#wow think there's enough parentheses there

[thewertsearch]

Yep. That's a 'fuck this shit' face if I ever saw one.

CC: T)(ere is not)(ing to worry about at all. GG: bluhhh what are you talking about…. GG: my head hurts GG: just stop it, stop trolling me GG: i hate you all!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Understandable. Jade's most recent memories are a garbled collection of monster nightmares, immediately preceded by her own death. She just woke up, but what she needs more than anything else is a break.

GG: my dream was horrible!!! GG: i dont know what that was, i have never dreamed anything like it CC: Yes, I imagine not! You )(ave spent your w)(ole life dreaming about prospit, no? GG: oh god…. GG: prospit :( GG: is it really gone? CC: Yes, Jade. It is time to face t)(e facts! CC: Our moons are gone too. If we wis)( to sleep now, our dreams must take place in t)(e bubbles glubbed by t)(e gods w)(o live in t)(e Furt)(est Ring.

This is the real perk to being a Derse Dreamer. Your affiliation with the Furthest Ring makes you well-equipped to navigate the shadowy, garbled world of the Horrorterrors - unlike your Prospitian siblings, who are too accustomed to Skaia's gentle light.

It makes a kind of sense, I think, that the darker Dreamers would only reveal their true potential in death. Their 'ghosts' can rendezvous outside the session, which could grant them all sorts of advantages.

CC: In fact, t)(ey are quite )(elpful if you know )(ow to talk to t)(em! CC: Don't you remember our dream? I was trying to s)(ow you t)(at t)(ere is not)(ing to fear.

Feferi, in particular, has an eldritch affinity which is completely off the charts. The Horrorterrors are effectively her family, and with her serving as a guide, the Furthest Ring is a little bit safer for everyone else.

Perhaps, with Feferi's help, it could be safe enough to serve as a hideout. Both sessions seem to be living on borrowed time, so establishing a 'safe house' external to any Incipisphere seems like an excellent idea. The Horrorterrors claim to be here to help, so maybe it's time for them to prove it.

...wow. I never expected Feferi to be a potential lynchpin of the Grand Intersession Plan, but here we are.

GG: sorry but GG: could you please GG: not use all those stupid parentheses?????? [...] CC: GLUUUUB oh fine. CC: I will suspend my neato quirk just for you. [...] GG: what about the -E thing, can you stop that too? it is also annoying and stupid [...] CC: Okay, you win. I have officially humbled myself before you. Entirely glubbing peasant-IFICATED for your pleasure.

If only Gamzee would do the same...

GG: ohhhhhhh!!!!! GG: i do remember you! GG: i remember you were talking to me about my lusus, and i had no idea what you were talking about GG: also it was shortly before your friend sent me a weird message GG: about how my robot was going to explode, and i should talk to him when it happens

At first, I thought we'd missed a conversation in the hell-bubble - but no, this unseen conversation happened immediately before she talked to Future Karkat.

This does appear to be the timeframe that he needs to talk to her in - but I don't see what this Jade could do to help him. As she so aptly put it, she currently understands jack shit.

Perhaps there's something she needs to do immediately before Entering. Does Karkat have an idea for what she should prototype?

CC: Oh? Who was that? GG: it was the most awful and angry one GG: i am so sick of him, i really dont want to talk to that pathetic jerk ever CC: Ah, Karkat. Of course.

lmao

[ougougougoug]

😅👉🏽

this is a haiku that uses just two symbols.

so, let me explain:

(while editing this post i found out that a few emojis i use are not supported on certain browsers. clearly im being silenced.

if you paste them in discord, then they should display, otherwise, suffer?)

haikus are simple, but have a rigid structure, which is why they’re fun. just five syllables, then seven, then five again, arranged in three lines.

what I think is fun is what I like to call a ‘minimal haiku,' which is where you try to use as few symbols as possible to write all three lines of a haiku. so, for example, we start with numbers.

7 is so cool everybody likes 7 7 is funky

in this haiku here, although '7' is only one symbol, it counts as two syllables, because that's how it's pronounced. so, obviously, we can just kind of run with that, right?

so here is the smallest haiku i think you can make using numbers in this way.

here is the haiku:

77 707 77

"seventy seven seven hundred and seven seventy seven"

this haiku uses (fittingly) seven symbols, but it kind of sucks. we're playing fast and loose with what we're calling a haiku, but it would still be nice if the minimal haikus we wrote kind of, at least, sort of made sense, i think.

so here's the smallest haiku i have written so far using only numbers and letters.

alright, here is the haiku:

33 x 3 funny 700x 69 ha ha

"thirty three times three funny seven hundred times sixty nine ha ha"

its not exactly high art, but it's technically comprehensible as a series of words that express a full thought, and that's good enough.

obviously, you can go further than this, and the next logical step is ascii. I don't think there's any ascii symbols that can be pronounced as seven syllables, but there are a few that can do five.

so here's the smallest haiku i could make using just ascii symbols:

) :) !

"close parentheses colon, close parentheses exclamation mark"

wow! just four symbols, which tell the relatable story of a guy who wakes up and sees that he's slept through his alarm. (it conveys this thought pictorially, but it does convey a thought.)

of course, we can go further.

our next stop is emojis.

now, one thing that's problematic about these is that not everyone might agree on how they should be pronounced, but i say we just play with this, and use whatever makes our haikus work, because, well, it's more fun that way.

so, here's a fun haiku:

🌑 🌓 🌕

"new moon emoji first quarter moon emoji full moon emoji"

wow! just three symbols.

here's a haiku about a working class trans girl:

🧑‍🏭 👩‍🏭 ⚧️

"factory worker woman factory worker transgender symbol"

so, we've managed to make some haikus with just three symbols. but i think we can go smaller.

ive been limiting myself to writing haikus with three visible lines when written down, but you can't do that with just two symbols. so we're just gonna forget about that from this point on.

(as a quick little aside, i said before that, using just numbers,

77 707 77

was the best i could do, but if you ignore how it is written down,

77777

"seventy seven thousand seven hundred and seventy seven"

is a haiku in just one number. anyways, back to emojis)

😵‍💫 🤢

this is a haiku. let me explain to you why.

most emojis are single unicode characters. but some of them are secretly just combinations of two other emojis with a symbol called a 'zero width joiner' between them, which means, although they're displayed as just one symbol, you can break them up into three. here's the wiki page for 'face with spiral eyes', which lists the three unicode symbols that make up the emoji. with that knowledge, you can pronounce this fun haiku as:

"face with crossed out eyes zero width joiner, dizzy nauseated face"

which is a haiku about a person who's sick and might just frow up.

one common type of emoji sequence is for modifying the skin tone of certain emojis. for these, we won't think about what the zero width joiner is doing (in fact, i think some, but not all, of these don't even have one? it's unclear to me, but all the more reason to ignore them.) what we'll do instead is just use the 'CLDR Short Name', which you can find listed here and here on unicode.org. These are about as official as you can get with emoji names, and will cover the emojis i'll be using for the last haikus.

so let's look back at the haiku at the top of this post, shown again:

😅👉🏽

"grinning face with sweat backhand index pointing right medium skin tone"

this takes advantage of the skin colour of the pointing emoji.

so that's another haiku that uses just two symbols, which depicts an anxious person doing finger guns (perhaps they're anxious because they spilled some yellow paint on their face. who knows. like any great artist, my works are up to interpretation.) so this leaves us all asking...

is it possible?

we've done two symbol haikus, but what about...

one?

any emoji which shows a person can be modified both by skin colour and by gender. if there is more than one person in an emoji, then each person can be given their own modifiers.

This means it's just a matter of going through the list of emojis and hoping that you can find one that works.

and, well that's just what i did:

👨🏾‍❤️‍👨🏽

couple with heart: man, man, medium-dark skin tone, medium skin tone

this is the smallest haiku possible to write. it's just a single symbol.

and it's two gay men. a wonderful queer couple. and i think that's great.

[triclopsrabbit]

I don't remember who it was but I saw someone draw human bill like karkat vantas (short. fat. transgender.) and it altered my brain chemistry. if I could find it for you I would but I only saw it once and this was 10 years ago or so

wow it really musta left an impact on you to think of it for 10 years! Im laughing at him looking “like karkat” though like idk if what you said im parentheses is like, canonical karkat lore. I drew something trying to cook for you but im afraid of posting it in case hes not short fat and transgender enough and i catch heat for it for no reason 😂

[faustquillpen]

Apollo Justice x Reader from Apollo's POV, writing style to emulate the game

Prologue, sfw

|Next|

Apollo: Red

Apollo thinking/muttering to self:(Red with parentheses)

Trucy: Blue

Reader: Purple

----

April 6th, 10:30 AM

People's Park Art Fair

(Yawn... It's kinda early to be up on a day off... Like I really sleep much anyway.. Trucy really wanted me to come though, and it's easier to just do what she asks.)

You look terrible, Polly.

Yeah yeah... What are we doing here again?

There's an exhibit here that's supposed to have a bunch of cool illusion sculptures! They'd be great for my shows!

(Isn't that weird underwear enough?)

I heard that!!! And for the last time they're magic panties!

(Ow! Don't need to hit me...)

I think it's this way? -Running sounds-

Hey, wait!

[Oh No!]

(Huh? That sounded like someone who needs help! Trucy can be on her own for a few minutes!)

[Scene Changes]

Oh no... I'm so sorry.. I didn't mean to... Kill...

Wh-what happened?!? (Did I step into another case?)

... That poor little ladybug!

(Huh? Oh. I see. Seems like they only just noticed me.)

Oh crap, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you.

(I guess I did kinda barge over...)

It landed on my face and I thought it was some dust but.. but.. *sob* I squished him!

Umm ... It's okay? (This is a little weird.)

(I guess I could take a quick look at the "scene" ... What's this?)

[Paper ladybug picked up]

Oh hey! Look! It's fine! Look it's just a little art piece that blew on you in the wind. You didn't hurt anything!

