#but also idk maybe that undermines my point. | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

nothorses · 1 year

Note

i'm sure you've talked about it before, but why do other transmascs feel the need to white knight for women whenever transandrophobia(/anti-transmasculinity/whatever term is "acceptable" for the moment) is brought up? it's always something to do with "it's distracting from misogyny and we should band together against it", "it makes it sound like trans women oppress trans men", "isn't this just dividing the community?", etc.

i swear, every time even the term comes up (not even as THE point of discussion, just at all), at least one transmasc shows up to lecture me about how it's a bad term. it's such "pick me" behavior.

i ask you why other transmascs need to do this, but we know it's some mixture of self-hatred ingrained by having being in some kind of close proximity to manhood, internalized transphobia, and feeling the need to be "one of the good ones" squabbling for approval.

the 2010s feminism movement of target brand mugs saying "Male Tears" and the insistence that using broad violent statements is okay if it's "punching up" really poisoned the conversation. transmascs shouldn't feel so defensive of proving their masculinity is "good" by preventing transmascs from organizing and acknowledging our specific issues.

not sure what i'm even asking anymore. feeling kind of disheartened and frustrated for feeling like i have controversial opinions when i say that *shuffles notes* transmascs are affected by specific societal oppression and pretending otherwise is naive at best and an act of violence at worst.

I hear you. And I think that like... while it is frustrating, to be constantly undermined by people who are clearly just doing it because they think it's some kind of "redemption", I also tend to feel more heartbroken than anything else.

Like, I know how they feel. I was around for shitty 2010's feminism; I was pretty deep in the movement, in fact. I internalized a lot of those ideas, and they're exactly what kept me from realizing I was trans for so long.

When I finally started to realize I was more on the masc side of things, I still had enough hangups that I started a sideblog (that nobody knows about. and still won't!) just to reblog stuff that I felt represented "acceptable" masculinity. The concept was so novel to me that I legitimately felt I needed an archive of "proof" that masculinity could be "ethical".

And I've kinda ridden with this current movement toward acknowledging transmasc oppression. I saw others start talking about it before me, and eventually felt emboldened enough by them to join in; mostly just kind of nudging at the boundaries, suggesting that we consider transmascs are also oppressed, and that maybe we should make sure our trans-specific spaces and resources, and things like domestic violence shelters, include them.

I watched that guarded, hesitant seed start to sprout and grow, and I grew with it. I think my early posts really reflect this; I'm pretty sure my most popular post is still, to this day, the one that essentially just points out that men AND women can have a toxic relationship with masculinity and femininity. Another early banger was "testosterone doesn't make you evil".

Y'know, shit feminists were saying in the 2010's.

I feel like I see a lot of transmascs today kind of forgetting this, idk, three years of "history" (generously). Like we've always had a community ready to support us when we say these things; spaces where we can talk about them without having to constantly remind everyone that we do, in fact, believe transmisogyny is real and that it needs more attention than it currently receives. Because we can take for granted that others believe this, and trust that we do as well.

And that's encouraging! It means we have a community now that- to my knowledge- we have never had before, and it means we're finally getting somewhere after decades of isolation and shame.

But it's also kind of sad, I think, that folks so quickly forget what it was like before this. And it is frustrating that we grew and they didn't, and it is frustrating that they seem to be choosing shame and isolation.

And... they're there for the same reasons we once were. In a lot of ways, that means we are uniquely positioned to offer them a bit of compassion. It doesn't mean we have to, or that it'll always be successful, but it does mean that we can.

I also think that like, it's barely been three years, y'know? Not everyone's looped in yet, and not everyone's in a place where they feel safe and supported enough to even begin to consider these ideas more seriously. There will always be people who act this way (Blaire White & Kalvin Garrah are living proof), but the growth of our community and our movement means we'll start to see it less as time goes on.

This isn't really a solution, or an answer, and you probably know all this anyway. But idk. I think perspective is important.

#transmasc #transandrophobia

118 notes · View notes

appendectomy · 6 months

Text

currently on house md season 7. i like how the writers are not shying away from the fundamentally dysfuctional nature of the house/cuddy relationship, like cuddy having a kid and house being unwilling and incapable of being a consistent, healthy father figure. and cuddy being house's boss which means he is inevitably going to lie and undermine and disrespect her because that is how he has navigated his job for years. and cuddy saying she doesn't want house to change but ultimately still clinging to the hope that he will. but he won't, not in the ways she needs. but part of me does wish the approach wasnt soooo expositionally heavy handed. i wasn't a massive fan of 7x01 because of this, it was so much talking and stating the obvious at points. i mean their cute moments were cute but it felt slow and a bit stale... like obviously there comes a time where you have to make your point solid and just say what you've been building up to in a story but idk part of me is attached to a little bit of ambiguity.

i like that house and cuddy are #doomed but part of what makes narrative dooming so compelling to me is that you sprinkle in hope there. you leave a little bit of optimism for the audience to hold on to so they still root for the relationship. maybe its because I already know they break up, or maybe its just because of what is said in 7x01, but they feel kind of boringly doomed. it feels like every plot point to do with their relationship rn is just conflict after conflict after conflict, they barely have anything that actually makes me think they're a good couple. they have great chemistry, but its even said in canon that they have nothing in common. its like third wheeling a couple who keep arguing like damn i'm getting tired watching u guys whining! break up already all you do is fight! so I cant get fully invested and hope for them. it just makes me pity cuddy more than anything. which is a little compelling, the idea of characters clinging on to a relationship that's been dead from the start, but not as compelling as a more ambiguous route would be i think. if the writers gave us more reasons to root for them together i think it would be more fun to watch, instead of just rushing into conflict.

also im having a little bit of a hard time reconciling with what feels OOC for house vs what is intended to show that house has changed because of this relationship. not a massive issue for me, but still something i'm thinking about. there are moments that make me raise my eyebrow a little.

also likeee not enough wilson in these first few eps. where is my girlfriend where is he!!!!

#house md #part of me feels like the exposition in 7x01 was completely unecessary following the season 6 finale.#for me the season 6 finale emphasised completely effectively that they were doomed #without talking the topic to death. personally.

39 notes · View notes

plumadot · 4 days

Note

The other day you were talking about how you wanted to incorporate Mean Gills at some point so that got me thinking about how the story could progress and have the teams of the other series.

(If you’ve already thought about this or don’t like the idea absolutely no problem, this is your AU and your opinions come first! I just had these thoughts so I thought I’d share)

WARNING LIGHT ANGST BUT I TRY TO MAKE IT ALL BETTER

Before the big battle between our main crew and Dogwarts (which I’m assuming happens?) somehow or other Scott and Jimmy get into an argument (I’m under the assumption also that they are together at this point). Then they do the battle against Ren and Martyn and stuff. Uhhmmmm and then Scar dies somehow. IM SORRY DONT GET MAD AT ME HES MY BELOVED TOO BUT JUST HEAR ME OUT! Scar dies, maybe Grian’s fault because of the warlock pew pew. And Scott is still so upset with Jimmy, he decided he just can’t travel with the party anymore. So *Scott has left your party*

Now it’s just Jimmy and Grian, couple of Sad BoysTM. But, they end up meeting Mumbo and Impulse (and maybe making nice with Martyn? Idk how that would work so maybe not) and they form the Southlanders!

