#but others prefer the term 'surprise adoption'.
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Seventy
Pairing: Bucky Barnes x fem!Reader
Summary: Bucky comes from a well respected family, he falls in love with a girl who prefers the simple things in life. Follow their journey through the years.
Word count: 3,104
Warnings: angst, heavy use of pet names. fluff. swearing. death (cancer)
A/N: No description of reader other than she has curly hair.
Masterlist Series Masterlist
In the fifteen years that has passed Bucky and Y/n became grandparents to a whopping eleven beautiful grandchildren. Each one of them being well and truly spoiled by their grandparents.
Georgia and Billy got married six months after they proposed to each other, two months later they found out they were having a baby. Natalia was born three weeks prematurely, though still tiny she was strong, always kicking her little legs out and had a set of lungs on her. Two years after Georgia gave birth to another baby girl naming her Scarlet after Billy’s favourite superhero character the Scarlet Witch.
Another two years go by and she gives birth to another baby girl named Aurora, or Rory as Y/n always calls her. Four years later Georgia rings her mom to say she’s pregnant again, the whole family getting a shock of a lifetime when they find out that she was pregnant with triplets. Two girls and a boy, Marya, Django and Rebecca, named after Wanda and Pietro’s parents and Bucky’s sister.
Jamie had three children with his now ex-wife, Nicole, though they divorced and she remarried they remained good friends and were amazing at co-parenting with each other. Ryder, Levi and Angel. Angel was born on Bucky’s birthday which he did not shut up about.
Stevie and his boyfriend Ryan had adopted a baby girl when she was a month old, she had the most brightest green eyes Y/n had ever seen. She was born with a cleft lip and her biological mother didn’t want her which was truly a shame as Quinn could melt anyone’s heart just by looking at them.
Sammy and his girlfriend Eva surprised everyone by announcing that she was pregnant, she had been told when she was younger that she was never going to be able to get pregnant which was something she had come to terms with, but she gave birth to a healthy baby boy who they named James, after Bucky and Eva’s dad.
Howard passed away in his sleep two years after Georgia got married. Y/n and Tony held his hands when he passed. He was buried with his one true love, Maria. With Grace on one side and on the other was George and Winnie.
Grace and Bunny’s Haven became successful, another two Havens in different locations had been build and were now being used by men and women. There were plans to build a fourth Haven but it had to be put on hold.
In a year they must have seen hundreds of faces and heard similar stories. No matter how many times she heard them it didn’t stop her heart from aching each time.
Bucky’s and Y/n’s marriage was just as strong as it had ever been, Steve mocked them once for being sickly sweet so Bucky grabbed Y/n by her hand and pulled her into him and kissed her, both putting on a little show for their friends. That was until Georgia was sick.
She was pregnant at the time.
That’s their defence anyway.
The love that they had for each other continued to grow as the years went on. He was still her Ducky and she was still his Bunny. Natalia once asked Y/n if Bunny was her real name and she had to explain that it was a nickname, then explained why her grandpa called her Bunny, the little girl smiled before running to tell Georgia that her grandmas real name wasn’t Bunny.
Two weeks before Y/n and Bucky celebrated their thirty ninth wedding anniversary Y/n started coughing up blood, Bucky rushed her straight to the hospital panic filling his veins the whole time he drove there.
After blood tests were done a doctor sat the couple down and told Y/n that she had cancer. It was terminal.
It took her back to when Maria had been told the same thing, and just like Maria she didn’t cry no she asked questions whilst Bucky held her hand tighter and tighter to the point where it was hurting her but she never once removed her hand away from his. She needed him. Needed him to help ground her.
Y/n begged Bucky not to tell anyone, at least not until after their anniversary which he hesitantly agreed.
They spent their anniversary at the cabin they had been renting for the past thirty nine years to celebrate the date they became one, through the whole week they were there Bucky cried, he couldn’t understand why it was her that had cancer, to him it wasn’t fair. It wasn’t fair that she out of all people had been diagnosed with cancer, it’s wasn’t fair after all her kindness and love she shared and gave to others that she was going to be dying a slow death.
He couldn’t understand how she remained so calm throughout her diagnosis and the week they were away.
“I’ve lived an amazing life Ducky, everything will be okay I promise” she told him as she held him in her arms, wiping his tears off his cheeks and kissing his forehead.
A week after finding out that she had terminal cancer she and Bucky sat their kids down, their hearts breaking at seeing and hearing the most important people to them crying, shaking their heads in denial, Y/n got up and grabbed a hold of her children squeezing them into her chest tight, telling them how much she loves each and every one of them. She couldn’t stress enough of how proud she was of them. Bucky joined in on the family hug, all six of them crumbling together on to the floor.
Telling the group plus Tony was difficult too, all of them in denial about what Y/n was telling them. Each of them couldn’t believe that the strongest one out of them all had been diagnosed with a vile disease such as cancer.
Even with getting chemotherapy to try and slow down the cancer she was becoming weaker not like it stopped her from doing her work at Grace and Bunny’s Haven. Bucky tried and failed to get her to slow down but she wouldn’t, couldn’t as she wanted to continue being there for those who came to her for help before she passed.
“Nanny sweetie” Y/n looked down to see Quinn staring up at her with those wide green eyes that she loved so much.
“You want a sweetie darling?”
“Yes pwease nanny”
“Who am I to say no to you huh? Go ahead and get one sweetheart”
“You spoil her too much you know mom” Stevie said as he came into the living room where she was.
“I know I do but look at them cheeks”
Stevie stood by the couch and stared down at his mom, his heart ached at seeing her looking weak, something he never thought he would ever see or say about his mom. To him she was the strongest person he had even known and possibly would ever know. It had been just over a year since her diagnosis and though she was getting chemotherapy it wasn’t doing much other than delay the inevitable.
Two months prior Y/n and Bucky celebrated their fortieth anniversary, their children planned and organised a party for them at their home. Family and friends were all there to celebrate the love and memories of their time together.
Y/n cried at the surprise and seeing all their loved ones all together, Bucky cried knowing it was the last anniversary they were going to celebrate.
“H-how are you feeling today mom?”
“I’m okay don’t worry about me pumpkin”
“Mom-“ he sighed softly he knew she was still putting up a front, still trying to keep up a positive outlook though all those around her could see her smile fading everyday. “How are you, really?”
“I-I’m scared of dying if I’m honest Stevie, b-but like I told your dad I’ve lived a great life so I’m okay with what’s happening”
Stevie sits next to his mom holding her hands as he started to struggle with keeping his tears at bay. The strongest person he knows had just told him that she was scared. He didn’t realise that he had tears falling from his eyes until Y/n reached out and wiped his cheeks.
“Oh don’t cry my dear boy, everything will be okay I just know it”
“B-but you’re going to die mom, your d-dying an-an-and I can’t do anything to s-stop it from happening” Stevie stuttered out, he was always the one out of the four siblings that wanted to help everyone and anyone, he always felt like he had failed somehow if he couldn’t help people.
“St-Stevie look at me- oh my sweet boy everything is going to be okay I promise. You can’t control this and neither can I but everything will be okay”
“B-but what do I do without you momma?”
“Live your life to the fullest, love until your heart and soul are content, make memories and for the love of god keep being yourself Stevie. And when things get tough just look up at the sky night or day and just know I’m looking down on you, even though I’m not going to be here physically doesn’t mean your getting away from me, alright?”
Stevie nods with tears running down his cheeks, hugging his mom tightly and promising her that he will do everything she told him too. They separate when Quinn comes stumbling over with chocolate all over her face, smiling widely not understanding the conversation between her dada and nanny.
A month after having that conversation with Stevie, Y/n took a turn for the worse. Bucky knew the end was near for his Bunny, when that realisation hit him he went to the toilet and puked up.
On Wednesday 20th August, Bucky stood from the doorway watching his wife, his one and true love, his Bunny sleeping in their bed, his coloured eyes went from her face to her chest to make sure it was still rising.
“Y-you watching me sleep Ducky?” Her soft voice whispered filling in the quiet room.
“Of course my sweet Bunny”
“Duck-“
“Not today baby please”
“I-I don’t think I have another d-day in me Duck”
“Pl-please Bun”
Y/n smiled weakly, slowly patting the bed for him to come over. Holding his hand she raised his hand to her lips where she placed a lingering kiss to his knuckles.
“I-I don’t want the kids being in the room when I go Ducky, please promise me that they won’t be here.”
“Why?”
“It’s not fair on them to see me go Ducky, so please promise me”
“I-I promise Bunny, I promise”
Hand in hand for about thirty minutes, Bucky slowly stood and stumbled downstairs to grab his phone. Ringing Georgia his voice shook as he told her that she needed to get everyone to the house so that they could say their goodbyes, leaning heavily against the counter his heart cracking when he could hear his oldest child breaking down on the other end of the phone, he could hear Billy’s voice cracking in the background as he tried to get their children ready.
Coming off the phone to Georgia he rang Jamie to tell him the same, he knew he was currently with the twins. He rang Tony, then Steve asking his longest friend if he could tell everyone else, he simply couldn’t have that conversation once again. Climbing the stairs and heading into their bedroom Bucky sighed a breath of relief when he noticed her chest still rising and falling, he let her know that everyone was on their way.
“Duck, have I ever told you how much I love you?”
“Every day for the past forty three years” Bucky admits with a smile.
“Thank you for the best years of my life James, you’ve al-always made me happy you know? You’re my world, my light, my better half my love, I’ve lived a life full of happiness and I’ve known true love because of you, so thank you Ducky”
Bucky makes no attempt to wipe the heavy stream of tears away, he tries to find the words to tell her how much she means to him but before he could find them the bedroom door opens revealing his greatest achievements.
Their children.
Bucky sits back and lets his children and best friends say their goodbyes in their own ways, his heart feeling heavier and heavier the longer they are there. He sits there with his hand in hers watching his Bunny smile at each member of their very large family, he knows that she accepted her fate the moment the doctor told her the news, he knows even though she’s scared of death and of the unknown that comes with it, scared of leaving her loved ones behind and of the thought of never seeing any of them again.
Despite the ending of her story coming to an end so soon she still keeps a smile on her lips, trying to show her family that it’s okay, it’s okay that she’s going to be going to sleep soon and never waking back up.
After an hour of being surrounded by the people who meant the world to her she gives Bucky a look silently telling him that it was time. Choking back a sob he tells his children and best friends that they needed to leave, each of them confused until Y/n speaks up and tells them that she doesn’t want any of them being there, each of them trying to protest - fear and the truth of what was happening making them stay in place, until Bucky gave them all a single look.
The family they created stumbled out of the room, holding on to each other. Before shutting the door behind him Tony took one last long at his baby sister, his heart breaking at the sight in front of him.
Bucky climbing into the bed next to his only love clinging to her like a lifeline.
“I love you Bunny, I love you so much Y/n thank you for everything. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be yours. I-I love you, I love you.” Bucky whispers as he sees the eyes belonging to the only woman who he’s ever loved purely and deeply, the woman who he watched give life four times, the woman who gave his life meaning. The woman who he’s loved since he was an innocent little child who didn’t really know the meaning of love, starting to flutter closed.
“I’ll be with you soon my love” he again whispers, so terrified to speak any louder as she would hear the way his voice cracks, he needed to be strong for her. He couldn’t let her down.
Georgia walked into the room with slow timid steps. Falling to her knees with a loud thud she releases a gut wrenching sob which has her brothers, uncles and aunts flinching and bowing their heads.
“Wh-when do we get to give nanny her birthday presents?” Rory asks innocently, completely unaware of why everyone was crying.
Standing in front of so many people, many she knew, many she didn’t. Georgia though her heart ached as she stood at the podium next to her mommas coffin she smiled. Smiled at seeing that so many people had come to say goodbye and pay their respect to her beautiful mom, smiled at seeing them all dressed in bright clothes. Georgia told everyone that she didn’t want anyone wearing black.
Georgia smiled at seeing all the people who had gone to Y/n to seek help had arrived at the church. The air got caught in her throat when she saw the four women and the first man who were the first people to arrive at Y/n’s sanctuary were all sitting together.
“My mom was the greatest woman I had ever met, strong and beautiful. Her heart knew no bounds, she always saw the good in people. My mom was my best friend, the person so many people could turn to for help or a shoulder to cry on o-or just someone to hold them. My mom is and will always be my hero. Her laugh was infectious and so was her smile, my mom would make jokes about things that weren’t really funny but she would laugh and you just couldn’t help but laugh along. She truly was an inspiration to me and too many others. Her love for my dad was beyond words, she loved him so deeply and wholeheartedly, so purely. I am beyond proud to say that I am the daughter of Y/n Barnes”
She looks towards Billy who nods slowly as to encourage her to continue. She wipes the tears from her eyes.
“My dad was incredible, funny, loving and one of the kindest men I had ever met. My dad was the reason why my mom was able to create Grace and Bunny’s Haven, he supported her every step of the way, supported strangers and friends. His love like my mom’s knew no bounds-“ the feeling of her throat drying and closing has her coughing lightly.
“I’m sorry. The love my dad had for my mom was so strong that everyone who knew or just saw them together could see how much he loved her, could see that my mom was his whole world. I am beyond proud to say that I am the daughter of James Barnes”
Looking sadly at her father’s coffin lying right next to her moms she breathes deeply. “On behalf of my family I would like to say thank you to all those that have come today, thank you for donating money towards Grace and Bunny’s Haven, thank you for your kind words and stories of how our parents touched your lives. Tha-thank you”
Steve watches his niece as she steps down from the podium, her hands shaking as she moved towards Billy who stood up and took her hand in his. “I’m so proud of you baby” he whispered into her ear. He smiled at the memory of Bucky doing the same to Y/n when she spoke at Maria’s funeral.
He looks at the two coffins lying there, knowing that his two best friends were in them, knowing that one died of cancer and the other of a broken heart, made his eyes sting with unshed tears.
Y/n passed away in the arms of her Ducky.
Bucky passed away with his arms around his Bunny.
And side by side they were buried next to their parents.
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A/N: I was listening to Elvis Presley Bridge Of Troubled Water and Always On My Mind writing their deaths…and when I say I was sobbing I mean I was s. o. b. b. i. n. g.
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#marvel#tw: cancer#marvel fanfiction#bucky barnes#bucky barns x y/n#Through The Years#bucky x reader#bucky barnes x reader#bucky x you#bucky barnes x you#bucky x y/n#Bucky Barnes series#James Barnes#Bucky Barnes angst#Bucky series#Bucky Barnes fluff#bucky barnes x y/n#James Barnes fluff#James Barnes x you#bucky barnes fanfiction#bucky barnes friends to lovers
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P.J.Hogan's 'Peter Pan' is still an underrated masterpiece 20 years later
Peter Pan is a live-action fantasy adventure film directed by P. J. Hogan that reimagines the classic story of Peter and Wendy. The screenplay was written by P. J. Hogan and Michael Goldenberg and was released in cinemas in December 2003. The screenplay is based on the 1904 play Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Upand the classic novel Peter Pan by J.M.Barrie, which was originally published under the title Peter and Wendy.
