#yes I did steal that scene from bridgerton

[fayes-fics]

Wisteria

Pairing: Benedict Bridgerton x fem!reader

Summary: Even wallflowers bloom, and Benedict sees it.

Warnings: none... this is just fluff

Word Count: 0.7k

Authors Note: Request fill for Anon HERE, who wanted Benedict and a young, wallflower reader. Just a short little scene. Unbetaed. I hope you enjoy this. <3

You sigh as you once again find yourself wishing to be swallowed up by the wall behind you. And this is only your third-ever ball. The room is somehow both too hot and too cold all at once—a clamminess that has the applique of your dress itching and uncomfortable. You idly wonder if you took a wallpaper pattern to Ms Delacroix if she might be able to fashion a dress so similar you would not be visible at all…

It's not that you hate the idea of finding a match. Having a husband is most appealing. What is not so is the Ton’s preferred method—the awful parade and, indeed, inspection that comes with being a young lady taking part in the Season. You would much prefer to find someone with whom you could bond, away from all of this pageantry and artifice.

“Miss y/l/n…”

The rumbed, polite greeting instantly has butterflies twitching behind your ribs, your head swivelling with almost comedic speed as a tall gentleman pulls up next to you.

Benedict Bridgerton.

Quite the most handsome, eligible bachelor there is. Especially now that his brother, the Viscount, is so happily matched.

“Oh… Mr Bridgerton…!” You cringe at the squeak in your voice as you return his greeting, certain your cheeks are heating. “H-how is your evening?” Your query is polite, but you steadfastly keep your eyes averted, instead observing the swirl of dresses brushing the polished wood in front of you, the dancefloor filled with your fellow debutantes.

“It is better now…” 

“How so?” You can't help your bubble of curiosity, looking up at him. Well, a spot on his lapel—you feel unable to look properly upon him, knowing it may make you far too tongue-tied. 

“Present company,” he breezes, taking a sip of his champagne.

You turn left and right but quickly realise you are the only person nearby. Perhaps unsurprising given this spot is not optimal for anyone seeking attention, tucked as you are between a fireplace and a drinks table.

“Yes, you, Miss y/l/n,” he chuckles, his brow knitting bemusedly at your reaction.

Your cheeks are definitely aflame now. Why he would seek out your company, you have no idea. Yes, he has been a friend to your older brother for many years now, but you honestly did not believe he held you in any regard.

“After all,” he continues, “how could I not enjoy the company of a y/l/n?”

“But… I am so very different to my brother,” you frown slightly, thinking of how effortlessly your brother moves through the echelons of society, so at ease in any room, in any crowd. Not one to cling to a wall in any circumstance.

Benedict laughs, his face crinkling most attractively as he does so. “Indeed you are. But that is a good thing,” he remarks, “for I do not wish to court him.”

At first you are sure you misheard, but as you finally meet his gaze, you feel a burst of something warm and soft in your chest. His mein is warm and hope-filled but burning with a quiet intensity that steals your breath.

“Me?” you sound almost stupified. “But… I am a wallflower…” you blurt, wincing as you realise you have spoken aloud the word your parents have gently chastised you for being.

“Have you not spied the walls of Bridgerton House?” His tone is light and cheerful, a hint of amiable tease there that is so very him, a beguiling twinkle in those hazy eyes.

“Yes, of course….” you hesitate, not following his seeming change in topic, but unable to look away.

“Then surely you have seen how resplendent they are with wisteria?” He pauses as you nod, your attention wholly absorbed in him now, something so magnetic pulling you inexorably into him, almost alchemy. “Sometimes the most enchanting of flowers spend their lives clinging to a wall. Even when they finally blossom… And yet, their location does not diminish their beauty. Or their ability to attract admirers.” A crooked grin tugs charmingly at the corner of his mouth as he leans in a fraction closer. “So yes, you may indeed be a wallflower, Miss y/l/n, but you should know, I happen to think wisteria quite the most wonderful flower of all….” 

Benedict taglist pt 1: @makaylan @longingintheuniverse @iboopedyournose @colettebronte @aintnuthinbutahounddog @severewobblerlightdragon @writergirl-2001 @heeyyyou @enichole445 @enchantedbytomandhenry @ambitionspassionscoffee @chaoticcalzoneranchsports @nikaprincessofkattegat @baebee35 @crowleysqueenofhell @fiction-is-life @lilacbeesworld @broooookiecrisp @queen-of-the-misfit-toys @eleanor-bradstreet @divaanya @musicismyoxygen84 @miindfucked @sorryallonsy @cayt0123 @hottytoddyhistory @fictionalmenloversblog @zinzysstuff @malpalgalz @kinokomoonshine @causeimissu @delehosies @m-rae23 @last-sheep @panhoeofmanyfandoms @kmc1989 @desert-fern @corpseoftrees-queen @magical-spit @bunnyweasley23 @how-many-stars-in-the-sky @sya-skies

[tulipatheticee]

Hello hello! Could you write for Eloise x fem reader? They are secretly together and Benedict married reader to make it easier for them to be together and Eloise goes to live with them? You can change it up, it was just the first thing that came to my mind.

Thank youuu

Secret Love Song

eloise bridgerton x fem! reader

benedict bridgerton x fem! reader (platonic)

synopsis; When Eloise Bridgerton and Y/N L/N are caught in a forbidden kiss by Benedict, he offers an unexpected solution: a ruse marriage to protect their love

word count; 1.7k

master list

a/n; it's quite magical how much more i can write from wlw, i heart eloise and benedict so i hope i did this request justice! eloise can be a little hard to write dialogue for sometimes HAHA

as always, kinda proof read, kinda not :p

We keep behind closed doors

Every time I see you I die a little more

Stolen moments that we steal as the curtain falls

It'll never be enough

In the heart of the Bridgerton house, behind a door that was usually shut tight, Eloise and Y/N found a rare moment of privacy. The sun cast golden beams through the window, illuminating their secret, tender kisses.

"Eloise," Y/N whispered against her lips, "we shouldn't be doing this here."

"I know," Eloise replied, breathless. "But I can't help it."

Their tender moment was shattered by the sound of the door creaking open. They sprang apart, hearts pounding, as Benedict stepped into the room. His eyes widened, taking in the scene before him.

"Eloise? Miss Y/N?" Benedict's voice was filled with shock and confusion.

Eloise quickly stepped forward, trying to form a coherent explanation. "Benedict, I... we..."

Benedict raised a hand to silence her, his expression softening. "Eloise, it's alright. I understand more than you think."

Y/N, still reeling from being caught, looked at Benedict with apprehension. "You... you do?"

Benedict nodded, closing the door behind him to ensure their privacy. "Yes. I've had my own experiences that society would frown upon. If you're willing to trust me, I will keep your secret for this family does not need another scandal as big as this one."

Eloise exchanged a hopeful glance with Y/N, before turning to Benedict  "You promise?"

Benedict took a deep breath. "Yes, I promise. But you have to be more careful, not everyone will be as open minded. And perhaps I will remember to knock next time…" 

And with that Benedict took his leave, leaving the two girls feeling rather shaken up.

“I believe I should take my leave now” Y/N chuckled lightly “It was nice seeing you, Miss Bridgerton” Y/N teased

“The formalities? You wound me” Eloise acting like she’d been stabbed in the heart “Farewell, Miss L/N” 

It's obvious you're meant for me

Every piece of you it just fits perfectly

Every second, every thought, I'm in so deep

But I'll never show it on my face

The following days were filled with tension and uncertainty. Benedict had kept his promise not to say a word, but Eloise and Y/N could sense his worry. One evening, Benedict invited Eloise and Y/N to a quiet part of the Bridgerton house.

