickly.

1 to go.

When I see the next suitor approaching, my heart nearly stops. Could this man be my Thomas from so many years ago?

He is much taller than me, and he has gotten strong. I can see the layer of muscle underneath his suit, which is fitted to his body perfectly. My breathing hitches in my throat. His jawline is very sharp, and the angles and bones on his face could not be more perfect. His hair has become curly, poking out in certain places despite all of the effort I’m sure went in to styling it. He looks at me with big warm brown eyes. Yes, that’s my Thomas. Suddenly, it is just him and I, and the rest of the world vanishes.

He walks up to me, a smile playing on the edge of his lips.

“Princess Y/N,” he addresses me with a deep bow. His voice has gotten so much deeper, and it sounds as though it has been dipped in honey. Suddenly, my ears have a new favorite sound. His eyes glint mischievously making me blush.

“Prince Thomas,” I reply with a smile and a curtsy. He takes a look at me, gazing at me in a way that makes my heart pound.

“Looks like I finally caught up to your height,” he said with a hint of a laugh. As children, I was always much taller than him. I would never let him hear the end of it.

“It quite suits you… although it took you long enough,” I added. We both laugh. His kind eyes have not changed. I take a moment to observe them fully. Yes, they are the same. They still have flecks of gold and green that change in the lighting and with the weather.

“Thank you for coming to be a suitor. It meant a lot to my parents,” I say quietly, while looking him in the eyes. He glances over to where my parents are and smiles at them. Turning back to me, he smirks.

“Just your parents?” he asks with a glint of humor in his eyes. The audacity of this boy. A smile is tugging on the corners of my mouth and I cannot hide it.

“And to me,” I add. I give him a warning look. This boy is driving me insane.

“I would not have missed it for the world, Princess,” Thomas says sincerely. My cheeks light on fire. While I knew that each of my suitors was here to win my hand in marriage, it never felt as real as it did in that moment.

I swallowed involuntarily. My hands were shaking, and my knees felt weak. I looked at Thomas once more.

“I hope you enjoy your stay. Westport welcomes you,” I state with a half smile. His brown eyes look into mine one last time. He seems reluctant to leave. I want him to stay, but I was instructed to keep the arrivals short.

As he walks away, I watch him go. My heart still fluttering from the interaction. He is so different from what I expected. Better than I expected. I smile to myself.

Right before he turns the corner out of eyesight, he turns to look at me again. He smiles at me. The sun hits his face just right. I smile back, fiddling with the material of my dress nervously. He chuckles silently and rounds the corner, now out of my sight.

I breathe in deeply. I did it. My parents walk over to me with warm smiles.

“Very well done, darling,” my father said,“that seemed to go very well.”

My mother nodded in agreement. “You are a natural,” she said, taking my hair into her hands and fixing the stray pieces. “And tomorrow, the real fun begins.”

My heart leaps. This is not what I asked for, but it’s what I have. I think of my eight suitors, all within the walls of the castle.

Let the games begin.

[irondevilpunisher]

My Punisher Review

*No Spoilers*

This is the series I’ve waited years for, ever since the 2003 film starring Thomas Jane (which I still love btw). I don’t know what it is about the Punisher’s story of a broken man out for revenge that has me so entranced, because lets face it this isn’t an original plot. Its been done many times; example Death Wish. I guess it has a lot to do with how its executed that keeps the Punisher fresh and interesting just like its titular antihero. Plus I’m a sucker for antiheroes and people just can’t get enough of this guy. So did the series do this iconic MCU character justice? Yes it did and more. However there are some issues I had with the series that I will get into but first let me talk about the highlights.

 Let me start off by talking about the acting powerhouse that is Jon Bernthal. For me he stole the show in DD2 so I didn’t expect anything less in his own standalone series. And believe me he absolutely kills it in this. He kicked ass. In my opinion Frank Castle is Jon Bernthal’s baby now and forever; he embodies that character like no other. I’ve loved Jon’s work since his Walking Dead days (despite my loathing for Shane’s character). When I heard he got cast as the Punisher for Daredevil’s 2nd season I thought “hah, I wanna see what this guys’s got” sure enough Jon blew me away with his outstanding performances and won me over indefinitely. I just did not expect to fall even more in love with this character under Jon Bernthal when I had Shane still lodged in my mind. That said entering DD2, Shane was nowhere in sight. 

He definitely had quite the load to work with but Jon seamlessly brings a near perfect blend of vulnerability, humanity and lethal infusion. What he did with the Punisher in Daredevil’s 2nd run, he takes it to the next level in the spinoff series. The layers and complexities he gives Castle are nothing short of brilliant. One minute he can make you laugh, then scared, then break your heart which isn’t an easily accomplished feat at all considering how brutal Frank can be. You wouldn’t think it watching how violently Castle exacts his own brand of justice but Jon’s portrayal for the most part comes across as oddly endearing, sympathetic, charming and even relatable. Frank is such a tortured and tragic individual. He’s just likable even when he’s not trying to be. He was a family man, a marine and a patriot to his country. Frank had problems in his marriage yet was completely in love with his wife. Struggled with ptsd which is why he had issues connecting with his family and maintaining other relationships. And he’s incredibly selfless. Frank’s torn love for his fellow soldiers and his family is actually bittersweet and very human.  

There is no one more deserving of their own series than Frank Castle. And Jon hit a grand slam with this one.

Moving onto the second highlight of the Punisher series, David Lieberman aka Micro aka Frank’s new geeky buddy/partner in crime. This guy was freaking awesome! I mean seriously I loved this character right out of the gate. He stole all his scenes. And the best part about Micro is he wasn’t just there to be the comic relief or the techy sidekick, he really humanizes the Punisher. Brings out a lighter more laid back side to Frank’s persona. The two characters just play off each other so well, Bernthal and Ebon Moss-Bachrach have such a natural instant onscreen chemistry, its actually touching. I could watch their scenes all day. I really enjoyed following and witnessing the connection between these two men deepen as they worked together throughout the series. Their relationship is without a doubt the core of this show. And Moss-Bachrach made me feel so much for Micro’s character in terms of his isolation and alienation from his family. I couldn’t imagine anyone else playing opposite to Jon’s respective Punisher. Micro is literally the best friend Castle could’ve asked for, totally has his back 100%. Such a welcoming addition to the Punisher’s brutal world. 