The film tells the story of a young Edwardian girl, Wendy Darling (Rachel Hurd-Wood) and her two younger brothers John and Michael. On the night she is told she must grow up, a wild, fairy-like boy called Peter Pan (Jeremy Sumpter) flies into her room with his high-maintenance fairy Tinkerbell. When he learns that she tells stories, he whisks Wendy and her two brothers away to a magical Island called Neverland — where you supposedly don’t “grow up” — so that she can mother his henchmen, the Lost Boys. There she fights pirates led by the evil Captain Hook (Jason Isaacs), meets mermaids, dances with fairies, falls in love and grows up.
I have strong family connections tied to Peter and Wendy and J.M.Barrie. My great, great uncle Nico was one of the sons of Sylvia Llewelyn Davies'. He and his other brothers "the Lost Boys" were adopted by J.M.Barrie; which ultimately inspired him to write Peter Pan. Nico’s daughter Laura — my cousin — who I met for the first time a few years ago, told me that she was flown to Australia for the filming of P.J. Hogan’s Peter Pan because she was J.M.Barrie’s goddaughter. She told me that she was thrilled with the cast, especially Jason Isaacs, who played Captain Hook and Mr Darling. She also mentioned that Jeremy Sumpter, who played Peter Pan, was a lovely boy. However, she said she was very surprised and sad that the film wasn’t a big success as she really liked what they did with the story. I have loved the fairytale of Peter Pan from a young age, and learning that I am literally part of the family that inspired the story was very exciting and I’ve only begun to internalise it more as I’ve grown older.
When I was in my mid-twenties, I was diagnosed with a high level of Autism. One of my main symptoms was labelled “ageless”, which in simple terms means that one half of me is still a child that I can’t mentally leave behind. I can’t do many things that most adults can do, such as pay bills, drive a car, look after my own well being etc. I flap my hands when I get excited. I bounce. I sometimes speak in a baby voice. I overcommit to things I enjoy. I admit that it was hard to come to terms with the diagnosis when I first received it. But over time, I’ve come to believe that the two can coexist in a healthy way. I believe that I am an adult who is able to develop and grow while still carrying the child within me, and that this is not seen as a bad thing. I think Peter and Wendy can be seen as a reflection of that.
I was first introduced to P.J. Hogan’s Peter Pan a few years after it was released (I was maybe nine or ten years old), and I absolutely loved it. It wasn’t only one of my favourite film adaptations, but one of my favourite movies of all time. What surprised me most about the film at that age was how dark and gruesome it was, and full of this underlying sexual tension that I hadn’t expected at all from Peter Pan. Even today, this film still has a special place in my heart. It is made with so much passion and love for the original text that I can automatically put myself back into the story. After watching the film again as an adult, I almost immediately opened my copy of Peter and Wendy and started reading. I would even go so far as to say that I prefer the film to the book. However, part of me wishes that the age rating had been set much higher, as the dark and gruesome moments were some of the strongest parts of the film adaptation. This is possibly why some critics and viewers had difficulty categorising the film at the time.
However, I often consider P.J.Hogan’s Peter Pan to be the same equivalent as Joe Wright’s Pride and Prejudice. (which came out a few years later in 2005, starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen). The film moves at the same dreamlike pace. It is light, dark, colourful and deeply romantic.
I also often prefer P.J.Hogan’s Peter Pan to the 1953 Disney Animation of the same name, even though it’s the version I grew up with and liked. I find it much less straightforward and innocent. Also, the 2003 film is much closer to the original source material, which I loved reading as a teenager, and to J.M.Barrie’s original vision. The film manages to reflect the same intellectual subtext and depth of the novel while retaining the whimsy and magic.
Magical Realism
Peter Pan was a perfect blend of fantasy and realism. A lot of media these days focus too much on “realism” and make their sets and CGI look bland and washed out. It’s a common myth these days that no one likes whimsy anymore; it’s somehow seen as too childish. As a result, much of the magic of fantasy is lost. But in this Peter Pan, a lot of colour was used in the set design and cinematography. Everything was so brightly and colourfully lit. Most fantasy films these days, including the new live-action adaptation of Peter Pan and Wendy on Disney+, are all so gloomy and dark. You almost have to light up the screen to make out the actors’ facial expressions or what’s happening in the scene. But this film understands that a viewer who watches fantasy wants to be swept away, but also wants a certain amount of believability. Although the film contained a good amount of darkness, it did not shy away from being cartoonish either (which I think was partly inspired by the Disney animation), i.e. characters blushing or bouncing on the clouds.
The design of Neverland was breathtaking. I think the CGI, although criticised by some, made the island and creatures look more dreamy and fairytale-like. It was a good combination of CGI for the landscapes and real backdrops for the jungle, so there was enough magic and believability to transport the viewer into the story. A bright colour palette was used for the landscapes, while down-to-earth colours such as browns and greens were used on the ground, such as in “The Lost Boys Hide” under the tree, to give a sense of realism. The costume department also reflected this, from the majestic reds and blacks of the pirates, to the earthly colours of blue and red for the Native Americans, to the natural greens and browns of the Lost boys. I noticed that the colours in Neverland were used as a contrast to the Edwardian London back home, which is realistic but dull compared to the island.
One aspect I liked was that the lighting on Neverland always changed depending on the mood of the scene- unlike the naturalistic lighting on Earth. It was almost as if the island was a living being. For example, when there was a fight on the ship, the lighting was red. When Peter took Wendy to the mermaids, who were scary and frightening, the lighting was dark and blue. This created a surrealistic atmosphere, almost like a fever dream or a kind of nightmare.
Sometimes the environment changed depending on Peter Pan’s mood in the respective scene. I particularly liked how Peter Pan influenced the weather on Neverland. Just his mere presence when he flew to the island changed the entire atmosphere in an instant. His feelings also determined whether it was summer or winter. In other words, its suggested in the film that the longer he has been there, the more the island has become a part of him, so that he can no longer leave it. It’s almost as if the island has transformed him into a magical being.
The exuberant musical score by James Newton Howard: I’ll never forget that. I think that was one of the first movies I saw where I actively noticed the music because it was so brilliant. Even today, the “Flying” soundtrack still gives me goosebumps. It perfectly encapsulates the whimsy, joy and imagination of Peter and Wendy. I loved that there were always different variations. One of my favourite pieces from the movie is ‘Fairy Dance’, which starts off cheerfully and moves up and down depending on the characters’ conflict/what they’re saying in the scene.
Cast
The cast of this film adaptation was magnificent. The look of all the actors not only matched the book description, but also the mood, especially with the Darling family. One of the standouts was Olivia Williams as Mrs Darling. She captured the gentleness of the character perfectly. I also loved the new addition of Aunt Millicent, played by Lynn Redgrave. She fitted into the story so well that I was surprised not to find her in the novel. She had the perfect amount of ridiculousness and hilarity that suited J.M.Barrie’s style.
One particular member of the cast we can probably all agree on that was perfect, was Jason Isaacs, who played both Wendy’s father Mr Darling and Captain Hook. He was certainly a star in this film for sure. I just can not think of anyone who could play him better, especially in a live-action film adaptation. He was particularly good in the role of Captain Hook. When I first saw the film as a child, I did not know that Captain Hook and Mr Darling were played by the same person until my dad pointed it out to me because he was so good. I loved how they portrayed Wendy’s dad as shy and reserved, as opposed to Captain Hook who was flamboyant and sinister. Mirror versions of each other in different realities — that’s a common theme throughout the film. As Captain Hook, Jason Isaacs perfectly captured the essence of viciousness, deviousness and brutality that was necessary for the character. But also the deep loneliness and frustration behind it all. I have seen a quote that was supposedly cut from the film (and never should have been) that provides so much context for his hatred of Peter Pan:
“Imagine a lion in a cage and into that cage flies a butterfly. If the lion was free, it would pay no heed to such creature. But the lion is not free…and so the butterfly drives him slowly insane.” — Captain Hook
They did a really good job of showing how Peter Pan and Captain Hook are mirror images of each other. Peter Pan is a child who secretly wants to be an adult, while Captain Hook is an adult who secretly wants to be a child. Both fight each other for different reasons, but the goal is the same. For example, there is a great scene towards the end where Captain Hook uses his wits to defeat Peter in a fight. Here it becomes clear that there is deep symbolism for the inevitability of adulthood and the loss of childhood. Jason Isaacs really showed off his acting talent here. I liked that he wasn’t portrayed as a “dumb villain”, which he easily could have been.
There were also some great performances among the adults. Most notable was Richard Briers as the ‘pirate’’ Smee. But the child actors, especially the lost boys, really held the movie together. Their solid performances made it so believable that the island was ruled by children. I loved Theodore Chester as Slightly. He was very charming and funny in that role.
Another member of the cast I thought was brilliant was Carsen Grey, an indigenous actress of Haida descent, who played Princess Tiger Lily. I liked that they let her speak her ancestral language, Mohican, in this film. Although this film came out in the early 2000s, it is the only version of Peter and Wendy in which Native Americans are neither erased nor white-washed even though the representation is far from great. Considering how they’re treated in the novel, it’s perhaps for the best overall that they limited some of their scenes. However, I liked how firey she was in this adaptation and not the damsel in distress she was portrayed as in the Disney animation. I think it was a wise decision to cut the infatuation she had with Peter Pan, as it was really just one line in the book that would have added unnecessary drama, and all in all, it would have fallen short if all the female characters were jealous of each other.
They also downplayed Tinkerbell’s jealousy in this regard, portraying it more as her trying to protect Peter Pan’s youth from romantic advances, as hinted at in the novel, and also being sad that Wendy is attracting all of Peter Pan’s attention. Ludivine Sagnier has, in my opinion, succeeded well in making Tinkerbell equally repulsive and endearing, as befits the character.
Wendy Darling
Rachel Hurd-Wood was the perfect cast for the role of Wendy Darling.I was actually surprised to learn that this was her first film role ever, because she was a natural. She effortlessly possessed the same caring nature and charm that makes Wendy so endearing. She is exactly how I imagine the character when I read the story. When people talk about Peter and Wendy, they always mention Tinkerbell, Pan or Hook, but personally I am always drawn to Wendy. She is the real heroine of the story. After all, she was the main reason for Peter to bring her and her brothers to Neverland.
What always amazes me about Wendy’s role in the story is the fact that Wendy literally doesn’t spend much time being a “child” in the time she spends in Neverland. When she’s not escaping death at the hands of mermaids or pirates, she acts as a mother to the ‘lost boys’ and her brothers. She asks herself what she really wants from life. In comparison, she was allowed to behave more like a child at home in Edwardian London. Neverland is not a place where you never grow up. It’s the place where she chooses to grow up. Many people have described Neverland as a manifestation of Wendy’s subconscious as a result of trauma, and I’ve never found that to be more true in this adaptation.
One of the reasons why I think P.J. Hogan’s Peter Pan is the best adaptation of the novel is the fact that the film revolves around Wendy’s coming of age. I loved that they expanded on her love of storytelling and also gave her a tomboyish streak. Instead of just being on the sidelines, she’s able to get involved and fight pirates while retaining many of her feminine traits such as her maternal instincts and romantic feelings for Peter. She makes mistakes and sometimes gets dragged into things she knows she shouldn’t do. But in the end, she triumphs.
In many film adaptations of Peter and Wendy that I have seen, Wendy is either only present in passing or not at all. Characters like Peter Pan, Captain Hook and Tinkerbell always take centre stage, which I think is a strange decision as they are part of Wendy’s story and not the other way around. Peter Pan is meant to metaphorically represent the childhood she does not want to give up (which is why the character is always played by a woman in the original play, as he is a mirror image of Wendy). And Captain Hook (J.M.Barrie also wanted him to be played by the same actor as Mr Darling) represents the dark side of her father, or rather what she imagines adulthood to be. This is particularly emphasised in this film adaptation because he is an important factor in her being told to grow up. The father, the concept of adulthood, and Peter Pan, her childhood, are at constant war with each other.
“You’re not supposed to be like Peter, who kept every good and bad aspect of being a child and can’t tell right from wrong. You’re not supposed to be Hook, either. He let go of everything childish and loving about him and became bitter and evil..You’re supposed to fall in the middle, to hold onto the things about childhood that make it beautiful — the wonder, the imagination, the innocence — while still growing up and learning morality and responsibility. You’re not supposed to be Hook. You’re not supposed to be Peter Pan. You’re supposed to be Wendy Darling.” — @maybe-this-time
The 2023 film Peter Pan and Wendy took a different approach, by making Wendy a kind of powerhouse who always saved the day and outshone Peter Pan overall. In my opinion, the 2003 film adaptation emphasised very well that Wendy really is the yin and yang. She's allowed to be romantic, be rescued by others and at the same time determine her own destiny and stand up for herself. Because that’s what her journey in the adaptation is all about. She is pressured by all the adults in her life to grow up. She allows herself to be seduced with the prospect of an eternal childhood by Peter Pan. Then she realises that it is not self-fulfilling. She is tempted by Captain Hook with the concept of adulthood. And finally, she finds a balance between these two extremes on her own terms. By the end of the film, Wendy has made her peace with growing up while still remaining a child at heart. That requires a certain mental strength that we should all strive for.
Peter Pan and Wendy Darling
In most adaptations of Peter and Wendy, such as Hook and Syfy’s Neverland, the focus is on the title character Peter. In the more recent film adaptation Peter Pan and Wendy, the focus is on Wendy. This film adaptation of Peter and Wendy, on the other hand, sticks more closely to the original source material, as the story focuses on Peter and Wendy’s relationship. This is perhaps the reason why I always hesitate when I watch other adaptations, because these two characters are supposed to go together. It’s definitely a relationship that can be portrayed in all sorts of ways because they are symbolically the same person.
Although there is no romance between Peter and Wendy in either the original novel or the play, Wendy quickly develops romantic feelings for Peter which, as a prepubescent child, he does not consciously reciprocate as he has no concept of love other than that of a mother’s. Although Peter cares deeply for her, he ultimately only longs for her to be the maternal figure that is missing in his life. One could go into the symbolism that Peter and Wendy are one and the same, and that this is an expression of Wendy learning to love herself. But in a literal sense, J.M.Barrie had unintentionally created this very strong potential between the two characters. And I personally feel if your'e going to make an adaptation of Peter and Wendy that potential needs to be explored in some way, even if it’s not necessarily romantic.
Hogan recognised this potential and developed the romantic elements, e.g. ‘the “thimble” from the novel, into a very real and tangible plot. In other adaptations, Peter and Wendy’s relationship is rather one-sided. But in P.J. Hogan’s film adaptation, however, it is not at all. Over the course of the film, Peter and Wendy fall deeply in love with each other.
Rachel Hurd-Wood and Jeremy Sumpter had a remarkable on-screen chemistry for young actors, which helped give the adaptation its own identity. Whenever they interacted on screen as Peter and Wendy, it was — like the glittering pixie dust of Tinkerbell — simply magical. The off-screen chemistry between the two definitely helped make the romance so believable as well. When I was younger, I didn’t like romantic subplots in family films. I personally found that they clogged up the main plot because the “romance” tended to be very one-dimensional- but Peter and Wendy in the 2003 film version were simply enchanting.
In the original novel, J.M.Barrie alludes to the possibility of a romance between the two. In the film adaptation, they go all out. Their love story was written so beautifully and profoundly, while staying true to the original text and J.M.Barrie’s themes. This made the conflict hinted at in the novel of “staying in Neverland with Peter or growing up on Earth with Wendy” even more poignant and relevant, because in reality there was only ever one option. They couldn’t find a way to have both. That made the ending even more “heartbreaking” for me as a child, because even though they had the chance to be happy together, she couldn’t give up on growing up to stay. And he couldn’t give up being a child to leave, even though it was a natural progression for him.