“I’ve been thinking,” Benedict began, his voice steady but his eyes betraying his concern. “About what I saw. About the two of you.”

Eloise and Y/N exchanged a nervous glance. “And?” Eloise asked, her voice barely a whisper.

“I want to help you,” Benedict said, his gaze sincere. “I’ve had some time to think about it, and I believe there’s a way for you both to be together without arousing suspicion.”

Y/N frowned. “How?”

Benedict took a deep breath. “I propose that Miss Y/N and I enter a courtship. Eventually, we’ll marry. This way, Eloise can live with us, and no one will question why you’re always together.”

Eloise blinked in surprise. “You’d do that for us?”

“Yes,” Benedict replied firmly. “I know what it’s like to hide a part of yourself. If this is the way to ensure your happiness, then I’m willing to do it.”

Tears welled up in Eloise’s eyes. “Thank you, Benedict. This means more to us than you could ever know.”

Benedict smiled warmly. “We’re family. We look out for each other.”

But we know this, we got a love that is hopeless

Why can't you hold me in the street?

Why can't I kiss you on the dancefloor?

I wish that it could be like that

The courtship between Benedict and Y/N progressed smoothly, with the ton none the wiser. Their wedding was a grand affair, filled with laughter and joy. Eloise watched her brother and her love exchange vows with a mixture of relief and gratitude. She knew that Benedict’s selflessness was giving her a chance at happiness she thought she could never have.

Although Y/N wished the person in front of her was her beloved, witty, Elosie, she knew this was for the better. The three all knew when Y/N said her vows, although her eyes were on Benedict, her words were for Eloise. Eloise had also gone out her way to write Benedict’s vows, so in a way, it was as if the two girls married each other.

Why can't we be like that?

Cause I'm yours

When you're with him, do you call his name

Like you do when you're with me?

Does it feel the same?

As the newlyweds settled into their home, Eloise moved in with them, but not till after a honeymoon that felt like years to Eloise, having been prohibited from visiting her friends during this period by her mama. For Y/N and Benedict, they took this time to get to know each other better, gathering that since they are wed, they should still have an unbreakable bond with each other. They had fun with each other and found they enjoyed each other's company a lot, becoming fast friends, they discussed the matter of their marriage, they would attend events together and produce a heir but agreed to discuss children more in depth with Eloise. 

The arrangement allowed them a semblance of normalcy, though their true relationship remained hidden. They had to be careful, always mindful of the watchful eyes of society. Despite the challenges, Eloise and Y/N’s love only grew stronger.

One evening, as they sat together in the drawing room, Eloise leaned in close to Y/N, her voice barely above a whisper. "Do you ever wish things were different? That we could be open about our love?"

Y/N smiled softly, taking Eloise’s hand in hers. "Of course, I do. But what we have is precious, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. We’ll find our way, Eloise. Together."

Their love was a testament to their resilience and courage, a beacon of hope in a world that demanded conformity. And with Benedict by their side, they knew they could face whatever challenges came their way.

Would you leave if I was ready to settle down

Or would you play it safe and stay?

Girl you know this, we got a love that is hopeless

Their days were filled with quiet moments of stolen affection and whispered promises. Eloise often found herself watching Y/N as she went about her day, marvelling at how lucky she was to have found such a love. Y/N, in turn, cherished every moment they had together, knowing that their situation, while not ideal, was the best they could hope for.

Benedict was a constant source of support and understanding. He played his role as the devoted husband convincingly, always mindful of the delicate balance they maintained. He and Y/N developed a genuine friendship, bonded by their shared love for Eloise and their determination to protect her.

One afternoon, while the three of them were enjoying a walk in the park, Eloise found herself laughing at one of Benedict’s jokes. Y/N squeezed her hand, a silent reminder of their love and the sacrifices made to keep it alive.

"Eloise," Benedict said, his tone serious now. "We’re going to make this work. No matter what."

Eloise nodded, her heart swelling with gratitude. "I know we will. Thank you, Benedict."

He smiled, the warmth in his eyes unmistakable. "Anything for my sister."

Why can't you hold me in the street?

Why can't I kiss you on the dancefloor?

I wish that it could be like that

Why can't we be like that?

Cause I'm yours

One evening, after a particularly lively family dinner, Eloise and Y/N found themselves alone in the cosy confines of their shared sitting room. The fire crackled softly in the hearth, casting a warm glow over the room. Eloise sat on the plush sofa, a mischievous glint in her eye as she watched Y/N move about.

"Come here," Eloise beckoned, patting the spot next to her.

Y/N smiled, her heart fluttering as she joined Eloise on the sofa. "You seem in a particularly good mood tonight."

"I am," Eloise replied, leaning in close. "I was just thinking about how astonishing it is that we’ve managed to fool everyone. We’re practically masterminds."

Y/N laughed softly, her breath hitching as Eloise’s hand cupped her cheek. "Well, we have Benedict to thank for that."

"Don’t remind me," Eloise groaned, her gaze flickering to Y/N's lips. "You know, I don’t think I’ve kissed you nearly enough today. It’s quite a travesty."

Y/N's eyes softened. "We can’t have that, can we?"

"No, we certainly cannot," Eloise murmured before capturing Y/N’s lips in a tender, lingering kiss.

And nobody knows

I'm in love with someone's baby

I don't wanna hide us away

Tell the world about the love we making

The world seemed to melt away as they lost themselves in each other. Eloise’s hands tangled in Y/N’s hair, pulling her closer as the kiss deepened. Y/N responded eagerly, her arms wrapping around Eloise’s waist. The kiss was a dance of passion and love, a silent affirmation of everything they had fought for.

When they finally pulled apart, both were breathless and smiling. Eloise rested her forehead against Y/N’s, her voice teasing. "If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re trying to make me swoon."

"I love you so much, Y/N," Eloise said more seriously, her eyes softening. "Every day, I’m grateful for you."

"I love you too, Eloise," Y/N replied, her fingers gently tracing the contours of Eloise’s face. "More than words can say."

Eloise’s eyes sparkled with joy. "Let’s make a promise, right here and now. No matter what happens, we’ll always find our way back to each other."

"Always," Y/N agreed, sealing the promise with another sweet, lingering kiss.

They stayed like that for a while, wrapped in each other’s arms, basking in the warmth of their love. The challenges they faced seemed distant, insignificant compared to the bond they shared. At that moment, everything was perfect.

As they eventually settled back onto the sofa, Eloise’s head resting on Y/N’s shoulder, she sighed contentedly. "Thank you for loving me."

Y/N pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. "Thank you for being mine."

With a playful smirk, Eloise added, "And thank you for tolerating my oh so insufferable wit."

Y/N chuckled, tightening her embrace. "Always, Eloise."

And as they drifted into a peaceful slumber, entwined in each other’s arms, they knew that their love story was only just beginning.

Why can't I say that I'm in love?

I wanna shout it from the rooftops

I wish that it could be like that

Why can't we be like that?

