#you also would've hated the scoundrel

[thegreatyin]

1 and 2 for both the Scoundrel and Caeru?

1 - What is their go-to comfort food?

For the Scoundrel- probably rubbery lumps, as is traditional for all Fallen London PCs. Outside of that, bugs. Outside of both of those things, virtually any drink with a high alcohol content (because they do look up to Mr Wines. And I never said it was a healthy comfort!!!)

For the Scientist... that's a bit trickier. For potentially obvious reasons. Honestly, if he had his way, he probably wouldn't eat at all.

But he doesn't. And so- meat? Meat of any kind? Something juicy and chewy and easy to devour in large quantities. Sometimes a man simply gets a little bit peckish. And it's a good alternative to committing cannibalism, aka the one line he's somehow refused to cross so far

-

2 - Give them a warm drink of your choice, what would it be? Would their choice differ from yours?

See the Scoundrel's answer about drinks and high alcohol contents. More specifically, very fine wine.

The Scientist can never say no to a good cup of coffee. The more bitter, the better.

I prefer chocolate milk, myself. Though that's not exactly accessible to either of them (utterly tragic)

[inlovewithregencyera]

Elmsworth House, July 4th, 1818

John: And that damn scandalous politician, Theophile Baxter! I will not be voting for that bloody liberal!

Elizabeth: Please dear, reduce your swearing.

Peregrine: I wouldn't say Baxter is completely liberal, John. Some of his policies are more conservative than liberal. I don't like him much either though so he doesn't have my vote!

Helena: *sighing* Must you always bring up politics during dinner, Perry?

Peregrine: No dear but-

Helena: I dare say, may we change the topic?

Ashley: I think Miles Bragg is a very good polit-

Helena and Peregrine: Oh shut it, Ashley!

Emma: What do you think of this muslin, Laurence? Does it make me look like a proper young lady?

Laurence: If you ask me about another damn "mouslin" or whatever the devil it's called I believe I'll go mad!

Emma: It's called muslin!

*Laurence sighs*

William: Mar-Dear Ms. Ramsbury. Are you enjoying your dinner?

Martha: Yes-yes. Quite well.

William: Capital!

Aurelia: I think your muslin is lovely Ms. Carew. Please disregard your dear brother.

Emma: Oh thank you, Lady Aurelia!

Patience: Oh yes, it's very lovely. I'm not sure why Mr. Carew hates muslin so!

Laurence: My apologies my dearest Lady...oh and Mrs. Ramsbury.

Aurelia: *whispering* Why are you looking at me like that? Are you cross?

Frederick: *whispering* Am I cross, "My dearest Lady.."? Perhaps I "je n'aurais pas à résister à l'envie d'embrasser tes lèvres pulpeuses et d'embrasser ta silhouette parfaite..." or whatever the hell he said.

Aurelia: Oh heavens, it worked.

Frederick: Whatever do you mean it worked?!

Aurelia: You paid no compliments to my hair. I thought you didn't notice it. I did it this way for you and you paid me no compliments!

Frederick: I noticed you and your pretty blue silks the moment you stepped into the drawing room. Had I not been engaged in conversation with your uncle, I would've gone and talked to you.

Aurelia: I'm sure of it. I still haven't received a compliment on my hair from you, perhaps I shall invite Mr. Carew to my birthday in four da-

Frederick: Dearest, sweetest, loveliest Lily. I love your gorgeous hair and how those little ringlets adorn your beautiful face. I love that style and if it makes you happy, I would wish you wear it more often. Not saying I don't like any other style you wear, but that one is my favorite so far. Is this good enough for you? Please know that I sincerely mean it.

Aurelia: *blushing* More than good enough.

Frederick: Now will you stop giving that scoundrel any ounces of your attention and affection?

Aurelia: I shall try.

Aurelia: *giggling* I shall be cordial with him. It is the polite thing to do. You're also a fool if you ever think Cornelius Grey would allow one of his daughters to marry a second son! Let alone an atheist. I'm sure he will invite you to stay with us in Brindleton at Paelford.

Frederick: *laughing* I hope he does. But you tease me too much. You enjoy vexing me.

Aurelia: Admit that you like it when I vex you.

Frederick: I only like it when I do not have the urge to rip someone's tongue from their throat.

Aurelia: Frederick Worthington!

This grandiose dinner continued for the next hour until everyone was stuffed. Aurelia found herself mainly conversing with Frederick throughout this dinner, and no one paid them any mind. It was quite obvious to everyone in the room, including Laurence of the affection they shared, even if it was in modesty due to them being surrounded by others. Peregrine, knowing the coming events decided that the gentlemen would not smoke directly after dinner. Once the table was cleared of dinner and dessert plates, William Carew mustered the courage to arise to make a speech, with his wine glass in his hand.