Frank really needed this guy to keep him balanced. Polar opposites yet they have so much in common at the same time. Its like watching the Die Hard version of the Odd Couple only better. I don’t know what’s in store for Micro next season but (not to spoil you) I just have a terrible feeling he may suffer the same fate as Frank judging by how his seasonal arc ended. I sincerely hope not but if we go by what happens in the comics you know that the Punisher/Micro are a package deal. They’re in it together all the way. 

 Other highlights include Ben Barnes as the show’s villain Billy Russo aka Jigsaw/former best friend of Frank Castle. Holy crap this guy was scary as he was sexy. The interesting theme I found in this series was human nature and how sometimes it can be catastrophic. While Frank is so open about his grief and rage. Russo is the opposite, he’s the calm before the storm. His rage is more on the inside which makes him all the more dangerous and a worthy adversary to Castle. Strangely enough I really liked this character. He doesn’t set out to be evil just doing what he feels is right. Russo harbors so much pain and anger, dealt a lousy hand in life. And Barnes kicks a hell of a lot of ass in this role. I even enjoyed his complicated romance with Dinah Madani. They had nice chemistry together and quite a few steamy scenes that were pretty ship worthy which makes their inevitable conflict that much more heart-wrenching. Although I wasn’t entirely fond of Madani in the beginning and found her many times naive when it came to Russo, Amber Rose Revah did play the part best to her ability. She also had a fascinating cat/mouse thing going on with Frank Castle and I loved her dynamic with fellow agent Sam Stein. 

Most of the supporting characters are good and compliment the show’s lead very well. The flashbacks and dreams of Frank with Maria were bittersweet and heartbreaking as they were essential. In a way Maria acts as Frank’s guardian angel and conscience. Flawless chemistry between these actors. It hurt knowing Maria and the kids were dead yet I kept wishing they weren’t every time Frank had a moment with them. I have to commend the casting decisions for the Punisher people because they really wanted actors who gelled in the limited time they had. And fortunately they did. Jon does some fantastic work involving the Frank and Maria Castle stuff, particularly in the last couple episodes of the series. 

Sarah Lieberman is a doll. I absolutely loved her character and her interaction with both Frank Castle and her husband Micro. Jaime Ray Newman is gorgeous, talented and so underrated as an actress. She’s strong as she is vulnerable and sweet. She really brought out a softer and much kinder side of Frank that was needed to keep his character grounded enough so that the Punisher wasn’t just strictly about murdering people. In fact her chemistry with Bernthal and Moss-Bachrach was an accidental surprise and really had me torn because after watching this series I proudly ship the hell out of them both. The unexpected connection that Frank develops with the Lieberman family is some of the most powerful bits of storytelling. This broken man who’d lost his own family he  in turn gains another and its some of the most simple yet entertaining parts about this show. I just really enjoyed Frank’s interaction with Sarah and the kids. And I’m looking forward to where the writers take them next season, hopefully its in a good place. 

Karen Page, it was so nice seeing her again after Defenders. DAW is just stunning as she is awesome as this character. She wasn’t in the Punisher that much but I will say this show gave her a hell of a lot more story time than Defenders did. I really looked forward to watching Karen extend her reporting ventures and learning how she’d been dealing with the aftermath of Matt Murdock/Daredevil’s supposed death. Suffice for me to say this girl was hurting badly. Though [minor spoiler] Matt nor Foggy’s names escaped her lips even once on the Punisher, the way DAW played it so subtly internal made me think they were on her mind the entire time she was onscreen. Karen was definitely wearing masks while she was in Frank’s presence. Hiding from him and herself as much as she was using work to escape her pain. And that obvious grief only provoked a more reckless side in Karen to say the least. I won’t say what that was of course being that this review is supposed to be spoiler free. 

The one thing I will touch on about Karen’s appearance that I didn’t enjoy would have to be the plot she was given in the Punisher. Which brings me to my low-lights of the series.

The Kastle stuff was fantastic in DD2 I loved their scenes and their dialogue in that season of Daredevil. Both Bernthal and DAW managed to create an interesting dynamic between Frank and Karen, a unique bond, mutual respect and understanding. And I thought that relationship would’ve translated beautifully in the spinoff as it’d done on DD. However in my humble opinion it did not. I just didn’t feel the connection between these two characters was genuine  as it had been in DD2. While some stuff was touching [like the hug between Karen and Frank at her apartment] there were parts about their interaction that had me rolling my eyes. I’m talking cringe-worthy moments [like Frank’s little “she’s family” outburst with Micro and the elevator]. It just felt so out of place especially when Karen’s name did not come up on Frank’s radar when she wasn’t in episodes. There were times it seemed as if I were watching a soapy Kastle fanfic instead of the EPIC story of Frank Castle/The Punisher. 

Don’t even get me started on the fact that Karen’s role in this series was minuscule or that the B-plot she was involved in was horribly predictable, badly written and unimaginative. Far as I’m concerned the whole Lewis Wilson arc was the weakest part about the Punisher. It only served to give Karen’s character an excuse to stick around longer and to satisfy the dreams of a certain section in this fandom. I understand very well why Karen was used instead of Claire Temple to bridge Punisher with Daredevil; she developed a bond with him. It only made sense for the writers to use her for that purpose. But for me this is what slowed the series down. And as much as I love Karen and seeing her developed further this show did nothing for her. We didn’t get any insight into where her head was at after Defenders which is what the Punisher really needed to keep all these Netflix MCU worlds connected. She doesn’t really share any personal or meaningful conversations with Frank as she’d done previously. So because of that, Karen Page’s addition into the Punisher felt disjointed and awkward. 

The veterans/gun-control plot part of the Lewis arc really wasn’t needed. It worked for an episode after that this part of the plot took me out of Frank Castle’s story. Hopefully next time the Punisher writers will stay focused on the main storyline they’re telling and less on the preachy bits about today’s society.  