Cause I'm yours.

a/n pt2; crying this was pure fluff ngl, when i picked the song there was intention for angst, like y/n was gonna settle with benedict, start a family 'fulfil her duty' and eloise is like 'you cant have children with HIM' and it would be a whole thing BUTTT that was scraped hehe

also sorry if some scenes repeat? i wrote this in my notes app at different times throughout today and kinda smacked it all together tonight

[multifandomfix]

Plague Of The Paramour — Anthony Bridgerton

Summary: You let yourself be seduced by Anthony, and with your reputation at stake, after your tryst, you make sure to steer clear of him. But Anthony Bridgerton is not an easy man to avoid.

Word Count: 589

Warnings: Fem!Reader, some angst, implied past sexual content

Any time the ton was brought together for an event, you made sure to avoid Anthony like the plague. Even catching a glimpse of him from across the way would bring to mind the images of that ill fated night you spent under his thrall.

Of course, Anthony wasn’t entirely to blame. He may have initiated your seduction, but you were no fool. You’d allowed yourself to be seduced, knowing full well what the consequences of such a thing could be. And now, you were regretting it.

The night in question was not the part you regretted, rather it was the implications it made towards your character and your chances to be wed. You understood that Anthony had not done what he’d done in preparation to make an honest woman of you. No, he’d only done what he always did, make a game out of women’s affections.

It seemed that tonight, despite the efforts made on your part, Anthony was always there, in the corners of your vision, as if he were deliberately trying to get your attention. Well, if that were the case, you surely weren’t about to make it easy for him.

In a valiant attempt to dodge the eldest Bridgerton, you filled up your dance card, leaving you precious little time to be alone during the evening, therefore giving him the smallest possible chance to steal you away. You didn’t want to speak to him. Hell, you didn’t even want to see him.

As the night progressed, you were sure your ingenuity had succeeded. Yet, when it came to the last dance of the night, your planned partner was conspicuously absent. As you searched the room for the man, it was Anthony who caught your eye, making his way towards you through the crowd. You silently cursed to yourself, knowing that running from him would only cause a scene, and that was something you definitely didn’t need.

“Lord Bridgerton,” you greeted as gracefully as you could manage.

“You are a difficult one to track down,” Anthony replied, a little out of breath from his relentless pursuit of you. “I’ve wished to speak with you all night.”

“How unfortunate that we haven’t crossed paths then,” you said, though you’d hardly meant it.

“Unfortunate indeed. I had something I wanted to ask of you.”

“If it’s a repeat performance, then you ought to look elsewhere,” you informed him. “I am not the type to make the same mistake twice.”

Your words appeared to have wounded him like a blade, as it took quite a bit of fortitude for him not to recoil at the venom in your voice. He doubted himself for a moment, but ultimately decided to continue. “I assure you that was not the question I’d intended. And though I do not have the utmost confidence in your answer, I shall ask you anyway, here and now. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

The question had truly shocked you and had stopped some of the action in the room from the nearest bystanders. They, and Anthony, awaited your answer. Certainly he couldn’t mean— Had you been found out? You looked in his eyes, desperately searching for the answer to your unspoken questions.

Anthony only looked back with pure adoration, something you hadn’t expected from him. That night may have been an error in judgement, but that didn’t mean there were no feelings between you. His question tonight clarified that much. And so, determining his feelings were earnest, you knew your answer. “Yes.”

For anon

Forever Tag: @baubeautyandthegeek, @ghostsunderstoodmysoul, @immyowndefender, @valencethefriendlychangeling, @crimsonwidow666, @rebelbossheart, @thedailyspiritualist, @orangeisnttheonlyfruit, @woman-simp, @aperol-with-izzy, @leonoralessoem, @ellepossum69, @lakita-fisher, @nclgsticore, @ayanthegreat28, @analuw, @luvlesavyy, @malfoyfeed, @aliciabrower, @bitchr-mkay, @sparrowspixie

Anthony Bridgerton: @retvenkos, @ladyrooster39, @riveranddoctorsong123, @theamazingworldofcarol, @esposamultifandom, @elorasfandomsandocs, @littlsstuff, @freyathehuntress, @m-rae23, @floresferae, @onlinecemetery, @bigbluegiants, @edit-me-prettyplease, @angelmenace, @foxherder, @bestfriend491, @astrogrande

[austinslounge]

Anyways, to something that is actually exciting 😉

The idea that they're may potentially be a sex scene in Caught Stealing 🥵🥵🥵🥵 They hired the top intimacy coordinator in the industry who did Bridgerton. We got small taste of what she can do from that make out scene the other night. Apparently they filmed another make out scene in a hallways. A guy in twitter saw them filming.

The book often implied Hank and Yvonne getting busy. We may actually see Austin in his prime in a love scene. It's going to be so hot!

Yes! On to something waaaay more exciting!! Lol 😅

And yea, I heard not only about the Bridgerton intimacy coordinator, but also about another kiss scene in the hallway! 🤭

Could it be that we might actually be getting an intimate scene from Austin in a film after all these years? 😄

I'm not getting my hopes up too high, but it would be nice.

**SPOILER BELOW**

I also kind of hope that they develop Hank and Yvonne's relationship in the film more than it was in the book. I want their relationship to be more than just a booty call. I would love it if Hank were actually in love with her too in the film.

A girl can dream can't she? 😅

[mariailoveyou-guerin]

Eloise isn’t my favourite nor even top6 of the character or the bridgerton family and did I badly want this to be a Colin and Francesca scene sure yes but I do love that they are finally giving Colin his relationships from the books back I was tired of them stealing everything that was Colin and giving it to Benedict even his deep bond with Eloise just to make Benedict likeable since he isn’t in his book and the fact he’s worse then show Anthony even in his book says it all why they stole everything from Colin and gave it to Benedict his whole boycharm silliness cute and personality only real thing that’s bens is the fact he does art and his love story with Sophie so far dont know yet if thats still coming we shall see in s5

[islemeadow]

20 Questions for Fic Writers!

I was tagged by the lovely @suspendingtime - thank you, this was so much fun! 🥰

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

Only two so far! But they are quite massive and there will be at least two more in order to finish the entire "ABCD-series of Kanthony and their offspring", as I call it. All of it is written already, but I'm a bit neurotic and want to hone them into perfection before releasing anything, so therefore the "one chapter a week" publishing pace...

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

151,977

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Bridgerton. The first fanfic I ever wrote was for Game of Thrones, several years ago, but it kind of blew out of proportion and I never finished it, so therefore did not publish it either. Maybe I will, one day...

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Like I said earlier, I only have two works published of my gigantic series so far! The first one is finished but the second one is not and has been out for only a couple of weeks, so here we are:

Aspire - Kanthony's continuation story (365)

Burn - Edmund Bridgerton II's story (35)

Covet - Miles Bridgerton's story

Dare - Lily Bridgerton's story

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Yes - obviously. I have to quote @suspendingtime on this one, because they phrased it so well:

"Why... I sort of have a need? Idk, when I see a comment it's hard to just leave it hanging there and not to reply. Like irl if someone looked at something I made and verbally commented on it... and I just stared back blankly not saying anything. 😐 This is how it feels to me on the receiving end at least haha. And my replies saying various forms of 'Thank you!' is probably quite repetitive, but hey ho."

And every time I say "thank you", I really mean it. I'm honestly so tremendously grateful for every comment I have ever got, I did not even think anyone would care about my scribblings...! 🙏

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Well, I'm trying to write very bridgertonesque happy endings, but I guess "Covet - Miles Bridgerton's story" will be the angstiest one as a whole.

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Again, happy endings are what I strive for, but perhaps "Dare - Lily Bridgerton's story" since it'll be the last one of the entire series and you've got to end on a high note!