Peter Pan
Jeremy Sumpter delivered a fantastic performance as Peter Pan. Not only did he perfectly match the illustrations, but he also managed to perfectly capture the essence of the charismatic, mischievous little boy from the novel. What’s more, of all the versions I have seen so far, he is by far the most accurate, right down to the clothes made of skeleton leaves, the dirty fingernails, the feral mannerisms, the traumatised soul behind the charm and the downright creepy insinuations. By today’s standards, you could almost take Peter Pan for a grown man who consciously decides not to behave like this.
However, when I watch the film again as an adult, I can now understand why he has reservations about growing up in Edwardian England and would rather remain a “child” in Neverland forever. As Peter says in the film, “Would they send me to school? And then to an office?” I feel like most of us today have so many choices as we get older, but back then it was much more limited. The choices were very restricted in that “heterosexist” environment. You could only be a certain thing, and it was much harder to hold on to the pleasures of life. I can now also understand the initial reactions of Michael and John to Peter: He must have seemed scandalous to people at the time. His bright colours, his inappropriate clothing and his behaviour are repulsive to the boys, but Wendy is immediately fascinated and attracted. I think it was a deliberate choice that he is the only character with an American accent to set him apart from the rest of the cast; to emphasise the wildness of the character and his non-conformity to the people of Edwardian London.
Another small aspect I liked was the suggestion that the Lost Boys, although they lived with Peter and obeyed his commands, lived in constant fear of him and did not worship him as in other adaptations. (A fear that is justified as Peter tries to kill them more than once in the film). What the 2003 film adaptation captured perfectly about Peter's character was: how terrible of a person he really is. Peter Pan is a hero when he goes on adventures and fights pirates. You could argue — via the quote “Leave Hook to me” (which Peter says to her in the film) — that Peter is Wendy’s split self who can fight her father (Captain Hook) for her, just like antibodies do with germs when we can’t handle them ourselves.
However, when it comes to understanding emotions, caring about others, even his henchmen, the Lost Boys, and doing anything that inconveniences him, Peter Pan is possibly as bad as Captain Hook. This makes Wendy’s decision to leave him all the more powerful. Although she was initially seduced by his adventurous life, she soon realises that his “life” of joy and adventure is not fulfilling at all. Because in reality, there is no real joy. There is no real adventure. In reality, his life is empty because it is not earned. In addition, she realises that she is gradually losing her memory of the outside world, including her parents - a sign that she is “slowly awakening from the dream”. This leads Wendy to realise that she wants more than what he can give her in Neverland (e.g. romantic love) and decides to leave. Being alive means feeling, accepting and growing. However, as long as Peter remains a boy, he can never truly be alive. Peter Pan conveyed this important message, whereas earlier film adaptations, including the Disney animation, did not.
One of the reasons why good adaptations of Peter and Wendy are so hard to come by, especially in this day and age, is not only because they adapt a performative story that exists in layers of subtext. They also work with a protagonist who doesn’t change. Who doesn’t develop in any way, neither negatively nor positively. Not even just physically, but also mentally. (Even Eli from Let the Right One In, the child vampire, changes in the course of the story). At the end of day, Peter Pan is ultimately there to serve someone else’s story. It works in a fairy tale format. But it doesn’t usually translate very well to the screen because it often leads to one-dimensional storytelling. Even if it seems so natural, it doesn’t come naturally.
However, this adaptation allows Peter Pan to grow. The writers expanded on the small aspect from the book, which is the moment when Wendy enters Peter’s life; he begins to feel emotions. Not just love. But anger. Fear. Sadness. Pain. Disgust. And above all: self-awareness. Almost like a version of puberty in condensed time, as if the change suddenly caught up with his body. When Wendy brings this up, Peter immediately rejects it out of fear. I think most of us can all relate to this when we were in the midst of growing into a young adult. We experience feelings that are scary and new, that we can’t yet fully understand or even want to. For Peter Pan, falling in love is exactly what he is afraid of: growing up and no longer being a child. This adds to an interesting conflict that arises between the two when she asks him to leave with her.
“The thing about Peter Pan is, he’s a coward. Had the chance of a lifetime and he bottled it. Just fucked off back to Neverland. All alone, forever he was, by his own hand. Poor old Wendy, she had to grow old without him.” — Skins, 6x07 “Alo”
In the original novel, the reason Wendy can’t take Peter Pan with her (apart from the fact that he refuses to grow up) is the same reason Lyra in His Dark Materials can’t take Pan — the animal manifestation of her soul — on the boat to the land of the dead. She has to split in order to grow up and leave a part of herself behind. She can’t keep both in order to move on. But that does not mean I always agree with the ending either. In which Peter remains a child and takes Wendy’s future descendants to Neverland and back to look after him. It leaves an icky aftertaste, but at least it fits in with the story J.M. Barrie wanted to tell.
Even though the adaptation conveys the same message, that Peter Pan is the manifestation of Wendy’s youth, even to the end. In this version of Peter Pan, that is no longer the case. By the end of the film, the way he holds himself is different. The way he looks wistfully through the open window and solemnly says, “To live would be an awfully big adventure,” : a sign of self-awareness, while Wendy happily reunites with her family. So much so that Tinkerbell has to pull him by the hair to stop him from joining them and reconsidering his decision. Peter is now old enough to know that he loves Wendy. Maybe he’s also mature enough to know what he’s missing, but he knows he can’t have her the way he wants, so he does the most selfless thing he’s ever done in the whole film by letting her go.
There is no such conflict at the end of the 1953 Disney animated film. Peter Pan is described by Wendy as “wonderful”. In reality, everyone else gets their happy ending, except him, because he deliberately chooses not to. Peter Pan very much turns himself into a tragic figure because he is afraid of the most natural thing in the world. He is afraid of life. And I feel like this version of the story knew that and expressed it strongly, which makes me conflicted now as an adult. I’ve seen endings like this before, where two people fall in love but do not end up together because they grow apart or they are both interested in different things, and it’s very important to reach those points in different ways. It very much reflects real life and is also reminiscent of first love. How that love never really fades. It reminds you of simple times, even when you’ve grown up and moved on. That a part of you is still at that age when you look back on it. These endings happen because people grow — which Peter Pan does not.
“Peter in the books lives in oblivious tragedy. He may suspect that he’s not fully happy, but he tends to forget about it… yet this Peter doesn’t… Wendy leaving him and growing up to be a wife of another man is his unhappy thought…It’s the loss of innocence since Peter could not forget this…It’s the process of growing up…all but confirms that Peter’s character arc in the film is one of accepting the fact he too must grow up to be happy.” — @rex-shadao
And I think that’s the real reason why his character is both the strongest and the weakest part of the adaptation. The writers didn’t make it clear enough that Peter Pan forgets in their version of the character. In the novel, Peter Pan forgets everything automatically, which is why he can exist in this limbo of childhood and not go mad. However, as mentioned earlier, this version of Peter Pan is old enough to remember and, more importantly, to feel. Even though he is the closest to J.M. Barrie’s original vision, unlike his counterpart in the book, he is capable of evolving. That’s why the ending sometimes feels strange to me as an adult.
It was hard to say why I had a strange feeling at first, but I realised that a lot of my mixed feelings stemmed from having seen the film adaptation fresh after reading the novel. Since Peter Pan fully reciprocates Wendy’s love in this version, he ends up being a different character than in the book, which is why I now disagree with them keeping the original ending instead of having him grow up with Wendy. It would symbolise that childhood can co-exist with adulthood, that you don’t have to leave a part of yourself behind. That you can be your true and complete self if you find the balance between the two extremes.
The original ending still works however, in all its bittersweetness. I know what it means and understand what it stands for. Wendy basically says goodbye to her childhood and promises never to forget it. There’s a reason it made such an impression on me when I was younger. It could just be because I’m trying to pick up all the pieces of my broken heart from the floor. But personally, as an adult, I just find it weaker compared to the novel. Sometimes I like to imagine an ending to this version of the story where Peter Pan comes back, having quickly realised that he has outgrown Neverland, but doesn’t meet Wendy again until they are both much older, at a time when Wendy is coming to terms with womanhood and the idea of marriage. Or she even meets his real earth counterpart (if we were to delve into the psychology of Neverland being Wendy’s dream). And their relationship is subjected to the natural test of time and growth.
Peter Pan is an almost perfect adaptation. It matches the humour, the tone and the vision of J.M.Barrie. But I can certainly understand why the film didn’t do so well at the box office. In the month it was released, there was an unfair amount of competition, namely the film Lord of the Rings — The Return of the King. And as an adult, I can now understand why it’s not the film people think of or remember when it comes to Peter Pan adaptations. And it’s not just because it doesn’t fit the elfish, jolly trickster persona that Disney has created.
The film adaptation suffers more from what it doesn’t do — such as maintaining a stable tone and consistent editing — than from what it does. It’s one of those films that would have benefited from being much longer. That way, the inconsistent tone and some of the rushed parts of the adaptation would be much more balanced. It feels like it was missing an extra twenty minutes. For example, the film is narrated by an older version of Wendy, but without the deleted ending where it becomes properly clear that it’s her telling the story to tie everything together, the ending feels a little abrupt. Say what you will about Tim Burton’s adaptation of the Series of Unfortunate Events, but the audience could see where the film’s narration was coming from the whole time. I think if they knew the alternate ending wasn’t going to work (that scene is a classic example of something working well in the novel but not in the film), they should have removed the narrator altogether with the deleted ending and adjusted the film accordingly. They should have extended some scenes so that parts of the film weren’t rushed, such as the introduction, and the story would have been left more up to interpretation as there was no voiceover throughout.
Despite its weaknesses, P.J.Hogan’s Peter Pan is still an underrated masterpiece 20 years later. It is an irresistible film that captivates and warms the heart. The film adaptation has certainly stood the test of time, staying true to the original while adding its own flavour to the story. It is full of magic, wonder and heart. It was clearly made by people who loved the origins of the story and explored where they came from, while also digging deep into the text to reshape the character arcs in a fresh and meaningful way. They succeed in capturing J.M.Barrie’s original message, which is that growing up is a natural progression of life, but that doesn’t mean leaving childhood behind entirely. That it is important to maintain a healthy balance between the two: Taking responsibility while appreciating the joys of life. From the vibrant colour palette to the goosebump-inducing music to the solid performances and gorgeous chemistry between Jeremy Sumpter and Rachel Hurd-Wood, my love for this adaptation will never end, no matter how old I am.
#peter pan#peter pan 2003#jason isaacs#jeremy sumpter#rachel hurd wood#peter and wendy#j.m barrie#peter x wendy#wendy darling#analysis#tinkerbell#captain hook#disney#peter pan and wendy#disney +#hook#James Newton Howard#olivia williams#novel#classic literature#filmmaking#film#cinema#culture#movie review#darling pan#finding neverland#film review#peter pan (2003)#peter pan live action
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Hey Hey~ just wanted to say I love your blog!! Please keep it up 💖💖 I just wanted to ask, how many children would the Diasomnia bois have with their s/o. I saw you did one for Savanclaw. Please and thank you!!
Lilia Vanrouge:
How many children Lilia has is highly dependent on if you really want to have one yourself or not. He would prefer to not have any of his own, he was more into the adopting wayward children who really needed him business, and he had a fulfilling life raising a few other children already. But he could never deny you your happiness and he wouldn’t be a bad father, quite the contrary considering all the experience he already had.
Malleus Draconia:
Malleus has one child, a son. He was raised as a successor from the very start, expectations thrust upon him since birth that he had never asked for. It’s a stressful way to live but he was also surrounded by endless love, Malleus’ body guards and his own ragtag bunch of friends (that are pretty much considered family). They can have a complicated relationship later on as every Draconia has to go through an angsty period of coming to terms with living longer than all those around them, but with their father having some experience with that specific type of grief, his son has an easier time dealing with it.
Sebek Zigvolt:
Sebek has a legacy to carry on, taking great pride in serving under Malleus and wanting his child to feel the same. He has a son that has the same serious demeanor to him, almost appearing as mini-me. Sebek was strict with him while growing up as he knew there were many stressful situations that he’d have to be put in to be a good bodyguard, but he’s actually quite spoiled by Malleus whenever Sebek isn’t looking. His son also has a deep respect for his fathers strength in morals.
Silver:
Silver hadn't thought about it much but he thinks he'd like that normal fairytale family. One boy, one girl, living together out in a cottage with a peaceful life. He doesn't know why such an image brings this overwhelming sadness and longing to him but when he finally receives it, he realized the stability helped him feel more at ease. He went through a great deal when losing his father figure but he assured he was never forgotten, surprised by the shocked look on his childrens faces when he recalls all the things he once went through as a child raised by a fae.
#Lilia Vanrouge#Malleus Draconia#Sebek Zigvolt#Silver#Twisted Wonderland#TWST#Twisted Wonderland Imagines#TWST Imagines#TWST x Reader#Twisted Wonderland x Reader#TWST Silver#Lilia Vanrouge x Reader#Malleus Draconia x Reader#Sebek Zigvolt x Reader#Silver x Reader
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Batfamily Cooking Headcanons
I was thinkin about it, so have some Batfamily cooking headcanons. They are as detailed as I could get them and in age order. I also included Steph and Barbara, even though they aren't in the main seven.
Alfred - The family cook and the best cook in the family. He distrusts American processed foods because he knows that many of the more chemical ingedients have been banned in Europe, but he deals (and gets as much food imported from Europe as is practical).
Bruce - Has a very mismatched set of cooking skills. He can sort of cook... on a camping stove or a campfire. He can cook beans and boil water. However, he cannot use an oven, nor a microwave, and his knowledge of spice or baking is nonexistant.
Barbara - Can cook. She knows the basics as she learned growing up, so she didn't have to buy takeout every time her dad was working late. Her dad would've been fine with the takeout, however as she became Batgirl, she became very aware of the nutrition needed for vigilante and decided to learn instead. Admittedly, she fell into using microwaves a bit more as Oracle, especially before her flat was adapted, but once her kitchen was adapted, she was relieved to go back to cooking properly as she hadn't realised how much cooking was a hobby for her until it was blocked by inaccessibility.
Dick - Can cook. He has the basics down, as Alfred forced him to learn how to boil an egg and put something in the oven, and a few learned recipes, some learned from his early childhood. He takes comfort in cooking for other people, especially when it's a recipe he learned because he grew up with it. However, if he's on his own and doesn't have anyone to cook for, he is not cooking. He'd rather have something microwaved or some cereal, and he is the king of nutriotionally balanced cereal.
Jason - Second best cook in the family. He spent a lot of time in the kitchen with Alfred between being adopted and dying and most of that time was learning how to cook creatively. Even if he can't be bothered to cook, there are probably leftovers in his fridge. He had some skills before then from having to cook for his mom, but when he started learning from Alfred he was pleasantly surprised to find he enjoyed the process, so it became more of a hobby than a survival skill.
Cass - Queen of snacks. She can cook, don't get me wrong, because Alfred taught her, but she much prefers snacking throughout the day. She often learns new recipes for more variety in her snacking, because sometimes it's nice to have an onigiri instead of a sandwich or put together a really nice charcuterie board with homemade butter. Her snackboards are usually also great for her to eat while training or dancing because it isn't too much and can sometimes remind her she's human, not a weapon, when she gets in her head.