Overall this was a really strong start for a freshman series. Its flawed and far from perfect but still badass and entertaining. The action/fight sequences and stunts were gritty and excellently choreographed. There’s plenty of guts and gore in this show so if you have a weak stomach you might want to avoid the Punisher. And the bodycount is fairly high, it wouldn’t be the Punisher if it wasn’t. The pacing is decent. The writing in most of the episodes was modest, most notably in the last 3 episodes. Its definitely one of my top favorite Netflix MCU shows. I sat on the edge of my seat from the start to the end. So much potential for better seasons to come but all and all I finished this show feeling very satisfied and wanting more. 

A worthy addition to the netflix MCU. Oh and that freaking intro man it has to be my favorite by far!

 Final thoughts go to my fellow Karedevil shippers:

I know its been a rocky road for all of us after DD2 and Defenders. Some of you have chosen to abandon ship while others are only slowly losing faith in the DD writers. It might seem hopeless right now but as I said in my Karedevil post  Karen Page’s path is still pointed towards Matt Murdock’s. Her state of suffering in the Punisher only clarifies how much Karen still loves Matt. Her fears and concerns for Frank’s well-being came from a place of her own personal loss. She did not want to lose another person she cares about just as she felt she’s lost Matt, I strongly believe this.

Its not over between them its only the beginning. Besides no one ever said the road to true love would be easy. So hang in there guys DD3 ‘Born Again’ is coming and I anticipate great things. Charlie believes in Karedevil and knows they’re meant to be just as we do. The only thing the Punisher writers did for Frank and Karen was give their fans a few tasty snaps and closure, kinda like what DD2 and Defenders did for Mattelektra fans. There is still plenty of hope left for Matt and Karen now that she knows his secret and that they remain part of each other’s lives. Until then we carry on chilled. 

Now here’s a lovely Charlie gif for you all.

[drahtphotography]

Look at this! Eric has some words to share! Draht Photography

New Post has been published on http://www.drahtphotography.com/medieval-wedding-kamloops-sampler/

The Medieval Wedding in Kamloops Sampler

This wedding takes place in Kamloops, in Grandview Acres to be specific. That cover image was a tough choice, this was my other runner up.

  That white cape was a smart choice, as it started hailing large chunks of use just as we crested that hill. I’m getting a little ahead of myself, though. In the morning, the sun was shining bright. Some cows lurked in the background, silently observing us.

    By the time I arrived, everyone was hard at work. I looked to my left, and a man in full period wear looked right back at me. Off in the distance, tents were assembled.

  One thing that stuck out to me was everyone’s commitment. Family and friends all worked together to prep the fair grounds for this momentous occasion. The fall colours came to greet us.

    The veranda was absolutely beautiful, with the yellows of the grass mixed in with the lush greens. I scouted out a few spots, then checked in with the bride. I felt I had a solid foundation on which to build this album, a feel for how the day was going to unfold.

    We found a model castle for the ring shot. So far, we’re keeping to our theme.

    And the bouquets were stunning. The details on the handle were particularly eye catching. Sometimes, I wonder if there’s going to be a bouquet toss. Due to the size and weight, I ruled this out as a possibility.

    During the detail shots, a lot of them stood out to me. Here, an old photo of the grandparents getting married was printed and hung on the tree. I would have loved to photograph that day too.

    Outside, the final preparations were being made. In the main hall, we had a groom getting ready. But this wasn’t your everyday groom.

    I have to ask, do people from fashion shows actually expect people to wear anything they make?

    Comic above was related –  I walked in just as our groom as putting on his 30 pound chainmail. This particular chainmail had seen battle, it’s not just for show. Fashion designers take note.

    The detail was impressive. Everywhere I looked, there were belts and plates, all ornately carved.

    Usually I do an over the shoulder shot when the groom is getting help with his right cufflink. Not today.

The venue was filling up. Everyone was early, and the sun was shining. My phone showed me a 40% chance of rain.

    To my delight, everyone had dressed in period wear. There were swords, wool blankets, and smiles were just everywhere.

    The ceremony was intricate. They had mixed in many old traditions with a few new traditions. It honestly felt like something from another time.

    Before long, I found myself in front of a newly married couple. Behind us, we had our archway of swords. After family formals, of course, I found myself with a small bridal party in one of the prettiest settings I’ve ever had the pleasure to photograph.

    Conversation was light. I did rush everyone a little, those clouds off in the distance worried me. Everyone was quick, but still the mood was carefree.

    The fall colours had began to set in. This is one of my favourite times to photograph. Those september and october weddings have such lush colours.

    Shout out to our groom here – a lot of guys forget to take their wive’s trains after a few beers. This guy was on it the whole time. He did everything he could to make sure she felt like the princess she is.

    The formals were effortless.

      And the lush colours made me so happy. We had gotten some lovely shots, but we knew it was time for a tall grass photos. The three of us hiked to the top of a nearby hill.

      The photos were in the journey, honestly. Once we got to the top, we saw the hail approaching, in the distance.

      The cape saved us. The hail came down in thick ice pellets, stinging the back of my neck and soaking my camera.

    We found our refuge inside. The girls were getting henna drawn on, and the hall was bustling with activity. And so that’s where I’m going to have to end this sampler. I have a lot more photos I’d like to show you, but you’ve got to wait a few weeks. This is just a sampler, a sneak peek. Just some of my favourite photos from this incredible day.

    If you personally know the bride and groom, feel free to contact me by clicking here. Let me know who you are, along with the bride and groom’s name, and I’ll make sure you get a link to the finished album!

  If you know someone who’d like to see this sneak peek, feel free to click one of the share buttons on the top or  bottom of this entry, to share and tag them! Although I try to get the word out, a lot of family members and amazing bridesmaids and groomsmen don’t know about these samplers!

Thank you for reading this far. I put a lot of time and work into these sneak peeks so it’s great that you’ve taken the time to read all this!

If you’d like to keep a picture, even on mobile, just click it and it will open in a separate window. You can save it from there.