8. Do you get hate on fics?

So far no, fortunately.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

I do, although that too has not YET been published! But there will be some, soooon... And what kind? I try to be as true as possible to the source material of my fics, in other words the Bridgerton TV-series, so I guess I have kind of gone with that smut-wise. So I would describe it in the same manner as the intimate scenes in the series. It's not pornography, but neither is it a "rom com fade out and cut to the next morning" immediately when two people collapse on a bed, so you'll definitely know what's going on between the characters even though it's not described in super explicit detail.

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

Not yet, at least. Normally I'm not a huge fan of crossovers, but I'm still open for it.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

I hope not!! Not that I'm aware of. I don't really understand why anyone would steal something that is already out there for free?

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

I have not. Apart from English, which is not my mother tongue, I speak Swedish and Finnish, plus very little German and Spanish, but it would feel strange to write fanfiction in any other language than English, I think.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

No, but it could be fun if we're on the same page! (stupid writer pun intended)

14. What’s your all-time favourite ship?

Clearly and undoubtedly Kate & Anthony, since they have inspired me to write approximately a thousand pages of fanfic... 😅 But I'm in general a very passionate shipper and I'll get a lot more interested in a series or a novel if there's a couple whose (possible) story I fall in love with and begin to root for. Last ones I got mildly obsessed with were Bonnet and Blackbeard in Our Flag Means Death.

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

It has to be the Game of Thrones one I mentioned earlier. Somehow I got blown away by the character of the wildling woman Karsi who was VERY briefly part of season 5 (and is not even in the books), so I began to write an entire background story for her and how she became the chieftain of her clan, but never got to the (sad canon-compliant) ending of it all.

16. What are your writing strengths?

Um... I guess I'm very productive at least, haha. If I get into a nice flow I can write for hours and hours. Dialogue comes very easy and usually I only plan a little ahead, like what the premise of a scene is, but most of the time it feels like the characters surprise myself as well and take it somewhere more or less unexpected - but better.

That probably describes my writing in general, it doesn't feel like I actively have to imagine these stories happening, rather simply document everything that pours out of my mind onto my laptop. If I don't get to write I get peevish, as if suffering from withdrawals...

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Probably sometimes forgetting to describe the setting around the character/s, or at least that is something I have to often remind myself of and maybe add on later. For example describing how a specific room or someone's clothes look (maybe fanfic is quite forgiving in this sense, since everyone already knows e.g. what Aubrey Hall or Bridgerton House looks like).

Another thing I seem to forget is the fact that the sun can't always be shining, although if you look at the Bridgerton TV-series is actually does, EXCEPT for when something dramatic is happening, then it's POURING. So, perhaps that's just being true to the source material, as with the smut...? 😅

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

Well, the languages I know aren't especially useful considering a Bridgerton fic, unless I one day come up with some Swedish prince or princess etc, but Kanthony's children are in fact speaking Hindi in my series. Being raised as bilingual myself I definitely wanted that for them too and I thought that Kate would want it as well, but unfortunately I'm solely relying on translation websites and would love it if someone who actually knows Hindi would check the text...!

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Unpublished: Game of Thrones, but actually published: Bridgerton.

20. Favourite fic you’ve written?

Tough question...! But I have to say... The previously mentioned "Covet - Miles Bridgerton's story". And not because it's the angstiest one, but because I kind of feel like I can't even take credit for the story of Miles and his love interest to work out so well. I had planned an entirely different thing for Miles, a lot more boring one, but in the middle of "Burn - Edmund Bridgerton's story" I had this huge epiphany when one of the characters went rogue on me and I sat there writing and suddenly had to pause like "ah, damn... You're in love with Miles, aren't you, you poor thing?" and then I gladly went on with that, because it simply made so much sense.

You'll see soon what I'm talking about, I think we're still a few chapters away from that when I have only four chapters of "Burn" published at the moment...!

__________________________________________________

I tried to find some writers who had not been tagged to this yet, so please ignore this if you already have replied to these questions earlier or if you just don't want to, which is perfectly alright! ❤️ But I'm sending this onwards to: @fitrahgolden , @silverhallow and @waterlilyrose

[elizabeethan]

Forget What I Said (It’s Not What I Meant) 2/3

She continues to do what she does best. She ignores her feelings until she can’t anymore, and she deals with them by replacing them with the pleasure he brings her. A part of her tells her that she can’t continue doing this, but a bigger part of her tells her that it’s okay, because once they get back to Storybrooke, he’ll leave in favor of the sea or of finding another realm to pillage and plunder. Once he’s gone, she can forget any of this ever happened and move on.

It’s a perfect plan, except it doesn’t work. Because he stays.

Hello! @kmomof4​ requested Monday morning smut and I am here to deliver. But remember, with great smut comes great angst. That is the way of CS fic. And so I give you part 2 of my @neverlandnewyear fic.

Also, @donteattheappleshook and I are aware that we’re basically writing the same fic. That’s how this all started. so enjoy a double dose of Neverland nonsense.

finally, thank you to @the-darkdragonfly​ for being my beta and my friend

rated E for smut and language

~3600 words

Part 1

Read on Ao3

Tagging: @courtorderedcake @kmomof4 @stahlop @klynn-stormz @laschatzi @emelizabeth88 @lfh1226-linda @kday426 @elisethewritingbeast @timeless-love-story @captain-emmajones @gingerpolyglot @ebcaver @ilovemesomekillianjones @teamhook @superchocovian @itsfabianadocarmo @tiganasummertree @gingerchangeling @jrob64 @onceratheart18 @xhookswenchx @winterbaby89 @swampmedusa @ultraluckycatnd @dancingnancyy @love-with-you-i-have-everything @shireness-says @snowbellewells @hollyethecurious @ouatpost @daxx04 @the-darkdragonfly @donteattheappleshook​

She’s got to stop doing this. She told herself it would end after they got home to Storybrooke. Once they got home and he went off to his pirate life, things would go back to normal for her and she could work on getting her life back together. She didn’t expect the bastard to stick around. 

 She certainly didn’t expect him to tell Neal that he was backing off. 

 “I thought you were going to leave,” she shouts angrily as she boards his stupid ship. He pops up from below deck, holding his hand over his eyes to block the harsh afternoon sun. 

 “Come again, Swan?” 

 She rolls her eyes and walks closer to him, approaching the steps to below deck with forceful pressure. “It’s been two weeks and you're still here. I thought you were leaving after we got home.” 

 He shrugs, leaning his propped-up elbow against the archway he stands in. “Sorry to disappoint, love.”

Huffing angrily, she turns from him and rolls her eyes once more. “So what, you're just gonna hang around now?”

 “It’s quite a quaint little town,” he reasons. 

 “And where do you get off telling Neal you're backing off? You realize he’s not going to let it go now, right?” 

 He hums in a way that makes her so much angrier. “And that upsets you?” 

 “Yes it upsets me!” she shouts, throwing her arms up and letting them slap against her thighs as she spins to face him again. He straightens and raises a brow, stepping onto the main deck with her and getting just a bit too close. 

 “Is there anything to be done to rectify that, Swan?” he asks, his voice husky and rough and his eyes sparkling too much in the bright sun. 

 “No.” 

 “Nothing?” 

 She laughs breathily, angrily, and says, “shut up,” before grabbing onto his lapels and forcing their lips together in a heated kiss. 