MEANWHILE there’s a possibility that Rendog also died during that last battle (perhaps at Scars hand like in canon) (that would also explain why Martyn isn’t with Ren anymore). For sea queen reasons, Lizzie resurrects Ren and he like, pledges his allegiance to her (that’s what happened in Last Life right?). And just to prove to his wife that he can totally resurrect people (she was teasing him) Joel also resurrects some guy whose body was conveniently close to Ren’s body. Aha! He resurrects Scar! My bard is back!!!

Then I had some half baked ideas about the Southlanders returning to the Crastle Tavern, in which Impulse is reunited with his old friend Skizzleman, and Skizz introduces his friend Tango (Jimmy is enamored quite quickly). Scar has also returned to the Crastle because Cleo and Bdubs are his only other friends and you can imagine the SHOCK Grian has at seeing his previously thought dead friend/partner/employee/maybe lover just up on stage perfectly fine.

Oh and while this is all happening Scott has been pals with Pearl.

Another idea I had was Etho owns a decently sized sailing ship, but he’s not a huge sailor or anything. Joel is a sailor on some kind of mission and he’s hired a crew, so he needs a boat. Etho supplies said boat. Joel’s crew is like, all the Southlanders (Aha! 🔭🏴‍☠️) and Scar, and probably Bdubs… Que hilarious shenanigans as Joel tries to be the awesome captain and call all the shots and Etho keeps undermining him because it’s technically his boat.

*gasping for breath* I’m sorry I got so carried away. I hope most of this is coherent and that you enjoyed imaging my ideas! Once again DO NOT feel like you have to incorporate ANY of this. This is your AU so you decide what happens! This is just me theorizing what could happen next 😊

(Sorry I did not get to anything about the Mean Gills, my phone is about to go off)

Love anon 🍕

my GOSH your brain is huge jgfdkjgkfjd this is so elaborate it makes my head spin /pos

i never really planned for the au to span across like. multiple life series seasons. and it's insane that you're somehow making that work???? gfkdjkgjfdkg i just!!! i just wanna say it's really cool!!! i probably won't incorporate it in the (admittedly, way simpler) story that i have so far, but it's. it's so cool gkfdjgk

JIMMY AND SCOTT FALLING OUT DOES MAKE ME SAD THOUGH FGKDJGKJFDG /hj

also in the - sort of - story i have in mind, scar does get resurrected at some point hehe kgjfdkgjfd

gfjdkgd please don't apologize for getting carried away i really enjoyed reading your ideas :O !!!!!!!! <3 <3 <3 thank you!!!

#ask

13 notes · View notes

scaryblondelady · 10 months

Text

while it would have been pretty funny for cath to have been the killer just to get her hobby farm for cheap, that ending would have left me feeling really disappointed. i’m honestly so thankful it’s not her or any of the other women for that matter.

before the finale airs tomorrow, i just wanted to officially cast my vote for whodunit and add a few more thoughts to this post that my gf put together last week. potential spoilers below this point, fair warning.

as stated in the original post, it’s ray pies. in addition to the evidence provided by pinselwurm:

ray had the perfect opportunity to blow up the loch nessie. he left skye’s dinner party early to drive eddie home and then promptly left the shack. most of the other key players were still at the dinner party when the loch nessie was set ablaze.

if ray is the killer, why did he throw up at the sight of jimmy on the cross? similar to abby, i think he accidently poisoned himself with arsenic while handling the mast of the loch nessie. after all, he had to craft the mast into the shape of a cross after stealing it. if he was unaware of the treatment on the wood, just inadvertently touching the material with his bare hands or breathing in fumes/particles could have made him physically sick.

in addition to ray, william carruthers and james have also been floated as potential suspects. listed below are the reasons why i don’t believe either is our murderer.

william: in the next episode, i believe we are going to find out that william carruthers is actually dead (has been for some time) and is buried out on that island that margaret is so fiercely protective of. sure, margaret is hiding something but i think we are going to find out that it’s related to money, whatever it is. maybe it has something to do with land rights or the carruther’s estate? did her brother want to return some (or all) of their land to the palawa? that could potentially explain why she wants miranda indebted to her.

james: he doesn’t care about anyone but himself, plain and simple. he absolutely does not give a single shit about any of the women in his life. just think about all of the times he undermines dulcie and eddie, or about how he constantly steamrolls abby, or about all the times he makes condescending comments to or about women. after witnessing his selfish behavior all season, i just don’t believe that this is the guy that would go on a killing spree to “dish out justice” for all of the abused women in deadloch. james has grand ambitions for his career and he wants recognition for his work. however, he really doesn’t need to take any extreme action in order to achieve those things. that’s the point. despite his shit work ethic and the way in which he treats his female colleagues, despite being an utter prick, he has still managed to become a “leader in his field” purely because he is a man. he is part of the boy’s club, he is benefiting greatly from it, and i don’t see how he’d have any interest in tearing it all down.

lastly, completely unrelated but perhaps most important of all, i really think bushy (eddie’s deceased partner) is a dog. idk, she just seems to feel really responsible for his death. and i just don’t see how she would feel that responsible for some grown ass man getting eaten by a croc while chilling on a speed boat. i could, however, see her feeling like absolute shit for leaving a dog tethered and alone on board.

anyways, happy almost deadloch finale day everyone. we’ll see whodunit soon enough.

#deadloch

31 notes · View notes

queenpiranhadon · 2 months

Text

It's-a me with a new book series to hyper fixate on

So ehem I just finished the first book of the Inheritance Games (not adding it to my fandoms list until after I finish the series tho) and uh...

(spoilers below the cut)

BAHAHA XANDER WITH HIS SCONES I CAN'T- HE'S GONNA BECOME A POLITICIAN AND CREATE ENEMIES AND ALLIES SOLELY BY GIVING THEM BLUEBERRY OR LEMON SCONES HELP-

And the ending though?? Like I WANT Xander to go to Avery and work together because they both have crucial information but I also want him to get the recognition he deserves I will die on that hill.

Jameson seriously gives me Sirius Black + James Potter vibes (idk is that just me 😭). But like 👏🏾 do 👏🏾 not 👏🏾 treat 👏🏾 Avery like a piece in this big game, get over your dead ex and tell her you love her pls and thank you.

But like you know those videos about the best book boyfriends and their nicknames (idk maybe it's just me lmao) but like "Heiress" and "Mystery Girl" and "Cinderella" I'm squealing.

Grayson- okay there's a lot to him. I am in love with Avery's chemistry with Jameson but Grayson's chemistry with her is adorable too (in the first book at least). Like they start nerding out about statistics and probability like I want a man who will not only just judge me but join me as I overanalyze the implications of outfit, song, and set choices in movies or question the bounds of the universe and talk about the possibilities of the fourth dimension thank you very much.