Lastly, if you’d like to stay updated, feel free to follow me on Instagram, facebook, twitter, or Tumblr for frequent updates. Talk to you all in a few days!

[lancemcgun-blog]

klance talk back

for @larrys-tube-of-lube: this isnt really langst, but maybe it is? its klance tho- lance flirts mostly to just get a reaction, he likes when people get angry or flustered, and he never really expects to have the flirting be thrown back at him until Keith does it one day and suddenly lance.exe has stopped working - It had just been playing around, he swears. And Lance guesses that maybe it's better when the person you're playing with does it to, because it's proper etiquette, but God. Lance never expected Keith to flirt back. It had been a great, weatherless day out in space, hurtling through the cosmos, and as all days in space with no ideas of what to do go, Lance was bored. He needed a distraction from his own thoughts, and flustered people were just his type. He sighed. Walking around the castle, he thought of the different people he could joke-hit on. Of course, first, there was Allura. Beautiful. Absolutely stunning, and by that Lance meant that she was really good at kicking him onto the floor and making him stay still while in pain for prolonged periods of time. So she was a no-go. Lance knocked Pidge and Coran off the list, because he was sure Pidge was either ace, not straight, or interested in Lance flirting with them. At all. In fact, he might get an even worse result with them than what he'd get with Allura. And Coran...you can't hit on uncles. That's just...weird. Next was Hunk, but usually whenever Lance tried to appreciate Hunk in full, Hunk just laughs or roasts him. And the brunette has had his full of being embarrassed. Then, Shiro. He was practically a dad, and as much as Lance loved to call him "daddy", he was too weirded out by that. It's not like Lance doesn't stare at his ass most of the time, but pretty much everybody appreciates Shiro's ass. It's beautiful. They love it. So that leaves...Keith. Mullet head. Well, Lance wouldn't say it looked unattractive on him--maybe a bit distracting, at most. And dude. He was probably maybe gay. He sorta gave off gay vibes. They were pouring out of him. Plus, he didn't get too physical with Lance that often (read: extremely physical with Lance very often). With finding Keith a priority in Lance's mind, he first checked his target's room. Knocking in the tune of the Wii Sports theme, he finished the song at least twice to no answer. Next, he checked the training deck. Keith was usually either brooding in here or brooding in his room, but somehow he still wasn't there when he entered--Just Coran determined to make Lance train, but sorry dude. A guy's got his priorities. Then, he checked the dining room. Unsurprisingly, nobody was there, and Lance was almost glad. Walking away from Allura or the other paladins would be hard to explain. Finally, as a last resort, he checked Keith's room one more time. Maybe he'd just come from somewhere and they'd missed each-other? Thankfully, when he knocked in "All Star", it only took him to get to "She was lookin' kind of dumb" before Keith opened the door. Lance mustered up his best "beach douche" face before dramatically posing his arms and leaning on the doorframe, then said, "Hey babe, if you're fire, then I must be ice, 'cause I seem to melt under your touch!" Keith just...stared holes into the blue boy's eyes for a minute until Lance broke his pose. "Uh, somethin' wrong, mullet?" He asked. "No, just stargazing. Bye, now." Keith shut the door in his face. Lance repeated Keith's words in his mind. Holy shit, did he flirt back? God...Lance needed to flirt with Keith more often. - not too much of the "lance.exe has stopped working" here but ;0; RIP i tried. if there's anything else you'd like don't hesitate to drop an ask in my inbox or comment!!

[formalmess]

i mentioned this on an earlier post and it literally took all the courage in the world to post this here because its rly self-indulgent but the pxl content here is lacking so im here to fix that

summary: luigi and peasley go to disneyworld, shenanigans ensue (ft. peas getting confused by modern technology, luigi in cute dresses, mario characters in orlando, and disney references)

The unusual pair, hands entwined, were waiting.

One was a young man with a boyish face and facial hair that was always maintained. He currently wore a red and white summer dress to imitate a certain cartoon mouse’s girlfriend, ears to match atop his brunette head, a large red bow making his presence not mesh so naturally among the rest.

However, the man he was with had an appearance much more startling than his own. Granted, green skin certainly doesn’t make it easy to blend in well with civilians.

Peasley, a prince from a faraway land full of citizens of beanish descent, was currently wearing a shirt much too small for him. Now complaining noisily, he dramatically threw his weight on top of the bars set in front of him for safety purposes.

“Darliiiiing…” His voice rang out in a whine as his body slumped over. Luigi pulled his companion back frantically before Peasley got seriously hurt or was scolded by one of the wandering cast members.

The two were currently waiting for the monorail to take them to the theme park, which Luigi assumed would be arriving soon, judging by the lights overhead blinking in syncopation. Said vehicle caught Luigi’s eye as it neared their station, Luigi excitedly gripping Peasley’s arm. Other guests were beginning to emerge from the doors behind them. This was most likely one of the first monorail trips of the day, considering the time. Luigi examined Peasley lazily rubbing at his dark eyes.

Luigi would have been happy to settle for any other less expensive hotel to stay at for their trip, but Peasley wouldn’t have it any other way after Luigi described the regal and lush interior of the grand resort.

After an embarrassing first encounter at check-in (that involved a lot of ‘Do you know who I am?’s), the pair went shopping until the stores located within the hotel closed.

Peasley had originally been much too tired to examine everything within the quaint establishments, but seeing Luigi so engrossed with exploring and purchasing various things perked the sleepy prince up right away. As soon as Luigi was done, arms full of plushies and charming clothes, Peasley requested that they head to their room to retire for rest.

Peasley had been less than willing to leave his lavish bedding when morning pricked at his eyes so early in the morning. He peeled off his sleeping mask groggily, waking to see his companion throwing open the curtains and already dressed. It was certainly a sight that confused the prince completely.

All this for some children’s amusement park, he thought as Luigi threw an outfit he had picked out for him the prince’s way. After dressing, Luigi assisted him in putting on something with three circles all adjoined together on his wrist. It was a vibrant yellow color that pleased Peasley’s eyes as he yawned and stretched tiredly, following Luigi out of their hotel room.