R-really? Oh gosh I'm such a fool!

N-no no, I've made silly mistakes too. One time I fell up some stairs, haha!

*sniffle* ... You're really sweet

Y-y-y'think so??? I'm just uh. Just doing my job. Finding truth. That kinda thing. Haha. (Now that they're smiling... They're kinda cute... And the way they're looking at me is making my face burn up...)

Thank you... I don't even know your name. I'm [name]

I'm Jupollo Astice--- I mean!!! Apollo Justice. That's me. Hahaha....

It was really nice to meet you.

Yeah!!! *Cough* yeah. WELP. NeedToGoNowLotsOfStuffToDo! NICETOMEETYOU!!!

[Running away noises and scene changes]

Wow, Polly.

Ack!!!!

That was very cringe.

You... Saw that... (Well. Time to never hear the end of this...)

Most of it yeah, very smooth.

(Not like you'd of done better...)

I would've wooed them with a magic trick and swept them away to a fine dinner!

Shhh!!! How do you even know they'd of been ok with that??? No no no too much risk. Now be quiet I don't want them to hear you in case they come this way!

(Trucy pretty much made fun of me for the rest of the day. My eyes couldn't help but scan the crowd for them again, to no success. Luckily, I'd end up meeting them again, though it would be through unlucky circumstances.)

End Prologue

[tchaikovsgay]

I got Gideon the Ninth Part 8: chapters 32-36

Wait the skeletons are alive? Maybe they really are offing people. Can a bunch of little skellies merge into a big nasty monster skelly?

Aaaand the skeletons are gone.

“her skeleton and her body had apparently tried to divorce” UHHHH

Why is everything happening all at once, dang. I wondered if the Fifth had a key hidden inside them the first time Palamedes mentioned an autopsy. What the hell is Ianthe up to.

I can’t believe I haven’t said this before, but I love the way that Gideon and only Gideon has this ruthless common sense and self-preservation instinct. She’s like water flowing downhill – if there’s an easy, practical way out she’ll take it, and she’s not going to do dumb shit for the sake of the plot. She’ll fight Harrow to get on the shuttle. She’ll turn her back on the Eighth until she gets really pissed off. That must have been so hard to write consistently, and I applaud the commitment.

Ianthe is up to becoming a Lyctor. Okay then.

They DO fuse! I was right – mostly. Having the cav need to be dead makes so much sense though, given the way all the trials are structured. They all favor the necro and basically use the cav as a meat shield, a battery, etc. And the YOU LIED TO US – how’d they figure this Lyctor thing out? Did they murder a bunch of cavs and turn them into skeletons? Is that why people are dying? Is the House trying to STOP people from becoming Lyctors by killing everybody, or is it trying to make more by killing cavs first and hoping their necros will be desperate enough to accidentally absorb them?

Okay, possessed people just become body horror monsters on their own, cool cool cool. No need to manually fuse skellies.

“Gideon lay on the floor, facedown, and became hysterical.” ME TOO

Now Harrow’s the one in parentheses since Gideon’s on more even footing with her. I love that.

Ohhh wow, Dulcinea’s also a puppet. (Or Cytherea just flat-out replaced her because nobody from her House is here so nobody actually knows what actual Dulcinea looks like?) I had considered that possibility vaguely because of the weird way she was acting, but I couldn’t think of who might be doing it. So Cytherea is a very old Seventh House person who also had the disease but couldn’t die because of the Lyctorhood and now hates God and wants no more Lyctors? That would certainly give motivation and explain the creepy messages and intense necro magic. Also goddamn Palamedes! Hope he’s not dead.

Badass fight scene! Also terrifying to see the difference between newly-born can’t-work-with-her-cavalier-right Lyctor Ianthe and thousands-of-years-old kicks-everyone-else’s-asses-while-battling-super-cancer Lyctor Cytheria. I think Pal is dead (sad) but Cam is not going to die (good).

OH NO GIDEON IS DEAD

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

[femdialogue]

every time i sit down to write...

i write about my feelings ewwww

i write about my *eyes rolling* trauma

i try to write about the world but end up writing about myself (fuck u roland barthes)

i dislike that i cannot write about everything that exists and has ever existed

i do not ever make spelling or grammar mistakes

i am one of those queers

i am not who i say i am!

i am sitting like a gay person

i am not probably not ‘sitting’ in any conventional sense at all; my body is contorted into some ungodly pretzel shape that can’t be good for my spine

i was born with glass bones and paper skin. every morning, i break my legs, and every afternoon, i break my arms. at night, i lie awake in agony until my heart attacks put me to sleep.

i am writing something that already exists so like why even try 

i feel so alone.

i am alone.

i am becoming alone.

i am pathetic i am naive i am a child in an (allegedly) 22 year old body

i do not know who i am sad face emoji

i am utterly inaccessible

i am i am not i am i am not i say as i violently pluck each petal off the little daisy that is my life

i am one giant cliche

i realize i have started too many lines with i am so i am switching it up

i am not a man or a woman but i am also very much a woman and a man

i hate myself! in a relatable way!

i am sooooo obsessed with myself

i am sick of repetition and routine and the same old same old

i am sick of everything being a metaphor for something else. 

i am quite frankly revolutionary

i bestow myself with author-ity

i have this super annoying voice in my head that just won’t shut up and i’m wondering if you do too.

i think wow: i wish i was better at this i wish i had something actually meaningful to say.

i wish my words and my style were better 

i am actually writing a series of twitter drafts that no one but me will ever read 

i am actually writing a long paragraph to my mother that i will never send

i imagine what it would be like if i were painting or dancing or making music instead of writing

i feel like the embodiment of drying cement

i am something different with every letter i write

i know my writing is not worth anything or if it is then i resent that

i am probably listening to some sad song that makes me feel as though i am tapped in to some existentially important emotional current instead of just depressed

i use too many parentheses and commas and scare quotes and semi-colons and dashes and elllpses or i use none at all

i strain my eyes in the darkness because i despise the light i am a homosexual vampire

i scribble and scratch and doodle and beg for attention

i objectify myself

i am a dog, a bitch if you will

i am subjecting myself to the mortifying ordeal of being known

i cloud myself in mystery

i write too much

i do too much

i am too much

i wish i would shut up already

i hate that i don’t know who i am but that’s not my fault…right? it’s all the technology and the capitalism and all the other -isms and the world conspiring against me and my self-destructive tendencies rooted in my troubled childhood where my parents didn’t tell me they loved me enough and my brain chemistry got all fucked up and i’m still young and it’ll all be okay.

i’m back to writing about my trauma.

i’m thinking about what freud would say and thinking that i want to kill freud even though the motherfucker’s already dead!

i want to kill.

i am killing—writing ideas down kills them

i am lying—writing ideas down gives them life

i feel that i must write or i will die

i refuse to edit because every thought i have is profound and important

i am a narcissist! 

i am deeply insecure.

my feet are cold. i will not put on socks.

my head hurts. i will not take painkillers.

i am disconnected from all of the important things happening “out there” in the “real world”

i feel immense shame and guilt (it’s important to distinguish between the two, my therapist tells me, but i always suffer both all of the time)

i am doing things i know are bad for me

i am producing myself and being produced

i am a cyborg beep boop beep

i am trans

i do not know how to stop writing

i am tired

i would like to rest but all i do is rest.

i am full of questions and only a few answers.

i do not trust myself

i stop writing.

-A

[silktherambler]

Okay so I just started making this song, it's called the second, the runner up in parentheses

It's basically about like when you aren't the one for the person that you're with, but it's not like y'all are like not a good fit, it's just that everybody has the one and you're not the one for this person, like you're maybe like the second or the third or the 4th

I said I made it for people who have been in that position right to be the second to be the fifth, to be the 10th, but really the song right now is based on my emotions for the person that I am currently seeing and entertaining I guess I would say. A lot of times like like I just start to feel kind of insecure, In this very moment I realize maybe this is the feeling that a lot of people felt with me? But, every time I'm with him I just start to think about what I could be doing better and how I could up myself a bit more, and in different ways I could do that.

Like I don't I wouldn't even word it like I don't feel good enough for this person but like I don't know wow I'm going to feel like a hypocrite for saying this but, I don't know if I'm good enough to be anybody's girlfriend anymore. I say that I'm a hypocrite because I kind of came at the last man that I was talking to for that, like I was trying to talk to him about us potentially like being together officially cuz we were rocking for about like 7 months on and off but I mean well to be honest in total it was more like 14 months really but yeah.

And I would ask him a lot of the time like if you see himself being with me, and his reply to that, most of the time was that he just didn't see himself as like being a boyfriend because nobody else saw him as boyfriend material. For me right now, I feel like the people that have had me as a girlfriend feel like I'm not as adequate, and I really have to look back on that and determine if that's true or not. This is more of a question of like quantity instead of quality in a way. Like how many ex's really had problems with me? I can't say a lot, I can say everybody you know had their difficulties but I guess I'm thinking about like since I've turned into an adult

Which is a different ball game cuz that's different from me dating in like high school or if I did date in college which I didn't really do, I was getting courted and I was entertaining different things but I didn't date anybody I didn't have any boyfriend in college. Now that I'm like an adult, I've had about 3 to 4 yeah I think 4 different romantic situations and they have not been great and I think that's also what I'm really basing it off, cuz I'm not looking at the whole of my partners I'm looking at like the most recent ones because its most connected to the age I'm at

So we have D, and that didn't really go great and by the end of it he told me that like we wasn't really boyfriend and girlfriends which I knew at the beginning but I didn't know it was still like that and it's not in a way to say I wasn't listening or I tried to like create a narrative in my head, he often had me come around, I met his grandma, I ended up meeting his father, I met his coworkers and I was paraded around like a girlfriend a lot so I was under the impression that even though we wasn't going to be like all the way serious, I was still like the main partner in a way and then last minute he turned around and was like we wasn't really dating for real and I think he just said that cuz he was hurt about us breaking up