But like, he has suffered a lot, even if nothing is really his fault, he takes it upon himself to blame himself because believes as the all-knowing Hawthorne he is responsible for everything. That being said, he could've been maybe less of an asshole in the beginning like man wdym by "you're injured and you will tell me why." like yes, that amount of dominance is attractive at certain moments but dude just leave the poor girl alone 😭

Nash I relate to on a spiritual level like oldest sibling, knows pretty much everything that his sibling are still trying to figure out, couldn't care less, doesn't care less, etc etc like join the club lmao. Obviously though, being in the Hawthorne family and having three extremely clever younger brothers all competitive in their own way, he's definitely felt undermined before and probably just stopped trying to be better. And I get that, even if I still try to be better than my own younger brother but he's just living his life, razzing up girls as one does lmao.

And his relationship with Libby...don't get me wrong, they're adorable together, like he's persistent in making sure she's secure and stable and his overprotectiveness is well...ehem he wants this things as they are lmaoo. But even so, I'm still a little wary about him because of his dating history but who knows maybe he'll prove me wrong.

Avery's so funny like first thing she thinks about when meeting any of the Hawthorne's (the grandsons I mean) is damn he's hot. And I mean after everything, I just love her, her reactions are on point, she's just trying to figure stuff out lmao.

I'm leaving my rant here uhm sorry for the essay heh

#the inheritance games #tig #nash hawthorne #jameson hawthorne #grayson hawthorne #alexander hawthorne #xander hawthorne #avery grambs #avery kylie grambs #alexander blackwood hawthorne #jameson winchester hawthorne #xander blackwood hawthorne #grayson davenport hawthorne #nash westbrook hawthorne #jennifer lynn barnes #i am the much needed publicist of alexander blackwood hawthorne and you can't tell me otherwise

17 notes · View notes

wolfstrong · 1 year

Note

hi sorry if i come off as a hater lmao it's just i hate xander and you seem to like him, could you explain why? I know he has some positive qualities and can be a decent friend but i've always perceived him as a Nice Guy (tm) and often just a misogynistic creep (maybe i need a rewatch where i try to have more compassion idk)

I don't think you come off as a hater, everyone has a right to dislike any characters they want!

Yes, Xander is one of my favorite characters and I have a deep affection for him! I do agree he can be very misogynistic and also creepy (more so creepy in the first couple of seasons, his crush on Buffy often made me very uncomfortable) I'm not going to say I "forgive" his misogynistic actions, but I guess I see it more as a problem with the show as a whole. You know, the time period and such and such. BTVS is a very strange show because it was progressive and groundbreaking in some ways and also very flawed in other ways. It's got some of the most realistic and well written female characters I've ever seen in a show, and yet its constantly undermines them with misogynistic jabs. i don't know, its weird but I digress. The point is I can kinda look past those two specific flaws because I see them more as functions of the show itself.

I like Xander because he's the "everyman" of the series. He's the very unspecial normal guy and idk I just really like that. I’m not trying to reduce the other scoobs to just their practical talents, but Buffy is the slayer, Giles brings the smarts and has his watched role, and Willow has her magic and before that her hacker skills. But all Xander has is himself, all he can give to the team is himself and he does it every single time without question. And like he knows this, everyone knows this about him. If all he can do with himself is physically throw his body in the line of danger to try and help someone else, he's going to do it. How many times does Xander run into the fight only to get punched out. And it's like yeah, its probably stupid and self-destructive, he's never going to be able to face off with the demons they fight because he's just a regular human. But he tries anyway and I love that. I don't know, it's just very admirable to always try, even if you feel like those around you are stronger or better then you. I guess i personally struggle with this, feeling like other are better then me or have more to offer or are more talented. It's nice to see a character whos in a similar situation yet still gives it his all every time. I think he's really relatable because of that and I feel for him.

I really love his loyalty. I know that his dislike for Angel in the earlier seasons stems from his crush on Buffy (which is ew) but also I think a part of it is because he feels protective of her as a friend. Like when Angel turned evil and they were debating what to do, Xander was like "maybe we should just kill him" and everyone acted like he was a huge dick for saying that, but I had to agree. Angel was trying very hard to kill Buffy, to kill all of them, and Xander was trying to prioritize their safety. Oh also there is a part of the season one finale (I think it was that episode... i could be mistaken) where Willow and others get kidnapped because of Buffy and Xander gets so mad he says "If they hurt Willow I'll kill you" which i know is kind of harsh, but like I think it really shows his loyalty and priorities. At this point, he did have a crush on Buffy, but he'd known Willow for much longer and his friendship to her was more important. So like idk, when we see him at his most angry or cruel its always on behalf of his friends.

I also just love that he's goofy and funny and cute. He has a certain charm that so based around the fact that he's slightly pathetic and lame. Just look into his big brown puppy dog eyes and tell me you don't like him just a little bit... he's literally a big loyal slightly stupid dog, come on now. He's always got sleeves that are just a bit too long that they flop over his hands, his shoes are untied his hairs a floppy mess and he has a giant smile and a weird cracky voice that goes up a pitch when he's nervous and he's always trying so hard to get everyone to laugh. I love him :) I can't help it, I just really love him

#it helps that hes cute...#xander harris #btvs

33 notes · View notes

theladyofbloodshed · 2 years

Note

Prompt-

Nessian sickfic ( cause I love angst and fluff and sicfics are my ultimate guilty pleasure ) where maybe Nesta is sick but she ignores it (cause she is stubborn and refuses to admit that she's unwell & she doesn't want to bother anyone) and goes about her day as normal ( training and all that ) continuously covering up for any ' slip-ups ' (like being slow during training and brushing it off when it's pointed out or something) and then she like maybe passes out infront of everyone at family dinner ( with the IC and the valkyries and all) or something and they all freak out ( cause I've decided that Nesta is truly cared for and loved in this fic ) and go mother hen on her cause she deserves to be coddled.But then there is also Cassian whose upset she didn't say anything and all that stuff...idk I think you can execute this idea better.

It is one of those fics I've always wanted to see (where nesta is coddled and cared for in a domestic sense) but have never found one.

It's okay if you don't want to write this though.I understand that it can be a weird request for some😅

Thanks for the prompt!

Black dots swarmed Nesta’s vision. She gripped the ledge harder, willing her body to right itself. She took another drink of water to steady herself.

‘You alright?’ Emerie narrowed her eyes at her, eyeing the shake in her hand as she pressed the cup to her lips.

‘I think my cycle is coming,’ she grumbled.

A look of sympathy passed Emerie’s face. Nesta still wasn’t used to fae menstrual cycles. They were less frequent at least than when she was mortal, but they were much, much worse. She had woken with dizziness. For once, she was thankful that Cassian had left the bed earlier than her because he’d only fuss at her staggering steps or the way her hip collided with the door frame. Nesta had pressed her face to the cool tiles in the bathroom, tamping down the temperature that had bubbled up in the bedsheets.

Since being turned, she’d only experienced two cycles and they’d been hell. This one was different however, already making her toes feel numb, her movements slow and laboured before it had really begun.

‘Do you need to stop?’