---

"Oh darling, do I really have to wear this?" The beanish man tugged at the shirt that was picked out for him. The garish vibrant colors were certainly a far cry from his usual prim and proper ensemble.

"Yes!" The brunette spoke in a whisper. "I know what you wanted to wear, but I am simply not going to let you wear your tunic and cape in this weather! You'll melt!"

"Oh, but sweetheart...!" The prince whimpered out obnoxiously. "It's so unsightly! And tight." He grimaced at the white shorts around his emerald legs.

Luigi offered half a smirk, taking Peasley’s dainty fingers in his as the cast members opened the gate in front of them to allow them on the monorail.

They made their way onboard, Luigi leading Peasley over to a window seat so he could see what the twinkling waters in the middle of the monorail tracks outside looked like at this bright hour.

"You'll be fine, I promise. You'd stand out anyway." Luigi allowed himself to lean on Peasley’s shoulder as more people stepped onto the monorail.

"What if I want to stand out?" Pealsey pouted in return.

Luigi looked up softly, examining a young girl pointing at them both and saying something to her mother.

“Well,” he lightly delivered a kiss to Peasley’s forehead. “Looks like you already do.”

---

“Magic… Band?”

“Yep, just tap it right here!”

And so Peasley tried.

And he continued trying.

It seemed he didn’t quite grasp the concept. Luigi now realized entering the park before Peasley was probably a mistake. While Peasley was intelligent, he wasn’t always the brightest when interacting with humans and other species.

How in the world did he expect him to know how to operate technology?

The cast member was patient though, thank Grambi, carefully trying to explain the phenomenon to Peasley. Luigi watched from within the park, several other families and people passing him as he listened to the exchange of instructions and response from the prince.

“Just tap the Mickey right here.”

“Ah yes, the Mickey.” Peasley stated simply, not wanting to admit he had no idea what that was.

Peasley turned to Luigi for help in desperation, Luigi pointing at the adjoined circles feverishly.

Peasley made an audible sound of recognition, putting the band up to the post in front of him.

It finally reacted, Peasley physically jumping back at the sound and lights produced by the so-called magical bracelet around his wrist. He looked at it in awe as the cast member motioned for him to walk inside. Luigi laughed slightly behind his hand, Peasley rolling his eyes in response.

“You should have told me what to do! I made an absolute fool of myself!” He wailed as Luigi pulled him along. “I was about to-”

Suddenly, no more words emerged from the prince’s small, pristine lips.

Only silent wonder remained as the two made their way through a small tunnel and emerged into an entirely new world, Peasley assumed. They walked silently, Luigi having to pull his awe-struck boyfriend down Main Street as the prince spun around, trying to take in all the sights around him.

The smell of freshly baked pastries lingered everywhere as their light footfalls made their way across the crowded pathway. It was like nothing the prince had ever witnessed before.

It felt like something out of a story read to him by his mother when he was only a child, the same warm feeling from that time returning.

It was no wonder Luigi enjoyed it so much.

His eyes were soon captivated by a glittering castle standing high before him, his eyes twinkling as he tugged on Luigi’s arm.

“Sweetheart… Whose castle is that?”

“Hm? Oh, that’s Cinderella’s castle. I thought I told you-”

“Cinderella? What an absolutely curious name. She’s the Queen here? I had no idea amusements parks could have monarchies.”

Luigi would have laughed at the remark before realizing that this was entirely new to Peasley.

“No, she’s only a character from a fairytale. But, we can go visit her, if you’d like.”

“Visit her?” Peasley’s eyes narrowed. “I thought you just previously stated she is purely fictional.”

“She is, but…” Luigi chose his words carefully. “It’s hard to explain. It’s kind of like acting.”

“Acting? So, it’s much like the theater? Are there shows here we can attend?”

Luigi thought for a moment. “Yes, actually. There are plenty of shows to see. We can go to any of them.”

“Splendid! That sounds divine, thank you!” He pulled Luigi into an embrace. “Oh, I’m so excited. I’ve always been skeptical about magic, you know that.” Thinking back to the Cackletta incident years ago, the prince shuddered slightly. “However, I am utterly entranced by this kind! It is so very fascinating.” He grabbed Luigi by the wrist. “Come now, you simply must show me everything!”

---

The day went by much too quickly.

The pair spent the majority of their morning attending shows and performances, all of which Peasley adored completely.

As the two made their way through Fantasyland as noon swiftly rolled around, Peasley felt Luigi stop next to him. The sounds of young children singing in high pitched tones together reached Peasley’s ears. The combined sounds made a surprisingly lovely choir of voices.

He looked up, puzzled at their sudden stop when Luigi spoke.

“I know you probably want to do other things first, but...” the man gestured to the building in front of them. Peasley read the sign atop the golden arches outside the alcove that had the words ‘it’s a small world’ printed neatly with several smiling children’s faces accompanying it. “The wait time is so short here.”

Peasley’s puzzled features only grew.

“It’s a ride. You know what a ride is, right?”

“A ride from an amusement park? I researched it, yes. Don’t they make you sickly though?” Peasley’s face paled. “I’d prefer to not feel ill at this time of day.”

“Only some do. This one’s slow.”

There was no room for debate.

Luigi ran ahead, Peasley scrambling to follow.

The waiting was certainly tedious, Luigi soon realizing Peasley isn’t the most patient of fellows. After almost five minutes of standing in a gradually moving line, he started to nag Luigi again. He tugged on his dress and gossiped a little too loudly as people in line sent subtle looks their way.

He then looked up from Luigi’s shoulder, taking in the setting around him.

It was gorgeous.

Though he assumed it wasn’t made from real materials like gold and silver, the atmosphere was still stunning to examine. The small fixtures adorning the area around him seemed to pop out and leave him in wonderment. He barely registered they were seating themselves onto a boat placed in the middle of a small stream of water until he heard a voice instruct him to remain seated.

“A boat within water inside a building? How very peculiar.” He said aloud to no one in particular. Luigi nodded absently as the boat began moving, the beanish man leaning against his boyfriend.

Peasley didn’t know what he was expecting, but it certainly wasn’t this.