And then you have jj, and he was terrible honestly like, he was a very controlling partner, and he has some kind of mood/ behavioral disorder that he should get checked out and that's the nicest I can say about that situation. We had our ups but we had a lot more downs

Next is Royale. We going to call him Royale for now. He seemed pretty nice and he's a chill person like he's a cool person to be around but it's like the way that his mentality is and sometimes like the way that he thinks about things or the things that he finds funny like they I wouldn't say that they're disturbing, it's just not my cup of tea personally. I also like, looking at his family dynamic, I don't feel like that's a complete safe place for me to be, but Royale is the one who didn't feel like he was like good boyfriend material and maybe the reason why especially him and JJ would feel like that is because I seemed like such a nice girl

What I'm saying is, cuz the person I'm entertaining now, let's call him rhino. He's a very nice guy, he's very sweet and he's very compassionate/ considerate. He tries to think of others but he does think of himself and he does have his own level of insecurities but he does still try, In many different areas. He's handsome, and he is smart, and has a lot of aspirations for himself. He is pleasant to talk to, he is stubborn and he doesn't like asking for help often nor will accept help often, but he tries to be a fair man. And he tries to make sure that I'm comfortable to the best degree that he can. And a lot of times I think that he is just chilling about certain things but he actually cares a lot and that it makes me feel good but it scares me

I don't want to repeat either side of the cycle I've been in where either I'm getting pushed away because the person doesn't feel good enough to be around me or with me or I'm pushing that person away and I've been in the cycle like I've been on the side of getting pushed away so often that I really don't want to be the person pushing away because I know how it feels like to like somebody just as much as they like you, and like. Okay like, sometimes I guess like for the person who is really starting to like like you and they're pushing away they like feel like they like you more than you like them but most times more often than not the feeling really is mutual, and I can say that as a person that was consistently on the other side of it. I feel bad or more so I felt bad that my partners in the past didn't feel like I was a like as attracted to them maybe because of like my behavior or how I would just come off very aloof but like I mean half the time I was just trying to be chill because sometimes I'll be ready to tweak out for no reason so I try and put the extra chill in there and then maybe sometimes that also results in my partner's feeling like I don't really need them around. They don't feel not wanted but they don't feel needed, which isn't completely a problem, but like you do have to understand your partner and dynamic and stuff

[pilferingapples]

Someone else talking about La Morte Amoreuse/ Clarimonde! Although weirdly briefly?  Most of the video is a quick surface intro on  Gautier that’s ...very surface (as she says, it’s really hard to find stuff on him if you don’t know where to look)  and inadvertently entertaining to me at points for reasons the vidmaker can’t be expected to know ( any time people talk about Gautier’s Wild Dark edginess I can’t help feeling a certain “ Bubbles is HARDCORE!!” mood)  (also lol at “ he had three mistresses”  which ..yes, in the same way I’ve had three birthdays) (fighting my urge to go and gush about Gautier on the comments to the vid so I’m doing that here apparently!) , but it’s a fun and fairly quick little review from someone who isn’t already entirely soaking in French Romanticism  (or at least wasn’t when the vid was posted a year ago!).

[fireglyphz]

ECLIPSE LAKE SPOILERS!!!

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WOW WHAT THE FUCK

I am so weirdly interested now that the clone theory is taking off because I considered it in the past but it was more of a crack theory than anything without much to go off off, for me anyway CLONE HIGH HUNTER WHEN

I thought I would chip in my own thoughts after seeing this observation made by @matchamangotea and it confirms my exact thoughts!

anyway!!! it does looks like the ingredients Belos needed in the book was to literally build Hunter, with specific attention to his eye color and nose; it doesn't exactly confirm whether this is Belos recording his results or keeping notes of what he needs from Hunter (or both), but we know it has some connection to Belos given that he keeps it on his person. In the context of having it with him among his other supplies for the portal door, it's possible he's also using his notes to keeps tabs between Hunter's role and the day of unity.

the most immediate connection for me would be the Palistrom wood because right next to it in parentheses is "Keratin", which is normally found in fingernails and hair. From that, we can understand that these ingredients are being used as close substitutes for real organs. some of the ingredients - the galdorstone, stonesleeper's lungs and palistrom wood - are also seen on the left page which lends credibility to this theory.

so according to the book, we have an idea of what mishmash Hunter is made of: Galderstone (heart & power/bile sack), Palistrom wood (hair and fingernails), Stonesleeper lungs, selkidomus scales (skin???) and interestingly the Bone of ORTET, where an ortet is "the original plant from which clone plants are produced".

(the galdorstone was introduced as a relic used for boosting powers, but not necessarily acting as a power source; if Belos intended to use the galdorstone to substitute a witch’s heart & bile sack, I personally think this is why he flubbed that one because he failed to consider that the galderstone does not generate power on its own. This could be why Hunter claims not to have natural magic because the organ he needs to generate it can only be used as a magic booster, when he cannot generate magic on his own without a sufficient organ to do so)

However, these only perform the main functions of the body, and it would be too much to assume Belos would go through all the trouble of finding special ingredients for every single organ unless the process is meticulous enough for it, and this does not look like a recipe for a glorified abomination. At the very least, these pages outline the ingredients and growth stages and as matchamangotea pointed out, there is a checkmark on one of the growth stages to show Hunter is finished his childhood while Belos was monitoring his growth. It doesn’t stop there though; we can assume Hunter is currently at his adolescent stage at the moment since Belos hasn’t checked it off yet, but there is another sketch that is used to outline Hunter’s eyes if that has any significance in the future...

So from here, Belos would probably have to put in a placeholder like human blood to take care of the rest biologically - so this means that having a high concentration of human blood could also owe to Hunter's physiology rather than a weak lineage or the case of having a human ancestor (sort of). but if this were the case, what's the reason behind Hunter's eyes being a different color despite being a clone, if not to direct the audience's attention to the book? could it be a side effect of the ingredients, or maybe Belos recording more information about Hunter? or is it one of the things Belos needs to keep tabs on for the Day of Unity if this has to do with Hunter's purpose?

Alternatively, there is also a mystery substance in the top left corner of Hunter’s page, which happen to have the same colours as the markings on Belos’ face; I am not sure whether this was what Belos used in place of or in addition to Human blood to fill in the gaps, but considering it also seems to be directly attributed to Belos’ “curse” it has an unknown use at the moment. (EDIT: it could be possible that Belos attempted to mix these ingredients together in the past but only managed to get the mystery goo, so maybe he’s using Hunter to cultivate it for an unknown purpose? Whatever the reason, it’s on Hunter’s page for something even if we don’t know what at the moment)

how does this stack up to Belos' habit of withholding information, careful phrasing and possibly outright lying to Hunter? Hunter mentioned to Luz that "a lot of his ancestors were [powerless witches]", but if he were cloned he would have no way of knowing this unless this is the story he was brought up on, and he would also have no way of confirming it due to having no other "relatives". knowing Belos, this is probably his shady way of saying "you were cloned from me so you technically come from a line of powerless witches" in a half-truth kind of way. Hunter also mentions Belos found him, took him and and gave him a staff, which I see this as Belos raising him on the mindset of proving his worth as compensation which is just fucking messed up ok

and on that note!!! look at Belos' ears! they are far smaller and rounded similar to Luz, albeit a little bit pointed, which is interesting because along with the eyes, Hunter's ears bear little resemblance to Belos' because they are shaped like a regular witch's ears save for the exact same nick.

and while we could credit it to Belos having the same identity as Philip Wittebane, mostly because we don't have a ton of information about Philip nor Belos' backgrounds at the moment to make a solid confirmation, it could also be possible that Belos is a direct descendent of Philip rather than Hunter? in theory, we don't actually know what a witch with human blood would look like, and what differences it would lend to in terms of appearances, so I'd like to think it's not completely out of the question yet.

Also, if Belos were Philip, I think the first place he would look to for resources on building the portal door would be his own diary, considering the amount of control he has over the public and I doubt the library would be an exception of this. it's very complicated at the moment, considering he knew how the door could be used when he took it from Luz in season 1, but at the same time he chose to build his own portal door from the pieces instead of making another copy. it could just be that the resources used for the original door are less abundant now than when it was first built, but if he were Philip's descendant I figure he would have at least some knowledge of the door, and possibly used it, but not know everything.

These are all my personal opinions though! They can easily be disproved in later episodes, or could be disregarded completely, but I thought I’d like to share my thoughts. I also noticed Hunter’s magic(?) when fighting Amity was yellow and i only noticed when I rewatched that scene and I thought it was cool.

TLDR: I think belos made a modded clone of himself (Hunter) using other ingredients that we might be provided more information on in the future, Belos is more fucked up than he looks imo, and I have some doubts about the Philip-Belos theory.

[nagasakidivision]

Drama Track: Leap of Faith 1-1

Alright, here's the first bit! This covers Haruto and...technically Shirou's introductions! All-italicized lines are internal monologue, parentheses are sound effects. I tried to match the feel of the drama tracks the best I could!

below cut for length etc you know the drill

[Open on sounds of construction equipment, cut by footsteps] 

[Haruto]: ...Seriously? They just rebuilt this part of the campus six months ago. Ugh, how do I even get to the dorms now... 

[Female student]: Oh, are you lost? 

[Haruto]: N—

[Haruto]: Wait. In a situation as low-stakes as this, there's no reason to lie. 

[Haruto]: Uh...haha. Well, to be honest, a little bit, they cut off the path I usually take and I don't have a great sense of direction. 

[Female student]: Don't worry about it! The campus is a little confusing here, you get used to it. Let's see, you'll want to take a left here, and... 

[Haruto]: That's — that's the student dorms. 

[Female student]: Huh? 

[Haruto]: I'm a PhD candidate. 

[Female student]: ...Oh! Sorry, I'm not sure where the postgrad stuff is yet. I'm still a freshman. 

[Haruto]: Haha, that's fine. I'll work it out, thanks. 

[Female student]: Hey, what program are you a part of?

[Haruto]: Philosophy.