The other priestesses were still hard at work; Azriel oversaw the new recruits with his quiet, patient manner, while the tyrant was barking orders at the other end. Nesta had already snapped at Cassian for taking his bad mood out on the rest of them. For that, she’d had to drop and do twenty push-ups. Not doing them meant she was undermining him – and Cauldron forbid she endure Emerie and Gwyn’s teasing over preferential treatment if she didn’t. So, Nesta had gritted her teeth and forced her body down then back up, even when the whole roof was spinning in her vision. She thought her mate might have noticed her struggling when he put her out of her misery and stopped her at eighteen then ordered her to take a drink.

‘I’m fine.’ But she wouldn’t be if Cassian carried on drilling them this hard. He’d had an argument with Rhys over something and had taken it to heart. ‘I’ll speak to the slave-driver.’

Cassian had his arms folded, brows furrowed, watching the priestesses sparring with each other. Nesta came to stand beside him. The arm she looped through his was not a comfort – it was for her own stability.

‘Will you tone it down?’

‘Going too hard on you, sweetheart?’

‘You know exactly how hard I can take it,’ she murmured, admiring the way his pupils flared at her words. ‘But you’re working with priestesses from the library, not battle-hardened Illyrian males. Ease up or when you’re pushed off the roof, I’ll feign ignorance.’

Sweat ran down the females’ faces. Gwyn was puffing and panting, too breathless to even talk. The harsh din of their swords smashing together was beginning to make Nesta wince. Each clang struck against her temples.

‘Why don’t you show me just how gentle you want me to be?’

The challenge in Cassian’s eyes would have been something Nesta would rise to meet usually, but she wanted to be under a blanket. If she voiced any sort of hurt, he’d fuss too much. A few weeks earlier, she’d twisted her ankle and he’d acted like her life was hanging by a thread, forcing them all to stop, carrying her across the roof, demanding Azriel fetch Madja. Nesta shuddered at the memory.

It was just a cycle. It was normal to feel absolutely horrendous, but everybody got on with it. And so would she. Nesta let out a sigh and retrieved her sword. ‘Must you turn everything into foreplay?’

Cassian grinned at her. ‘One track mind.’

It was not unnoticed by Cassian that she moved more sluggish than usual or that her arm continued to drop. He only chided her for staying up late with her book. When he managed to disarm her lazily, due to her slow reaction times, he forced her to pick up her sword again and again.

‘Complacency will get you killed.’

‘That’s preferable right now,’ she muttered. The throb in her head was growing worse. If there was anymore pressure, her head might explode. She told herself to toughen up, that some of these priestesses might even be on their cycle right now and they were not causing a fuss. It hadn’t felt like this before though, she hadn’t been so nauseous and dizzy, so hot then cold.

‘Again,’ Cassian demanded. ‘Try and disarm me.’

Every time that Nesta lunged at him, her stomach churned more. Her whole body was drenched with sweat. The sage advice he offered went over her head because she was too focused on staying upright.

When she had finally managed to disarm him – thanks to a distraction tactic from Emerie and Gwyn – Nesta raced towards the nearest bin and hurled up her insides. Black encroached on her vision again as she sucked in air, kneeling with her arms wrapped around the bin.

Cassian’s hand was too hot, too heavy on her neck although he meant well. Worry nibbled at his expression already. ‘What’s wrong? Are you sick?’

‘I’m fine,’ she clipped, pushing up from the ground. ‘Pushed through a stitch.’

A cool shadow brushed across Nesta’s forehead then returned back to Azriel. He watched her carefully then said, ‘It’s probably time to stop for today.’

The priestesses who’d been drilled by Cassian all sagged with relief or dropped to the floor clutching their stomachs, making her lie more believable. This was the time where her mate would go around offering generous praise sprinkled with advice while they stretched to ensure each priestess left satisfied rather than groaning. They had started letting whichever female was bravest lead the cool down too which helped grow their confidence.

It had become a ritual to wait until all the priestesses had departed before she went inside herself, to not leave them with Cassian or Azriel alone. The males would never touch them, but if her presence eased their worries then Nesta was happy to stay.

‘What time should I come for the dinner?’ Gwyn asked, rubbing her hands together.

‘Six,’ Azriel replied swifter than Nesta could process the question.

‘You’re welcome to come earlier,’ Cassian added. He gestured to Emerie. ‘Emerie will be here too.’

They had only had a few dinners altogether; Nesta had spent them sandwiched between the two females at the far end of the table enjoying their own private conversation. Usually, she’d look forward to it – to at least have fun while the inner circle stroked their own egos – but with every passing moment, she felt worse and worse. Taking that excitement from Emerie and Gwyn’s eyes was an abhorrent thought though, so Nesta straightened up and continued on.

In the few hours that followed, Cassian returned to Illyria – likely to run off the end of his bad mood on some poor unsuspecting male there. In a sheepish voice, Emerie asked if she could take a shower and a nap in a spare room since she was exhausted from training. Nesta almost tore her arm off in eagerness at the offer.

Instead of seizing the opportunity to catch up on sleep in a tranquil House of Wind however, Nesta ended up clutching the toilet again. She had tried to breathe through the cramps squeezing her stomach while the bed felt like a boat on a tumultuous sea, until she’d raced to the bathroom to retch up every last drop of that morning’s breakfast. If she fixated on a spot on the wall then the whole house didn’t feel as if it was tipping on its side. One moment she was fevered, tearing at her clothes for some relief and the next, her body trembled beneath a blanket. Just a cycle, she told herself again.

When they were all seated at the table, the smells wafting from the kitchen heightened her nausea. The conversations swirled around her. Mor’s ringing laughter was like the peal of a high-pitched bell scraping in her mind. The deep rumble of Cassian’s voice shook her eardrums so violently that Nesta fought the urge to clamp her hands over her ears. She did, however, grip her forehead.

‘Are you well, Nesta?’ Elain asked, her hand stilled as it reached for a dish.

‘Fine. I forget how loud those two are.’ Cassian and Mor were like a pair of hyenas together, one high-pitched and yipping, the other capable of shaking the room with his voice.

Lucien smiled. The motion had the scar on his face tightening. ‘I’m glad we picked this end of the table.’

The heat from the dishes rose around the table. Nesta had worn a plain grey gown, suitable for the autumn day, but it suddenly felt too thick on her body. Her armpits were turning into a swamp and she fanned her face.

‘You don’t look good.’

Nesta blew out a breath through her pursed lips. ‘That was rude.’

Gwyn shook her hair from her face. ‘I mean that you look sick, Nesta.’

‘I’m absolutely fine,’ she lied, reaching for the dish of buttery parsnips.

The idea of putting anything in her mouth already had her gag reflex pulsing, but Nesta was nothing if not iron-willed. She forced down a forkful of her dinner then another. She sliced into the tender cut of lamb on her plate, barely chewing before swallowing that too. Heat radiated from her skin. Her dress was clinging to the sweat pooling on her back.

‘You’re sweating,’ Gwyn whispered.

‘Meat sweats,’ replied Nesta, waving away her concern. She jerked the cut of her dress from her chest, flapping it a few times to try and cool herself. Her skin was clammy, speech slurring. ‘It’s hot in here, isn’t it? I need a window.’

It was a mistake to stand so quickly. The floor shifted under her feet so the table appeared as if it was rising into the air as her vision swam. Nesta took a step closer to the window, forcing her feet to move, hoping the blurriness marring her sight would right itself.