Steph - Can cook. She knows how to make a healthy and cheap balanced meal, but the most she goes beyond is for sweet treats. For her cooking was a survival skill, especially after her dad was finally in jail. Baking and desserts, on the other hand, she enjoys making. She often bakes for friends, family, and herself, and sometimes learns new recipes to try with Cass. While she was pregnant, especially in the late term, baking simple things like cupcakes was one of the hobbies she still felt like she had the energy to do and helped take her mind off of it, even though she had to sit while stirring.
Tim - Can cook. He knows how to make a healthy balanced meal, he lived alone long enough as a teen to know. However, he cannot go beyond that. Alfred tried to teach him a couple of times in the early days of Robin, but it simply didn't go in and after a few too many faraway looks after he burned something he decided that maybe it was time to stop trying. He, canonically, has the worst taste of the family though, so no one asks him to cook anyway.
Duke - Can cook. His parents taught him basic cooking skills and he enjoys going beyond and playing with spices. He's a bit nervous of joining Alfred in the kitchen as first, but eventually he learns that most of the others have found similar solace in spending time cooking with him, so he starts to join too. He also happens to have a cookbook his parents had stashed in their kitchen, even if they didn't use it while they were still at home, so he sometimes spends time learning the recipes from that.
Damian - Has a very mismatched set of cooking skills. Similarly to his dad, Damian learned a very strange set of cooking skills. He cannot use an oven or a microwave but he can appreciate Alfred's kettle for its practicality in a tea-centric household. He can, however, make a relatively simple meal on a camping stove, beyond what Bruce can make on a camping stove. He does occasionally allow Alfred or one of the other cooking-competant family members to teach him a skill every now and then though.
#batfamily#batman#bruce wayne#robin#nightwing#dick grayson#red hood#jason todd#alfred pennyworth#barbara gordon#batgirl#oracle#cassandra cain#black bat#orphan#stephanie brown#spoiler#tim drake#red robin#duke thomas#signal#damian wayne#headcanon#dc universe#dc#dc comics#cooking#food
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No need to reply to this publicly or at all.
Ko-fi is another option for monetization. It offers the monthly subscription type that Patreon does, but with the bonus of allowing people to pay manually instead of subscribing and seeing the stuff for 30 days.
You can also be directly donated to (and Ko-fi by default does not take a cut from donations). There's a shop, and that could be used for adoptables for example. If you have physical products you'd have to handle sending those yourself, though.
Ko-fi does have Discord integration if that's something you'd want to do.
They're actively developing, polls being added somewhere in the relatively near future.
PLS IGNORE IF YOU'RE NOT INTO BUSINESS AND WORK TALK, below the cut
THANK YOU FOR THE INSIGHT TYSM. i have a ko.fi page set up! at first i was just using it for small commissions and mini adopts BUT YEAH IT'S.. LOVELY
i'll be using it alongside patreon more or less as a tip jar (ofc i'll still be working on commissions and ychs and adopts and stuff as primary income. we on that disabled adult GRIND!!!!) where i'll offer early access and some behind the scenes things! just optional if people wanna tip and enjoy some discounts, extra art/get things early!
i'm surprised how many people have a large preference for patreon tho! i guess i kind of get it bc a lot of artists are on it and they can just follow whoever they like, BUT AAAH.. ko.fi's a lot cozier and less.. Sterile
in terms of discord, i've always wanted to open one for good vibes, art things, helping other artists out and stUFF AND THINGS but it's been really hard to justify- OR EVEN FIND THE TIME TO- moderate and dedicate actual honest attention to it while i'm scrambling to do other.. workish things and social burnout. THAT SAID, if i ever get enough members/patrons that show interest or even want that, i'll probably open up a discord where i offer redlines/help/space for people to share, etcetc. and i won't feel like i'm dicking around at that point bc it's a community thing!
OVERALL THO, i've come to find ko.fi is a better place for selling anything and offering discounts on said items. IT'S ACTUALLY REALLY INTUITIVE
FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO OPEN A LITTLE ADOPT OR COMMISSION SHOP, seriously consider Ko.fi. it also just has a rly nice friendly, warmer vibe!
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Hello! Would you kindly considering making a “All About Taurus” post? 🌺
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Hello Siren! I see no problem, I love when people wants more of a series that I started by myself... I feel like at least there's someone interested. So here we go! Kisses from the Sea!
₊˚ପ⊹ Peace seekers – Taurus people are inherently drawn to peace and tranquility. They yearn for moments of serenity and often seek to create a harmonious environment around them. Conflict and disturbances can disrupt their sense of calm, so they prefer to avoid confrontations and maintain their own peaceful corner.
₊˚ପ⊹ Independent and entrepreneurial – Taurus possess a strong sense of direction and are driven to achieve financial stability on their own terms. They have a direct approach to their goals and are willing to put in the necessary effort to succeed. Their determination and practicality make them natural entrepreneurs who strive for personal and financial independence.
₊˚ପ⊹ Great advisors - they have a grounded and realistic perspective on life. They can offer practical advice to others, particularly to those who are seeking guidance. Their down-to-earth nature allows them to see through illusions and provide honest insights, making them valuable advisors. Pisces and Cancer individuals, who are often dreamers, may appreciate the practicality and realism that Taurus brings to the table (our sweet trine).
₊˚ପ⊹ Attracted to trust and stability – Trust and stability hold great importance for Taurus individuals in their relationships. They seek genuine connections with people who are committed to supporting one another's growth. They value reliable and loyal companionship, as they thrive in an environment where trust and stability are present.
₊˚ପ⊹ Impatience with waiting – While Taurus have a strong relationship with their own sense of time and pace, they can become impatient when waiting for others. They value their own schedules and dislike wasting time. Waiting for decisions or the arrival of others can be frustrating for them, as they prefer efficiency and promptness.
₊˚ପ⊹ Defensive when attacked – The symbol of the bull represents Taurus' nature when feeling threatened. They are known to adopt a defensive stance and may even launch a direct attack when they perceive a threat. Taurus people are fiercely protective of themselves and their loved ones, and they will go to great lengths to remove any obstacles or enemies that come their way.
₊˚ପ⊹ Directness in communication – They are known for their practicality, which extends to their communication style. They prefer to express themselves clearly and concisely, aiming to convey their message effectively with minimal misunderstandings. They appreciate good communication skills in others, as it allows for smooth and efficient interactions.
₊˚ପ⊹ Extreme stubbornness – Taurus people are often renowned for their stubbornness. While they may exhibit flexibility in certain aspects of their lives to maintain harmony, they generally have a strong determination and steadfastness in their beliefs and decisions. Their unwavering nature can be attributed to their fixed earth sign quality.
₊˚ପ⊹ Dedication to loved ones – When Taurus develop deep connections with others, they exhibit unwavering devotion. They are willing to go to great lengths and overcome challenges to support and uplift those they care about. Taurus people find joy in nurturing their loved ones and often express their affection through quality time and thoughtful gestures.
₊˚ପ⊹ Desire for safety – They thrive on stability and predictability. They prefer to plan and organize their lives meticulously, disliking surprises or unexpected changes. Taurus individuals find comfort in having a sense of security, and sudden deviations from their plans can provoke frustration and anger.
₊˚ପ⊹ Realistic and responsible – Taurus people have a strong connection to reality and tend to approach situations with a practical mindset. They are known for their grounded nature and may even display a more pessimistic outlook at times due to their focus on realism. They take their responsibilities seriously and often prioritize stability and practicality over idealistic notions.
₊˚ପ⊹ Resilience and perseverance – They possess an inherent toughness and resilience. Regardless of how many times they face setbacks, they have the ability to rise above challenges and continue striving for their goals. Some Taurus adapt and create new plans to achieve their objectives, while others may persist in pursuing the same path due to their strong determination.
₊˚ପ⊹ Loyalty – Building trust with Taurus individuals can be a gradual process. Once they feel secure and confident in a relationship, they demonstrate unwavering loyalty. They expect the same level of commitment and faithfulness from those they hold dear. They deeply value trust and loyalty in their connections and cherish relationships where these qualities are reciprocated.
₊˚ପ⊹Intuition for deception – Taurus people possess a keen sixth sense when it comes to detecting falsehoods or nonsensical statements. They have an innate ability to sense when someone is being deceptive or dishonest, which stems from their heightened intuition. They value honesty and authenticity, and they may become wary or distant when they sense deception in others.
₊˚ପ⊹ Love rooted in trust – They approach love cautiously and require a strong foundation of trust before fully surrendering to their emotions. They are not inclined towards love at first sight and tend to take their time to develop deep and meaningful connections. They prefer a gradual progression in relationships, engaging in conversations, discovering shared interests, and savoring the romance with a touch of sophistication.
₊˚ପ⊹ Reaction to betrayal – Betrayal can deeply affect Taurus individuals, and they often go through a period of emotional turmoil when faced with such situations. They can experience a prolonged period of sadness and find it challenging to move on from the pain of betrayal. They take loyalty and trust seriously, and breaches in these areas can have a significant impact on their emotional well-being.
₊˚ପ⊹ Frustration with indecision – Taurus people tend to be decisive and appreciate clear and direct communication. They have little patience for those who are indecisive or sit on the fence. They heprefer straightforwardness and dislike the ambiguity that comes with indecision, as it can impede progress and hinder efficiency.
₊˚ପ⊹ Appreciation for sophistication – Ruled by Venus, the planet of love and beauty, Taurus people have a natural inclination towards comfort, beauty, and elegance. They seek out aesthetically pleasing environments and appreciate refined experiences. They have a refined taste and often gravitate towards sophisticated and luxurious elements in various aspects of their lives.
₊˚ପ⊹ Timeless romantics – Taurus individuals approach romance with a measured pace, savoring the process of getting to know their partners step by step. They enjoy engaging in conversations, exploring common interests, and allowing love to unfold gradually. They appreciate a touch of subtlety and sophistication in their romantic endeavors, often finding overt displays of affection overwhelming or excessive.
(CC) AstroJulia Some Rights Reserved
#astrojulia#astrology#witchblr#astroblr#all about astrology#astro community#astro observations#astrology notes#witch community#astrology basics#me jumping a lot of signs for a siren ask? yes#taurus#taurus stellium#taurus sun#taurus moon#taurus rising
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Yandere ask game Alfred for Osiris, Ra, Ullr, and Xerberus please!
Gladly. The yandere alphabet: Yandere Alphabet: Gods & Goddesses.
Yandere America - Fortress
Osiris - How much would you entering their life change their lifestyle? How would they deal with abrupt life changes (accidents, sickness, ect)?
Alfred likes to tell himself that you entering his life hasn't changed his lifestyle nor him as a person. However, that would be him lying to himself. That is him desperately trying to convince himself that he is in total control of the situation, that you making pretty eyes to another person doesn't cause him to drown in jealous rage. That you leaning against him, stroking his chest and muttering that he is your hero doesn't make his confidence shoot up, doesn't cause him to preen.
In the end, he is human, all too human, and not some infallible boy king. Like any boy, he wants to impress you so badly. Given the opportunity, he'll carry you around like a princess, play sugar daddy and spend abhorrent amounts of money on shopping sprees for you and play tribute to your hobbies. While he wants you to conform to his way of life and views and morals, he finds himself adopting some of your’s unwittingly. Depending on the overall situation, this can be for better or for worse.
In terms of accidents or sickness - it probably means that you are out of commission for your usual role as his plaything, and consequently, he feels a gaping hole.
Whereas before his peer and governmental staff often remarked how calm and even tempered he has become (thanks to your presence in his life soothing over his rough edges) the people around him remark on how agitated and irritable he has become. Every now and then, he rushes to your side, full of concern, because in contrast to him, you are so fragile, so in need of protection. He blames himself for not being a better warden to you, and vows to do better. Of course, if that whole matter wasn’t intentional on his part.
Ra - Would they stalk you? How closely would you be watched while under their care?
Oh yes, Alfred will stalk you. It is an itch that he has to scratch. In the dark corners of his mind, justifications ring on how this stalking isn't a bad thing, that he is doing it for your own good. And stalking is such an ugly word, he prefers to call what he is doing "intelligence gathering". It just sounds more professional and legal that way. After all, he isn't some serial killer that is looking for the oppotune moment to slither into your humble abode and torture you. No, he is doing this to learn how to take care of you. The beginning of a relationship is all about getting to know each other, to learn what the other's likes and dislikes are. This is just him being overzealous.
Besides, you're just such a fascinating subject person to study. Can you really fault him that he finds it so cute how you struggle to keep your life in order, to do sport regularly, eat healthy and pay your bills? Watching you is better than watching TV, in his mind. Alfred will diligently take notes on your behaviour, consider what things may become a problem and how to counter them. And also, your secrets. In the beginning, he'll be all for giving pleasant surprises, and thus warm you up to a relationship. Of course, as his possessiveness grows and the need to isolate you establishes itself, the surprises will grow more nasty.
Later on, he uses his stalking methods to ensure you are honest with him - are you really going to that party as you said you would, or are you taking a "detour"? Are you obeying his rules, keeping to the media that is safe for you, not talking to unfriendly faces? It would also serve as a form of entertainment for him, to watch to undress and pleasure yourself. America is such a voyeur in a way.
Ullr - How would they deal with competition? How do they deal with threats in general?
Not well at all. Of course, that also depends on his mood on that particular day. If he is harried and stressed, his patience already stretched thin because you're just so disobedient that day, then it will be a gory mess. Perhaps he wouldn't even care if the crime scene spells murder, perhaps he'll go as far as to make it look like a sucide or an accident.
If he is feeling better, he'll just shoo them away through raw intimidation, giving them either the Johnson treatment or being flat out threatening. He isn't the sort to go easy, not even on his allies, and might just threaten to stop the money flow. Else, if the devious opponent is persistent, he'll be more decisive.
Cocaine, or even just the wrong type of entertainment material placed amongst that person's belongings and then miraculously discovered during an investigation. Then off to jail with them. This course of action has the benefit of sullying the image you have of them. Should he be feeling malicious, then he'll pull some strings so that the competition ends up being designated a prison bitch. Then, should they ever come out, they'll be too broken to take revenge.
If it is another personification that he is dealing with, then he'll have to be more cautious. Of course, he can just kill them, but they will just reanimate and then matters will be awkward. Sanctions? Slander? Framing? Any of these can work.
Alfred is all about presentation, so if he states something confidently and often enough, everybody that matters will believe him, so he is only really bared by the limits of his imagination and time. At least, that is how he sees it. Also, he just has to be the nummer 1 - in his view, in that of the world, and especially in yours. When he is suddenly degraded to second place, or god forbid, lower than that, then he becomes upset, and you don't want him upset. Thus, even the perceived threat of being usurped is sometimes enough to set him off.
Xerberus - How protective would they be of you? And of themselves? Are they guarded in personality?
The metaphor of a dragon guarding its treasure comes to mind. You see, in total, it doesn't really matter to him if you are traumatised through his actions, as long as you can still function. Connected to that, your quality of life and overall contentment only matters to him insofar as it concerns or affects him.
While he does dream of domestic bliss, but overall, he is solely concerned with his dreams and desires and not yours. If anything, you should help him reach fulfilment. So he is only protective of you due to the role you play in his life, and not because of your value as an individuell. In a way, you are to serve him, just that he won't let you leave. Therefore, the relationship to you is really a famicile - he doesn't innately trust you and problems are just swept under the rug. Alfred wants the fairy tale romance but doesn't want to do any of the gritty work that comes with holding such a bond together.