[Female student]: Oh, cool! I’m taking Intro to Ethics. Hey, could I ask you a question, then?

[Haruto]: …Sure, shoot.

[Female student]: Let’s say a man comes to you asking for help. He’s got evidence of a government conspiracy that could result in the deaths of dozens of people. He’s a fugitive now and asking you to shelter him while he tries to get the truth out, but you have to make a snap decision because the people chasing him are right behind him. If you shelter him, you’re going to be a criminal too, and you have no time to ask for proof. What do you do?

[Haruto]: …This is one of her homework assignments, isn’t it. It’s the kind of thing you’d ask a first-year to see if they can string together an argument, since it’s basically a slightly more complicated iteration on Kohl’s Dilemma with the added angle of needing to take someone at their word. Most people say yes but they can’t actually give a solid argument as to why, they just think it's the right thing to do.

[Haruto]: Well, I can’t assume that she just wants to cheat…and even if she is, it’d be best for her to learn rhetoric from the brightest mind of the century, right?

[Haruto]: Of course I'd hide him. It's more than wanting the truth to get out, or wanting to save people. I can’t guarantee any of those are what I’ll be committing to since I don’t have time to confirm the material reality of what he’s saying. I have the intent to do good, but any number of negative things could pan out from my decision. He could be lying, the truth coming out could cause further pain as the government tries to cover up the conspiracy, it could be he’s telling the truth and we’ll still both end up failing and end up dead or arrested.

[Haruto]: It’s about taking that chance that we can stop evil. Nothing’s certain in life, the universe is fundamentally absurd and senseless, but if you don’t hold fast to some kind of ideals then everything you do is just as arbitrary. You have to create your own meaning and bring sense to the world around you.

[Student]: Wow. I…think I follow. Hold on, let me write that down.

[Haruto]: Sure. Just make sure to credit me. I did write about that exact thought experiment for one of Doctor Takanashi’s classes.

[Student]: Ah…! How did you know?

[Haruto]: Aha! I was right. She never changes her syllabus. You could have said up front you needed a second opinion, you know.

[Student]: I—I’m sorry.

[Haruto]: Don’t apologize. You’d have been citing another philosopher either way, right? Might as well be me. You’ll be seeing my name in textbooks soon enough. I’m the brightest mind of the century!

[Student]: Um…sure?

[Haruto]: I’ll see you around! Oh, it’s Hirabayashi Haruto, by the way. Spell it “peace-grove sun-soaring!”

(Footsteps as he walks off.)

[Student]: What a weird guy.

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

(Rapid-fire typing ensues, the loud, mechanical clacking of a typewriter. Haruto mumbles to himself as he types.)

[Haruto]: We cannot categorically call an action a good deed without the active intention to do good on the part of the moral actor. Humankind intuitively understands this. If a man plans to go to one city but boards the wrong subway and finds himself in another place entirely, we don’t say he got to that second city, we say he got lost trying to get to the first. When someone’s actions inadvertently result in the death of another person without homicidal intent, we call it manslaughter. A deed that results in good without the intent to do good is incidental, it’s an arbitrary reaction.

[Haruto]: Therefore, a good action begins with a statement of intent, an I must do this because, and be performed within a consistent framework.

(He cuts himself off. There’s a paper crumpling sound, then a soft rustle as it hits an apparently filled wastebasket. His forehead hits the desk with a thud.)

[Haruto]: Damn it. I’m not saying anything new. It’s a dissertation! I should be doing something groundbreaking here.

(There’s a knock at the door.)

[Haruto]: Sorry, one moment.

(There’s further rustling as he frantically tries to clean up parts of his apartment, then, a creak as he opens the door.)

[Mailwoman]: Delivery for Haruto Hirabayashi?

[Haruto]: …Uh, I’ve got a P.O. Box. They’re not supposed to do deliveries here.

[Mailwoman]: Look, I’m just doing what reception told me to do. Could you sign off on this?

(Haruto sighs.)

[Haruto]: Sure, why not.

(Scribble scribble. The package is handed off, and he closes the door.)

[Haruto]: A…Chuouku address?

(The box rattles as he shakes it.)

[Haruto]: Jeez; it's heavier than it looks. Wait, what if-- 

[Haruto]: No, that doesn't make sense. If it were a bomb or something it'd have exploded by now. And they wouldn’t bomb a school, it’s too much publicity.

(The rip of tape coming off cardboard.) 

[Haruto]: ...! A Hypnosis Mic? No, there's three. 

(Paper rustling and being tossed onto the floor. Haruto recites the usual letter that Chuouku sends out.) 

[Haruto]: ...Ha. This has to be a joke. I don't even have any experience rapping. At least they gave me a return address. 

(Haruto’s phone buzzes and a ring tone plays. There’s a soft thump as he sets the box on his bed.) 

[Haruto]: Hello? 

[Shirou]: Haruto. I've got a new development on our…business prospects. Could you please come to our usual meeting spot at your earliest convenience? 

[Haruto]: Oh, Shirou. Yeah, I'm free today. I'll be over as soon as I can. 

[Shirou]: Outstanding. I'll see you there. We'll have a new partner to work with so I'll have to introduce you two. 

[Haruto]: Anyone I’d know?

[Shirou]: Haha. Maybe, but I doubt in the capacity you’re thinking of. What he brings to the table will be one-of-a-kind, I assure you.

(Haruto breathes in sharply. There's a slight pause as he measures out his words, but there's a spark of excitement when he speaks again.)

[Haruto]: So…do we have a breakthrough?

[Shirou]: It’s possible. I’d prefer to go over the details in person, if it's all the same to you. It will make things a lot easier on all of us.

[Haruto]: Right. I’ll see you there then.

(A soft beep as Haruto hangs up.) 

[Haruto]: He was being really evasive. Must be important if he can't be specific...well. I guess I'll find out.

[evanpeterssource]

Evan Peters and Billie Lourd Discuss the Art of Dying Onscreen

BILLIE LOURD: Let me set the scene for you: I’m sitting outside my house in my never-washed car, because that’s the only silent place in my home, and it’s not even in my home. I have a wireless breast pump with me, so if you hear a weird sound, that’s what that is.

PETERS: I’m in my bedroom, currently in my PJs. I worked a night shoot last night and am doing a night shoot again tonight. So, I’m drinking coffee and trying to wake up and get back into it.\

LOURD: I know how that goes. My hands are on my temples for you. Okay, Ev, I’m fucking obsessed with Mare of Easttown. I do not watch any shows because if I ever have free time, it’s usually spent napping or just lying in a silent room. But I failed all my nap times with watching this show. You’re a fucking genius.

PETERS: Thanks Billie. I appreciate it.

LOURD: Tell me the story of how it all came to be.

PETERS: They sent me the script and it said that Kate Winslet was going to be the lead, and that it was an HBO crime drama. So I was like, dude, I’ve got to really work on this one. I did the self-tape thing, so it was super awkward and weird.

LOURD: It was a self-tape? Wow.

PETERS: Yeah, I sent that in, and then the director and writer and showrunner were like, “You want to have some lunch?” And I was like, “They’re going to tell me to redo the tape, I know it.” And then they offered me the part, thankfully.

LOURD: That’s when you know you’re a really good actor, is when you get a part off a self-tape. I’ve never done that.

PETERS: Oh come on, you’re a great actress. You can do that single-tear thing.

LOURD: I do have a single-tear thing!

PETERS: That’s incredibly hard to do.

LOURD: Only when there’s a promise of bratwurst at Krafty’s will I do a single tear. What was the scene that you had to tape?

PETERS: The earlier scenes, where I’m coming in and meeting Mare and she just does not want me there at all.

LOURD: I was going to say, if you had to do that drunk scene, or the breakdown scene, that would be a nightmare. Did you know you were going to die? How did that make you feel? I’m a therapist now.

PETERS: It was a little stressful trying to navigate that. You had a finite amount of time to cram in all this stuff. Because you knew how it was going to go, and you wanted it to have an interesting arc, but… poor Zabes.

LOURD: Dude, it was fucking devastating. Zabel is so sweet, and you’re like, “No, he was on such a fucking upswing!” You’ve gotten shot in the head a couple of times now, which is pretty rare for an actor.

PETERS: Yeah, he’s got to work on that quick draw. But it was a cool scene to shoot. We kind of stretched out time and it was like The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, where it was a stare-down, and you’re like, “God, this feels like a really long time to be staring at people.” But Craig, the director, was like, “We’ll edit it. It’ll look good.” And nowadays, everything’s CGI, so back in the day they probably would have used blanks to help with that, but it was just a click. Or the other actor going, “Bang!” and all of a sudden you would have to get shot in the head. And you’re like, “What are we, 12, playing with guns?” It was such an awesome set that they built. They found this property that was like an abandoned bar, with a house on the back. And then set dressing came in and made it that amazing, creepy, disheveled, messed-up house that it was. So it was really cool to be in there and feel like, “Oh my God, we got the guy.”

LOURD: It’s amazing to watch you piece it together and look at each other and hear the pipe banging. It’s so suspenseful. We’ve got to talk about Kate. Can I call her Kate? Should I call her Kate Winslet? She’s so fucking magical. What was that like working with her.

PETERS: I was pretty terrified and nervous and stressed out before meeting her. I’m such a huge fan, and she’s one of the best actresses of all time. But she was so warm and down-to-earth and immediately disarming. What’s really cool is that she’s very collaborative. I thought she was going to be like, “Nope, I’m right. You’re all wrong.” You know, because she’s brilliant. But she was very open to new ideas and exploring things. I found that really reassuring, and surprising, since she’s set at such a high caliber.

LOURD: That’s so cool to hear. I feel like every actor’s dream is to get to work with her. Did you stay in your accents all the time? I always wonder that when people do accents.