The same tune he had heard earlier returned, now joined with not simply children’s smiling faces, but tens of children all facing him.

They each had beady eyes and petite bodies made of wood and plastic, so he assumed, and were all staring into his own shaking eyes. He sank into Luigi’s side, feeling Luigi bobbing along gently to the music that continued repeating.

And repeating.

And repeating.

The ride continued in absolute silence.

---

“Such a good ride!” Luigi gave his verdict as he exited, twirling slightly still to that dreaded everlasting song. Peasley only nodded slightly, his body still tense. He did not enjoy that.

“Are there any… Less frightening?”

Luigi’s smile faded slightly.

“Frightening?” He went to confirm, turning to Peasley.

“Absolutely dreadful. It was shiny and lovely at first, but I just… Didn’t like the way those,” he paused, looking around as though to make sure no one else was listening. “Things… Moved and looked and…” He surpassed a shiver.

Luigi thought, then smiled mischievously.

“Here, one of my favorite rides is just around the corner. I’m sure you’ll love it!” He stepped away, Peasley hesitantly following.

He didn’t like the glint he saw in Luigi’s eyes.

Sure enough, as they rounded the corner and passed more stores and a restroom, a dark shadow and ominous music set the mood already for what was about to come.

A mansion loomed above them, almost obscured by overgrown shrubbery, vines, and trees. He was taking in the architecture when Luigi dragged him along underneath an awning into yet another line. This one was significantly larger than the last.

They eventually came to an area that Luigi immediately rushed ahead toward. Passing menacing looking statues, Peasley found Luigi in front of what appeared to be a wall decorated with carvings of various instruments. He had seen minstrels back at the castle using them for Peasley’s entertainment, so he immediately recognized most of them.

Luigi playfully pointed to the wall, smiling as Peasley lifted his petite hand up to it.

As soon as it made contact, the crashing sound of cymbals rang in his ears. He was startled for a moment, pulling his hand away as though he had burned it.

The hesitation only lasted for a moment. He lifted his hand to the wall once more, trying again. The same familiar sound was heard.

A goofy, unregal grin spread across his face.

His hand made it’s way across the wall, a plethora of instruments playing in return. He then noticed the other walls about him, all moving and making sounds of their own. He wanted to do everything. It was all so new and fascinating. Ah, how he wanted to remain here all day.

Sadly, his silent plea was unheard.

Luigi had to pull him away as children behind them tried to reach past Peasley. The pair moved along, Peasley sheepishly following as his face darkened.

“That was very unlike me, I apologize immensely.” He whispered softly to Luigi as they were ushered into another room, now inside.

“It’s alright, sweetheart.” Luigi assured as a voice erupted in their ears.

The air was chilled and still.

“Welcome, foolish mortals, to the haunted mansion…”

Peasley immediately clung to Luigi, Luigi doing the same to him.

As many times as the brunette had been through this same speech, it still frightened him to this day. He was glad to have a companion who was just as uneasy as he was. When he had visited with Mario, he was constantly teased about being a scaredy cat while his brother braved through all the scariest parts of rides.

Mario was never scared of anything.

The short opening monologue led to another room with stretching walls and jarring sounds and imagery that made Peasley whimper behind Luigi.

When they finally made it to the actual ride, Peasley clutched Luigi’s hand as tightly as possible as the same menacing voice spoke in his ears.

Eventually, Peasley’s grip loosened as he gradually became charmed with the mansion. The details were impeccable and so well placed that he spent more time looking at all the decorations than being frightened. As soon as they stepped off, Peasley didn't waste a moment to tell Luigi that he wanted to go on again soon.

---

“My my, I suppose you were right, love.” Peasley had removed a hair tie from his pocket, pulling his shimmery locks into a bun. “How do you put up with this heat?” He fanned himself with a map given to him by one of the wandering cast members.

Luigi, however, was more focused on the thing around his wrist than anything else.

“Y’know… We haven’t even taken advantage of the fastpasses yet.”

“The what?”

Luigi pointed.

Up ahead, with a squint of his eyes, Peasley saw a small area under an awning with several rectangular machines all lined up symmetrically.

“They’re boxes?” Peasley put a skeptical hand to his chin. “Those are the passes that are fast?” He was well acquainted with passes in order to permit people access into certain areas, but those were usually small items and were usually never preceded with an adjective.

Luigi chuckled. “No, they aren’t just boxes. They’ll help us get on rides faster.”

Peasley was confused again.

“Like, some rides are really popular. We need a fastpass if we want to get it on it faster, hence the name. And we get them,” he pointed again to the boxes that Peasley now saw completely as they approached. “Right here.”

Peasley mentally went through all the rides they had gone on today as Luigi asked which ones he’d be willing to go on again.

There was the one with the freaky dolls, the detailed mansion, the mermaid one, the bumpy one that made his stomach knot, the carousel, and they had just gotten off of a ride that was suspended in the air with scenes playing out below them.

“Anything you want, darling.” He finally spoke out. He knew what he did and didn’t want to ride, but Luigi had planned this trip anyway. Perhaps he should let his companion do whatever he desired.

Luigi fiddled with the box, using something Peasley could only assume was magic, until he announced he was done.

“Done?” Peasley was dumbfounded. “But, where is-”

Luigi pointed to the implement around his wrist. “It’s in this.”

Peasley looked at his own wrist, once again in awe at what was dubbed the magical band.

“Absolutely amazing…”

He was jolted from his thoughts by Luigi grabbing hold of his arm and pulling him along.

“Come on, we have so much to do before it gets dark! And then there’s fireworks, you won’t want to miss that, and there’s the parades also, and-”

Luigi continued rambling as the two ran across the park, smiling and laughing all the while.