 He chuckles against her, pulling her towards the ladder that leads below, to his quarters and out of the line of sight of anyone who may be walking by. 

 “We have to stop doing this,” she mumbles as he presses her against the steps once they get to the bottom. His lips find the sensitive skin of her neck as his body grinds into her’s, making her moan. 

 “Do you want to stop?” he asks breathily as he licks along her throat. 

 “No.” 

 Lifting her shirt above her head, his lips find her hardened nipple once he pushes the fabric of her bra away, licking and sucking in a way that makes her moan again. “Neither do I,” he says against her, the hot air blowing against her moistened skin making her shiver. 

 He trails his mouth down her torso, biting her flesh and soothing it with his tongue before he reaches the button of her jeans and pops it open. Sliding the fabric down her legs slowly, she feels the sharp, cool metal of his hook gliding along her skin and she shivers again, breath stuttering when she feels it brushing over the curls between her legs. 

 With a smirk, he lifts one of her legs above his shoulder, granting himself the access he needs as she sits on the edge of one of the steps. “I must say, I’m glad that we’re continuing our little tryst,” he says, his mouth so close to her core that she can feel his hot breath over her. “As much fun as we had amidst the trees, having you on my ship is something else entirely.” 

 She wants to tell him to stop talking so much, because she can’t stand to think about the fact that she’s allowing this to continue, but her words fall flat when he drags his tongue along her core, gathering her arousal and latching his lips to her clit. She lets out a breathy moan as he artfully traces her skin with his tongue before swirling a finger around her opening. He alternates the pressure and speed of his tongue against her before sliding his middle finger inside, curling it slightly and making her stomach flip as she moans again. 

 The way he touches her is addictive. She can’t stop herself from thrusting her hips into him slightly, longing for more from him and nearly slipping off the ladder as she does so. He chuckles against her and the reverberations makes her whimper pathetically before he slips a second finger inside. “Fuck,” she groans. 

 “That’s the idea, love. But not until you come for me first.” 

 A third finger finds its way into her and she cries out, squeezing around them as he speeds up his ministrations on her clip. He always knows exactly what she needs, and it’s something she tries, and fails, not to think about constantly. Perhaps if she had any semblance of self-control, she wouldn’t keep coming to him. But the way he touches her like he’s known her for centuries and the way he talks to her in exactly the right way is too good to pass up. 

 She comes hard around him, squeezing her walls on his fingers and her thighs on his head as she falls with a shout. He gives her almost no time to recover before he drops her leg and stands, holding the back of her knee with his hook and wrestling with the laces of his trousers before he’s thrusting himself inside her. Finally. 

 There’s nothing like the feeling of him buried in her. She can try and deny it all she wants, but she can’t ignore the fact that she’s never felt this good in her entire life. She likely never will again, once she finally puts a stop to this. She puts away the thoughts of ending this… thing between them in favor of focusing on the way he slides in and out of her effortlessly at the most perfect pace. She cries out when he flicks his fingers against her clit again. Her last orgasm was so powerful and so recent that she finds herself falling off the edge again in record time. “Don’t stop,” she begs, as she does every time, but he never does. 

 “Come on, love,” he encourages, thrusting a bit harder into her. “I can feel how close you are; come for me again.” 

 She listens to his commanding voice, because what choice does she have, really? He knows her body too well, and she can feel his smirk against her neck as she lets herself fall off the cliff’s edge once again before he follows suit. His own moans are muffled against her skin as he holds her tightly to himself. It’s too tight, they’re too close, but she can’t help herself from tightening her own hold around his shoulders as she catches her breath. 

 She realizes herself and loosens her grip, pushing on the front of his shoulders until he releases her leg and backs away from her. His chuckle is self-deprecating as he tosses her a small cloth. “Aloof as always, aye Swan?” 

 She rolls her eyes as she cleans herself up and hops back into her jeans. “We really have to stop doing this.” 

 “Why?” 

 She laughs, but it comes out as more of a scoff. “Because it’s a bad idea. We’re not… doing this,” she says, gesturing her hand towards him and shrugging. 

 “Well,” he says as he ties his laces back up. “It appears as if we are doing this. If you want to put a stop to it, I suppose you’ll need to discontinue your visits.” 

 She clears her throat, adjusting her top and trying to fix her hair. “I suppose I will,” she agrees. 

 “Of course,” he starts slowly, coyly, “no one said we have to stop.”

 “We do,” she says immediately, shutting down any suggestions he may be considering making. “I have responsibilities; I can’t keep sneaking off like a teenager. I have to put my family first.” 

 “Ah,” he says, looking down at his feet and looking as insecure as she’s ever seen him. “So I can assume you’ve made your choice, then?” Stilling, she sighs and turns away from the ladder she was about to climb. “You do know that having feelings is not a bad thing.” 

 “I don’t…” She doesn't have anything to say. 

 It’s his turn to sigh. “Aye, love, I know. If you’d prefer we stop here, then that’s what we shall do.” 

 She shouldn’t be surprised that he isn’t putting up a fight. He’s a man of honor, as he often claims. The fact that he’s putting her needs above his own desires shouldn’t leave her speechless. But in reality, all she can think of is how hard Neal has been fighting to be with her, and how unwilling he has been to take no for an answer. 

 ~~~~

 “Emma!” Mary Margaret calls once she walks through the door. She probably should have checked on the appearance of her hair and clothes before she walked home, but she’s hopeful that no one will know what she was up to in the middle of the afternoon. 

 “Hi,” she says back as she shuts the door. 

 “Where were you? We missed you after breakfast.” 

 “Uh,” she starts, her cheeks flaming and her steps towards the fridge halting. “I was, um—”

 “Oooh,” her mother responds with a smirk. “I see.” 

 “What?” Emma demands as she takes a few more steps and grabs a water bottle from the fridge. 

 With a coy chuckle, her mother says, “Emma, you’re blushing, and your shirt is… well,” as she nods downwards. When Emma looks that way, she sees a bit of her bra uncovered before scrambling to straighten out her shirt. “It’s okay, you don’t have to tell me what you were up to. I think I can put the pieces together.” 

 She hopes beyond hope that that isn’t true. “Well, whatever you’re assuming, don’t worry. I already put a stop to it.” 

 “Oh, honey, no,” she responds, much to Emma’s surprise. “I can tell that you’ve been a bit torn lately, but it’s clear that you’ve been happier.” 

 She takes a sip of water, unsure if she can handle a hope speech right now, and shrugs. “It’s not worth it,” she says. “Everyone I’ve ever been with… it’s just not worth it.” 

 “Emma,” Mary Margaret says firmly as she walks over to her daughter and puts a hand on her shoulder. “Never say that. You’re right, it is a risk. But it’s one you need to take knowing that there are uncertainties. It’s scary, and there’s the chance that you can be hurt, but Emma, the pros so outweigh the cons. Trust me, some things are worth it. Love is worth it.” 

 “Woah,” Emma says, “no one said anything about love. I don’t have any feelings for—”

 She laughs and places a hand on Emma’s shoulder. “Sweetheart, I know a woman in love when I see one. And you said it in Neverland yourself! He is the father of your child. He’s your first love. There’s nothing wrong with still having those feelings, especially if things between you are… physical.” 

 She chokes on her water, placing it down and coughing, hitting her chest, hoping to not expose one of the many bites hidden under her hair. “Mary Margaret,” she stutters, “it’s not like that.” 

 “I realize this is awkward. We aren't exactly roommates anymore, so maybe girl-talk is off the table. But, Emma... if there’s one thing I would tell you, it’s to listen to your heart.” 

 She scoffs. Her heart has certainly led her astray in the past, and she’s unsure why she should trust it now. The first time she did, she ended up alone in prison and pregnant at 17. The last time she did, he died in her arms. Her heart has never had her best interests in mind, she thinks. Perhaps that’s why she started things with the pirate; because he could never be someone her heart would fall for. Perhaps that’s why she feels so betrayed now that she knows that isn’t working. 

 He’s made it impossible for her to ignore her feelings. To ignore the fact that she even has feelings. She wishes so desperately that she could put these to the back of her mind and ignore them as she has always done. She wishes she could ignore the way he knows her so intimately without trying. The way he can read her immediately and invariably. The way he knows exactly what she needs, and not just sexually. The way he cradles her when they’ve finished and the way he lets her go when she asks. 

 It’s too much, so she ignores it. 

