#kaye scarlet
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Irina: The Vampire Cosmonaut Volume 4: Star-Crossed
Following up the single volume affair of Bart and Kaye that put them in competition with Irina and Lev, volume 4 approaches the tensions between nations and the products of the space race. It's not so much about space itself as it is the roadblocks placed upon Earth that stop them from reaching the stars. Through that we face struggle, attempting to understand the unique struggles of others, and how as a single collective humanity we can reach the stars.
One of the, obviously, best aspects of this story is how well it blends reality with fiction. The challenges of the space race, of the differences between what's chosen for how to land on the moon, even historical events. Vast swathes of the story have some degree of truth to them, and are wonderfully complemented by the romanticism and drama that Makino has penned. Making promises under the threat of nuclear war, standing up to the pressure of a nation and expressing that you remain a person, finding ways to surpass oppression and discrimination and hatred. It's all very beautiful and thoughtfully composed, so it's hard to pick a place to start.
I say that, but what I'm most excited to chat about was the Cuban Missile Crisis. A grim name for sure, but I think Makino captures that Cold War panic perfectly, even with the characters "closest" to the issue. Bart and Kaye are massive fans of Lev and Irina, so the blow struck them incredibly hard. Both as fans of the cosmonauts who's named ships carried the weapons, but also as nerds with their head amongst the stars, dreaming of rockets rather than missiles. The awkward nature between them is tense but not intense, the silence speaks volumes, and the broken conversation before they separate really drives home the sheer shock of the event. In conjunction with that, I liked how they framed it. They took hold of the situation and spun it to paint Arnack (a United States-United Kingdom blend) as a saint that did no wrong. It's a blink and you'll miss (though really skip over) it moment where the text admits that Arnack was the first to place weapons in proximity to the rival country. They grasp the nature and expression of the crisis incredibly well, and given that we're currently alongside Arnack, ensures that they're shown to be better than the USZR.
Anyways, the actual best moment of the Cuban Missile Crisis (though titled the Imprisoned Island Crisis, a somewhat subtle nod to the state of the country) is what unfolds between Bart and Kaye. The threat of nuclear war looming, a single shot in the dark arriving the next day to effectively save ANSA's desire to land on the moon. Fear mounts and bubbles over into anxiety and terror that brings the two together in a dim room with the sound of rain droplets dancing across the dim window. There's nobody there to reassure the two, Bart doesn't have his brother, and Kaye is still without her mother. It's between themselves that they find a reason to drive their futures forward. That shared passion, the understanding of their fears and desire to find comfort when the world might end the next day. It's a hopelessly dramatic pseudo-tragedy, using threats of annihilation to spur Bart and Kaye forward into making a borderline erotic blood pact. What is with vampires and being hot?
Alright alright, moving on. There's lots to enjoy with this novel outside of the missile crisis. Like Queen Sundancia. I'll be honest, I don't personally think that the introduction to the character was the best it could have been. It's hard to express emotion effectively through just words, so when establishing Sundancia as the 18 year-old girl with her head in the clouds but a crown atop it that forces her to ground it comes off a little heavy handed for my tastes. That said, the more time we get with her, the more enjoyable and relatable her character is. The weight of responsibility is rather common and well understood, but I liked how it was broached with a girl faced with words that could drive the world to destruction or guide it towards a bright future. Talk about heavy. But that's what makes it enjoyable, and it's not obligation to her nation or duty that produces the outcome, but rather her first chat in a very long time where she's treated as that 18 year-old girl rather than the Queen of Arnack.
Speaking of new characters, Professor Klaus was a really nice addition to the exploration of content in this volume. Being directly linked to missile development, and having defected to Arnack gives Klaus a lot of flack, and expresses the approach of a man that has been buffeted by such words throughout the entirety of his career. He faces a different kind of discrimination to Irina and Kaye, and fills a nice middle ground that picks apart race and origin in a somewhat different fashion. Through it all though, Klaus shows that sciences and passion prevails, as even his own tough and stony exterior is cracked by a shared excitement and passion for space that had nearly been extinguished in his heart.
Okay, back to reality really quickly. Lev and Irina do a great job in their roles of this volume, as the cosmonauts isolated from space. The expo and their experience there really drive home their passion, and how alone they feel when alienated from not only what brought the pair together, but what they promised each other. The dejection and sorrow that's experienced by each is very well expressed to that end. Lev is bit more resigned to his fate, almost wearing a cynical smile in the face of his reality, while Irina first shows indignation towards their treatment, before stooping to dejection as she is forced to face reality through some of the experiences at the 21st Century Expo. It's a really sad sight, but serves to explain why the cosmonauts have spent so long travelling the world, and what the reality of early space travel is. In that way, Makino is very good at picking up on the nuances and flow of bureaucracy and how it affects people that are genuinely passionate about what they do.
So, to close it out: another very good volume. The drama is found outside of the oppression of Vampire and Dhampir, which is great to see that Makino isn't relying on it to drive things forward, but it still finds a way to isolate and direct hatred towards people. It doesn't give up on what brought it together, but it also doesn't cling to it hoping that it can continue to deliver. It's a natural progression, one that can feel odd at first as it places the USZR in the crosshairs of Arnack and the reader, but one that at the end of the day remains well executed and received. Vampires, Space, Romance, and Drama. All still apparent in the story, and all still important, but in varying concentrations and degrees, just enough to shake things up. Plus, Karei's art remains really pretty. So there's not really anything else to say other than, "I'm really looking forward to the next volume!".
#tsuki to laika#tsuki to laika to nosferatu#irina the vampire cosmonaut#irina: the vampire cosmonaut#irina luminesk#lev leps#kaye scarlet#bart fifield#light novel review#light novel recommendation#light novel#anime
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The Feminine Urge: 😍
#Velma Kelly#the femenine urge#tess scali#Jane Morgolis#needy#anita lesnicki#punchline#alexis kaye#Dani#midsommar#burlesque#amanda young#Selene#underworld#wanda maximov#wanda maximoff#the scarlet witch
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ok…….. Bye………….