William: Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed family and friends, I am filled with an overwhelming sense of joy and gratitude. The warmth in my heart exceeds the glow of any candle that graces this room. Before we head to the drawing room, I must share with you a moment that has forever altered the course of my life. A fortnight ago, at the ball held by Viscount Markham, I dared to utter words that have forever changed the trajectory of my and Ms. Ramsbury's future. I asked a question that resides in the chambers of every romantic heart. A question that binds souls and weaves fabrics of destiny.

William: I inquired if she would be my forever partner in this so-called journey called life. I asked Miss Martha Ramsbury if she would be my loving, and faithful wife. I am pleased to tell you she has happily accepted!

Helena: Oh my goodness! My dear girl is to be wed, how wonderful! I shall have to ask my dear brother if you two may tie the nuptials at Auglire! Oh Peregrine, how blessed are we!

Peregrine: *in between tears* Yes, quite blessed my dear!

William: To love, to friendship, and to the uncharted seas of me and my dear bride's shared future-cheers!

Everyone in the room stood, and the room was filled with the clinking of crystal, followed by a chorus of heartfelt congratulations and well-wishes. The only one who didn't seem to wish the couple good wishes was Patience Ramsbury, who Aurelia couldn't help but notice her fake smile and discomfort.

Laurence Carew ordered nearby footmen to bring him a bottle of brandy.

Laurence: TO MY FUCKING BLOODY BASTARD OF A BROTHER!

Laurence: HAVE SOME MERRIMENT ON THIS JOYFUL EVE YOU LOT!

John and Elizabeth Carew let out a long sigh at how embarrassed they were by this son of theirs. But their annoyance didn't last long, for their firstborn and heir to their estate was to marry Miss Martha Ramsbury! At this moment, Aurelia realized who Laurence reminded her of. No other than that of Thaddeus Skeffington, a man whom she had a lot of disdain for. Despite her teasing Frederick to get him jealous, she knew she could never marry someone like Laurence. Laurence was more up to speed with her friend Villoria. Frederick was the only man she could ever see herself marrying.

Although she was happy for Martha, she couldn't help but wish she had a ring on her finger and a lace bonnet on her head to share Martha's bliss. How she wished she was Lady Worthington, Countess of Henford. Oh, how she regretted rejecting Frederick's proposal. Perhaps they even would have had babies by now had she accepted.

[mermaidsirennikita]

What are your favorite saddest historical romances? The books that make you want to cry and not pretty cry like actually ugly sob

Oooh publishing because good question! I find it kinda hard to cry with books (and movies, TV) because of my weird compartmentalization thing, but! These made me cry, or at least made me *want* to. Not all of them are like, wholly sad, but they do have a good chunk of sadness at min.

The Scoundrel in Her Bed by Lorraine Heath. This has one of the only scenes that made me cry without having to sit and think about it; like, I didn't realize I was crying until I was crying, and it was a full, "breathe out and wipe at your eyes" situation. The situation in this book does hit home for me personally, but I also found it to be one of those horrible things where it's like... the only solution is to basically undo something that can't be undone. And it sucks because the thing wasn't done by the characters but to them--but it doesn't mean they can make it so that it didn't happen. OOF.

Waking Up with the Duke by Lorraine Heath. I always get really emotional when Ainsley and Jayne part as he brings her back to her husband, because it really has that like.... kind of cinematic, "the movie is ending and they're giving up" feeling. The way Lorraine wrote it feels so final, even though you know you have like 40% of the book left or something. It's rough.

A Rose at Midnight by Anne Stuart. This book is quite intense, and quite dark, and it really vividly describes the pain the heroine suffered in her past. I mean--just true horrors. It's that, and this really intimate catharsis she has with the hero, who she's hated for most of the book, at the end. This is a book about trauma and guilt and the parts of yourself you won't ever get back after something horrible happens, and what you do with what's left.

The Duke's Perfect Wife by Jennifer Ashley. The scene where Hart and Eleanor go to the tombs of his wife and baby son, oof. Like, the emotion over the baby really gets me. I also love a scene where the heroine like fully embraces the hero's love for people who came before her--romance can be kinda meh on that front sometimes, but this book does it very effectively. There's also a scene later in the book where Ian and Hart reunite and it's like--Ian never though they wouldn't find each other, and he's so upfront about it, and it's because their bond is so strong??? Truly I'm a sucker for a sibling bond.

In general, I really like that those core four Mackenzie brother books deal with some pretty heavy shit? Like they're funny, they're adventurous, they're super sexy. But you have Ian in his book struggling to communicate in a world that won't listen to him, and these gestures of love between the brothers that don't do what they need to, and Cameron's intense trauma from his marriage and him doing his best to be a good father while being imperfect; and Mac and Isabella dealing with the reality of being truly in love but not truly right for each other at the time. It's GREAT.