Black swamped her. At first, she thought it was Cassian engulfing her with his mighty wings, but her feet kept moving, almost running forwards to save herself. Each beat of her heart was slower, weaker, like a feeble fluttering in her chest.

***

‘Has she been drinking?’ Mor murmured, kicking him under the table.

Cassian jerked his head towards the far end of the table where Nesta was rising unsteadily. Feyre frowned. Beside him, he felt Rhys tense.

‘Hot here. I’m need. Window.’

Nesta’s head lolled to the side as she slurred her speech. Cassian shot from the chair, hurdling towards her, but not quick enough. Nesta fell forwards as she fainted, face smashing into the windowsill on her way to the floor.

‘Shit.’

‘Cauldon, is she alright?’

‘I’ll get Madja.’

‘Oh my goodness!’

Cassian turned Nesta over. She’d taken a chunk out of her eyebrow and the gash was bleeding steadily, but she remained unconscious.

‘Lift her legs,’ Lucien advised, joining him on the floor beside her.

He followed the male’s commandment, raising Nesta’s legs by the ankles and holding them aloft. His throat was dry. Blood pounded in Cassian’s eardrums.

‘She’s only fainted,’ he reassured though it didn’t help. He’d not been quick enough to get to her.

It could only have been thirty seconds at most, yet each one was drawn out to an eternity. Finally, Nesta’s eyes opened groggily. She tried to push up then flopped back down, groaning and clutching the handkerchief Lucien had pressed over her wound.

‘I’m not sick,’ she announced.

‘Like hell you’re not,’ Cassian fumed.

Azriel appeared by them, face knotted with concern. ‘Carry her to bed, she needs to be somewhere soft.’

Elain hurried ahead of them opening each door then peeled back the duvet for Cassian to tuck his mate into – but her skin was like a furnace. The window latch clicked as Emerie opened both to allow the cool evening breeze in.

‘How long has she been sick for?’ Feyre strode from the bathroom brandishing a damp cloth and pressed it to her elder sister’s forehead.

Guilt writhed in Cassian’s stomach. She’d been lethargic in training, but he’d put it down to the fact she’d been awake until the early hours with her book. Damn Azriel for buying her that tiny faelight booklight which meant she’d lay there with the blanket over her head reading and reading until exhaustion took over her body.

‘I’m fine,’ she protested. ‘We can continue dinner.’

The dribble of blood down her face together with the rapidly swelling lump did nothing to convince any of them that Nesta was fine. Her golden hair was damp with sweat. Nobody missed the way she screwed her eyes shut and took shaky little breaths each time she adjusted position.

A rumble of power in the room alerted them to Rhys’ return with the kindly healer, Madja. They swept the growing crowd from the bedside and Cassian inwardly grimaced at the mess he and Nesta had left it in. If she was in a fit state, she’d be shooing them all out of the room rather than let them see her personal things.

‘How long have you had symptoms for?’

‘I’m not sick,’ Nesta repeated. ‘There’s no need to fuss.’

‘Let Madja clean your eyebrow at least,’ Rhys suggested. Feyre had come to stand by him, her mouth twisting with worry. He rubbed her arm with soothing circles.

Dependable Nesta who never let anything pin her down for long, was still putting up a fight. She forced herself upright, clamping her jaw together as she did so. After steeling her nerves, Nesta swung her legs onto the floor and pushed herself to a standing position. The simple move had her sweating with exertion, but she would not meet the eyes of any in the room.

‘There,’ she said shakily. ‘Fine.’

Madja made a noise that could have been a laugh. ‘Walk to the bathroom for me, Nesta.’

The healer jerked her chin towards Nesta as a sign they should flock around her. His mate made it all of three steps before her knees began to quiver and she fainted again. This time, Lucien and Elain had their arms around her, guiding her unconscious form back to the bed. Gwyn lifted Nesta’s ankle and wedged a pillow beneath them.

‘Why won’t she let us take care of her?’ Feyre murmured.

Because Nesta never wanted that to be held over her, Cassian thought. Because Feyre had hunted for her, and all of them had used that to guilt-trip Nesta for a couple of years. She hated depending on anybody. It had taken months before she would let him make her something to eat or help her with sharpening weapons. She’d always eye him suspiciously, worried that he might only be doing it because he wanted something in return.

‘Do you know what symptoms she’s been displaying and for how long?’

At the healer’s question, Cassian could feel his cheeks burning. No, he hadn’t realised his mate was sick. If she’d felt that way for a while, she’d hidden it from him. Shame washed over him.

In the corner, Emerie cleared her throat. ‘She said her cycle is coming.’

‘She vomited during training,’ added Azriel.

Madja placed the back of her hand to Nesta’s forehead. Her magic crawled over her, seeking an ailment. ‘It’s not her cycle. She has a virus. A nasty one. And because of this,’ she gestured to the gash on her brow, ‘I’d wager a concussion too.’

Her magic, a pale, yellow glow, knitted Nesta’s skin back together once the wound had been cleaned with antiseptic.

‘There’s nothing to do except let the virus run its course. Fae sickness is different to mortal ones - it is good if she is able to fight it with her own immune system.’

‘What can be done?’

‘Rest,’ Madja replied to her high lord. ‘For the nausea, bland foods. Try and get her to eat small amounts at a time. Plain toast, bananas, apple sauce. Don’t force her to eat if it makes her sick.’

‘Tea?’ Mor suggested.

‘Ginger can settle a stomach. Peppermint can be useful. Keep her in bed.’

‘Cass will have no issue with that,’ Rhys joked.

Over the laughter, Madja continued, ‘She must rest. No intercourse. While her body fights it, she’ll need lots of sleep. I can provide a tonic that will help her to sleep through fevers too, and another for the pain.’

The room quietened down with Mor, Azriel, and Lucien filing out with the healer. Mor had rustled through the cupboards but only found black tea, which she’d brewed anyway and rested on the bedside table before departing. Feyre loaded up a tray of leftovers and brought it into the bedroom. They picked at food quietly while Nesta slumbered in the bed. Elain perched on the edge of the mattress, holding the cold compress to her sister’s head and taking every opportunity to smooth the blankets around her body.

‘What can I do?’ Rhys asked.

Feyre drummed her fingers on the arm of the chair she’d dragged in from the living room. ‘We have ginger at home, I think. Maybe even peppermint tea. Could you fetch that?’

‘Anything else? Bananas? I can ask one of the twins to make fresh bread. What kind does Nesta like?’

‘Seeds,’ Cassian said. ‘She loves the loaves packed with seeds.

‘Emerie, do you want to stay? Or I can take you back to Illyria?’

At the address from her high lord, Emerie blushed but held her head high. ‘Could I return? Can I come back in the morning? Before training?’ Gwyn nodded eagerly at her side.

The two Valkyries departed, leaving Cassian with all three Archerons. Feyre had taken up the space on the other side of Nesta; both sisters keeping a vigil by the eldest who was stirring slightly. Cassian sat in the chair, fighting against the instinct to move both Feyre and Elain away from his mate so he could be the one beside her. But she hadn’t told him she’d felt unwell. The pain of it was a raw wound, sensitive to touch. He’d forced her to drop into push ups for complaining. Pushed her hard enough that she’d vomited because Nesta would never back down from anything.