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10 characters • 10 fandoms • 10 tags
Thank you for the tag @yarrystyleeza
There isn't any big reasoning why I love them, I think something clicked at the right time and now I will love them forever 🤷♀️😂 so below gonna be just gifs, no explanation 🥰
(also there won't be 10 fandoms most of them are from marvel)
Bucky Barnes
Frank Castle
Matt Murdock
Loki
Dean Winchester
Peeta Mellark
Steven Grant
Marc Spector
Peter Parker (I love all three)
Julian Kaye
No pressure tags: @bernthalslut, @chelseasdagger, @chellestrash, @honeyedheartss, @scarlet-daisy, @castlesnchurches, @sunflowersandsapphires, @theshortysmartie, @feelmyskinonyourskin, @darlingshane, @firesunflamed
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Oh???? Another person with an AU and their own versions of the Rogues? Which ones you got because I want to know EVERYTHING about them.
OKAY SO I have a list of Rogues that are gonna be in my AU and the list is a bit Long, some of these character still need to be fully shaped, but Asking Question about them is probably gonna help, so feel free to ask about any of them (Also I'm trying to organise the whole thing)
Characters:
Leader of Crime Organizations and people attached to it:
The Penguin - Oswald Cobblepot
Flamingo - Edouardo Flamingo
Music Meister - Darius (Cobblepot) Chapel
Carmine "The Roman" Falcone (and his family)
Sal "The Boss" Maroni (and his family)
Black Mask
Talon and the Court of Owls
Ra's Al Ghul, Talia Al Ghul and the league of Assassin
Mother - Christian Cain
The Big Ones (Very Important to the General Plot):
Joker - ???
Harley Quinn - Harleen Quinzel
Riddler - Edward Nygma
Two Face - Harvey Dent / Harv'
Poison Ivy - Pamela Isley
The Scarecrow - Jonathan Crane
(AU OC) The Mania - Marlene McCree
(AU OC) The Mourning Dove - Bo Hawkins
Dr. Hugo Strange and Dr. Jeremiah Arkham
The Others (some Still important):
Catwoman - Selina Kyle
Magpie - Margaret Pye
(AU OC) Soda Can - Cheryl Lee (Later Cheryl Chapel Lee)
Punchline - Alexis Kaye
Jester - Duela Jones (Joker Daughter in comics)
Mad Hatter - Jervis Tetch
Victor Zsasz
(AU OC) Madame - Camilla Shelley
Jane Doe - ???
Professor Pyg - Lazlo Valentin
DollMaker+Dollhouse - Barton Mathis and Matilda Mathis
Mister Camera - Alexander Gillian
The Eraser - Leonardo Fiasco
Man-Bat - Dr. Kirk Langstrom
Killer Croc - Waylon Jones
Orca - Dr. Grace Balin
Bane - ???
Firefly - Garfield Lynns
Anarky - Lonnie Machin
Ratcatcher (s) - Otis Flanegan and Cleo Flanegan
Clayface - Basil Karlo
Calendar Girl - Paige Monroe
Roxy Rocket - Roxanne Sutton
Baby Doll - Mary Dahl
Cluemaster - Arthur Brown
Clock King - William Tockman
Calendar King - Julian Day
The Calculator - Noah Kuttler
Bookworm - A.S Scarlet
King Tut - William Yasser
Catman - Thomas Blake
Lord Death Man - Tetsuo Fujiwara
Kite Man - Charles "Chuck" Brown
Mister Bloom - ???
Solomon Grundy - Cyrus Gold
Ventriloquist - Arnold Wesker
Character that I want to add but need to do more research on them:
Professor Achilles Milo
White Rabbit - Jaina Hudson
The Carpenter - Jenna Duffy
Cornelius Stirk
Toymaker - Cosmo Krank
Crime Doctor - Bradform Thorne
D.A.V.E
The Designer - ???
Deadshot - Floyd Lawton
Doctor Phosphorus - Dr. Alexander Sartorius
Ten Eyed Man - Philip Reardon (The Spooky Version)
Spellbinder - Charles Dante
Lady Arkham - Victoria Arkham
Merrymaker - Dr. Byron Meredith
Onomatopoeia
Polka Dot Man - Abner Krill
Killer Moth - Drury Walker
(and Captain Boomerang if I am peer pressured enough)
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I saw your post about Nydas where you say you love old swashbuckler films. You have any movie recommendations? :)
Oh lord. Okay. Off the top of my head:
The Court Jester (1955) (a comedy send up of the genre, but so smart and clever and fun and perfect, and the duel between Danny Kaye and Basil Rathbone is a joy)
The Mark of Zorro (1940) (my favourite movie duel of all time)
The Scarlet Pimpernel (1934) (the one with Leslie Howard, the full lush 30s drama and memorialising of the story – there’s a lot of valorising of England in this, which YMMV on, but it’s so dramatic and old Hollywood and gorgeous)
The Prisoner of Zenda (1937, 1954) (these are such an interesting pair to compare and contrast, because the 54 movie is a nearly word-for-word remake of the 37 movie, but the actors and performances make some interesting differences – if you have to pick one, though, pick the 37, because Douglas Fairbanks Jr as Rupert of Hentzau is fucking amazing)
There’s probably many more, but those are the immediate loves that spring to the top of my tongue.
Now that I look at them, none of them are actually pirate movies. Huh.
Actually! One more. The Princess Bride (1987). There definitely is a pirate in that. Heh. Watch that one too.