America is more than ready to labour in order to woo you, but once that is done, it is supposed to be "And then they lived happily ever after". And then you are supposed to be a perfect couple, no more questions asked, no more work done. Similarly, he doesn't take well when somebody disturbs this "happily ever after" or plays the antagonist in this tale. Though, he might be the antagonist here, with his Mother Gothel tendencies
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3.59 Things are a changing
Sophia was an incredible gift. Despite knowing I still needed to heal, she excused me and accepted my feeble substitute for "I love you." Still, I felt compelled to give her something in return. She claimed not to mind that I didn't say it back, but who wouldn't want to hear those words? It almost felt obligatory to reciprocate when someone expressed their love. Although I couldn't utter those three words yet, there was one thing I wasn't afraid to do. I earnestly wanted her to be a part of every aspect of my life beyond our cozy little bubble in Oasis Springs.
"How would you feel about meeting my dad? Is that too much too soon?"
She gasped, and her entire face lit up.
"Really? Are you sure?"
"Positive. You're important to me, and so is he. I want you to know each other. Plus, he already knows about us and was very instrumental in getting me to this place."
"I would love to meet your dad! Your mom too!"
I groaned, and she frowned.
"You don't want me to meet her?"
"Of course I do. I want you to meet everybody. But Mama? She's gonna act up."
Sophia laughed so loud it startled me. I wasn't trying to be funny, but...well, at least one of us found my mom's behavior amusing.
"Luca! Don't talk about your mother like that."
"What? I'm serious! She's gonna meddle and start planning our wedding and pester us about babies! Are you ready for that? Because I'm sure not."
She hesitated, opening and closing her mouth as if to weigh her words.
"If I said yes, would that be a problem for you?"
Once again, I was like a deer in headlights, frozen, mind blank, flabbergasted. I guess it shouldn't have surprised me she'd be ready for the next phase right now. She's had more life experience than me and was more mentally and emotionally mature than I. And she was doubly sure about us. It all made sense. I guess I was just hoping she'd be on my side on this one.
"...Oh...well...uhhh...no...of course it's not a problem. I just, uhhh... My mind isn't there yet. Does that bother you?"
She sighed.
"I know you're going through things, and I want you to heal and grow past them so we can be the best versions of ourselves together. I don't want to take that away from you or rush you through it..."
I sensed a very huge but incoming.
"But just remember...I'm older than you. Marriage and family are things I've been looking forward to for a while. And as a woman, I don't have all the time in the world to have children like you do, and I'd prefer to start a family while I'm still young. So, yeah, I want to support your journey, and I won't rush you, but at a certain point, I'm not gonna be able to wait any longer."
I sighed and slid back onto the couch. It wasn't because I didn't like her answer, but because I had so much more to consider now. I had my own stuff to work through and other sims to think about. And half of them didn't even exist yet. We would need a bigger house soon, but I was no closer to stabilizing our financial future. I would figure it all out, of course, but this journey through manhood was getting bumpy, and I had only just begun. My simple life of ease was definitely over.
I needed time to process everything and come to terms with my own readiness for such commitments. The ball was in my court, and until I was ready, there was nothing more to discuss. With those considerations weighing on me, I decided to shift the conversation to a lighter topic.
"So like...I know this is an extremely weird and random place to interject this, but how do you feel about dogs?"
She gasped, and again, her face lit up.
"Do you want to adopt?? I've seriously been thinking about that all summer!"
"No way! Me too! I really got used to having Tofu around, and I missed her a lot when I moved in with my dad. Mama had dogs when they met, and I brought Tofu to his house once. He didn't seem to mind her, but he wasn't overly excited about her either, so I never bothered asking him if we could get a dog."
"Well, I definitely want to!"
"Cool. Let's have dinner with him tomorrow. Then, whenever you have time, we can look at the adoption site."
"It's a date!"
Life was changing. And fast. I couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and apprehension. Even without the struggles I faced, life was just plain scary all by itself. The unknown was like a creepy basement. You could look down the stairs into the darkness all you wanted, but there was no way to find out if there really was a monster down there without taking the first step. I was so lucky to have Sophia in my life, taking those steps right along with me.
#ISBI challenge#sims 4 story#sims 4 gameplay#adolting#adolting gen 3#luca winston murillo#sophia aguilar
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Around-The-Clock Shadows
Platonic Yandere ROTTMNT x Reader
Info: This will be a full-length fic including multiple ROTTMNT characters, the main storyline revolves around the Mad Dogs
Fic Summary: You sure are likeable, aren't you?
《Directory》
Chapter 4: An Itty-Bitty Shock
Characters: Raph, Leo, Donnie, Mikey, Kendra, Jase, Jeremy
A/N: Apologies that this chapter is so short!! I was in a hurry to get last week's out on Thursday, so I had to hurry it along. This is all the stuff I wanted to add in chapter 3, plus a little extra. I promise next week's will be longer!
If you want to be added to a taglist, just say the word! If you want to draw fanart or make anything based off of this, I would be literally honored. Please don't be shy, I will love whatever you make! If you have any questions about the fic, feel free to ask!
TW: Kidnapping, Stalking, toxic relationships, emotional manipulation
I do not condone any of the behaviors found or done in this fic. This story is purely for entertainment purposes. If you or someone you know is being treated like this, please contact the authorities.
Chapter Summary: You process your situation, and the Purple Dragons begin to look for you
Word Count: 1045
☆~☆~☆
"Home?" A pit formed in your stomach, "What do you mean?"
"I'll handle this, Raph," Donatello said, stepping between the oldest brother and you. Raph shot him an annoyed look, "I'm the oldest, I can handle it!" The two turtles squabbled amoung themselves, with Mikey gazing upon with a concerned look on his face. Just as it looked he was about to intervene, Leo suddenly pushed Donatello aside to be the one you faced, his eyes half-closed and all six of his fingers intertwined, “You see, we’ve decided that you’re our new sibling, and so we also decided to-”
“You kidnapped me?!”
Leo, and thus, the rest of the brothers, jumped at your reaction to his words, for it was the most emotion and noise you had shown and made since you had woken up. Leo grinned with a hint of nervousness, but only a hint. “‘Kidnap’ is such an ugly word, you know! We prefer the term 'surprise adoption!'" His grin spread, though you didn’t know what there was to smile about in the situation. “I want to go home. Let me go home.” A waver had entered your voice. The position you found yourself in was so overwhelming, you could barely force yourself to talk coherently, using all of your willpower to keep yourself from babbling.
Leo tilted his head to the side, slightly, his eyes half-closing again. “I thought you heard? This is your new home, silly head!” That sentence proved to be a mistake when your bottom lip started to quiver, and your eyes became slick with tears that threatened to spill down your cheeks. “And this is why we wanted to break it to them slowly, ‘Nardo. Now look at what you did.” Donatello gestured to you, the three brothers glaring at him. Leo looked offended at the negativity directed at him. “They’re fine! Just look at them!” He shot back as you started to sob in despair and fear.
"Oh, yes. They're the very image of contentedness right now," Don snarked at his older brother, his hands on his hips. "Both of you! Stop it!" Raph said, his voice raised, "Neither of you are helping!" You and the other brothers flinched at his loud voice and sharp tone, the agressiveness prompting you to cry even harder. The brothers stopped their squabbling to look concernedly at your tears, before reaching out to comfort you.
Donatello produced a box of tissues seemingly out of nowhere, which Mikey took from him and started to dry your tears. "There, there..." He cooed, "Nobody is mad at you. Everyone is just a little tense, because this is something new for all of us," He turned his head to his brothers, still wiping your face, "Right, guys?"
They all agreed with him in a hurry, some looking more unenthusiastic to do so than others. Mikey smiled, "See? Everything is alright," he unintentionally lied. Not knowing what else to do, you nodded.
☆~☆~☆
You wringed your hands together, staring at the floor from your spot on the edge of "your" bed as you wondered if you would be able to ever see the sun again. You didn't want to leave the room you woke up in just yet. Thank God a bathroom was attached. Who knows what other things waited for you out there? You had obviously never been there before, and the thought of getting lost in the underground bunker of a bunch of turtle creatures (Who had kidnapped you because they decided that you were their new sibling one day) made your throat go dry and your skin crawl.
Thuds and the sound of shouting from out in the hall snapped you from your reflections. The door suddenly burst open, with Leo nearly tripping over himself to scramble inside, the door slamming behind him. He threw himself on the bed next to you, holding out a paper plate with a slice of pizza sitting atop like a queen on her throne. "Here you go!" He cheerfully said, his hands outstretched. You took the plate gingerly, never taking your eyes off Leo. He grinned from ear to ear and flopped down on his back with his elbows supporting him from the shoulders up so he could still look at you, the back of his head leaning on one of the stuffed animals. "What's up?" He said, his grin widening to the point where it nearly reached his ears, "We got pizza to celebrate your arrival. We can't have a family dinner tonight, though. Sorry about that. The others are busy," He really didn't look sorry at all, with his mischevious smile.
"Go on, eat it. I promise it's not poisonous or anything like that." You held the slice up to your lips, your mouth flooding with saliva at the arouma of cheese and tomato. You had to stop yourself from wolfing the entire thing down after one bite, having not eaten since the night prior. Out of your sight, Leo had an extremely smug look on his face at your hunger.
☆~☆~☆
Kendra typed away at her laptop, Jeremy and Jase doing the same with theirs on either side of her. She scrolled down to the footage of the traffuc cameras up until the afternoon before, when they had given you a ride home. She was way beyond irritated. First, the tracker she had put on you got thrown in a washing machine, and then you hadn't shown up to school that day or answered any of her texts. She only saw the missing poster on her way home from school. Kendra knew it was unlikely for you to run away, at least without telling one of them. She would get to the bottom of this.
She and the boys reviewed the traffic footage for any sign of you. They had no luck until Jase gasped. "What, Jase? What did you find?" Kendra snatched his laptop and pushed him to the side, settling it down and her lap and pushing the rewind button. Jase got up and watched it with her, Jeremy also setting aside his laptop and viewing the footage. Their eyes widened as the feed cut out late in the night, and only reappeared 10 minutes later.
☆~☆~☆
A/N: Sorry if any writing is subpar!! I really had to rush to get this out on time, because I took a three-day long break because I was so burnt out after my writer's block.
Taglist <3:
@yanteetle @averagerottmntsimp @ssak-i @oleander-nin @whyiseveryonesodamnfinetho @writelikenobody
#yandere#yandere rottmnt#yandere tmnt#yandere teenage mutant ninja turtles#yandere rise of the teenage mutant ninja turtles#yandere tmnt 2018#yandere kendra rottmnt#yandere jason rottmnt#yandere jeremy rottmnt#yandere purple dragons#yandere purple dragons rottmnt#yandere donnie#yandere donatello#yandere leo#yandere leonardo#yandere raph#yandere raphael#yandere mikey#yandere michaelangelo#yandere rottmnt donnie#yandere rottmnt leo#yandere rottmnt raph#yandere rotttmnt mikey#platonic yandere#platonic yandere rottmnt
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I am in a predicament involving the Baby!Loscar. I am between having them be turned into babies and being adopted as babies. So I am taking input and putting in a poll. The poll is not the final decision maker but rather a way for me to see what’s popular. If you have input or suggestions please send them my way!!!
I probably should’ve figured this out beforehand but I did not. 😅
Turned into a baby
Pro:
Already established relationships between all parties. Alex and George already know Logan. Lando and Carlos already have established habits with Oscar. Oscar and Logan already have an established friendship and a budding crush.
Everyone from the drivers to the team get a surprise and are scrambling on how to address this to the media.
Lot of first-time parent anxiety. Alex, George, Lando, and Carlos are not ready for to take care of children but right now, they don’t really have a choice.
Con:
Time frame I can write for is quite limited because at some point they have to turn back. They are still driving for F1 and will have to turn back at some point. Also, Logan and Oscar are 4 months apart and in terms of child development, 4 months is a lot.
There is less focus on taking care of them as babies compared to waiting for them to turn back. People will find the babies cute but they are also waiting for them to turn back so things can go back to normal so there isn’t a lot of time for fluff.
Have to address how media and their actual families would take it. The media will absolutely notice if 2 rookie drivers suddenly disappear. Oscar and Logan also already have parents which might make the whole situation difficult.
Adopted as babies
Pro:
Established couples with a baby thrown in. Galex and Carlando’s relationships are established and they willingly/ semi-willingly chose to adopt a baby.
Cute watching parents trying to balance their job with their babies who will eventually walk in their footsteps. They travel and have full-time jobs as drivers and are struggling how to fit a baby into the mix. Also allows for Teams and Drivers to step in and help. Logan and Oscar get a lot of uncles.
Also first-time parent anxiety. Sure they chose to adopt a baby but they are also first-time parents trying their best. Their anxiety is just different then if they were suddenly told to adopt a baby.
Con:
Lots of deviation from current day since the timeline will be a bit off
Since they are babies, some of their behaviors may deviate from present day. Logan gets a lot of parental support and he isn’t as much of an outsider in F1 because of his family.
The relationship between Logan and Oscar are not pre-established but rather something that is built through proximity and early childhood friendship and possibly, fate. (Maybe a con for some, may not be a con for others.)
If you have suggestions, input, or comments, please sent them my way. I would love to hear what you think.❤️ If you have any questions, just send an ask or a comment and I will happily answer them.
#galex#f1 rpf#f1 rpf fic#alex albon#george russell#logan sargeant#carlando#carlos sainz#lando norris#oscar piastri#Baby!Loscar
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Deuce Info Compilation part 5: Epel
Like most students Deuce judges Epel by appearances and assumed he was a girl the first time he saw Epel, back in Book 1. He also makes assumptions about Epel coming from “a real rich family” (untrue).
In a PE vignette he assumes that Epel would like flowers embroidered on his clothes (Epel: “I actually don’t like floral patterns.”)
When they discuss customizing their PE uniforms with dragons and tigers Deuce is surprised, saying, “I had no idea our tastes were so similar. I’m glad we got to talking today” and “I never imagined you had a hot-blooded streak too!”
(The embroidered dragons and tigers might be a reference to vintage yankee fashion. In the guide book Yana says that Deuce will sometimes make “expressions where you can see the yankee influence”, so this was definitely intentional. For the curious: Yana is not saying that Deuce appears “American”.
The Japanese-language-term “yankee” is for a kind of subculture, the word adopted by kids/adults who want to look intimidating, prioritize having a good time over what other people think and rebel against the system in general. The term is probably from the American word “yankee” originally, possibly imported with post-war G.I. culture, but by now it is very much it’s own, independent thing (a great example of wasei-eigo (和製英語,) adopted English words that get assigned new meanings in Japanese.)
Yankee aesthetics have evolved over the years, with the clothes described by Deuce and Epel being kind of old fashioned by now. Yankees are also big on motorcycles, possibly tying in to Deuce and Epel’s love of blastcycles.
Yankees turn up a lot in pop culture as a phenomenon with which everyone is familiar, with ‘Tokyo Revengers’ possibly being the most obvious example at the moment. With that comment from Yana in the guide book and Deuce’s reference to how he used to bleach his hair (natural hair colors are often required by Japanese companies, so if you are a Yankee with naturally black hair rebelling against society , you go in the opposite direction by bleaching it blonde), it is very likely that Deuce was a Twst-equivalent of a yankee before being accepted to NRC and deciding to rebrand himself.)