 ~~~~

 She swore she wouldn’t wind up here. 

 She promised herself she would move on, and that her yellow bug would not find its way to the port on that or any night. 

 She vowed that her feelings, which she continues to stubbornly ignore, would not interfere with her plans.

 But now here she is, watching him happily and fancifully stroke his stupid hook through her hair, tucking her flyaways back into her bun. 

 She hates herself for sitting here in her car, under the pretense of patrol, watching them flirt with each other and wishing it were her. 

 Tink laughs, Hook does too, and Emma nearly retches. 

 ~~~~

 “Emma!” She hears from the diner door days later, and when she turns she’s met with exactly what she was expecting: disappointment. 

 “Hi,” she mumbles once he sits across from her. 

 “Hey,” he says happily, giving her a smile she once trusted. The one that convinced her to do what she would never do now— now that she’s an adult with the experience and knowledge needed to make decisions. “How’s it going,” he asks causally. 

 “Fine,” she grumbles, noting her near-empty mug and the fact that he doesn’t notice her need for a refill. 

 “Cool.” 

 Things between them are far too awkward, and she wishes she weren’t in this diner. She wishes Henry hadn’t just left for school and that she had a bit of a buffer between herself and the threat before her. 

 She wishes she didn’t see him as a threat.

 “Ems” he starts, leaning across the table at her. As he does so, she sees the Neal she knew twelve years ago and lets her guard down faster than she thought possible. “Go out with me,” he says in a tone that demands an affirmative response.

 She clears her throat, hoping to remain strong and to consider what he put her through the last time they were involved with each other. “I don’t know,” she responds. 

 He smiles at her, that crooked smile she recognizes as the one her 17 year old self fell in love with, and takes a sip from his drink. “Come on,” he says. “You already stood me up once. I don’t have to ask you out again, but I am.” 

 She blushes at his mention of the last time they were here— when he waited for her to show up and she didn’t. “I’m sorry,” she says, without thinking about it and without truly meaning it. 

 “Hey, I get it. We went through a lot together, the whole Bonnie and Clyde act. But we’ve both grown up. And Henry thinks it’s a good idea.” 

 With a roll of her eyes she says, “of course he does. He’s eleven, why wouldn’t he want his parents to be together.” 

 “Why shouldn’t they be?” 

 “Neal,” she starts, but she isn't sure where she should go from here.

 Before she can decide, he’s standing from the booth and she almost feels relief at the thought of him leaving. She’s almost able to take in another breath, let go of the one she’s been holding, but before she can, he’s sitting beside her and pushing her down to the end of the bench, encasing her in the booth and making it impossible for her to run. “Come on,” he says softly, leaning his face towards her. 

 The confusion she feels is overwhelming as he leans towards her, the warmth of his breath washing over her mouth and the scent of his cologne taking over her senses. She hasn’t been in this position in twelve years, and now that she’s back, she isn’t sure what to do. If he had found her here a year or two ago, she would have jumped at the opportunity to be with him again. But now, something has changed. Now, she realizes what life is like without him. Not only without him, but with someone else. 

 When his lips press to hers, the only thought she has is how chapped they are and how greasy his nose is as it glides against her own. The only coherent thought she has is how she almost raises her fingers to slide through his hair, but stops herself. She thinks about how wrong his goatee feels against her chin. She thinks about how unpleasurable it is when he bites her bottom lip lightly. 

 Breaking away from him, she wipes the back of her hand against her mouth to remove any evidence of him being there and pinches her brows together. “I don’t,” she says, but again, she’s unable to form a thought. 

 “So good it left you speechless?” he asks, and she scoffs. 

 “I have to go,” she says to him promptly, pushing on his shoulders and hoping that he backs off of the bench enough for her to exit. 

 “What do you mean?” he asks her forcefully. 

 “I mean I have to go. There’s something I have to…” She can’t continue, can’t finish her thought. She knows she can’t tell him what she’s about to do. Knows she can’t explain to him that, despite ending things between herself and Hook, she needs him more than she needs to breathe right now. 

 “Seriously?” His voice is vapid as she stands. “I’m Henry’s father. You can’t seriously be telling me that there’s someone out there who’s a better match for you.” 

 With another scoff and a shake to her head, she grabs her jacket and heads out the door. 

 ~~~~

 The ship is silent when she arrives, trying her hardest to sneak across the deck without the heels of her boots clicking too loudly against the aged wood. The problem is that her adrenaline is absolutely spiking and she’s finding it difficult to slow herself down. What she needs is the release that he’s guaranteed to bring her. 

 “Swan,” he says once he arrives on the main deck she’s trying to sneak across. 

 “Oh,” she exclaims in surprise. “Hi.” 

 “It’s the middle of the morning, love, is something wrong?” 

 “No,” she lies. 

 “Shouldn’t you be at the station?” 

 With a shrug and a few steps closer to him, she says, “something came up.” 

 He sighs. His nod and the purse of his lips tell her that he understands her meaning and why she’s here, so she proceeds towards him until her hands find his shoulders. “We can’t,” he says, much to her surprise. 

 She draws in her brows in confusion and leans towards him, saying, “of course we can.” 

 “No,” he says forcefully, pushing her back with gentle conviction. “We can’t. You said you wanted to end things.” 

 “Tomorrow,” she tries to reason. Then, “I want you now,” as she pushes forward again.

 But he’s faster and stronger and he pulls away from her and grabs her wrist, keeping her from grabbing his lapel as she normally would do. “No.” 

 With an angry, childish scoff, she says, “come on, seriously?” 

 “Do you want me, or do you want a distraction?” 

 “A distraction from what?” she demands, practically shoving herself away from him. 

 “You tell me. I’m willing to bet something happened that’s making you come here. Something with Baelfire, perhaps?” 

 With an indignant laugh, she turns away from him. “Please. You think you know me so well?” 

 “Aye, I do. I think something happened that made you think and you couldn’t handle it. So you’ve come here to use me again.” 

 “Again!” 

 “You’re telling me, honestly, that you coming here every other night isn’t because of Baelfire, or because your mother pushes you to be with him, or because Henry wants his parents to be together? Are you honestly trying to tell me that you don’t come here as a distraction from all of this?”

 “Hook,” she tries, but again, she has nothing to say. 

 “I have feelings for you, Emma. I want to be with you. With you.” His tone is so real and his eye contact with her so deep and intense that she has to look away. 

 “I could’ve sworn you wanted to be with Tink from the way you two were ogling each other the other night,” she says accidentally, slapping her palm against her mouth as she lets slip that she was here. 