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🎶✨ when u get this u have to put 5 songs u actually listen to, publish. then, send this ask/tag 10 of your favourite followers (non-negotiable, positivity is cool)✨🎶
thanks for the tag @nausikaaa
I was a bit stuck on this, since lately I’ve been listening to video game music, and then I thought “hey I can use that”
But first, actual songs with lyrics!
youtube
KAYE - Neon God
youtube
Paramore - This Is Why
youtube
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet OST - Professor Sada/Turo battle theme
youtube
Splatoon 3 - Anarchy Rainbow
youtube
DJ Cutman - HADES int the 80s (Good Riddance Synthwave Remix)
Tagging @blurglesmurfklaine @vreniii (issa me, Yuè) @bifrostiron (again, issa me, Yuè) @facewithoutheart @martsonmars @raenestee @thnxforknowingme @quizasvivamos @cerriddwenluna @justgleekout @cutestkilla @artsyunderstudy @captain-aralias @1908jmd @special-bc-ur-part-of-it
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GRETCHEN BARRETTO AT ALICE EDUARDO’S BIRTHDAY BASH
Alice Eduardo with Gretchen Barretto, Korina Sanchez, and Small Laude
Some of the country’s who’s who in Alta Sociedad passed other invites so they could make it to Alice Eduardo’s surprise birthday celebration. Alice Eduardo, a construction magnate, has always been low-profile. But there is nothing lowkey with the said birthday celebration.
The list of A-listers who attended the celebration proves our point. Among the attendees are Gretchen Barretto with partner Tonyboy Cojuangco, Ruffa Gutierrez, Marjorie Barretto, Lucy Torres and husband Richard Gomez, Mons Romulo, Mimi Que, April Nery, Charmane Lagman, Kaye Tiñga, Alelee Aguilar, Cris Albert, and Patrick Rosas. Joy Ortega, Korina Sanchez, Karen Davila, who came with his sons David and Lucas, Ben Chan, Miguel Pastor, and Edu Manzano also graced the celebration.
It was indeed a successful surprise. Little did Alice Eduardo know that her sisters Small Laude and Melba Solidum planned a surprise party for their beloved sister with the help of Nicole Ortega. Alice Eduardo was told there would be an intimate family dinner with their parents and children. Her parents and her children welcome Alice’s well-wishers. Clad in a stunning Escada outfit, Alice Eduardo entered the venue to her family and friends’ joyful singing of ‘Happy birthday to you!’ Imagine the shock on her face when she saw familiar faces in the crowd.
Meanwhile, it took the sisters and Nicole four days to organize the party. While the night started off with delicious cocktails, Gaita Fores’s Cibo prepared an excellent Thai buffet dinner and desserts to everyone’s delight. Bands Mulatto and Sauce provided live entertainment. The party was remarkably beguiling because of the music, which began with sweet melodies during dinner and turned to danceable tunes afterward. Singers Pops Fernandez and Franco Laurel also gave a heartfelt performance. From Gretchen Barretto to Alice Eduardo’s children, everybody enjoyed the night. Alice Eduardo herself sang and danced the night away. Indeed, a touching sight at the latter’s birthday bash.
The party was held at the eponymous Patriarch Building in Chino Roces Avenue, Makati City.
A generous gift giver
It may be her special day, but Alice Eduardo is more known as the lavish gifter in her clique. Indeed, her love language is gift-giving, and dare we say, not just ordinary gifts but luxury items. In some instances, she favored giving meaningful presents that the receiver would genuinely appreciate.
For one, she once gave Gretchen Baretto a statue and flowers for her 45th birthday. She also gave Kris Aquino luxury bags, shoes, and clothes. The most opulent of the gifts was the Php2 million worth Cartier watch. Aside from being long-time friends, Alice Eduardo and Kris Aquino are both godmothers to creative director and columnist Tim Yap. She also gifted social media darling Scarlet Snow Belo dresses, accessories, and a Gucci bag.
Indeed, only a woman of impeccable taste would know not to receive, but to give, give, and give without expecting anything in return.
#Alelee Aguilar#Alice Eduardo#April Nery#Charmane Lagman#Cris Albert#Gretchen Baretto#Joy Ortega#Karen Davila#Kaye Tiñga#Korina Sanchez#Kris Aquino#Lucy Torres#Marjorie Baretto#Mimi Que#Mons Romulo#Nicole Ortega#Patrick Rosas#people and party#Richard Gomez#Ruffa Gutierrez#Small Laude#Tonyboy Cojuangco
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So many people hating Ashley because Scarlet refused to take a hint.
Ashley was attracted to her charm and her beauty, just like every other man she knew. But unlike most men he saw beyond that and knew they wouldn't be happy together. He never crossed the line with her except that one time at Tara and his immediate reaction was to leave, even if meant his family had to starve. She was the one who kept pursuing him when he tried to keep her at arms length.
He never really wanted anyone but Melanie, Scarlet was just a temptation. Yes, he could have been firmer with her but that was not in him. Just like Melanie he was to gentle and well mannered to contemplate causing a scandal - let alone hurt Melanie - even to save his own soul. He reminds me of Winter in "Shadow of the moon" after she is assaulted. She knows that a single word to her hosts would have the man barred from their home forever, but she is to scared of causing a scene and afraid that it would ruin her own reputation as well.
The real tragedy isn't that Ashley wouldn't make up his mind but that Scarlet wouldn't take no for an answer.
#Gone with the wind#ashley wilkes#scarlet o'hara#melanie wilkes#shadow of the moon#m.m. kaye#winter de ballesteros
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For the book stacks, any of these you like: Books Rachel would Read, Books Rietta would Read, and/or Books Elystan would Read.
Ooh, what a fun idea! I’m pretty sure all my OCs would read all kinds of things that I wouldn’t, but let’s suppose they’ve been let loose in my house to choose twenty books from my shelves. Here’s what they might go for.