We learn that Deuce also owns a hot pink leopard print clothing item of some kind, so that seems to be his preferred aesthetic.
Deuce and Epel technically meet for the first time at the end of Book 4 when they physically run into each other, but don’t introduce themselves to one another until Book 5.
In Book 5 Grim asks why Deuce keeps getting involved in arguments between Vil and Epel and Deuce explains, “I’ve seen something in Epel ever since we ran into him by the courtyard well. I think…he and I are a lot alike…It’s about wanting to change, but not being able to…”
Ace also comments that the two are similar (“I think on the inside, Epel’s basically like Deuce”).
Rook gives him a pep talk about having a power that only he possesses, and Deuce borrows a blastcycle to take Epel to a beach for a cathartic scream. This is the point where Deuce finally realizes that, while he’d had Epel “pegged as a quiet, timid guy”, he was very wrong.
He follows up with “I bet nobody in this school has you beat in the cuteness department!”, however, still not fully understanding Epel’s position.
It is common for Deuce to defend his friends at a moment’s notice, and this applies to Epel as well: a group of unnamed and unseen strangers grab at Epel on the beach, mistaking him for a girl, and Deuce insists on taking responsibility for removing Epel from the safety of the school by handling the situation on his own.
We also see Deuce protecting Epel during the New Year’s event and Phantom Bride.
The two also have a great interaction during New Year's where Deuce teaches Epel how to take the best advantage of Sam's sale and Epel invites Deuce to visit his hometown of Harveston to help the village with its apple sales.
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[D&D PLAYTEST] Pleasant surprise: 5.5 is actually getting good! And in combat I can FINALLY do something more exciting than "hit it again"
So this was my biggest issue with 5e: when I play a character who's good at hitting things, as opposed to flinging spells at things, I want to do cool shit! I love tactical combat, and I can't stand it when "I hit it again" is the only option of a martial character. Everyone should have options, but especially the Rogue. (I'm biased, yes, but the Rogue is conceptually the one class that fights dirty.) And disappointingly, not even the Swashbuckler got manoeuvres in 5e. For everyone other than Battle Masters and monks with Stunning Strike, our only options in 2014 were a measly Shove / Grapple / Disarm IN PLACE of an attack (for many of us, our only attack), and that was WITH optional DMG features. And Tasha's additions were only a marginal improvement.
You couldn't impose conditions with an attack, which, from a simulation aspect, is just silly. Any two-bit caster could do the craziest shit with spells, but an epic level martial couldn't even say "I hit 'em so hard or so deftly that they got a headache". For the most part, they could only say "I hit it again" and deal damage. And I hate that. It's boring. I even had an unfinished homebrew project of Called Shots, where you could spend a resource to do interesting shit with your attacks (give 'em disadvantage, make 'em dazed, reduce speed, that sort of thing). For Rogues, that resource was Sneak Attack dice. And guess what! In the latest version of the 5.5 playtest, WE GET THAT!
Can I get a fuck yeah, and also a fucking finally.
It's not an automatic win button, and that's good! I don't want win buttons (that's also boring), I want options. Cunning Strike is situationally useful, and that's ideal: if it's always good, you'd do it every time (so why isn't it a standard rule?), and if it's always bad, you'd never do it (so why does it exist at all?). If it's potentially good, depending on the situation, it means I get to THINK what I'm gonna do on my turn, and that's such a joy.
For years now, the only combat decisions my Rogues made in 5e were about movement/positioning, and how to get advantage. And co-ordinating with the others, which always happens, I mean it's a group game. But I had very little to contribute in that department other than flanking, I usually just waited for THEM to help ME to get advantage or something.
With this feature (which I'll be stealing as is, regardless of what happens to the playtest, or if I'm gonna adopt 5.5 as a whole or not), I can set up moves for others, I can impose conditions, so many things. Plus, it's customisable. Now that this basic framework is in place, anyone can fiddle with it and come up with new effects that fit their game and style. (I am NOT in favour of perfect rulesets that cover all bases, needs, and preferences, since that's an impossible and silly thing to ask. I am in favour of solid frameworks, that can be easily tweaked and built upon.) So I am ecstatic. I don't have to hit it again every time! Holy shit!
This is not a blanket endorsement of "One D&D" (I'll keep calling it 5.5, thankyouverymuch). It's still a work in progress, I haven't even read all of it in yet, and I do have issues with it, big and small. (And if my favourite class was the Monk, I'd be thumbs down right now: this one needs a lot of work, oof.) But with Weapon Mastery rules (another interesting development for martial characters), and better feats, and with this enormous improvement, I feel that some of the fundamental problems I had with 5e get... kinda solved. The new Rogue simply KICKS ASS. The whole class, not just Cunning Strike, it's a huge improvement. [Go read it, here's the PDF link.]
It's not overpowered, mind you. In terms of damage output it still lags behind Fighters and Barbarians and whathaveyou (which I'm perfectly okay with: Rogues are experts and skillmonkeys, they got stuff to do out of combat, meanwhile Barbarians have ONE JOB so they better be scary good at it), and full casters still slay. It just does cool shit, and I ask you: why do we even bother with the fuckton of combat rules in D&D if not to do cool shit?
See treantmonk's video below for a nice breakdown of the new Rogue. It's a few months old, and a couple of things have been revised since then: there's no "Arcane" spell list any more, so the Arcane Trickster presumably reverts to the Wizard spell list, and the Weapon Mastery rules are slightly different now. But they're very minor changes, and all the conclusions, with which I wholeheartedly agree, stand: this is simply FANTASTIC.
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The Hardships Of Being A Mandalorian Jedi: Part One - Resol'nare
Hello, it's me.
With another post about Mandalorians (and Jedi).
Sorry, couldn't help it XD
Anywho, back to what needs to be said about this post: I'm breaking down how Jedi, if they wanted to be Mando'ade or are mando'ade that were adopted into the Jedi Order (of which then consider something to think about when making ocs like that), would have a hard time with the rules that were put on the concept of 'mandalorian', both in the Six Actions (Resol'nare) from Legends and with the Way Of The Mandalore from (Disney) Canon.
This meta will be divided into 2 parts, the first part is this one and will focus on the Resol'nare (fair warning though, I Will use most of the Legends version of Mandalorian when talking about the Resol'nare, so no fanon) while the second part, found Here, will focus on Canon, specifically on The Way Of The Mandalore.
This part was a lot more certain - in terms of what the jedi would be able to do and what they can't do - than the second part, but only for a bit, honestly.
That said, let's start, shall we?
Resol'nare - Six Actions
What constituted the Six Actions, you may ask? Well, following "The Mandalorians: People and Culture" from Star Wars Insider 86, it's the following six rules:
This is the 'rules' to be a mandalorian that are followed by most mando fans, especially the older ones.
The Resol'nare was - outside of universe - created by Karen Traviss for her version of Mandalorians - of which are still very popular in the fandom, even though a good proportion of the said fans ignore a good part (for valid reason) of what she created.
Wearing Armour
Speaking Mando'a
Raising their child(ren) as Mandalorians
Defending themselves and their families
Contributing to the clan's welfare
Following a Mand'alor and rallying behind said leader if they call for arms
Sounds easy enough, right? Ehn, not so much if you are also a Jedi.
Why, you may ask? Let me break it down for you:
1. Wearing Armour -
This is one of the easy parts, anyone can wear armour - and, although I wasn't able to find a confirmation, it is said that a helmet issue in Chapter 20: The Foundling might have been simply how the mandalorains adapted to someone needs, just like we do in the real world. Meaning that armour could be adapted for Everyone
2. Speaking Mando'a -
Also super easy! And I'm sure there are variants or certain rules for Ithorians, who can't speak basic and have to use a translator
3. Raising their child(ren) as Mandalorians -
Oh boy! Now we get to the hard ones! Why, you may ask?
Because a Mando Jedi Would have Two Cultures that they would raise their kid by!
And while I'm sure it maybe wouldn't be an issue, the fact is: Mandalorians are known to forcefully change the name of kids they adopt (Kal Skirata, for an example of a victim even though his situation was portrayed positively because Karen Traviss Would Never show her mandos in anything that Wasn't a positive view), we don't get a lot mandos that show other cultures Beyond Mandalorian culture - which is bad btw (and before anyone comes at me, I'm just going to say that it could have been done during the Rebels or The Mandalorian) - and also since they view Jedi as enemies it wouldn't surprise me that they wouldn't be too kind on a kid who was mixed cultures, let alone if the kid preferred the Jedi culture more than Mandalorian.
This is not even talking about the fact that raising children is hard and that the Jedi might have to leave their job in the Order to raise the kid(s) if they weren't force sensitives - thus no longer being a Jedi job (which is what most people want when they say they want a mando jedi), and if they were force sensitive it would mean that they would probably be raised in the Order - And I want you to look at me in the eye and tell me if you truly believe that the majority of mandalorians wouldn't say that the Jedi wasn't "a true mandalorian" for taking that decision.
4. Defending themselves and their families -
Again, they will 100% do that UNLESS it means a greater harm for a good amount of people - and can you tell me that most mandalorian clans would accept that fact? That they wouldn't be the priority if something much bigger happened? Most people in real life wouldn't like that! Would fake accept and then get mad when it did happen because they were hoping that the person would change their minds!
But being a Jedi means following a philosophy of Harm Reduction and that means choosing the option that would save more lives/harm less lives, that fact doesn't change just because one of the people you won't be able to safe is your family. Or your whole family will be people you won't be able to safe, but a million more will survive, and there's No changing that.
5. Contributing to the clan's welfare -
This one seems easy but we don't know how much the Jedi are paid - if they are paid at all, honestly. For all we know they could get paid anything that could help anyone and all their things are made by the Jedi themselves or are donated or given by the Senate for missions, like they give them communicators, but it's mostly with the intent of using them during missions and not every day life - even if that becomes a side effect.
Or maybe the Jedi are given a budget, and they pay their workers, buy stuff they need (food, for example, even if I believe a good majority of vegetables and fruits are grown in the Temple) and pay the bills and then pay the Jedi/give the all the Jedi money depending on their age and rank. and maybe Jedi Shadows win money while undercover that they can use afterwards or normal Jedi have side hustles to earn money, but none of this we know for sure.
We don't Know how much the Jedi get if they get anything at all, so they won't be able to provide financially.
Okay but not with money what else could they do? They can't help around with the kids or daily tasks regularly when they have always the chance to be called away for a mission that could take months to years at the time. They can't help moving because they might get on call and drop that agreement. They can't move around or leave the Republic space because they might be needed for emergencies.
There's nothing that the Jedi can promise to do to help the Clan because of their job, and like.
Again, I can see a good majority of the Mandos (and Fans) not being able to forgive that and use it as a 'proof' that the Jedi ins't a 'True Mandalorian'
6. Following a Mand'alor and rallying behind said leader if they call for arms -
This is the one that it's a full No for the Jedi.
They are supposed to be Neutral, they can't join a side - they can't join the Mand'alor side or support them without a very good reason to.
The Jedi joined the Republic because they could help more planets and people would Listen more easily because they would have the Republic's backing. And I mean, looking at the good they did! A Thousand years of peace, ending slavery in the Republic and still working on ending it outside (Quinlan was on Tattooine, probably undercover take down a slavery ring)
Like lives are in danger and the best course of action is to ally themselves with with the Mand'alor.
Oh, and before anyone brings up the Republic and the War:
The Separatists were Enslaving worlds and literally built a weapon to eradicate all the organic life in a certain distance of the weapon, they Needed to be taken down. No matter the faults of the Republic, they were the better option in the Clone Wars as much as I hate to say it
I already said before on how the Senate is the one giving the Jedi stuff, and I will say it again! The Senate is probably the one who pays for a LOT of things of the Jedi, things they possibly need to survive. They Could Not say no to the Senate without risking the Order's entire life, ESPECIALLY because you can't tell me that Palpatine wouldn't activate Order 66 Earlier if they had said no.
Speaking of Palpatine, did you know the Senate and him drafted the Jedi? Yeah, they CANONICALLY did that.
Anywa, went off the road a bit but yeah.
The Jedi would only swear themselves to the Mand'alor If they were forced to, OR more lives would be saved that way.
And this fact? This being unable to swear themselves to the Mand'alor would be a deal breaker, since then they would be following 5 out of the 6
THE VERDICT:
Out of the Six Actions, we have:
2 that a Jedi would have no trouble following
2 that they would need clauses on - something that the majority of mandos wouldn't allow
1 that is Uncertain, but it's probably a negative since we don't know how well the Jedi would be able to help their clan and most mandos would probably want a full commitment and help for their clans
1 that the Jedi wouldn't be able to follow without a good reason that would last longer than a month
Meaning? A Jedi wouldn't be considered a Mandalorian by the majority of the Mando'ade, in fact they would most likely be considered dar'manda by a good proportion of the Mandalorian people.
Personal Thoughts:
All my thoughts right now are surrounding Tarre Vizsla and how he would deal with all of this, since he would only be able to swear to two with no problems
Makes me think that what @/aspiringwarriorlibrarian (sorry for the tag) theorized about Tarre becoming a Mand'alor via the non-warrior elite is a lot likely
Part 2 Here
#mandalorian jedi#star wars#sw#mr talks#mr meta#meta#star wars meta#mandalorians#jedi#part 1/2#mando jedi#sw meta#resol'nare
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Stucky Bingo Round-Up #29 (April 30th - May 5th)
Don’t forget to fill out the submission form to be a part of the round-ups and to get your bingo badges! Round 4 ends May 31st and all works must be submitted before then!
Head in the sky by dharmashark
Square filled: O4 - Teamwork
Ao3 rating: Explicit
Warnings: No archive warnings apply, canon-typical violence
Major tags: Shrinkyclinks; Canon Divergence - Steve and Bucky find each other in the 50s; On the Run; Established Relationship; Spy Steve Rogers
Summary: A new lead takes Steve and Bucky to a remote, lakeside safehouse. But when their plan falls apart, Steve is determined to (single-handedly) pick up the pieces.
Format: Long oneshot (over 5000 words)
Rappin' with Cap: Avengers Edition by Trinity Day
Square filled: Adopted square - Rappin' with Cap PSA
Ao3 rating: Teen
Warnings: No archive warnings apply
Major tags: Humour, Rappin' with Cap PSA, Avengers Tower Era
Summary: School children all over the nation are (all too) familiar with the Rappin' with Cap series of PSAs. Fewer people are aware that other Avenger team members also recording public service announcements. While never gaining as wide an audience as the originals, there are some that prefer them to the classic set done by Captain Steve Rogers.
Steve Rogers is not one of those people.
Format: Medium oneshot (1000 - 5000 words)
For Never Was a Story of More Woe Than This by ThatsAmericasAss1918
Square filled: N4 - Childhood Friends
Ao3 rating: Teen
Warnings: No archive warnings apply, Homophobia, toxic family relationships, panic attacks
Major tags: AU Theatre, lovers to enemies to lovers, angst/hurt/comfort, Romeo & Juliet references
Summary: ""What would Juliet be without her Romeo?""
Bucky snorts. ""Fucking alive is what she would be.""
...
Bucky Barnes hasn't heard from Steve Rogers in 3 years.