Thief of Shadows by Elizabeth Hoyt. Dude, everything to do with Isabel's infertility in this novel. Like, her trying to shake Winter off by dropping that bomb on him, and Winter being like "no it is a loss, I would've loved to have had babies with you, but I want you more than imaginary babies"--like, the acknowledgment that he loves her more than hypothetical kids, but IT DOES SUCK THAT THEY CAN'T HAVE BIOLOGICAL KIDS. Like, it's so real for him to acknowledge that they will be okay but this situation sucks and it's not okay. Her breaking down over her inability to have a baby, her bond with her husband's illegitimate child that is just so tenuous, the big scene at the end, the fact that there is no magic baby. It's a lot.

OH DUDE. And there's a scene where Winter has to make a really tough call for this kid who he has like, pseudo-adopted... and he's making the right decision for the kid, but it's very painful for Winter personally, ESPECIALLY when set against the backdrop of a plot that basically is about how Winter and Isabel won't be able to have a baby together. Lol so much of this book is hammering home how Winter and Isabel are such good parents, essentially, but they can't have a biological child. It is ROUGH. When Winter says goodbye to that kid, I CRY.

When the Duke Was Wicked by Lorraine Heath. Dude, when Lovingdon uncovered Grace's secret... And the way it makes him confront his trauma over losing his wife and child and his fear of loving someone and losing them??? GOD.

Lorraine Heath is also really good at writing a book that's like "life isn't guaranteed, you've gotta just love and live boldly despite that" which is a complete callout.

A Lady for a Duke by Alexis Hall. The moment when Gracewood recognizes Viola by her freckles. That is a fucking LOT, dude. Overall this is a lighter, romp of a book, which I think is important because it's basically meant to give us an old school adventurous historical with a trans heroine... But it luxuriates in a type of sorrow at points that isn't at all about Viola being trans, but about the time she lost with Gracewood, the survivor's guilt and physical and metaphorical pain he's suffered from since they last saw each other. It's a lot, dude.

The Dragon and The Pearl by Jeannie Lin. There's a despairing love confession following a very intimate scene, and everything feels like it's just not going to be resolved? (And they discussed this a lot in a recent episode of Fated Mates, but--to me, a lot of the best romance novels give you a "how is this going to end in an HEA???" moment.) And it's so quiet and intense and I love it.

Indigo by Beverly Jenkins. The grand gesture at the end of this book. It's so meaningful. It did have me crying a good bit. Don't wanna spoil, it's too good. I mean, this book is about a woman who was born into slavery working with the Underground Railroad.... it's sad. But it's also so optimistic and full of joy.

[adamwatchesmovies]

Ocean's Twelve (2004)

Making Ocean’s Twelve must’ve been a blast. You can tell the actors were certainly having a good time. Too bad the fun can't extend to the audience as well. This film thinks it’s so clever, so funny. All I want to do is punch it in its smart little face.

Set three years after Ocean’s Eleven, Terry Benedict (Andy García) has located the Ocean's crew and demands they return his money - with interest. Fearful for their lives, the group schemes to pull a few quick jobs to pay him back but their efforts are hindered by the master thief “The Night Fox”. He agrees to help Danny Ocean (George Clooney) and his friends out of their jam if they can best his legendary skills.

Immediately, the film is in trouble. Either Danny and his friends will succeed in their mission and pay back Benedict - which will make us unhappy because we don't like him - or they will fail and the villain will have them all killed - which will make us unhappy because we like them. The only possible way to avoid audience disappointment would be for the scoundrels to somehow steal from the man - again - and beat him so decisively that he gives up trying to get his revenge. Unfortunately, that’s what the first movie was about so you know it’s not going to happen.

Ocean's Twelve can’t even figure out what to do with its characters. The problem is that although we sort of got a vibe that they got along, we never really believed the people rounded up by Danny were friends. It was pretty clear that at the end of the first movie, they were going their separate ways. Maybe some of them would keep in contact but no one was ringing up “The Amazing” Yen (Shaobo Qin) to see how he was doing. Like many others, he was hired to fulfill a role in a con and nothing more… but he was in the first movie so he has to come back again. How does the screenplay by George Nolfi use him? It shoves Yen into a bag and then accidentally ships him off to the wrong country so he can be “in the movie” but off-screen as much as possible.