Rachel
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
An Old-Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum
The Marvelous Land of Oz by L. Frank Baum
Ozma of Oz by L. Frank Baum
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Bleak House by Charles Dickens
The Shadow of the Bear by Regina Doman
Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell
The Castle Behind Thorns by Merrie Haskell
The Dragonfly Pool by Eva Ibbotson
The Door in the Hedge by Robin McKinley
The Enchanted Castle by E. Nesbit
Tom’s Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearce
Withering-By-Sea by Judith Rossell
Apple Bough by Noel Streatfeild
The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente
Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White
Mother Carey’s Chickens by Kate Wiggin Douglas
Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Most of Rachel’s selections are classics, with an emphasis on family or friendship stories, which she would relate to. But there’s also a lot of children’s fantasy: Oz (the real-world equivalent of the Yew stories she loves in-universe) and others in a similar vein. Some books were chosen because they’re vaguely reminiscent of her encounters with Rietta: The Enchanted Castle, Tom’s Midnight Garden, The Dragonfly Pool, etc. Jane Eyre and The Shadow of the Bear are present because they have heroines I think she’d appreciate.
Rietta
Knife by R. J. Anderson
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins
Entwined by Heather Dixon Wallwork
The Princess Bride by William Goldman
Frederica by Georgette Heyer
The Ordinary Princess by M. M. Kaye
Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren
The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald
Woodwalker by Emily B. Martin
Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery
The Blue Castle by L. M. Montgomery
Flambards by K. M. Peyton
Skating Shoes by Noel Streatfeild
The Innocents Abroad by Mark Twain
Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne
Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster
When Patty Went to College by Jean Webster
For Rietta, I choose books about heroines I think she would appreciate (outgoing and enthusiastic girls/women who boldly take on the world and often escape or defy stifling circumstances), stories with an emphasis on adventure and/or romance (Woodwalker is exactly the sort of fantasy she would like; The Hunger Games would have her on the edge of her seat), travel tales, and family stories that she would devour enviously (her choices of fictional families are a bit more lively/chaotic than Rachel’s selections).
Elystan
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
The Adolescent by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Novels and Stories Volume I by Arthur Conan Doyle
Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Novels and Stories Volume II by Arthur Conan Doyle
The Prisoner of Zenda by Anthony Hope
Raffles by E. W. Hornung
Archer’s Goon by Diana Wynne Jones
The Lives of Christopher Chant by Diana Wynne Jones
Eight Days of Luke by Diana Wynne Jones
The Story of the Treasure Seekers by E. Nesbit
The Magic World by E. Nesbit
The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen
The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy
Tenthragon by Constance Savery
The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict by Trenton Lee Stewart
The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner
The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner
The Gold Bat and Other Stories by P. G. Wodehouse
Mike and Psmith by P. G. Wodehouse
Assuming I could convince Elystan to restrict himself to just twenty books! He’s got an apparent preference for crime and royal intrigue, both if possible. Lots of trickster characters. I think he’d very much appreciate Diana Wynne Jones. He’s a big Sherlock Holmes fan (or rather, his world’s version of the character) but also reads Raffles with the same excitement, seeing no moral inconsistency. Six of Crows is not age-appropriate for him, but why would that stop him he’d be all over that plot. Wodehouse’s school stories would amuse him, and I think he’d appreciate the young Nicholas Benedict. And Oswald Bastable’s narration style. The Adolescent is there because copies of Flight of Fantasy (the book he reads in “A Visit from the Murderess”) are impossible to come by, and Tenthragon is something he really ought to read, particularly later in his timeline.
#asks#valiantarcher#thank you!#The Blackberry Bushes#Rachel Doncath#Rietta Valencourt#Elystan Liddick
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OF CLOVER & IRON
Part One
Pairing: Roiben x Kaye
Summary: fluff(ish), angst, obligatory smut (later). fluffish smangst, let's go with that.
My first fic for these two—and all around the first one I've ever written, period. I finally got to a point that I can confidently post parts 1 & 2 without obsessive editing so yeet haw let's fuckin go.
Set the day after Ironside Ch. 13. {there's a slight deviation of the wound placements also, because I just really wanted to see Kaye lovingly take care of her Emo Black Knight™. Everything else is canon-compliant. I hope.}
Rating: M for suggestive themes, smut in future chapters
Also I was listening to Beautiful Crime by Tamer and If You Care by Evan Barlow the whole time and if those aren't the most Roiben songs I've ever fucking heard—
*buzzfeed voice* let's get into it
________________
Each step I left behind
Each road you know is mine
Walking on a line ten stories high
Say you'll still be by my side
If I could take your hand, oh
If you could understand
That I can barely breathe, the air is thin
I fear the fall and where we'll land
"You realize I have attendants for this, don't you?"
Roiben was reclined, rather awkwardly, against the mountain of plush pillows on his bed. Their down stuffing jutted through the timeworn fabric and pricked along the sensitive skin of his bare back.
While the gash Talathain's sword had wrought the day before had since been cleaned and bandaged, the end of those feathers still managed to find their way through to jab at the still-open wound, eliciting from him a wince, as though he needed reminding of the events that had transpired had, in fact, transpired.
Ruefully, Roiben found that he did not need reminding.
"Mhmm, I know." Kaye replied absently beside him, drawing him back to the present. She was perched on the edge of the bed, inky-black gaze fixed on his hand in her lap; she was gently applying a viscous paste to the scarlet, angry line along his palm—another gift from Silarial's green knight. The mixture had a cooling element to it, not at all unpleasant against the dull burn of the wound. Kaye was careful, dedicated as she worked. Her tender, feather-light touches sent an involuntary shiver down the base of Roiben's spine.
“I admit, I do not mislike having you for a nursemaid instead of an ill-tempered hob." He grinned down at her as she finished, gently wrapping a milky-white cloth around the pad of his hand, tying it off in a small knot at the base of his wrist. He didn’t think anyone in his service would have tended to him with such attentive care; actually, they very well may have relished an opportunity to see him wince. Indeed, he much preferred this.