‘She never gets sick,’ Feyre mused. She’d folded together a loose sheet of parchment into a fan which she used to gently waft a breeze over Nesta’s blazing skin.

Cassian hadn’t known her to get sick either. Mortals generally were sicker than fae; their bodies were weaker, more prone to picking up illnesses and infection. Even at her lowest, with not an inch of fat or no food in her stomach, Nesta still wasn’t sick.

‘She does,’ Elain countered. ‘But she tells her body she’s not and pushes through.’

‘Only Nesta’s mind could disagree with the rest of her body.’

‘One time when you left… to Prythian, Nesta had the flu but she still went out and chopped wood for the fire. She wouldn’t take a rest, just snapped at me in that way of hers that she was fine.’

Cassian wanted to ask why their father hadn’t gone out to do it, to let his daughter rest when she was unwell. Or why Elain herself had watched Nesta do it rather than volunteering. It was not the time to reopen old wounds, but Cassian still carried grief over the struggles Nesta had been forced to endure in the broken-down cottage they called home.

Rhys returned with an entire banana tree. Its leaves brushed against the ceiling and the house seemed to stretch upwards to accommodate its size.

‘A whole tree, Rhys?’

‘Day Court,’ he puffed, dragging it into the bedroom by its large, ceramic pot. ‘It will be better for Nesta if the fruit is fresh.’

‘A whole tree?’ Feyre repeated.

From thin air, Rhys produced a bag. ‘Ginger tea. Peppermint tea. Peppermint and spearmint tea. Ginger and peach tea. Lemon, ginger and honey.’

‘Fuck, Rhys how many did you buy?’

He set them all out on the desk, swiping away Cassian’s carefully organised paperwork. ‘The shop was closing, but stayed open for me. I'd feel guilty if I only purchased one kind.’

‘So, you purchased every kind they sold?’ Feyre queried.

‘Nesta’s unwell.’ That reason seemed to cover everything.

Before they all departed for the night, Rhys had brewed another pot of tea. Feyre had sliced up bananas and lightly toasted bread while Nesta groggily woke in bed. Elain helped her to sit up through the protests that she was fine to do it herself.

‘Why is there a tree in my bedroom?’

‘Rhysand was worried about you.’

Nesta blinked at Elain, the reply not quite answering her question.

‘Madja recommended bananas to help settle your stomach,’ Cassian explained, sitting in Feyre’s vacant position on Nesta’s left. He stroked a wide hand across her face, feeling the searing heat beneath. ‘Do you want to try and nibble on toast? Feyre’s making some for you.’

‘There’s ginger and peach tea here too. You used to love peaches.’ Before Nesta could protest, Elain was lifting the cup to her lips and cradling her jaw. ‘You must keep your strength up.’

‘I have strength. I disarmed my mate earlier.’

‘Through cheating.’

A spark lit up Nesta’s eyes as she caught his own gaze. ‘It doesn’t matter how the battle is won, as long as it is.’

Once the final three departed, Cassian slunk an arm around Nesta in bed. Her skin had cooled, but she remained sleepy and lethargic. He fed her chunks of cold toast that took her an age to chew. Her eyes were closed, head tilted towards his chest.

The question had been brimming on his lips for a long time. He had waited until the others had departed to give his insecurities a voice. ‘Nes, why didn’t you say anything?’

‘I didn’t want you to fuss. I’ll be fine tomorrow.’

‘Maybe I wanted to fuss over you,’ he said. ‘Maybe I want to take care of my mate. It hurts me that you didn’t think I would take care of you. I feel horrendous that I made you train today. And do not say that you are fine.’

Nesta let out a long sigh after sipping at her tepid tea. ‘I know you’d take care of me. You flap around like a mother hen if I get a papercut.’

‘Because I love you. And seeing you in any pain causes me distress. I just want you to be safe and happy and well.’

‘It’s just my cycle.’

‘Madja said you have a virus. And you are staying in bed tomorrow. Maybe even the next day.’

‘What about training?’

‘Az will do it. I’ll be here with you. Emerie is coming in the morning along with Gwyn. So let us take care of you like you deserve.’

#nessian #sick fic #one shot

224 notes · View notes

roobylavender · 9 months

Note

genuinely curious bcs everyone and their mother is obsessed w barbie, why do u hate it lol ?? like criticism wise u mentioned the director before but anything else beyond that ? ( i haven’t watched it yet so i have no opinion)

the most pressing issue is that mattel is very clearly using it as a test to gauge whether it can create a cinematic universe consisting of its other sub properties so the entire movie is essentially nothing more than a greedy cash grab (which yes you could say most mainstream movies are cash grabs but i would liken this to the marvel movies wherein it's clear that intellectual property is used to maximally capitalize on a piece of media until it makes the most profit imaginable) and this is exacerbated by the fact that the movie pretends to criticize mattel and the purpose of barbie wrt consumerism but like. the movie is literally produced by mattel lmao. like no criticism within a movie being produced by the criticized entity is actually going to consist of genuine and good faith criticism. and obv most people's response to that has been well surely you couldn't expect anything more than liberal feminism from a barbie movie and it's like yeah i couldn't but that doesn't make it any less evil. a corporation pretending to appear self aware about its contribution to consumerism all the while funneling money into a project that only further encourages consumerism at a clearly exponential rate is evil. and maybe it's a harsh assessment on my part but i seriously am judging people who pay to see this movie bc of that!

when you get to the actual movie though my most severe criticism of it would be that it entrenches itself deeply in a bioessentialist gender binary. like idk if you've noticed all of the posts from people like wow girls are dressing up again and wearing pink and being encouraged to do girly things isn't that so amazing! it's like that infamous tumblr post that says liberal feminism discourse eventually circles back to what sounds like let men be masculine let women be feminine etc etc. the movie basically tries to create this metaphor via barbieland wherein the kens are the dismissed minority adjacent to what women are in the real world, in a satirical attempt to convey that feminism should not actually be about female dominance (what they purport barbie has come to represent) but about equality of the sexes and equality in the ability to pursue whatever you want to (hence a barbie does not have to conform to unattainable standards of success for women and a ken does not have to merely exist for the sake of barbie). which i will admit does have the potential to be a good message as far as liberal feminist movies will go, and there is a scene towards the end with barbie and ken where this is explained that happens to be one of two scenes i actually liked in the whole movie. but the problem is that the movie does an utterly shit job of actually building up to it, and it still ultimately sticks to and makes guiding posts of traditional notions of gender insofar as kens being masculine and barbies being feminine. the last few minutes of the movie involve barbie becoming a real woman bc she no longer wants to simply be an idea, so in her final scene she goes to a gynecologist bc she now has a vagina (something she did not have prior). and again like i'm not expecting a barbie movie of all things to have revolutionary takes on gender but i simply think the messaging is severely undermined when you're relying strictly on the gender binary to carry your storytelling. to the point that i believe all of the transphobic backlash to the movie is not only a consequence of people's own transphobia but also of the movie's inability to have anything but an utterly shallow take on feminism entrenched in the gender binary that merely believes we can learn by switching places with each other