PETERS: I was in it the whole time. I’m not good enough of an actor to be able to pop in and out of it. Somebody on set said there are different levels. There’s the learning it, there’s the “I have to stay in it,” and then there’s, “I’m so good that I can pop in and out of it.” Kate was that. She was incredibly English throughout the whole thing. Like [in British accent], “Oh, hi, Zabes. How are you doing babes? You good? Everything good? Okay, great.” And then she’d be like [in Philadelphia accent], “Let’s go get a hoagie. Let’s go down to the shore and check out the store.” I was just like, oh my god. How do you do that?

LOURD: That is so trippy. I don’t think I could do that.

PETERS: No, I could not do that. She’s really impressive that way.

LOURD: What was your favorite scene to do with Kate? I have to stop calling her that. Lady Winslet?

PETERS: There were so many. The bar scene was pretty awesome because it was so improvised.

LOURD: Oh, really?

PETERS: Yeah, it was just kind of fun to be at a bar with Lady Winslet.

LOURD: That’s my dream.

PETERS: But there was another scene that I really liked too: When I first got in the car, and I’m like, “Hey, are we carpooling?” And she’s like, “Ugh, this fucking guy.” And then I get in the car and she slams on the gas and I almost smoke my head. I thought that was really fun because it was one of the earlier scenes that we shot, and it set the tone for how much Mare was annoyed at Zabel being there.

LOURD: How did you do the bar scene? Are you allowed to get drunk?

PETERS: No, you can’t get drunk unfortunately. But I would say I’ve done a ton of research over the years. You know, at a couple of your birthday parties.

LOURD: Would you rather do a death scene or a killing scene?

PETERS: Oh, that’s a hard question. It really depends on how you’re killing or dying. Dying is such a challenge, as an actor.

LOURD: I don’t like dying.

PETERS: It’s so hard. It’s like, how do you do it? And does this look believable? Can they see me breathing? It really depends on how you’re getting killed as well. There’s so many questions and so many ifs.

LOURD: Killing me in American Horror Story was such a laugh. I hope they put in parentheses, “She said sarcastically.”

PETERS: Yeah, that was a pretty horrific day.

LOURD: That was a rough one. I’ve watched it back and I can definitely see myself breathing. And the eyes are so hard, like to actually keep your eyes open. I feel like I’ve made the decision to close my eyes. Do you do open-eye or closed-eye deaths?

PETERS: I like to do a little halfsies—a little open, a little closed.

LOURD: I like it. Split the difference. Have you been on the streets since Zabel died? Do people come up and hug you and thank god that you’re actually alive?

PETERS: No. I’ve gotten some text messages that were like, “Sorry, man. You’ve got to work on that quick-draw.” I’m super stoked that people like the show.

LOURD: It’s one of those shows that’s now part of the zeitgeist. Even my baby loves it. How long did it take to shoot?

PETERS: Gosh, we started in October 2019, and then I was supposed to be done at the beginning of March 2020. I had about two or three weeks left. Then the pandemic hit and they punted it to September. I was like, “Oh man, I’ve got to keep learning this accent for six months.”

LOURD: And not eat all the double doubles in sight. You had to keep that accent and keep that bod.

PETERS: Yeah, it was a challenge.

LOURD: What do you think would have happened with Mare and Zabel if Zabel didn’t die? It’s a real thinker.

PETERS: Ooh, that is a real thinker. I think they would have gone on a few more dates and then Mare probably would’ve realized that Zabel’s not the one. Zabel would have been devastated again.

LOURD: I think they could have had a shotgun wedding in Vegas and lived happily ever after. It could have been great.

PETERS: I like that for Zabel. That sounds good.

LOURD: Do you think you would have moved to Easttown or would he have gone back?

PETERS: I think he definitely would have had to move out of his mom’s place. For sure that would have been step number one.

LOURD: Were you sad when he died or did you think that this was the perfect ending for him?

PETERS: I thought it was an interesting ending to the character. He kind of came in, and then it was so shocking, but that’s the way death is in real life. You’re never really expecting it, and then it happens.

LOURD: It’s amazing you got to know the whole arc of the character before you played him.

PETERS: Yeah, it’s rare to get all the episodes beforehand. You make a choice in episode two and then you get to episode seven and you’re like, “Oh wait, that was totally wrong, what I did in episode two… Can we go back and reshoot that?” And they’re like, “No.”

LOURD: Did knowing the ending affect how you played him? He was so lovable anyway, but did knowing he was going to die make you play him even more lovably, if that’s a word?

PETERS: Yeah, that did play into it. There was talk about making him a little bit more arrogant and cocky. But I thought, when he dies, it’d be more tragic if he wasn’t that. So we tried to make him a little bit bumbling and not as good of a detective and really trying. We wanted it to be as shocking and sad as we could.

LOURD: Did you do any actor-y stuff? Like, a cologne you wore? Or did you wear a special hat?

PETERS: That’s so funny. I wish I wore a special hat to work every day , like an old-school 1940s detective hat. I did always have my coffee mug. There was a little bit of a Zabel-mug thing going on. And there were rituals. I would write in the mornings and try to get into it, stuff like that. But god, I wish I wore a hat.

LOURD: We should incorporate that into our future careers, to make sure we have a hat for every role we play. And then you could have a case at your house of all the hats you wore.

PETERS: That’s so goddamn funny.

LOURD: People are going to be like, “Billie Lourd is a psychopath.”

PETERS: Oh, you know what I did do? I wore a cross. You can’t see it, but when he died, I wanted you to see the cross on his neck. He’s got this weird thing with religion where he was raised religious, but then being in the line of work that he’s in and seeing all this death and awfulness, you start to question that. And then his mom is very religious. So I wanted him to be, underneath it all, a little bit religious and hopeful and needing the protection of god when he went out into the field.

LOURD: That’s way better than a hat.

[sacklerscumrag]

Entre Las Montañas

Toby Grummett X Female Reader

Part I of II (Maybe III)

(Title translation: In Between The Mountains)

Notes: This one will have the tiniest bit of Spanish in it, all translations will be labeled in parentheses and italic :) It was my first time writing for Toby and I loved it. Hopefully I captured him well.

Warnings: fluff

Word Count: 1.3K

(gif credit: @driverdaily)

The radiant array of colors brushed across the afternoon sky, casting long shadows on the ground throughout the charming Spanish village. Toby made his way down the cobblestone paths between the various artisan shops and cafes until he found what he was looking for. It had been years since his last visit to Raul's; with a new project on the horizon, he found himself drawn back to the place that once offered him so much inspiration.

Toby stepped through the beaded curtain of the small, well-kept bar giving the server a quick hello, and sitting down on one of the stools. His appearance was far from the ruggedness he dawned the last time he was in town. Wearing his cream-colored dress shirt and pants with his beloved leather loafers. With a swift point of a finger towards one of the wine bottles on the wall, the bartender poured him a drink. 

Memories flushed Toby's head as he swirled the wine in his hand, piecing together what happened all of those years ago as he shut his eyes and shook his head slightly. The loss of Javier still wearing in Toby's thoughts as he took the last sip of his Tempranillo from the fractured bar glass. To take his mind off the inevitable guilt brewing inside of him, he gazed at his surroundings, and that's when he saw you. Tucked away in a far corner of the quaint bar, looming over your laptop, seemingly lost in whatever was in front of you.

Impossible, he thought to himself. Quickly setting a couple euros on the counter before walking over to you.

"Excuse me." He cleared his throat. Toby studied you, the way your whole demeanor had evolved since he last laid eyes on you.

"Toby?" You let out a deep breath before moving out of your chair to give him a hug. He sat at the table with you for a while, listening to where your life had gone in the time you two spent apart. Gazing at you as if you had set roots in this place; perhaps you had. But it did not matter; what mattered was that you were here now. 

"Wow. That sounds fucking incredible. I-" Toby looked over to the clock on the wall, realizing time had gotten away from him. "Shit." You gave him a confused look when he abruptly planted his palms on the table, leaning into you. "Wanna get out of here? I was actually headed somewhere. It's sort of in the mountains and requires some walking if you're up for it."

"You're not going to kidnap me, are you?" You teased, making Toby chuckle. "Sure. Let's go."

In true Toby fashion, he didn't think twice before whisking you away on his motorcycle, driving aimlessly through the desolate area while you clung tightly to him. You lifted your head slightly, allowing the scent of oak and pine to engulf you. Perfectly textured mountains rose from all angles around you, growing in size as you got closer to them. Toby eventually brought the motorcycle to a stop in front of a large opening between some rocks.

"We walk from here." He hurriedly took off his helmet and helped you off the bike. You walked beside each other for a couple minutes before entering a strange-looking cave.

"Toby, where are you taking me?"

"It's a place an old friend of mine brought me to once." He ambled as he looked around, turning on the ball of his foot back towards you. 

"I don't know about this. Feels like we're going to get lost through here." Approaching the other side of the cave, shreds of soft light spread down above you. Toby took two sizeable strides until he was centimeters from your face, cradling both of your hands in his as he spoke.

"You can, you must, you shall." He placed a kiss on your forehead, taking you with him further along the beaten path. Just over the hill was the most splendid view. The waterfall seeped and overflowed through the granite rocks perfectly placed along the mountain's sides. Pouring into the crystalline river that curved gracefully through the lush mountains as far as the eye could see. 

Your gaze returned to Toby, who was setting up a small blanket in a shaded spot under a large tree by the water. Toby took a seat, stretching his legs before him, crossing one over the other while leaning back on his elbows. You wandered over to him, carefully settling in the cool shade—a crisp, occasional breeze swiping through while sending chills that spread across your skin. 

"Bello, no?" (Beautiful, no?) Toby blurted, making you laugh. "What? My Spanish no te gusto?" You managed to stop long enough to look back at him before responding.

"No, no, it's not bad. Just needs some work. That's all."

"Then teach me." He said with a smug look on his face as he cocked his head towards you. You crossed your legs and scooted closer to face him, the close proximity making you feel a sudden warmth rise to your cheeks. "But first, we dance." Toby shouted as he jumped to his feet, pulling you into a tango-like stance with him. He splayed one hand on your lower back, the other softly cradling your fingers as you began to sway in sync with one another.