[marykenyon-blog]

Day 6

Another day packed with activities. There is so little time in every city that we feel like we need to be constantly on the move. I’m glad though because it is so worth it. Tomorrow we are leaving Amsterdam to go to Paris and I feel like we’ve seen everything that we wanted to. We started the morning out early by walking to the Amsterdam Centraal Station where we took a quick train ride to the airport. From there we hopped on a bus that took us to the Keukenhof Gardens. In total the trip took about an hour. Having bought tickets in advance made the process a whole lot easier. It was the last day of the season for the gardens so some of the flowers weren’t as vibrant but it was still absolutely stunning. There was a fashion show going on while we were there and we caught the very end of it. The women were wearing nude colored clothing and each one had a head piece made from the flowers. Something I wasn’t expecting was some of the “activities” they had. There was a maze, a zipline, a small petting zoo, and a little playground for the kids. There were a lot of families around us. One of the buildings in the garden had really cool displays of the flowers. It was cool to see them outside in the garden but also in artistic displays. I can only imagine how much upkeep there is to keep everything so pristine. Erica and I got more waffles and I also got a cup of fresh strawberries which may have been some of the best I’ve had in my entire life. Once we had gone through most of the gardens Megan told us that she had read about something called the Keukenhof Castle. It was about three quarters of a mile down the road from the gardens so we decided to walk there. There was almost no one there because it wasn’t the main attraction so it was nice to be away from the crowds when seeing something for once. The bus back to the airport was back at the gardens so we had to walk back. My feet hurt so bad I thought I was going to fall over. It felt amazing so sit down on the bus for half an hour.

           Once we made it back to the airport to get our train we thought it would be smart to grab some lunch there and I also looked for some inserts for my shoes since we still have two more weeks of walking. The Schipol Airport almost felt like a shopping mall. There were so many places to eat and shop and even a grocery store. We played it safe and got pizzas.

           When we got back to the train station in Amsterdam we realized that there was no way we could walk to the Van Gogh Museum. It would have taken 45 minutes and we were all exhausted and in pain from being on our feet for so long. We called an Uber and waited for it. The driver tried to cheat the system and start the trip before he even got to the station so that our trip would be more expensive. When I called him to ask him why he did that and where he was he hung up on me. I immediately canceled the ride and requested someone else. We’ve noticed that Uber here is somewhat different than the states because its not as professional. Drivers take their time getting to where you are and sometimes try to cheat you out of more money. I was glad that we picked up on it and got out of taking a ride from someone who seemed sketchy. The second guy was really nice and got us there quickly.

           Since our tickets for the museum weren’t until 4:30 we had some time to kill so we walked towards the I Amsterdam sign. We noticed a bunch of tents and walked towards them. We had found a really cool street market that had booths of all different types of things. Most everything was hand made by the person selling it which made it even cooler. One of the people told us that the market only happens every third Sunday of the month. We were so happy that we had caught it and got to experience interacting with the locals. I was able to get some cool gifts for family and friends that weren’t just from some department store. Today we were lucky and the I Amsterdam sign wasn’t that crowded so we were able to get some really cool pictures.

           4:30 rolled around and we went to the museum. We walked into this exhibit and walked around looking at all the photos. When we reached the end we all looked at each other confused because we hadn’t seen a single Van Gogh and it only took us 20 minutes to go through. When we walked back to the lobby we realized that the Van Gogh exhibits were to the left and we had gone to something called “Prints in the 1900’s” to the right. Feeling like idiots and laughing at ourselves, we went to the right side. There were four floors of his work all displayed. I’ve never really been an art person but it was still cool to see his work in real life and also be able to learn information about him as a person and not just an artist.

           Following the museum, we thought it would be cool to go back to the street market and check out the food trucks there. Being Americans, we got barbeque chicken wraps with guacamole and salsa. They tasted so amazing and it was nice to sit outside in a less formal environment than a restaurant and people watch. The walk to the airport was hard work but I was so happy to be back and sitting on the couch. Since we had an early dinner we had time to just sit and relax before going to the Ice Bar. We used to the time to work on our blogs. I accidentally fell asleep while working on mine. I could barely keep my eyes open and the next thing I knew it was 30 minutes later. It was definitely a much needed nap. We finished up our blogs and began packing up our stuff so we’d be ready in the morning for our train.

           The Ice Bar was a one minute walk from the apartment which was super convenient. When we got there we were given three coins, two for drinks in the Ice and one for the bar outside the Ice. Everyone that had tickets for the same time as us lined up and we were given gloves and parkas. I had prepared by wearing layers and I’m so glad that I had. There was a thermometer reading -9.4 degrees Celsius which is 15 degrees Fahrenheit. Weirdly, the place was pirate themed which I wasn’t expecting. The bartender was dressed as a pirate and spoke to us like one. It was kind of weird but I was impressed by his enthusiasm and commitment to his “character”. We didn’t last too long in the Ice part but long enough to get the experience. Outside in the normal bar we each got our last drink and hung out at a table. Around 12 we were all barely talking to each other because we were so exhausted so we headed back to our place. Being in my bed right now feels absolutely amazing. I’m going to miss having a big space all to ourselves. Overall I would say that Amsterdam is a really cool city to check out and the culture is cool to learn about. I got the vibe that Amsterdam is similar to Las Vegas for us. Tomorrow morning our train is at 11:20 so we have some time to sleep in and get ready. I’m excited to experience a train ride through countries!

[speedilyspeedytiger]

In Which I Write About Miyazaki Movies

So, the Seattle Cinerama is going to show an anime festival. This triggered an email thread between the parents of several of my son’s friends about taking teen boys to see some of the movies. After a couple of parents expressed a desire to know more about the Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli films on the program, I found myself pounding away at the keyboard. Here’s the email I sent:

Because absolutely nobody asked for a really, really long email, and because I’m waiting for more information before I can write the case studies I’m supposed to be writing, here’s my take on Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli films. If, after reading this, anyone wants to borrow DVDs we might be able to make a deal.

I do think it’s possible to go wrong by just picking any one of his movies at random, especially for the adult and young adult viewer. Some of them are too lightweight and some of them are too dark and trippy. They’re all good, but if you started with the wrong one you might get the wrong impression and not go further.

Animation has a hard time with the mainstream American audience because it’s been mostly marketed as something for children here. But in Japan and other countries it is seen as a storytelling medium with its own strengths. I love Hayao Miyazaki movies like I love movies by directors like Hitchcock, Fellini, Ford, Welles, Kurosawa… They are just great storytelling and each bears the stamp of the director’s passions and personality.