She glanced up at him through thick lashes and gave him a small smile of her own, but it faltered on her features, wavered there until it faded into something Roiben couldn't name. "I guess,” she began, dropping her gaze back down to his newly-dressed hand in hers. “I just wanted to do… something, for a change." Roiben's brow knitted at the sadness in her voice, the way the guilt, thoroughly misplaced, steeped her words. There was a twinge in his chest that was reminiscent of the arrow she had pulled from it not four months prior. Automatically, his hand reached up to touch the new scar, a rose-tinted indentation in the middle of his sternum. A phantom ache bloomed under his fingers.
She had been only a human girl then, guised as she was, and unfortunate enough to be the one to find him bleeding out, collapsed there against the gnarled tree he would have gladly let become his grave. She had saved his very soul that night in the rain, though neither of them had known it at the time. It was very likely she still didn't.
And here she was again, nursing the consequences of his own obstinate pride and blaming herself for it. Too often, too willingly did she take the weight of his burdens as her own, while he futilely sought to keep her safe from them. Safe from him. She was the most stubbornly kind creature he had ever known; a knight of her own design—a savior he had never had any right to.
Roiben reached out to tuck a loose tendril of viridescent hair behind her ear. The slight movement pulled at the lesion on his back, threatening another wince. He resisted. "Kaye," he started, and when she didn't meet his eyes, he crooked a finger under her chin and canted her head to him.
"There is nothing you have done—not since the moment I met you to now, that was not something." His thumb ran over her emerald jawline, the smooth skin silk in contrast to the roughness of his own. Kaye's eyes fluttered and she leaned into his touch. "I know it is my failure, in not telling you as such, that you mistakenly think yourself so inadequate. For that, I am well and truly sorry."
Through the burning discomfort of his wounds, Roiben drew her down to him and captured her mouth in a kiss. He had never been a master of apologies— or much else for that matter. And for reasons he was unable to name, his way of begging Kaye's pardon seemed to often be sought with his mouth, as if he hoped she could taste it on his tongue— and forgive him with her own.
Her lips, softer than satin and more delectable than any wine he had ever tasted, parted in a soft, lilting sigh. The sound, as it so often did, caused the muscles in his lower abdomen to coil with a rush of warmth. His bandaged fingers moved to tangle in her wild hair as her tongue danced between his teeth, languorous at first, then quickly shifting into something nearer to frenzy. He could feel his pulse quicken, the familiar strain across the front of his trousers when her hand splayed his chest, soft fingertips pressing into his bare skin. His breath hitched.
And then Kaye's lips were gone and she was pushing herself back up, away from him, her breathing ragged. He watched her dazedly, lamenting the abrupt loss of her closeness. She combed a hand through her mess of green hair, and Roiben realized she was trembling. He frowned.
"What is it?" he asked, drawing himself up to a sitting position, jaw clenched against the sharp tug of the bandage stretching from his shoulder to his hip. "Have I done something to displease you?" He glanced down, sliver gaze settling on a fraying thread of gauze on his wrist. "Perhaps my apology wasn't quite the one you were looking for, but I—"
"That's not it." Kaye cut him off, and when he looked back up to meet her eyes, he was disconcerted to find their pitch depths were suddenly glistening. He opened his mouth to speak, but Kaye raised a hand to forestall him. He pressed his lips together, obediently falling mute. "It… it's not you. I mean, it's a little bit you. Okay— maybe it's a lot you. But… I'm just…" She let out a frustrated groan, as though she couldn't quite manage to untangle whatever thought she was trying to get out. The back of her hand swiped angrily across her eyes.
Roiben knew she hated crying, but he was unsure whether it was explicitly crying in front of him, or if it was the act altogether. Whatever the reason, there was a nagging in his gut, a temptation to reach up and wipe away the glittering tear that rolled down the curve of her verdant cheek.
But he stayed patiently, painfully silent beside her, fingers worrying the fabric over his knuckles instead as she worked through unweaving her mind. Roiben found himself suddenly wishing he had the power to read it, if only to help wrench her free of whatever trap that held her there, apart from him. Finally, she sighed—a dispirited sound that reverberated through the otherwise quiet stillness of his chambers.
"Why did you come back? Why did you find me at the diner? Why did you choose me?"
The string of questions— rather, the way she asked them, whispered, bordering on anguish, stung him like the gilded edge of Talathain's blade. Roiben gaped at her, for a moment too stunned to respond. Her expression was contorted slightly, the emotions that coursed through her scrambling over one another to find purchase on her face. Still, she held his gaze with an unwavering severity that bored into his very being and rooted him to the spot.
He knew she would not accept his usual indirect summarizations, those with which he so carefully guarded himself. He was now well beyond the safety of that delicate thread of tightroped truths he danced.
She expected—commanded his unreserved forthrightness, with that look that held the power of his name without it ever needing to cross her lips.
#this is my pride and joy ok#i don't think i've ever written something with so much effort#i was terrified it'd be purple-prosey but i *think* it's ok?#whatever even if it is i fuckin love it#and miss black herself said to write what you love first#so there it is#roiben#rath roiben rye#kaye fierch#kaye x roiben#mft#tmft#modern faerie tales#tfota#the folk of the air#tfota fic
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Irina: The Vampire Cosmonaut Volume 3 - Fly Me To The Moon
This third volume, a new story, something not adapted to an anime format yet, and something that I really need to give Kesiuke Makino credit for.
Let's take a short trip down what amounts to historical memory lane. Of course, Makino-sensei gets stuff like New Orleans down pat, and weaves a tough but considerately accurate and faithful picture of racism and discrimination of the era. So let's get the nitty gritty out of the way first.