"What do you want to learn first?" You gazed up at him, relaxing into his embrace. 

"Teach me how to say, I want to stay here forever." He beamed at you.  

"Quiero quedarme aqui por siempre." Toby tried his best to repeat after you, occasionally taunting you, which in turn only made you break into a fit of giggles in his arms.

Toby fought a smile from spreading across his face when he felt you press your body closer to his. Resting his cheek on the crown of your head while you laid your cheek on his chest. His fingers tingled with delight, softly brushing against the exposed skin. 

The possibility of you and him seemed so far out of reach. As easy as it was to lose himself in the daily chaos that was his life, a delicate flame of his love for you burned constant in the back of his mind. Making him wonder if you ever felt a surge of longing for him. Waking up every day aching for him, yearning for his touch all of these years. 

"Ready? Now say it all together." His jaw clenched as he broke free from his train of thought; he could feel his heart bursting through his chest. Toby took in a deep breath before speaking as clearly as he possibly could.

"Creo que siempre he estado enomorado de ti." (I think I've always been in love with you) You glared at him in disbelief, unsure if your mind tricked you into hearing what your heart longed for. You tried to push him away, but Toby grasped your arm before you were able to.

"You already..." You whispered. He slowly released his grasp on your arm. "You know how to..."

"Of course I do. I spent way too much fucking time here, I learned a thing or two." Your eyes glossed over with tears as soon as his words started to sink in. Toby knew he had to speak and do it quickly before the moment fled. "And I meant it. What I said. Look, I don't know how this works. This whole us shit." He gestured between the two of you. "But I'm willing to try."

He came closer, lips barely brushing against yours. His hand delicately caressed your cheek, noses barely grazing. His scent, although intoxicating, made your knees weak; all of your senses felt like they were being overtaken by him. Your eyes met his with a sparkle of curiosity, threading your fingers through his hair. Toby anxiously awaited your response, succumbing to the possibility that you may not feel the same way. 

"Toby I..."

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[bard-llama]

WiP Wednesday: Upcoming Thronebreaker Fics + Gascon Backstory

Okay, for today’s WiP Wednesday, I wanna share a few fics I have planned for Thronebreaker! Don’t worry, I will definitely continue writing Iorveth/Roche (and also Isengrim/Eldain, though most of those haven’t been published yet. But I have a doc with 8 WiPs for them).

But now that I’ve properly met the Thronebreaker OT3, I am suuuuuuper here for them. I’m still kind of figuring out their dynamic, but to be honest, 90% of my fics will probably take place in the months they travel from Lyria’s capital to Aedirn, ‘cause that journey would take a long time! Even just to the border would be a long walk (and armies move SLOW), but then Vengerberg is fairly central and I assume Black Rayla comes in somewhere near the Moulderwoods, since that’s Eldain’s territory. So like... it would take MONTHS of slowly traveling down the road - and also probably avoiding patrols and maybe even towns, because they’re outlaws now. And considering most towns are BUILT on major roads...

Point is, there’s plenty of time for them to get to know each other while traveling to Aedirn. And I hear that Thronebreaker gets pretty sad and depressing (I don’t know the details, but I also don’t mind spoilers. I know some big ones already, but I’m sure there’s more) so tbh, not sure if I’ll ever finish the game. Which makes the period of Meve, Reynard, and their handful of deserters traveling with Gascon and his Strays of Spalla perfect for fic settings lol.

So far, I have 3 specific fics planned and a few other ideas percolating. The first one is the Taint of the Common Man, which I went into pretty in detail here, so I won’t repeat that (but be warned, link goes to very noncon/dubcon set up stuff).

The second fic is Gascon-focused angst! Well, really ot3 angst, but I’ve only written Gascon’s POV so far, though next is Reynard’s POV and then Meve’s. The premise is that they’re on the road to Aedirn and they’ve been sleeping together the three of them for several months - but Gascon gets a reminder of exactly what he is to them when they mention their 10th anniversary. And he tries to act normal and cheerful and brash, but his heart is breaking because he stupidly fell in love with a queen and her top general and what is he? Nothing.

So he starts to subtly pull away from them, trying to protect his heart. But Reynard notices and worries over it and brings it up with Meve - who is all “nah, he’s fine”, and then watches Gascon and has to rescind her words, because he is absolutely not fine. And Gascon is spending more and more time with his strays (and his right hand gal in particular, which they’re totally not jealous over or anything), so it has to be them that are the problem. Which means they have to talk. 

I’m still thinking about non-sexual ways Meve and Reynard can show Gascon that he’s loved, so if you have any suggestions, feel free to throw them my way! But it’s definitely gonna have a happy ending with them working to show Gascon that he does belong with them.

The third fic is actually about Gascon becoming the Duke of Dogs XD If there’s a canon explanation, then too bad, because I like mine lol. Anyway, remember that right hand gal I mentioned? Well, her name is Medusa and she has purple hair that she braids and styles meticulously to look like snakes around her head. She also happens to be the best cat burglar in Aedirn - but she wasn’t always. So this fic is set way in the past, to when they first meet, because she’s the one that introduces him to the Strays of Spalla and vouches for him at first. Obviously later they both rise through the ranks and once Gascon takes over leadership, he works to make them more of a family (a family of crime lol).

Anyway, before any of that, we have Gascon as an 8yo who just saw his entire family murdered by the king’s guards for the crime of speaking out against the way nobles treat their people and their land. (idk if a reason is given in canon, but that’s my reason because it connects to some of the changes Gascon makes to the Strays. Basically, while they’re still a gang of criminals, I’ve decided to take inspiration from the incredible Black Panthers (who, to be clear, were NOT criminal, but were extensively treated like it by the FBI because they took care of and protected their community (you know, the ones the FBI was actively spying on and introducing highly addictive drugs to). I think I’ve lost the thread a bit and there are a lot of parentheses, so I’ll just conclude this bit by saying that my version of the Strays of Spalla steal from wealthy merchants and even wealthier nobles and use their ill-gotten gains to help the peasants (esp around Spalla, but across Lyria too). Which matters because I think Reynard semi understands that poor people are people (he talks to Meve about being proud to fight alongside the Strays because they’re fighting for freedom and what better cause is there?), but he’s still a nobleman who has spent the majority of his life at the king’s side. And Meve is queen. She has no fucking idea what the actual people of Lyria’s lives are like, because she’s always been concerned with managing her realm - which means managing nobles, who then are responsible for tending to their land aka getting taxes and shit from the peasants. So basically, both of them have a LOT of blindspots about what real actual people’s lives are like in their ‘great realm’. But Gascon? Gascon has lived that life.)

Right, so, the plot. The plot is actually not at all about how Gascon changes the Strays (oops), but about how he first joins them. So, 8yo Gascon. He just saw his family murdered, he was only saved because he was hidden in a closet, stuffing his own fist in his mouth to keep the guards from hearing him cry. But he Knows that they’ll kill him if they find out he survived, so he goes through the house and grabs what he can (what the guards didn’t loot) and tries not to throw up and cry too much. Then he runs.

But lil Gascon Brossard is a nobleman’s son and that’s the only life he’s known until now. And it’s obvious from his fine clothes that he has money - which means he ends up getting beaten and robbed on the streets a lot. Eventually, he learns to not share his name (’cause WOW that’s such a nobleman’s name lmao), but like... he’s 8. He doesn’t know what he’s doing, he’s just trying to survive. (Also, for extra angst, I’m thinking he got his mom’s signet ring from the house before he left, but it got stolen. But when he’s older, he steals it back.)

I’m not sure why he decides to rob the house of a minor noble in the Spalla area, but he does. And he actually plans it pretty carefully - he creates a cigarette bomb for a time-delayed (minor) explosion that busts open the door to the kennel and scares all the dogs, so they go howling and barking and running and create chaos. (A noble’s household would likely have a lot of dogs, most of them working ones.) His plan is to break into the kitchen while everyone is otherwise occupied and steal enough to eat for a good while. 

But before he can do this, while he’s hiding in the bushes and waiting for his bomb to go off, someone else finds him. Specifically, Medusa finds him - because she was casing the place to steal stuff (probably jewels. She really likes shiny things). So she pulls a knife on him and demands to know who he is. And idk if the Brossards owned a duchy or if he was just being cheeky, but he’s all, “I’m a duke!”

“Yeah?” Medusa laughs. “Duke of what?”

At that moment, the bomb goes off with a little pop and then utter chaos descends as dogs start howling and baying and barking. And Gascon just grins his gap-toothed grin (he probably lost some teeth getting beaten tbh) and proclaims, “of dogs!”

Then he invites her to come raid the kitchen with him. And she’s not 8yo, but she’s only a few years older and those pastries do smell good. So the steal the whole lot and then Medusa brings him into the Strays and it starts to get a little bit easier for Gascon to survive. Idk how much he hides his name (’cause Gascon is SUCH a nobleman’s name, but also, he later signs orders to his men with all his amazing made up titles and then -G) but he definitely starts going predominantly by “Duke” and “the Duke of Dogs”.

Anyway shit, I gotta go get ready for an event, so - hope you enjoyed hearing about my upcoming Thronebreaker fics!