 His laugh is self deprecating. It’s almost hateful as he shakes his head and turns away from her. “I want you, love, more than anything. But I don’t want to be your secret. I’m not willing to sit around and wait for you to come to your senses. If you don’t have feelings for me as I do you, then I think you should go.”

 “Hook,” she tries again uselessly. 

 “Please,” he begs, refusing to look her way for the first time. “I’ve known enough heartbreak in my life. I’ve learned to prevent it where I can.” 

 With that, with his words hanging heavy between them and her eyes glassing over in response, she turns away and stalks towards the gangplank, careful not to let the tears fall and the sobs break loose until she’s locked away in her bug. 

 ~~~~

 ~~~~

[mermaidsirennikita]

Hello, I hope I'm not bothering you, but do you have any good "enemies to lovers" recs, may they be books or movies?

I neeeever am bothered by people asking for recommendations.  Those are my favorite asks because I am nothing if not in love with my own opinions, lol

Books

Obviously, The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn, the best Bridgerton book, because I’ve been blogging about it lol.  If you haven’t read it, it’s basically “rake tries to seduce the beauty of the ton, beauty’s older sister cockblocks him, he realizes that He Is Into It” 

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne is a classic.  Very light and fluffy contemporary, two people who’ve always hated each other begin competing for the same job and fall in love.

Kate Quinn’s Mistress of Rome series is a saga and the initial big ship of the first book (which you do have to read lol) is not enemies to lovers.  However, the NEXT ship which dominates the last two books of the series (which is four books long, and tbh... I recommend the second book but it’s a prequel and can be skipped technically) is SOOOOOOO GOOD.  It’s really “childhood friends to young lovers to SEVERE ENEMIES still secretly in love” and it’s literally epic lol.  Essentially, the series is set in Ancient Rome and Sabina (very bitchy Roman noblewoman) and Vix (child of a former gladiator, soldier) are friends who I think lose their virginities to each other?  And are in love as kids.  But then she fucks him over and marries the emperor.  Who he actually begins to loyally serve!  But he haaaates Sabina because she.... constantly backstabs him lol.  But he also looooves Sabina and gets off on everything she does.  And she wants him so badly.  And it is delicious.  And I live for it.

Both of the Evie Dunmore books I’ve read, Bringing Down the Duke and especially A Rogue of One’s Own are very enemies to lovers.  In Bringing Down the Duke it’s a bluestocking versus a duke who for political reasons is her enemy.  In A Rogue of One’s Own it’s another bluestocking versus a rake who has known her basically all their lives.  They have to begin working together and fall in looove.

Sarah MacLean LIVES for this trope lol.  Her first true enemies to lovers was Twelve Scandals to Start to Win An Earl’s Heart, in which the heroine is a scandalous young woman and the hero is a duke determined to avoid scandal--and he rebuffed her before the book began, so they hate each other.  But he also has a massive boner around her, of course. 

My favorite MacLean book, A Rogue By Another Name is another “childhood friends turn enemies to lovers”.  The leads, Penelope and Bourne (last name lol) were best friends as kid and he basically fell off after life set in.  Her family now has hold of his ancestral lands, and Bourne essentially blackmails Penelope into marrying him so that he can get those lands, after which she DESPISES him even though they had..... extremely great sex lol.  It’s SUPER GOOD, and it involves borderline voyeurism, which is great.

Then No Good Duke Goes Unpunished is very enemies to lovers.  The heroine was set to become the hero’s stepmother--then he woke up covered in blood with her missing. He then finds out, after years of being despised by society as a presumed murderer, that she is very much alive with a fake identity lol.  It’s WILD.

The Rogue Not Taken is an enemies to lovers roadtrip romance.  The heroine thinks the hero is a horrid rake who purposefully ruins marriages.  He thinks she’s a stuck up brat.  They end up journeying together and he eats her out in a moving carriage.

Theeen there’s Daring and the Duke.  The hero literally thought the heroine was dead (MacLean loves this) and is OBSESSED with her, but she hates him because the man who raised them both basically pitted them against each other after their days of being childhood sweethearts.  It’s very dark and delicious, and there are blow jobs!  Blow jobs don’t happen enough in romances, especially historical romances.  More BJs!  They are fun!

If you’re interested in a dark and BONKERS romance, Desperate Measures by Katee Robert is a retelling of Disney’s Aladdin about a modern Jafar and Jasmine getting together after he takes over her father’s criminal empire.  It’s definitely extremely explicit and a bit fucked up.  The book comes with content warnings; the first sex scene is dubcon.  (Like you’re reading from her perspective and she WANTS IT but she says no.)

Beach Read by Emily Henry is a cute contemporary in which the hero is a literary author and the heroine is a romance novelist.  They find themselves in neighboring beach houses and basically challenge each other to write in the other person’s genre.  Very light enemies to lovers.

A Heart of Blood and Ashes is a fantasy romance by Milla Vane!  Essentially, the hero’s parents were killed by the heroine’s father and he’s out to kill her father and overtake his throne.  Luckily, she’s on board.  But he needs to marry her in order to accomplish his goals.  They do not trust each other whatsoever and torment one another a lot.  For context, within the first fifty pages she gives him a handjob while her hand is covered in her own brother’s blood (and yes, he did kill her brother).  It’s great.

The Worst Best Man is about a wedding planner who suddenly finds herself needing to work with her ex-fiance’s brother... who she holds responsible for her fiance leaving her at the altar.  Very fun and sexy contemporary.

The entire Four Horsemen series by Laura Thalassa.  In each book, the heroine falls in love with a literal embodiment of one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse, who is here to bring the end of the world.  VERY heavy enemies to lovers.  Kinda dark at times?  Kinda fucked up at times?  I love it a lot?  It begins with Pestilence; War and Famine have already been released, but Death has not.

From Lukov with Love by Marina Zapata.  It’s a figure skating romance; a down on her luck skater pairs up with a male skater who is extremely successful, and who she’s known for years and hated.  Verrrrry slow burn, but fun.

Movies

The Proposal, of course, starring Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds.  You’ve probably seen this, but the setup is that she’s his evil boss, he’s her assistant, and she’s about to lose her visa so she bribes him into marrying her so that she can get citizenship.  But ruh-roh, they have to go to Alaska for his family reunion and he’s also got a great body and is like, an Alaskan Rockefeller?  

Obviously, Clueless which is enemies to lovers by way of former stepsiblings, and also by way of the only valid retelling of Emma.  Emma itself is not enemies to lovers, really, but Clueless amps that aspect up a bit.

If you want a super tragic version, warning lol--House of Flying Daggers.  It’s a wuxia movie, so melodramatic to the max.  She’s a blind daughter of the leader of a vigilante group, he’s a soldier who’s gone undercover to follow her to their stronghold.  Many reveals and one of my favorite dramatic love stories ensues.

Princess Diaries 2, duh.  Baby Chris Pine?  Anne Hathaway?  PLEASE BITCH.

365 DNI.  If you haven’t watched yet, watch it and thank me later.  The greatest cinematic contribution of the last decade.

Down with Love.  It’s a delightful take on like, 50s/60s sex comedies in which the heroine writes a book that convinces women to ignore love and men, which makes the hero look bad and makes it difficult for him to get laid.  So he sets out to basically.....  wear a different persona?  And seduce her?  It is one of the funniest movies I’ve ever seen, and I adore it.  Renee Zellweger and Ewan Macgregor have great chemistry in it too.