Makino paints a very strong picture of segregation and discrimination, not just of the sentiment of "the other", but a systemic and foundational isolation of Dhampirs (in this story coming from full-blooded Vampires that immigrated to Arnack). The Moonlight District being an underdeveloped and under supported section of the somewhat fictional city of New Marseille, Dhampirs live in fear and constant poverty. Jobs opportunities are incredibly limited, wages are the bottom of the rung, and lynch mobs and supremacy groups roam the streets with a bloodlust.
It's a very bleak, and very faithful representation. They don't stop at "racism bad" or anything like that, they launch into full on descriptions, making sure that readers understand that members of the racial supremacist group of the novel are members of the community, are police officers and state troopers, are judges and political officials, and that they will abuse their power to abuse their position. It's willing to be realistic enough that it referenced historical events such as the 16th Street Baptist Church Bombing.
Of course, its representation of racial discrimination and tensions is more than even just the harrowing aspects of it. It sees the middle ground, the indifferent, the challenges of breaking down those walls, and of trying to pretend they don't even exist. As was the case with the first two volumes, this third volume represents an incredible amount of perspectives and ideals, and even touches upon aspects such as the perception of class traitors and self-imposed responsibility to your community.
It really is impressive how well they work with this stuff, though some might find it a little prickly at first as Makino integrates stuff like Jazz culture, funerals, and the French/Creole aspects of Black culture. But, credit at the minimum has to be given for the passion and accuracy that Makino treats it with. They find the brilliant aspects between the rough lines and allows them to shine brightly, but refuse to ignore the negative pieces.
I think that's just enough of the heavier side of things though, let's talk about the amazing pieces of history which Makino highlights in electric fashion. So, there's a group of women Dhampir in this story, that provide calculations via punch card computers using FORX (the fictional equivalent of BASIC), who work out of what's called the D-Room. I'm sure most people know of Margret Hamilton, who famously stood next to a massive pile of punch cards that are in part responsible for the moon landing, but what about NASA's human computers and some of their first programmers?
Well, those were also women, but even more than that they were African-American Women. Under the helm of Dorothy Vaughn, one of the Langley Center's first African-American managers, a team of (largely African-American) women came to be and provided incredible feats such as the calculations for the first suborbital spaceflight of the United States, the first orbital spaceflight, and even calculations for the moon landing of Apollo 11. These historical women are represented fictitiously here in this volume, and it's incredible to see (though I do wish Makino could compile their research notes to provide context and information to readers!).
The story is riddled with incredible references like this. Take the whole thing with Fly Me To The Moon, rather than it being the song that it is in our reality, it's now a science-fiction novel. More than that though, and something that I think has beautiful meaning in relation to the lead characters, is the name of the original artist for the song, Kaye Ballard. Our damphir protagonist carries the same first name, Kaye Scarlet. The content of the song, and the significance of the novel to both Kaye and Bart provides such a stunningly picturesque sense of romance. The beauty in the song that "Kaye" made being the reason that Bart fell in love with outer space is just such a wonderful piece.
Alongside that though there's other stuff that might be picked up on, like the Keighley Research Center vs the Langley Research Center, and so on and so forth.
Makino really does such an incredible job of telling impactful and important stories of history with such riveting fictional additions. Every moment has you tense, worried, excited, angry, laughing, smiling, and so on and so forth. It catches you off-guard with realizations and reveals, builds tension in the blink of an eye, and sells its characters incredibly well.
If there was one thing that this volume wanted to impart upon readers, it would be this. No matter where you are in the world, no matter what challenges or difficulties lay ahead of you, whether everyone or no one will support you, it's okay to dream. It's okay to aim for the stars, to look past what lays in front of you and express that passion, to chase after what lays in your heart. Even if people tell you that you can't do it, or that it's a weak or measly dream, or that they say it won't change anything or that it'd be a waste - dream.
Coming off the tail end of volume 2, and leading with a new story with fresh characters and concepts, Irina: The Vampire Cosmonaut volume 3 continues to stun and leave readers in awe at the quality and writing that Makino gives readers. Such an amazing science-fiction series that appeals to so many important pieces.
#tsuki to laika to nosferatu#Tsuki To Laika#Irina: The Vampire Cosmonaut#Irina The Vampire Cosmonaut#Kaye Scarlet#Bart Fiefield#light novel review#light novel recommendation#light novel
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Green, blue, scarlet, maroon , cinnamon, periwinkle, mauve, blush, fuchsia, lavender, razzmatazz, saffron, tangerine, burgundy
I feel the same way, Kaye!!!💖💖💖
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Charles Kemper (photos from 1937-1948) came to Hollywood from Oklahoma with the advent of Talkies having theater and vaudeville experience to take advantage of the new opportunities. He was first featured in comedy shorts, but not too many, although he was often the main character. At times, he worked with Shemp Howard or Danny Kaye. In 1945, he appeared in his first full length drama, The Southerner, then Scarlet Street. Both were good roles for him and his career began to take off. I found no mention of a wife or children.
#Charles Kemper#The Bashful Buckaroo#Money on Your Life#The Southerner#Scarlet Street#Belle Starr's Daughter
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All it takes is an Old movie
Falling asleep together on a car ride, featuring everyone's favorite Downey.
Warnings: Fluuuuffffff, worrying about age large age gap. (This one is for younger Tom fans like 21), self doubt,
Reader pov
It is an amazing experience, getting to work with people you admire. And in that regard I hit the jack pot! Getting to act in a Marvel movie with all my favorite modern actors, and getting to learn from them, i mean wow!!!