Forget Twelve. This movie only has a few important characters. There’s Danny and Rusty (Brad Pitt), Danny’s wife Tess (Julia Roberts) and Rusty’s old flame, Isabel Lahiri (Catherine Zeta-Jones). Then, you have the villains with Vincent Cassel as The Night Fox and Andy García. Everyone else could’ve been condensed into one or two people. Similarly, the plot could’ve been thinned a lot. As is, there are so many twists and turns it’ll make your head spin. In another heist film, that would've been good but so many revelations are then revealed to be completely useless by the final scene it makes you feel like you wasted your time. In this instance, the main plan is so dumb you know director Steven Soderbergh is trying to pull a fast one on you and you don’t buy it for a second.

The most infuriating scene is also the unfunniest. The crew's target is the Fabergé Imperial Coronation Egg (quite the step down from a vault full of money if you ask me) so they recruit Tess (who is the twelfth member of the team) to help. Their plan? Capitalize on the running joke that she “sorta” looks like Julia Roberts by distracting the people in the museum while the others steal the egg. Not terribly clever, this gag also breaks one of the unspoken rules of filmmaking. The audience promises to ignore the fact that we know these are actors on-stage as long as the movie doesn’t draw attention to it and pretends the story is set in a world other than ours, “Last Action Hero”-style. As Oceans Twelve does this whole “I don’t look that much like her”, “Oh no! There’s Bruce Willis! Now I have to pretend like I know what he’s talking about” thing, you make a mental promise to hate the film no matter what it does later.

The worst part of Ocean’s Eleven” was the hint at a sequel right at the very end because deep down, you knew the magic couldn’t be replicated, that only the most convoluted of scenarios could bring these people together again. Ocean’s Twelve proves that so thoroughly it’ll make you wish the actors would all retire. (April 28, 2022)

[kulliare]

tagged by @pretty-thief, thank you

1. Were you named after anyone?

no, my real name is based off how easy it would've been for my grandma to say, who doesn't speak english. my parents kind of failed on that basis haha (there are 2 pronunciations of my name and i prefer one rather than the other!) but my name's alright

2. When was the last time you cried?

december 2022/january 2023 was my big cry era but i probably shed like one tear after that over something like film / tv / animal video that was too cute etc

3. Do you have kids?

no. i don't think i'll ever want to but idk what me 10 years down the road will say lol

4. Do you use sarcasm a lot?

...yes, kind of accidentally? i think i just use it for emphasis rather than like the ~sarcasm is my only language~ type. irl my voice and tone is very blunt/firm/dry so a lot of people think i'm being sarcastic when i'm serious/just talking etc!!! and i have no control over it!!!

5. What sports do you play/have you played?

i played badminton as a kid. i did ultimate before i realized that would be too much running and now i do spikeball, which is excellent for people who hate sports. but i seriously do love spikeball because as someone who doesn't really Sport it's not too hard (minimal amount of running, focus on hand eye coordination and reflexes) so it's accessible to people who aren't athletic (me)

6. What's the first thing you notice about someone?

i don't know. vibes? if i think i would like them? i'm wary of people at first so it's probably vibes. ngl i'm the type to be very self focused so i'm usually just focused on introducing myself and getting them into the Group so they don't feel uncomfortable

7. Eye color?

brown

8. Scary movies or happy endings?

happy endings 24/7/365 i can't do depressed shit man

9. Any special talents?

i mean there is probably something but i don't have an icebreaker answer to this i'm sorry

10. Where were you born?

this is like a security question man i can't answer this one. i am canadian is the most i'll offer.

11. What are your hobbies?

drawing / posting on tumblr.com about carmy / spikeball / video games are probably my main 4 right now. i keep thinking about getting more hobbies but i go out for spikeball a lot and it's eating up my life lol

12. Do you have any pets?

no! i desperately want a cat though. a russian blue is probably like the ideal cat for me but i don't have my own place and it's doubtful i'll get one anytime soon! i'm also open to other hypoallergenic cats but i don't know how much better they'll be in comp to a russian blue bc i met one before and my allergies weren't as bad-- unrelated but i am seeing a cat today everyone plz cheer for me. i really hope that cat likes me but i will respect his personal space bc apparently he's shy

13. How tall are you?

like 5'0-5'2... i'm never sure haha!! wish i was taller

14. Favorite subject in school?

english!!! to my great detriment!!! but i loved her then and i would never take that back from my hs self

15. Dream job?

rotting! but not really because i would probably get stressed. uhm. i'm at the point where i don't know what i would want. i strangely feel like editing for a tv show/film would work very well for me because i hate drafting stories out but i love refining shit that's already there and i imagine being able to edit stuff has a similar feel. if i was good at it i would write for a tv show or whatever but writing for fiction is incredibly difficult for me and i'm aware that i'm not the best at it

tagging @halfagod @scoundrels-in-love @bartonbones @haydenchrlstensen @egirlgarak @sweetmilkbread