Miyazaki’s great theme is reverence for the environment, and reconciling industrial human society with the need to protect our planet. This preoccupation is the essence of modern Japan, where Shinto’s old animist origins still persist alongside the country’s wholehearted embrace of technology and modernity. This theme comes through more in some of his films than others, but it informs all his stories to some degree.

His best-known stories are told from the points of view of young children, tapping into the liminal moments when we still experience many things as magic but are learning to apply logic and reasoning to the world we perceive. But that’s not the entirety of his work, and the cute factor shouldn’t be overstated.

So, here’s my recommendation for watching the ten Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli films on the Cinerama program that I’ve seen in an order that I think adults and teen boys would get the most out of. This is not at all the order they are being shown, but maybe it can help people make a choice.

(There are five being shown that I haven’t seen — the extremely highly-regarded Grave of the Fireflies, Porco Rosso, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Pom Poko and The Red Turtle — I’ll touch on them after the ordered list.)

Spirited Away. A modern family stumbles into the spirit realm, where the young daughter must work for her keep while simultaneously learning how to save her parents from the consequences of their materialism. The sequence of a river spirit flying over the land is visually stunning.

Princess Mononoke. This one is dark and brooding, and very, very good. It’s set in medieval Japan, where the forest is being cleared to produce iron to make firearms to defend the humans from the forest gods who are angry about the destruction of the forest. The cycle seems an endless spiral of conflict between humans and nature, even though humans themselves are part of nature.

My Neighbor Totoro. Miyazaki’s most-loved work, but teen boys might misinterpret it as being ‘kiddie’ if they haven’t either grown up with it or seen other Miyazaki films first. In post-war Japan a father and his two young daughters move to a house in the country close to the hospital where the girls’ mother is recovering from an illness. Mei, the youngest daughter, meets a giant forest spirit who she names Totoro and he plays an important role as her childish innocence leads her into danger. (I sought out an older DVD with the original English dub. The Cinerama will show the later Disney dub with big name stars. It’s fine, but I like the first version better.)

Ponyo. This one is fantastic, but boy is it a trip. Ponyo is a little fish who is the daughter of an overly-protective sorcerer father who dresses like a ‘60s Peter Max concert poster and the spirit of the oceans. She encounters a small boy and decides that she wants to be human too. Her decision unbalances time, a magical tsunami floods the town, and much more. It’s awesome.

The Wind Rises. Miyazaki’s last film before retiring in 2013. An incredibly great film with a slow pace that might not hold the attention of a teen boy who isn’t already attuned to the medium. (We saw it at the Cinerama on first release and Asa loved it, but your mileage may vary.) It is the fictionalized story of the designer of the Mitsubishi Zero, Japan’s iconic WWII fighter plane. As you might imagine, this is problematic territory for a post-imperial filmmaker and the Koreans in particular took offense. But the tone is neither jingoistic, nor overtly anti-war, which I think is part of its brilliance as a story. This is the tale of a man who personally opposed the war but loved designing flying machines, and by humanizing him I feel Miyazaki asks us all to take a look inside ourselves and reconcile our own passions with the unintended consequences of their expression.

From Up on Poppy Hill. A sweet period piece, directed by Hayao’s son Gorō, but his dad co-wrote the script. High school students in early ‘60s Yokohama fight the head of their school who wishes to tear down the building housing student clubs and develop it as commercial property. The girl and boy at the heart of the struggle develop feelings for each other, but stumble across clues suggesting they may be connected in other ways as well. Is their love meant to be?

Kiki’s Delivery Service. A sympathetic allegory about the challenges teenaged girls face in establishing their own identities. Teen witch Kiki moves to a new town and discovers she can make a living as a broomstick-flying delivery driver. She meets a boy who likes her, but isn’t sure what to do about it. She becomes so depressed she can’t fly anymore. Will she regain her magic?

Castle in the Sky. A steampunky tale about a girl abducted by air pirates who falls from their airship and lands in a mining town. There she is befriended by a boy who helps her on her quest to find the city of Laputa, which floats high in the sky thanks to the power of special crystals. Fights and adventures ensue. It’s the first official Studio Ghibli film and is a lot of fun but in my opinion isn’t as focused and realized as their later work.

Howl’s Moving Castle. This is Miyazaki’s anti-Iraq War movie. It’s got all the right elements (primarily a magic steampunk castle with legs) and the right themes (pro-feminism, a critique of modernity, the importance of caring for each other), but didn’t click with me. I should try it again.

Arriety. This is an adaptation of the Borrowers books. I never read them, but I had friends who loved them. It’s a perfectly fine movie, but it is what it is. Best for younger kids, I’d say.

Of the ones I haven’t seen, the top of the list is Grave of the Fireflies, which is by Studio Ghibli but not directed by Miyazaki. Roger Ebert considered it one of the best war films ever made. It’s not light and fluffy. The story is about a brother and sister struggling to survive in the last months of WWII, dealing with starvation and American bombs. It’s supposed to be emotionally devastating, which is why I haven’t watched it yet. It might be best with a theater full of other people sharing the experience.

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind is the last film Miyazaki made before founding Studio Ghibli on the strength of his work. It’s a fantasy film that deals with the human impact on the natural world. I really should have seen it already.

Porco Rosso is supposed to be a lot of fun, and combines Miyazaki’s love of airplanes and dirigibles with a talking pig pilot. I expect cuteness.

Pom Poko wasn’t directed by Miyazaki, and it has a reputation for being so steeped in Japanese culture that it’s hard for Americans to fully follow. On the other hand, there’s certainly amusement to be had in a movie about magic raccoon dogs with prominent testicles, right?

The Red Turtle is a Ghibli co-production with a Dutch company. It’s a shipwreck story told with no words and it lost the Animated Feature Oscar to Zootopia. It’s supposed to be really good.

If you made it to this sentence I applaud you for your stamina. I did mention earlier that I’m a bit of a fanboy, right? I also used to get paid to write about entertainment and pop culture topics, and can go on and on about them, as you can plainly see.