However as a younger actress it's difficult to keep up with them. This is my first big break so I have to work much harder than them. Which is why at the beginning of this tale we find me laying on the couch of the Bus they were using to cart us around. It was just me Tom Hiddleston and Robert Downey Jr. for today and they were doing there own things. So I popped into the DVD player my go to comfort movie. We're going to me in the bus for a while after a long day on location and I needed to unwind. My go to movie was, The Court Jester a very old movie with Danny Kaye and Basil Rathbone. As soon as the title music came on Tom perked up,
"How does a child like you know about a movie so old?" He teased gently
"Wait you know about it, nobody knows about this movie, and I'm not that young Tom"
"Could have fooled me?"
"Gee thanks" I turned back to the movie, he sat craning his neck to watch for a minute before getting up and coming over to the couch,
"Lift your legs, I'm gunna watch with you" I did just that, sitting up like a normal person on a couch and he sat.
"How do you know about this movie anyway? It is a little before your time"
"I could say that Shakespeare is before your time" I quipped back
"That hardly correlates"
"No it does", I turned to look at him "because they are both timeless pieces of art and show case great acting, to answer your previous question, I used to be obsessed with Basil Rathbone and he is the villain in this". I turned back to the scene, not noticing the look of perplexed wonder on his face.
We watched for a while in silence before I said,
"People say you remind them of Errol Flynn but that's not right he was only a gentleman in screen and couldn't sing, your more of a Danny Kaye"
"Really?"
"Ya, but its mostly the hair, 😜" I made a face at him, he stuck his tongue out right back. And we settled down to watch
Knowing the story line as well as I did was the perfect thing to help me relax, and no matter how hard I tried I just couldn't keep my eyes open. I was nodding off in no time.
Tom pov
When (y/n) turned on a movie I wasn't surprised, she had worked very hard the whole day. I was rather proud of her for keeping up, even Downey and I were tired after a day like that and we had years of experience to make it easier. Her movie choice did surprise me though, The Court Jester was old, golden age stuff, and few people knew about it. She was alway surprising me like that, quoting some piece of poetry or short story that is rather obscure.
After watching with her for about 20 minutes when her head slowly slid down to my shoulder, she was fast asleep, otherwise she would never have presumed to do that, she was always so careful. Very teasing but never assuming anything. I watched her for a moment she was so cute, I instantly wished the age gap between us was less. There had been couples farther apart sure but 17 years was still frowned upon.
A few minutes later Downey got up and noticed them, "Tom what are you guys watching?"
"The court jester"
"Geez did you pick it, you can't force your old tastes on people, look you put her to sleep"
He knelt, infringe of (y/n) looking at her,
"Actually she picked it, I joined her after she started it up"
Downey tilted his head to match the angle her head was at, "that can't be comfortable"
"I know but I don't want to move and wake her up"
"Here I'll help"
Slowly we eased her off of me and down onto the couch stuffing a pillow under her head and lifting her feet up onto the other side of the couch. Downey stood up, "she is pretty cute all asleep like that.
"Ya" I agreed before spreading a blanket over her and re boxing her movie for her. I slipped it into her backpack. Downey chuckled "sleep tight kid" before we moved off to sit at the table and talk.
Readers pov
When I woke I could hear low voices.
".....are a lot alike but different enough that you don't drive each other up the wall, why don't you two date?"
"If you haven't noticed I'm 17 years older than her Robert, I'm old enough to be her father"
"Barely besides she would want someone her own age"
"Tom, you are the first person she has been that relaxed around the entire time I've known her. Plus in the past 6 months of filming have you ever once heard hr mention a boy friend?"
"No, but she could just be private"
"Well yes but Scarlet asked her like a week ago about going on a date with someone and do you know what she said? She said, 'I don't know about that, I haven’t dated I like... 3? Years"
"How do you know that" I sat up, "Downey that was a private conversation!"
"So was this!" Downey smirked
"A private conversation in another room from where anyone else was, not a private conversation 3 feet away."
"Still"
“Grrr”
“Grrrr”
The whole time Downey and I were fighting Tom just sat a little stunned looking.
Toms pov
I was rather shocked by Downeys forwardness in the conversation but I was even more shocked when (y/n) stood up-- how much had she heard? Would she think i am some kind of creep now? Would she refuse to be around me?. Her voice and hand on my shoulder pulled me out of his building panic, "...and for the record Tom I don't think your to old, my grandpa married a woman 20 years younger than him". I looked up at her, as she gazed down at me a soft smirk playing around the corners of her mouth and a playfulness in her eyes. Downey cleared his through, "I'm gunna give you two sometime" and walked to the back. (Y/n) sat across from me, and cocked an eyebrow.
I began slowly, "so you don't think I'm to old for you? I mean I'm old enough to be your father"
"No I don't"
"But people will think..."
"I don't care"
"You don't?" I wondered at her
"No... i don't" she reached out for my hand, inviting me into a great new adventure.
3rd person POV
Tom and (Y/n) dated for 1 year then had a short engagement and a small private wedding, to which Downey was definitely invited. They became a “power couple”. Which is not to say they didn’t have ups and downs in there relationship. But it was very clear they were eachother’s best friend.
@drakesfiance
#tom hiddleston fic#tom hiddleston x reader#twh#fluff#robert downey jr#friends to lovers#court jester#tom x reader
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Movie Night
Title: Movie Night
Fandom: Sense8
Characters: the entire 8/8 cluster
Rating: PG
Summary: The cluster watch a movie together - an unedited drabble, by me.
“Yippee-kaye, motherfucker.”
John McLane’s famous quote was barely heard as both Riley and Will struggled to keep their eyes open. They’d had a long day, it was late, and they were currently intwined together on a fluffy couch in front of the TV. All these things made drifting off to sleep indescribably appealing - but they fought valiantly against the waves of exhaustion, stubbornly refusing to succumb to blissful unconsciousness for Capheus’ sake: incredibly, he’d never seen Die Hard, and as they could tell from his visit with them, he was loving it. How could they fall asleep and break their connection when their cluster-mate was having such a good time?