The Thomas Crown Affair, starring extremely hot Pierce Brosnan and Renee Russo.  She’s an insurance investigator, he’s a billionaire who basically is suspected of stealing priceless works of art because he’s bored.  She investigates him and immediately begins fucking him.  Has a scene where she dances with him while wearing a completely transparent dress.  Then they fuck everywhere in his house.  I have never wanted to be between two people more.

The Painted Veil.  A socialite marries a dorky scientist for convenience, then cheats on him.  He finds out and basically forces her to go to China with him, where he is fighting the cholera epidemic, as an extremely long and petty murder suicide attempt.  But they get to know each other!  And the ice begins to melt!  Warning: tragic but lovely.

Casino Royale YES I SAID THAT.  The James Bond reboot movie that explains why he’s such a whore!!!  HE WAS BROKEN!!!  Basically James Bond is not like... a learned man... in this movie.  So he’s a cocky bastard and the Bond girl is impossibly sexy Eva Green as Vesper, who’s the “money man” on his mission.  They begin as bickering assholes and then fall in love.  But also!  Tragedy!

The animated Anastasia movie is one of the finest enemies to lovers movies of any time, I will defend this forever

Anyway....  Hope this gives you some ideas!  Lol

[penelopefeatherington]

BRIDGERTON EPISODE TWO SPOILERS : to quote critical role’s brian w. foster BABY GOT BACKSTORIES in Shock and Delight.

This episode starts with ... not surprisingly a flashback. It’s a Simon Episode Folks. Unfortunately it’s the same one that we read in the prologue TD&I. Simon’s poor mother, desperate to have a son, gives her life to give her husband an heir. I am in LOVE with the way they weaved Lady Danbury into Simon’s childhood / connect with his mother. I think it was such a good way to tell this particular story and how Lady D took such an interest in Simon. I’ve said before that romance novels especially JQ’s can be very insular to the main characters, and I think it was such a good idea for the showrunners to expand on the people around them as they weave this love story. Every single flashback gave me the exact same feeling I had reading the prologue, learning about Simon’s stutter and his father reacting to it, telling everyone he was dead, Lady Danbury sticking up for him against his father. & yes, I cried in both versions. It’s so important for first time viewers to know WHY Simon makes the decisions he does that lead to the things that it does and they did it in such a compelling way. 

THE HASTINGS LINE ENDS WITH ME, is probably the mic drop of the season ( but we still have 6 eps ). 

THE ELOISE PROBLEM. it’s not a problem, she just steals literally every scene she’s in. Asking the whole fam basically about sex. Telling Penelope they have accomplishments to acquire. I’m loving that we’re getting to see Eloise want more because it’s in every single book including her own that Eloise is afraid of settling for less than what she knows she can accomplish, is smart enough to accomplish. She’s afraid of loving someone and losing them like her parents, and the inherent tragedy that came with too many births in her time. She’s afraid of watching the people around her settle because she wants better lives for them. She & Jo March & Elizabeth Bennet would be best friends & co-presidents of the ‘queer coded middle sister’s club ‘ ( they’re all the Main Character ). Two of my favorite scenes were 1) Benny & Eloise, two overlooked Bridgerton’s who want to rail against the expectations set before them because of who they are, sharing a sneaky bad kid cigarette together, sharing the knowledge that they both want more , 2) Eloise telling Daphne she remembers her mother giving birth to Hyacinth and almost dying ( more proof that A & D took on a ton of responsibility after their dad died ) despite Daphne’s efforts to keep her from it, and telling Daphne that she feels bad about ‘ the game of pretend she feels she has to maintain. ‘ 

Nigel can suck it & I don’t even feel bad that he got his ass beat. I feel, & i think i’ve said it before, so much of the issues between Simon/Daphne/Anthony & now Violet are that they don’t communicate in any kind of healthy way. Which doesn’t make for compelling television most of the time but it’s so frustrating to watch like simple things being able to be resolved if someone had just .... told the other person this info.

One thing I love about this show is how much more aware of themselves and their station women are in the show & how they know how to use that station to get SHIT DONE ( Violet using gossip/the truth to get out of the engagement to Nigel ). They’re not ever going to be out from under what the ton thinks or how the men that control their calendars and their engagements and their proposals ( this is a vague @ show!Anthony Bridgerton ), but what they do control & how they use that to their advantage is so great to see. 

WAS LADY WHISTLEDOWN REVEALED? no. SOME NOTES I TOOK DOWN : eloise: are you? benedict: are you? eloise: are you gay? benedict: yeah i’m gay are you gay? eloise: YES! / beat his ass simon x 2 ( abt anthony & nigel ) / WOMEN GET SHIT DONE / colin & benedict vaudville act coming soon  BEST SCENE OF THE EPISODE : simon beating the shit out of nigel berbrooke & eloise asking about sex were contenders but honestly ? it was the quiet conversation between eloise & benny. 

 Overall : 9/10

[thegirlwholied]

Ah yes that makes sense that it’s to cover for time jumps, I hadn’t thought of that. And yes I very much enjoyed it! My country locked down on the 25th so I didn’t have much else to do so I watched the whole show in one day, and I thought it was a very fun watch in general (really the only thing that bothered me was their ages and that I was sure Benedict was gonna have a relationship with the artist lol) but I was very shocked to see the reveal of lady whistledown I did not expect that!!

The Whistledown reveal doesn’t come until the 4th book so I wasn’t expecting it in season 1 either! 

I do wonder if it was done as a ‘just in case’, should Bridgerton ever not get renewed for more seasons... though I both hope & expect the further seasons they clearly set up!... and/or, because the reveal is already out there from the books, done early to deliver it as a surprise for the audience rather than something most people find out via Internet Spoilers between seasons. 

As it is THE spoiler of the series, it at least means for me I don’t have to worry about accidentally mentioning it and ruining it for anyone (though I’ll avoid mentioning The Whistledown Identity in any posts/tags for A While, given everyone out there scrolling this navy blue yonder may not have binged it all!) 

Benedict was my unexpected favorite of the show!Bridgerton brothers. I feel like he has the same scene-stealing quality book!Colin has, which is not to say I wish their casting was reversed as it is a different tone - just that I get the same ‘yay look who’s here!’ reaction in both cases. Loved his expressions. 

Benedict was been my bet for the series’ LGBT character since the books’ rights acquisition by Shondaland was announced; I just assumed they’d be on top of inclusion. I’m less certain now what they’re doing - I do think the door is still wide open for his character’s future. But I’m about 50/50 whether they were just trying to do inclusion via Granville & foreshadow the socially-unacceptable issues from Benedict’s existing book-storyline, OR whether they’re setting him up for his own journey in his own season... Maybe the writers haven’t decided themselves yet?

The series set-up so far suggests to me they’re sticking with future book plotlines wayyy more than I’d guessed. I’m sure there’ll be additional complications but SO many hints for Anthony’s plotline near the end (Anthony got the short end of the adaptation stick early on but it left me with high hopes!)

It seems like they really are planning to adapt a la ‘one season, one main romance’ - romance series switching the main couple each book is pretty standard fare, but I’ve never seen a TV show do it before so that’s new ground! - but from at least one book reader, I’m interested in & open to all changes!*

*not a promise I will be able to resist saying ‘well, *insert one particular thing* was better in the book’, as, is there ever an adaptation without at least one moment like that? the book reader’s prerogative