He'd rather never hear from him again. Too bad he's transferring to Stark Performing Arts University where he'll be forced to take the male-only lead roles with Steve in the school's queer rendition of the play ""Romeo & Juliet"". The close proximity triggers sparks to fly and the pair begin to rethink and investigate why they hate each other so much. Maybe they'll fall in love again along the way.
Format: Part of a multichapter fic
Little Bug by BBD2BH
Square filled: B4 - "You pulled me from the river."
Ao3 rating: Teen
Warnings: No archive warnings apply
Major tags: Modern AU, Shrinkyclinks, Friends to Lovers, First Kiss, Heroes
Summary: When a walk along the East River ends with Steve taking an unexpected swim, Bucky decides he’s fed up with Steve’s heroism.
Format: Short oneshot (300 - 1000 words)
nobody else by sparkagrace
Square filled: B2 - unrequited love
Ao3 rating: Teen
Warnings: No archive warnings apply
Major tags: pre-serum steve, pining, unrequited love, 1940s, no war au
Summary: The thing is that if Mary was awful then at least Steve would have a reason to hate her.
She’s not awful.
—
It was always Steve and Bucky, Bucky and Steve. Then Bucky meets a girl, and Steve has to come to terms with having to share his favorite person with someone else.
Format: Medium oneshot (1000 - 5000 words)
Home by rookthorne
Square filled: O5 - Alpine
Ao3 rating: Teen
Warnings: No archive warnings apply, anxiety attack
Major tags: tooth rotting fluff, pining
Summary: They had prepared you for long missions and what would come with them - it was why they found Alpine for you, a little bit of comfort for a time that would inevitably happen. But what they had not prepared you for was the shock of an unexpected, but much desired, arrival back home.
Format: Medium oneshot (1000 - 5000 words)
Luck has nothing to do with it by Sivan325
Square filled: G2 - Celebrating Birthday
Ao3 rating: Teen
Warnings: No archive warnings apply
Major tags: Canon-Typical Violence, Bucky Barnes & Sam Wilson Friendship, Bickering, Surprise Party, Established Bucky Barnes/Steve Rogers
Summary: "It'll work as long as Sam gets Bucky there on time." Steve told him and then looked at Sam, who simply nodded.
Format: Short oneshot (300 - 1000 words)
The Arm by singthebeginningofmoana
Square filled: G2 - Tattoos
Ao3 rating: General audiences
Warnings: No archive warnings apply, watermelon
Major tags: Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, fluff with a bit of angst
Summary: Bucky gets tattoos. Steve sees them for the first time.
Format: Short oneshot (300 - 1000 words)
Don't Flirt With My Sister by singthebeginningofmoana
Square filled: B3 - Sarah Wilson
Ao3 rating: General audiences
Warnings: No archive warnings apply, watermelon
Major tags: Set during Episode 5, Canon-Typical Banter, Angst
Summary: Sam wants Bucky to stop flirting with Sarah. Bucky assures him he isn't interested in her, and Sam learns about Bucky's last relationship.
Format: Short oneshot (300 - 1000 words)
Whatever He Did by singthebeginningofmoana
Square filled: O4 - O4: Super Strength
Ao3 rating: General audiences
Warnings: No archive warnings apply, Talk of Experimentation
Major tags: Movie: Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), Captain America: The Winter Soldier, 5+1 Things, Light Angst, WW2
Summary: 5 times people realized Bucky might be a bit more than a regular soldier, and the 1 time Steve realized they were right.
Format: Medium oneshot (1000 - 5000 words)
Darling, Lets Take Our Time (While It's Still Ours To Take) by Voylitscope
Square filled: N2 - Space
Ao3 rating: Explicit
Warnings: No archive warnings apply
Major tags: AU: Space, established relationship, porn with feelings, romance,
Summary: Steve Rogers walking through his door is always a challenge — something that always makes holding up his casually friendly bartender facade very difficult.
It’s harder tonight. The relief that floods Bucky at the sight of Steve’s familiar features is so overwhelming that he has to ball his hands into fists and take a long breath to hide his less-than-calm emotions.
“Captain Rogers,” he says, trying his damndest to not search Steve for signs of injury. “Didn’t know you were in town.”
“Just got in,” Steve says. He grabs a seat, and Bucky keeps his eyes on the leather of Steve’s jacket to avoid looking at his face
(Or: Steve’s a rebel pilot with a target on his back, Bucky runs a bar that’s a hub for rebel activity, and the two of them have a long history. It’s a Star Wars AU. No Star Wars knowledge required.)
Format: Long oneshot (over 5000 words)
#stucky bingo#stucky bingo round 4#round up 29#weekly round up#don't forget to fill out the submission form
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This is like the most random concept to probably ever come to me so out of the blue, you don't have to do it if you don't want to, but also I feel like if anyone could make something interesting out of this it'd be you. (love your fics btw<3)
So like, Illinois, with his whole knock-off Indiana Jones bullshit, with an s/o who's similarly akin to James Bond...….yeah idk either, man-
You can come up with whatever action movie plot, or maybe just some domestic fluff with comically abrupt fight scenes sprinkled in cus that's just how chaotic I imagine their life would be. It's entirely up to you. I am very tired rn.
“Berlin, 1996.”
In which Illinois and his partner – in more than one sense – relive their meeting.
TW: cursing, blood, drug use, general mature themes
Pages: 12 – Words: 5,000
[Requests: OPEN]
The distant sizzle of waffle batter on a pan was the first thing you recognised when you woke in your bed. The smell of coffee wafting from the same place was the second, and the third, while a strange sensation to anyone else, was comforting to you. Your dog lapping at your hand that dangled over the side of the bed had you shaking yourself from the fuzzy grip of sleep. It was going to be a long and laborious process considering the amount of work you’d had for the last week, but this was finally a day that you could spend doing whatever you wished – which, right now, looked a lot like following the sweet scent of breakfast into the kitchen.
Moriarty led the way, the beautiful puppy, although actually a six-year-old Belgian Malinois, whom you had adopted a few years back. He had never liked many of your friends, and you trusted his nose enough to follow his advice. Sure, it might have seemed weird to take social cues from a canine, but he hadn’t steered you wrong yet. Whether it was a Russian spy you’d accidentally offered coffee to, or the smuggler who moved in down the road, Moriarty told you when people were off, and that just happened to be most of those you came in contact with. You’d long since given up making connections when the tenth potential acquaintance had turned out to be the head of some mafia you’d never even heard of.
And then imagine your surprise when you finally brought home someone he liked.
And your further surprise when he stayed the night, and then the morning, and then a week, and then a month, a year, and so on, until you should have been asking him for rent. All the while, Moriarty hadn’t made a peep, leaving you to your devices with this new and, for lack of a better term, strange fellow.
“Morning, gorgeous!”
Speak of the devil and he may appear.
That ‘devil’, affectionate, of course, was none other than the infamous Illinois Jones. A man chased by many, found by few, and held onto by only the luckiest of the lot. You were one of these people, aware that you had him in the palm of your hand, and you thanked him routinely in the morning with a kiss on the cheek for staying.
The clock on the oven flashed a sharp 08:41, an unusual time for Illi to be awake at, but you weren’t complaining. Your job was stressful; you were sure that any doctor would tell you to quit immediately with how often your blood pressure spiked, so you treasured these couple of moments when you were given a break. Your partner had an on-and-off relationship with missions, the things he preferred to call adventures, but he had a likewise relationship with the agency itself. He had a habit of running off to foreign lands without permission, looking for trouble and finding it, too. You wouldn’t mind it, had it not been for your unfortunate love of the man that drew you after him, like a dog on a leash. In the meantime, a good rest was well deserved, now that you were back in the comfort of your own home after an unexpected visit to Guyana.
Plus, he looked damn good in boxers and an apron.
You lazily wrapped your arms around his waist, unintentionally distracting him from the food he was preparing, and muttered into his neck, “G’morning.”
“If you want breakfast, you’re gonna have to let me cook, babe,” he laughed, though that didn’t stop him from leaning back into you.
Your only response was a muffled groan. It wasn’t your fault that you were so touchy-feely today. Work took up most of the daylight, and upkeep stole the rest away. The only time you really got together was in the late hours of the night when twilight would draw a sheet of privacy over the two of you and leave you alone. The stars would dance together, fireflies entertained themselves and you could just be together. Forgive yourself if you wanted to savor the minutes.
Alas, you couldn’t stay at Illinois’ side forever. You’d have to come out of hiding eventually, and now was as good a time as any, so you drowsily shuffled towards the front door. The rusted latches groaned with a mere press of your hand, swinging open with an inching pace. Immediately, a gust of dry air trampled past your face, and the faint smell of dust had you sighing more than breathing. It was a classic Louisiana morning, something you haven’t experienced in a long time – not for a lack of breaks. No, although your recent schedule has been clogged, this quant place was a safe house paid for by the agency, meaning it wasn’t only yours to begin with. It was difficult to get used to using the same amenities that a stranger had just a few days ago, in a room that had a tagline of ‘safe’, but you got over it. It just meant that sanitizing every surface was the chore of the first day.
Illinois didn’t have those reservations; the second that he stepped out of the truck, he declared it home, and went on the search for a good cave. He only agreed to come over camping in the wilderness because of the free food. Or, at least, that’s what he said. There was a small part of you that was sure it was because he didn’t want to be alone, you having no chance to agree on tents – and there was a big part of him that knew you were right.
You laughed to yourself, pulling a porch chair into the orange sunlight. Being a safe house, it was surrounded by the thickest stretch of trees in the state and, even further, lakes and rivers that made it looked untouched by human hands. The second day had been spent exploring nature together. Illinois tugged you by your hand through bushes, over boulders, underneath a couple fallen trees, all the way to the perimeter of the land. From atop a small cliff, you could see the start of urbanization, but it was sheltered by a haze of smog and lights. The city stayed alight until well into midnight and beyond, like a dying campfire, only to be fed at the crack of dawn.
A similar flicker of a flame shot into the air in front of you.
The metal of your lighter was calming, the grooves of the ingrained letters basing you in the present. ‘Berlin, 1996’ was written in small italic near the lever, making it unlikely for you to ever resist the temptation of running your fingers over the markings. It made you smile and, from time to time, had the added benefit of you putting the lighter back in your pocket. This was not one of those times, but a grin did spread over your lips, nonetheless.
The flicker met the end of a cigarette, which you promptly pulled towards your mouth when it took the flame. Illinois didn’t like the fact that you smoked, he always said how he wanted to be fit in his 90s, but you weren’t cheering for him when he jumped 20 feet down for the fun of it either. The compromise you came to was that both of you would continue to indulge the devils on your shoulders and could laugh at the other’s funeral if they died first.
In all honesty, it was not a situation that you liked to be in. The constant, looming cloud of loss scared you more than any danger the agency put you in ever could. Nights spent waiting for Illinois to come home, the fear that time would go by, and the sun would rise and set again, and the door wouldn’t open… it was damn-near paralyzing. The only thing that kept you going, ironically enough, was that same man. At least, if you went on the same jobs that he did, you could keep an eye on him. You would know what kind of danger he was in, and you had the chance to stop it. The question was: would you be fast enough?
You took another drag of your cigarette.
“You shouldn’t smoke, y’know.” The porch crackled as Illinois stepped onto the wooden planks. “It’s not good for you.”
“I hadn’t noticed.”
A light-hearted chuckle brushed against your ear, accompanied by the click of his boots and humming of cicadas. The deep sound stopped when he swung another chair next to yours. As he came into view, you saw he had replaced his apron with a simple, loose shirt that fell from him like a woman who had fainted in distress. To catch Illinois in a shirt that actually fit him would be to kill the king – impossible and, according to him, a crime punishable by death.
“You know,” he spoke up, “you don’t look like the rumors.”
Your head unconsciously twisted to the side, so that you could see Illinois only slightly better. His own gaze was fixated in the distant spread of trees. Questions as to what he was starting at batted against you, but you settled on making a curious noise, instead.
“When we first met, I thought you’d lied to me. I’d heard all these stories about a suave, collected, expert of a heartbreaker, and then…”
“They were proved incorrect?”
He took in a steady breath. “No. They were proved, uh, very correct. Actually, after hearing about you, I kinda,” he coughed, as though that would transfer his thoughts directly to you and take away the need to say the words, “made some assumptions that were not as correct.”
Illinois prided himself on being right most of the time – and expressed himself as being right all of the time. However, this was one of the only things that he would admit he was wrong about, this being you. The image he had conjured of you was snide and snobby, only in it for themself and with the biggest case of holier-than-thou syndrome he’d ever thought of. Those stories of you driving fancy cars had pushed him into a corner, trapped by a cage of disgust and partial envy. Then, the rumors of how many people you had seduced worked their magic, followed by a notorious habit of smoking and drinking, which designated you, though he perished the thought now, a scumbag.
But when he’d actually met you…
“And I’m, uh, glad they weren’t.”
He swung an arm around your chair, drew rough fingers across your collarbone and directed your jaw into facing him. The light breeze shifted your hair like a lover’s touch, and the yellow sun decorated you like a bespoke artwork. Something he’d steal from a museum if he had to, but, no, he had you sitting right in front of him, with the quirk of an eyebrow and a small smile on your lips. He was lucky, he knew that, and he thanked his lucky stars every time he woke up next to you in sparkling mornings, every time your hands brushed when he pulled you up from a ledge, every time your eyes met from across a ballroom.
The first time that happened was still something he treasured more than any bespoke jewel or painting.
“Let’s get this business started.”
The night was young, the guests were pleasantly tipsy, and you were perched at one of the centre tables, next to three attractive models and the focus of your attention.
At this moment, you and your company were in the Berlin Operetta House, a classic establishment with smoke and liquor running through its veins. You had joined in – for lack of anything better to do while biding your time – and had been seated with these four the last two hours. The women you had no information on, except for what you had observed in the time given, most of which boiled down to being pretty faces for the big guy sitting across from you.
Earnest Whimson, dramatic irony demanding repentance of his parents as he was anything but earnest. He’d made his living on buying and selling anything he could get him tobacco-stained hands on, be it stolen goods, illegal drugs, or people themselves. It was a desolate trade, rotten but protected by the wallets of the people at the top. In those cases, there was only one person the authorities would routinely turn to.
You.
The authorities, the uncorrupted minorities, would plead with your agency for help, and you were the first person on the list. Call it luck or honed skill, you didn’t care. What you did care about was getting the job done in a quick and efficient manner. These places weren’t good to stay in for more than a day, lest you want to gain a certain reputation in all of the sectors. Thus, speed was top billing this night. That, and types like Whimson made it hard to keep your cover with the way he was talking.
Luckily for you, nine o’clock was rearing its head, the lights were dimming and only a few people were left still chatting over their expensive dining. All eyes were directed towards the stage with fervor, those who didn’t know what was happening watching in piqued interest and those who did waiting with bated breath for the real show to begin.
You did know what was happening, you were indeed waiting, but your breaths were slow and steady, like a smooth rock in a brook. The plan was simple; starting at nine, you’d watch Whimson, make friendly banter with him while he bid on whatever items caught his eye. When he inevitably would call out a ludicrous amount of money for a bejeweled crown or statue and the night comes to a close, you’d excuse yourself and make your way to where that thing was located, wait for Whimson, and kindly dispatch the man before anyone could catch wind of what happened. The money he had taken out the few hours before would go to any witnesses, and you’d get back home in time for a smoke and martini.