“I should go and leave you guys to rest,” he half whispered, eyes still glued to the screen.
Riley raised her hand from Will’s chest and fumbled briefly before she found Capheus’ warm fingers. “Stay,” she said softly, “it’ll be finished in a few minutes anyway.”
He didn’t need much convincing, squeezing her hand gently. “Okay.”
Riley felt a light rumble under her cheek as Will chuckled.
Fortunately, the final explosions of the grand denouement were enough to rouse them - as the FBI helicopter blasted into smithereens, Will did his best to rub the sleep from his eyes and sit himself up.
“That was an excellent movie!” Capheus exclaimed when the credits began rolling. He was practically euphoric.
Riley thought it was adorable. “I’m glad you liked it, I thought it would be something you would appreciate. There are several sequels, too, if you’re interested.”
Kala, however, did not share Capheus’ obvious delight. “It’s far too violent for my taste.” She hadn’t meant to visit, but her cluster-mate’s elation had attracted her attention. Wanting to get away from the sweaty Bruce Willis as quickly as possible, she pulled them all into her flat with Wolfgang. Her television was showing something entirely different.
“What are you guys watching?”
Seeing Capheus’ curiosity, Kala was more than happy to share. “lt’s a famous film called ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’.” She looped her arm into Wolfgang’s and leaned into him on the couch. “I’m introducing him to Bollywood,” she explained, pleased with herself.
“Bollywood, huh?” Will asked, grinning. “It’s kind of… light and breezy. Like, really light and breezy.”
Wolfgang nodded, completely serious. “It’s pretty good so far.”
Riley wasn’t surprised. “You enjoy the singing.”
Once she said it, it made sense to everyone else. Of course he would.
“Well, I’m not a fan, I preferred the ugly, barefoot man sneaking through the vents and punching people who annoy him.” Everyone’s eyes turned to the newly arrived Sun. She blinked at them owlishly. “What?”
“But it’s a beloved Indian classic,” Kala tried. “It’s been showing in Mumbai movie theatres for over twenty years. Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge has everything you could ever want! Singing, dancing, romance, adventure, beautiful scenery…”
“Sorry, but it just doesn’t do it for me.”
Sun agreed with Capheus’ sentiments. “The movie lacks gravitas and drama.”
“Well, I don’t understand your idea of fun.” Kala was thoroughly put out. “That Definitely Die movie-”
“Die Hard,” Nomi corrected, having also suddenly appeared.
“-yes, thank you - that movie was riddled with plot holes and gratuitous violence.”
Wolfgang agreed. “I’ve never really been a fan of it, either.” Seeing Will’s doubtful expression, he explained. “Too many cops.”
Sun snorted just as Will threw a cushion at him.
“I don’t know why you’re laughing,” Nomi noted, “you’re dating a cop.”
Sun stopped smiling immediately. “We’re not dating.” Both Kala and Nomi shot her a knowing look. “It’s complicated,” she admitted, caving.
“I do have one criticism,” Capheus noted, getting back to the topic at hand. “It would have been a better film if Jean Claude had played the main character.”
“Urgh,” Nomi rolled her eyes, “you think everything’s better with Van Damme in it.”
Capheus smiled, unafraid to acknowledge that this was entirely true.
“When I was young I thought Bruce Willis was kind of cool,” Riley admitted. “I definitely liked him better than Sylvester Stallone. I never really understood the appeal of the Rambo films. They took themselves far too seriously.”
“You’re not hunting him-” Capheus quoted, with Will finishing it for him. “He’s hunting you!”
”Schwarzenegger is still the best out of all of them.” Wolfgang knew he was making a controversial statement, but considering his well-known appreciation of Conan the Barbarian, he also knew it wouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone.
”But he doesn’t know any martial arts,” Capheus said with disapproval. “To be a real action star you need to have some fighting skill in front of the camera. You have to have an impressive presence.”
”Does that make me an action star? Technically I’ve been caught fighting on CCTV,” Sun joked.
”Oh, of course. You’re practically the embodiment of Jean Claude Van Damme himself.”
”Arnold Schwarzenegger has an impressive presence,” Wolfgang said with a frown, defending his champion. He looked down at Kala, hoping for her support in the matter.
”He certainly is a hulking beast of a man,” she offered.
”That British guy’s a martial artist, and he’s pretty good, too,” Will suggested as another contender for the title of best action star. “The Transporter movies were fun.”
”Not that I actively want to engage in this testosterone fest,” Nomi chimed in, “but I should point out that Dwayne Johnson’s made almost as many movies in his first few years of his acting career as Schwarzenegger did in the entire of the eighties and nineties. If you’re going to talk about success… he’s probably the one who’s made the most money and, personally, his acting’s better. And let’s not forget that Scarlet Johansson was the highest paid actress at one time for her action roles.”
Something caught Kala’s eye and she turned to find Lito sitting sullenly in the corner. “What’s the matter?”
He dragged his gaze from the TV, sighed dramatically, and then went back to staring at the screen. “Nothing,” he said wistfully.
Wolfgang smirked, knowing (along with the others) exactly what was wrong. “We can’t consider you an action star anymore because now you’re a proper Oscar winner.”
“Yes,” Capheus added, “you’re a truly great talent who can play any role perfectly. Jean Claude might be my favourite action man, but you’re my favourite actor.”
Lito was trying not to succumb to their blatant flattery, but he was having a hard time of it. “I don’t believe you guys.”
“Would it make you feel better if we all watched ‘Iberian Dreams’ again?” Riley suggested.
Lito scoffed. “I’m not an egomaniac,” he said, but did nothing to actively stop Riley from putting on the film.
“Come on,” Will goaded, patting the seat on the couch next to him. “Watch it with us.”
It took him a second, but Lito finally relented, a broad grin plastered to his face. “Okay,” he said, “I’ll go make some popcorn.”
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