and i mean on top of having shallow messaging it's simply.. not a well built movie lmao. the plot progression is haphazard and inconsistent due to an inability to flesh out either barbieland or the real world. america ferrera is the hero of the story bc her monologue about what women are expected to be by society is able to break the brainwashing spell over the barbies who have found themselves subservient to a ken takeover in barbieland once ken learns about patriarchy in the real world. but america ferrera is never actually developed as a character. we have one brief montage to indicate she has a poor relationship with her daughter bc she has always loved barbies whereas her daughter hasn't (the daughter also lectures barbie about how she's a fascist who encourages capitalism and consumerism. lol) but that relationship is never actually developed or dissected. we go from them seemingly not getting along to suddenly being the best of friends bc they go back to barbieland with barbie and decide to help her fix things and america's inspirational monologue brings her daughter around to barbie as a concept. it's just.. utterly silly. like not even in a good way silly, it's just stupid

and it frustrates me bc i do think there was a lot of potential to do something with the mother-daughter relationship esp considering its importance to the ending thesis of the movie in a scene between ruth handler and barbie (the other scene in the movie i actually enjoyed). like i would have been okay with a movie that acknowledged barbie was an influential media property for older women who had grown accustomed to nurturing baby dolls as children in preparation for motherhood, while acknowledging that barbie was no longer necessarily the same symbol of empowerment for modern generations of women bc of how the feminist movement has progressed and evolved. it's why i honestly think the movie should have been about the mother and daughter exclusively. like i don't even think barbieland should have existed nor barbies and kens been real characters bc it took away so much from conveying a message with even a drop of integrity. america's eventual monologue is so universal and lifeless and bland that it appeals exactly to the kind of crowd who are now making tiktoks and reels that the barbie movie is important for teaching people about feminism. like ok. sure. fuck you to intersectional feminism or anything grounded in the realities of anyone else other than white women whose only concern is not being able to conform to standards of success in the real world (and the ironic thing is the movie even makes an aside that margot robbie is the wrong person to cast to convey such a message, but like. what am i supposed to do with that. it accomplishes nothing)

i said as much on twt but i simply think there is no point to try to make a movie critiquing the scope of barbie when the answer is still ultimately barbie. a critique of barbie has to end in something other than barbie and when your movie is being produced by mattel that will never actually happen. which i do think can branch off into conversations about intellectual property and how creators are largely restricted from ever expanding upon properties they loved as children bc their ownership by media entities restricts creative output from the start (see: cape comics!). but i don't even think this is a matter of greta gerwig being restricted. she genuinely believes in this shtick bc she's always believed in it. her feminism starts and stops at white feminism and the smattered in visibility of minorities to feel like she is doing her part as an ally, when ultimately, she is doing nothing. lady bird and little women are not as offensive in this regard (albeit you may remember the latter movie has a very brief moment where marmy speaks to a nameless black woman as a moment of token recognition) bc their primary focus is not feminism and bc they are either constrained by autobiography or adaptation. it's great speaking either to what she knows or to what the author of a book knows. barbie is a movie about feminism, so it works best to reveal how utterly out of her depth greta gerwig is in that area as she tries to apply herself everywhere and fails. when people say it's better for straight white women to stick to what they know rather than rush to represent everyone in their work, they're right. there's no use in representing that which you will never live nor understand. and if people do identify with greta gerwig's brand of feminism, then i think it says a lot about how shallow their feminism actually is

#outbox

18 notes · View notes

stewyhosseini-bf · 11 months

Note

but why did they go through all that effort to cut Stewy out completely?? like not even have him in a background shot or next to the sandys?? it doesn’t make any sense im angry lol

Well based on what Arian has said about how stressful filming was for him for ep 9 and 10, as they shot that in January and February when they were already doing rehearsals or technical (? I think is what he said but I don’t know anything abt how theater works so idk if that is right) for A Doll’s House, he probably wasn’t there for those big shots simply because you wouldn’t necessarily see him anyway and he probably didn’t have the time. That would just be my guess, though.

Now as for why they cut him out at all … it obviously wasn’t for time, as, like I pointed out a while ago, the episode was 3 minutes shorter than what they originally put on the HBO schedule, which, I think, comes out like 3 weeks beforehand. One thing I could think of in terms of the story is the fact that they clearly wanted to portray Kendall as being alone and having no one in his corner (as both Rava and Jess leave him in the same episode) and maybe thought a (apparently LOVELY! according to Arian) kenstewy scene would undermine that feeling of desolation (I also have to think of how they cut out THE siblings playing cards scene in 2x10 even though it was a great scene according to most of the actors, because it didn’t fit into the episode, tonally).

Why they decided to do that so last-minute though - apparently less than 3 weeks before the episode aired and probably even later, because the social media team clearly hadn’t been notified either, since they posted a still of him the DAY of the episode - is a complete mystery to me.

And either way I’ll stay mad at them for it lol. We barely got any Stewy anyway and then to have them cut out one of his few scenes ………

#Jesse I can’t forgive you for this one I’m sorry #succession #stewy hosseini #ask

40 notes · View notes

waters-and-the-wilde · 1 year

Text

okay scenario. somewhere mid s3 the Carte Blanche ends up working with some of Buddy's criminal contacts/acquaintances who also take something of a specific and possibly impertinent interest in the Unnatural Disaster. their guy clocks Nureyev as 1.) the shady sixth ranger with the least amount of rapport with Jet, and 2.) a gossipy bitch (bc that was the gender he put on when he left the house that day) so they get him aside and try to get him to talk

nureyev’s is like. hmm. (juno is being mouthy to try to draw attention to himself. buddy has been a very particular kind of polite and pointed, and vespa is. playing with a knife and glaring. which to be fair she Does That but she's watching this guy and only lightly heckling juno and if nureyev is starting to suspect that they're maybe playing off each other a bit? and jet seems like he's just trying to vibe but he's definitely sticking even closer to rita than usual.

and then. oh he can tell the guy's trying to get him to talk about Jet, and sure he could just dissemble without a fuss but… he could also dissemble and make the other guy feel awkward about it)

nureyev: listen. i know what you're after. and i understand, truly. you want to know if it's true what they say about him, but you're too intimidated to ask outright.

contact: *shifts nervously*

nureyev: and of course, who could blame you? he's even more compelling in person, isn't he? the gravitas, the self-possession, the shoulders.

their contact: uhh. i mean you're not wrong.

nureyev: and he can cook.

contact: ...wait really? huh. you know he seems like a really good listener too.

nureyev: oh, absolutely. but i think it's only fair to warn you that you ought not to get your hopes up. because it's entirely true - he's just not interested. in anybody. devoted in his friendships, to be sure, but when it comes to all other affairs, you'll find him completely impervious. nothing personal. you could have just asked him, there'd be no harm in it, and i'm sure he'd let you down gently -

juno (wandering over to see what's up): could go either way, really. he put me in a dumpster and threatened to crush my head with the lid.

their contact: ...