[popstarryeyed]

red (taylor's version) (from the vault) (that which has too many parentheses):

- nothing new is good and i think phoebe bridgers works really well on it. it's a song in a similar vein to the lucky one, about feeling like your time in the spotlight is fleeting, and just like that song i think it gains a lot from being performed by 30-year-old taylor. totally get why she decided to dig it up

- i used to hear babe on the radio at work a lot and every time i'd be like "wow, that's a total taylor swift knockoff" and then remember that it literally is a taylor swift song - just, y'know, one she didn't think was good enough to sing herself. it feels "from the vaults" in the sense that it wasn't good enough to make the cut but she still thought she could make a buck off it

- i bet you think about me is good as a song, eviscerating this rich guy living in an artificial world, but taylor framing herself as down-to-earth rubs me the wrong way. like yeah she grew up on a farm and not in hollywood but she wasn't exactly poor, either. knowing that, it just feels like her priding herself on being a different kind of rich person than the guy she dated and that leaves a weird aftertaste on an otherwise good song

- 10 minute all too well...hoo boy. where to start

- it's clear that this was not ever meant to be an actual song. this is taylor's draft and it shows. a good pop song balances the specific and universal very carefully, adds enough details to feel real but not so many that the situation becomes unrelatable. 10 minute all too well is full of overly specific details, and a lot of its appeal is in getting to be a fly on the wall

- it doesn't feel like a total rough draft, though. the song was always on the more specific side of the specific-universal spectrum and plenty of the lyrics are certainly good enough to be in an official song, even if they needed to be cut to make the song shorter and more cohesive. a real kill-your-darlings-but-also-save-them moment

- i figured she put it at the end because it's the longest and super hyped up but it also works as an effective closer because the extended lyrics call back to other songs. "twin flames" like the "twin fire signs" from state of grace, "did it make you blue" like red, a whole section referencing the same crying-in-the-bathroom-at-her-21st-birthday incident depicted on the moment i knew. the moment i knew is underrated tbh

- i really like the detail about his "fuck the patriarchy" keychain falling off when he throws the keys to her. like any veneer of him being a feminist falls away when he chooses to date a much younger woman. apparently she's actually selling "fuck the patriarchy" keychains as merch and while most of me cringes at the idea of buying feminist merch from taylor swift there's a part of me that's like. fuck that's brilliant i want one

- i really like "and there we are again when nobody had to know / you kept me like a secret, but i kept you like an oath" bc on other songs he's portrayed as shallow and pretentious ("indie record that's much cooler than mine") but it's all mocking at his expense. this is the real problem, that his image is so important to him that he's treating their relationship like an embarrassing secret while she's trying to be a devoted partner

- i also like "the idea you had of me, who was she? / a never-needy, ever-lovely jewel whose shine reflects on you", bc it really captures how people treat younger women in relationships with older men. the shiny new toy, prize on his arm, basically just another possession

- the amount of times she calls him out for dating a woman so much younger than him is so satisfying

- overall. an Experience to be sure

[thickenmyblood]

I love how you really put a lot of thought into how you regard and read fanfic as well as how you respond to questions about how you feel aout it. Can I ask what are some parts/ideas in fics that really made you go wow, this is well planned or like I never would have thought about this or I forgot that this plot point and device were even a thing! I hope this makes sense

I love you, kind stranger. Thank you for reading my delirious posts and giving me the chance to scream about fics, which is always a pleasure. 

Note: If your fic is in this post and you don’t want it to be, let me know and I’ll take it down. 

Zeitnot by thereshaegoes

I love the idea of time travel, so when I read this fic’s summary I bookmarked it instantly. At first, I thought it was going to be eight chapters of Laurent waking up the day of the battle of Marlas, but the author really surprised me.

I loved that someone died at the end of each chapter (at first, at least) but what really made me go ‘oh’ is when Lauret realizes the Damen from “this new reality” is, in fact, his Damen! 

Damen not being with Jokaste was weird to me, but I shrugged it off as a personal choice the author had made. Then, when Damen was talking about abolishing slavery, I was still in denial. ‘Oh, well, some people don’t like to write Damen as a slave owner, which is cool’. And then, when the big reveal finally came, I was just… amazed. I literally put my phone down and went, ‘okay, this person really knows what they’re doing when it comes to writing’. 

I love the little plot twists. In my head, a plot twist most basic example is ‘oh, X is a traitor’ but… this? This is so much better.

Between the Shadow and the Soul by Anonymous

This work was… insanely refreshing, innovative, transgressive, and outrageously good. It does feature a lot of sex scenes, but at the same time, it felt like sex was the least important part of the story. I don’t know how to explain myself when it comes to this fic (and God knows I’ve tried) but… The sex scenes aren’t there just for the smut of it all, if that makes any sense. 

Auguste as a narrator is so unusual, and yet it made the fic so painful and enjoyable! I loved the way it left you wondering just how accurate his POV was. I loved the sex scenes with actual characterization. This author never, not even for one second, stopped focusing on the dynamic between Laurent, Auguste, and Damen. It could be argued that the Laurent/Auguste bit weighted more than the overall OT3 bit, but still… I had literally forgotten what sex scenes were for until I read this fic.

Sex scenes, especially in this particular work, are not parentheses in the story. They’re not there for the reader to take a break from the “actual plot” or “narration”. They are what holds the story together, and they’re opportunities for the reader to learn more about the characters

.

Cherry Wine by SteeleStingray

Yes, I’m back on my bullshit. Yes, I’m talking about CW again. But I’ll make it short because there is no way you don’t know how I feel about this work. If you don’t, check out this comment (which, by the way, is not even a fraction of what I wanted to say to the author when I read the fic). 

What I found innovative and made me go “is this allowed?” about CW is not the idea of an OT3, but rather this particular take on a relationship that consists of three people. I’ve read a few published books that feature similar couples (all of them suck, and when I say they suck I mean it) so I was very hesitant to read this because of that reason. 

Usually, when people write OT3 they pepper in a lot of stuff I don’t like to read about: extreme jealousy, misunderstandings, cheating, weird dynamics that feel stilted, awkward sex scenes where one of the three just sits in a chair and watches the other two like some voyeur from Juan José Saer’s stories. Guess what doesn’t happen in CW? 

Another thing I liked about this work is that it reminded me that themes in fiction aren’t limited to one specific work. This author really likes nicknames. At the time, when I had only read CW, I thought it was just a one-time thing. Turns out, it’s not. An emerald-coloured nightmare also features nicknames. I like this idea that you can tell who wrote something based on little details and narrative choices. It’s like the author is winking at you, going ‘ha, did you get it?’

Ink on Paper by deripmaver

I don’t usually like fics with non-linear narrative because I’m a lazy bitch who can’t keep up. I’d never really seen the point in using flashbacks, scenes from the past, or anything like that because my writing style (oh, fuck off, my writing style, who the fuck do I think I am) is more about references. And then I read this fic. And I was like, ‘okay, I’ve seen the light of not writing everything linearly like an idiot’. 

The Mannequin Gallery by marrieddorks

Yes, I realize I’m talking about all my favorite fics. I feel no shame.

This fic is a Modern AU. Everyone who has ever written a Modern AU knows that one of the trickiest parts is finding characters professions that make sense with who they are/what they like/what they’re good at. This story features Damen as an influencer. That’s it, that’s my whole tweet. 

It reminded me that even when you’re writing a Modern AU (or any sort of AU, really) it’s important to know what the essence of the characters you’re writing is. The way even Jord’s job makes sense… And how it feels like the author didn’t just steal the characters’ names and use them to create a random story (which is valid, too)... and… Okay, this has nothing to do with a plot twist or a narrative device but have you read this Nicaise? Have you? You haven’t read Nicaise until you’ve read this fic.

(and that's why) you're so beautiful now by iwasgonegonegone

This fic is 612 words. It has no plot. One of the tags reads, “listen they're in love and they're cute and that's all i have to say” and I… yes. This fic inspired me to write plot-less stories again. Not only that, it made me enjoy writing them. 

Lately, I’ve been talking to a friend of mine about a new pairing we both like a lot. We go back and forth for hours sometimes just talking about what they’d do, details about the worldbuilding, a billion ‘what-ifs’... and I love it. If one of us sat down to write a story based on all our conversations, it would be a character study fic. It would have, maybe, some plot to it, but… Plot would feel like an excuse to talk about their relationship. And I love that. I fucking hate plot, I hate it, and this… Yes. This fic is like a little slice of life. The author has mentioned before that they enjoy writing poetry (more than longer pieces of fiction) and this story reads like a poem. You know when you read a poem and you get this weird tingly feeling? Read this and feel that, you’re welcome.

The Life We Live by homewithyou

I’ve said before that I don’t go looking for mpreg. Sometimes, mpreg has come looking for me, and I’ve closed my door on its face. I read this fic mainly because I never pay attention to the tags on AO3 (healthy, I know) and I was too busy making myself toast to read the summary. 

I was five paragraphs in and this bit hit me like a fucking electric hammer to the head: “...which had been going haywire more often than not since the pregnancy began five months ago.” I was like, ‘wait, did I—am I reading—why am I—’ and then I just shut my mouth and continued reading. I’m glad I did. I’m glad I didn’t let my narrowmindedness stop me from giving this fic a try. I’m glad people out there are writing stories that they enjoy, about topics a few others would deem controversial. 

This also applies to the Lamen/Auguste fic I mentioned above. What’s the point of writing if you’re not going to take risks and be honest about what you like to write about? It takes honesty and commitment to write anything that strays from the norm. And so I’m glad this person posted this story, because it changed me in a small way (‘what if I shut the fuck up and read more mpreg instead of instantly clicking out?’).

This is another perfect example of how plot is poison and you don’t need it in your life (unless you enjoy poison. In that case consume the plot, write the plot, sniff the plot. And die). A morning in bed, just nuzzling and talking… living life… Again, this made me realize that you can say a lot about two characters just from a morning in bed. It made me want to write 25 pages of dialogue in bed (this and Manuel Puig’s book titled Kiss of the spider woman, which I recommend fervently). 

Plot? In this house? We don’t know her. You’re a strong, independent writer. You don’t need no plot.

For a more general response, I’d say that Steele’s worldbuilding is impeccable and made me look at the setting of stories differently. 

Foreshadowing is always amazing, but I haven’t read a lot of fics where it’s a prominent element (which is not to say authors aren’t good at it, I just don’t read enough fics to give you a good example of this). 

I really like oxymorons and when writers use funny adverbs. GallaPlacidia’s adverbs are to die for, so definitely check out her stories if you’re interested in that. 

I also love the way xlydiadeetz writes archs. She does this thing where she divides the story into different… timelines? archs? I… don’t even know. Amazing.