Simple.
Except your life had to be hard, didn’t it? You couldn’t just have a plan and stick to it, without something going wrong. Why? You didn’t know. If it had to do with karma or just bad luck, you didn’t know. A pity, really, when it would have made it so much easier to fix it if you did. It almost made you laugh, the thought of what a normal, easy mission was like.
And the things that went wrong never stayed the same. In one instance, you’d find your getaway driver with a bullet through his skull – in another, your target was informed of your mission and managed to get away – sometimes, it was just raining.
Right now, the thing that went wrong was something that had never happened before.
That thing being the infamous Illinois Jones.
Not even half an hour into the auction, and yet this man, adorned in an open, off-white shirt and multiple belts, was leaping onto the wooden slats. Your jaw would have been on the ground had it not been for the table, if not for his bravado, then for his stupidity. The artifact Whimson had bid on – go figure, a bejeweled crown – slotted nicely into his hand as he snatched it from its marble pedestal, shocking the woman presenting it into stumbling back. A wink was sent her way, she ran off, and Illinois turned to the audience.
You listened as he spoke. You sat quietly, pretending that you were shocked, when, in reality, you were seething. The boiling of your blood was louder than the whispering of the bidders, and you found yourself restraining the urge to run up there and slap him for ruining your mission. Questions preoccupied your mind while he lectured the guests about the importance of culture and integrity. Why him - why now?! He wasn’t even a part of the agency, he shouldn’t have known about this bid, and yet there he was, like a smug reaper coming to steal your soul into hell. Did he even know you were there? Did it matter to him?
You only noticed Illinois had stopped talking when he swiveled on the heel of his boot, presumably struck a pose, and then stalked off the stage. Everyone was in such a shock that they didn’t stop him, at least, not at first. After a few seconds had passed for people to gain their composures, that was the cue for havoc to befall the room. Illinois had single-handedly converted an organization of logical, fat cats into a daycare for screaming toddlers; suited men pushed themselves away from tables and darted down the hallways, bodyguards unequipped their guns and set about searching for the adventurer, while some of the wives, understandably, stayed to sip on white wine. You would very much join them if it weren’t for Whimson leaning over to his personal bouncer to whisper in his ear.
“Get the street rat.”
You sighed and took a final swig of your drink. Illinois was a menace, sure, but you weren’t willing to let him die for his ignorance. The agency may have applauded you as you returned, but you had maintained something of a moral compass during your work, so you liked to think you wouldn’t let him die like this. As you said, the man was infamous, and infamous people would not find their ends at the hands of a capitalist bastard’s lapdogs.
The clink of your glass against the wooden table did not draw Whimson’s attention, but, if it had, he might have been able to avoid the bullet that wedged itself into his skull. You had aimed for his temple, and you were a brilliant shot. The smoke of your pistol camouflaged itself into the ceiling’s belt of fog. Cigarettes, similar to the one you now pulled out from a pocket to light. This job was not only stressful, it was stress. No mission could be easy, no day could go according to plan, and no panicked mob of refined guests could leave the building in an orderly fashion. People swarmed to the exits at the sound of the gunshot, tripping over one another and abandoning their guests to, presumably, your slaughter.
You took a drag of your cigarette, pressed it between your lips, and gathered the suit jacket that had been on the back of your chair. Movements slow and deliberate, it was a wonder how the guard dogs Whimson had sent to Illinois hadn’t turned around yet to catch you. Good for you, but stupid on their part. Nevertheless, you were out of the manic tide of bidders before they could even realise their owner was slumped against the mahogany, brain matter splayed on his dress shirt.
The sound of clicking dress shoes amidst the cacophony of panic sent leftover guests into hiding, with the thought that anyone that calm in the sea of chaos was in control of the situation, and that anyone who wouldn’t do anything to stop it was not to be messed with. This gave you the perfect path towards your new target. Calling out Illinois’ name was unnecessary, given you could already hear distant shots echoing down the hallways.
And when you came to the end, asking where those gunshots were meant to hit was also unnecessary.
The wall behind Illinois was pepped with holes, like a coral beach, while Whimson’s bodyguards looked relatively unharmed. From your position, it looked like Illinois was doing everything he could to dodge the bullets, and nothing to actually fight back. Putting your cigarette out on a recently polished cabinet, you delved into the fray.
The first man down was yours, with an ornamental vase smashed against his skull, the kind of ones only used for grasping at when someone’s strangling you, but they still worked well to knock him out. Next down was his friend, who charged at you with intent to kill, but a shard of the broken porcelain stuck in his throat sent him to the ground. Blood trickled from the cut like a damaged water fountain, but none of the others paid him mind. Really, how would they ever survive without comradery?
You didn’t know, because they wouldn’t; Illinois, in tandem with your bloodier style, brought a table leg down onto another of the staff, the frail wood cracking the second it touched his head. The man whirled around with fury in his eyes, but those soon rolled back with the force of a punch to his face. You watched on, subtly impressed, though now was no time to ogle. Instead, you could do so after these people had been dispatched.
Strikes to the lower abdomens, blunt-force trauma to their foreheads, and what you hoped were lethal cracks of bone kept everyone wanting to live away from the corridor. You brought one dress shoe down on a woman’s fingers, sighed at the pitiful crunch that was muffled by her scream, and then stood up to assess the situation. One, two, three- four, two were on top of each other, and the one that Illinois was currently bashing against the wall. That made five at the scene.
Six, if you were to include the one that popped a bullet past your thigh. Lousy shot, they barely grazed the clothing, though it was a shame; that outfit had been one of your favorites.
Swiping a hand to your gun, you whirled around to see a particularly bulky bastard rounding the corner you’d come from. Illinois jumped to your side to look at the arrivals and took notice of your weapon in quick fashion. If only he had more trouble with brutalizing that last one, you might have hit the bullseye.
But a pressure on your wrist distracted you enough to miss. With your target swiveling to look at the newly cracked mirror and one end of the corridor swarmed by suited staff members, your night was only getting worse, and you lamented as such while Illinois dragged you down to the only available exit.
Your job required a lot of running – more than the average desk job did, at least – and that was why your legs were able to work on autopilot despite the adrenaline working through your veins that pressured you to be aware of every little thing that crossed your mind. The shattered glass from dropped plates, the swinging of doors as the last party members escaped, the texture of Illinois’ hand that had steadily moved to wrap around your own fingers. He was decorated with callouses and rough patches, war wounds sustained in the battlefield of caves and climbing. They told a story, one that you could have read had you enough time, but, for now, you had to be satisfied with knowing his present – told to you, not by his skin, but by you also experiencing it at his side.
That involved the darting through doors, ducking under pipes, skirting around the staff members who hadn’t gotten the memo. You didn’t even have the chance to ask where Illinois was bringing you, too focused on not slamming straight into a wall. The steady sounds of boots marching behind you, of which you counted six or seven, propelled you forward, like striking a match against a line of gas. You barely felt conscious throughout the run; the rattle of Illinois’ pickup truck went over your head, and the jingle of a bar’s bell hardly registered until you were seated in one of the old bar seats where you came to, a drink in your hand and Illinois staring right at you. Well, not just staring right at you, but also spilling every bad pick-up line in his book.
“I was wondering if you had an extra heart, because mine was just stolen.”
You had half a mind to put your martini down and walk out the door.
“I’m really glad I bought life insurance, because when I saw you, my heart stopped.”
Did he have life insurance?
“You must be a bank loan, because you’ve got my int—”
“Why do you even want that thing, anyway?” you interrupted, vaguely gesturing to the crown peeking out of his satchel with your non-drink hand.
“So, now you’re interested?” he chuckled, but only stopped long enough to order a whiskey before he commented, “The crown of Dos Partom, an old relic from the Mesopotamian era. No idea how it ended up in a bidding war, but, really, it belongs in a museum—” he shot a glance to the side, acting as though he hadn’t been watching you for the past ten minutes, “—that, and the company isn’t bad.”
So, he was the cocky type? You could’ve guessed that from the million stories about his personality, but it was a wonder to see it in action. Sure, you had a habit of using your charisma to get into places you shouldn’t have been, but this? What was he hoping to achieve? You’d already saved his ass from Whimson’s lackeys, and yet there he was, perched on the bar stool next to you, continuing his verbal assault of shoddy lines. Your eyes rolling and your annoyance growing, you twisted in your seat and removed a cigarette from your belt’s pocket. Normally, on mission days, you had five or six, a large step down from when you had days off, and yet this day was taking its toll on your stash.
“You shouldn’t smoke, y’know.”
And so, too, was Illinois taking his toll on your patience.
“It’s not good for you.”
Regardless, you continued your strut to the backgarden of the bar. Lucky for you, despite the lateness, the weather had taken pity on you. A gentle breeze carved through the foliage and guided the smoke of your cigarette into the moonlit sky. The growl of cars and humming of lights brought you to lean against the white brick wall and take in the scenery. When you got a moment to yourself, appreciating where you were was the best you could do – because, who knows, you could be dead tomorrow.
You took another drag, and then placed it on your bottom lip as you retrieved your phone. It was just a burner that you took on missions, but it had all the essentials, including the number of your assigned agency representative. The handlers, you called them. You didn’t know the name of yours, but you trusted them with everything about yourself; where you were, who you were with, what you were doing down to the shift of a foot. Right now, you were entrusting them with the simple name of your mission and the promise of it having been finished at your normal quality.
“Berlin, 1996,” you muttered as you typed the letters.
“Keeping a diary there, sweetheart?”
Could you catch a break? Apparently not, you assumed, as the sight of Illinois wrapped around the corner. His hat was off, held in one hand, and both your drinks in the other. You met his eyes, he stared back, and then you removed your glass.
“Thank you.”
“No problem.”
“What do you want?”
Illinois pretended to be shocked, reeling back and pressing his hat to his chest. “Me? Want something? From you?” he gasped, a smirk overthrowing his lips only when you didn’t react. “Not at all.”
“Don’t play dumb, Jones,” you warned.
“I appreciate that you think I play dumb.”
That teasing smile, the glistening eyes, you had to look away before you did anything drastic. Whether that was punching him or kissing him, you didn’t know, but you knew that looked off into the well-trimmed hedges halted the urge. “I know you’re not just a pretty face, what do you want?”
“And I’m pretty?” Another chuckle. “You don’t need to say all that to get me interested.”
“Just—” you took a breath in, “—tell me what you want from me, and then we can part ways. Easy.”
“And what if I don’t want it to be easy?”
Someone inside the bar shouted that it was last call, but neither of you moved to grab your final drinks. Neither of you moved, at all. You stayed still, Illinois stayed still, and the only sound between you was the buzz of moths at the dangling light just a few inches away. Illinois was… he was something else, that was for sure. Either he was going to kill himself, or you were going to kill him yourself. No matter what, you wanted to be there for it.
Reaching out, you pulled a thumb along his jawline and took a sip of your martini out of the other hand. Illinois was too stunned to speak, leaving you the chance to remove your hand, snatch his hat and shove it onto his head in one, fast motion. He made some sort of sound, one that you didn’t catch as you waltzed back into the bar.
Illinois, standing in the porchlight, laughed to himself and followed you inside – and then, in another year, five months and two days, he’d be doing the exact same thing, except, this time, with a golden band around both of your fingers.
[As a Brit myself, and having seen neither James Bond nor Indiana Jones, this was a treat for me! Thank you for requesting! Also, as some of you may have noticed, I have currently closed my requests because exam season is coming up, but I should be back around the end of June. Thank you for sticking with me, and, again, thank you for requesting!]
#markiplier#illinois x reader#illinois#markiplier egos x reader#markiplier egos#fanficiton#theknightmarket#x reader#request#reader insert#oneshot#Indiana jones#James bond
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Day 7 @flufftober “fairy lights” Twiyor family AU drabble, Modern AU not canon
It’s not uncommon by the time children reach their teenage years for them to start preferring to hang out with friends over family time. But there is one thing that Anya had not grown out of yet, a special family outing they did each June when the fire flies came around.
They’d pack up a bunch of food and a big ‘ole blanket to relax on, then head over to a large park with a stream running through at sunset located far outside of the city. The air at that time of year was always a comfortable warmth, with little chance of rain, and clear open skies. Sort of the calm before the later summer storms rolled in.
They’d set up their blanket on a shorter patch of wild grasses to watch the sun setting while they eat dinner. An electric lantern provided a mellow glow. Conversations are light as each talk about their day or other topics. Loid talked about a new patient at the hospital he was helping and Yor about a new job she’d be starting in a week. It’s the first she’s had since they adopted their daughter.
Anya chattered about a movie her and her friends has seen the previous day, but mostly about school. At Eden Academy, the academics are brutally competitive, but were tolerable with her best friend, Becky Blackbell, at her side. Anya was also excited about it being her last term of 3rd year middle school. The two girls were looking forward to moving onto high school together along with the proms and annual excursions they’ll be taking.
“We’re supposed to go to Somisomi tomorrow for ice cream,” Anya told her parents. “Becky’s gonna pick me up at 11.”
“You sure?” Yor questioned. “I can drop you off.”
“Nah, it’s okay mom. Their driver—,” Anya sat up from laying on her back. “Sweet! The fire bugs are starting!”
Yor and Loid sat up as well. “So, they are.”
Anya laid back down with her head resting on her arms behind her head. “I wonder why they only come out during summer here?”
“Well,” Loid began, “in Japan some say they’re the ancestors returning to this world.“
“For Obon season?” Anya asked.
“Yeah.” Loid confirmed. “It’s a Shinto belief.”
“But there’s other folklore,” Yor added. “Didn’t I tell you about the fairy lights when you were little?”
Anya’s face scrunched as she thought hard. “Mmm, I don’t remember very well.”
Yor leaned back on her hand while pointing at a few fire bugs gently floating around the family. “In ancient times, people thought fire bugs were ethereal creatures, like fairies and the light they emit carried messages of love.”
“Fairy light,” Anya giggled. “I guess that makes sense.”
“There’s a story,” Yor continued, “of a fire fly princess who proclaimed they would marry the first suitor who could bring them fire. So, prince, after prince from creature kingdoms all throughout the lands tried to procure fire to win her hand, but all die in the process. This also lead to some equating fire flies as the carriers of a star-crossed lovers wishes. Finally, a fire fly prince from a nearby kingdom heard of the princesses proclamation and declared that he will win her hand. So, he marches over heading a battalion of soldiers, shining bright in all their lighted glory. The princess is so delighted to have found the one to bring her such a marvelous flame that they marry and live happily ever after.”
“Aww,” Anya rolls onto her side to face her parents. “That’s so sweet even though all those other princes were dumb to die for a princess.”
“I don’t know,” Loid teased and poked Yor’s shoulder. “I’d die for your mom.”
“Loid!” Yor blushed and slapped his shoulder back in jest.
“Why am I not surprised.” Anya laughed, then tapped her chin. “Maybe I’ll use this on Damian, tell him to bring me a flame to win my hand.”
“You’ll likely scare him away instead,” Loid teased. “That boy’s a bit wea…”
“Don’t!” Anya wagged a finger at her father, cutting him off knowing how he liked to tease her crush. “I know what you’re gonna say and I think—” Just as she’s about to defend Damian, a fire bug landed on finger, yet despite her shaking it doesn’t let go.
Yor chuckled, “Maybe Damian just sent you his message of love.”
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