nureyev (dear i am trying to make them feel bad about their assumptions about our friend and you are undermining the bit): compared to what other people have followed through on after meeting you, i'd say that only proves that he's a very paragon of restraint and circumspection. you do have a way about you, dearest beloved.

juno: you know if i had a cred for every time I had a crush on a master thief who put me in the garbage, i'd have... two creds, i guess.

nureyev (nostalgically): we both ended up in that garbage chute, didn't we?

juno: and I hated every second of it.

nureyev: I know dear you complained about it vociferously

*smooching*

their contact: ohh well that's a shame thanks for the heads up im just gonna - i think my hovercraft is on fire

nureyev (absentminded, still gazing into juno's eyes): bye-bye now

juno: i can cook too you know

nureyev: i know dear but we mustn’t let it get around, the last thing i need is another crime ring trying to sweep you off your feet

juno: i mean. wouldn’t they look at you first?

nureyev: my love. I can’t cook.

juno: oh yeah

(their contact's boss, later: so did you find anything out about what the Unnatural Disaster's up to now that he's back on the scene?

their contact: im sorry he's never gonna go out with you. the rumors are true he's like. completely aro-ace.

boss: oh.

contact: yeah

boss: are you sure

contact: no yeah. i thought maybe aurinko's son was just talking out his ass but their hacker backed it up.

contact: she was really nice actually. gave me a coupon for her favorite ice cream place.

contact: do. uh. do you wanna get ice cream with me.

boss: ...yeah that'd be nice.

boss: (later over ice cream) wait aurinko has a son??

contact: or whatever he’s adopted idk but he's super obnoxious

#jfc #this got away from me #i was not expecting the plot twist and i wrote the damn thing #the penumbra podcast #jet sikuliaq #peter nureyev #juno steel #i love my gay space crimes family #it’s real hiatus hours lads

52 notes · View notes

supercantaloupe · 11 months

Text

Magic Flute Thoughts

i liked nathalie stutzmann's conducting a lot more in this than i did for don giovanni. granted i am much less familiar with zauberflote than i am with don g so i'm not like hyper picky about tempi or whatever yet but anyway i liked her

flute soloist! glockenspiel soloist! FLUTE SOLOIST!!!

i just like lawrence brownlee man idk what to tell you. i think he's neat. i think he's singing something here in the winter and i'll definitely try to get tickets to that if so

i really liked erin morley as pamina! actually i thought all the main cast did a good job no one stuck out to me as being particularly Amazing or Bad. kathryn lewek got a HUGE applause (and standing o) tho and i mean kudos it was her fiftieth performance like damn.

interesting choice to play the queen as physically frail as she did; i think it works and the performance is very good, although the heavy age makeup sticks out a bit on hd cameras lol

the queen's three bitches. i'm free on friday (twirling hair)

also i hope those three kids who played the old men get to borrow their outfits again come october because they have the funniest possible halloween costume opportunity in the world now

VERY funny to me that papageno's costume makes him look like he's drenched in bird shit

okay speaking of costumes. do i 100% Get It with the like suits and colors and everything....not really but i don't think i can say that i Get a lot about this opera tbh. what i did get was the very obvious dark/light symbolism going on with pamina and tamino wearing white and the queen and her cronies wearing all black. and i think zauberflote does benefit from some heavy handed symbolism bc what else is this show about actually without that....then again the fact that sarastro and his priests or whatever are all in dark colors too kind of undermines that a little so 🤷‍♀️

same thing with the whole reason vs superstition thing too like...sure you can claim Truth And Reason as good all you want sarastro but the constant invocation of isis/osiris and Mysterious Rituals kind of undermine what you're going for there lol. i think my point is that i don't feel like i really Get what zauberflote is like...going for, thematically. i mean i get the Themes but not a clear Point. maybe if i was an enlightenment era freemason i'd get it lol but alas i am not

that said......i didn't go into this one expecting a rock solid plot and honestly who does....it's zauberflote....it is very obviously not designed to work or be interpreted on a literal level and i appreciate that it never tries to ground itself in reality. that its plot and characters exist in a completely fantastic realm works and it works with the weird plot and its vague theming.

which itself is of course accomplished through good design and holy SHIT. this is truly the shining strength of this production. the design is INCREDIBLE.

the orchestra isn't totally onstage but they are raised up in the pit to the point where they are fully visible the whole show. i love an onstage orchestra so this made me very happy. and it allowed for actor/orchestra interaction which i also love!! like tamino coming down into the pit to hand the eponymous magic flute to the flute soloist and bring him onstage with him (i was wondering during the overture why the flutes and oboes were swapped places seating wise -- it's so the flutist can easily get onstage! delight!!), or when papageno brings his glockenspiel to the percussion soloist to play (the player being 'missing' at his last solo, making papageno play by himself, and he enters late with a cup of coffee...lmaoo). also stutzmann giving a big ol grin and thumbs up to papageno during his duet with papagena at the end. so sweet

also blocking around the orchestra seating of the audience and up the aisles! so much fun we love immersive theater

the set itself had this big flat platform in the center hoisted at each corner by a cord so it could raise/lower/tilt in any direction. made for some very neat staging with levels and slants and i enjoyed that, especially since the production forgoes any kind of traditional set pieces

papageno's birds were done in such a beautiful way omg...they have an ensemble in black wandering around stage and following him about when he's doing stuff and they each have a 'bird' made of a folded in half piece of paper that they flutter about stylistically (some of the orchestra members have some too that they flutter during his entrance aria). description does not do it justice, this was a beautiful way to stage it...so simple and evocative.

the designer was saying in the interview between acts that this production was meant to combine the high and low tech aspects of theater to connect present performance practice with the opera as it was originally done (hence the visible orchestra) and i looove that philosophy. and it worked here really well i think

THE FOLEY AND PROJECTION ARTISTS. STARS OF THE SHOW. i am not joking

they get to be onstage (albeit off to the sides) the whole show too and i love it. i love that the cameras on the broadcast kept cutting to them periodically to show off their work.

the use of live projection art was really well done -- he managed to make Writing On A Chalkboard captivating!!

and the foley. the FOLEY!!! i've done sound design and a bit of live foley before so i have a soft spot but wooow she did an amazing job and it was SO much fun to see all the props she played with to make the scenes come alive sonically. plus her little interactions with papageno were very funny. give her a tony award

i do think there were a couple of small moments here and there that didn't entirely work for me or a scene or two that dragged out longer than necessary but overall it was a joy to watch. the beautiful and whimsical design of the whole thing totally makes it worthwhile even if the plot itself is a bit lacking.

easily THE coolest production design i've seen the met do yet, and the best lighting and projections from them for sure. when it comes on demand i am forcing anyone i can to watch it with me bc that SET! the LIGHTING! the SOUND! the STAGING! it ticks all my boxes it hits all my buttons it was MADE for ME SPECIFICALLY

#sasha speaks #sasha reviews #the magic flute #die zauberflöte #die zauberflote #if someone actually understands what the magic flute is supposed to be about feel free to enlighten me lol #i don't know exactly what i was SUPPOSED to get from that but the production was so fucking good i don't even care tbh #tldr: watch this if you're interested in theatrical design. go go do it now do it

15 notes · View notes