I hope this answer made sense. 

[hedgefairy]

Okay, I know, I know, it's already old news, everybody and their uncle in the costuming community has already talked it over, but anyhoo, I made notes when I crawled my way through effing Bridgerton and I will be damned if I don't vomit them onto this site. I have 32 pages of this shit, I'm not gonna throw that away.

I'm also typing this on my phone because I'm stuck on a trainride that's just doubled in length because this is the 2021 Northern German snow storm. What, there's snowflakes on the rails? We cannot possibly keep up our schedule, say goodbye to 90% of the connections.

Okay, on to Bridgerton, Episode 1

We're in Britain (oh, London, okay), allegedly 1813. I see people who are clearly meant to be asympatico, but is this size incusivity I spot there? Daring! Gasp! Me li...

Oh wait, no. The character is promptly shamed for her figure (which is mostly caused by the horrible cut of her dress. Every size can look great in Regency garb, but never mind, we need to make the "fat one" look bad!).

Also, no shifts under the stays. Why. There was obviously enough budget, don't tell me you couldn't afford a few strappy tops - it's not like the rest is historically accurate, so it would have sufficed to send some poor underpaid intern to H&M and get some. Nvm, that wouldn't be sexay.

Wait, is the garishly dressed (always a sign of a character of bad character in a costume drama) woman Delphine from Selfridge? Does she always have to play bitches? That's not nice, and just because she has a recognisable face, which by modern (read: americanised) standards is not favourable enough. Ugh. But I like the actress, so I'll let it slide (for now).

Lol, buttocks.

Not sure about the girls' dresses. Also, the Queen is a WOC, cool!

Oh no, one of the Featherington sisters faints! But that's okay because the Featheringtons are just comic relief and foil anyway.

I get weird incest vibes from the Bridgertons.

So the court is clearly 18th century and the show is set in the 1810s. I've by now seen several explanations for this decision, I still think it robs the Queen of reproductions of her actual historical gowns which were heavily inspired by the 18th century but so. Magnificently. Weird. It would have been so neat, and more of a "hey, I'm kinda out of touch with things" vibe, but hey, I'm not the one getting paid for making those taffeta gowns here (her hair is glorious, tho).

I'm very into the intro.

That Regency gossip girl is a real b, not unlike the Dowager Countess of Downton (unpopular opinion, I think she's pretty overrated, yes, I like Maggie Smith).

Again, no shifts.

Where do I know the "pragmatic" Bridgerton sister from? Ah, it's The Paradise. And Jonathan Strange. (Wait, she's my age. And she's supposed to be a teenager. Man, do I love a good Dawson casting. I like the actress, though, she has a face ™!).

Aaaah. We get it. She's the spirited one. She also doesn't care about dresses because she's not like other girls™. I really like her voice (but she still doesn't sound like a teenager).

The heck is up with Lady F's dress and that of her friend? Oh, yeah. Antagonist fashion.

Of course the Featheringtons are Horrid Hags™ aside from Penny who's nice, but the pudgy one (at least we don't get a case of "she's not conventionally attractive so she's bad").

Oooh, the cousin! Supposed to suck, but ofc she's a stunner, and only Penny (who's the nice one, remember!) is delighted to have her around. She's also a POC, which is nice but apparently that means she does not follow fashion, hair-wise. I would have loved to see some Regency hair on her, it would have been so pretty *cries in Greek updo*

Ugh, we're still in Ep. 1, typing this on my phone was a bad idea.

Lady Danbury and the Duke guy are delightful with each other (more POC! So neat!).

The girl the oldest Bridgerbro screws is apparently a singer, which isn't up to status for his doucheship, and she doesn't wear a shift.

The music at the ball sounds like something from the Top 40s, but I'm woefully ignorant of contemporary music charts so I can't tell what it is. I like it when they do that in historical-ish works, making well-known pop or rock stuff work for the ambience (ugh, that dance scene to Golden Years in Knight's Tale. My heart. In a good way.)

I dig the Ducktail hair of Penny's crush. Oh, wait, that's a Bridgerbro. I don't quite get why the hair trends of the time don't apply to the POC characters or extras, but seeing how most white characters also show a shameful disregard for the weirdnes and gloriosity (that's not a word) that is early 1800s hair (the 1830s take the cake, tho) despite those hairdos being basically designed for white people hair, I don't think I care much (well, I do, but about all of them). Overall the hair is horrid and not very 1810s. Let's just leave it at that.

Like a good old romance novel (I've since been told that Bridgerton is supposed to be a pastiche of such novels, but I really couldn't tell from the series, not at all, and I'm not inclined to read the books) we have

a pretty, kind, superpure daughter of the main family

the mean matriarch (could have been an aunt, too, but here she's the mum) of the rivalling or antagonist family

a spirited daughter of the main family (in most romance novels this would be our heroine but so far she refreshingly lacks a love interest and pretty daughter seems to get the most screen time)

a Horrid Suitor™

a Hot Suitor™ who doesn't want attention

a really good and doting good parent

Lol, misheard Greece for Grease with Ducktail Bridgerbro, whose name is Colin, apparently. This is funny because of his Danny Zuko memorial hair.

Overall a bit too much bling for my taste, and too few pearls. It looks like an episode of My Super Sweet Sixteen with a Regency theme.

Of course the romance is going to be the Pretty One aka. Daphne and the Duke and he's even bros with her eldest bro. Wait, are they exes? I can haz bi? No? Aww, shucks. Maybe in another episode (spoiler: no).

Okay, WHAT is it with Lady F's dresses and hair. Like, she reminds me of Mars Attacks. Which, as you might remember, was not set in the Regency period.

Lord B (Bridgerbro the Eldest) sucks, he's screwing Opera Girl without any intention of marrying her but he's bitchy about his sister being ogled by his Eton (or wherever) bestie?

Oh, I'm in Hamburg now. And my train back home got canceled, so back to Berlin it is because there's not a single option to get to Hanover tonight, at least that's what the lady from the train station is saying, "oh well, you'll have to go back and try again tomorrow", so that's awesome...

Honestly, if it weren't so late and I didn't have things to do at home I'd find this terribly exciting.

Back to Bridgerton!

Where were we? Ah.

I can't even read my own annotation. Something about George III. I think I was upset about how they totally ignored that it's called Regency because George IV acted as the regent king, and he doesn't even feature in the series, I guess because they wanted to play up the Queen? Not a fan, because thanks to Horrible Histories I'm quite fond of that guy.

Again, no shifts.

Oh, look, it's Horrid Suitor™, destined for leftovers.

The Featherington cousin gets all the attention but no fleshed-out character.

Penny Featherington's dog is named Lord Byron, which ❤️

I like the Duke! He's there, drinking in his club (even though they're a patriarchal remnant of the past I have a weird appreciation for stuffy Gentlemen's Clubs, I blame Bertie Wooster and the Drones), calling Lord B out for his general fuckery.

Oh no, Ducktail Colin is more into the Cousin than Penny, who obviously pines for him!

Thank you, Lord B, for enabling Horrid Suitor™. Nobody asked you to be such a fucktwit.

The Queen is, of course, a bit of a bitch, but patronage from cool Lady *scrolls up for name* Danbury ensues for Protagonist Girl™ Daphne.

"I wish they had found a better trend language", what the heck did I even mean by that? That's what you get for just scribbling down notes while watching and simultaneously sewing. 18th century pants, in case you wanted to know.

Cousin is angry, probably because Lady F behaves like Cinderella's evil stepmother, because Cousin is prettier than her daughters and gets, like, all the suitors because Lord B bitched away everyone who wanted to get into Daphne's dowry ifyouknowwhatImeanwinkwinknudgenudge, right across the street into Cousins parlour.

The Bridgertons are annoyingly perfect. Ugh.

Oh look, it's "banter" between Daphne and Dukey! It's so Pride & Prejudice! It's almost a tiny bit Shakespeare! I put banter in parentheses because wow, nope, I'm not getting any chemistry here.

Uh, Lady B calls out Lord B (aka. her son aka. Bridgerbro the Eldest) for his screwery with Opera Girl and his outpimpery of his sister to Horrid Suitor™, buuuurrrrrnnn. He promptly calls of his affair with Opera Girl.

No shifts!

Penny gets to dance with Ducktail Colin at the thing! Good for her, but it's a country dance with jumping and fun, because she's a) the pudgy character and b) a Featherington, so it can't be something romantic and pretty (I personally like country dances, but they aren't protagonist dances).

Oooh, Cousin had her period, oh no, oh snap, oh she didn't, because she's PREGNANT! Shit, that's problematic, and not because she's an unmarried woman in the 1810s, but because she gets close to no lines at all so far, and suddenly she's pregnant and telling Lady F that she sucks for being privileged, violence ensues, this is ugly. Man, I get what some critics mean by "the POC actors*actresses get all the problems" and that not exactly being great.

Horrid Suitor™ makes property claims about Daphne, eeewwwww, thanks to Lord B's general suckiness, ewww, r@pe attempt ensues, was that really necessary? It doesn't really fit in with the rest of the series and generally nope, yay, broken nose! (which was indeed totally necessary). Nice one, and probably the only scene so far (spoiler: overall) in which I actually like Daphne. Dukey thinks a mean left hook is attractive, and, generally speaking, he's not wrong.

Daphne and Dukey come up with a pseudo-shakespearean plot to pretend to be totally into each other so she can attract suitors by being not available and he gets not to have fangirls by being not available, and as someone who has read a few too many historical-ish bodice rippers I know exactly where this is going. I mean, come on.

I can't see enough of the following choreography to complain about it. Man, I miss historical dance classes.

And that concludes Ep. 1! Finally! Thank you for getting this far, sorry for all of it (especially typos, it's the bane of unwanted autocorrect), I guess?

Update on the train situation: I've been told by the ticket control person that I shouldn't get my hopes up until noon tomorrow.

To be continued,

because I didn't take these 32 pages of notes for nothing.